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Nicole née Iaggi Ransom

2026-01-04T18:58:35Z

Siddharth1:

Louise-Nicole Anne-Marie Iaggi Ransom was a Veterinarian by trade and education; sometime a member of [[Ransom's Crew]]; later the wife of [[Marcus Ransom]] and the mother of his son Nathan.

==Profile==
Age: 50 - at the time of the story.

Appearance: Stout, round-faced, copper-colored, large-eyed, long-haired, and brown-eyed behind steel-rimmed spectacles. Hair is brown, with a prominent white streak at the widow's peak.

History: lived through and fought the revolution. Likely very wise; proud and steadfast in her opinions. Sees herself as accommodating (even when she is not), but still a shrewd negotiator. Enthusiastic about animal care, and a trained veterinarian. She has worked with seals, foxes, birds-of-prey, turtles, whales, dolphins, horses, lions, tigers, house-cats, dogs, and even tame fish. Skillful and probably influential in her field. “And she sings, too”: alto, varying to soprano. In her own science, she has many friends.

Nicole probably has a feeling of superiority towards Clipson: no matter his age or accomplishments, to her he's still a little boy.

Education: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

Occupation: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine; opthalmology, exotic-species medicine, wild-animal work.

Interests: Making jewellery; taking photographs; working with animals. (Boasted of having "Vaccinated six juvenile raccoons, set a spinal needle, and tamed a feral cat" in her youth; but this was the least of her accomplishments)

Strong points: Strong-minded, resourceful, versatile, intelligent, dignified, rational, optimistic, amiable, and very social. She was fluent in six or seven languages, not including the languages of science, and once insulted [[Elias Grimshaw]] in every single one.

Weak points: Impatient, hot-tempered, stubborn, vindictive, conventional, and self-assured. Also, over-fond of junk food. She hates weakness, especially in herself. Weakness in others is to be pitied or despised, according to what she thinks of the person in question.

Way of Speaking: Varies with mood; but generally segregates people according to their ages. To elders she's polite; to juniors sororal; to equals, friendly; etc. Her manner toward her son is both effusive and direct. Clipson, of course, she detests, and will say anything to disagree with him, unless it contradicts a professional principle.

Skeletons in Closet: Clipson, Natalie, and various other rejected alliances. She's also embarrassed to admit how deeply she adores Ransom, though he knows it full well.

Fears: losing a patient; seeing one of the skeletons in her closet come alive; losing her dear ones; dying of something other than Old Age; herself becoming helpless; etc.

Contents of Medicine Cabinet: All veterinary medicines, except those stored in bulk; all human medicines for bites, burns, lacerations, scars, blows, and sicknesses of every kind. At work, she keeps scanning-machines; rolls of bandage; coagulants; laboratory goggles; a Certificate; thermometers, hydration-meters, blood-pressure meters, a chronometer; medical lights; endoscopes, microscopes, periscope, stereoscope, and a stethoscope (this is slightly obsolete, but she keeps one for appearances' sake); also, two tricorders.

Contents of Bookshelf: Medical texts, scientific journals, children's stories (for Nathan); memoirs of great scientists, photograph collections, musical books, technical manuals, case files, and misc.

Hopes/Aspirations: mostly achieved. Her great ambition was 'to be a D.V.M.', and now she is one. Second came the hope of a set of intimate friends-and-relations, on whom she can rely as on her own limbs, and to whom she goes for all socialization; this is exactly what she has.

==Family Background==
Nicole's father Ralph was a descendant of Nathaniel ('Nat') Iaggi, a well-to-do but unscrupulous railroad entrepreneur, who by a combination of fair means and foul, became the founder of the first transcontinental railway in [[Altronis]]' western hemisphere. Her sister Natalie and son Nathan are both named after him. Although Nat Iaggi claimed to be a 'self-made man', who owed no debts, he was known to have seized immense tracts of land through improvement doctrine, eminent domain, shady business deals, fait accompli, and outright blackmail; all backed by financiers abroad, in exchange for a controlling interest in the branch railways. A few generations later, his vast accumulation of wealth was exhausted, when the success of numerous later railways grew greater than his, and his revenue was cut off. His descendants lapsed into a working-class life, to which Nicole is the principal exception.

The last of Nat Iaggi's descendants, until Nicole, to hold any reliable fortune, was his great-granddaughter, Dinah, who rebuilt an irrigation system and revived a dozen orchards in a village in the mountains, and connected the village to the main trunk railroad (in memory of her ancestor). Some years later, the village and all its industry fell victim to the Altronis [[Corpocracy]].

===Publications===
''Causes of death in preweaned northern elephant seal pups (Mirounga angustirostris, Gill, 1866), Año Nuevo State Reserve, California, 2012''. Authors: Terry R. Spraker, Eugene T. Lyons, Tetiana A. Kuzmina, Michael S. Tift, Stephen Raverty, Nicole Jaggi, and Daniel E. Crocker;

''Parasitological examination for presence of hookworms (Uncinaria spp.) in northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) at Año Nuevo State Reserve'', California (2012). Authors: E.T. Lyons,     Tetiana Kuzmina,   T.R. Spraker,  Nicole Jaggi,     Daniel P. Costa,   Daniel E. Crocker,     S.C. Tolliver, and Michael Tift.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Variable Option Common Vessel

2026-01-04T03:23:10Z

Siddharth1: /* Amenities */

Nicknamed "Vox" the V.O.C.V. or Variable Option Common Vessel is a type of container used by the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] for orbital-to-surface transport.

==Description==
At its core, the vox is little more than a giant, air-tight metal box equipped with life-support systems. Geometry and support structures allow it to be clamped on to a variety of vehicles, in order to be carried from a spacecraft to the planet surface. The vox can be equipped with an active heat-shield, parachute, and retro-rockets, allowing it to be de-orbited. It can also be "flown" to the surface by a number of vehicles.

==Variants==
The basic vox structure is designed to support a number of interior configurations, either for cargo, vehicle-delivery, or personnel-transport. The most common sue of the vox is simple cargo-delivery.

===Secondary Unity Delivery===
Though the [[GS Drop Ship|drop ship]] is the standard first-in unit delivery vehicle, the personnel-carrier version of the vox is designed for large-scale deployments. Essentially, the inside is fittied with up to 80 re-entry couches and various other ammeneties so that it can act as a troop-transport. Typically personnel are not confined to the vox for more than a few hours, though in semi-rare cases troops have spent up to three days on-board awaiting deployment.

===Mean Battle Tank===
Several voxs have been configured to carry various [[MEAN]] vehicles into combat. The [[MEAN#MEAN Battle Tank|tank]] is the favored vehicle as they are often needed to support ground personnel. Though the vox has space inside for two MEAN Battle Tanks, typically only one is placed inside as it is difficult to deploy more than that rapidly. Only the MEAN Battle Tank and armored personnel carrier are deployed this way.

===Instant-Base System===
Since the vox system includes a robust powerplant, they have often been contigured with entire facilities inside of them(such as hospitals, repair shops, etc) so that a series of vox can be delivered to a location and form an instant base. This variant of the vox, combined with other forms of containerization, has proved vary useful in ground-to-space deployments.

===Evacuation Option===
Though infrequently used, the EOV or Evacuation Option V.O.C.V., is a fitting of the vox equipped with extended life support and additional seating, so that it can hold up to 300 people for 32 hours. These were designed as a special-use module for rapid, large-scale evacuations. This variant of the vox could not be used to transport foot soldiers as it lacked the necessary space to stow their gear. It was intended from the outset to carry civilians.

Due to it's limited functionality, the EOV was not widely produced. Dedicated large-transport ships could often do a better job at evacuating civilians. In a pinch, the much more commonly-available secondary-unity delivery version could be used to safely evacuate up to two hundred civilians, so a dedicated civilian-use variant was not ultimately very useful.

==Amenities==
The base vox structure includes artificial gravity, inertial damping, and full heating/ventilation/cooling as well as air-filtration. According to [[GS]]-standards it has a life-support rating of 100-man/96 hours (meaning it can provide a comfortable, stable, shirt-sleeve environment for 100 men for 96 hours). The high-rating and large internal space has made it an excellent piece of equipment for use in large-scale evacuations as several hundred people can be loading inside for short periods of time.

The vox is not equipped with bathrooms, however fittings are standard and a modular 'bathroom attachment' is available. When empty voxes are shipped aboard carriers or personnel transport ships, the bathroom module is usually added in the event the vox might be required for an evacuation.

[[Category:Course Books]]

New-Day Era Film Industry

2025-12-29T21:03:25Z

Siddharth1: /* Port Feira, Serpentia */

In the Age of the [[New Day]] on [[Aren]], cinema is alive and well. Three major powers compete for the lucrative market, with two of them being quite politicized. The [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] makes movies in [[Modia]], the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] has well-funded studios in [[Weagal]] and [[Arindell]]; and a thriving independant industry exists in the region of [[Serpentia]], centered mostly around a city outside [[Polaris]]. There is also a thriving [[Necromancer]] film industry; however since their films are intended for the necromancer audience, they do not consider them as "competing" with the more standard film cartels.

==Port Feira, Serpentia==
A gorgeous planned city not located near water, Port Feira houses the bulk of the so-called "Free Agents" film industry (so called because they are not beholden to any greater organization and operate "freely"). A number of large studios and production houses film here. The city was founded in the mid second-century [[N.D.]], financed with loans from [[HMBT]].

Port Feira is known for making big-budget, financially successful films with little critical or artistic value. While Feira-based critics certainly disagree, the wider film world is often quite hard on the center.

In contrast to the other centers of film production, where the story or director take a central place in the marketing, Port Feira tends to promote actors. This is most blatant in the "Por Feira Darlings"; attractive young women given major roles and then heavily promoted. Opponents of the Feira industrial complex are quick to point out that you seldom see many of these darlings past the age of 25.

Film recuts are a frequent source of ire among the consumer-base. Its often said that studios in Port Feira first film an NC-17 version of every movie, then cut it down to the desired rating level. As evidence, film buffs will note that even movies aimed squarely at children will include implied sex via scenes that cut away quickly, or substantial violence that conveniently happens "just off screen". While this accusation lies on the extreme end, it is well known that nearly every PG-13 film also has an "R" and usually an "unrated" cut with a lot more inappropriate material in it.

Despite Modia's emphasis on war films, Port Feira is known for producing much more violent, graphic pictures.

===Notable Studios===

====Studio Jenez====
Studio Jenez is the largest of The Big Three, known for making high-concept and expensive films, usually with borderline exploitative themes. The studio's primary moneymaking ethos can be boiled down to "overpay for story rights people want to see, then sex it up".

===The Feira Fantasy===
An oft-mocked phenomenon of the Port Feira films is a strange tendency to depict the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] and [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] as mortal enemies locked in eternal war. The reasons for this are perfectly practical; both navies use the same warship designs, which makes it very simple to stage large naval battles (in point of fact, the [[TDFN]] buy obsolete warships from the [[Crimson Blade]] and refits them as a matter of course, the only new ships ever built are fleet carriers and submarines).

Most of these films are depicted more as "what if" or based on novels where events have driven the two superpowers to war. Exactly how deep the malice goes varies heavily from work to work; with some depicting the two sides as merely ideological rivals, while others portray blood enemies hell bent on mutual destruction. Most depictions are of the spy/thriller variety, but numerous war movies have also been made.

The films owe their roots to a genre of literature involving mutual espionage between the two powers. Usually one side finds out something deeply alarming about the other, and must fight to either bury the secret or reveal it. As a genre it is quite popular, however the accuracy and status as fiction are never in doubt.

There is some grain of truth to the genre. The TDFN requires "force parity" with the Crimson Blade Wet Navy on [[Aren]]. The reasons for this are largely bureaucratic, orders issued directly from the [[dragons]] and never rescinded. It is at times ruinously expensive.

==Modia==
[[Modia]] has no single centralized film production region, but a large network of state-owned facilities provides extensive capacity. It is difficult to tell where the privately-owned studios end and the [[Foundation]] begins, though all but very small independent ventures produced in the region are at least distributed by the Foundation. As such, the Foundation weirdly considerable control over what gets made and how.

While Feira-based critics often point out that "Modian films don't have to make money", the movies that come out of this region consistently rank higher on quality or artistic merits. Modian films are also more likely to rely chiefly on practical effects than CGI, with truly enormous casts borrowed from the [[Crimson Blade]].

Modia is known primarily for producing two kinds of films: war pictures, and emotion-heavy movies about families. It is an odd dichotomy, but it works surprisingly well. The family-centric films offer intricate plots, emotional resonance, and nuanced performances. Most Modian actors work under contract, which means they're paid a flat salary even when not working, and generally have to take the roles they are given. Ironically, most of Port Feira's most successful actors are poached from Modia.

The region is famous primarily for war films. Very occasionally the "Feira Fantasy" genre will crop up, but most often the films portray [[Crimson Blade]] soldiers fighting against un-named "belligerent nations" and always winning. Smaller-scale conflicts are often based on the real-life exploits of actual units, and dramatizations of famous wars are incredibly popular subject matter. Most notably even during the [[New Day]], the Foundation continues to produce multiple movies each year set during the [[Kamian Succession Wars]] (an event which, in the late New Day-era, took place nearly 4,000 years ago). These films offer varying degrees of historical accuracy and often use modern weapons and props.

Modian films are known for being grand, effects-heavy, and featuring enormous casts of extras. Crimson Blade soldiers seen in the backgrounds are typically portrayed by actual active-duty soldiers, and filming on bases or with real vehicles is extremely common. Naval films shot using entire fleets of active-duty warships get made on a regular basis.

Despite the heavy emphasis on practical effects, Modia's VFX industry is still the best on [[Aren]], able to creative cutting-edge and highly realistic renderings.

Though less well-known, the bulk of [[Aren]]'s high-quality animation studios(both traditional and digital) can actually be found in Modia. They produce mainly children's and family films and release under a wide variety of labels, but the actual work from writing to voicing to animation to editing is carried out in Modia.

===Ratings and Demographic Targets===
An odd point about Modian war films is that, despite the subject matter, the movies seldom break a PG rating. Graphic violence is uncommon and blood is subtle if used at all. A complaint frequently leveled by Por Feiran critics is that, despite having "the best practical effects on Aren", Modia's moulage effects are childish.

This is because the Foundation prioritizes broad appeal, with the emphasis on stories and characters not gore. Most of the violence is implied, with gunshots actually hitting characters on screen being exceptionally rare.

===Port Feira Interactions===
Despite the prevalence and popularity of Port Feira films over Modian, Port Feira's VFX industry still fails to match up in quality to what Modia produces. This leads to high-budget Feira productions outsourcing VFX work to studios in Modia, much to the consternation of Serpentia's government. Since the studios are ultimately owned by the Foundation, the Foundation is quick to leverage this politically.

===TDFN Interactions===

==Necromancer Films==
[[Necromancer Cinema]] is widely regarded as its own unique genre. The necromancer film industry is incorporated primarily in the [[Anea]] region in the [[Anea Foothills]], this area being home to some of the denser [[Necromancer]] populations. It is interesting to note that there are no explicit "necromancer studios". Rather, various temples own sound stages and other production facilities. The temples then grant access to specific productions, with few real production companies. Necromancer film companies form and dissolve with high regularity.

Most necromancer productions are much smaller-scale than the sorts of films produced by the major studios in Por Feira and Modia. Because necromancer movies are made primarily for consumption by other necromancers and for artistic purposes, the productions tend to be much smaller in scope.

Necromancer films tend to make use of more location shooting than sound stages, which has given rise to "caravan studios". That is production companies with no real brick-and-mortar address beyond an office to handle business aspects. Everything else lives on the road, being driven to wherever the film is set to take place.

Necromancers will also often film on any available sets, working at night or on weekends. Since their style tends to use relatively few special effects and relies on the talent of necromancer actors, they can get away with quite a bit. Errors in ever-changing backgrounds are often worked into the plot.

When sound stages are called for, viewers can expect to see a handful of popular recycled sets being re-dressed over and over again. These have become so egregious that specific "eras" in necromancer film history can be identified by the presence of given sets. One particular set, originally built as the lobby for an apartment complex, stayed in use for over ten years and portrayed everything from a bank to a school office.

===Critical Reception===
Necromancer films occupy an interesting space in the realm of film criticism. The movies rely almost exclusively on practical, most often in-camera effects if any special effects are used at all. The quality of the sets and locations are low, the props are typically even worse, and the stories often appear simplistic.

And yet, despite all of this, any serious film critic will point to the overwhelmingly high quality of the cinematography; with the use of camera angles and lighting being among the best in the industry. The acting is also praised as superb. And while the stories often appear simple, the ways in which they are told never cease to amaze critics.

===None-Necromancer Audience Reception===
The chief complaint about necromancer films is that they tend to use an exorbitant amount of sex and nudity. Necromancers abhor violence, especially depictions of violence. So sex scenes are frequently used as a euphemism. Necromancers also do not believe that depictions of nudity are inherently damaging, so casual scenes of characters changing clothes or bathing are shown without any attempt at censorship. Many necromancer films are set within fictional orthodox communities in which mixed bathing and social nudity are expected, so "Recuts" of these films without all the body parts are not possible.

Necromancers further do not employ a rating system and necromancer-owned theaters quite infamously will not impose age restrictions. As such, necromancer films attract a considerable crossover audience consisting of non-necromancer teenagers without easy access to pornography. Ironically many of these teens grow up to be directors, film producers, or just film aficionados due to the early exposure to good film making.

The [[Necromancer Chic]] subculture also cannot be ignored, non-necromancers who value the necromancer films for their artistic merits. This group can often propel a necromancer film to enormous commercial and critical success by bringing it to the wider world.

===Necromancers in Outside Cinema===
While it is uncommon for a primary necromancer director to work outside the necromancer industry, their directors of cinematography are often poached to work on Modian films(And less commonly, Por Feira). Editors and other technical professionals often find work as well. Necromancer actors also frequently receive supporting rolls in major mainstream films. While Port Feira does not like to bring in necromancer directors, they are fond of necromancer women for their willingness to do nude scenes.

==Station 19 Productions==
Originally created as a television network to service the remote mountain city of [[Arindell]], Station 19 started life as a re-broadcaster of imported content. As the city's population grew, it expanded first into news programs, then general interest, and finally locally-grown entertainment. By the 5th century [[N.D.]], Station 19 has grown into a small yet thriving network of city-owned production houses. The network operates primarily on a public-access model, with an emphasis on getting real people in front of the cameras and not just professional actors.

Station 19 finances just 2-3 films per year, the productions of which are given access to Station facilities for filming, editing, etc. Hopeful filmmakers must submit a proposal along with a budget, which is first peer-reviewed by other hopefuls and must then be approved by a review board. Once completed, the project then goes into a lottery system with the other projects before being selected at random. This has led to some controversial films getting through; though the emphasis on giving a voice to the voiceless is generally enough to subdue the critics.

Compared to Modian or Port Feira films, the productions that come out of Station 19 are viewed as woefully low-budget and amateurish. But despite all of these obstacles, a few truly classic films have come out of the program.

[[Category:Course Books]]

New Arindell

2025-12-29T21:02:35Z

Siddharth1: /* Culture */

Officially called "Arindell" some scholars use the colloqual "New Arindell" to describe the city as it was reconstructed following the [[Long Night]]. Only four original structures survived: the [[Arindell Necromancer Temple]], the [[Tabernacle of the Perennial Colonnade|Tabernacle]], the [[Library of Arindell|Library]], and parts of [[Valley Gale Keep]].

==Construction==
When Stormreaver Valley was being surveyed for resettlement, it was discovered that signficant portions of the old city were largely intact beneath 30 feet of accumulated hard-packed earth.

The New Day reconstruction of the city center was built roughly sixty feet higher than the old city to preserve the ruins. The new city used a series of utilidoors beneath the surface, allowing many services to be kept out of site as well as providing additional space. This brought the valley floor roughly level with the Keep, changing much of the character of the city.

===Districts===
Arindell has several major city districts.

====City Center====
City Center is home to Arindell's downtown district, [[Valley Gale Keep]], the [[City Center Museum]], [[City Center Sports Complex]], both of New Arindell's universities, and the bulk of major businesses and government centers operating out of Arindell. The [[Alliance Senate]] building is here, along with the administrative buildings for the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]]. The [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] also owns several structures, with one dedicated to communication and liaison with the two major governments.

The City Center can in some ways be thought of as a single, massive building. It sits atop a series of "utilidors", a vast labyrinth of inter-connected basements, utility corridors, and an extensive subway system (with both cargo and passenger trains).

City Center is divided into four sub-districts named for Arindell's ring road:
*North Road
*East Road
*South Road
*West Road

Of important note is no manufacturing goes on within the City Center district. All of that has to be done in the outlying zones.

====West Side====
The West Side is the least-formally established of the districts, essentially encompassing everything west of the [[Local Expressway]] and outside of the City Center. Formal boundaries are not well recognized, and the region does not have much in the way of a culture the way some of the other districts due. Despite all that, West Side is home to many very important sites: the [[Tabernacle of the Perennial Colonnade]], the [[Plaza of Sleeping Dragons]], the [[New Arindell Necromancer Temple]], and the great [[Library of Arindell]].

The rest of the district is primarily suburban housing tracts.

====Travel Town====
The unimaginatively-named Travel Town is the portion of the city where the terminus of the railroad ends. This is where much of the freight and nearly all of the tourists visiting the city enter. It is home to a large number of hotels and resorts, and provides easy access to the rest of the city by way of the [[Triumph Road]]. Travel Town has a relatively low resident population and exists as a sort of odd mix of tourist traps and short-term warehouses.

====Dragontown====
Dragontown is unique for being the one part of the city with highrise construction. Every where else has bans on building height in order to preserve the iconic skyline, but in Dragontown several very tall skyscrapters were constructed. These house the headquarters for [[High Mountain Bank and Trust]] as well as the seat of power for the human commissioners of the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]]. Dragontown is also home to an array of lavish mansions owned by various dragons, and is conveniently adjacent to [[Dragonland]] amusement park.

Gate House is the terminus of the Triumph Road and scene gateway to the city of Arindell. It is one of the denser populated areas outside the city center, home to an enormous train station and rail yard. This is where nearly everyone comes or goes from the city, with trains departing for Boarder Watch roughly every five minutes.

Conveniently nearby is a section of the city with many hotels and other amenities, as well as housing for employees in the rail industry. This area is affectionately known as "Travel Town" for its association with the rail industry and its role as the first stop for most travelers into the city.

====South Bend====
On the far side of the [[Mourn River]] and south of the [[Arindell Naval Air Station]] lies the district of South Bend, so named for the bendy road that passes through the center (some dispute exists as to whether the road or the name came first). The road follows the topography of the area and is fairly unique being a major thoroughfare with several twists(the bulk of Arindell's main roads are either arrow-straight or have a single large curve). This gave rise to a common joke of asking locals, "how is the bend?". This is slightly better than the district's other nickname: "The Armpit of Arindell".

The lower part of the bend, on the valley floor, was originally subdivided into low-cost housing for military personnel stationed at the naval air station. Specifically the enlisted men, with officers usually being houses either on base or in nicer neighborhoods. This means a lot of the lower part of the district is made up of small economy apartment buildings and various forms of attached housing. Eventually a new housing subdivision was constructed on the north side of the base, and the lower parts of South Bend saw a transition into entirely civilian housing. While by no means a slum, the section between the river and the main road is home to a large number of economically disadvantaged and working-class people. Most of the low-level workers at [[Dragonland]] live there.

The district has something of a unique culture. The cheap housing attracts a lot of young people seeking to live on their own. The young people who learn trades or attend higher education typically move away after a few years, so there's a lot of turnover in that regard. Practically everyone in Arindell lives in South Bend for a little while. This is alongside the low-income families, who tend to stay there sometimes for generations. Among the locals long-time residents are known as "lifers" while the short-timers are called "Benders". Note that its generally considered bad-form for anyone who hasn't lived in the South Bend neighborhood to use these terms.

However, on the eastern side of the main road, the terrain gets hilly, and was unsuitable to the kind of medium-density, low-cost housing that dominates the district. This area had been uninhabited up until around [[N.D.]] 480 when the housing block moved. Technically inside the [[Dragon Fence]] it saw little usage and was thus opened to development. Land parcels were quickly bought up and the construction of million-wingbeat-mansions began.

This presents a very interesting economic dichotomy. Wealthy families not good enough to live in the [[Flight Heights]] build expensive homes in the hills above South Bend, but in turn have to make use of the same amenities as the locals. This blending of the rich and the poor creates some very serious class-friction, but also gives rise to a few unlikely friendships.

=====South Plus=====
At the extreme eastern-end of the neighborhood, closest to the Dragonland, is a region known as "South Plus" (owing to the intersection of the two largest roads). This is primarily a low-density suburban district originally built to provide housing for Dragonland employees. It has, over the city's history, instead become something of a hotbed for [[Necromancers]]. Various economic factors contributed to this. South Plus is geographically close to the chief [[Necromancer Temple]] (though one has to take many surface streets to get there), and the single-family homes when renovated are nicer than some of the closer neighborhoods. The unusually large land plots in the area also make expanding the houses easier. With the necromancer focus on family, it's not unusual for children to buy houses as close as possible to their parents, so the population simply grew organically over time. South-Plus is regarded as the bougie necromancer neighborhood where all the moderately wealthy, conservative necromancers live.

==Museums==
*[[Mehi Museum]]
*[[Coriander Room]]

==Culture==
The [[Rec Center Network]] is a major institution and facilitates sporting, arts, and leisure through New Arindell's urban and suburban population.

===Education===
Education is important in New Arindell and significant public funds are invested in it. Most children attend small neighborhood schools, and in the suburban areas there is typically K-12 education available within walking or bike riding distance.

===Sports===
Soccer, Swimming, and Swordsmanship are the three official sports of [[New Arindell]], and far and away the most popular forms of recreation. Only soccer draws much in the way of spectator crowds, but neighborhood swim teams are found at every rec center and sword clubs and sword gyms can be found on every block.

===Food===

====The Shield Shack====
New Arindell is home to The Original Shield Shack, a chain on and of fast food eateries described as "Slayer Dragon-themed". In fact the Shield Shack chain does not pay for licensing to use the Slayer Dragon intellectual property, and instead relies on the sort of generic armored knight and princess-theming as is seen in the Dragonland amusement parks. The Shield Shack is not a particularly noteworthy culinary experience but is rather relied upon as a cheap, fast, and tasty meal choice. The signature burger is The Shield Wall, a double cheeseburger with grilled onions and barbecue sauce.

The chain began in Arindell and extended to [[Border Watch]] and the [[Sword Coast]], but found itself unable to compete in the market around [[Sun's Beacon]].

===[[New-Day Era Film Industry]]===

==Unique Laws==
While never a government official, [[Conri Jusenkyou]] made a number of edicts during his life which were essentially treated as laws. These are mostly known as "The Conri Laws" and cover many things related to education and youth.

==Magic Guilds of Arindell==
{{:Magic Guilds of New Arindell}}

[[Category:Course Books]]

New Arindell

2025-12-29T21:02:12Z

Siddharth1: /* Culture */

Officially called "Arindell" some scholars use the colloqual "New Arindell" to describe the city as it was reconstructed following the [[Long Night]]. Only four original structures survived: the [[Arindell Necromancer Temple]], the [[Tabernacle of the Perennial Colonnade|Tabernacle]], the [[Library of Arindell|Library]], and parts of [[Valley Gale Keep]].

==Construction==
When Stormreaver Valley was being surveyed for resettlement, it was discovered that signficant portions of the old city were largely intact beneath 30 feet of accumulated hard-packed earth.

The New Day reconstruction of the city center was built roughly sixty feet higher than the old city to preserve the ruins. The new city used a series of utilidoors beneath the surface, allowing many services to be kept out of site as well as providing additional space. This brought the valley floor roughly level with the Keep, changing much of the character of the city.

===Districts===
Arindell has several major city districts.

====City Center====
City Center is home to Arindell's downtown district, [[Valley Gale Keep]], the [[City Center Museum]], [[City Center Sports Complex]], both of New Arindell's universities, and the bulk of major businesses and government centers operating out of Arindell. The [[Alliance Senate]] building is here, along with the administrative buildings for the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]]. The [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] also owns several structures, with one dedicated to communication and liaison with the two major governments.

The City Center can in some ways be thought of as a single, massive building. It sits atop a series of "utilidors", a vast labyrinth of inter-connected basements, utility corridors, and an extensive subway system (with both cargo and passenger trains).

City Center is divided into four sub-districts named for Arindell's ring road:
*North Road
*East Road
*South Road
*West Road

Of important note is no manufacturing goes on within the City Center district. All of that has to be done in the outlying zones.

====West Side====
The West Side is the least-formally established of the districts, essentially encompassing everything west of the [[Local Expressway]] and outside of the City Center. Formal boundaries are not well recognized, and the region does not have much in the way of a culture the way some of the other districts due. Despite all that, West Side is home to many very important sites: the [[Tabernacle of the Perennial Colonnade]], the [[Plaza of Sleeping Dragons]], the [[New Arindell Necromancer Temple]], and the great [[Library of Arindell]].

The rest of the district is primarily suburban housing tracts.

====Travel Town====
The unimaginatively-named Travel Town is the portion of the city where the terminus of the railroad ends. This is where much of the freight and nearly all of the tourists visiting the city enter. It is home to a large number of hotels and resorts, and provides easy access to the rest of the city by way of the [[Triumph Road]]. Travel Town has a relatively low resident population and exists as a sort of odd mix of tourist traps and short-term warehouses.

====Dragontown====
Dragontown is unique for being the one part of the city with highrise construction. Every where else has bans on building height in order to preserve the iconic skyline, but in Dragontown several very tall skyscrapters were constructed. These house the headquarters for [[High Mountain Bank and Trust]] as well as the seat of power for the human commissioners of the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]]. Dragontown is also home to an array of lavish mansions owned by various dragons, and is conveniently adjacent to [[Dragonland]] amusement park.

Gate House is the terminus of the Triumph Road and scene gateway to the city of Arindell. It is one of the denser populated areas outside the city center, home to an enormous train station and rail yard. This is where nearly everyone comes or goes from the city, with trains departing for Boarder Watch roughly every five minutes.

Conveniently nearby is a section of the city with many hotels and other amenities, as well as housing for employees in the rail industry. This area is affectionately known as "Travel Town" for its association with the rail industry and its role as the first stop for most travelers into the city.

====South Bend====
On the far side of the [[Mourn River]] and south of the [[Arindell Naval Air Station]] lies the district of South Bend, so named for the bendy road that passes through the center (some dispute exists as to whether the road or the name came first). The road follows the topography of the area and is fairly unique being a major thoroughfare with several twists(the bulk of Arindell's main roads are either arrow-straight or have a single large curve). This gave rise to a common joke of asking locals, "how is the bend?". This is slightly better than the district's other nickname: "The Armpit of Arindell".

The lower part of the bend, on the valley floor, was originally subdivided into low-cost housing for military personnel stationed at the naval air station. Specifically the enlisted men, with officers usually being houses either on base or in nicer neighborhoods. This means a lot of the lower part of the district is made up of small economy apartment buildings and various forms of attached housing. Eventually a new housing subdivision was constructed on the north side of the base, and the lower parts of South Bend saw a transition into entirely civilian housing. While by no means a slum, the section between the river and the main road is home to a large number of economically disadvantaged and working-class people. Most of the low-level workers at [[Dragonland]] live there.

The district has something of a unique culture. The cheap housing attracts a lot of young people seeking to live on their own. The young people who learn trades or attend higher education typically move away after a few years, so there's a lot of turnover in that regard. Practically everyone in Arindell lives in South Bend for a little while. This is alongside the low-income families, who tend to stay there sometimes for generations. Among the locals long-time residents are known as "lifers" while the short-timers are called "Benders". Note that its generally considered bad-form for anyone who hasn't lived in the South Bend neighborhood to use these terms.

However, on the eastern side of the main road, the terrain gets hilly, and was unsuitable to the kind of medium-density, low-cost housing that dominates the district. This area had been uninhabited up until around [[N.D.]] 480 when the housing block moved. Technically inside the [[Dragon Fence]] it saw little usage and was thus opened to development. Land parcels were quickly bought up and the construction of million-wingbeat-mansions began.

This presents a very interesting economic dichotomy. Wealthy families not good enough to live in the [[Flight Heights]] build expensive homes in the hills above South Bend, but in turn have to make use of the same amenities as the locals. This blending of the rich and the poor creates some very serious class-friction, but also gives rise to a few unlikely friendships.

=====South Plus=====
At the extreme eastern-end of the neighborhood, closest to the Dragonland, is a region known as "South Plus" (owing to the intersection of the two largest roads). This is primarily a low-density suburban district originally built to provide housing for Dragonland employees. It has, over the city's history, instead become something of a hotbed for [[Necromancers]]. Various economic factors contributed to this. South Plus is geographically close to the chief [[Necromancer Temple]] (though one has to take many surface streets to get there), and the single-family homes when renovated are nicer than some of the closer neighborhoods. The unusually large land plots in the area also make expanding the houses easier. With the necromancer focus on family, it's not unusual for children to buy houses as close as possible to their parents, so the population simply grew organically over time. South-Plus is regarded as the bougie necromancer neighborhood where all the moderately wealthy, conservative necromancers live.

==Museums==
*[[Mehi Museum]]
*[[Coriander Room]]

==Culture==
The [[Rec Center Network]] is a major institution and facilitates sporting, arts, and leisure through New Arindell's urban and suburban population.

===Education===
Education is important in New Arindell and significant public funds are invested in it. Most children attend small neighborhood schools, and in the suburban areas there is typically K-12 education available within walking or bike riding distance.

===Sports===
Soccer, Swimming, and Swordsmanship are the three official sports of [[New Arindell]], and far and away the most popular forms of recreation. Only soccer draws much in the way of spectator crowds, but neighborhood swim teams are found at every rec center and sword clubs and sword gyms can be found on every block.

===Food===

====The Shield Shack====
New Arindell is home to The Original Shield Shack, a chain on and of fast food eateries described as "Slayer Dragon-themed". In fact the Shield Shack chain does not pay for licensing to use the Slayer Dragon intellectual property, and instead relies on the sort of generic armored knight and princess-theming as is seen in the Dragonland amusement parks. The Shield Shack is not a particularly noteworthy culinary experience but is rather relied upon as a cheap, fast, and tasty meal choice. The signature burger is The Shield Wall, a double cheeseburger with grilled onions and barbecue sauce.

The chain began in Arindell and extended to [[Border Watch]] and the [[Sword Coast]], but found itself unable to compete in the market around [[Sun's Beacon]].

===[[New-Day Era Film Industry===

==Unique Laws==
While never a government official, [[Conri Jusenkyou]] made a number of edicts during his life which were essentially treated as laws. These are mostly known as "The Conri Laws" and cover many things related to education and youth.

==Magic Guilds of Arindell==
{{:Magic Guilds of New Arindell}}

[[Category:Course Books]]

Orumpyle, the Undead Paladin

2025-12-27T03:13:29Z

Siddharth1: /* Fate */

[[Orumpyle, the Undead Paladin|Orumpyle Elronis]] was a [[Paladin]] who lived during the [[Necromanic Wars]]. He was captured by [[Grey Temple]] [[necromancers]] and unwillingly turned into a [[lich]].

==Life==
Orumpyle was born the second son of [[Rukiraa Elronis|Rukiraa]], a paladin of significant fame. His elder brother chose to pursue a secular life, but Orumpyle was from earliest childhood a devout believer. He was dedicated to the [[Tabernacle of the Perennial Colonnade]] at the age of 10, and confirmed as a paladin at just 27. Contemporaries described him as one of the few paladins devout enough to be a warrior monk.

Indeed, Orumpyle blended elements of both traditional paladin devotions and martial fighting in his style. He armed himself with [[Echo]], an [[Orichalcum|orichalcum]] dragon hammer. He had the shaft shortened and wielded it one-handed, allowing him to fight with hammer and shield. His [[Cordosa Sword]] was famed as one of the brightest ever seen. Orumpyle was also known for his magical abilities, blending elements of traditional sorcery with faith and devotion-fueled spellcasting.

In the [[Necromanic Wars]] he was a true force to be reckoned with, fighting both conventional armies and hordes of undead with equal ease. His only failing came when confronted with mechanized modern troops, of which many saw combat on all sides. Undaunted, Orumpyle would fall back and, as he put it, "let the professionals have at it".

His personal life was taken up largely training, he had few close friends though was said to be open and personable with anyone who met him. Many soldiers who fought beside him described him as "A force of personality". He came to be highly regarded, the sort of man everyone told stories about, and became the most feared paladin in the entire theater.

===Views on Necromancy===
Many later historians would attempt to paint Orumpyle as a horrible racist who hated the necromancer people. Indeed he was very vocal about his distain for the undead and that he believed the practice of animating corpses and raising up shades was a vile and despicable act.

However, many [[Green Temple]] necromancers met him face to face during his life and described him as "remarkably kind and polite". Though Orumpyle was not much for speeches or journaling, the general consensus holds that while he condemned the workings of undead among the necromancers, he did not view members of the community as inherently wicked.

The necromancers even tell a (probably apocryphal) story about Orumpyle's youth, when he befriended a necromancer boy from the nearby temple. Thousands of years later, this same story would be elevated to the status of a sacred text.

===Personal Equipment===
[[Echo]], Orumpyle's hammer, was made for him by [[The Craftsmen]] to his express requirements. His also carried a kite shield called [[Eltonguard]] supposed to date back to the [[Mage Wars]]. While he was fairly cavalier with the hammer, sometimes loaning it to other paladins and often allowing acquaintances to hold it, he was said to be exceptionally protective and possessive of the shield.

In his life he also wore enchanted silver ringmail armor, and was said to be in talks to acquire a suit of [[Adamantium|adamantium]], normally a feat only achievable by a [[Slayer Dragon]]. His personal equipment was said to be on par with that of the [[Slayer Dragons]].

In addition he carried a ring enchanted to give him additional stamina and a necklace with a powerful sigil of protection.

==Capture and Death==
In [[A.Y.]] 3375, Orumpyle traveled to [[Arindell]] to attend the anointment of [[Lal Soratami]] as [[Pendragon]]. Orumpyle was around 40 years old at the time, and many suspected Lal was to make him a [[Slayer Dragon]]. The exact events are unclear, but [[Grey Temple Necromancers]] infiltrated Arindell during the festivities and captured Orumpyle. It is believed they murdered him shortly after the kidnapping so his body could be smuggled out of the city.

According to later confessions by some of the necromancers involved, Orumpyle had become such a feared figure within the [[First File]] that the necromancers truly believed he could not be defeated. The only way to stop Orumpyle, they believed, was to turn him into the thing he hated most. Orumpyle was murdered, most likely by suffocation, and his body carefully prepared so that he could be raised again as a lich under the necromancer's control.

==Undeath==
Orumpyle was not merely turned into a shambling zombie. His flesh was dried, his joints reinforced with leather, and his organs replaced with funerary totems. He was wrapped in layers of linen bandages inscribed with necromancer prayers, with enchanted jewelry placed in the layers. Each layer of fabric was coated with resin to make it strong.

After the preparations were complete, ten thousand grey temple necromancers joined together and carried out a three-day ritual to empower him as a [[Litch|litch]]. This was different from the normal practice of creating litches in several ways, and used only by the Grey Temple to create so-called Battle Litches to lead their armies.

According to later captured and subsequently executed necromancers, the goal was to be able to control Orumpyle. However, in order for the litching process to "take", they had to equip him with his most treasured possessions. His shield, his hammer, his necklace, and his ring. As they had planned to make him an especially powerful undead minion, he was also given plate armor stitched to his body.

But when Orumpyle was raised up, he took up the hammer and immediately slew fifty necromancers. Hundreds of others involved in the ritual fled, and a few tried to exert control over him. One survivor recounted how he laid waste to the entire temple with savagery. The litching process had given him access to necromanic magics which he somehow blended with his own powers. The high priest, and most powerful necromancer in attendance, stood alone against him, putting up a desperate defense while trying every command he knew.

According to the necromancers, only a single command worked, one that made Orumpyle return to his sarcophagus. An undead as powerful as they had made him could not be destroyed by any conventional means. Instead, the coffin was bound with enchanted chains, and the necromancers made plans to cast it into the sea.

Before this could be achieved, the war was ended, and the Grey Temple defeated forever.

==Fate==
Orumpyle's fate is unknown. The necromancers who participated in transforming him into a litch would not reveal exactly which temple it happened at, and many did not know what was done to the sarcophagus after it was sealed. Only that, logistically, it could not have been transported to the ocean before the temple fell, and it is most likely hidden somewhere.

There are two main stories about what happened to him.

The first is that the coffin was secretly captured by the [[Church of the Cardinal Star]], who found a way to purify Orumpyle's body and allow it to achieve a final rest. Though, if this were true, it raises the question of why the church would keep it a secret.

The other is that the coffin fell into the hands of the [[Slayer Dragons]]. It was secreted away to [[Valley Gail Keep]] where Pendragon Soratami kept it in case the necromancers rose up in revolt.

Neither of these stories has ever been proven true, and the most likely answer is it lies in some forgotten crypt.

==Later Developments==
In the time after the Necromanic Wars, Orumpyle was largely forgotten by the general public, though he remained a revered figure and martyr within the church. A chapel in [[Arindell]] was named for him and stood for over a thousand years.

===New Day===
Orumpyle's story lived longer within the [[Necromancer]] community. Passed down through the generations, when the necromancers were eventually freed at the end of the [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]], he began to be talked about again. Being forcibly turned into a litch the way he was came to be seen as one of the great sins of the Grey Temple, and a cautionary tale for all good necromancers. He became a revered figure within necromancy, and though no physical trace of him had ever been found, shrines and altars were built in his honor. He had dozens of books written about him in the [[Necromancer Literature|neoclasical style]], with the story of him befriending a necromancer boy in his youth being committed fully to [[Endu]] and achieving the status of a [[Necromancer Sacred Scrolls#Pseudo-Sacred Scrolls|pseudo-sacred text]].

This continued throughout the [[Long Night]]. And while Orumpyle never achieved the level of [[Rubiceye]] or [[Isolia]], by the [[New Day]] period, he became known to necromancers more often than even historians.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Orumpyle, the Undead Paladin

2025-12-27T03:13:11Z

Siddharth1: /* Undeath */

[[Orumpyle, the Undead Paladin|Orumpyle Elronis]] was a [[Paladin]] who lived during the [[Necromanic Wars]]. He was captured by [[Grey Temple]] [[necromancers]] and unwillingly turned into a [[lich]].

==Life==
Orumpyle was born the second son of [[Rukiraa Elronis|Rukiraa]], a paladin of significant fame. His elder brother chose to pursue a secular life, but Orumpyle was from earliest childhood a devout believer. He was dedicated to the [[Tabernacle of the Perennial Colonnade]] at the age of 10, and confirmed as a paladin at just 27. Contemporaries described him as one of the few paladins devout enough to be a warrior monk.

Indeed, Orumpyle blended elements of both traditional paladin devotions and martial fighting in his style. He armed himself with [[Echo]], an [[Orichalcum|orichalcum]] dragon hammer. He had the shaft shortened and wielded it one-handed, allowing him to fight with hammer and shield. His [[Cordosa Sword]] was famed as one of the brightest ever seen. Orumpyle was also known for his magical abilities, blending elements of traditional sorcery with faith and devotion-fueled spellcasting.

In the [[Necromanic Wars]] he was a true force to be reckoned with, fighting both conventional armies and hordes of undead with equal ease. His only failing came when confronted with mechanized modern troops, of which many saw combat on all sides. Undaunted, Orumpyle would fall back and, as he put it, "let the professionals have at it".

His personal life was taken up largely training, he had few close friends though was said to be open and personable with anyone who met him. Many soldiers who fought beside him described him as "A force of personality". He came to be highly regarded, the sort of man everyone told stories about, and became the most feared paladin in the entire theater.

===Views on Necromancy===
Many later historians would attempt to paint Orumpyle as a horrible racist who hated the necromancer people. Indeed he was very vocal about his distain for the undead and that he believed the practice of animating corpses and raising up shades was a vile and despicable act.

However, many [[Green Temple]] necromancers met him face to face during his life and described him as "remarkably kind and polite". Though Orumpyle was not much for speeches or journaling, the general consensus holds that while he condemned the workings of undead among the necromancers, he did not view members of the community as inherently wicked.

The necromancers even tell a (probably apocryphal) story about Orumpyle's youth, when he befriended a necromancer boy from the nearby temple. Thousands of years later, this same story would be elevated to the status of a sacred text.

===Personal Equipment===
[[Echo]], Orumpyle's hammer, was made for him by [[The Craftsmen]] to his express requirements. His also carried a kite shield called [[Eltonguard]] supposed to date back to the [[Mage Wars]]. While he was fairly cavalier with the hammer, sometimes loaning it to other paladins and often allowing acquaintances to hold it, he was said to be exceptionally protective and possessive of the shield.

In his life he also wore enchanted silver ringmail armor, and was said to be in talks to acquire a suit of [[Adamantium|adamantium]], normally a feat only achievable by a [[Slayer Dragon]]. His personal equipment was said to be on par with that of the [[Slayer Dragons]].

In addition he carried a ring enchanted to give him additional stamina and a necklace with a powerful sigil of protection.

==Capture and Death==
In [[A.Y.]] 3375, Orumpyle traveled to [[Arindell]] to attend the anointment of [[Lal Soratami]] as [[Pendragon]]. Orumpyle was around 40 years old at the time, and many suspected Lal was to make him a [[Slayer Dragon]]. The exact events are unclear, but [[Grey Temple Necromancers]] infiltrated Arindell during the festivities and captured Orumpyle. It is believed they murdered him shortly after the kidnapping so his body could be smuggled out of the city.

According to later confessions by some of the necromancers involved, Orumpyle had become such a feared figure within the [[First File]] that the necromancers truly believed he could not be defeated. The only way to stop Orumpyle, they believed, was to turn him into the thing he hated most. Orumpyle was murdered, most likely by suffocation, and his body carefully prepared so that he could be raised again as a lich under the necromancer's control.

==Undeath==
Orumpyle was not merely turned into a shambling zombie. His flesh was dried, his joints reinforced with leather, and his organs replaced with funerary totems. He was wrapped in layers of linen bandages inscribed with necromancer prayers, with enchanted jewelry placed in the layers. Each layer of fabric was coated with resin to make it strong.

After the preparations were complete, ten thousand grey temple necromancers joined together and carried out a three-day ritual to empower him as a [[Litch|litch]]. This was different from the normal practice of creating litches in several ways, and used only by the Grey Temple to create so-called Battle Litches to lead their armies.

According to later captured and subsequently executed necromancers, the goal was to be able to control Orumpyle. However, in order for the litching process to "take", they had to equip him with his most treasured possessions. His shield, his hammer, his necklace, and his ring. As they had planned to make him an especially powerful undead minion, he was also given plate armor stitched to his body.

But when Orumpyle was raised up, he took up the hammer and immediately slew fifty necromancers. Hundreds of others involved in the ritual fled, and a few tried to exert control over him. One survivor recounted how he laid waste to the entire temple with savagery. The litching process had given him access to necromanic magics which he somehow blended with his own powers. The high priest, and most powerful necromancer in attendance, stood alone against him, putting up a desperate defense while trying every command he knew.

According to the necromancers, only a single command worked, one that made Orumpyle return to his sarcophagus. An undead as powerful as they had made him could not be destroyed by any conventional means. Instead, the coffin was bound with enchanted chains, and the necromancers made plans to cast it into the sea.

Before this could be achieved, the war was ended, and the Grey Temple defeated forever.

==Fate==
Orumpyle fate is unknown. The necromancers who participated in transforming him into a litch would not reveal exactly which temple it happened at, and many did not know what was done to the sarcophagus after it was sealed. Only that, logistically, it could not have been transported to the ocean before the temple fell, and it is most likely hidden somewhere.

There are two main stories about what happened to him.

The first is that the coffin was secretly captured by the [[Church of the Cardinal Star]], who found a way to purify Orumpyle's body and allow it to achieve a final rest. Though, if this were true, it raises the question of why the church would keep it a secret.

The other is that the coffin fell into the hands of the [[Slayer Dragons]]. It was secreted away to [[Valley Gail Keep]] where Pendragon Soratami kept it in case the necromancers rose up in revolt.

Neither of these stories has ever been proven true, and the most likely answer is it lies in some forgotten crypt.

==Later Developments==
In the time after the Necromanic Wars, Orumpyle was largely forgotten by the general public, though he remained a revered figure and martyr within the church. A chapel in [[Arindell]] was named for him and stood for over a thousand years.

===New Day===
Orumpyle's story lived longer within the [[Necromancer]] community. Passed down through the generations, when the necromancers were eventually freed at the end of the [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]], he began to be talked about again. Being forcibly turned into a litch the way he was came to be seen as one of the great sins of the Grey Temple, and a cautionary tale for all good necromancers. He became a revered figure within necromancy, and though no physical trace of him had ever been found, shrines and altars were built in his honor. He had dozens of books written about him in the [[Necromancer Literature|neoclasical style]], with the story of him befriending a necromancer boy in his youth being committed fully to [[Endu]] and achieving the status of a [[Necromancer Sacred Scrolls#Pseudo-Sacred Scrolls|pseudo-sacred text]].

This continued throughout the [[Long Night]]. And while Orumpyle never achieved the level of [[Rubiceye]] or [[Isolia]], by the [[New Day]] period, he became known to necromancers more often than even historians.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Orumpyle, the Undead Paladin

2025-12-27T03:11:28Z

Siddharth1: /* Capture and Death */

[[Orumpyle, the Undead Paladin|Orumpyle Elronis]] was a [[Paladin]] who lived during the [[Necromanic Wars]]. He was captured by [[Grey Temple]] [[necromancers]] and unwillingly turned into a [[lich]].

==Life==
Orumpyle was born the second son of [[Rukiraa Elronis|Rukiraa]], a paladin of significant fame. His elder brother chose to pursue a secular life, but Orumpyle was from earliest childhood a devout believer. He was dedicated to the [[Tabernacle of the Perennial Colonnade]] at the age of 10, and confirmed as a paladin at just 27. Contemporaries described him as one of the few paladins devout enough to be a warrior monk.

Indeed, Orumpyle blended elements of both traditional paladin devotions and martial fighting in his style. He armed himself with [[Echo]], an [[Orichalcum|orichalcum]] dragon hammer. He had the shaft shortened and wielded it one-handed, allowing him to fight with hammer and shield. His [[Cordosa Sword]] was famed as one of the brightest ever seen. Orumpyle was also known for his magical abilities, blending elements of traditional sorcery with faith and devotion-fueled spellcasting.

In the [[Necromanic Wars]] he was a true force to be reckoned with, fighting both conventional armies and hordes of undead with equal ease. His only failing came when confronted with mechanized modern troops, of which many saw combat on all sides. Undaunted, Orumpyle would fall back and, as he put it, "let the professionals have at it".

His personal life was taken up largely training, he had few close friends though was said to be open and personable with anyone who met him. Many soldiers who fought beside him described him as "A force of personality". He came to be highly regarded, the sort of man everyone told stories about, and became the most feared paladin in the entire theater.

===Views on Necromancy===
Many later historians would attempt to paint Orumpyle as a horrible racist who hated the necromancer people. Indeed he was very vocal about his distain for the undead and that he believed the practice of animating corpses and raising up shades was a vile and despicable act.

However, many [[Green Temple]] necromancers met him face to face during his life and described him as "remarkably kind and polite". Though Orumpyle was not much for speeches or journaling, the general consensus holds that while he condemned the workings of undead among the necromancers, he did not view members of the community as inherently wicked.

The necromancers even tell a (probably apocryphal) story about Orumpyle's youth, when he befriended a necromancer boy from the nearby temple. Thousands of years later, this same story would be elevated to the status of a sacred text.

===Personal Equipment===
[[Echo]], Orumpyle's hammer, was made for him by [[The Craftsmen]] to his express requirements. His also carried a kite shield called [[Eltonguard]] supposed to date back to the [[Mage Wars]]. While he was fairly cavalier with the hammer, sometimes loaning it to other paladins and often allowing acquaintances to hold it, he was said to be exceptionally protective and possessive of the shield.

In his life he also wore enchanted silver ringmail armor, and was said to be in talks to acquire a suit of [[Adamantium|adamantium]], normally a feat only achievable by a [[Slayer Dragon]]. His personal equipment was said to be on par with that of the [[Slayer Dragons]].

In addition he carried a ring enchanted to give him additional stamina and a necklace with a powerful sigil of protection.

==Capture and Death==
In [[A.Y.]] 3375, Orumpyle traveled to [[Arindell]] to attend the anointment of [[Lal Soratami]] as [[Pendragon]]. Orumpyle was around 40 years old at the time, and many suspected Lal was to make him a [[Slayer Dragon]]. The exact events are unclear, but [[Grey Temple Necromancers]] infiltrated Arindell during the festivities and captured Orumpyle. It is believed they murdered him shortly after the kidnapping so his body could be smuggled out of the city.

According to later confessions by some of the necromancers involved, Orumpyle had become such a feared figure within the [[First File]] that the necromancers truly believed he could not be defeated. The only way to stop Orumpyle, they believed, was to turn him into the thing he hated most. Orumpyle was murdered, most likely by suffocation, and his body carefully prepared so that he could be raised again as a lich under the necromancer's control.

==Undeath==
Orumpyle was not merely turned into a shambling zombie. His flesh was dried, his joints reinforced with leather, and his organs replaced with funerary totems. He was wrapped in layers of linen bandages inscribed with necromancer prayers, with enchanted jewelry placed in the layers. Each layer of fabric was coated with resin to make it strong.

After the preparations were complete, ten thousand grey temple necromancers joined together and carried out a three-day ritual to empower him as a [[Litch|litch]]. This was different from the normal practice of creating litches in several ways, and used only by the Grey Temple to create so-called Battle Litches to lead their armies.

According to later captured and subsequently executed necromancers, the goal was to be able to control Orumpyle. However, in order for the litching process to "take", they had to equip him with his most treasured possessions. His shield, his hammer, his necklace, and his ring. As they had planned to make him an especially powerful undead minion, he was also given plate armor stitched to his body.

But when Orumpyle was raised up, he took up the hammer and immediately slew fifty necromancers. Hundreds of others involved in the ritual fled, and a few tried to exert control over him. One survivor recounted how he laid waste to the entire temple with savagery. The litching process had given him access to necromanic magics which he somehow blended with his own powers. The high priest, and most powerful necromancer in attendance, stood alone against him, putting up a desperate defense while trying every command he knew.

According to the necromancers, only a single command worked, one that made Orumpyle return to his sarcophagus. An undead as powerful a they had made him could not be destroyed by any conventional means. Instead, the coffin was bound with enchanted chains, and the necromancers made plans to cast it into the sea.

Before this could be achieved, the war was ended, and the Grey Temple defeated forever.

==Fate==
Orumpyle fate is unknown. The necromancers who participated in transforming him into a litch would not reveal exactly which temple it happened at, and many did not know what was done to the sarcophagus after it was sealed. Only that, logistically, it could not have been transported to the ocean before the temple fell, and it is most likely hidden somewhere.

There are two main stories about what happened to him.

The first is that the coffin was secretly captured by the [[Church of the Cardinal Star]], who found a way to purify Orumpyle's body and allow it to achieve a final rest. Though, if this were true, it raises the question of why the church would keep it a secret.

The other is that the coffin fell into the hands of the [[Slayer Dragons]]. It was secreted away to [[Valley Gail Keep]] where Pendragon Soratami kept it in case the necromancers rose up in revolt.

Neither of these stories has ever been proven true, and the most likely answer is it lies in some forgotten crypt.

==Later Developments==
In the time after the Necromanic Wars, Orumpyle was largely forgotten by the general public, though he remained a revered figure and martyr within the church. A chapel in [[Arindell]] was named for him and stood for over a thousand years.

===New Day===
Orumpyle's story lived longer within the [[Necromancer]] community. Passed down through the generations, when the necromancers were eventually freed at the end of the [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]], he began to be talked about again. Being forcibly turned into a litch the way he was came to be seen as one of the great sins of the Grey Temple, and a cautionary tale for all good necromancers. He became a revered figure within necromancy, and though no physical trace of him had ever been found, shrines and altars were built in his honor. He had dozens of books written about him in the [[Necromancer Literature|neoclasical style]], with the story of him befriending a necromancer boy in his youth being committed fully to [[Endu]] and achieving the status of a [[Necromancer Sacred Scrolls#Pseudo-Sacred Scrolls|pseudo-sacred text]].

This continued throughout the [[Long Night]]. And while Orumpyle never achieved the level of [[Rubiceye]] or [[Isolia]], by the [[New Day]] period, he became known to necromancers more often than even historians.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Orumpyle, the Undead Paladin

2025-12-27T03:10:08Z

Siddharth1: /* Views on Necromancy */

[[Orumpyle, the Undead Paladin|Orumpyle Elronis]] was a [[Paladin]] who lived during the [[Necromanic Wars]]. He was captured by [[Grey Temple]] [[necromancers]] and unwillingly turned into a [[lich]].

==Life==
Orumpyle was born the second son of [[Rukiraa Elronis|Rukiraa]], a paladin of significant fame. His elder brother chose to pursue a secular life, but Orumpyle was from earliest childhood a devout believer. He was dedicated to the [[Tabernacle of the Perennial Colonnade]] at the age of 10, and confirmed as a paladin at just 27. Contemporaries described him as one of the few paladins devout enough to be a warrior monk.

Indeed, Orumpyle blended elements of both traditional paladin devotions and martial fighting in his style. He armed himself with [[Echo]], an [[Orichalcum|orichalcum]] dragon hammer. He had the shaft shortened and wielded it one-handed, allowing him to fight with hammer and shield. His [[Cordosa Sword]] was famed as one of the brightest ever seen. Orumpyle was also known for his magical abilities, blending elements of traditional sorcery with faith and devotion-fueled spellcasting.

In the [[Necromanic Wars]] he was a true force to be reckoned with, fighting both conventional armies and hordes of undead with equal ease. His only failing came when confronted with mechanized modern troops, of which many saw combat on all sides. Undaunted, Orumpyle would fall back and, as he put it, "let the professionals have at it".

His personal life was taken up largely training, he had few close friends though was said to be open and personable with anyone who met him. Many soldiers who fought beside him described him as "A force of personality". He came to be highly regarded, the sort of man everyone told stories about, and became the most feared paladin in the entire theater.

===Views on Necromancy===
Many later historians would attempt to paint Orumpyle as a horrible racist who hated the necromancer people. Indeed he was very vocal about his distain for the undead and that he believed the practice of animating corpses and raising up shades was a vile and despicable act.

However, many [[Green Temple]] necromancers met him face to face during his life and described him as "remarkably kind and polite". Though Orumpyle was not much for speeches or journaling, the general consensus holds that while he condemned the workings of undead among the necromancers, he did not view members of the community as inherently wicked.

The necromancers even tell a (probably apocryphal) story about Orumpyle's youth, when he befriended a necromancer boy from the nearby temple. Thousands of years later, this same story would be elevated to the status of a sacred text.

===Personal Equipment===
[[Echo]], Orumpyle's hammer, was made for him by [[The Craftsmen]] to his express requirements. His also carried a kite shield called [[Eltonguard]] supposed to date back to the [[Mage Wars]]. While he was fairly cavalier with the hammer, sometimes loaning it to other paladins and often allowing acquaintances to hold it, he was said to be exceptionally protective and possessive of the shield.

In his life he also wore enchanted silver ringmail armor, and was said to be in talks to acquire a suit of [[Adamantium|adamantium]], normally a feat only achievable by a [[Slayer Dragon]]. His personal equipment was said to be on par with that of the [[Slayer Dragons]].

In addition he carried a ring enchanted to give him additional stamina and a necklace with a powerful sigil of protection.

==Capture and Death==
In [[A.Y.]] 3375, Orumpyle traveled to [[Arindell]] to attend the annointment of [[Lal Soratami]] as [[Pendragon]]. Orumpyle was around 40 years old at the time, and many suspected Lal was to make him a [[Slayer Dragon]]. The exact events are unclear, but [[Grey Temple Necromancers]] infiltrated Arindell during the festivities and captured Orumpyle. It is believed they murdered him shortly after the kidnapping so his body could be smuggled out of the city.

According to later confessions by some of the necromancers involved, Orumpyle had become such a feared figure within the [[First File]] that the necromancers truly believed he could not be defeated. The only way to stop Orumpyle, they believed, was to turn him into the thing he hated most. Orumpyle was murdered, most likely by suffocation, and his body carefully prepared so that he could be raised again as a litch under the necromancer's control.

==Undeath==
Orumpyle was not merely turned into a shambling zombie. His flesh was dried, his joints reinforced with leather, and his organs replaced with funerary totems. He was wrapped in layers of linen bandages inscribed with necromancer prayers, with enchanted jewelry placed in the layers. Each layer of fabric was coated with resin to make it strong.

After the preparations were complete, ten thousand grey temple necromancers joined together and carried out a three-day ritual to empower him as a [[Litch|litch]]. This was different from the normal practice of creating litches in several ways, and used only by the Grey Temple to create so-called Battle Litches to lead their armies.

According to later captured and subsequently executed necromancers, the goal was to be able to control Orumpyle. However, in order for the litching process to "take", they had to equip him with his most treasured possessions. His shield, his hammer, his necklace, and his ring. As they had planned to make him an especially powerful undead minion, he was also given plate armor stitched to his body.

But when Orumpyle was raised up, he took up the hammer and immediately slew fifty necromancers. Hundreds of others involved in the ritual fled, and a few tried to exert control over him. One survivor recounted how he laid waste to the entire temple with savagery. The litching process had given him access to necromanic magics which he somehow blended with his own powers. The high priest, and most powerful necromancer in attendance, stood alone against him, putting up a desperate defense while trying every command he knew.

According to the necromancers, only a single command worked, one that made Orumpyle return to his sarcophagus. An undead as powerful a they had made him could not be destroyed by any conventional means. Instead, the coffin was bound with enchanted chains, and the necromancers made plans to cast it into the sea.

Before this could be achieved, the war was ended, and the Grey Temple defeated forever.

==Fate==
Orumpyle fate is unknown. The necromancers who participated in transforming him into a litch would not reveal exactly which temple it happened at, and many did not know what was done to the sarcophagus after it was sealed. Only that, logistically, it could not have been transported to the ocean before the temple fell, and it is most likely hidden somewhere.

There are two main stories about what happened to him.

The first is that the coffin was secretly captured by the [[Church of the Cardinal Star]], who found a way to purify Orumpyle's body and allow it to achieve a final rest. Though, if this were true, it raises the question of why the church would keep it a secret.

The other is that the coffin fell into the hands of the [[Slayer Dragons]]. It was secreted away to [[Valley Gail Keep]] where Pendragon Soratami kept it in case the necromancers rose up in revolt.

Neither of these stories has ever been proven true, and the most likely answer is it lies in some forgotten crypt.

==Later Developments==
In the time after the Necromanic Wars, Orumpyle was largely forgotten by the general public, though he remained a revered figure and martyr within the church. A chapel in [[Arindell]] was named for him and stood for over a thousand years.

===New Day===
Orumpyle's story lived longer within the [[Necromancer]] community. Passed down through the generations, when the necromancers were eventually freed at the end of the [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]], he began to be talked about again. Being forcibly turned into a litch the way he was came to be seen as one of the great sins of the Grey Temple, and a cautionary tale for all good necromancers. He became a revered figure within necromancy, and though no physical trace of him had ever been found, shrines and altars were built in his honor. He had dozens of books written about him in the [[Necromancer Literature|neoclasical style]], with the story of him befriending a necromancer boy in his youth being committed fully to [[Endu]] and achieving the status of a [[Necromancer Sacred Scrolls#Pseudo-Sacred Scrolls|pseudo-sacred text]].

This continued throughout the [[Long Night]]. And while Orumpyle never achieved the level of [[Rubiceye]] or [[Isolia]], by the [[New Day]] period, he became known to necromancers more often than even historians.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancer Sacred Scrolls

2025-12-27T03:09:09Z

Siddharth1:

The [[Necromancer Sacred Scrolls]] are a series of holy texts that form the heart of [[Necromancy#Terminology and Belief System|Necromancer Religion]]. The bulk of the text comes from the [[Endu Epics]] composed sometime before 3500 [[B.G.A.]]. The rest of the canon solidified during the first centuries of the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] on the [[Arcol Steppe]]. In an event not included in the text but known to all necromancers, the scrolls were "frozen" or declared complete and immutable. Since then the text has changed very little, and necromancers regard the texts as sacrosanct.

The primary language of the sacred scrolls is [[Endu]], and according to all necromancers that is the only language. However, at the time the canon solidified, most Arcol necromancers were bilingual, and [[Necromancer Literature|Classical Necromancer Literature]] contains a blend of Endu and Common. The later portions of the text also borrow many elements of Common such as spacing and punctuation not present in the Epic portions of the text. Non-necromancer linguists who analyzed the scrolls have found that the bulk of the words are indeed in Endu, but many loan words from Common (spelled phonetically in the necromancer alphabet) have been identified. A number of words are also believed to have been adopted from other languages that existed in the region at the time, including a few now lost languages. Some scholars even believe the sacred scrolls could hold actual words from the only speculated-upon [[Sepal-Script#Sepal Language|Sepal language]].

Officially within the necromancer faith, an object only "counts" as a sacred scroll if it includes exactly the text of the sacred scrolls hand-written in blood on papyrus. However the need for every family to own at least one (and often multiple) copies of the entire canon has led to the creation of "pseudo-sacred scrolls". These are typically printed leaflet books that contain the text, making them much more accessible to the faithful. Printed (or later electronic) versions of the text do not need to be venerated as the objects themselves are not regarded as sacred. Every [[Necromancy Temple]], however, must own a complete set of actual sacred scrolls and make them available to the faithful. A complete set or individual scrolls are often owned by wealthy necromancers and kept in a personal shrine. A papyrus scroll inscribed with carefully chosen bits of scripture is a very popular gift for a youth completing the [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|Nip'zet ritual]].

==Pseudo-Sacred Scrolls==
Another collection of books given the same importance but not the same veneration are referred to as ''"The Pseudo-Sacred Scrolls"''. These primarily concern [[Necromancer Functional Medicine|medicine]] and time-worn wisdom in use by the temples. Most of these books were written while the Necromancer population was in confinement during the [[Alliance]] era.

Pseudo-sacred texts also take the form of events that happened after the end of the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] but that are deemed important enough to be repeated as stories. One example is that of [[Orumpyle, the Undead Paladin]], whose cruel fate meted out by the [[Grey Temple]] necromancers earned him a revered place within the [[Green Temple]]. He is one of the few figures mentioned by his actual name.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancy

2025-12-26T18:30:26Z

Siddharth1: /* Games */

Necromancy is a form of magic practiced by Necromancers. 'Necro–' meaning 'dead', it specifically deals with re-animating dead things and returning dead souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancy is among the types of [[Magic|magic]] that is strictly inherited, therefore only those born into the fold can practice it. This has allowed a rich and ancient culture to form around the practice.

Despite its heavy emphasis on death, the core of necromancy is actually about life. Necromancers believe that life is made possible through a generative encounter. Without life, there is no death; so that generative encounter is at the very heart of their belief system.

==Magic==
Nearly all necromancers can use the magic of necromancy to one degree or another; for most, it is fairly limited. Anyone demonstrating a high degree of potential with the art will be made a part of the priest caste, and assist with the temple's rituals.

Necromancy itself has two major parts: the re-animation of the undead, and the raising of souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancers have also found ways to turn their power to various other endeavors, often wielding it in a fashion similar to more main-stream [[Magic]]. There are some caveats; necromancy has no healing capability, nor can it see or harness the elements. But it can be used to grant great strength and to perform attacks.

Many necromancers are also competent, occasionally highly-skilled mages along the normal lines of magic.

===Re-Animation===
Re-animation magic is the mainstay of the Necromancer's workforce, and perhaps their best known trick. The process involves animating a dead life-form and making it [[Types of Undead|un-dead]]. The basic form of this spell typically has a very short duration, and the fresher the corpse, the easier it is to animate. Re-animation is typically focused around creating mindless worker-drones who can preform simple tasks and follow orders; part of the magic is in simply controlling them. A necromancer can directly control a single undead to carry out complex steps, or impose will over a group to guide them through a simpler task. Anything requiring a great deal of skill still requires a living touch, but undead can also provide a useful power-source. Necromancer farms require no windmills, for the undead turn the cranks day and night and need no rest.

Some undead can be made to carry out more difficult tasks if they had performed such tasks in life. A cobbler, for example, when re-animated and seated before a workbench and supplied with tools and materials, can be made to continue producing shoes. In such an instance, the undead would be able to produce only a single design of shoe, over and over again, but could likely achieve the same level of quality as in life.

Undead must be preserved and maintained, so mummification is often undertaken. In wetter climates where keeping a body dry is impractical, necromancers will often strip the flesh and keep only the skeleton, which can be animated with ease.

===Raising of Souls===
The raising of souls involves bringing back a shade or ghost of the dead from the underworld and allowing them to commune with the living. This is completely different from re-animating corpses, as the shade has all the memories and personality of its former life, and is fully cognizant of its surroundings.

A raised soul has a fusion of both the conscious and the unconscious mind of the individual, granting access to much greater knowledge and understanding than it may have had in life. The shade can speak, though only in its native tongue, and can even move about. Depending on the strength of the shade, the skill of the necromancer, and the potency of the spell, the shade may even take on a fully corporeal form. In most cases, it will appear only as a shadow; sometimes only as a head, with only vaguely distinguishable features.

Shades can only exist in the living world within a ritual site, and will return to the underworld if the ritual is disturbed. A necromantically-summoned shade should not be confused with the widely known creatures of darkness caused by the abuse of dark magics.

The most difficult task among necromancers, the fusion of the undead with the raised, creates a powerful being called a [[Litch]].

==Terminology and Belief System==
Necromancy is practiced by mages called Necromancers, to whom it is both a religon and a form of magic. Their entire culture revolves around this practice.

The group noun for necromancers is cult, so a bunch of necromancers would be called a cult of necromancers. This term can be used to describe either a number of necromancers or a specific settlment. A permanent settlement is called a [[Necromancy Temple|Temple]]; this refers both to the structure and to the necromancers therein.

Necromancers worship death, understanding that it is not an end but a change, and one they can reverse to a degree. They value history and are known for extensive record-keeping. Much information about the [[Mage Wars]] was chronicled in Necromancer [[Necromancy Temple|temples]].

===Ideologies in Necromancy===
[[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] describe two differing ideologies of Necromancy, with all Grey Temple necromancers having been put to death by the end of the fifth century of the [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]] at the order of [[Pendragon]] [[Lal Soratami|Soratami]]. This followed the [[Necromanic Wars]].

===Priesthood===
Any blood necromancer has access to the necromanic magics and is thus eligible to join the priesthood. Traditionally, the men are called priests and woman are called chantresses. Though the power strucuture and dynamic has changed over the [[Ages]], in the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] priestesses had more power with fewer restrictions. This is believed to relate to the central role fertility and femininity played especially in [[Green Temple]] ideology.

The main function of the priesthood is to delineates a regular necromancer from those practicing of necromancer magic. Because the magic is so heavily tied to the religious and spiritual aspects of necromancy, the process of learning the magic requires being inducted into the priesthood. Whether priest or chantress, a necromancer who demonstrates power to command the undead and completes certain religious rites will receive the title "[[Servant in the House of Truth]]". Other titles will be bestowed as more rites are completed or status attained within the temple hierarchy.

====Leadership====
Necromancy temples are lead by a group of High Temple Priests and High Temple Chantresses. This means that only magic-using necromancers are able to hold leadership roles, which in turn encourages as many necromancers as possible to practice the dark arts.

===Masonry===
Masonry plays a minor but important role in the religious side of Necromancy. Necromancers believe that once a stone has been cut and shaped, it cannot be cut again. The act of carving bricks also carried ritual and sacred significance.

==Invention==
Necromancy was invented by [[Rubiceye]] in the early part of the [[Mage Wars]], roughly 3500 [[B.G.A. System|B.G.A.]], though it is well known that the sorcerer began work on the magic long before. It is also well known that he made numerous failed attempts before perfecting the technique.

After its creation, Necromancy became hereditary in familial lines. Unlike other magicks which could be learned and practiced by any, Necromancy could only be performed by necromancers.

==Culture==
The necromancers' culture is very rich and deep.

===Nomenclature===
Necromancy cannot be learned; only those born with it can practice it. The power is believed to occur within an artificially created gene, originally bestowed by [[Rubiceye]].

The Necromancer, then, is both a people group and a type of mage.

The members of a particular group are called a temple, which also the name of the structure where most necromancer's live and practice. The collective noun for necromancer's is 'cult'. Often, this term will be used to refer to the entire temple; however within necromancer parlance a 'cult' specifically means "any gathering"

===Caste System===
The Necromancer's temple population is divided into four castes: Priest, Scholar, Warrior, and Worker (with the latter sometimes described as "Tradesmen"). Young necromancers usually follow into their parents' caste, but changing castes is not uncommon. Most necromancers belong to the worker caste. The priest caste rules the temple, the warrior caste defends it.

The rules depend on the temple, but in general one is not allowed to marry outside their caste. This is especially troubling for the warrior-caste, which tended to be heavily male-dominated. Warriors often could not take a wife and sometimes resorted to trilateral marriages. Another common solution was for a woman from the worker caste to officially join the warrior caste to be the wife of a warrior, without actually engaging in martial training herself.

The most diverse caste is that of scholar. Originally, the function of the scholar caste was closely tied to the priests; the scholars were responsible for recording the history the temple and helping the priests to inscribe spell books. In addition to history, the scholar-caste was responsible for recording any knowledge gained by the temple, and later with sharing this knowledge with other temples.

During Necromancy's Golden Age, the scholars largely remained just that: adding to the temple's knowledge, whatever was learned from outside sources. During this era, doctors, builders, and planners belonged to the worker-caste. As time passed, and the bodies of knowledge grew more complex, these and other jobs gradually shifted to the scholar-caste. Since most necromancers begin their caste-training in their early teens, this means that, for example, a doctor can begin studying at a very young age. Any trade, then, that required a great deal of study, became a part of the Scholar caste, which in turn caused the caste to grow.

While no necromancer is considered to have a dual-caste, there are many within a given temple who may have a gray area regarding their exact caste.

====Castes and Naming Conventions====
A necromancer's caste tended to have some impact on their name. Every necromancer has a given name, a common name, and a temple name. The given name is bestowed in a [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|special ceremony]] 8 days after birth; while the common name is generally what they go by (a sort of shorthand or nickname). The temple name is used in religious rituals and is taken up at the ''Ah'khat'ankq''.

Worker-caste necromancers tended to live in more traditional family units and used recognizable family names, often tied to the trade they practiced. The warrior-caste took up the name of their squad or regiment; these were sometimes handed down and even retained as descendants became part of the worker-caste.

Members of the priest caste took up elaborate titles relating to their roles within the temple. These could be very long and lead to senior priests having names consisting of several paragraphs.

Scholars typically used only a first name. This could be rather confusing, as the authorship of certain texts composed over hundreds of years might have dozens of contributors but only a few names. When two scholars within the same era had the same name, they might distinguish themselves by adding 'the elder' or 'the younger', but in general they kept whatever name they had chosen. To further compound the errors in such matters, while both men and women could be scholars, they tended towards unisex names which might belong to any gender.

===Orthodox vs. Conservative===
Necromancers are often referred to as being on a scale from orthodox to conservative. Necromancers on the ultra-orthodox side will live communally in a temple and spend all their time practicing rituals or otherwise engaged in devotional activities. The opposite end of the spectrum describes someone who is ethnically a necromancer but does not engage in any cultural or religious activities. All necromancers are said to be somewhere on the scale.

Of important note is that, at least pose-[[Imprisonment of the Necromancers|confinement]], neither side is considered "correct" or incorrect, but rather a symbol of your devotion. Necromancers believe each necromancer is called to demonstrate his or her devotion, and express it in whatever manner he or she sees fit.

===Physical Description===
Because all necromancers are descended from a particular people group, they all tend to have a similar physical description. They are on average shorter than the general population by around 6 inches. 'Tall' for a necromancer is 'average' for everyone else. They have olive-skin complexions, usually with dark hair and green or brown eyes. Hair is usually straight. They are known for smooth skin and very little body hair.

===Age-Mixing===
Necromancers have deep societal and religious taboos regarding age-mixing, especially as it takes place outside of Sunday mass rituals. While no formal doctrine exists, intimate relationships are restricted to individuals with no more than one to two years age difference. Social relationships are frowned upon unless in some sort of mentor/protegé configuration (such as teachers and students). Children are heavily encouraged only to socialize with peers of their own age (or at most 1-2 years difference) except for immediate family members (in the case of conservative necromancers) or specific, designated individuals in the event not enough children of the same age are available.

The origins of this taboo are unclear, but can be found all throughout the sacred texts and classical literature.

===Clothing===
Typical necromancer attire consists of long linen robes. Necromancer culture began in a desert region, and as such their style and aesthetics retain elements of these attributes. These are often tied at the waist with a sash and may be embroidered with beads. Bracelets and necklaces are also popular, as well as rings and earrings. Nearly all necromancers, both male and female, have pierced ears.

Females typically wear their hair tied back or braided, while males cut their hair short. A wide variety of hairstyles exist. Males and females also both typically wear heavy eye makeup. The cosmetics black out the entire area around the eye, stopping at the bridge of the nose but sometimes covering the eyebrows and down onto the cheeks. This is believed originally a ritualistic component evolved into every-day wear. There is no symbolic signficance to the eye makeup, and the exact shape and area covered is completely a matter of fashion.

In warmer climates, lighter, thinner robes are popular, as well as shorter ones. In especially warm areas, men might wear a half-robe that covers from the waist to the knees. The traditional female robe, or "temple dress", is a single piece of linen that covers them from about the knees up to just above the breasts. It is strapless and leaves the shoulders bare, and has a lon slit up the right hand-side that ends just above the hip. While formally a ceremonial garment, the temple dress is quite popular and many fashioned inspired by it can be seen in day-to-day wear.

===Family Unit===
Necromancers maintain a traditional family unit (mother, father, children) but live in a highly inter-connected society. Consanguinity is kept high in mind;–– that is to say knowing how various others are related to you and to what degree;–– but is only used to prevent inbreeding. Living in such close-knit groups, it is very important to keep the bloodline diverse.

Since necromancers typically live in communal buildings, a family unit might have a room or suite of rooms to themselves, used for sleeping, dressing, indoor recreation, and storing personal items. The family would be responsible for cleaning and maintaining these rooms.

Cooking and bathing are communal activities. Large kitchens produce meals for the entire temple, with dedicated staff who carry out all the requisite duties. A larger temple might have multiple kitchens. Cooking is usually done on a fairly large scale, and necromancer cuisine is not known for diversity.

The baths are segregated by age but not gender, to degree determined by the size of the temple. A very small temple may have only one bath, and designate different times of the day for different groups. The larger temples will have separate facilities in both for youth, young adults, older adults, and even the elderly. Young children typically bathe with their parents, while older children (starting around 8) go to the children's bath.

===Marriage===
Though it varies by temple, arranged marriages are not uncommon in necromancer society. There is no defined age of majority or age of consent, and the age of marriage also varies by temple. In larger temples, it is not uncommon for youth as young as 15 or 16 to marry, though this is a hold-over from the early days when life expectancies were much shorter.

Nearly all necromancers marry, including the priesthood (it is a requirement in some temples). A necromancer who remains single into adulthood is highly uncommon, and given the arrangments of necromanic society they would have a very difficult time.

Amongts the necromancers, a great deal of love poetry has been produced and preserved throughout the ages. It is perhaps one of the youth's favorite subjects upon which to muse.

Marriage outside the cult is unheard of, and happens extremly rarely. In the nearly 7,000 years between the creation of Necromancy and the destruction of the last temple in the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], only a few cases are documented. Of those, all took place in very small temples (populations of less than 100). Anyone marrying into the cult could never truly be a necromancer, and would be unable to participate in the ritualistic aspects of the necromancer lifestyle.

Some necromancers are known to have left the temple to wed an outsider. However, the archives do not give any indication of what happened to them.

=====Arranged Marriage=====
Arranged marriages typically happen amongst slightly older couples (late teens, early 20s), and is usually encouraged by the parents when neither party has found a suitable mate of its own.

Love is a very highly valued thing within the necromancer culture. Many of what are recorded as arranged marriages do happen between loving couples who merely seek the approval of their elders to wed.

Still others employ the help of matchmakers to find a suitable partner. Only very rarely are marriages arranged for political reasons.

=====Parentage, Love, and Sexuality=====
Necromancers typically consider the physical act of sexual contact to be separate from romance or love. While not common, if a father is unable to give his wife a child, she may go to another man; in this case there is no shame nor is the act considered adulterous. However, if a man were to express romantic feelings for a woman other than his wife, this would be a sacrilege.

Sexual activity is divided into three categories: for procreation, for spiritual enlightenment, and for physical pleasure. While all three of these can be put together in any combination, they are still regarded as highly distinct. Necromancers lack concepts such as orientation and virginity, and view sex as extremely natural and normal activity alongside eating and breathing. The only thing Necromancers find unusual is inter-generational relationships, so long as the partners are no more than a few years apart in age, virtually anything is acceptable.

=====Trilateral Marriage=====
During the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]], necromancers tended to live in smaller groups or temples. The practice of trilateral marriage (a marriage with three equal partners) began out of simple necessity. Because necromancers tend to disparage inter-generational relationships, there would frequently not be an even number of men and women within a particular generation. That era also heavily discouraged marriage outside of the temple (and indeed this was not even an option on the [[Arcol Steppe]]). The solution was to create marriages of three equal partners.

When possible it was preferred to pair two women with one man who was particularly strong with the magical aspects of necromancy. Marriages of two men to the same woman were equally as common. The practice fell out of favor during the latter portions of the [[Mage Wars]], but was revived in the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] with new religious significance. A typical trilateral marriage is a democracy requiring a two-third majority to make any decisions.

Sacred marriage and sacred sex had always played a role in both ritual and practical aspects of necromancer life. Trilateral religious marriages were practiced by both the [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] necromancers, but for different reasons. Among the [[Grey Temple]], it was done deliberately to breed stronger necromancers, and exclusively with one man and two women. In the [[Green Temple]], the practice was used primarily to fulfill ritualistic roles; the trifles were always members of the priest caste (no matter the combination) and represented various aspects of deities, carrying out specific ceremonies. Worker-caste trilateral marriages were also accepted in both theologies out of necessity.

After the [[Necromanic Wars|necromanic wars]] the practice died out, with the remaining population of Necromancers confined to a single temple in [[Arindell]], many of their practices and customs became defined entirely by the area in which they were confined.

Little information survives about how necromancy changed during the [[Long Night]]. During the era of the [[New Day]], the practices of trilateral marriage were revived for the purposes of religious ritual. Though not forbidden, reformed necromancy abolished the caste system and removed the taboo of marrying outside the temple, so there has been no need for trilateral marriages among anyone besides the priests and priesteses.

In a sacred trilateral marriage one member is a priest or priestess, while the other two form two aspects of a specific deity. These marriages are also practical, in that the throuple live together and engage in sexual activities. Some of these are ritual in nature.

===Economy===
Internally, Necromancers do not use a monetary system. Because their organizational structure is communal, food, clothing, and housing are provided by group effort. The support systems for these areas are also carried out communally, with individuals learning trades as needed. Basic personal items are provided to individuals by crafters, who often embellish them with artistic decorations. A barter system is very common within the temple, with craftsmen trading wares and favors.

One Necromancer explained it thusly: ''"If I am a Hatter, I make hats. I am provided with tools and materials as needed. If you come into my workshop and ask me for a hat, I shall provide you one. However, if you desire a particularly fine hat, you should bring me something to offer in trade."''

Necromancers typically value the effort placed into producing an item over any precised monetary value of the materials. Hence, golden jewelry could be traded for wooden beads, if the beads took more work to produce.

This system, however, does not extend outside of the temple, and Necromancer traders who sell their wares to outsiders are known to be particularly shrewd. It does help that what they sell tends to be of the highest quality.

===Games===
====Ko'r't====
Ko'r't, commonly translated simply as 'court' or spelled phonetically as 'kort' is a blanket title for a variety of ball games. The most common version, Foot Kort, is roughly similar to soccer, but has numerous derivations and levels of rules and strategy. The games are played by Necromancers as well as outsiders who live in the vicinity, with Necromancers commonly inviting their neighbors to a friendly game. While much ritual significance has been ascribed to the various derivations of kort, the Necromancers will readily admit it really is just a game.

While hundreds of permutations exist, Kort is most often played in three different forms: Traditional, Floor, and Foot.

A traditional game of Kort requires a playing field with a hardened floor and a painted series of grids, flat walls on three sides, and a hoop for the goal mounted on one wall. The hoop can be as large as a few feet across or just barely bigger than the ball, depending on the skill and seriousness of the players. The game is played with two teams of two or three each, depending on the size of the playing field. In traditional Kort, only the hands and elbows can be used to engage with the ball, and the ball must bounce off at least one surface before making a goal or being engaged by another player. Players are allowed to catch and throw the ball, but must bounce it off either the wall or floor. The grid on the floor also denotes spaces where the players are allowed to set foot. Traditional Kort is the oldest and most ritualized form, and while competition between temples is often fierce, outsiders are still frequently welcomed to join in. While not a formal part of the religion, Kort is frequently used to resolve disputes or to make decisions.

Floor Kort is more common as the requirements for a playing field are far lower. A raised circular goal and a flat surface are still necessary, but the walls and grid are not. Floor Kort works on the same principles of bouncing the ball and striking only with the hands and elbows. As high quality rubber became more common, notions of 'dribbling' (similar to basketball) entered the game.

Foot Kort is the most common; it is, for all intents and purposes, soccer. No one is entirely sure which game was invented first, and how much was appropriated. The Necromancer 'version' of the game has rule-sets worded very differently and still uses a grid (like in Traditional) but changes from hands and elbows to feet and knees, and uses a soccer-style goal. Strangely, much more ritual significance is ascribed to Foot Kort by outsiders than to Necromancers (who regard it as healthy fun). Many outsiders, wrongly assuming certain things about Necromancy, will often assume all forms of Kort are treated the same, and believe Foot Kort is an ancient, highly ritualized game, and a matter of life and death.

During the [[New Day]] era, Foot Kort became a major form of outreach. Every temple and necromancer community had at least one field, and it was ''"never fenced, always open, always inviting to anyone"''. In cities that housed even small necromancer populations, they would organize (usually free) foot kort leagues as a way of being involved. This led to some clashes as soccer rose in popularity; the two games as played in the New Day era are close enough for opposing teams to compete. But while participating in a soccer league was usually required at least an entry fee and paying for one's own equipment, foot kort teams--especially those aimed at youths--were always free, and often gave away what little equipment was needed. This made Foot Kort the de facto sport of the lower classes, while the middle and uppers played soccer. Despite the two sports' extreme similarity, this has made for very serious business in the [[Final Foot Championship]] competitions.

There is one key difference between foot kort and soccer, though it does not matter even a little. While modern foot kort is largely a sport like any other, it is customary to wear a traditional head-covering called a ka'daim similar to a bandana (interchangeable for one, in fact). While this has no bearing on play, it is considered to be so important to the sport that Necromancers have been known to interrupt games and scold children for playing without one. Often, this proves embarrassing, as the children were in fact playing soccer.

====Wrestling====
The Necromancers have a traditional form of wrestling or grappling, an intrinsic part of their ritual life. The sport is played in a round sand pit, usually wetted to provide a more comfortable surface for falling and rolling on. The game requires two participants and a drummer to keep time. Much like Kort, wrestling is used to resolve disputes, but very much unlike it the skill of individual competitors is deliberately not tracked or considered.

The participants usually wear very little clothing. Barefoot with a small loincloth, or a piece of cloth around the breasts if the competitors are female. Hair is tied back into a braid or bun. Matches are very short, and over when the first competitor's shoulder touches the sand. Usually the ring will be surrounded by observers who will call out once they see a touch. The objective is to knock your opponent down on their back.

The time keeper is a drummer beating a very large and loud drum. While matches are sometimes held outdoors, most often they are in special chambers underground where the time keeper's rhythm can reverberate off the walls. The time keeper always faces away from the competitors. When a match is declared, the timekeeper begins a rhythmic beat, while the competitors hold absolutely still. When the timekeeper stops (at a time known only to him) the opponents move and attempt the win. The timed roll can land anywhere from a few seconds to an entire hour, with an important part of the ritual aspect being how tightly the competitors can hold their stance.

All physically fit Necromancers between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five are trained in this form of ritual combat, though those aged sixteen to twenty are preferred. The priests will choose two competitors of the same gender and similar height and build, and dispatch them to the ring while a timekeeper is called. The competitors will strip down and prepare, while the priests will either observe from afar or even wait in another chamber. The competitors will intentionally not be told which priest selected them or for what purpose, they will only be asked to compete.

The ritual significance of the rite holds that the fighters are enacting the will of the Necrosages, and the ritual is used as a way to let them settle disputes without being consulted directly. The ritual aspect of this ceremony is used to settle disagreements between priests, effectively as an elaborate coin-flip.

=====Croq-Wae=====
An extension of the traditional wrestling is Croq-Wae, the necromancer's martial art. It is a focused grappling technique that makes use of fast, close-in strikes to specific pressure points designed to cripple the opponent. Croq-Wae is explicitly designed for use in cramped quarters and meant to require very little physical strength. Its intended goal is to allow an emaciated prisoner to fight back against a healthy guard.

There is considerably more to it, and among the wider world it is known as one of the deadlier martial arts. However Croq-Wae cannot be used in tournaments and actual sparring is rare; because the "real" techniques tend to break bones or cause severe, permanent damage.

A Croq-Wae Master is called a Balga.

=====[[Necromancer Cinema]]=====

===Language===
{{#lsth:Endu}}

For a complete list of necromancer profanity, see [[Endu#Swear Words|Endu Swear Words]].

====Common Slang====
*''Fairly Wintering'' - a common parlance for "boring". The term comes from colder climates where the bulk of the temple population would have to stay indoors, below ground, for winter.

*''Ny-pep’no'' - a contraction of the [[Common]] word 'no' and 'pep'no', [[Endu]] for 'problem'. Used in a general sense to say "no problem" and sometimes more specifically in reference to things that might be a problem for a non-necromancer but aren't one for a necromancer.

===Literature===
{{:Necromancer Literature}}

===Bathing===
Necromancers practice communal ritual bathing in bath houses connected to the temple complex. The bathing ritual involves a full-body wash followed by a lengthy soak. The same baths are also used as a social space and may be the only place to wash for some poorer members or fully orthodox practioners. In keeping with the taboo on age-mixing, baths are divided by age group but not gender.

===Sex===
Necromancers are stereotypically considered very sexually active, with the common outsider belief being that all necromancer women are very easy and temples are just lousy with orgies.

The reality is much more complex, though not altogether inaccurate. Necromancers as a whole do not stigmatize sex, regarding it as a physical question rather than a moral one. They do not have a concept of "virginity". Even the most conservative groups do not view sex or pregnancy outside of marriage as being a problem. Group sex does happen and is viewed more as a matter of preference than anything else.

On the sliding scale of conservative to orthodox, the more orthodox a necromancer is, the less likely they are to be in a committed relationship. In fully orthodox temples, necromancers practice open polyamory with fully communal living. Family units exist to provide nurturing and early structure, but all property is communal and the adults actually raising the children are seldom the biological parents.

From a statistical standpoint, more orthodox necromancers are likely to have had more sexual partners than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given demographic group. Those on the more conservative side tend towards the societal average. What sets necromancers apart statistically is their likelihood to have only had partners with a very narrow age window, generally no more than 3 years difference.

====Religious Elements====
Sex and sexuality play an important role in the necromancer religion. This is also part of what contributes to the stereotype or the "Necromancers worship sex!" attitude.

Sexual rituals do happen as a part of the necromancer religion. And very often these are carried out by temple chantresses and priests. However, unlike what outsiders believe, in most cases the individuals in question are already in a sexual relationship. Regular necromancers also routinely perform sexual rituals; but, again, this is between two or more parties already in a relationship. More intricate symbolic rituals (in which no actual sexual contact occurs) are a regular part of temple life.

The reality is that fertility plays an important, almost central role in the necromancer religion. Officially they worship death (that part is not a stereotype), but in order to die something has to live, and most things begin to live through sex. Originally fertility and birth played major roles in the necromancer religion. Among women especially fertility was considered very important. If a woman became pregnant regardless of her marital status it was viewed as a wonderful thing and proof of her ability to conceive. In [[Necromancer Literature|Endu and classic literature]], fertility is often described as a very important sexual trait and indeed extremely arousing to males.

The central role of fertility is inexorably tied to sexuality as, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pregnancy does not happen without sex. Necromancers have always been very open about this fact and saw no problems with depicting it in art and literature. Many temples are decorated with scenes outsiders view as extremely sexually explicit, but to the necromancers this is only part of the cycle of undeath.

After the [[Necromanic Wars]] and the subsequent [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]], their culture was forced to undergo some changes. With extremely strict population controls place, having children became a rather serious problem. The necromancer religion responded to this by shifting the focus from actual conception to the sex-act itself. Under the use of contraceptives or outright sterilization, priests and chantresses continued to engage in sexual rituals, while

====Prostitution====
Among the ongoing stigmas associated with necromancers is the belief by outsiders that their culture freely encourages prostitution. Many cite references in their religious texts and literature as proof of this. In reality, necromancers engage in sexual services at a rate no higher than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given economic bracket. The statistics are skewed noticeably by many necromancers being more economically disadvantaged. Further damaging the reputation is the tendency of young adult necromancers to engage in casual forms of prostitution with their peers, then later openly admit to this in surveys.

The stereotype comes from two places.

*In the necromancer religion, ritual sacred prostitution is practiced. In this ritual, women, usually temple chantresses, are seen to accept money in exchange for sex, the money is then used for the temple. However, the reality of this scenario is not at all what it appears: the money is being paid from the temple coffers, back to the temple coffers, the participants are strictly only priests and chantresses, and sex is not part of the ritual. The process is purely symbolic. It is believed that, at one time, there may have been lass sexual rituals practiced this way, but at least as early as the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] the ritual had become purely symbolic.

*In necromancer ''literature'' sex and prostitution are used frequently in elaborate metaphors. A common motif is a ritual in which all of the girls of a certain age in the temple must put on their temple dresses and sit on the steps, then wait until a man throws some money in her lap, and go and have sex with him. During the act, he will tear her dress. It is important to note that this situation is entirely fictional, and no known temple ever practiced such a ritual. In [[Necromancer Literature|literature]], descriptions of sacred prostitution can be used for any number of metaphoric purposes, often with multiple meanings. These kinds of mass rituals are also a very popular in necromancer pornography (both aimed at them and of the tan'nesh variety).

As far actual prostitution carried out by necromancers goes, their culture does not stigmatize the sex act itself or the exchange of money. However age-mixing is deeply taboo, so a necromancer who engaged in such acts would be shamed if the other party were much older or younger.

==Converts==
Not possible until after the Necromancers were freed in the first year of the [[Age of the Dragon]], converts, called Acolytes or Necromancer Acolytes, are outsiders who have adopted the necromancer faith. Acolytes subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Necromancy and participate in non-magical rituals. While Acolytes cannot join the priesthood (because they lack the magical ability), they are given the same respect within the cult as full-blooded Necromancers. Children born with one Acolyte parent and one Necromancer parent are similarly not stigmatized, and typically have full access to Necromancer magic; indicating the power might not be limited to their lineage.

==History==
===Ancient History===
"Long ago during the Mage Wars, a wizard named [[Isolia]] fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy."

[[Rubiceye]] was widely known to have many followers in the early days. Though not considered a politician, he was a good leader and an entire nation formed around him. He was a powerful mage and had many other powerful mages following him, and with the [[Mage Wars]] already in full swing, many people flocked to him.

The original name of his people group is now lost to history, though it is believed to have been similar in pronunciation to the name of the magic Rubiceye was to create. The customs and practices of those people, while not initially magical, were later adapted into the rituals of Necromancy.

===Mage Wars===
Around the middle of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], early Necromancers made their home on the [[Arcol Steppe]] at the north-eastern corner of the [[Agras Plain]]. The area was a high-altitude desert at the time, cold and very dry: ideal conditions for the activities Necromancers are known for. From [[B.G.A.]] 3528 until 3021, everything was going swimingly. This era is often known as the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]]. The magic and ritualistic lifestyle of necromancers solidified largely during this time; and while the region was mostly a loose association of temples, it was still a powerful force in the region.

The military and magical might of the Necromancers were able to defend their borders until the end of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]]. However, as the [[Mage Wars#The Intermediate Period|Intermediate Period]] began, they soon lost ground to other, stronger empires which had the advantage of off-world holdings to supply troops and war material. This led to, among other events, the [[Necromancer Wars]], a proxy conflict that gave rise to [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] ideology.

Amidst the peril of looming conquest, a [[Litch]] known as [[Kozek]] rose to power. Necromancers, while willing to defend themselves, had always been at their core a peaceful lot. Kozek had other ideas, and thought that, with some effort and guile, Necromancers could command a vast multi-world empire of their own.

His push caused a schism within the necromancer world. The region of Arcol, while large and populous, had never been an empire in its own right. Prior to Kozek's rise, the area had been a loose association of city-states that tended to cooperate well and support each other, but had no central leadership. Kozek sought to crown himself emperor, but not all necromancers agreed. Kozek's ideology became known as the [[Grey Temple]], and for the first time a true Necromancer nation was founded.

This, in turn, led to a mass exodus of Arcol, of many necromancers who refused to live under Kozek's rule. Still others remained in Arcol, bent on maintaining "the old ways" (by then known as [[Green Temple]] ideology). Weakened by the exodus and torn apart by internal struggle, Kozek's empire collapsed. The entire region of the Arcol Steppe, with its ancient and hallowed temples, had to be abandoned as the then-new [[Marcon Alliance]] had taken a liking to the territory.

Necromancers then spread throughout the [[known worlds]], founding new temples wherever they settled. Many Green Temples were initially welcomed with open arms, for the services they provided. Grey Temples sought more remote areas to settle, either landing in un-populated regions or enslaving local peoples. Many an empire rose and fell while backed by Grey Temple necromancers throughout the rest of the Mage Wars.

===Alliance Era===
When the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] began, some Necromancers sought to reclaim their ancestral homeland, but found Arcol (by this time a fertile and temperate region) populated by other peoples. Some Necromancers still lived there, and others were able to relocate; but the hope of rebuilding the old nation was impossible.

Instead, a large number of Necromancers settled in [[Serreth]], on the [[Sword Coast]], with designs on building a 'Most High' temple at the site. Others settled in [[Stormreaver Valley]], where yet another temple of supreme importance was constructed. These temples unfortunately saw both grey and green necromancers alike, as both ideologies sought a strong, centralized Necromancer nation.

~History~

In the Third Age, the Grey Temple under Arch-Lich [[Honoreck]] began a campaign to take over the [[Known Worlds]]; but they were stopped ultimately by [[Lal Soratami]]. This time-period is known as the [[Necromanic Wars]]. The few survivors (both Green and Grey) were corralled in [[Arindell]] for the next 3000-odd years, until the reign of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]; or else dispersed to obscure [[Planet]]s, where they became the [[Dark Order]]s.

==Other==
The [[Okina Gaori]] is an ancient Necromancer book and is often described as "the only think most outsiders know about Necromancy". In addition to hundreds of illustrations, it includes in-depth descriptions of many rituals. While parts of the book are still in use, necromanic scholars are quick to point out that none of the rituals described were ever actually used.

The word "[[Niktapede]]" is a slang term used to describe people who are racially intolerant of necromancers.

A related word, "[[Niktad]]", describes non-necromancer/non-acolytes who express an interest in necromancer culture and lifestyles without embracing the religious aspects of it. "Nickta-fever" refers to someone, most often a young woman, with a sexual attraction to necromancers.

==History (Original)==
Taken from [[The Reunion of the Eighth Power]] from [[The Path to Ascension]]:

Long ago during the [[Mage Wars]], a wizard named Isolia fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy. Using underworld magics he and his followers created a new path of magic: the Path of Necromancy. Together they raised ghoulish armies from the fallen corpses of their enemies, and trapped souls to be converted into terrible spells.
By the time the Mage Wars had ended, Necromancy had solidified into a full-blown religion. All the Necromancers were blood descendants of Isolia and his original followers, and all possessed the gift of Necromancy passed down from him. Because there were so many, [[Eieber]] decreed that the Necromancers could be allowed to live, if they swore never again to practice their grotesque birthright.

A hundred years passed, and Eieber went into the Light.

For five generations, the Necromancers had kept silent, staying in their own quiet villages, practicing their trade only amongst themselves. Now with Eieber dead they felt no reason to hide their art anymore.

Two great followings were established: the Grey Temple and the Green Temple. Necromancers of the Green Temple believed the power of Necromancy could be used for a greater good. They reanimated corpses for use as laborers, and raised souls only to comfort those left alive after a tragedy.

Despite their intentions, the Green Necromancers were much hated and feared by people who simply didn’t understand them, and so more and more Necromancers turned to the Grey Temple.

The Grey Necromancers used their power for one thing: gaining more power. An uneasy alliance was forged, but the Grey Necromancers still grew rapidly in numbers, and spread across the Multi-Verse like a slow tide of terror.

Finally, over two thousand years after Eieber’s death, the Necromancers of the Grey temple plunged the [[Multi-Verse]] into a chaotic battle the likes of which had not been seen since the depths of the Mage Wars.

Despite fighting valiantly against the Grey Necromancers, the Green Temple was still much hated and feared, and their highest pantheon was ransacked and burned. Even with this crushing blow, the Green Necromancers still forged an alliance with the Slayer Dragons to strike out against the real enemy.

After forty years of fighting, the Grey Temple finally fell, and the Necromancy Wars ended. [[Lal Soratami]], the Pendragon anointed during the war, outlawed Necromancy once and for all, and gathered up all the remaining Necromancers in a new temple where he could watch them.

Those who did not willfully enter the [[Necromancy Temple]] established in [[Arindell]] were killed, and their bodies burned: the greatest insult a Necromancer could know. The temple in Arindell became the last bastion of Necromancy in the World of Life.

Things must have been desperate if they were using a Necromancer.

The sword he carried was a simple one-handed short sword that was inexpertly crafted, and it looked like he was talking to it.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancer Cinema

2025-12-26T18:28:12Z

Siddharth1: /* Nudity */

[[Necromancer Cinema]] describes films created by [[Necromancers]] and with a necromancer world-view. While necromancers can be found in nearly all other aspects of the [[New-Day Era Film Industry|film industry]], only films explicitly made in the specific "necromancer style" are considered Necromancer Cinema.

==Style==
Films make heavy use of symbolism and metaphor. Stories are usually heavily character-driven and rely on the skill of actors to tell the story. Plots are complex, nuanced, and filled with subtleties. Most importantly, the films are made for their artistic value and not "to make money" as with "tan'nesh" movies. For this reason, most non-necromancers describe them dense and unapproachable. However, necromancer films do still find a strong audience among non-necromancers for their often-times gratuitous levels of nudity.

Most notably, every film includes at least three stories. Typically two stories that use a more conventional genre (such as a thriller that includes a comedic side-plot), and a story that mirrors something from the [[Endu Epics]]. This formula is very rarely broken from, though sometimes subverted in creative ways.

===Themes===
Because these movies are made for a necromancer audience and conform to a necromancer world-view, they commonly take place in and around necromancer communities. Themes such as alienation from the outside world, isolation, seclusion, community, family, and heavy use of the religious aspects of necromancy are most prevalent.

Much like [[Necromancer Theater]], actual violence is extremely rarely depicted on-screen. If it is used, expect it to be mild (a powerful slap is typically the limit) and used as a metaphor for something else. In an odd aversion, the act of love-making is more often used as a stand-in for fighting (the same way kissing is used in theater). It can be quite difficult for an outside viewer to tell if the couple on-screen is supposed to be having a fist-fight or making a baby.

====Orthodoxy====
Though most necromancer filmmakers are conservative, depictions of ultra-orthodox communities are a major component of most necromancer films. Such communities often welcome the productions and co-operate fully. This is done because any practicing necromancer is, on some level, orthodox, and may yearn for that lifestyle. It also helps that any seriously necromancer story is going to require some level of this.

==Methods==
Necromancers tend to eschew large-scale productions and make little use of special effects (be it practical or visual). Even makeup is employed sparingly. Lavish set-dressings are common and productions make heavy use of location-shooting to get the desired effects. Their industry is particularly well-known for its skill at natural lighting, though this often has as much to do with meager budgets as the auteur process.

"Guerrilla filming" is very common, especially among the smaller production companies. This can and has led to legal disputes owing to some of the more "colorful" aspects of the process.

==Historical Films==
Film adaptations of [[Endu Epics]] and famous necromancer plays see very frequent productions. When depicting a specific time-period, meticulous attention to detail and historic accuracy are used.

==Nudity==
As necromancers do not inherently consider all nudity to be sexual, necromancer films often depict quite a lot of it. Any film that includes an orthodox community as part of its setting will include a visit to the local bathhouse. Nudity is frequently used as part of the metaphoric aspects of he film as a way to reflect vulnerability and fear. Sexualized nudity is also common as necromancers have different social mores, or as a way of depicting violence. This can often lead to some more extreme films being downright pornographic. This issue is not helped by the fact that most necromancers shave their genital areas.

===Controversies===
Necromancers do not rate their films according to content, but rather intended viewer experience (E.G. "light and fun" or "deep and cerebral", etc). No film is explicitly aimed at an age range except for some children's movies, and even those can be hard to spot by outsiders.

Many calls have been made by the none-necromancer public to ban or sensor these movies, but film is considered by the [[New Day Alliance]] as "protected free speech". Necromancers themselves are further classified as a "special people or cultural group" and thus receive further protections for their art and literature.

This leaves controlling the film's distribution and ratings to the motion picture board, which tends to be especially harsh on necromancer cinema due to the high levels of nudity. As nearly all films are given the highest rating and classed as being for adults only, if not outright banned from common distribution as pornography. Mainstream theaters typically refuse to screen necromancer films as a matter of course, relegating them to the private or arthouse theaters.

For the necromancers none of this is a problem, as anywhere with a sizable necromancer population will have its own necromancer theaters (these often screen exclusively necromancer films). In the absence of such population densities, smaller temples build private theaters and enjoy free distribution of most necromancer films.

However, in urban areas where necromancers live alongside non-necromancers in large numbers, this creates something of a problem. The necromancer theaters make no effort to bar non-necromancers and as they do not consider their films to be distasteful. This allows teenagers and children easy-access to films the main stream would consider inappropriate.

In a small irony, the necromancers actually espouse the opposite problem. They blame the rest of society for corrupting their own youth by allowing violence to be seen so freely.

==Necromancer Movie Theaters==
Dedicated movie theaters for necromancers can be found in any area with a reasonable necromancer population. These can range from single-screen to multi-plexes, though in general the seating numbers are fairly low. A typical facility will have 3-6 screens with 100-200 seats per screen. Theaters are known for being particularly lax compared to more main-stream cinemas. Ticket prices are about the same but concessions are cheaper and usually come in a wider variety.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancer Cinema

2025-12-26T18:20:31Z

Siddharth1: /* Methods */

[[Necromancer Cinema]] describes films created by [[Necromancers]] and with a necromancer world-view. While necromancers can be found in nearly all other aspects of the [[New-Day Era Film Industry|film industry]], only films explicitly made in the specific "necromancer style" are considered Necromancer Cinema.

==Style==
Films make heavy use of symbolism and metaphor. Stories are usually heavily character-driven and rely on the skill of actors to tell the story. Plots are complex, nuanced, and filled with subtleties. Most importantly, the films are made for their artistic value and not "to make money" as with "tan'nesh" movies. For this reason, most non-necromancers describe them dense and unapproachable. However, necromancer films do still find a strong audience among non-necromancers for their often-times gratuitous levels of nudity.

Most notably, every film includes at least three stories. Typically two stories that use a more conventional genre (such as a thriller that includes a comedic side-plot), and a story that mirrors something from the [[Endu Epics]]. This formula is very rarely broken from, though sometimes subverted in creative ways.

===Themes===
Because these movies are made for a necromancer audience and conform to a necromancer world-view, they commonly take place in and around necromancer communities. Themes such as alienation from the outside world, isolation, seclusion, community, family, and heavy use of the religious aspects of necromancy are most prevalent.

Much like [[Necromancer Theater]], actual violence is extremely rarely depicted on-screen. If it is used, expect it to be mild (a powerful slap is typically the limit) and used as a metaphor for something else. In an odd aversion, the act of love-making is more often used as a stand-in for fighting (the same way kissing is used in theater). It can be quite difficult for an outside viewer to tell if the couple on-screen is supposed to be having a fist-fight or making a baby.

====Orthodoxy====
Though most necromancer filmmakers are conservative, depictions of ultra-orthodox communities are a major component of most necromancer films. Such communities often welcome the productions and co-operate fully. This is done because any practicing necromancer is, on some level, orthodox, and may yearn for that lifestyle. It also helps that any seriously necromancer story is going to require some level of this.

==Methods==
Necromancers tend to eschew large-scale productions and make little use of special effects (be it practical or visual). Even makeup is employed sparingly. Lavish set-dressings are common and productions make heavy use of location-shooting to get the desired effects. Their industry is particularly well-known for its skill at natural lighting, though this often has as much to do with meager budgets as the auteur process.

"Guerrilla filming" is very common, especially among the smaller production companies. This can and has led to legal disputes owing to some of the more "colorful" aspects of the process.

==Historical Films==
Film adaptations of [[Endu Epics]] and famous necromancer plays see very frequent productions. When depicting a specific time-period, meticulous attention to detail and historic accuracy are used.

==Nudity==
As necromancers do not inherently consider all nudity to be sexual, necromancer films often depict quite a lot of it. Any film that includes an orthodox community as part of it's setting will include a visit to the local bathhouse. Nudity is frequently used as part of the metaphoric aspects of he film as a way to reflect vulnerability and fear. Sexualized nudity is also common as necromancers have different social mores, or as a way of depicting violence. This can often lead to some more extreme films being downright pornographic. This issue is not helped by the fact that most necromancers shave their genital areas.

===Controversies===
Necromancers do not rate their films according to content, but rather intended viewer experience(E.G. "light and fun" or "deep and cerebral", etc). No film is explicitly aimed at an age range except for some children's movies, and even those can be hard to spot by outsiders.

Many calls have been made by the none-necromancer public to ban or sensor these movies, but film is considered by the [[New Day Alliance]] as "protected free speech". Necromancers themselves are further classified as a "special people or cultural group" and thus receive further protections for their art and literature.

This leaves controlling the film's distribution and ratings to the motion picture board, which tends to be especially harsh on necromancer cinema due to the high levels of nudity. As nearly all films are given the highest rating and classed as being for adults only, if not outright banned from common distribution as pornography. Mainstream theaters typically refuse to screen necromancer films as a matter of course, relegating them to the private or arthouse theaters.

For the necromancers none of this is a problem, as anywhere with a sizable necromancer population will have it's own necromancer theaters(these often screen exclusively necromancer films). In the absence of such population densities, smaller temples build private theaters and enjoy free distribution of most necromancer films.

However, in urban areas where necromancers live alongside non-necromancers in large numbers, this creates something of a problem. The necromancer theaters make no effort to bar non-necromancers and as they do not consider their films to be distasteful. This allows teenagers and children easy-access to films the main stream would consider inappropriate.

In a small irony, the necromancers actually espouse the opposite problem. They blame the rest of society for corrupting their own youth by allowing violence to be seen so freely.

==Necromancer Movie Theaters==
Dedicated movie theaters for necromancers can be found in any area with a reasonable necromancer population. These can range from single-screen to multi-plexes, though in general the seating numbers are fairly low. A typical facility will have 3-6 screens with 100-200 seats per screen. Theaters are known for being particularly lax compared to more main-stream cinemas. Ticket prices are about the same but concessions are cheaper and usually come in a wider variety.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancer Cinema

2025-12-26T18:19:53Z

Siddharth1: /* Style */

[[Necromancer Cinema]] describes films created by [[Necromancers]] and with a necromancer world-view. While necromancers can be found in nearly all other aspects of the [[New-Day Era Film Industry|film industry]], only films explicitly made in the specific "necromancer style" are considered Necromancer Cinema.

==Style==
Films make heavy use of symbolism and metaphor. Stories are usually heavily character-driven and rely on the skill of actors to tell the story. Plots are complex, nuanced, and filled with subtleties. Most importantly, the films are made for their artistic value and not "to make money" as with "tan'nesh" movies. For this reason, most non-necromancers describe them dense and unapproachable. However, necromancer films do still find a strong audience among non-necromancers for their often-times gratuitous levels of nudity.

Most notably, every film includes at least three stories. Typically two stories that use a more conventional genre (such as a thriller that includes a comedic side-plot), and a story that mirrors something from the [[Endu Epics]]. This formula is very rarely broken from, though sometimes subverted in creative ways.

===Themes===
Because these movies are made for a necromancer audience and conform to a necromancer world-view, they commonly take place in and around necromancer communities. Themes such as alienation from the outside world, isolation, seclusion, community, family, and heavy use of the religious aspects of necromancy are most prevalent.

Much like [[Necromancer Theater]], actual violence is extremely rarely depicted on-screen. If it is used, expect it to be mild (a powerful slap is typically the limit) and used as a metaphor for something else. In an odd aversion, the act of love-making is more often used as a stand-in for fighting (the same way kissing is used in theater). It can be quite difficult for an outside viewer to tell if the couple on-screen is supposed to be having a fist-fight or making a baby.

====Orthodoxy====
Though most necromancer filmmakers are conservative, depictions of ultra-orthodox communities are a major component of most necromancer films. Such communities often welcome the productions and co-operate fully. This is done because any practicing necromancer is, on some level, orthodox, and may yearn for that lifestyle. It also helps that any seriously necromancer story is going to require some level of this.

==Methods==
Necromancers tend to eschew large-scale productions and make little use of special effects(be it practical or visual). Even makeup is employed sparingly. Lavish set-dressings are common and productions make heavy use of location-shooting to get the desired effects. Their industry is particularly well-known for its skill at natural lighting, though this often has as much to do with meager budgets as the auteur process.

"Guerilla filming" is very common, especially among the smaller production companies. This can and has led to legal disputes owing to some of the more "colorful" aspects of the process.

==Historical Films==
Film adaptations of [[Endu Epics]] and famous necromancer plays see very frequent productions. When depicting a specific time-period, meticulous attention to detail and historic accuracy are used.

==Nudity==
As necromancers do not inherently consider all nudity to be sexual, necromancer films often depict quite a lot of it. Any film that includes an orthodox community as part of it's setting will include a visit to the local bathhouse. Nudity is frequently used as part of the metaphoric aspects of he film as a way to reflect vulnerability and fear. Sexualized nudity is also common as necromancers have different social mores, or as a way of depicting violence. This can often lead to some more extreme films being downright pornographic. This issue is not helped by the fact that most necromancers shave their genital areas.

===Controversies===
Necromancers do not rate their films according to content, but rather intended viewer experience(E.G. "light and fun" or "deep and cerebral", etc). No film is explicitly aimed at an age range except for some children's movies, and even those can be hard to spot by outsiders.

Many calls have been made by the none-necromancer public to ban or sensor these movies, but film is considered by the [[New Day Alliance]] as "protected free speech". Necromancers themselves are further classified as a "special people or cultural group" and thus receive further protections for their art and literature.

This leaves controlling the film's distribution and ratings to the motion picture board, which tends to be especially harsh on necromancer cinema due to the high levels of nudity. As nearly all films are given the highest rating and classed as being for adults only, if not outright banned from common distribution as pornography. Mainstream theaters typically refuse to screen necromancer films as a matter of course, relegating them to the private or arthouse theaters.

For the necromancers none of this is a problem, as anywhere with a sizable necromancer population will have it's own necromancer theaters(these often screen exclusively necromancer films). In the absence of such population densities, smaller temples build private theaters and enjoy free distribution of most necromancer films.

However, in urban areas where necromancers live alongside non-necromancers in large numbers, this creates something of a problem. The necromancer theaters make no effort to bar non-necromancers and as they do not consider their films to be distasteful. This allows teenagers and children easy-access to films the main stream would consider inappropriate.

In a small irony, the necromancers actually espouse the opposite problem. They blame the rest of society for corrupting their own youth by allowing violence to be seen so freely.

==Necromancer Movie Theaters==
Dedicated movie theaters for necromancers can be found in any area with a reasonable necromancer population. These can range from single-screen to multi-plexes, though in general the seating numbers are fairly low. A typical facility will have 3-6 screens with 100-200 seats per screen. Theaters are known for being particularly lax compared to more main-stream cinemas. Ticket prices are about the same but concessions are cheaper and usually come in a wider variety.

[[Category:Course Books]]

New-Day Era Film Industry

2025-12-26T18:18:39Z

Siddharth1: /* Necromancer Films */

New-Day Era Film Industry

2025-12-26T18:18:02Z

Siddharth1: /* Modia */

New-Day Era Film Industry

2025-12-26T18:17:07Z

Siddharth1: /* Port Feira, Serpentia */

House Chell

2025-12-26T18:15:36Z

Siddharth1:

The [[House Chell]] is the organization responsible for managing the life rights and proceeds thereof as generated by the [[Order of Slayer Dragons]]. The name has its roots in [[Chell Morset]], the personal financier of [[Eieber]]. Chell belongs to a family of bankers and his descendants handled money for generations of Slayer Dragons. Eventually the name stuck.

While originally tasked with obfuscating the personal finances of Slayer Dragons (some of whom became quite wealthy from treasure and other assets ceased during missions), the House eventually became responsible for monetizing the cult of personality that evolved around the Slayer Dragons. Even as early as the time of [[Aden Searlin]], the exploits of the Slayer Dragons began to feature in plays and operas, while tapestries and paintings became all the rage. The early Slayer Dragons felt that maintaining a high standard of quality among these was necessary for keeping their image.

As the centuries passed, this concept evolved along with emerging media into a full-blown empire, eventually providing a considerable portion of the Order's funding.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancy

2025-12-18T02:46:22Z

Siddharth1: /* Croq-Wae */

Necromancy is a form of magic practiced by Necromancers. 'Necro–' meaning 'dead', it specifically deals with re-animating dead things and returning dead souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancy is among the types of [[Magic|magic]] that is strictly inherited, therefore only those born into the fold can practice it. This has allowed a rich and ancient culture to form around the practice.

Despite its heavy emphasis on death, the core of necromancy is actually about life. Necromancers believe that life is made possible through a generative encounter. Without life, there is no death; so that generative encounter is at the very heart of their belief system.

==Magic==
Nearly all necromancers can use the magic of necromancy to one degree or another; for most, it is fairly limited. Anyone demonstrating a high degree of potential with the art will be made a part of the priest caste, and assist with the temple's rituals.

Necromancy itself has two major parts: the re-animation of the undead, and the raising of souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancers have also found ways to turn their power to various other endeavors, often wielding it in a fashion similar to more main-stream [[Magic]]. There are some caveats; necromancy has no healing capability, nor can it see or harness the elements. But it can be used to grant great strength and to perform attacks.

Many necromancers are also competent, occasionally highly-skilled mages along the normal lines of magic.

===Re-Animation===
Re-animation magic is the mainstay of the Necromancer's workforce, and perhaps their best known trick. The process involves animating a dead life-form and making it [[Types of Undead|un-dead]]. The basic form of this spell typically has a very short duration, and the fresher the corpse, the easier it is to animate. Re-animation is typically focused around creating mindless worker-drones who can preform simple tasks and follow orders; part of the magic is in simply controlling them. A necromancer can directly control a single undead to carry out complex steps, or impose will over a group to guide them through a simpler task. Anything requiring a great deal of skill still requires a living touch, but undead can also provide a useful power-source. Necromancer farms require no windmills, for the undead turn the cranks day and night and need no rest.

Some undead can be made to carry out more difficult tasks if they had performed such tasks in life. A cobbler, for example, when re-animated and seated before a workbench and supplied with tools and materials, can be made to continue producing shoes. In such an instance, the undead would be able to produce only a single design of shoe, over and over again, but could likely achieve the same level of quality as in life.

Undead must be preserved and maintained, so mummification is often undertaken. In wetter climates where keeping a body dry is impractical, necromancers will often strip the flesh and keep only the skeleton, which can be animated with ease.

===Raising of Souls===
The raising of souls involves bringing back a shade or ghost of the dead from the underworld and allowing them to commune with the living. This is completely different from re-animating corpses, as the shade has all the memories and personality of its former life, and is fully cognizant of its surroundings.

A raised soul has a fusion of both the conscious and the unconscious mind of the individual, granting access to much greater knowledge and understanding than it may have had in life. The shade can speak, though only in its native tongue, and can even move about. Depending on the strength of the shade, the skill of the necromancer, and the potency of the spell, the shade may even take on a fully corporeal form. In most cases, it will appear only as a shadow; sometimes only as a head, with only vaguely distinguishable features.

Shades can only exist in the living world within a ritual site, and will return to the underworld if the ritual is disturbed. A necromantically-summoned shade should not be confused with the widely known creatures of darkness caused by the abuse of dark magics.

The most difficult task among necromancers, the fusion of the undead with the raised, creates a powerful being called a [[Litch]].

==Terminology and Belief System==
Necromancy is practiced by mages called Necromancers, to whom it is both a religon and a form of magic. Their entire culture revolves around this practice.

The group noun for necromancers is cult, so a bunch of necromancers would be called a cult of necromancers. This term can be used to describe either a number of necromancers or a specific settlment. A permanent settlement is called a [[Necromancy Temple|Temple]]; this refers both to the structure and to the necromancers therein.

Necromancers worship death, understanding that it is not an end but a change, and one they can reverse to a degree. They value history and are known for extensive record-keeping. Much information about the [[Mage Wars]] was chronicled in Necromancer [[Necromancy Temple|temples]].

===Ideologies in Necromancy===
[[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] describe two differing ideologies of Necromancy, with all Grey Temple necromancers having been put to death by the end of the fifth century of the [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]] at the order of [[Pendragon]] [[Lal Soratami|Soratami]]. This followed the [[Necromanic Wars]].

===Priesthood===
Any blood necromancer has access to the necromanic magics and is thus eligible to join the priesthood. Traditionally, the men are called priests and woman are called chantresses. Though the power strucuture and dynamic has changed over the [[Ages]], in the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] priestesses had more power with fewer restrictions. This is believed to relate to the central role fertility and femininity played especially in [[Green Temple]] ideology.

The main function of the priesthood is to delineates a regular necromancer from those practicing of necromancer magic. Because the magic is so heavily tied to the religious and spiritual aspects of necromancy, the process of learning the magic requires being inducted into the priesthood. Whether priest or chantress, a necromancer who demonstrates power to command the undead and completes certain religious rites will receive the title "[[Servant in the House of Truth]]". Other titles will be bestowed as more rites are completed or status attained within the temple hierarchy.

====Leadership====
Necromancy temples are lead by a group of High Temple Priests and High Temple Chantresses. This means that only magic-using necromancers are able to hold leadership roles, which in turn encourages as many necromancers as possible to practice the dark arts.

===Masonry===
Masonry plays a minor but important role in the religious side of Necromancy. Necromancers believe that once a stone has been cut and shaped, it cannot be cut again. The act of carving bricks also carried ritual and sacred significance.

==Invention==
Necromancy was invented by [[Rubiceye]] in the early part of the [[Mage Wars]], roughly 3500 [[B.G.A. System|B.G.A.]], though it is well known that the sorcerer began work on the magic long before. It is also well known that he made numerous failed attempts before perfecting the technique.

After its creation, Necromancy became hereditary in familial lines. Unlike other magicks which could be learned and practiced by any, Necromancy could only be performed by necromancers.

==Culture==
The necromancers' culture is very rich and deep.

===Nomenclature===
Necromancy cannot be learned; only those born with it can practice it. The power is believed to occur within an artificially created gene, originally bestowed by [[Rubiceye]].

The Necromancer, then, is both a people group and a type of mage.

The members of a particular group are called a temple, which also the name of the structure where most necromancer's live and practice. The collective noun for necromancer's is 'cult'. Often, this term will be used to refer to the entire temple; however within necromancer parlance a 'cult' specifically means "any gathering"

===Caste System===
The Necromancer's temple population is divided into four castes: Priest, Scholar, Warrior, and Worker (with the latter sometimes described as "Tradesmen"). Young necromancers usually follow into their parents' caste, but changing castes is not uncommon. Most necromancers belong to the worker caste. The priest caste rules the temple, the warrior caste defends it.

The rules depend on the temple, but in general one is not allowed to marry outside their caste. This is especially troubling for the warrior-caste, which tended to be heavily male-dominated. Warriors often could not take a wife and sometimes resorted to trilateral marriages. Another common solution was for a woman from the worker caste to officially join the warrior caste to be the wife of a warrior, without actually engaging in martial training herself.

The most diverse caste is that of scholar. Originally, the function of the scholar caste was closely tied to the priests; the scholars were responsible for recording the history the temple and helping the priests to inscribe spell books. In addition to history, the scholar-caste was responsible for recording any knowledge gained by the temple, and later with sharing this knowledge with other temples.

During Necromancy's Golden Age, the scholars largely remained just that: adding to the temple's knowledge, whatever was learned from outside sources. During this era, doctors, builders, and planners belonged to the worker-caste. As time passed, and the bodies of knowledge grew more complex, these and other jobs gradually shifted to the scholar-caste. Since most necromancers begin their caste-training in their early teens, this means that, for example, a doctor can begin studying at a very young age. Any trade, then, that required a great deal of study, became a part of the Scholar caste, which in turn caused the caste to grow.

While no necromancer is considered to have a dual-caste, there are many within a given temple who may have a gray area regarding their exact caste.

====Castes and Naming Conventions====
A necromancer's caste tended to have some impact on their name. Every necromancer has a given name, a common name, and a temple name. The given name is bestowed in a [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|special ceremony]] 8 days after birth; while the common name is generally what they go by (a sort of shorthand or nickname). The temple name is used in religious rituals and is taken up at the ''Ah'khat'ankq''.

Worker-caste necromancers tended to live in more traditional family units and used recognizable family names, often tied to the trade they practiced. The warrior-caste took up the name of their squad or regiment; these were sometimes handed down and even retained as descendants became part of the worker-caste.

Members of the priest caste took up elaborate titles relating to their roles within the temple. These could be very long and lead to senior priests having names consisting of several paragraphs.

Scholars typically used only a first name. This could be rather confusing, as the authorship of certain texts composed over hundreds of years might have dozens of contributors but only a few names. When two scholars within the same era had the same name, they might distinguish themselves by adding 'the elder' or 'the younger', but in general they kept whatever name they had chosen. To further compound the errors in such matters, while both men and women could be scholars, they tended towards unisex names which might belong to any gender.

===Orthodox vs. Conservative===
Necromancers are often referred to as being on a scale from orthodox to conservative. Necromancers on the ultra-orthodox side will live communally in a temple and spend all their time practicing rituals or otherwise engaged in devotional activities. The opposite end of the spectrum describes someone who is ethnically a necromancer but does not engage in any cultural or religious activities. All necromancers are said to be somewhere on the scale.

Of important note is that, at least pose-[[Imprisonment of the Necromancers|confinement]], neither side is considered "correct" or incorrect, but rather a symbol of your devotion. Necromancers believe each necromancer is called to demonstrate his or her devotion, and express it in whatever manner he or she sees fit.

===Physical Description===
Because all necromancers are descended from a particular people group, they all tend to have a similar physical description. They are on average shorter than the general population by around 6 inches. 'Tall' for a necromancer is 'average' for everyone else. They have olive-skin complexions, usually with dark hair and green or brown eyes. Hair is usually straight. They are known for smooth skin and very little body hair.

===Age-Mixing===
Necromancers have deep societal and religious taboos regarding age-mixing, especially as it takes place outside of Sunday mass rituals. While no formal doctrine exists, intimate relationships are restricted to individuals with no more than one to two years age difference. Social relationships are frowned upon unless in some sort of mentor/protegé configuration (such as teachers and students). Children are heavily encouraged only to socialize with peers of their own age (or at most 1-2 years difference) except for immediate family members (in the case of conservative necromancers) or specific, designated individuals in the event not enough children of the same age are available.

The origins of this taboo are unclear, but can be found all throughout the sacred texts and classical literature.

===Clothing===
Typical necromancer attire consists of long linen robes. Necromancer culture began in a desert region, and as such their style and aesthetics retain elements of these attributes. These are often tied at the waist with a sash and may be embroidered with beads. Bracelets and necklaces are also popular, as well as rings and earrings. Nearly all necromancers, both male and female, have pierced ears.

Females typically wear their hair tied back or braided, while males cut their hair short. A wide variety of hairstyles exist. Males and females also both typically wear heavy eye makeup. The cosmetics black out the entire area around the eye, stopping at the bridge of the nose but sometimes covering the eyebrows and down onto the cheeks. This is believed originally a ritualistic component evolved into every-day wear. There is no symbolic signficance to the eye makeup, and the exact shape and area covered is completely a matter of fashion.

In warmer climates, lighter, thinner robes are popular, as well as shorter ones. In especially warm areas, men might wear a half-robe that covers from the waist to the knees. The traditional female robe, or "temple dress", is a single piece of linen that covers them from about the knees up to just above the breasts. It is strapless and leaves the shoulders bare, and has a lon slit up the right hand-side that ends just above the hip. While formally a ceremonial garment, the temple dress is quite popular and many fashioned inspired by it can be seen in day-to-day wear.

===Family Unit===
Necromancers maintain a traditional family unit (mother, father, children) but live in a highly inter-connected society. Consanguinity is kept high in mind;–– that is to say knowing how various others are related to you and to what degree;–– but is only used to prevent inbreeding. Living in such close-knit groups, it is very important to keep the bloodline diverse.

Since necromancers typically live in communal buildings, a family unit might have a room or suite of rooms to themselves, used for sleeping, dressing, indoor recreation, and storing personal items. The family would be responsible for cleaning and maintaining these rooms.

Cooking and bathing are communal activities. Large kitchens produce meals for the entire temple, with dedicated staff who carry out all the requisite duties. A larger temple might have multiple kitchens. Cooking is usually done on a fairly large scale, and necromancer cuisine is not known for diversity.

The baths are segregated by age but not gender, to degree determined by the size of the temple. A very small temple may have only one bath, and designate different times of the day for different groups. The larger temples will have separate facilities in both for youth, young adults, older adults, and even the elderly. Young children typically bathe with their parents, while older children (starting around 8) go to the children's bath.

===Marriage===
Though it varies by temple, arranged marriages are not uncommon in necromancer society. There is no defined age of majority or age of consent, and the age of marriage also varies by temple. In larger temples, it is not uncommon for youth as young as 15 or 16 to marry, though this is a hold-over from the early days when life expectancies were much shorter.

Nearly all necromancers marry, including the priesthood (it is a requirement in some temples). A necromancer who remains single into adulthood is highly uncommon, and given the arrangments of necromanic society they would have a very difficult time.

Amongts the necromancers, a great deal of love poetry has been produced and preserved throughout the ages. It is perhaps one of the youth's favorite subjects upon which to muse.

Marriage outside the cult is unheard of, and happens extremly rarely. In the nearly 7,000 years between the creation of Necromancy and the destruction of the last temple in the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], only a few cases are documented. Of those, all took place in very small temples (populations of less than 100). Anyone marrying into the cult could never truly be a necromancer, and would be unable to participate in the ritualistic aspects of the necromancer lifestyle.

Some necromancers are known to have left the temple to wed an outsider. However, the archives do not give any indication of what happened to them.

=====Arranged Marriage=====
Arranged marriages typically happen amongst slightly older couples (late teens, early 20s), and is usually encouraged by the parents when neither party has found a suitable mate of its own.

Love is a very highly valued thing within the necromancer culture. Many of what are recorded as arranged marriages do happen between loving couples who merely seek the approval of their elders to wed.

Still others employ the help of matchmakers to find a suitable partner. Only very rarely are marriages arranged for political reasons.

=====Parentage, Love, and Sexuality=====
Necromancers typically consider the physical act of sexual contact to be separate from romance or love. While not common, if a father is unable to give his wife a child, she may go to another man; in this case there is no shame nor is the act considered adulterous. However, if a man were to express romantic feelings for a woman other than his wife, this would be a sacrilege.

Sexual activity is divided into three categories: for procreation, for spiritual enlightenment, and for physical pleasure. While all three of these can be put together in any combination, they are still regarded as highly distinct. Necromancers lack concepts such as orientation and virginity, and view sex as extremely natural and normal activity alongside eating and breathing. The only thing Necromancers find unusual is inter-generational relationships, so long as the partners are no more than a few years apart in age, virtually anything is acceptable.

=====Trilateral Marriage=====
During the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]], necromancers tended to live in smaller groups or temples. The practice of trilateral marriage (a marriage with three equal partners) began out of simple necessity. Because necromancers tend to disparage inter-generational relationships, there would frequently not be an even number of men and women within a particular generation. That era also heavily discouraged marriage outside of the temple (and indeed this was not even an option on the [[Arcol Steppe]]). The solution was to create marriages of three equal partners.

When possible it was preferred to pair two women with one man who was particularly strong with the magical aspects of necromancy. Marriages of two men to the same woman were equally as common. The practice fell out of favor during the latter portions of the [[Mage Wars]], but was revived in the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] with new religious significance. A typical trilateral marriage is a democracy requiring a two-third majority to make any decisions.

Sacred marriage and sacred sex had always played a role in both ritual and practical aspects of necromancer life. Trilateral religious marriages were practiced by both the [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] necromancers, but for different reasons. Among the [[Grey Temple]], it was done deliberately to breed stronger necromancers, and exclusively with one man and two women. In the [[Green Temple]], the practice was used primarily to fulfill ritualistic roles; the trifles were always members of the priest caste (no matter the combination) and represented various aspects of deities, carrying out specific ceremonies. Worker-caste trilateral marriages were also accepted in both theologies out of necessity.

After the [[Necromanic Wars|necromanic wars]] the practice died out, with the remaining population of Necromancers confined to a single temple in [[Arindell]], many of their practices and customs became defined entirely by the area in which they were confined.

Little information survives about how necromancy changed during the [[Long Night]]. During the era of the [[New Day]], the practices of trilateral marriage were revived for the purposes of religious ritual. Though not forbidden, reformed necromancy abolished the caste system and removed the taboo of marrying outside the temple, so there has been no need for trilateral marriages among anyone besides the priests and priesteses.

In a sacred trilateral marriage one member is a priest or priestess, while the other two form two aspects of a specific deity. These marriages are also practical, in that the throuple live together and engage in sexual activities. Some of these are ritual in nature.

===Economy===
Internally, Necromancers do not use a monetary system. Because their organizational structure is communal, food, clothing, and housing are provided by group effort. The support systems for these areas are also carried out communally, with individuals learning trades as needed. Basic personal items are provided to individuals by crafters, who often embellish them with artistic decorations. A barter system is very common within the temple, with craftsmen trading wares and favors.

One Necromancer explained it thusly: ''"If I am a Hatter, I make hats. I am provided with tools and materials as needed. If you come into my workshop and ask me for a hat, I shall provide you one. However, if you desire a particularly fine hat, you should bring me something to offer in trade."''

Necromancers typically value the effort placed into producing an item over any precised monetary value of the materials. Hence, golden jewelry could be traded for wooden beads, if the beads took more work to produce.

This system, however, does not extend outside of the temple, and Necromancer traders who sell their wares to outsiders are known to be particularly shrewd. It does help that what they sell tends to be of the highest quality.

===Games===
====Ko'r't====
Ko'r't, commonly translated simply as 'court' or spelled phonetically as 'kort' is a blanket title for a variety of ball games. The most common version, Foot Kort, is roughly similar to soccer, but has numerous derivations and levels of rules and strategy. The games are played by Necromancers as well as outsiders who live in the vicinity, with Necromancers commonly inviting their neighbors to a friendly game. While much ritual significance has been ascribed to the various derivations of kort, the Necromancers will readily admit it really is just a game.

While hundreds of permutations exist, Kort is most often played in three different forms: Traditional, Floor, and Foot.

A traditional game of Kort requires a playing field with a hardened floor and a painted series of grids, flat walls on three sides, and a hoop for the goal mounted on one wall. The hoop can be as large as a few feet across or just barely bigger than the ball, depending on the skill and seriousness of the players. The game is played with two teams of two or three each, depending on the size of the playing field. In traditional Kort, only the hands and elbows can be used to engage with the ball, and the ball must bounce off at least one surface before making a goal or being engaged by another player. Players are allowed to catch and throw the ball, but must bounce it off either the wall or floor. The grid on the floor also denotes spaces where the players are allowed to set foot. Traditional Kort is the oldest and most ritualized form, and while competition between temples is often fierce, outsiders are still frequently welcomed to join in. While not a formal part of the religion, Kort is frequently used to resolve disputes or to make decisions.

Floor Kort is more common as the requirements for a playing field are far lower. A raised circular goal and a flat surface are still necessary, but the walls and grid are not. Floor Kort works on the same principles of bouncing the ball and striking only with the hands and elbows. As high quality rubber became more common, notions of 'dribbling' (similar to basketball) entered the game.

Foot Kort is the most common; it is, for all intents and purposes, soccer. No one is entirely sure which game was invented first, and how much was appropriated. The Necromancer 'version' of the game has rule-sets worded very differently and still uses a grid (like in Traditional) but changes from hands and elbows to feet and knees, and uses a soccer-style goal. Strangely, much more ritual significance is ascribed to Foot Kort by outsiders than to Necromancers (who regard it as healthy fun). Many outsiders, wrongly assuming certain things about Necromancy, will often assume all forms of Kort are treated the same, and believe Foot Kort is an ancient, highly ritualized game, and a matter of life and death.

During the [[New Day]] era, Foot Kort became a major form of outreach. Every temple and necromancer community had at least one field, and it was ''"never fenced, always open, always inviting to anyone"''. In cities that housed even small necromancer populations, they would organize (usually free) foot kort leagues as a way of being involved. This led to some clashes as soccer rose in popularity; the two games as played in the New Day era are close enough for opposing teams to compete. But while participating in a soccer league was usually required at least an entry fee and paying for one's own equipment, foot kort teams--especially those aimed at youths--were always free, and often gave away what little equipment was needed. This made Foot Kort the de facto sport of the lower classes, while the middle and uppers played soccer. Despite the two sports' extreme similarity, this has made for very serious business in the [[Final Foot Championship]] competitions.

There is one key difference between foot kort and soccer, though it does not matter even a little. While modern foot kort is largely a sport like any other, it is customary to wear a traditional head-covering called a ka'daim similar to a bandana (interchangeable for one, in fact). While this has no bearing on play, it is considered to be so important to the sport that Necromancers have been known to interrupt games and scold children for playing without one. Often, this proves embarrassing, as the children were in fact playing soccer.

====Wrestling====
The Necromancers have a traditional form of wrestling or grappling, an intrinsic part of their ritual life. The sport is played in a round sand pit, usually wetted to provide a more comfortable surface for falling and rolling on. The game requires two participants and a drummer to keep time. Much like Kort, wrestling is used to resolve disputes, but very much unlike it the skill of individual competitors is deliberately not tracked or considered.

The participants usually wear very little clothing. Barefoot with a small loincloth, or a piece of cloth around the breasts if the competitors are female. Hair is tied back into a braid or bun. Matches are very short, and over when the first competitor's shoulder touches the sand. Usually the ring will be surrounded by observers who will call out once they see a touch. The objective is to knock your opponent down on their back.

The time keeper is a drummer beating a very large and loud drum. While matches are sometimes held outdoors, most often they are in special chambers underground where the time keeper's rhythm can reverberate off the walls. The time keeper always faces away from the competitors. When a match is declared, the timekeeper begins a rhythmic beat, while the competitors hold absolutely still. When the timekeeper stops (at a time known only to him) the opponents move and attempt the win. The timed roll can land anywhere from a few seconds to an entire hour, with an important part of the ritual aspect being how tightly the competitors can hold their stance.

All physically fit Necromancers between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five are trained in this form of ritual combat, though those aged sixteen to twenty are preferred. The priests will choose two competitors of the same gender and similar height and build, and dispatch them to the ring while a timekeeper is called. The competitors will strip down and prepare, while the priests will either observe from afar or even wait in another chamber. The competitors will intentionally not be told which priest selected them or for what purpose, they will only be asked to compete.

The ritual significance of the rite holds that the fighters are enacting the will of the Necrosages, and the ritual is used as a way to let them settle disputes without being consulted directly. The ritual aspect of this ceremony is used to settle disagreements between priests, effectively as an elaborate coin-flip.

=====Croq-Wae=====
An extension of the traditional wrestling is Croq-Wae, the necromancer's martial art. It is a focused grappling technique that makes use of fast, close-in strikes to specific pressure points designed to cripple the opponent. Croq-Wae is explicitly designed for use in cramped quarters and meant to require very little physical strength. Its intended goal is to allow an emaciated prisoner to fight back against a healthy guard.

There is considerably more to it, and among the wider world it is known as one of the deadlier martial arts. However Croq-Wae cannot be used in tournaments and actual sparring is rare; because the "real" techniques tend to break bones or cause severe, permanent damage.

A Croq-Wae Master is called a Balga.

===Language===
{{#lsth:Endu}}

For a complete list of necromancer profanity, see [[Endu#Swear Words|Endu Swear Words]].

====Common Slang====
*''Fairly Wintering'' - a common parlance for "boring". The term comes from colder climates where the bulk of the temple population would have to stay indoors, below ground, for winter.

*''Ny-pep’no'' - a contraction of the [[Common]] word 'no' and 'pep'no', [[Endu]] for 'problem'. Used in a general sense to say "no problem" and sometimes more specifically in reference to things that might be a problem for a non-necromancer but aren't one for a necromancer.

===Literature===
{{:Necromancer Literature}}

===Bathing===
Necromancers practice communal ritual bathing in bath houses connected to the temple complex. The bathing ritual involves a full-body wash followed by a lengthy soak. The same baths are also used as a social space and may be the only place to wash for some poorer members or fully orthodox practioners. In keeping with the taboo on age-mixing, baths are divided by age group but not gender.

===Sex===
Necromancers are stereotypically considered very sexually active, with the common outsider belief being that all necromancer women are very easy and temples are just lousy with orgies.

The reality is much more complex, though not altogether inaccurate. Necromancers as a whole do not stigmatize sex, regarding it as a physical question rather than a moral one. They do not have a concept of "virginity". Even the most conservative groups do not view sex or pregnancy outside of marriage as being a problem. Group sex does happen and is viewed more as a matter of preference than anything else.

On the sliding scale of conservative to orthodox, the more orthodox a necromancer is, the less likely they are to be in a committed relationship. In fully orthodox temples, necromancers practice open polyamory with fully communal living. Family units exist to provide nurturing and early structure, but all property is communal and the adults actually raising the children are seldom the biological parents.

From a statistical standpoint, more orthodox necromancers are likely to have had more sexual partners than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given demographic group. Those on the more conservative side tend towards the societal average. What sets necromancers apart statistically is their likelihood to have only had partners with a very narrow age window, generally no more than 3 years difference.

====Religious Elements====
Sex and sexuality play an important role in the necromancer religion. This is also part of what contributes to the stereotype or the "Necromancers worship sex!" attitude.

Sexual rituals do happen as a part of the necromancer religion. And very often these are carried out by temple chantresses and priests. However, unlike what outsiders believe, in most cases the individuals in question are already in a sexual relationship. Regular necromancers also routinely perform sexual rituals; but, again, this is between two or more parties already in a relationship. More intricate symbolic rituals (in which no actual sexual contact occurs) are a regular part of temple life.

The reality is that fertility plays an important, almost central role in the necromancer religion. Officially they worship death (that part is not a stereotype), but in order to die something has to live, and most things begin to live through sex. Originally fertility and birth played major roles in the necromancer religion. Among women especially fertility was considered very important. If a woman became pregnant regardless of her marital status it was viewed as a wonderful thing and proof of her ability to conceive. In [[Necromancer Literature|Endu and classic literature]], fertility is often described as a very important sexual trait and indeed extremely arousing to males.

The central role of fertility is inexorably tied to sexuality as, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pregnancy does not happen without sex. Necromancers have always been very open about this fact and saw no problems with depicting it in art and literature. Many temples are decorated with scenes outsiders view as extremely sexually explicit, but to the necromancers this is only part of the cycle of undeath.

After the [[Necromanic Wars]] and the subsequent [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]], their culture was forced to undergo some changes. With extremely strict population controls place, having children became a rather serious problem. The necromancer religion responded to this by shifting the focus from actual conception to the sex-act itself. Under the use of contraceptives or outright sterilization, priests and chantresses continued to engage in sexual rituals, while

====Prostitution====
Among the ongoing stigmas associated with necromancers is the belief by outsiders that their culture freely encourages prostitution. Many cite references in their religious texts and literature as proof of this. In reality, necromancers engage in sexual services at a rate no higher than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given economic bracket. The statistics are skewed noticeably by many necromancers being more economically disadvantaged. Further damaging the reputation is the tendency of young adult necromancers to engage in casual forms of prostitution with their peers, then later openly admit to this in surveys.

The stereotype comes from two places.

*In the necromancer religion, ritual sacred prostitution is practiced. In this ritual, women, usually temple chantresses, are seen to accept money in exchange for sex, the money is then used for the temple. However, the reality of this scenario is not at all what it appears: the money is being paid from the temple coffers, back to the temple coffers, the participants are strictly only priests and chantresses, and sex is not part of the ritual. The process is purely symbolic. It is believed that, at one time, there may have been lass sexual rituals practiced this way, but at least as early as the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] the ritual had become purely symbolic.

*In necromancer ''literature'' sex and prostitution are used frequently in elaborate metaphors. A common motif is a ritual in which all of the girls of a certain age in the temple must put on their temple dresses and sit on the steps, then wait until a man throws some money in her lap, and go and have sex with him. During the act, he will tear her dress. It is important to note that this situation is entirely fictional, and no known temple ever practiced such a ritual. In [[Necromancer Literature|literature]], descriptions of sacred prostitution can be used for any number of metaphoric purposes, often with multiple meanings. These kinds of mass rituals are also a very popular in necromancer pornography (both aimed at them and of the tan'nesh variety).

As far actual prostitution carried out by necromancers goes, their culture does not stigmatize the sex act itself or the exchange of money. However age-mixing is deeply taboo, so a necromancer who engaged in such acts would be shamed if the other party were much older or younger.

==Converts==
Not possible until after the Necromancers were freed in the first year of the [[Age of the Dragon]], converts, called Acolytes or Necromancer Acolytes, are outsiders who have adopted the necromancer faith. Acolytes subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Necromancy and participate in non-magical rituals. While Acolytes cannot join the priesthood (because they lack the magical ability), they are given the same respect within the cult as full-blooded Necromancers. Children born with one Acolyte parent and one Necromancer parent are similarly not stigmatized, and typically have full access to Necromancer magic; indicating the power might not be limited to their lineage.

==History==
===Ancient History===
"Long ago during the Mage Wars, a wizard named [[Isolia]] fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy."

[[Rubiceye]] was widely known to have many followers in the early days. Though not considered a politician, he was a good leader and an entire nation formed around him. He was a powerful mage and had many other powerful mages following him, and with the [[Mage Wars]] already in full swing, many people flocked to him.

The original name of his people group is now lost to history, though it is believed to have been similar in pronunciation to the name of the magic Rubiceye was to create. The customs and practices of those people, while not initially magical, were later adapted into the rituals of Necromancy.

===Mage Wars===
Around the middle of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], early Necromancers made their home on the [[Arcol Steppe]] at the north-eastern corner of the [[Agras Plain]]. The area was a high-altitude desert at the time, cold and very dry: ideal conditions for the activities Necromancers are known for. From [[B.G.A.]] 3528 until 3021, everything was going swimingly. This era is often known as the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]]. The magic and ritualistic lifestyle of necromancers solidified largely during this time; and while the region was mostly a loose association of temples, it was still a powerful force in the region.

The military and magical might of the Necromancers were able to defend their borders until the end of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]]. However, as the [[Mage Wars#The Intermediate Period|Intermediate Period]] began, they soon lost ground to other, stronger empires which had the advantage of off-world holdings to supply troops and war material. This led to, among other events, the [[Necromancer Wars]], a proxy conflict that gave rise to [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] ideology.

Amidst the peril of looming conquest, a [[Litch]] known as [[Kozek]] rose to power. Necromancers, while willing to defend themselves, had always been at their core a peaceful lot. Kozek had other ideas, and thought that, with some effort and guile, Necromancers could command a vast multi-world empire of their own.

His push caused a schism within the necromancer world. The region of Arcol, while large and populous, had never been an empire in its own right. Prior to Kozek's rise, the area had been a loose association of city-states that tended to cooperate well and support each other, but had no central leadership. Kozek sought to crown himself emperor, but not all necromancers agreed. Kozek's ideology became known as the [[Grey Temple]], and for the first time a true Necromancer nation was founded.

This, in turn, led to a mass exodus of Arcol, of many necromancers who refused to live under Kozek's rule. Still others remained in Arcol, bent on maintaining "the old ways" (by then known as [[Green Temple]] ideology). Weakened by the exodus and torn apart by internal struggle, Kozek's empire collapsed. The entire region of the Arcol Steppe, with its ancient and hallowed temples, had to be abandoned as the then-new [[Marcon Alliance]] had taken a liking to the territory.

Necromancers then spread throughout the [[known worlds]], founding new temples wherever they settled. Many Green Temples were initially welcomed with open arms, for the services they provided. Grey Temples sought more remote areas to settle, either landing in un-populated regions or enslaving local peoples. Many an empire rose and fell while backed by Grey Temple necromancers throughout the rest of the Mage Wars.

===Alliance Era===
When the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] began, some Necromancers sought to reclaim their ancestral homeland, but found Arcol (by this time a fertile and temperate region) populated by other peoples. Some Necromancers still lived there, and others were able to relocate; but the hope of rebuilding the old nation was impossible.

Instead, a large number of Necromancers settled in [[Serreth]], on the [[Sword Coast]], with designs on building a 'Most High' temple at the site. Others settled in [[Stormreaver Valley]], where yet another temple of supreme importance was constructed. These temples unfortunately saw both grey and green necromancers alike, as both ideologies sought a strong, centralized Necromancer nation.

~History~

In the Third Age, the Grey Temple under Arch-Lich [[Honoreck]] began a campaign to take over the [[Known Worlds]]; but they were stopped ultimately by [[Lal Soratami]]. This time-period is known as the [[Necromanic Wars]]. The few survivors (both Green and Grey) were corralled in [[Arindell]] for the next 3000-odd years, until the reign of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]; or else dispersed to obscure [[Planet]]s, where they became the [[Dark Order]]s.

==Other==
The [[Okina Gaori]] is an ancient Necromancer book and is often described as "the only think most outsiders know about Necromancy". In addition to hundreds of illustrations, it includes in-depth descriptions of many rituals. While parts of the book are still in use, necromanic scholars are quick to point out that none of the rituals described were ever actually used.

The word "[[Niktapede]]" is a slang term used to describe people who are racially intolerant of necromancers.

A related word, "[[Niktad]]", describes non-necromancer/non-acolytes who express an interest in necromancer culture and lifestyles without embracing the religious aspects of it. "Nickta-fever" refers to someone, most often a young woman, with a sexual attraction to necromancers.

==History (Original)==
Taken from [[The Reunion of the Eighth Power]] from [[The Path to Ascension]]:

Long ago during the [[Mage Wars]], a wizard named Isolia fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy. Using underworld magics he and his followers created a new path of magic: the Path of Necromancy. Together they raised ghoulish armies from the fallen corpses of their enemies, and trapped souls to be converted into terrible spells.
By the time the Mage Wars had ended, Necromancy had solidified into a full-blown religion. All the Necromancers were blood descendants of Isolia and his original followers, and all possessed the gift of Necromancy passed down from him. Because there were so many, [[Eieber]] decreed that the Necromancers could be allowed to live, if they swore never again to practice their grotesque birthright.

A hundred years passed, and Eieber went into the Light.

For five generations, the Necromancers had kept silent, staying in their own quiet villages, practicing their trade only amongst themselves. Now with Eieber dead they felt no reason to hide their art anymore.

Two great followings were established: the Grey Temple and the Green Temple. Necromancers of the Green Temple believed the power of Necromancy could be used for a greater good. They reanimated corpses for use as laborers, and raised souls only to comfort those left alive after a tragedy.

Despite their intentions, the Green Necromancers were much hated and feared by people who simply didn’t understand them, and so more and more Necromancers turned to the Grey Temple.

The Grey Necromancers used their power for one thing: gaining more power. An uneasy alliance was forged, but the Grey Necromancers still grew rapidly in numbers, and spread across the Multi-Verse like a slow tide of terror.

Finally, over two thousand years after Eieber’s death, the Necromancers of the Grey temple plunged the [[Multi-Verse]] into a chaotic battle the likes of which had not been seen since the depths of the Mage Wars.

Despite fighting valiantly against the Grey Necromancers, the Green Temple was still much hated and feared, and their highest pantheon was ransacked and burned. Even with this crushing blow, the Green Necromancers still forged an alliance with the Slayer Dragons to strike out against the real enemy.

After forty years of fighting, the Grey Temple finally fell, and the Necromancy Wars ended. [[Lal Soratami]], the Pendragon anointed during the war, outlawed Necromancy once and for all, and gathered up all the remaining Necromancers in a new temple where he could watch them.

Those who did not willfully enter the [[Necromancy Temple]] established in [[Arindell]] were killed, and their bodies burned: the greatest insult a Necromancer could know. The temple in Arindell became the last bastion of Necromancy in the World of Life.

Things must have been desperate if they were using a Necromancer.

The sword he carried was a simple one-handed short sword that was inexpertly crafted, and it looked like he was talking to it.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Scarlet Jusenkyou

2025-12-18T02:42:01Z

Siddharth1: /* Library of Arindell */

[[The Conditional Continuation|Scarlet]] "The Weevil" Amiko Jusenkyou is a descendant of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]], and the protagonist of a new series of books. She finds Echbalder (lost since the end of the [[Age of the Dragon]]) and eventually becomes [[Pendragon]]. Scarlet was born on the 24th day of the 8th month, at 8:03 AM, weighing 5 pounds 8 ounces, in the 500th year of the [[New Day]]. She trained with [[Master Franconia]].

==Physical Description==
Scarlet stands a towering 4'10", with a very slight build and all around narrow individual. She does fill out some as she gets older, but doesn't get any taller. She has the trademark Jusenkyou Eyes.

==Early Life==
Scarlet was born at 3:58 A.M. on the 24th day of the 8th month. It was a Saturday, the 54th day of Summer and the 237th day of the 500th year of the [[New Day]], according to the [[Resurrection Calendar]]. She was born in [[Arindell]] to parents [[Royland and Annaria Jusenkyou]]. Royland is of the [[Jusenkyou Line]] that descended from Rebecca and Aden. His own parents died young, and he was an only child; as such, before Scarlet's birth, he was the last survivor of the bloodline.

Scarlet's parents met in a rooming house in Arindell where they fell instantly in love. Upon getting married, they had Scarlet almost immediately. For the first two years of her life, the entire family lived in a very cramped guest house while the parents worked feverishly to put together enough money for a down payment on a home of their own. They successfully purchased [[4826 Maple Dew]], a four-bedroom tract home in the suburbs of Arindell shortly before Scarlet's third birthday. Outwardly, they are a very typical nuclear family.

As a young child, Scarlet attended a preschool operated by the local [[Necromancer]]s, who provided the service free for low-income families (of which hers distinctly qualified). This would not have been her mother's first choice, but the free education helped ease some of the financial burdens the family was experiencing at that time. Though some religious aspects of Necromancy were present it was largely a perfectly ordinary nursery school, save for all the skulls.

Scarlet learned to read at the age of four, and by five had become skilled enough to digest the glossy full-color books her parents often purchased as souvenirs from museum visits. At the time, she mostly would talk animatedly about the pictures, but as she began to read them she quickly gained a skill at identifying artifacts and styles, soon giving way to her intense love of history.

She was known for shunning dolls or other toys in favor of books. Scarlet never had any interest in fiction, but the family had quite a collection of books about history. By the age of nine, she had abandoned laymen's texts altogether, and was reading historical reference books and archaeological dig reports.

Scarlet was always known for her eccentricity, and had a difficult time connecting with other children. In elementary school she did well academically but was troubled socially, preferring to sit alone and read "grownup books" rather than play. She shared no interests with the other children, as she did not play with toys, video games, or have any interest in TV or movies. Though she did participate in extracurricular activities such as the neighborhood swimming and soccer teams, she never much blended with the other children. She also used a large number of big words in every-day conversation, and seemed uninterested in normal topics.

By middle school, Scarlet was completely estranged from her peers, who teased and mocked her mercilessly. She retreated further into her books, where she found a sanctuary. Able to ignore most of the teasing, she focused on her historical studies to the exclusion of all else, and began suffering in other school subjects. In 7th grade, Scarlet was placed in the history class of [[Manilla Winkledorff]], whom she clashed with almost from the start. Scarlet was, by this time, a considerable talent at history, and developed an unfortunate habit of correcting both her teacher and her textbooks. Though extremely gifted and knowledgeable, this tendency earned Scarlet an extreme dislike from Winkledorff, who retaliated by failing Scarlet at the end of the year.

To make up the failed history grade, Scarlet was given a remedial summer assignment, a challenging history paper she was to complete and hand in the following year. Scarlet chose for her topic the [[Slayer Dragons]], and went well beyond the scope of the assignment, digging very deep into reference materials and making insights that were impressive for a seasoned researcher.

==="The Weevil"===
Scarlet's dear friend, Dr. [[Emmerich Thomson]], would occasionally give her little challenges or puzzles. These were most fact-checks, historical trivia he thought she might find interesting. Unbeknownst to Scarlet, these were not simply games thought up by her friend and mentor, but extremely difficult problems submitted to him by other antiquarians. Unaware of the origin, Scarlet happily worked away on the problems and tended to solve most of them. Emmerich, in turn, gave them back to the submitters (usually university professors and scholars), and just say ''"A friend figured this out for me."''. Among the academic community, the identity of Emmerich's star researcher became a subject of great debate, with most assuming it was just Emmerich himself. Among those circles they began to refer to her as "The Weevil" without knowing who she was.

===Quest for the Sword===
At the age of 13, while on a school field trip, Scarlet stumbled into the tomb of [[Eieber]], wherein she was hit with the realization that the sword carried by [[Conri Jason Jusenkyou]] at the beginning of the [[Age of the New Day]] was not the original sword of the Pendragon. This begins the events of ''Heart of the Journey''.

==Hobbies and Interests==
Scarlet is an extremely voracious reader of historical texts. She has no interest in novels or fiction of any kind, but is heavily obsessed with history.

Up until the age of 12, Scarlet played soccer at the neighborhood rec center, participating in the league run by the [[Rec Center Network]]. Her team was somewhat infamous for never having won a single game, and Scarlet herself was never particularly adept at the rules. She also swam on the swim team at the same record until 6th grade, and once came in second at a tournament (in a category with only two participants). She quite the swim team and stopped swimming altogether sometime in 6th grade and did not sign up to continue playing on the soccer team after 7th.

Scarlet was a regular attendee to the "[[Dragoon Lancer]] Fantasy Day Camp" run by the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]], which hosted sessions every summer starting when she was 8. She is a military fangirl and likes to dress up in fatigues and memorize military trivia. While she did gain several opportunities to fire weapons at camp, her favorite activity was knife-throwing, which she practices avidly all year round.

Scarlet is also a collector of action figures, the one toy she ever showed any interest in. Specifically, [[Slayer Dragon]] action figures, of which there are thousands. Collecting them became a family activity, and between them they have one of the most complete collections from N.D. 475 onwards.

Starting at sixteen, Scarlet took up target shooting and trick shooting with a [[Pendragon Special]] auto-revolver. At seventeen, she accidentally joined her school's concert band and began to play the clarinet, later switching to flute after graduation.

===Library of Arindell===
According to Ann, Scarlet was fascinated with the [[Library of Arindell]] even as an infant. Being located a short drive from the family home, she was a frequent patron all throughout her childhood, though not an overly popular one. Her relationship with the staff is strained at best, with some librarians amazed by her and others very much annoyed with her antics.

The Library in Scarlet's era has a standing rule that states no individual may check out more than five books at a time. However, five books is barely enough for a decent reference. Scarlet first got around the limitation by using her mother's library card, and quickly discovered that the librarians did not actually check identification. They simply scanned the card and the book, allowing Scarlet to bypass the limitation by signing up for multiple cards (obtaining a card also did not require identification, merely a name).

At first, Scarlet would sneak about by going to different counters. But upon reading the Library's charter, she discovered that there was no actual rule against having multiple library cards, and the librarians could do nothing to stop her. This also offered a clever why to escape overdue book fees, as Scarlet could simply register for a new card whenever she wanted. All told, by the age of 13, Scarlet owed roughly 2,500 [[Curency#Trans-Draconic Federation|wingbeats]] in late book fees.

When Scarlet was eleven, a librarian she befriended made the mistake of letting Scarlet into a rare books archive. Under the Library's magic, there was nothing Scarlet could do to hurt the books themselves, but she was not allowed back into the archive a second time.

===Miscellaneous===
In [[N.D.]] 515 Scarlet became a fan of [[Necromancer Frost Punk]]. She is very embarrassed about this as she normally prides herself on having "none of the usual teen interests". Her favorite band is ''For Unknown's Lament''.

===Stride Length===
Being 4'10", Scarlet's stride is a bit over 2 feet.

==Other Information==
Her favorite color is olive green, though black and crimson come a close second (and would be made her Regalia colors).

===Phobias===
Scarlet has some sort of deep-seated fear of summer camp (despite having never been) and describes attending one as literally a waking nightmare. Her mother once suggested she attend a horse back riding camp as Ann herself had an affinity for horses and thought Scarlet might enjoy the experience. Scarlet responded by barricading herself in her bedroom and refusing to come out until they agreed to let her stay home for the summer. Ann then later offered to let her go to [[Camp Shababadahs]] with [[Bethany Summers|Bethany]], which prompted a similar over-reaction.

===Aliasas===
In order to skirt [[Library of Arindell|library]] lending policies, Scarlet registered as many as 100 different library cards. Though she used her last name for most of them, the first name was typically some shade of red, such as Rose Jusenkyou or Carmine Jusenkyou. The former caused an issue later on when her little sister registered for a card and found she already owed $1700 wingbeats in late fees.

Scarlet also made use of the alias Carmine Rose in order to gain some early credibility in Arindell's academic community. In correspondence, Scarlet would claim to be a low-level research fellow and [[New Stormwind University]], using forged university letterhead. Since she wrote well enough to pass as an adult, the ruse was fairly successful. Scarlet used this access to get ahold of some of her more obscure research materials.

==Personal Equipment==
As Pendragon, Scarlet felt the need to be exceptionally well-armed. In addition to Echbalder, she is known to carry: an enchanted collapsing quarterstaff, returning throwing knives, several larger knives, a short sword, a [[Pendragon Special|.44 calibre revolver]], a [[Tech Lightning|machine pistol]], and if there was even the remotest possibility of combat, a couple of hand grenades. All these are stored in 'pockets' of bent space, which follow her everywhere.

==Family Tree==
Scarlet is the daughter of Royland Jusenkyou and Ann Gleisner. Roy is the son of Ruben Jusenkyou and Sandra Day.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Joseph Manse

2025-12-04T00:18:14Z

Siddharth1: /* Death */

Joseph Manse was a terrorist who lived during the late [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]]. As leader of an internet fan group, he used crowd-funding sites and word of mouth to raise a huge amount of capital, ostensibly to build a themed destination resort space station. Using the project as cover, he constructed a large, armed fleet, with the intentions of attacking [[The Caucuses]] on [[Gleskel Core]].

==Early Life==
Joe was born on [[Eutra Colony]], an experimental prototype community owned by the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]]. As a child, Joe was severely overweight and performed poorly in school (even by Eutra standards). He had a very strong gift for mathematics and could read much beyond his age level, but otherwise received failing marks in every subject. Even those subjects he was strong at he often did poorly in, due to failing to turn in assignments or not taking tests on time.

As a teenager he began to focus more on extra-curricular activities than academics, founding and running several clubs at the school. He went from passing a few subjects to passing none, as he placed all his energy in his leisure activities. He was a fan of many different fictional works, and his clubs were all based around these.

At eighteen, he was formally dismissed from school as a student, but allowed to continue running the clubs (Eutra colony was designed as a money-less utopia, so he was not paid). Teachers at the school described him as charismatic, driven, and an efficient organizer. His club activities were restricted to two hours a day as part of after-school programs, but he was known to spend anywhere from twelve to eighteen hours a day, setting up activities and gathering supplies.

At the age of twenty-three, Joe was accused of inappropriate behavior toward several of the female students at the school, and summarily dismissed from Eutra Colony. Now in a regular [[GS Town]], Joe did not fare well. While he was certainly well-familiar with the concept of money, he had not completed his education and had no marketable skills. He quickly became homeless and acquired a drug habit (such substances were unavailable at Eutra Colony). To supplement his addiction, Joe began selling drugs, and was caught and deported from Foundation-controlled territory before he'd turned twenty-four.

==Life Outside Foundation==
Now on an [[Alliance]] member world, Joe found the police force considerably under-funded and the punishments much less severe, and quickly pulled himself out of poverty by dealing drugs.

Joe was caught several times but escaped or delayed prosecution long enough to organize and close several highly profitable deals. With the money earned, he was able to re-locate to the [[Chintaka Consortium]], which had no extradition treaty with his previous home. Chintaka was formally considered a member of the Alliance, but its government was essentially a puppet-state. The military controlled most of the region, and various gangs and crime syndicates controlled the rest.

===On Chintaka===
Surprisingly, the now twenty-seven-year-old Joseph Manse did not entwine himself with the criminal underworld of Chintaka. He had a considerable sum of money saved, and used it to rent a modest apartment on the outskirts of a major city. His goal during this time, he later said, was to regain the perfect life he once had as a youth ("perfect" in this instance meaning, "being fed and clothed and allowed to devote his time to various TV and movie franchises he loved, without having to do any real work").

His drug habit continued, and is believed to be a major factor in his later actions.

Joe seldom left his apartment while living on Chintaka, ordering things and mostly immersed in the online communities surrounding his favorite fandoms. He eventually took over management of several, showing the same dogged determination and rugged work ethic that could have made him very successful if he'd ever applied it somewhere useful. Within ten years, he was earning a very comfortable living managing these communities, and decided to re-locate yet again to a region of space where he had more fans.

==Activities in Darnell Cluster==
At the age of thirty-eight, Joe relocated to the [[Darnell Cluster]], a large stellar cluster in [[Joint Space]]. Though he should not have been allowed to move to the region, owing to his status as an exile, he circumvented this by moving to a small sovereign nation, a city-state left over from the [[Mage Wars]] that had maintaned a certain level of autonomy, though within the borders of another country and on a [[planet]] controlled by a third power. Essentially, he played jurisdictional chicken and won, being able to move about freely in the region.

He had a reputation now as a responsible businessman, owning several media companies. He continued to be addicted to various substances, but managed to stay out of trouble while his wealth and influence grew. He retained ties in the Chintaka system, only garnering allies in their criminal world after he'd made a name for himself.

It was while living in Darnell that Joe made his first request to attend [[The Caucuses]]. In his rambling, eighteen-page cover letter, he reasoned that, as the recognized head of the science-fiction community, he should have a place of honor at the proceedings. His application was rejected without comment.

Over the next thirty years, Joe would continue to apply for entry into each Caucus, going so far as to use his vast army of followers to bombard the organizers with requests and petitions. The Foundation eventually released a formal statement that Joe was denied entry because he had been exiled from Foundation territory, and Gleskel was very, very much Foundation territory. It is unclear exactly when Joe decided to attack the Caucuses, but he never stopped applying even up to his assault.

Joe had long floated the concept of building a mobile destination resort and casino, made to look like a battle station out of his favorite fandom, but FTL-capable. There would be lengthy cruises, a full-time population, and every amenity and amusement possible. The station (as he continued to call it) would travel from system to system, hosting conventions and delegations, and generally just being awesome. The concept may even have been economically viable, though it remains dubious.

While Joe's corporate empire could probably have raised venture capital for the project, he instead turned to crowd-funding. He had, by all accounts, billions of direct followers, and countless more all across the [[Multi-Verse]]. Asking each to donate a small amount, in most cases about the cost of a cheap meal, he was able to raise an unexpected sum. More than enough to fund his resort and operate it for decades even at a loss.

==Return to Chintaka==
Officially, Joe chose Chintaka for construction because he felt that "the region was economically depressed, cheap labor will mean lower costs, but at the same time raise the standard of living" (his actual statement went on for quite a bit longer; Joe was not known for brevity, especially in his later years).

Despite making claims of bringing revenue to Chintaka, most of the money went to bribes to the military and local syndicates. The vast majority of Joe's workforce, millions strong, were his most devoted followers, who re-located with him. The station took only five years to construct.

Along with building his dream, Joe purchased a fleet of "support ships" that he claimed publically would be used as "freighters, shuttles, and goodwill ambassadors" in support of the resort. Most of these ships were former millitary vessels, purchased surplus, and illegally re-armed. A considerable percentage of the money Joe raised, was used to purchase weapons through Chintaka's corrupt military.

Joe now had legions of rabid followers and a fully-equipped invasion fleet. His plan, according to the few confidants who survived, was to invade and hold the Gleskel system, keep its people as hostages, and use the local population to build more ships and weapons. Ultimately, they said, Joe wanted to conquer the entire [[Gudersnipe Foundation]], despite the practical impossibility of doing so. However, it seemed most likely that he merely planned to attack and destroy the Caucuses. Without logistical and technical support from Chintaka, he had no hope of maintaining his fleet, and their combat capabilities were dubious at best.

===Death Star===
Joe named his ship ''The Death Star'' after a fictional, planet-destroying space station in his favorite movie. The ship was spherical, employing a simple but powerful [[Ion vacuum drive#Deuterium Drive|Deuterium Drive]]. The surface was armored, but would have provided little defense. The ship did have significant point defenses and a large number of missile and torpedo launchers.

The main weapon was a massive laser array. While not as powerful as a typical compressed energy weapon, it would still be enough to instantly destroy any ship and cause massive, potentially extinction-level damage to a planet.

The ship was powered by warm-neutrino, boiling water reactors, capable of "pulsing" or temporarily ramping up their power output to considerable levels. While the ship's reactors had no capacity to explode or even melt down catastrophically, the engines were still powered by volatile Deuterium. A completely superfluous shaft led from the surface deep into the interior, and ended close to the main storage tanks.

====Counter Offensive====
When Joe's plans to attack the Caucuses became clear, the [[Crimson Blade]] (in the short story ''[[Fan Fiction]]'') immediately launched a counter-offensive, led by [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]. The attack plan called for 'a small squadron of highly maneuverable fighters to fly in below the perimeter defenses' and launch a missile strike on the vulnerable opening. Because of the intense precision required, the missiles had to be loaded with sophisticated flight software and a specialized targeting computer.

While the attack failed to destroy the station before it exited FTL, they were able to take it out before it could fire its primary weapon. Owing to the superior maneuverability and capabilities of the [[Allapa Dismissive]] fighter, the strike force suffered surprisingly low casualties.

==Death==
Joe was killed when his ship exploded. He was killed very dead. His remaining fleet was blasted into a fine pink mist by an armada assembled to defend Gleskel Core. There are some reports that he was piloting one of the defensive fighters battling with Hunter and his squadron, and survived the explosion and escaped, but these are not based on any solid evidence. Communications logs recovered after the battle indicate he was on the command bridge when his ship was destroyed, having apparently suffered some sort of breakdown. He died reciting movie lines.

Despite the evidence of the logs, reports persisted that he was piloting one of the defensive fighters battling with Hunter and his squadron, and that he survived the explosion and escaped; but these are not based on any solid evidence. Never the less, they became the premise of a long-standing cult, based on the belief that Manse fled into deep space and would ultimately return, at the head of an army, to destroy the Foundation and establish an empire of the faithful at Gleskel Core, which he would then rule for ever. This cult was mocked openly by the Foundation; but remained active until the coming of [[Samuel Fate]], whom the cultists mistakenly welcomed as Manse's successor, until he wiped them out.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Altronis

2025-12-04T00:11:22Z

Siddharth1: /* Cultures */

Altronis is an [[Alliance]] Member World and a major economic center producing consumer goods for much of [[Joint Space]]. It is a round planet orbiting a middle-class star, approximately 70,000 light-years from the [[Progenitors]]' home-world.

==History==
During the [[Mage Wars]], Altronis was controlled by the [[Marcon Alliance|Marcon Empire]] which it served primarily as a slave-world, breeding warriors to fight all over the [[Known Worlds]]. It was liberated in 901 [[B.G.A.]] by the [[dragon]] sorceress [[Lelerough]]. So thorough was Lelerough's damage of the Marconian infrastructure that they did not attempt to reclaim this world, and it remained free.

At the start of the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]], Altronis formally joined the Alliance; but due to its remoteness, did little more than agree to a non-aggression pact. They did not even have representation in [[Arindell]]. During the [[Ninety-nine-years war]], Altronis severed all contact with the Alliance, but remained nominally a member.

Like most of the [[Multi-Verse]], Altronis was afflicted by the [[Necromanic Wars]], and liberated by [[Lal Soratami]]. Once liberated, Altronis resumed their isolationist stance, and local histories recorded the war, with its invasions of the undead, as the work of native tyrants not unlike [[Lous Brenom]].

No further contact at all occurred until the mid [[Ages#The Fourth Age|Fourth Age]], when [[Marcus Ransom]], son of then-[[Pendragon]] [[Andrei Ransom]], found Altronis under the control of a brutal [[corpocracy]]. He also found himself stranded, and when the Alliance and [[Foundation]] refused to intercede, he set about a rebellion and eventually brought about massive reforms.

As part of these reforms, the Foundation built a large [[GATE]] hub on Altronis so that goods manufactured there were easily shipped off-world. This, coupled with standard Foundation economic policies, helped shape a rich and prosperous world. [[The Thousand-Year Subscription]] is dated to that period. Some histories of the same date report [[Green Temple]] necromancers invited to Altronis (and possibly other worlds recovering from [[The Corporate Era]]) to revive extinct species and rebuild the ecosystem; this does not consist with the [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]].

Prosperity lasted until the [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]], when the solar system was subject to blockade, and later overrun, by the [[Kami]]. Nearly all the population were evacuated, while those that stayed behind fought against the occupation for nearly eighty years. Eventually they were subjugated; but the damage to Altronis' infrastructure was so severe that the Kamians felt it was not worth repairing. They left a garrison behind, and forced the few remaining inhabitants to construct defensive systems: massive ray-guns, electrified shields, and more. Other than that, the survivors were left relatively free. Most traveled as far from the garrison as they could, and set about rebuilding their civilization.

Because the [[Kamian Succession Wars]] did not end for another five centuries, the refugees never returned. The Kamians were driven easily from the planet at the end of the war, and some refugees from other areas were eventually resettled there. Altronis no longer had a culture of its own, and was just another Alliance world, among many worlds slowly putting themselves back together. It remained an Alliance world until the [[Long Night]]. Altronis, like many other worlds, was entirely depopulated by the Sunset War, and colonized by immigrants in the [[New Day]].

==Cultures==
During Lelerough's rampage, the infrastructure of Altronis was destroyed, and its survivors relegated to an [[Age of Darkness]]. By the time the Alliance approached them, the native Altronics occupied a Feudal System or similar (the more cosmopolitan their people, the more sophisticated their society); and the [[Ninety-nine-years war]] preceded an Industrial Revolution. Legends persisted of 'other worlds' and [[Mystical Creature]]s, but lacked any foundation until the Fifth Age. Because any native child indisputably talented in [[Magic]] was confiscated, brainwashed, and raised Marcon, this talent was negligible after the Empire lost the world, and it remained relatively unimportant until the Emigration (see below).

===Three Earths===
Possibly in bad memory of having been brought as slaves by the Marcons, the Altronics maintained a legend of a long-lost, utopian homeland; its character and location varying among ethnicities of people (themselves roughly corresponding to the various planets from which they were taken), who day-dreamed either of return, or of a past [[Antiquity]]. In the last days of the Altronis Corpocracy, this belief was nicknamed 'First Earth' by the lower literati, and Altronis itself nicknamed 'Second Earth'. The future for which some of these literati hoped (in which poverty, illiteracy, sickness, famine, crime, and war would be eradicated, and wealth, learning, health, prosperity, accord, and peace become the norm) supplied the 'Third'; but this name adhered at last to the worlds to which they were later removed.

===Religion===
Some Altronics worshipped the [[One King]] and Last Dynasty; others worshipped Lelerough, under various pseudonyms; some worshipped the [[The Broodmother|Broodmother]], and practiced serpentine mythology (similar to [[Dragon Worship]]); others worshipped their ancestors; some worshipped the Sun, Moon, and other nearby celestial bodies; and some practiced variations of [[Cardinal Cleric|Cardinalism]]. A few of their religions were almost as misogynist as the extinct Marcons'; but most religion was discredited and debased in the corpocratic days, except where it supported racism or anti-intellectualism. Their use by the Marcons as soldiers established a martial mythology. Memories of the [[Mythical Age]] were re-interpreted as stories of early days after the planet was settled.

===Legends===
Magic, gods, and [[Mystical Creatures]] were a constant presence in old stories, but virtually absent in fact, and this became one of the Altronics' most persistent ontological questions. A variety of legends arose to explain this paradox, which may be divided into three categories.

One school of thought argued that magic etc. had once been widespread, but diminished as human civilization grew. In many legends, the [[Mystical Creatures]] found the growth of civilization untenable, and 'left' Altronis, either literally or metaphorically, and the magic itself left with them. Academics in the Alliance, upon encountering this myth, believed it was a corrupt reconstruction of Altronis' own isolationist policy; perhaps combined with the sudden appearance and disappearance of Lelerough. Such reconstruction was fairly common among isolated worlds, and served as a plausible explanation.

Others on Altronis held that their legends were a form of historical fiction, or exaggerated exploits of ordinary people, and the magic and miracles in the stories were only plot-devices to indicate matters too complicated to explain.

The third school of thought insisted that legends and myths of every sort were pure fantasy and existed to distract people from the real conditions of life; this was the preferred explanation in [[The Corporate Era]], and served as the official excuse for the suppression of the arts, classics, and sciences in schools.

===Corp. Days===
As said above, the corpocracy was a dystopia, and nearly caused a Mass Extinction of life on Altronis.

In spite of this, radio broadcasts from the rest of the [[Known Worlds]] contributed much to their culture. Every station received them, but supposed each broadcast to originate in some other station on Altronis itself, and no-one knew better until years later. Nor did word get about, that these signals were alien in origin; for by then the corporations had already taken over the government, and most attempts toward the Advancement of Science were quashed. Just while cruising the airways, people heard music, and assumed it was coming from somewhere close to home. Very soon, major cities on Altronis changed their names to the names of major cities mentioned on the radio, and built landmarks of which they heard from the same source. A popular trend was for a company to find a complete movie or television series in the radio telescope telemetry, clean up the distortion, and release it in theaters. Occasionally these companies even hired actors to pretend to have worked on the production. (The same practice is also believed to have inspired [[Joseph Manse]] of [[Eutra Colony]]). Thus, Altronic culture was more cosmopolitan than it might otherwise have been, and more closely akin to that of the [[Known Worlds]] overall.

===Emigration===
When the corporations were destroyed, about half the Altronic population were moved by GATE to another world, without their knowledge. Because the GATE stayed open whenever seen by any native, the natives believed they had simply recolonized a portion of their old world, earlier abandoned by the corporations. Neither Foundation nor Alliance disturbed this illusion; indeed, most preferred a free social intercourse between Altronis and 'Third Earth' (the nickname given by Altronics to their new society).

===Evacuation===
It was only with the evacuation in the Sixth Age, under pressure by the [[Kami]], that Altronics took part in the affairs of the larger [[Alliance]]. Likewise, it was only then that the Altronics did not believe themselves unique, or unusual, in the cosmos. Early generations were reportedly shocked by the discovery.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Dark Order

2025-12-04T00:06:06Z

Siddharth1: /* Structure */

The name 'Dark Order' refers to any organization of evil mages attempting dominance of one or more worlds.

==Overview==
The [[Slayer Dragons]] have faced and destroyed numerous evil magicians or manifestations of evil magic, over the [[Ages]] of the [[Alliance]]; most of these were overcome, and the only serious threat was that of [[Samuel Fate]]. Most 'Dark Orders' are sorcerers or warlocks, usually with some [[Grey Temple]] ancestry, obsessed with gaining power and often superstitious in the extreme. Where they cannot practice magic openly, they foment or exploit social corruption.

==Structure==
Dark Orders form a loose coalition under a single leader, called the 'Dark Lord' (not to be confused with the immortals of that name); itself often male, but not always so. Death of a Dark Lord usually means the coven will disperse. Despite this weakness, they are often deeply rooted in the cultures of their adopted worlds: [[A.E. Clipson]] once remarked, "The Dark Order's always been there; it's a natural part of the imaginative life of the human race". Ranks within a Dark Order are ill-defined; but the more powerful a member is in magic, the higher its status. Envy is commonplace; but struggles for power are averted by the Dark Lord, who remains the sole internal authority.

==Use of [[Magic]]==
As a rule, single members are magically weak, but the group is strong. Their magic consists largely of causing, exploiting, and maintaining fear in a victim, whereby the victim is made subject to their wills. Ranking members are awed and frightened by the Dark Lord's abilities (which slightly exceed their own), but in other respects, their ''modus operandi'' resembles [[Tower Magic]].

==Connection to [[Necromancy]]==
At least one Dark Order, and possibly more, have contained remnants of the [[Grey Temple]], and experiment therefore in genetic manipulation to produce monsters or purify their own Necromancer lineage. One famous iteration was destroyed by [[Marcus Ransom]] in the Fourth Age. Unlike true Necromancers, Dark Order seldom paint their faces (except in cultures requiring this), and typically dress in very-plain clothes.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancy

2025-12-04T00:03:26Z

Siddharth1: /* Ko'r't */

Necromancy is a form of magic practiced by Necromancers. 'Necro–' meaning 'dead', it specifically deals with re-animating dead things and returning dead souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancy is among the types of [[Magic|magic]] that is strictly inherited, therefore only those born into the fold can practice it. This has allowed a rich and ancient culture to form around the practice.

Despite its heavy emphasis on death, the core of necromancy is actually about life. Necromancers believe that life is made possible through a generative encounter. Without life, there is no death; so that generative encounter is at the very heart of their belief system.

==Magic==
Nearly all necromancers can use the magic of necromancy to one degree or another; for most, it is fairly limited. Anyone demonstrating a high degree of potential with the art will be made a part of the priest caste, and assist with the temple's rituals.

Necromancy itself has two major parts: the re-animation of the undead, and the raising of souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancers have also found ways to turn their power to various other endeavors, often wielding it in a fashion similar to more main-stream [[Magic]]. There are some caveats; necromancy has no healing capability, nor can it see or harness the elements. But it can be used to grant great strength and to perform attacks.

Many necromancers are also competent, occasionally highly-skilled mages along the normal lines of magic.

===Re-Animation===
Re-animation magic is the mainstay of the Necromancer's workforce, and perhaps their best known trick. The process involves animating a dead life-form and making it [[Types of Undead|un-dead]]. The basic form of this spell typically has a very short duration, and the fresher the corpse, the easier it is to animate. Re-animation is typically focused around creating mindless worker-drones who can preform simple tasks and follow orders; part of the magic is in simply controlling them. A necromancer can directly control a single undead to carry out complex steps, or impose will over a group to guide them through a simpler task. Anything requiring a great deal of skill still requires a living touch, but undead can also provide a useful power-source. Necromancer farms require no windmills, for the undead turn the cranks day and night and need no rest.

Some undead can be made to carry out more difficult tasks if they had performed such tasks in life. A cobbler, for example, when re-animated and seated before a workbench and supplied with tools and materials, can be made to continue producing shoes. In such an instance, the undead would be able to produce only a single design of shoe, over and over again, but could likely achieve the same level of quality as in life.

Undead must be preserved and maintained, so mummification is often undertaken. In wetter climates where keeping a body dry is impractical, necromancers will often strip the flesh and keep only the skeleton, which can be animated with ease.

===Raising of Souls===
The raising of souls involves bringing back a shade or ghost of the dead from the underworld and allowing them to commune with the living. This is completely different from re-animating corpses, as the shade has all the memories and personality of its former life, and is fully cognizant of its surroundings.

A raised soul has a fusion of both the conscious and the unconscious mind of the individual, granting access to much greater knowledge and understanding than it may have had in life. The shade can speak, though only in its native tongue, and can even move about. Depending on the strength of the shade, the skill of the necromancer, and the potency of the spell, the shade may even take on a fully corporeal form. In most cases, it will appear only as a shadow; sometimes only as a head, with only vaguely distinguishable features.

Shades can only exist in the living world within a ritual site, and will return to the underworld if the ritual is disturbed. A necromantically-summoned shade should not be confused with the widely known creatures of darkness caused by the abuse of dark magics.

The most difficult task among necromancers, the fusion of the undead with the raised, creates a powerful being called a [[Litch]].

==Terminology and Belief System==
Necromancy is practiced by mages called Necromancers, to whom it is both a religon and a form of magic. Their entire culture revolves around this practice.

The group noun for necromancers is cult, so a bunch of necromancers would be called a cult of necromancers. This term can be used to describe either a number of necromancers or a specific settlment. A permanent settlement is called a [[Necromancy Temple|Temple]]; this refers both to the structure and to the necromancers therein.

Necromancers worship death, understanding that it is not an end but a change, and one they can reverse to a degree. They value history and are known for extensive record-keeping. Much information about the [[Mage Wars]] was chronicled in Necromancer [[Necromancy Temple|temples]].

===Ideologies in Necromancy===
[[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] describe two differing ideologies of Necromancy, with all Grey Temple necromancers having been put to death by the end of the fifth century of the [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]] at the order of [[Pendragon]] [[Lal Soratami|Soratami]]. This followed the [[Necromanic Wars]].

===Priesthood===
Any blood necromancer has access to the necromanic magics and is thus eligible to join the priesthood. Traditionally, the men are called priests and woman are called chantresses. Though the power strucuture and dynamic has changed over the [[Ages]], in the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] priestesses had more power with fewer restrictions. This is believed to relate to the central role fertility and femininity played especially in [[Green Temple]] ideology.

The main function of the priesthood is to delineates a regular necromancer from those practicing of necromancer magic. Because the magic is so heavily tied to the religious and spiritual aspects of necromancy, the process of learning the magic requires being inducted into the priesthood. Whether priest or chantress, a necromancer who demonstrates power to command the undead and completes certain religious rites will receive the title "[[Servant in the House of Truth]]". Other titles will be bestowed as more rites are completed or status attained within the temple hierarchy.

====Leadership====
Necromancy temples are lead by a group of High Temple Priests and High Temple Chantresses. This means that only magic-using necromancers are able to hold leadership roles, which in turn encourages as many necromancers as possible to practice the dark arts.

===Masonry===
Masonry plays a minor but important role in the religious side of Necromancy. Necromancers believe that once a stone has been cut and shaped, it cannot be cut again. The act of carving bricks also carried ritual and sacred significance.

==Invention==
Necromancy was invented by [[Rubiceye]] in the early part of the [[Mage Wars]], roughly 3500 [[B.G.A. System|B.G.A.]], though it is well known that the sorcerer began work on the magic long before. It is also well known that he made numerous failed attempts before perfecting the technique.

After its creation, Necromancy became hereditary in familial lines. Unlike other magicks which could be learned and practiced by any, Necromancy could only be performed by necromancers.

==Culture==
The necromancers' culture is very rich and deep.

===Nomenclature===
Necromancy cannot be learned; only those born with it can practice it. The power is believed to occur within an artificially created gene, originally bestowed by [[Rubiceye]].

The Necromancer, then, is both a people group and a type of mage.

The members of a particular group are called a temple, which also the name of the structure where most necromancer's live and practice. The collective noun for necromancer's is 'cult'. Often, this term will be used to refer to the entire temple; however within necromancer parlance a 'cult' specifically means "any gathering"

===Caste System===
The Necromancer's temple population is divided into four castes: Priest, Scholar, Warrior, and Worker (with the latter sometimes described as "Tradesmen"). Young necromancers usually follow into their parents' caste, but changing castes is not uncommon. Most necromancers belong to the worker caste. The priest caste rules the temple, the warrior caste defends it.

The rules depend on the temple, but in general one is not allowed to marry outside their caste. This is especially troubling for the warrior-caste, which tended to be heavily male-dominated. Warriors often could not take a wife and sometimes resorted to trilateral marriages. Another common solution was for a woman from the worker caste to officially join the warrior caste to be the wife of a warrior, without actually engaging in martial training herself.

The most diverse caste is that of scholar. Originally, the function of the scholar caste was closely tied to the priests; the scholars were responsible for recording the history the temple and helping the priests to inscribe spell books. In addition to history, the scholar-caste was responsible for recording any knowledge gained by the temple, and later with sharing this knowledge with other temples.

During Necromancy's Golden Age, the scholars largely remained just that: adding to the temple's knowledge, whatever was learned from outside sources. During this era, doctors, builders, and planners belonged to the worker-caste. As time passed, and the bodies of knowledge grew more complex, these and other jobs gradually shifted to the scholar-caste. Since most necromancers begin their caste-training in their early teens, this means that, for example, a doctor can begin studying at a very young age. Any trade, then, that required a great deal of study, became a part of the Scholar caste, which in turn caused the caste to grow.

While no necromancer is considered to have a dual-caste, there are many within a given temple who may have a gray area regarding their exact caste.

====Castes and Naming Conventions====
A necromancer's caste tended to have some impact on their name. Every necromancer has a given name, a common name, and a temple name. The given name is bestowed in a [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|special ceremony]] 8 days after birth; while the common name is generally what they go by (a sort of shorthand or nickname). The temple name is used in religious rituals and is taken up at the ''Ah'khat'ankq''.

Worker-caste necromancers tended to live in more traditional family units and used recognizable family names, often tied to the trade they practiced. The warrior-caste took up the name of their squad or regiment; these were sometimes handed down and even retained as descendants became part of the worker-caste.

Members of the priest caste took up elaborate titles relating to their roles within the temple. These could be very long and lead to senior priests having names consisting of several paragraphs.

Scholars typically used only a first name. This could be rather confusing, as the authorship of certain texts composed over hundreds of years might have dozens of contributors but only a few names. When two scholars within the same era had the same name, they might distinguish themselves by adding 'the elder' or 'the younger', but in general they kept whatever name they had chosen. To further compound the errors in such matters, while both men and women could be scholars, they tended towards unisex names which might belong to any gender.

===Orthodox vs. Conservative===
Necromancers are often referred to as being on a scale from orthodox to conservative. Necromancers on the ultra-orthodox side will live communally in a temple and spend all their time practicing rituals or otherwise engaged in devotional activities. The opposite end of the spectrum describes someone who is ethnically a necromancer but does not engage in any cultural or religious activities. All necromancers are said to be somewhere on the scale.

Of important note is that, at least pose-[[Imprisonment of the Necromancers|confinement]], neither side is considered "correct" or incorrect, but rather a symbol of your devotion. Necromancers believe each necromancer is called to demonstrate his or her devotion, and express it in whatever manner he or she sees fit.

===Physical Description===
Because all necromancers are descended from a particular people group, they all tend to have a similar physical description. They are on average shorter than the general population by around 6 inches. 'Tall' for a necromancer is 'average' for everyone else. They have olive-skin complexions, usually with dark hair and green or brown eyes. Hair is usually straight. They are known for smooth skin and very little body hair.

===Age-Mixing===
Necromancers have deep societal and religious taboos regarding age-mixing, especially as it takes place outside of Sunday mass rituals. While no formal doctrine exists, intimate relationships are restricted to individuals with no more than one to two years age difference. Social relationships are frowned upon unless in some sort of mentor/protegé configuration (such as teachers and students). Children are heavily encouraged only to socialize with peers of their own age (or at most 1-2 years difference) except for immediate family members (in the case of conservative necromancers) or specific, designated individuals in the event not enough children of the same age are available.

The origins of this taboo are unclear, but can be found all throughout the sacred texts and classical literature.

===Clothing===
Typical necromancer attire consists of long linen robes. Necromancer culture began in a desert region, and as such their style and aesthetics retain elements of these attributes. These are often tied at the waist with a sash and may be embroidered with beads. Bracelets and necklaces are also popular, as well as rings and earrings. Nearly all necromancers, both male and female, have pierced ears.

Females typically wear their hair tied back or braided, while males cut their hair short. A wide variety of hairstyles exist. Males and females also both typically wear heavy eye makeup. The cosmetics black out the entire area around the eye, stopping at the bridge of the nose but sometimes covering the eyebrows and down onto the cheeks. This is believed originally a ritualistic component evolved into every-day wear. There is no symbolic signficance to the eye makeup, and the exact shape and area covered is completely a matter of fashion.

In warmer climates, lighter, thinner robes are popular, as well as shorter ones. In especially warm areas, men might wear a half-robe that covers from the waist to the knees. The traditional female robe, or "temple dress", is a single piece of linen that covers them from about the knees up to just above the breasts. It is strapless and leaves the shoulders bare, and has a lon slit up the right hand-side that ends just above the hip. While formally a ceremonial garment, the temple dress is quite popular and many fashioned inspired by it can be seen in day-to-day wear.

===Family Unit===
Necromancers maintain a traditional family unit (mother, father, children) but live in a highly inter-connected society. Consanguinity is kept high in mind;–– that is to say knowing how various others are related to you and to what degree;–– but is only used to prevent inbreeding. Living in such close-knit groups, it is very important to keep the bloodline diverse.

Since necromancers typically live in communal buildings, a family unit might have a room or suite of rooms to themselves, used for sleeping, dressing, indoor recreation, and storing personal items. The family would be responsible for cleaning and maintaining these rooms.

Cooking and bathing are communal activities. Large kitchens produce meals for the entire temple, with dedicated staff who carry out all the requisite duties. A larger temple might have multiple kitchens. Cooking is usually done on a fairly large scale, and necromancer cuisine is not known for diversity.

The baths are segregated by age but not gender, to degree determined by the size of the temple. A very small temple may have only one bath, and designate different times of the day for different groups. The larger temples will have separate facilities in both for youth, young adults, older adults, and even the elderly. Young children typically bathe with their parents, while older children (starting around 8) go to the children's bath.

===Marriage===
Though it varies by temple, arranged marriages are not uncommon in necromancer society. There is no defined age of majority or age of consent, and the age of marriage also varies by temple. In larger temples, it is not uncommon for youth as young as 15 or 16 to marry, though this is a hold-over from the early days when life expectancies were much shorter.

Nearly all necromancers marry, including the priesthood (it is a requirement in some temples). A necromancer who remains single into adulthood is highly uncommon, and given the arrangments of necromanic society they would have a very difficult time.

Amongts the necromancers, a great deal of love poetry has been produced and preserved throughout the ages. It is perhaps one of the youth's favorite subjects upon which to muse.

Marriage outside the cult is unheard of, and happens extremly rarely. In the nearly 7,000 years between the creation of Necromancy and the destruction of the last temple in the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], only a few cases are documented. Of those, all took place in very small temples (populations of less than 100). Anyone marrying into the cult could never truly be a necromancer, and would be unable to participate in the ritualistic aspects of the necromancer lifestyle.

Some necromancers are known to have left the temple to wed an outsider. However, the archives do not give any indication of what happened to them.

=====Arranged Marriage=====
Arranged marriages typically happen amongst slightly older couples (late teens, early 20s), and is usually encouraged by the parents when neither party has found a suitable mate of its own.

Love is a very highly valued thing within the necromancer culture. Many of what are recorded as arranged marriages do happen between loving couples who merely seek the approval of their elders to wed.

Still others employ the help of matchmakers to find a suitable partner. Only very rarely are marriages arranged for political reasons.

=====Parentage, Love, and Sexuality=====
Necromancers typically consider the physical act of sexual contact to be separate from romance or love. While not common, if a father is unable to give his wife a child, she may go to another man; in this case there is no shame nor is the act considered adulterous. However, if a man were to express romantic feelings for a woman other than his wife, this would be a sacrilege.

Sexual activity is divided into three categories: for procreation, for spiritual enlightenment, and for physical pleasure. While all three of these can be put together in any combination, they are still regarded as highly distinct. Necromancers lack concepts such as orientation and virginity, and view sex as extremely natural and normal activity alongside eating and breathing. The only thing Necromancers find unusual is inter-generational relationships, so long as the partners are no more than a few years apart in age, virtually anything is acceptable.

=====Trilateral Marriage=====
During the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]], necromancers tended to live in smaller groups or temples. The practice of trilateral marriage (a marriage with three equal partners) began out of simple necessity. Because necromancers tend to disparage inter-generational relationships, there would frequently not be an even number of men and women within a particular generation. That era also heavily discouraged marriage outside of the temple (and indeed this was not even an option on the [[Arcol Steppe]]). The solution was to create marriages of three equal partners.

When possible it was preferred to pair two women with one man who was particularly strong with the magical aspects of necromancy. Marriages of two men to the same woman were equally as common. The practice fell out of favor during the latter portions of the [[Mage Wars]], but was revived in the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] with new religious significance. A typical trilateral marriage is a democracy requiring a two-third majority to make any decisions.

Sacred marriage and sacred sex had always played a role in both ritual and practical aspects of necromancer life. Trilateral religious marriages were practiced by both the [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] necromancers, but for different reasons. Among the [[Grey Temple]], it was done deliberately to breed stronger necromancers, and exclusively with one man and two women. In the [[Green Temple]], the practice was used primarily to fulfill ritualistic roles; the trifles were always members of the priest caste (no matter the combination) and represented various aspects of deities, carrying out specific ceremonies. Worker-caste trilateral marriages were also accepted in both theologies out of necessity.

After the [[Necromanic Wars|necromanic wars]] the practice died out, with the remaining population of Necromancers confined to a single temple in [[Arindell]], many of their practices and customs became defined entirely by the area in which they were confined.

Little information survives about how necromancy changed during the [[Long Night]]. During the era of the [[New Day]], the practices of trilateral marriage were revived for the purposes of religious ritual. Though not forbidden, reformed necromancy abolished the caste system and removed the taboo of marrying outside the temple, so there has been no need for trilateral marriages among anyone besides the priests and priesteses.

In a sacred trilateral marriage one member is a priest or priestess, while the other two form two aspects of a specific deity. These marriages are also practical, in that the throuple live together and engage in sexual activities. Some of these are ritual in nature.

===Economy===
Internally, Necromancers do not use a monetary system. Because their organizational structure is communal, food, clothing, and housing are provided by group effort. The support systems for these areas are also carried out communally, with individuals learning trades as needed. Basic personal items are provided to individuals by crafters, who often embellish them with artistic decorations. A barter system is very common within the temple, with craftsmen trading wares and favors.

One Necromancer explained it thusly: ''"If I am a Hatter, I make hats. I am provided with tools and materials as needed. If you come into my workshop and ask me for a hat, I shall provide you one. However, if you desire a particularly fine hat, you should bring me something to offer in trade."''

Necromancers typically value the effort placed into producing an item over any precised monetary value of the materials. Hence, golden jewelry could be traded for wooden beads, if the beads took more work to produce.

This system, however, does not extend outside of the temple, and Necromancer traders who sell their wares to outsiders are known to be particularly shrewd. It does help that what they sell tends to be of the highest quality.

===Games===
====Ko'r't====
Ko'r't, commonly translated simply as 'court' or spelled phonetically as 'kort' is a blanket title for a variety of ball games. The most common version, Foot Kort, is roughly similar to soccer, but has numerous derivations and levels of rules and strategy. The games are played by Necromancers as well as outsiders who live in the vicinity, with Necromancers commonly inviting their neighbors to a friendly game. While much ritual significance has been ascribed to the various derivations of kort, the Necromancers will readily admit it really is just a game.

While hundreds of permutations exist, Kort is most often played in three different forms: Traditional, Floor, and Foot.

A traditional game of Kort requires a playing field with a hardened floor and a painted series of grids, flat walls on three sides, and a hoop for the goal mounted on one wall. The hoop can be as large as a few feet across or just barely bigger than the ball, depending on the skill and seriousness of the players. The game is played with two teams of two or three each, depending on the size of the playing field. In traditional Kort, only the hands and elbows can be used to engage with the ball, and the ball must bounce off at least one surface before making a goal or being engaged by another player. Players are allowed to catch and throw the ball, but must bounce it off either the wall or floor. The grid on the floor also denotes spaces where the players are allowed to set foot. Traditional Kort is the oldest and most ritualized form, and while competition between temples is often fierce, outsiders are still frequently welcomed to join in. While not a formal part of the religion, Kort is frequently used to resolve disputes or to make decisions.

Floor Kort is more common as the requirements for a playing field are far lower. A raised circular goal and a flat surface are still necessary, but the walls and grid are not. Floor Kort works on the same principles of bouncing the ball and striking only with the hands and elbows. As high quality rubber became more common, notions of 'dribbling' (similar to basketball) entered the game.

Foot Kort is the most common; it is, for all intents and purposes, soccer. No one is entirely sure which game was invented first, and how much was appropriated. The Necromancer 'version' of the game has rule-sets worded very differently and still uses a grid (like in Traditional) but changes from hands and elbows to feet and knees, and uses a soccer-style goal. Strangely, much more ritual significance is ascribed to Foot Kort by outsiders than to Necromancers (who regard it as healthy fun). Many outsiders, wrongly assuming certain things about Necromancy, will often assume all forms of Kort are treated the same, and believe Foot Kort is an ancient, highly ritualized game, and a matter of life and death.

During the [[New Day]] era, Foot Kort became a major form of outreach. Every temple and necromancer community had at least one field, and it was ''"never fenced, always open, always inviting to anyone"''. In cities that housed even small necromancer populations, they would organize (usually free) foot kort leagues as a way of being involved. This led to some clashes as soccer rose in popularity; the two games as played in the New Day era are close enough for opposing teams to compete. But while participating in a soccer league was usually required at least an entry fee and paying for one's own equipment, foot kort teams--especially those aimed at youths--were always free, and often gave away what little equipment was needed. This made Foot Kort the de facto sport of the lower classes, while the middle and uppers played soccer. Despite the two sports' extreme similarity, this has made for very serious business in the [[Final Foot Championship]] competitions.

There is one key difference between foot kort and soccer, though it does not matter even a little. While modern foot kort is largely a sport like any other, it is customary to wear a traditional head-covering called a ka'daim similar to a bandana (interchangeable for one, in fact). While this has no bearing on play, it is considered to be so important to the sport that Necromancers have been known to interrupt games and scold children for playing without one. Often, this proves embarrassing, as the children were in fact playing soccer.

====Wrestling====
The Necromancers have a traditional form of wrestling or grappling, an intrinsic part of their ritual life. The sport is played in a round sand pit, usually wetted to provide a more comfortable surface for falling and rolling on. The game requires two participants and a drummer to keep time. Much like Kort, wrestling is used to resolve disputes, but very much unlike it the skill of individual competitors is deliberately not tracked or considered.

The participants usually wear very little clothing. Barefoot with a small loincloth, or a piece of cloth around the breasts if the competitors are female. Hair is tied back into a braid or bun. Matches are very short, and over when the first competitor's shoulder touches the sand. Usually the ring will be surrounded by observers who will call out once they see a touch. The objective is to knock your opponent down on their back.

The time keeper is a drummer beating a very large and loud drum. While matches are sometimes held outdoors, most often they are in special chambers underground where the time keeper's rhythm can reverberate off the walls. The time keeper always faces away from the competitors. When a match is declared, the timekeeper begins a rhythmic beat, while the competitors hold absolutely still. When the timekeeper stops (at a time known only to him) the opponents move and attempt the win. The timed roll can land anywhere from a few seconds to an entire hour, with an important part of the ritual aspect being how tightly the competitors can hold their stance.

All physically fit Necromancers between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five are trained in this form of ritual combat, though those aged sixteen to twenty are preferred. The priests will choose two competitors of the same gender and similar height and build, and dispatch them to the ring while a timekeeper is called. The competitors will strip down and prepare, while the priests will either observe from afar or even wait in another chamber. The competitors will intentionally not be told which priest selected them or for what purpose, they will only be asked to compete.

The ritual significance of the rite holds that the fighters are enacting the will of the Necrosages, and the ritual is used as a way to let them settle disputes without being consulted directly. The ritual aspect of this ceremony is used to settle disagreements between priests, effectively as an elaborate coin-flip.

=====Croq-Wae=====
An extension of the traditional wrestling is Croq-Wae, the necromancer's martial art. It is a focused grappling technique that makes use of fast, close-in strikes to specific pressure points designed to cripple the opponent. Croq-Wae is explicitly designed for use in cramped quarters and meant to require very little physical strength. Its intended goal is to allow an emaciated prisoner to fight back against a healthy guard.

There is considerably more to it, and among the wider world it is known as one of the deadlier martial arts. However Croq-Wae cannot be used is tournaments and actual sparring is rare; because the "real" techniques tend to break bones or cause severe, permanent damage.

A Croq-Wae Master is called a Balga.

===Language===
{{#lsth:Endu}}

For a complete list of necromancer profanity, see [[Endu#Swear Words|Endu Swear Words]].

====Common Slang====
*''Fairly Wintering'' - a common parlance for "boring". The term comes from colder climates where the bulk of the temple population would have to stay indoors, below ground, for winter.

*''Ny-pep’no'' - a contraction of the [[Common]] word 'no' and 'pep'no', [[Endu]] for 'problem'. Used in a general sense to say "no problem" and sometimes more specifically in reference to things that might be a problem for a non-necromancer but aren't one for a necromancer.

===Literature===
{{:Necromancer Literature}}

===Bathing===
Necromancers practice communal ritual bathing in bath houses connected to the temple complex. The bathing ritual involves a full-body wash followed by a lengthy soak. The same baths are also used as a social space and may be the only place to wash for some poorer members or fully orthodox practioners. In keeping with the taboo on age-mixing, baths are divided by age group but not gender.

===Sex===
Necromancers are stereotypically considered very sexually active, with the common outsider belief being that all necromancer women are very easy and temples are just lousy with orgies.

The reality is much more complex, though not altogether inaccurate. Necromancers as a whole do not stigmatize sex, regarding it as a physical question rather than a moral one. They do not have a concept of "virginity". Even the most conservative groups do not view sex or pregnancy outside of marriage as being a problem. Group sex does happen and is viewed more as a matter of preference than anything else.

On the sliding scale of conservative to orthodox, the more orthodox a necromancer is, the less likely they are to be in a committed relationship. In fully orthodox temples, necromancers practice open polyamory with fully communal living. Family units exist to provide nurturing and early structure, but all property is communal and the adults actually raising the children are seldom the biological parents.

From a statistical standpoint, more orthodox necromancers are likely to have had more sexual partners than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given demographic group. Those on the more conservative side tend towards the societal average. What sets necromancers apart statistically is their likelihood to have only had partners with a very narrow age window, generally no more than 3 years difference.

====Religious Elements====
Sex and sexuality play an important role in the necromancer religion. This is also part of what contributes to the stereotype or the "Necromancers worship sex!" attitude.

Sexual rituals do happen as a part of the necromancer religion. And very often these are carried out by temple chantresses and priests. However, unlike what outsiders believe, in most cases the individuals in question are already in a sexual relationship. Regular necromancers also routinely perform sexual rituals; but, again, this is between two or more parties already in a relationship. More intricate symbolic rituals (in which no actual sexual contact occurs) are a regular part of temple life.

The reality is that fertility plays an important, almost central role in the necromancer religion. Officially they worship death (that part is not a stereotype), but in order to die something has to live, and most things begin to live through sex. Originally fertility and birth played major roles in the necromancer religion. Among women especially fertility was considered very important. If a woman became pregnant regardless of her marital status it was viewed as a wonderful thing and proof of her ability to conceive. In [[Necromancer Literature|Endu and classic literature]], fertility is often described as a very important sexual trait and indeed extremely arousing to males.

The central role of fertility is inexorably tied to sexuality as, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pregnancy does not happen without sex. Necromancers have always been very open about this fact and saw no problems with depicting it in art and literature. Many temples are decorated with scenes outsiders view as extremely sexually explicit, but to the necromancers this is only part of the cycle of undeath.

After the [[Necromanic Wars]] and the subsequent [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]], their culture was forced to undergo some changes. With extremely strict population controls place, having children became a rather serious problem. The necromancer religion responded to this by shifting the focus from actual conception to the sex-act itself. Under the use of contraceptives or outright sterilization, priests and chantresses continued to engage in sexual rituals, while

====Prostitution====
Among the ongoing stigmas associated with necromancers is the belief by outsiders that their culture freely encourages prostitution. Many cite references in their religious texts and literature as proof of this. In reality, necromancers engage in sexual services at a rate no higher than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given economic bracket. The statistics are skewed noticeably by many necromancers being more economically disadvantaged. Further damaging the reputation is the tendency of young adult necromancers to engage in casual forms of prostitution with their peers, then later openly admit to this in surveys.

The stereotype comes from two places.

*In the necromancer religion, ritual sacred prostitution is practiced. In this ritual, women, usually temple chantresses, are seen to accept money in exchange for sex, the money is then used for the temple. However, the reality of this scenario is not at all what it appears: the money is being paid from the temple coffers, back to the temple coffers, the participants are strictly only priests and chantresses, and sex is not part of the ritual. The process is purely symbolic. It is believed that, at one time, there may have been lass sexual rituals practiced this way, but at least as early as the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] the ritual had become purely symbolic.

*In necromancer ''literature'' sex and prostitution are used frequently in elaborate metaphors. A common motif is a ritual in which all of the girls of a certain age in the temple must put on their temple dresses and sit on the steps, then wait until a man throws some money in her lap, and go and have sex with him. During the act, he will tear her dress. It is important to note that this situation is entirely fictional, and no known temple ever practiced such a ritual. In [[Necromancer Literature|literature]], descriptions of sacred prostitution can be used for any number of metaphoric purposes, often with multiple meanings. These kinds of mass rituals are also a very popular in necromancer pornography (both aimed at them and of the tan'nesh variety).

As far actual prostitution carried out by necromancers goes, their culture does not stigmatize the sex act itself or the exchange of money. However age-mixing is deeply taboo, so a necromancer who engaged in such acts would be shamed if the other party were much older or younger.

==Converts==
Not possible until after the Necromancers were freed in the first year of the [[Age of the Dragon]], converts, called Acolytes or Necromancer Acolytes, are outsiders who have adopted the necromancer faith. Acolytes subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Necromancy and participate in non-magical rituals. While Acolytes cannot join the priesthood (because they lack the magical ability), they are given the same respect within the cult as full-blooded Necromancers. Children born with one Acolyte parent and one Necromancer parent are similarly not stigmatized, and typically have full access to Necromancer magic; indicating the power might not be limited to their lineage.

==History==
===Ancient History===
"Long ago during the Mage Wars, a wizard named [[Isolia]] fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy."

[[Rubiceye]] was widely known to have many followers in the early days. Though not considered a politician, he was a good leader and an entire nation formed around him. He was a powerful mage and had many other powerful mages following him, and with the [[Mage Wars]] already in full swing, many people flocked to him.

The original name of his people group is now lost to history, though it is believed to have been similar in pronunciation to the name of the magic Rubiceye was to create. The customs and practices of those people, while not initially magical, were later adapted into the rituals of Necromancy.

===Mage Wars===
Around the middle of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], early Necromancers made their home on the [[Arcol Steppe]] at the north-eastern corner of the [[Agras Plain]]. The area was a high-altitude desert at the time, cold and very dry: ideal conditions for the activities Necromancers are known for. From [[B.G.A.]] 3528 until 3021, everything was going swimingly. This era is often known as the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]]. The magic and ritualistic lifestyle of necromancers solidified largely during this time; and while the region was mostly a loose association of temples, it was still a powerful force in the region.

The military and magical might of the Necromancers were able to defend their borders until the end of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]]. However, as the [[Mage Wars#The Intermediate Period|Intermediate Period]] began, they soon lost ground to other, stronger empires which had the advantage of off-world holdings to supply troops and war material. This led to, among other events, the [[Necromancer Wars]], a proxy conflict that gave rise to [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] ideology.

Amidst the peril of looming conquest, a [[Litch]] known as [[Kozek]] rose to power. Necromancers, while willing to defend themselves, had always been at their core a peaceful lot. Kozek had other ideas, and thought that, with some effort and guile, Necromancers could command a vast multi-world empire of their own.

His push caused a schism within the necromancer world. The region of Arcol, while large and populous, had never been an empire in its own right. Prior to Kozek's rise, the area had been a loose association of city-states that tended to cooperate well and support each other, but had no central leadership. Kozek sought to crown himself emperor, but not all necromancers agreed. Kozek's ideology became known as the [[Grey Temple]], and for the first time a true Necromancer nation was founded.

This, in turn, led to a mass exodus of Arcol, of many necromancers who refused to live under Kozek's rule. Still others remained in Arcol, bent on maintaining "the old ways" (by then known as [[Green Temple]] ideology). Weakened by the exodus and torn apart by internal struggle, Kozek's empire collapsed. The entire region of the Arcol Steppe, with its ancient and hallowed temples, had to be abandoned as the then-new [[Marcon Alliance]] had taken a liking to the territory.

Necromancers then spread throughout the [[known worlds]], founding new temples wherever they settled. Many Green Temples were initially welcomed with open arms, for the services they provided. Grey Temples sought more remote areas to settle, either landing in un-populated regions or enslaving local peoples. Many an empire rose and fell while backed by Grey Temple necromancers throughout the rest of the Mage Wars.

===Alliance Era===
When the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] began, some Necromancers sought to reclaim their ancestral homeland, but found Arcol (by this time a fertile and temperate region) populated by other peoples. Some Necromancers still lived there, and others were able to relocate; but the hope of rebuilding the old nation was impossible.

Instead, a large number of Necromancers settled in [[Serreth]], on the [[Sword Coast]], with designs on building a 'Most High' temple at the site. Others settled in [[Stormreaver Valley]], where yet another temple of supreme importance was constructed. These temples unfortunately saw both grey and green necromancers alike, as both ideologies sought a strong, centralized Necromancer nation.

~History~

In the Third Age, the Grey Temple under Arch-Lich [[Honoreck]] began a campaign to take over the [[Known Worlds]]; but they were stopped ultimately by [[Lal Soratami]]. This time-period is known as the [[Necromanic Wars]]. The few survivors (both Green and Grey) were corralled in [[Arindell]] for the next 3000-odd years, until the reign of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]; or else dispersed to obscure [[Planet]]s, where they became the [[Dark Order]]s.

==Other==
The [[Okina Gaori]] is an ancient Necromancer book and is often described as "the only think most outsiders know about Necromancy". In addition to hundreds of illustrations, it includes in-depth descriptions of many rituals. While parts of the book are still in use, necromanic scholars are quick to point out that none of the rituals described were ever actually used.

The word "[[Niktapede]]" is a slang term used to describe people who are racially intolerant of necromancers.

A related word, "[[Niktad]]", describes non-necromancer/non-acolytes who express an interest in necromancer culture and lifestyles without embracing the religious aspects of it. "Nickta-fever" refers to someone, most often a young woman, with a sexual attraction to necromancers.

==History (Original)==
Taken from [[The Reunion of the Eighth Power]] from [[The Path to Ascension]]:

Long ago during the [[Mage Wars]], a wizard named Isolia fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy. Using underworld magics he and his followers created a new path of magic: the Path of Necromancy. Together they raised ghoulish armies from the fallen corpses of their enemies, and trapped souls to be converted into terrible spells.
By the time the Mage Wars had ended, Necromancy had solidified into a full-blown religion. All the Necromancers were blood descendants of Isolia and his original followers, and all possessed the gift of Necromancy passed down from him. Because there were so many, [[Eieber]] decreed that the Necromancers could be allowed to live, if they swore never again to practice their grotesque birthright.

A hundred years passed, and Eieber went into the Light.

For five generations, the Necromancers had kept silent, staying in their own quiet villages, practicing their trade only amongst themselves. Now with Eieber dead they felt no reason to hide their art anymore.

Two great followings were established: the Grey Temple and the Green Temple. Necromancers of the Green Temple believed the power of Necromancy could be used for a greater good. They reanimated corpses for use as laborers, and raised souls only to comfort those left alive after a tragedy.

Despite their intentions, the Green Necromancers were much hated and feared by people who simply didn’t understand them, and so more and more Necromancers turned to the Grey Temple.

The Grey Necromancers used their power for one thing: gaining more power. An uneasy alliance was forged, but the Grey Necromancers still grew rapidly in numbers, and spread across the Multi-Verse like a slow tide of terror.

Finally, over two thousand years after Eieber’s death, the Necromancers of the Grey temple plunged the [[Multi-Verse]] into a chaotic battle the likes of which had not been seen since the depths of the Mage Wars.

Despite fighting valiantly against the Grey Necromancers, the Green Temple was still much hated and feared, and their highest pantheon was ransacked and burned. Even with this crushing blow, the Green Necromancers still forged an alliance with the Slayer Dragons to strike out against the real enemy.

After forty years of fighting, the Grey Temple finally fell, and the Necromancy Wars ended. [[Lal Soratami]], the Pendragon anointed during the war, outlawed Necromancy once and for all, and gathered up all the remaining Necromancers in a new temple where he could watch them.

Those who did not willfully enter the [[Necromancy Temple]] established in [[Arindell]] were killed, and their bodies burned: the greatest insult a Necromancer could know. The temple in Arindell became the last bastion of Necromancy in the World of Life.

Things must have been desperate if they were using a Necromancer.

The sword he carried was a simple one-handed short sword that was inexpertly crafted, and it looked like he was talking to it.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancy

2025-12-04T00:02:42Z

Siddharth1: /* Economy */

Necromancy is a form of magic practiced by Necromancers. 'Necro–' meaning 'dead', it specifically deals with re-animating dead things and returning dead souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancy is among the types of [[Magic|magic]] that is strictly inherited, therefore only those born into the fold can practice it. This has allowed a rich and ancient culture to form around the practice.

Despite its heavy emphasis on death, the core of necromancy is actually about life. Necromancers believe that life is made possible through a generative encounter. Without life, there is no death; so that generative encounter is at the very heart of their belief system.

==Magic==
Nearly all necromancers can use the magic of necromancy to one degree or another; for most, it is fairly limited. Anyone demonstrating a high degree of potential with the art will be made a part of the priest caste, and assist with the temple's rituals.

Necromancy itself has two major parts: the re-animation of the undead, and the raising of souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancers have also found ways to turn their power to various other endeavors, often wielding it in a fashion similar to more main-stream [[Magic]]. There are some caveats; necromancy has no healing capability, nor can it see or harness the elements. But it can be used to grant great strength and to perform attacks.

Many necromancers are also competent, occasionally highly-skilled mages along the normal lines of magic.

===Re-Animation===
Re-animation magic is the mainstay of the Necromancer's workforce, and perhaps their best known trick. The process involves animating a dead life-form and making it [[Types of Undead|un-dead]]. The basic form of this spell typically has a very short duration, and the fresher the corpse, the easier it is to animate. Re-animation is typically focused around creating mindless worker-drones who can preform simple tasks and follow orders; part of the magic is in simply controlling them. A necromancer can directly control a single undead to carry out complex steps, or impose will over a group to guide them through a simpler task. Anything requiring a great deal of skill still requires a living touch, but undead can also provide a useful power-source. Necromancer farms require no windmills, for the undead turn the cranks day and night and need no rest.

Some undead can be made to carry out more difficult tasks if they had performed such tasks in life. A cobbler, for example, when re-animated and seated before a workbench and supplied with tools and materials, can be made to continue producing shoes. In such an instance, the undead would be able to produce only a single design of shoe, over and over again, but could likely achieve the same level of quality as in life.

Undead must be preserved and maintained, so mummification is often undertaken. In wetter climates where keeping a body dry is impractical, necromancers will often strip the flesh and keep only the skeleton, which can be animated with ease.

===Raising of Souls===
The raising of souls involves bringing back a shade or ghost of the dead from the underworld and allowing them to commune with the living. This is completely different from re-animating corpses, as the shade has all the memories and personality of its former life, and is fully cognizant of its surroundings.

A raised soul has a fusion of both the conscious and the unconscious mind of the individual, granting access to much greater knowledge and understanding than it may have had in life. The shade can speak, though only in its native tongue, and can even move about. Depending on the strength of the shade, the skill of the necromancer, and the potency of the spell, the shade may even take on a fully corporeal form. In most cases, it will appear only as a shadow; sometimes only as a head, with only vaguely distinguishable features.

Shades can only exist in the living world within a ritual site, and will return to the underworld if the ritual is disturbed. A necromantically-summoned shade should not be confused with the widely known creatures of darkness caused by the abuse of dark magics.

The most difficult task among necromancers, the fusion of the undead with the raised, creates a powerful being called a [[Litch]].

==Terminology and Belief System==
Necromancy is practiced by mages called Necromancers, to whom it is both a religon and a form of magic. Their entire culture revolves around this practice.

The group noun for necromancers is cult, so a bunch of necromancers would be called a cult of necromancers. This term can be used to describe either a number of necromancers or a specific settlment. A permanent settlement is called a [[Necromancy Temple|Temple]]; this refers both to the structure and to the necromancers therein.

Necromancers worship death, understanding that it is not an end but a change, and one they can reverse to a degree. They value history and are known for extensive record-keeping. Much information about the [[Mage Wars]] was chronicled in Necromancer [[Necromancy Temple|temples]].

===Ideologies in Necromancy===
[[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] describe two differing ideologies of Necromancy, with all Grey Temple necromancers having been put to death by the end of the fifth century of the [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]] at the order of [[Pendragon]] [[Lal Soratami|Soratami]]. This followed the [[Necromanic Wars]].

===Priesthood===
Any blood necromancer has access to the necromanic magics and is thus eligible to join the priesthood. Traditionally, the men are called priests and woman are called chantresses. Though the power strucuture and dynamic has changed over the [[Ages]], in the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] priestesses had more power with fewer restrictions. This is believed to relate to the central role fertility and femininity played especially in [[Green Temple]] ideology.

The main function of the priesthood is to delineates a regular necromancer from those practicing of necromancer magic. Because the magic is so heavily tied to the religious and spiritual aspects of necromancy, the process of learning the magic requires being inducted into the priesthood. Whether priest or chantress, a necromancer who demonstrates power to command the undead and completes certain religious rites will receive the title "[[Servant in the House of Truth]]". Other titles will be bestowed as more rites are completed or status attained within the temple hierarchy.

====Leadership====
Necromancy temples are lead by a group of High Temple Priests and High Temple Chantresses. This means that only magic-using necromancers are able to hold leadership roles, which in turn encourages as many necromancers as possible to practice the dark arts.

===Masonry===
Masonry plays a minor but important role in the religious side of Necromancy. Necromancers believe that once a stone has been cut and shaped, it cannot be cut again. The act of carving bricks also carried ritual and sacred significance.

==Invention==
Necromancy was invented by [[Rubiceye]] in the early part of the [[Mage Wars]], roughly 3500 [[B.G.A. System|B.G.A.]], though it is well known that the sorcerer began work on the magic long before. It is also well known that he made numerous failed attempts before perfecting the technique.

After its creation, Necromancy became hereditary in familial lines. Unlike other magicks which could be learned and practiced by any, Necromancy could only be performed by necromancers.

==Culture==
The necromancers' culture is very rich and deep.

===Nomenclature===
Necromancy cannot be learned; only those born with it can practice it. The power is believed to occur within an artificially created gene, originally bestowed by [[Rubiceye]].

The Necromancer, then, is both a people group and a type of mage.

The members of a particular group are called a temple, which also the name of the structure where most necromancer's live and practice. The collective noun for necromancer's is 'cult'. Often, this term will be used to refer to the entire temple; however within necromancer parlance a 'cult' specifically means "any gathering"

===Caste System===
The Necromancer's temple population is divided into four castes: Priest, Scholar, Warrior, and Worker (with the latter sometimes described as "Tradesmen"). Young necromancers usually follow into their parents' caste, but changing castes is not uncommon. Most necromancers belong to the worker caste. The priest caste rules the temple, the warrior caste defends it.

The rules depend on the temple, but in general one is not allowed to marry outside their caste. This is especially troubling for the warrior-caste, which tended to be heavily male-dominated. Warriors often could not take a wife and sometimes resorted to trilateral marriages. Another common solution was for a woman from the worker caste to officially join the warrior caste to be the wife of a warrior, without actually engaging in martial training herself.

The most diverse caste is that of scholar. Originally, the function of the scholar caste was closely tied to the priests; the scholars were responsible for recording the history the temple and helping the priests to inscribe spell books. In addition to history, the scholar-caste was responsible for recording any knowledge gained by the temple, and later with sharing this knowledge with other temples.

During Necromancy's Golden Age, the scholars largely remained just that: adding to the temple's knowledge, whatever was learned from outside sources. During this era, doctors, builders, and planners belonged to the worker-caste. As time passed, and the bodies of knowledge grew more complex, these and other jobs gradually shifted to the scholar-caste. Since most necromancers begin their caste-training in their early teens, this means that, for example, a doctor can begin studying at a very young age. Any trade, then, that required a great deal of study, became a part of the Scholar caste, which in turn caused the caste to grow.

While no necromancer is considered to have a dual-caste, there are many within a given temple who may have a gray area regarding their exact caste.

====Castes and Naming Conventions====
A necromancer's caste tended to have some impact on their name. Every necromancer has a given name, a common name, and a temple name. The given name is bestowed in a [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|special ceremony]] 8 days after birth; while the common name is generally what they go by (a sort of shorthand or nickname). The temple name is used in religious rituals and is taken up at the ''Ah'khat'ankq''.

Worker-caste necromancers tended to live in more traditional family units and used recognizable family names, often tied to the trade they practiced. The warrior-caste took up the name of their squad or regiment; these were sometimes handed down and even retained as descendants became part of the worker-caste.

Members of the priest caste took up elaborate titles relating to their roles within the temple. These could be very long and lead to senior priests having names consisting of several paragraphs.

Scholars typically used only a first name. This could be rather confusing, as the authorship of certain texts composed over hundreds of years might have dozens of contributors but only a few names. When two scholars within the same era had the same name, they might distinguish themselves by adding 'the elder' or 'the younger', but in general they kept whatever name they had chosen. To further compound the errors in such matters, while both men and women could be scholars, they tended towards unisex names which might belong to any gender.

===Orthodox vs. Conservative===
Necromancers are often referred to as being on a scale from orthodox to conservative. Necromancers on the ultra-orthodox side will live communally in a temple and spend all their time practicing rituals or otherwise engaged in devotional activities. The opposite end of the spectrum describes someone who is ethnically a necromancer but does not engage in any cultural or religious activities. All necromancers are said to be somewhere on the scale.

Of important note is that, at least pose-[[Imprisonment of the Necromancers|confinement]], neither side is considered "correct" or incorrect, but rather a symbol of your devotion. Necromancers believe each necromancer is called to demonstrate his or her devotion, and express it in whatever manner he or she sees fit.

===Physical Description===
Because all necromancers are descended from a particular people group, they all tend to have a similar physical description. They are on average shorter than the general population by around 6 inches. 'Tall' for a necromancer is 'average' for everyone else. They have olive-skin complexions, usually with dark hair and green or brown eyes. Hair is usually straight. They are known for smooth skin and very little body hair.

===Age-Mixing===
Necromancers have deep societal and religious taboos regarding age-mixing, especially as it takes place outside of Sunday mass rituals. While no formal doctrine exists, intimate relationships are restricted to individuals with no more than one to two years age difference. Social relationships are frowned upon unless in some sort of mentor/protegé configuration (such as teachers and students). Children are heavily encouraged only to socialize with peers of their own age (or at most 1-2 years difference) except for immediate family members (in the case of conservative necromancers) or specific, designated individuals in the event not enough children of the same age are available.

The origins of this taboo are unclear, but can be found all throughout the sacred texts and classical literature.

===Clothing===
Typical necromancer attire consists of long linen robes. Necromancer culture began in a desert region, and as such their style and aesthetics retain elements of these attributes. These are often tied at the waist with a sash and may be embroidered with beads. Bracelets and necklaces are also popular, as well as rings and earrings. Nearly all necromancers, both male and female, have pierced ears.

Females typically wear their hair tied back or braided, while males cut their hair short. A wide variety of hairstyles exist. Males and females also both typically wear heavy eye makeup. The cosmetics black out the entire area around the eye, stopping at the bridge of the nose but sometimes covering the eyebrows and down onto the cheeks. This is believed originally a ritualistic component evolved into every-day wear. There is no symbolic signficance to the eye makeup, and the exact shape and area covered is completely a matter of fashion.

In warmer climates, lighter, thinner robes are popular, as well as shorter ones. In especially warm areas, men might wear a half-robe that covers from the waist to the knees. The traditional female robe, or "temple dress", is a single piece of linen that covers them from about the knees up to just above the breasts. It is strapless and leaves the shoulders bare, and has a lon slit up the right hand-side that ends just above the hip. While formally a ceremonial garment, the temple dress is quite popular and many fashioned inspired by it can be seen in day-to-day wear.

===Family Unit===
Necromancers maintain a traditional family unit (mother, father, children) but live in a highly inter-connected society. Consanguinity is kept high in mind;–– that is to say knowing how various others are related to you and to what degree;–– but is only used to prevent inbreeding. Living in such close-knit groups, it is very important to keep the bloodline diverse.

Since necromancers typically live in communal buildings, a family unit might have a room or suite of rooms to themselves, used for sleeping, dressing, indoor recreation, and storing personal items. The family would be responsible for cleaning and maintaining these rooms.

Cooking and bathing are communal activities. Large kitchens produce meals for the entire temple, with dedicated staff who carry out all the requisite duties. A larger temple might have multiple kitchens. Cooking is usually done on a fairly large scale, and necromancer cuisine is not known for diversity.

The baths are segregated by age but not gender, to degree determined by the size of the temple. A very small temple may have only one bath, and designate different times of the day for different groups. The larger temples will have separate facilities in both for youth, young adults, older adults, and even the elderly. Young children typically bathe with their parents, while older children (starting around 8) go to the children's bath.

===Marriage===
Though it varies by temple, arranged marriages are not uncommon in necromancer society. There is no defined age of majority or age of consent, and the age of marriage also varies by temple. In larger temples, it is not uncommon for youth as young as 15 or 16 to marry, though this is a hold-over from the early days when life expectancies were much shorter.

Nearly all necromancers marry, including the priesthood (it is a requirement in some temples). A necromancer who remains single into adulthood is highly uncommon, and given the arrangments of necromanic society they would have a very difficult time.

Amongts the necromancers, a great deal of love poetry has been produced and preserved throughout the ages. It is perhaps one of the youth's favorite subjects upon which to muse.

Marriage outside the cult is unheard of, and happens extremly rarely. In the nearly 7,000 years between the creation of Necromancy and the destruction of the last temple in the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], only a few cases are documented. Of those, all took place in very small temples (populations of less than 100). Anyone marrying into the cult could never truly be a necromancer, and would be unable to participate in the ritualistic aspects of the necromancer lifestyle.

Some necromancers are known to have left the temple to wed an outsider. However, the archives do not give any indication of what happened to them.

=====Arranged Marriage=====
Arranged marriages typically happen amongst slightly older couples (late teens, early 20s), and is usually encouraged by the parents when neither party has found a suitable mate of its own.

Love is a very highly valued thing within the necromancer culture. Many of what are recorded as arranged marriages do happen between loving couples who merely seek the approval of their elders to wed.

Still others employ the help of matchmakers to find a suitable partner. Only very rarely are marriages arranged for political reasons.

=====Parentage, Love, and Sexuality=====
Necromancers typically consider the physical act of sexual contact to be separate from romance or love. While not common, if a father is unable to give his wife a child, she may go to another man; in this case there is no shame nor is the act considered adulterous. However, if a man were to express romantic feelings for a woman other than his wife, this would be a sacrilege.

Sexual activity is divided into three categories: for procreation, for spiritual enlightenment, and for physical pleasure. While all three of these can be put together in any combination, they are still regarded as highly distinct. Necromancers lack concepts such as orientation and virginity, and view sex as extremely natural and normal activity alongside eating and breathing. The only thing Necromancers find unusual is inter-generational relationships, so long as the partners are no more than a few years apart in age, virtually anything is acceptable.

=====Trilateral Marriage=====
During the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]], necromancers tended to live in smaller groups or temples. The practice of trilateral marriage (a marriage with three equal partners) began out of simple necessity. Because necromancers tend to disparage inter-generational relationships, there would frequently not be an even number of men and women within a particular generation. That era also heavily discouraged marriage outside of the temple (and indeed this was not even an option on the [[Arcol Steppe]]). The solution was to create marriages of three equal partners.

When possible it was preferred to pair two women with one man who was particularly strong with the magical aspects of necromancy. Marriages of two men to the same woman were equally as common. The practice fell out of favor during the latter portions of the [[Mage Wars]], but was revived in the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] with new religious significance. A typical trilateral marriage is a democracy requiring a two-third majority to make any decisions.

Sacred marriage and sacred sex had always played a role in both ritual and practical aspects of necromancer life. Trilateral religious marriages were practiced by both the [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] necromancers, but for different reasons. Among the [[Grey Temple]], it was done deliberately to breed stronger necromancers, and exclusively with one man and two women. In the [[Green Temple]], the practice was used primarily to fulfill ritualistic roles; the trifles were always members of the priest caste (no matter the combination) and represented various aspects of deities, carrying out specific ceremonies. Worker-caste trilateral marriages were also accepted in both theologies out of necessity.

After the [[Necromanic Wars|necromanic wars]] the practice died out, with the remaining population of Necromancers confined to a single temple in [[Arindell]], many of their practices and customs became defined entirely by the area in which they were confined.

Little information survives about how necromancy changed during the [[Long Night]]. During the era of the [[New Day]], the practices of trilateral marriage were revived for the purposes of religious ritual. Though not forbidden, reformed necromancy abolished the caste system and removed the taboo of marrying outside the temple, so there has been no need for trilateral marriages among anyone besides the priests and priesteses.

In a sacred trilateral marriage one member is a priest or priestess, while the other two form two aspects of a specific deity. These marriages are also practical, in that the throuple live together and engage in sexual activities. Some of these are ritual in nature.

===Economy===
Internally, Necromancers do not use a monetary system. Because their organizational structure is communal, food, clothing, and housing are provided by group effort. The support systems for these areas are also carried out communally, with individuals learning trades as needed. Basic personal items are provided to individuals by crafters, who often embellish them with artistic decorations. A barter system is very common within the temple, with craftsmen trading wares and favors.

One Necromancer explained it thusly: ''"If I am a Hatter, I make hats. I am provided with tools and materials as needed. If you come into my workshop and ask me for a hat, I shall provide you one. However, if you desire a particularly fine hat, you should bring me something to offer in trade."''

Necromancers typically value the effort placed into producing an item over any precised monetary value of the materials. Hence, golden jewelry could be traded for wooden beads, if the beads took more work to produce.

This system, however, does not extend outside of the temple, and Necromancer traders who sell their wares to outsiders are known to be particularly shrewd. It does help that what they sell tends to be of the highest quality.

===Games===
====Ko'r't====
Ko'r't, commonly translated simply as 'court' or spelled phonetically as 'kort' is a blanket title for a variety of ball games. The most common version, Foot Kort, is roughly similar to soccer, but has numerous derivations and levels of rules and strategy. The games are played by Necromancers as well as outsiders who live in the vicinity, with Necromancers commonly inviting their neighbors to a friendly game. While much ritual significance has been ascribed to the various derivations of kort, the Necromancers will readily admit it really is just a game.

While hundreds of permutations exist, Kort is most often played in three different forms: Traditional, Floor, and Foot.

A traditional game of Kort requires a playing field with a hardened floor and a painted series of grids, flat walls on three sides, and a hoop for the goal mounted on one wall. The hoop can be as large as a few feet across or just barely bigger than the ball, depending on the skill and seriousness of the players. The game is played with two teams of two or three each, depending on the size of the playing field. In traditional Kort, only the hands and elbows can be used to engage with the ball, and the ball must bounce off at least one surface before making a goal or being engaged by another player. Players are allowed to catch and throw the ball, but must bounce it off either the wall or floor. The grid on the floor also denotes spaces where the players are allowed to set foot. Traditional Kort is the oldest and most ritualized form, and while competition between temples is often fierce, outsiders are still frequently welcomed to join in. While not a formal part of the religion, Kort is frequently used to resolve disputes or to make decisions.

Floor Kort is more common as the requirements for a playing field are far lower. A raised circular goal and a flat surface are still necessary, but the walls and grid are not. Floor Kort works on the same principles of bouncing the ball and striking only with the hands and elbows. As high quality rubber became more common, notions of 'dribbling'(similar to basketball) entered the game.

Foot Kort is the most common; it is, for all intents and purposes, soccer. No one is entirely sure which game was invented first, and how much was appropriated. The Necromancer 'version' of the game has rule-sets worded very differently and still uses a grid (like in Traditional) but changes from hands and elbows to feet and knees, and uses a soccer-style goal. Strangely, much more ritual significance is ascribed to Foot Kort by outsiders than to Necromancers (who regard it as healthy fun). Many outsiders, wrongly assuming certain things about Necromancy, will often assume all forms of Kort are treated the same, and believe Foot Kort is an ancient, highly ritualized game, and a matter of life and death.

During the [[New Day]] era, Foot Kort became a major form of outreach. Every temple and necromancer community had at least one field, and it was ''"never fenced, always open, always inviting to anyone"''. In cities that housed even small necromancer populations, they would organize (usually free) foot kort leagues as a way of being involved. This led to some clashes as soccer rose in popularity; the two games as played in the New Day era are close enough for opposing teams to compete. But while participating in a soccer league was usually required at least an entry fee and paying for one's own equipment, foot kort teams--especially those aimed at youths--were always free, and often gave away what little equipment was needed. This made Foot Kort the de facto sport of the lower classes, while the middle and uppers played soccer. Despite the two sports' extreme similarity, this has made for very serious business in the [[Final Foot Championship]] competitions.

There is one key difference between foot kort and soccer, though it does not matter even a little. While modern foot kort is largely a sport like any other, it is customary to wear a traditional head-covering called a ka'daim similar to a bandana (interchangeable for one, in fact). While this has no bearing on play, it is considered to be so important to the sport that Necromancers have been known to interrupt games and scold children for playing without one. Often, this proves embarrassing, as the children were in fact playing soccer.

====Wrestling====
The Necromancers have a traditional form of wrestling or grappling, an intrinsic part of their ritual life. The sport is played in a round sand pit, usually wetted to provide a more comfortable surface for falling and rolling on. The game requires two participants and a drummer to keep time. Much like Kort, wrestling is used to resolve disputes, but very much unlike it the skill of individual competitors is deliberately not tracked or considered.

The participants usually wear very little clothing. Barefoot with a small loincloth, or a piece of cloth around the breasts if the competitors are female. Hair is tied back into a braid or bun. Matches are very short, and over when the first competitor's shoulder touches the sand. Usually the ring will be surrounded by observers who will call out once they see a touch. The objective is to knock your opponent down on their back.

The time keeper is a drummer beating a very large and loud drum. While matches are sometimes held outdoors, most often they are in special chambers underground where the time keeper's rhythm can reverberate off the walls. The time keeper always faces away from the competitors. When a match is declared, the timekeeper begins a rhythmic beat, while the competitors hold absolutely still. When the timekeeper stops (at a time known only to him) the opponents move and attempt the win. The timed roll can land anywhere from a few seconds to an entire hour, with an important part of the ritual aspect being how tightly the competitors can hold their stance.

All physically fit Necromancers between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five are trained in this form of ritual combat, though those aged sixteen to twenty are preferred. The priests will choose two competitors of the same gender and similar height and build, and dispatch them to the ring while a timekeeper is called. The competitors will strip down and prepare, while the priests will either observe from afar or even wait in another chamber. The competitors will intentionally not be told which priest selected them or for what purpose, they will only be asked to compete.

The ritual significance of the rite holds that the fighters are enacting the will of the Necrosages, and the ritual is used as a way to let them settle disputes without being consulted directly. The ritual aspect of this ceremony is used to settle disagreements between priests, effectively as an elaborate coin-flip.

=====Croq-Wae=====
An extension of the traditional wrestling is Croq-Wae, the necromancer's martial art. It is a focused grappling technique that makes use of fast, close-in strikes to specific pressure points designed to cripple the opponent. Croq-Wae is explicitly designed for use in cramped quarters and meant to require very little physical strength. Its intended goal is to allow an emaciated prisoner to fight back against a healthy guard.

There is considerably more to it, and among the wider world it is known as one of the deadlier martial arts. However Croq-Wae cannot be used is tournaments and actual sparring is rare; because the "real" techniques tend to break bones or cause severe, permanent damage.

A Croq-Wae Master is called a Balga.

===Language===
{{#lsth:Endu}}

For a complete list of necromancer profanity, see [[Endu#Swear Words|Endu Swear Words]].

====Common Slang====
*''Fairly Wintering'' - a common parlance for "boring". The term comes from colder climates where the bulk of the temple population would have to stay indoors, below ground, for winter.

*''Ny-pep’no'' - a contraction of the [[Common]] word 'no' and 'pep'no', [[Endu]] for 'problem'. Used in a general sense to say "no problem" and sometimes more specifically in reference to things that might be a problem for a non-necromancer but aren't one for a necromancer.

===Literature===
{{:Necromancer Literature}}

===Bathing===
Necromancers practice communal ritual bathing in bath houses connected to the temple complex. The bathing ritual involves a full-body wash followed by a lengthy soak. The same baths are also used as a social space and may be the only place to wash for some poorer members or fully orthodox practioners. In keeping with the taboo on age-mixing, baths are divided by age group but not gender.

===Sex===
Necromancers are stereotypically considered very sexually active, with the common outsider belief being that all necromancer women are very easy and temples are just lousy with orgies.

The reality is much more complex, though not altogether inaccurate. Necromancers as a whole do not stigmatize sex, regarding it as a physical question rather than a moral one. They do not have a concept of "virginity". Even the most conservative groups do not view sex or pregnancy outside of marriage as being a problem. Group sex does happen and is viewed more as a matter of preference than anything else.

On the sliding scale of conservative to orthodox, the more orthodox a necromancer is, the less likely they are to be in a committed relationship. In fully orthodox temples, necromancers practice open polyamory with fully communal living. Family units exist to provide nurturing and early structure, but all property is communal and the adults actually raising the children are seldom the biological parents.

From a statistical standpoint, more orthodox necromancers are likely to have had more sexual partners than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given demographic group. Those on the more conservative side tend towards the societal average. What sets necromancers apart statistically is their likelihood to have only had partners with a very narrow age window, generally no more than 3 years difference.

====Religious Elements====
Sex and sexuality play an important role in the necromancer religion. This is also part of what contributes to the stereotype or the "Necromancers worship sex!" attitude.

Sexual rituals do happen as a part of the necromancer religion. And very often these are carried out by temple chantresses and priests. However, unlike what outsiders believe, in most cases the individuals in question are already in a sexual relationship. Regular necromancers also routinely perform sexual rituals; but, again, this is between two or more parties already in a relationship. More intricate symbolic rituals (in which no actual sexual contact occurs) are a regular part of temple life.

The reality is that fertility plays an important, almost central role in the necromancer religion. Officially they worship death (that part is not a stereotype), but in order to die something has to live, and most things begin to live through sex. Originally fertility and birth played major roles in the necromancer religion. Among women especially fertility was considered very important. If a woman became pregnant regardless of her marital status it was viewed as a wonderful thing and proof of her ability to conceive. In [[Necromancer Literature|Endu and classic literature]], fertility is often described as a very important sexual trait and indeed extremely arousing to males.

The central role of fertility is inexorably tied to sexuality as, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pregnancy does not happen without sex. Necromancers have always been very open about this fact and saw no problems with depicting it in art and literature. Many temples are decorated with scenes outsiders view as extremely sexually explicit, but to the necromancers this is only part of the cycle of undeath.

After the [[Necromanic Wars]] and the subsequent [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]], their culture was forced to undergo some changes. With extremely strict population controls place, having children became a rather serious problem. The necromancer religion responded to this by shifting the focus from actual conception to the sex-act itself. Under the use of contraceptives or outright sterilization, priests and chantresses continued to engage in sexual rituals, while

====Prostitution====
Among the ongoing stigmas associated with necromancers is the belief by outsiders that their culture freely encourages prostitution. Many cite references in their religious texts and literature as proof of this. In reality, necromancers engage in sexual services at a rate no higher than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given economic bracket. The statistics are skewed noticeably by many necromancers being more economically disadvantaged. Further damaging the reputation is the tendency of young adult necromancers to engage in casual forms of prostitution with their peers, then later openly admit to this in surveys.

The stereotype comes from two places.

*In the necromancer religion, ritual sacred prostitution is practiced. In this ritual, women, usually temple chantresses, are seen to accept money in exchange for sex, the money is then used for the temple. However, the reality of this scenario is not at all what it appears: the money is being paid from the temple coffers, back to the temple coffers, the participants are strictly only priests and chantresses, and sex is not part of the ritual. The process is purely symbolic. It is believed that, at one time, there may have been lass sexual rituals practiced this way, but at least as early as the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] the ritual had become purely symbolic.

*In necromancer ''literature'' sex and prostitution are used frequently in elaborate metaphors. A common motif is a ritual in which all of the girls of a certain age in the temple must put on their temple dresses and sit on the steps, then wait until a man throws some money in her lap, and go and have sex with him. During the act, he will tear her dress. It is important to note that this situation is entirely fictional, and no known temple ever practiced such a ritual. In [[Necromancer Literature|literature]], descriptions of sacred prostitution can be used for any number of metaphoric purposes, often with multiple meanings. These kinds of mass rituals are also a very popular in necromancer pornography (both aimed at them and of the tan'nesh variety).

As far actual prostitution carried out by necromancers goes, their culture does not stigmatize the sex act itself or the exchange of money. However age-mixing is deeply taboo, so a necromancer who engaged in such acts would be shamed if the other party were much older or younger.

==Converts==
Not possible until after the Necromancers were freed in the first year of the [[Age of the Dragon]], converts, called Acolytes or Necromancer Acolytes, are outsiders who have adopted the necromancer faith. Acolytes subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Necromancy and participate in non-magical rituals. While Acolytes cannot join the priesthood (because they lack the magical ability), they are given the same respect within the cult as full-blooded Necromancers. Children born with one Acolyte parent and one Necromancer parent are similarly not stigmatized, and typically have full access to Necromancer magic; indicating the power might not be limited to their lineage.

==History==
===Ancient History===
"Long ago during the Mage Wars, a wizard named [[Isolia]] fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy."

[[Rubiceye]] was widely known to have many followers in the early days. Though not considered a politician, he was a good leader and an entire nation formed around him. He was a powerful mage and had many other powerful mages following him, and with the [[Mage Wars]] already in full swing, many people flocked to him.

The original name of his people group is now lost to history, though it is believed to have been similar in pronunciation to the name of the magic Rubiceye was to create. The customs and practices of those people, while not initially magical, were later adapted into the rituals of Necromancy.

===Mage Wars===
Around the middle of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], early Necromancers made their home on the [[Arcol Steppe]] at the north-eastern corner of the [[Agras Plain]]. The area was a high-altitude desert at the time, cold and very dry: ideal conditions for the activities Necromancers are known for. From [[B.G.A.]] 3528 until 3021, everything was going swimingly. This era is often known as the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]]. The magic and ritualistic lifestyle of necromancers solidified largely during this time; and while the region was mostly a loose association of temples, it was still a powerful force in the region.

The military and magical might of the Necromancers were able to defend their borders until the end of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]]. However, as the [[Mage Wars#The Intermediate Period|Intermediate Period]] began, they soon lost ground to other, stronger empires which had the advantage of off-world holdings to supply troops and war material. This led to, among other events, the [[Necromancer Wars]], a proxy conflict that gave rise to [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] ideology.

Amidst the peril of looming conquest, a [[Litch]] known as [[Kozek]] rose to power. Necromancers, while willing to defend themselves, had always been at their core a peaceful lot. Kozek had other ideas, and thought that, with some effort and guile, Necromancers could command a vast multi-world empire of their own.

His push caused a schism within the necromancer world. The region of Arcol, while large and populous, had never been an empire in its own right. Prior to Kozek's rise, the area had been a loose association of city-states that tended to cooperate well and support each other, but had no central leadership. Kozek sought to crown himself emperor, but not all necromancers agreed. Kozek's ideology became known as the [[Grey Temple]], and for the first time a true Necromancer nation was founded.

This, in turn, led to a mass exodus of Arcol, of many necromancers who refused to live under Kozek's rule. Still others remained in Arcol, bent on maintaining "the old ways" (by then known as [[Green Temple]] ideology). Weakened by the exodus and torn apart by internal struggle, Kozek's empire collapsed. The entire region of the Arcol Steppe, with its ancient and hallowed temples, had to be abandoned as the then-new [[Marcon Alliance]] had taken a liking to the territory.

Necromancers then spread throughout the [[known worlds]], founding new temples wherever they settled. Many Green Temples were initially welcomed with open arms, for the services they provided. Grey Temples sought more remote areas to settle, either landing in un-populated regions or enslaving local peoples. Many an empire rose and fell while backed by Grey Temple necromancers throughout the rest of the Mage Wars.

===Alliance Era===
When the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] began, some Necromancers sought to reclaim their ancestral homeland, but found Arcol (by this time a fertile and temperate region) populated by other peoples. Some Necromancers still lived there, and others were able to relocate; but the hope of rebuilding the old nation was impossible.

Instead, a large number of Necromancers settled in [[Serreth]], on the [[Sword Coast]], with designs on building a 'Most High' temple at the site. Others settled in [[Stormreaver Valley]], where yet another temple of supreme importance was constructed. These temples unfortunately saw both grey and green necromancers alike, as both ideologies sought a strong, centralized Necromancer nation.

~History~

In the Third Age, the Grey Temple under Arch-Lich [[Honoreck]] began a campaign to take over the [[Known Worlds]]; but they were stopped ultimately by [[Lal Soratami]]. This time-period is known as the [[Necromanic Wars]]. The few survivors (both Green and Grey) were corralled in [[Arindell]] for the next 3000-odd years, until the reign of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]; or else dispersed to obscure [[Planet]]s, where they became the [[Dark Order]]s.

==Other==
The [[Okina Gaori]] is an ancient Necromancer book and is often described as "the only think most outsiders know about Necromancy". In addition to hundreds of illustrations, it includes in-depth descriptions of many rituals. While parts of the book are still in use, necromanic scholars are quick to point out that none of the rituals described were ever actually used.

The word "[[Niktapede]]" is a slang term used to describe people who are racially intolerant of necromancers.

A related word, "[[Niktad]]", describes non-necromancer/non-acolytes who express an interest in necromancer culture and lifestyles without embracing the religious aspects of it. "Nickta-fever" refers to someone, most often a young woman, with a sexual attraction to necromancers.

==History (Original)==
Taken from [[The Reunion of the Eighth Power]] from [[The Path to Ascension]]:

Long ago during the [[Mage Wars]], a wizard named Isolia fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy. Using underworld magics he and his followers created a new path of magic: the Path of Necromancy. Together they raised ghoulish armies from the fallen corpses of their enemies, and trapped souls to be converted into terrible spells.
By the time the Mage Wars had ended, Necromancy had solidified into a full-blown religion. All the Necromancers were blood descendants of Isolia and his original followers, and all possessed the gift of Necromancy passed down from him. Because there were so many, [[Eieber]] decreed that the Necromancers could be allowed to live, if they swore never again to practice their grotesque birthright.

A hundred years passed, and Eieber went into the Light.

For five generations, the Necromancers had kept silent, staying in their own quiet villages, practicing their trade only amongst themselves. Now with Eieber dead they felt no reason to hide their art anymore.

Two great followings were established: the Grey Temple and the Green Temple. Necromancers of the Green Temple believed the power of Necromancy could be used for a greater good. They reanimated corpses for use as laborers, and raised souls only to comfort those left alive after a tragedy.

Despite their intentions, the Green Necromancers were much hated and feared by people who simply didn’t understand them, and so more and more Necromancers turned to the Grey Temple.

The Grey Necromancers used their power for one thing: gaining more power. An uneasy alliance was forged, but the Grey Necromancers still grew rapidly in numbers, and spread across the Multi-Verse like a slow tide of terror.

Finally, over two thousand years after Eieber’s death, the Necromancers of the Grey temple plunged the [[Multi-Verse]] into a chaotic battle the likes of which had not been seen since the depths of the Mage Wars.

Despite fighting valiantly against the Grey Necromancers, the Green Temple was still much hated and feared, and their highest pantheon was ransacked and burned. Even with this crushing blow, the Green Necromancers still forged an alliance with the Slayer Dragons to strike out against the real enemy.

After forty years of fighting, the Grey Temple finally fell, and the Necromancy Wars ended. [[Lal Soratami]], the Pendragon anointed during the war, outlawed Necromancy once and for all, and gathered up all the remaining Necromancers in a new temple where he could watch them.

Those who did not willfully enter the [[Necromancy Temple]] established in [[Arindell]] were killed, and their bodies burned: the greatest insult a Necromancer could know. The temple in Arindell became the last bastion of Necromancy in the World of Life.

Things must have been desperate if they were using a Necromancer.

The sword he carried was a simple one-handed short sword that was inexpertly crafted, and it looked like he was talking to it.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancy

2025-12-04T00:02:05Z

Siddharth1: /* Trilateral Marriage */

Necromancy is a form of magic practiced by Necromancers. 'Necro–' meaning 'dead', it specifically deals with re-animating dead things and returning dead souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancy is among the types of [[Magic|magic]] that is strictly inherited, therefore only those born into the fold can practice it. This has allowed a rich and ancient culture to form around the practice.

Despite its heavy emphasis on death, the core of necromancy is actually about life. Necromancers believe that life is made possible through a generative encounter. Without life, there is no death; so that generative encounter is at the very heart of their belief system.

==Magic==
Nearly all necromancers can use the magic of necromancy to one degree or another; for most, it is fairly limited. Anyone demonstrating a high degree of potential with the art will be made a part of the priest caste, and assist with the temple's rituals.

Necromancy itself has two major parts: the re-animation of the undead, and the raising of souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancers have also found ways to turn their power to various other endeavors, often wielding it in a fashion similar to more main-stream [[Magic]]. There are some caveats; necromancy has no healing capability, nor can it see or harness the elements. But it can be used to grant great strength and to perform attacks.

Many necromancers are also competent, occasionally highly-skilled mages along the normal lines of magic.

===Re-Animation===
Re-animation magic is the mainstay of the Necromancer's workforce, and perhaps their best known trick. The process involves animating a dead life-form and making it [[Types of Undead|un-dead]]. The basic form of this spell typically has a very short duration, and the fresher the corpse, the easier it is to animate. Re-animation is typically focused around creating mindless worker-drones who can preform simple tasks and follow orders; part of the magic is in simply controlling them. A necromancer can directly control a single undead to carry out complex steps, or impose will over a group to guide them through a simpler task. Anything requiring a great deal of skill still requires a living touch, but undead can also provide a useful power-source. Necromancer farms require no windmills, for the undead turn the cranks day and night and need no rest.

Some undead can be made to carry out more difficult tasks if they had performed such tasks in life. A cobbler, for example, when re-animated and seated before a workbench and supplied with tools and materials, can be made to continue producing shoes. In such an instance, the undead would be able to produce only a single design of shoe, over and over again, but could likely achieve the same level of quality as in life.

Undead must be preserved and maintained, so mummification is often undertaken. In wetter climates where keeping a body dry is impractical, necromancers will often strip the flesh and keep only the skeleton, which can be animated with ease.

===Raising of Souls===
The raising of souls involves bringing back a shade or ghost of the dead from the underworld and allowing them to commune with the living. This is completely different from re-animating corpses, as the shade has all the memories and personality of its former life, and is fully cognizant of its surroundings.

A raised soul has a fusion of both the conscious and the unconscious mind of the individual, granting access to much greater knowledge and understanding than it may have had in life. The shade can speak, though only in its native tongue, and can even move about. Depending on the strength of the shade, the skill of the necromancer, and the potency of the spell, the shade may even take on a fully corporeal form. In most cases, it will appear only as a shadow; sometimes only as a head, with only vaguely distinguishable features.

Shades can only exist in the living world within a ritual site, and will return to the underworld if the ritual is disturbed. A necromantically-summoned shade should not be confused with the widely known creatures of darkness caused by the abuse of dark magics.

The most difficult task among necromancers, the fusion of the undead with the raised, creates a powerful being called a [[Litch]].

==Terminology and Belief System==
Necromancy is practiced by mages called Necromancers, to whom it is both a religon and a form of magic. Their entire culture revolves around this practice.

The group noun for necromancers is cult, so a bunch of necromancers would be called a cult of necromancers. This term can be used to describe either a number of necromancers or a specific settlment. A permanent settlement is called a [[Necromancy Temple|Temple]]; this refers both to the structure and to the necromancers therein.

Necromancers worship death, understanding that it is not an end but a change, and one they can reverse to a degree. They value history and are known for extensive record-keeping. Much information about the [[Mage Wars]] was chronicled in Necromancer [[Necromancy Temple|temples]].

===Ideologies in Necromancy===
[[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] describe two differing ideologies of Necromancy, with all Grey Temple necromancers having been put to death by the end of the fifth century of the [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]] at the order of [[Pendragon]] [[Lal Soratami|Soratami]]. This followed the [[Necromanic Wars]].

===Priesthood===
Any blood necromancer has access to the necromanic magics and is thus eligible to join the priesthood. Traditionally, the men are called priests and woman are called chantresses. Though the power strucuture and dynamic has changed over the [[Ages]], in the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] priestesses had more power with fewer restrictions. This is believed to relate to the central role fertility and femininity played especially in [[Green Temple]] ideology.

The main function of the priesthood is to delineates a regular necromancer from those practicing of necromancer magic. Because the magic is so heavily tied to the religious and spiritual aspects of necromancy, the process of learning the magic requires being inducted into the priesthood. Whether priest or chantress, a necromancer who demonstrates power to command the undead and completes certain religious rites will receive the title "[[Servant in the House of Truth]]". Other titles will be bestowed as more rites are completed or status attained within the temple hierarchy.

====Leadership====
Necromancy temples are lead by a group of High Temple Priests and High Temple Chantresses. This means that only magic-using necromancers are able to hold leadership roles, which in turn encourages as many necromancers as possible to practice the dark arts.

===Masonry===
Masonry plays a minor but important role in the religious side of Necromancy. Necromancers believe that once a stone has been cut and shaped, it cannot be cut again. The act of carving bricks also carried ritual and sacred significance.

==Invention==
Necromancy was invented by [[Rubiceye]] in the early part of the [[Mage Wars]], roughly 3500 [[B.G.A. System|B.G.A.]], though it is well known that the sorcerer began work on the magic long before. It is also well known that he made numerous failed attempts before perfecting the technique.

After its creation, Necromancy became hereditary in familial lines. Unlike other magicks which could be learned and practiced by any, Necromancy could only be performed by necromancers.

==Culture==
The necromancers' culture is very rich and deep.

===Nomenclature===
Necromancy cannot be learned; only those born with it can practice it. The power is believed to occur within an artificially created gene, originally bestowed by [[Rubiceye]].

The Necromancer, then, is both a people group and a type of mage.

The members of a particular group are called a temple, which also the name of the structure where most necromancer's live and practice. The collective noun for necromancer's is 'cult'. Often, this term will be used to refer to the entire temple; however within necromancer parlance a 'cult' specifically means "any gathering"

===Caste System===
The Necromancer's temple population is divided into four castes: Priest, Scholar, Warrior, and Worker (with the latter sometimes described as "Tradesmen"). Young necromancers usually follow into their parents' caste, but changing castes is not uncommon. Most necromancers belong to the worker caste. The priest caste rules the temple, the warrior caste defends it.

The rules depend on the temple, but in general one is not allowed to marry outside their caste. This is especially troubling for the warrior-caste, which tended to be heavily male-dominated. Warriors often could not take a wife and sometimes resorted to trilateral marriages. Another common solution was for a woman from the worker caste to officially join the warrior caste to be the wife of a warrior, without actually engaging in martial training herself.

The most diverse caste is that of scholar. Originally, the function of the scholar caste was closely tied to the priests; the scholars were responsible for recording the history the temple and helping the priests to inscribe spell books. In addition to history, the scholar-caste was responsible for recording any knowledge gained by the temple, and later with sharing this knowledge with other temples.

During Necromancy's Golden Age, the scholars largely remained just that: adding to the temple's knowledge, whatever was learned from outside sources. During this era, doctors, builders, and planners belonged to the worker-caste. As time passed, and the bodies of knowledge grew more complex, these and other jobs gradually shifted to the scholar-caste. Since most necromancers begin their caste-training in their early teens, this means that, for example, a doctor can begin studying at a very young age. Any trade, then, that required a great deal of study, became a part of the Scholar caste, which in turn caused the caste to grow.

While no necromancer is considered to have a dual-caste, there are many within a given temple who may have a gray area regarding their exact caste.

====Castes and Naming Conventions====
A necromancer's caste tended to have some impact on their name. Every necromancer has a given name, a common name, and a temple name. The given name is bestowed in a [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|special ceremony]] 8 days after birth; while the common name is generally what they go by (a sort of shorthand or nickname). The temple name is used in religious rituals and is taken up at the ''Ah'khat'ankq''.

Worker-caste necromancers tended to live in more traditional family units and used recognizable family names, often tied to the trade they practiced. The warrior-caste took up the name of their squad or regiment; these were sometimes handed down and even retained as descendants became part of the worker-caste.

Members of the priest caste took up elaborate titles relating to their roles within the temple. These could be very long and lead to senior priests having names consisting of several paragraphs.

Scholars typically used only a first name. This could be rather confusing, as the authorship of certain texts composed over hundreds of years might have dozens of contributors but only a few names. When two scholars within the same era had the same name, they might distinguish themselves by adding 'the elder' or 'the younger', but in general they kept whatever name they had chosen. To further compound the errors in such matters, while both men and women could be scholars, they tended towards unisex names which might belong to any gender.

===Orthodox vs. Conservative===
Necromancers are often referred to as being on a scale from orthodox to conservative. Necromancers on the ultra-orthodox side will live communally in a temple and spend all their time practicing rituals or otherwise engaged in devotional activities. The opposite end of the spectrum describes someone who is ethnically a necromancer but does not engage in any cultural or religious activities. All necromancers are said to be somewhere on the scale.

Of important note is that, at least pose-[[Imprisonment of the Necromancers|confinement]], neither side is considered "correct" or incorrect, but rather a symbol of your devotion. Necromancers believe each necromancer is called to demonstrate his or her devotion, and express it in whatever manner he or she sees fit.

===Physical Description===
Because all necromancers are descended from a particular people group, they all tend to have a similar physical description. They are on average shorter than the general population by around 6 inches. 'Tall' for a necromancer is 'average' for everyone else. They have olive-skin complexions, usually with dark hair and green or brown eyes. Hair is usually straight. They are known for smooth skin and very little body hair.

===Age-Mixing===
Necromancers have deep societal and religious taboos regarding age-mixing, especially as it takes place outside of Sunday mass rituals. While no formal doctrine exists, intimate relationships are restricted to individuals with no more than one to two years age difference. Social relationships are frowned upon unless in some sort of mentor/protegé configuration (such as teachers and students). Children are heavily encouraged only to socialize with peers of their own age (or at most 1-2 years difference) except for immediate family members (in the case of conservative necromancers) or specific, designated individuals in the event not enough children of the same age are available.

The origins of this taboo are unclear, but can be found all throughout the sacred texts and classical literature.

===Clothing===
Typical necromancer attire consists of long linen robes. Necromancer culture began in a desert region, and as such their style and aesthetics retain elements of these attributes. These are often tied at the waist with a sash and may be embroidered with beads. Bracelets and necklaces are also popular, as well as rings and earrings. Nearly all necromancers, both male and female, have pierced ears.

Females typically wear their hair tied back or braided, while males cut their hair short. A wide variety of hairstyles exist. Males and females also both typically wear heavy eye makeup. The cosmetics black out the entire area around the eye, stopping at the bridge of the nose but sometimes covering the eyebrows and down onto the cheeks. This is believed originally a ritualistic component evolved into every-day wear. There is no symbolic signficance to the eye makeup, and the exact shape and area covered is completely a matter of fashion.

In warmer climates, lighter, thinner robes are popular, as well as shorter ones. In especially warm areas, men might wear a half-robe that covers from the waist to the knees. The traditional female robe, or "temple dress", is a single piece of linen that covers them from about the knees up to just above the breasts. It is strapless and leaves the shoulders bare, and has a lon slit up the right hand-side that ends just above the hip. While formally a ceremonial garment, the temple dress is quite popular and many fashioned inspired by it can be seen in day-to-day wear.

===Family Unit===
Necromancers maintain a traditional family unit (mother, father, children) but live in a highly inter-connected society. Consanguinity is kept high in mind;–– that is to say knowing how various others are related to you and to what degree;–– but is only used to prevent inbreeding. Living in such close-knit groups, it is very important to keep the bloodline diverse.

Since necromancers typically live in communal buildings, a family unit might have a room or suite of rooms to themselves, used for sleeping, dressing, indoor recreation, and storing personal items. The family would be responsible for cleaning and maintaining these rooms.

Cooking and bathing are communal activities. Large kitchens produce meals for the entire temple, with dedicated staff who carry out all the requisite duties. A larger temple might have multiple kitchens. Cooking is usually done on a fairly large scale, and necromancer cuisine is not known for diversity.

The baths are segregated by age but not gender, to degree determined by the size of the temple. A very small temple may have only one bath, and designate different times of the day for different groups. The larger temples will have separate facilities in both for youth, young adults, older adults, and even the elderly. Young children typically bathe with their parents, while older children (starting around 8) go to the children's bath.

===Marriage===
Though it varies by temple, arranged marriages are not uncommon in necromancer society. There is no defined age of majority or age of consent, and the age of marriage also varies by temple. In larger temples, it is not uncommon for youth as young as 15 or 16 to marry, though this is a hold-over from the early days when life expectancies were much shorter.

Nearly all necromancers marry, including the priesthood (it is a requirement in some temples). A necromancer who remains single into adulthood is highly uncommon, and given the arrangments of necromanic society they would have a very difficult time.

Amongts the necromancers, a great deal of love poetry has been produced and preserved throughout the ages. It is perhaps one of the youth's favorite subjects upon which to muse.

Marriage outside the cult is unheard of, and happens extremly rarely. In the nearly 7,000 years between the creation of Necromancy and the destruction of the last temple in the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], only a few cases are documented. Of those, all took place in very small temples (populations of less than 100). Anyone marrying into the cult could never truly be a necromancer, and would be unable to participate in the ritualistic aspects of the necromancer lifestyle.

Some necromancers are known to have left the temple to wed an outsider. However, the archives do not give any indication of what happened to them.

=====Arranged Marriage=====
Arranged marriages typically happen amongst slightly older couples (late teens, early 20s), and is usually encouraged by the parents when neither party has found a suitable mate of its own.

Love is a very highly valued thing within the necromancer culture. Many of what are recorded as arranged marriages do happen between loving couples who merely seek the approval of their elders to wed.

Still others employ the help of matchmakers to find a suitable partner. Only very rarely are marriages arranged for political reasons.

=====Parentage, Love, and Sexuality=====
Necromancers typically consider the physical act of sexual contact to be separate from romance or love. While not common, if a father is unable to give his wife a child, she may go to another man; in this case there is no shame nor is the act considered adulterous. However, if a man were to express romantic feelings for a woman other than his wife, this would be a sacrilege.

Sexual activity is divided into three categories: for procreation, for spiritual enlightenment, and for physical pleasure. While all three of these can be put together in any combination, they are still regarded as highly distinct. Necromancers lack concepts such as orientation and virginity, and view sex as extremely natural and normal activity alongside eating and breathing. The only thing Necromancers find unusual is inter-generational relationships, so long as the partners are no more than a few years apart in age, virtually anything is acceptable.

=====Trilateral Marriage=====
During the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]], necromancers tended to live in smaller groups or temples. The practice of trilateral marriage (a marriage with three equal partners) began out of simple necessity. Because necromancers tend to disparage inter-generational relationships, there would frequently not be an even number of men and women within a particular generation. That era also heavily discouraged marriage outside of the temple (and indeed this was not even an option on the [[Arcol Steppe]]). The solution was to create marriages of three equal partners.

When possible it was preferred to pair two women with one man who was particularly strong with the magical aspects of necromancy. Marriages of two men to the same woman were equally as common. The practice fell out of favor during the latter portions of the [[Mage Wars]], but was revived in the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] with new religious significance. A typical trilateral marriage is a democracy requiring a two-third majority to make any decisions.

Sacred marriage and sacred sex had always played a role in both ritual and practical aspects of necromancer life. Trilateral religious marriages were practiced by both the [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] necromancers, but for different reasons. Among the [[Grey Temple]], it was done deliberately to breed stronger necromancers, and exclusively with one man and two women. In the [[Green Temple]], the practice was used primarily to fulfill ritualistic roles; the trifles were always members of the priest caste (no matter the combination) and represented various aspects of deities, carrying out specific ceremonies. Worker-caste trilateral marriages were also accepted in both theologies out of necessity.

After the [[Necromanic Wars|necromanic wars]] the practice died out, with the remaining population of Necromancers confined to a single temple in [[Arindell]], many of their practices and customs became defined entirely by the area in which they were confined.

Little information survives about how necromancy changed during the [[Long Night]]. During the era of the [[New Day]], the practices of trilateral marriage were revived for the purposes of religious ritual. Though not forbidden, reformed necromancy abolished the caste system and removed the taboo of marrying outside the temple, so there has been no need for trilateral marriages among anyone besides the priests and priesteses.

In a sacred trilateral marriage one member is a priest or priestess, while the other two form two aspects of a specific deity. These marriages are also practical, in that the throuple live together and engage in sexual activities. Some of these are ritual in nature.

===Economy===
Internally, Necromancers do not use a monetary system. Because their organizational strucutre is communal, food, clothing, and housing are provided by group effort. The support systems for these areas are also carried out communaly, with individuals learning trades as needed. Basic personal items are provided to indivudals by crafters, who often emblish them with artistic decorations. A barter system is very common within the temple, with craftsmen trading wares and favors.

One Necromancer explained it thusly: ''"If I am a Hatter, I make hats. I am provided with tools and materials as needed. If you come into my workshop and ask me for a hat, I shall provide you one. However, if you desire a particularly fine hat, you should bring me something to offer in trade."''

Necromancers typically value the effort placed into producing an item over any precised monetary value of the materials. Hence, golden jewelry could be traded for wooden beads, if the beads took more work to produce.

This system, however, does not extend outside of the temple, and Necromancer traders who sell their wares to outsiders are known to be particularly shrewd. It does help that what they sell tends to be of the highest quality.

===Games===
====Ko'r't====
Ko'r't, commonly translated simply as 'court' or spelled phonetically as 'kort' is a blanket title for a variety of ball games. The most common version, Foot Kort, is roughly similar to soccer, but has numerous derivations and levels of rules and strategy. The games are played by Necromancers as well as outsiders who live in the vicinity, with Necromancers commonly inviting their neighbors to a friendly game. While much ritual significance has been ascribed to the various derivations of kort, the Necromancers will readily admit it really is just a game.

While hundreds of permutations exist, Kort is most often played in three different forms: Traditional, Floor, and Foot.

A traditional game of Kort requires a playing field with a hardened floor and a painted series of grids, flat walls on three sides, and a hoop for the goal mounted on one wall. The hoop can be as large as a few feet across or just barely bigger than the ball, depending on the skill and seriousness of the players. The game is played with two teams of two or three each, depending on the size of the playing field. In traditional Kort, only the hands and elbows can be used to engage with the ball, and the ball must bounce off at least one surface before making a goal or being engaged by another player. Players are allowed to catch and throw the ball, but must bounce it off either the wall or floor. The grid on the floor also denotes spaces where the players are allowed to set foot. Traditional Kort is the oldest and most ritualized form, and while competition between temples is often fierce, outsiders are still frequently welcomed to join in. While not a formal part of the religion, Kort is frequently used to resolve disputes or to make decisions.

Floor Kort is more common as the requirements for a playing field are far lower. A raised circular goal and a flat surface are still necessary, but the walls and grid are not. Floor Kort works on the same principles of bouncing the ball and striking only with the hands and elbows. As high quality rubber became more common, notions of 'dribbling'(similar to basketball) entered the game.

Foot Kort is the most common; it is, for all intents and purposes, soccer. No one is entirely sure which game was invented first, and how much was appropriated. The Necromancer 'version' of the game has rule-sets worded very differently and still uses a grid (like in Traditional) but changes from hands and elbows to feet and knees, and uses a soccer-style goal. Strangely, much more ritual significance is ascribed to Foot Kort by outsiders than to Necromancers (who regard it as healthy fun). Many outsiders, wrongly assuming certain things about Necromancy, will often assume all forms of Kort are treated the same, and believe Foot Kort is an ancient, highly ritualized game, and a matter of life and death.

During the [[New Day]] era, Foot Kort became a major form of outreach. Every temple and necromancer community had at least one field, and it was ''"never fenced, always open, always inviting to anyone"''. In cities that housed even small necromancer populations, they would organize (usually free) foot kort leagues as a way of being involved. This led to some clashes as soccer rose in popularity; the two games as played in the New Day era are close enough for opposing teams to compete. But while participating in a soccer league was usually required at least an entry fee and paying for one's own equipment, foot kort teams--especially those aimed at youths--were always free, and often gave away what little equipment was needed. This made Foot Kort the de facto sport of the lower classes, while the middle and uppers played soccer. Despite the two sports' extreme similarity, this has made for very serious business in the [[Final Foot Championship]] competitions.

There is one key difference between foot kort and soccer, though it does not matter even a little. While modern foot kort is largely a sport like any other, it is customary to wear a traditional head-covering called a ka'daim similar to a bandana (interchangeable for one, in fact). While this has no bearing on play, it is considered to be so important to the sport that Necromancers have been known to interrupt games and scold children for playing without one. Often, this proves embarrassing, as the children were in fact playing soccer.

====Wrestling====
The Necromancers have a traditional form of wrestling or grappling, an intrinsic part of their ritual life. The sport is played in a round sand pit, usually wetted to provide a more comfortable surface for falling and rolling on. The game requires two participants and a drummer to keep time. Much like Kort, wrestling is used to resolve disputes, but very much unlike it the skill of individual competitors is deliberately not tracked or considered.

The participants usually wear very little clothing. Barefoot with a small loincloth, or a piece of cloth around the breasts if the competitors are female. Hair is tied back into a braid or bun. Matches are very short, and over when the first competitor's shoulder touches the sand. Usually the ring will be surrounded by observers who will call out once they see a touch. The objective is to knock your opponent down on their back.

The time keeper is a drummer beating a very large and loud drum. While matches are sometimes held outdoors, most often they are in special chambers underground where the time keeper's rhythm can reverberate off the walls. The time keeper always faces away from the competitors. When a match is declared, the timekeeper begins a rhythmic beat, while the competitors hold absolutely still. When the timekeeper stops (at a time known only to him) the opponents move and attempt the win. The timed roll can land anywhere from a few seconds to an entire hour, with an important part of the ritual aspect being how tightly the competitors can hold their stance.

All physically fit Necromancers between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five are trained in this form of ritual combat, though those aged sixteen to twenty are preferred. The priests will choose two competitors of the same gender and similar height and build, and dispatch them to the ring while a timekeeper is called. The competitors will strip down and prepare, while the priests will either observe from afar or even wait in another chamber. The competitors will intentionally not be told which priest selected them or for what purpose, they will only be asked to compete.

The ritual significance of the rite holds that the fighters are enacting the will of the Necrosages, and the ritual is used as a way to let them settle disputes without being consulted directly. The ritual aspect of this ceremony is used to settle disagreements between priests, effectively as an elaborate coin-flip.

=====Croq-Wae=====
An extension of the traditional wrestling is Croq-Wae, the necromancer's martial art. It is a focused grappling technique that makes use of fast, close-in strikes to specific pressure points designed to cripple the opponent. Croq-Wae is explicitly designed for use in cramped quarters and meant to require very little physical strength. Its intended goal is to allow an emaciated prisoner to fight back against a healthy guard.

There is considerably more to it, and among the wider world it is known as one of the deadlier martial arts. However Croq-Wae cannot be used is tournaments and actual sparring is rare; because the "real" techniques tend to break bones or cause severe, permanent damage.

A Croq-Wae Master is called a Balga.

===Language===
{{#lsth:Endu}}

For a complete list of necromancer profanity, see [[Endu#Swear Words|Endu Swear Words]].

====Common Slang====
*''Fairly Wintering'' - a common parlance for "boring". The term comes from colder climates where the bulk of the temple population would have to stay indoors, below ground, for winter.

*''Ny-pep’no'' - a contraction of the [[Common]] word 'no' and 'pep'no', [[Endu]] for 'problem'. Used in a general sense to say "no problem" and sometimes more specifically in reference to things that might be a problem for a non-necromancer but aren't one for a necromancer.

===Literature===
{{:Necromancer Literature}}

===Bathing===
Necromancers practice communal ritual bathing in bath houses connected to the temple complex. The bathing ritual involves a full-body wash followed by a lengthy soak. The same baths are also used as a social space and may be the only place to wash for some poorer members or fully orthodox practioners. In keeping with the taboo on age-mixing, baths are divided by age group but not gender.

===Sex===
Necromancers are stereotypically considered very sexually active, with the common outsider belief being that all necromancer women are very easy and temples are just lousy with orgies.

The reality is much more complex, though not altogether inaccurate. Necromancers as a whole do not stigmatize sex, regarding it as a physical question rather than a moral one. They do not have a concept of "virginity". Even the most conservative groups do not view sex or pregnancy outside of marriage as being a problem. Group sex does happen and is viewed more as a matter of preference than anything else.

On the sliding scale of conservative to orthodox, the more orthodox a necromancer is, the less likely they are to be in a committed relationship. In fully orthodox temples, necromancers practice open polyamory with fully communal living. Family units exist to provide nurturing and early structure, but all property is communal and the adults actually raising the children are seldom the biological parents.

From a statistical standpoint, more orthodox necromancers are likely to have had more sexual partners than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given demographic group. Those on the more conservative side tend towards the societal average. What sets necromancers apart statistically is their likelihood to have only had partners with a very narrow age window, generally no more than 3 years difference.

====Religious Elements====
Sex and sexuality play an important role in the necromancer religion. This is also part of what contributes to the stereotype or the "Necromancers worship sex!" attitude.

Sexual rituals do happen as a part of the necromancer religion. And very often these are carried out by temple chantresses and priests. However, unlike what outsiders believe, in most cases the individuals in question are already in a sexual relationship. Regular necromancers also routinely perform sexual rituals; but, again, this is between two or more parties already in a relationship. More intricate symbolic rituals (in which no actual sexual contact occurs) are a regular part of temple life.

The reality is that fertility plays an important, almost central role in the necromancer religion. Officially they worship death (that part is not a stereotype), but in order to die something has to live, and most things begin to live through sex. Originally fertility and birth played major roles in the necromancer religion. Among women especially fertility was considered very important. If a woman became pregnant regardless of her marital status it was viewed as a wonderful thing and proof of her ability to conceive. In [[Necromancer Literature|Endu and classic literature]], fertility is often described as a very important sexual trait and indeed extremely arousing to males.

The central role of fertility is inexorably tied to sexuality as, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pregnancy does not happen without sex. Necromancers have always been very open about this fact and saw no problems with depicting it in art and literature. Many temples are decorated with scenes outsiders view as extremely sexually explicit, but to the necromancers this is only part of the cycle of undeath.

After the [[Necromanic Wars]] and the subsequent [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]], their culture was forced to undergo some changes. With extremely strict population controls place, having children became a rather serious problem. The necromancer religion responded to this by shifting the focus from actual conception to the sex-act itself. Under the use of contraceptives or outright sterilization, priests and chantresses continued to engage in sexual rituals, while

====Prostitution====
Among the ongoing stigmas associated with necromancers is the belief by outsiders that their culture freely encourages prostitution. Many cite references in their religious texts and literature as proof of this. In reality, necromancers engage in sexual services at a rate no higher than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given economic bracket. The statistics are skewed noticeably by many necromancers being more economically disadvantaged. Further damaging the reputation is the tendency of young adult necromancers to engage in casual forms of prostitution with their peers, then later openly admit to this in surveys.

The stereotype comes from two places.

*In the necromancer religion, ritual sacred prostitution is practiced. In this ritual, women, usually temple chantresses, are seen to accept money in exchange for sex, the money is then used for the temple. However, the reality of this scenario is not at all what it appears: the money is being paid from the temple coffers, back to the temple coffers, the participants are strictly only priests and chantresses, and sex is not part of the ritual. The process is purely symbolic. It is believed that, at one time, there may have been lass sexual rituals practiced this way, but at least as early as the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] the ritual had become purely symbolic.

*In necromancer ''literature'' sex and prostitution are used frequently in elaborate metaphors. A common motif is a ritual in which all of the girls of a certain age in the temple must put on their temple dresses and sit on the steps, then wait until a man throws some money in her lap, and go and have sex with him. During the act, he will tear her dress. It is important to note that this situation is entirely fictional, and no known temple ever practiced such a ritual. In [[Necromancer Literature|literature]], descriptions of sacred prostitution can be used for any number of metaphoric purposes, often with multiple meanings. These kinds of mass rituals are also a very popular in necromancer pornography (both aimed at them and of the tan'nesh variety).

As far actual prostitution carried out by necromancers goes, their culture does not stigmatize the sex act itself or the exchange of money. However age-mixing is deeply taboo, so a necromancer who engaged in such acts would be shamed if the other party were much older or younger.

==Converts==
Not possible until after the Necromancers were freed in the first year of the [[Age of the Dragon]], converts, called Acolytes or Necromancer Acolytes, are outsiders who have adopted the necromancer faith. Acolytes subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Necromancy and participate in non-magical rituals. While Acolytes cannot join the priesthood (because they lack the magical ability), they are given the same respect within the cult as full-blooded Necromancers. Children born with one Acolyte parent and one Necromancer parent are similarly not stigmatized, and typically have full access to Necromancer magic; indicating the power might not be limited to their lineage.

==History==
===Ancient History===
"Long ago during the Mage Wars, a wizard named [[Isolia]] fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy."

[[Rubiceye]] was widely known to have many followers in the early days. Though not considered a politician, he was a good leader and an entire nation formed around him. He was a powerful mage and had many other powerful mages following him, and with the [[Mage Wars]] already in full swing, many people flocked to him.

The original name of his people group is now lost to history, though it is believed to have been similar in pronunciation to the name of the magic Rubiceye was to create. The customs and practices of those people, while not initially magical, were later adapted into the rituals of Necromancy.

===Mage Wars===
Around the middle of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], early Necromancers made their home on the [[Arcol Steppe]] at the north-eastern corner of the [[Agras Plain]]. The area was a high-altitude desert at the time, cold and very dry: ideal conditions for the activities Necromancers are known for. From [[B.G.A.]] 3528 until 3021, everything was going swimingly. This era is often known as the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]]. The magic and ritualistic lifestyle of necromancers solidified largely during this time; and while the region was mostly a loose association of temples, it was still a powerful force in the region.

The military and magical might of the Necromancers were able to defend their borders until the end of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]]. However, as the [[Mage Wars#The Intermediate Period|Intermediate Period]] began, they soon lost ground to other, stronger empires which had the advantage of off-world holdings to supply troops and war material. This led to, among other events, the [[Necromancer Wars]], a proxy conflict that gave rise to [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] ideology.

Amidst the peril of looming conquest, a [[Litch]] known as [[Kozek]] rose to power. Necromancers, while willing to defend themselves, had always been at their core a peaceful lot. Kozek had other ideas, and thought that, with some effort and guile, Necromancers could command a vast multi-world empire of their own.

His push caused a schism within the necromancer world. The region of Arcol, while large and populous, had never been an empire in its own right. Prior to Kozek's rise, the area had been a loose association of city-states that tended to cooperate well and support each other, but had no central leadership. Kozek sought to crown himself emperor, but not all necromancers agreed. Kozek's ideology became known as the [[Grey Temple]], and for the first time a true Necromancer nation was founded.

This, in turn, led to a mass exodus of Arcol, of many necromancers who refused to live under Kozek's rule. Still others remained in Arcol, bent on maintaining "the old ways" (by then known as [[Green Temple]] ideology). Weakened by the exodus and torn apart by internal struggle, Kozek's empire collapsed. The entire region of the Arcol Steppe, with its ancient and hallowed temples, had to be abandoned as the then-new [[Marcon Alliance]] had taken a liking to the territory.

Necromancers then spread throughout the [[known worlds]], founding new temples wherever they settled. Many Green Temples were initially welcomed with open arms, for the services they provided. Grey Temples sought more remote areas to settle, either landing in un-populated regions or enslaving local peoples. Many an empire rose and fell while backed by Grey Temple necromancers throughout the rest of the Mage Wars.

===Alliance Era===
When the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] began, some Necromancers sought to reclaim their ancestral homeland, but found Arcol (by this time a fertile and temperate region) populated by other peoples. Some Necromancers still lived there, and others were able to relocate; but the hope of rebuilding the old nation was impossible.

Instead, a large number of Necromancers settled in [[Serreth]], on the [[Sword Coast]], with designs on building a 'Most High' temple at the site. Others settled in [[Stormreaver Valley]], where yet another temple of supreme importance was constructed. These temples unfortunately saw both grey and green necromancers alike, as both ideologies sought a strong, centralized Necromancer nation.

~History~

In the Third Age, the Grey Temple under Arch-Lich [[Honoreck]] began a campaign to take over the [[Known Worlds]]; but they were stopped ultimately by [[Lal Soratami]]. This time-period is known as the [[Necromanic Wars]]. The few survivors (both Green and Grey) were corralled in [[Arindell]] for the next 3000-odd years, until the reign of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]; or else dispersed to obscure [[Planet]]s, where they became the [[Dark Order]]s.

==Other==
The [[Okina Gaori]] is an ancient Necromancer book and is often described as "the only think most outsiders know about Necromancy". In addition to hundreds of illustrations, it includes in-depth descriptions of many rituals. While parts of the book are still in use, necromanic scholars are quick to point out that none of the rituals described were ever actually used.

The word "[[Niktapede]]" is a slang term used to describe people who are racially intolerant of necromancers.

A related word, "[[Niktad]]", describes non-necromancer/non-acolytes who express an interest in necromancer culture and lifestyles without embracing the religious aspects of it. "Nickta-fever" refers to someone, most often a young woman, with a sexual attraction to necromancers.

==History (Original)==
Taken from [[The Reunion of the Eighth Power]] from [[The Path to Ascension]]:

Long ago during the [[Mage Wars]], a wizard named Isolia fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy. Using underworld magics he and his followers created a new path of magic: the Path of Necromancy. Together they raised ghoulish armies from the fallen corpses of their enemies, and trapped souls to be converted into terrible spells.
By the time the Mage Wars had ended, Necromancy had solidified into a full-blown religion. All the Necromancers were blood descendants of Isolia and his original followers, and all possessed the gift of Necromancy passed down from him. Because there were so many, [[Eieber]] decreed that the Necromancers could be allowed to live, if they swore never again to practice their grotesque birthright.

A hundred years passed, and Eieber went into the Light.

For five generations, the Necromancers had kept silent, staying in their own quiet villages, practicing their trade only amongst themselves. Now with Eieber dead they felt no reason to hide their art anymore.

Two great followings were established: the Grey Temple and the Green Temple. Necromancers of the Green Temple believed the power of Necromancy could be used for a greater good. They reanimated corpses for use as laborers, and raised souls only to comfort those left alive after a tragedy.

Despite their intentions, the Green Necromancers were much hated and feared by people who simply didn’t understand them, and so more and more Necromancers turned to the Grey Temple.

The Grey Necromancers used their power for one thing: gaining more power. An uneasy alliance was forged, but the Grey Necromancers still grew rapidly in numbers, and spread across the Multi-Verse like a slow tide of terror.

Finally, over two thousand years after Eieber’s death, the Necromancers of the Grey temple plunged the [[Multi-Verse]] into a chaotic battle the likes of which had not been seen since the depths of the Mage Wars.

Despite fighting valiantly against the Grey Necromancers, the Green Temple was still much hated and feared, and their highest pantheon was ransacked and burned. Even with this crushing blow, the Green Necromancers still forged an alliance with the Slayer Dragons to strike out against the real enemy.

After forty years of fighting, the Grey Temple finally fell, and the Necromancy Wars ended. [[Lal Soratami]], the Pendragon anointed during the war, outlawed Necromancy once and for all, and gathered up all the remaining Necromancers in a new temple where he could watch them.

Those who did not willfully enter the [[Necromancy Temple]] established in [[Arindell]] were killed, and their bodies burned: the greatest insult a Necromancer could know. The temple in Arindell became the last bastion of Necromancy in the World of Life.

Things must have been desperate if they were using a Necromancer.

The sword he carried was a simple one-handed short sword that was inexpertly crafted, and it looked like he was talking to it.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancy

2025-12-04T00:00:18Z

Siddharth1: /* Age-Mixing */

Necromancy is a form of magic practiced by Necromancers. 'Necro–' meaning 'dead', it specifically deals with re-animating dead things and returning dead souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancy is among the types of [[Magic|magic]] that is strictly inherited, therefore only those born into the fold can practice it. This has allowed a rich and ancient culture to form around the practice.

Despite its heavy emphasis on death, the core of necromancy is actually about life. Necromancers believe that life is made possible through a generative encounter. Without life, there is no death; so that generative encounter is at the very heart of their belief system.

==Magic==
Nearly all necromancers can use the magic of necromancy to one degree or another; for most, it is fairly limited. Anyone demonstrating a high degree of potential with the art will be made a part of the priest caste, and assist with the temple's rituals.

Necromancy itself has two major parts: the re-animation of the undead, and the raising of souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancers have also found ways to turn their power to various other endeavors, often wielding it in a fashion similar to more main-stream [[Magic]]. There are some caveats; necromancy has no healing capability, nor can it see or harness the elements. But it can be used to grant great strength and to perform attacks.

Many necromancers are also competent, occasionally highly-skilled mages along the normal lines of magic.

===Re-Animation===
Re-animation magic is the mainstay of the Necromancer's workforce, and perhaps their best known trick. The process involves animating a dead life-form and making it [[Types of Undead|un-dead]]. The basic form of this spell typically has a very short duration, and the fresher the corpse, the easier it is to animate. Re-animation is typically focused around creating mindless worker-drones who can preform simple tasks and follow orders; part of the magic is in simply controlling them. A necromancer can directly control a single undead to carry out complex steps, or impose will over a group to guide them through a simpler task. Anything requiring a great deal of skill still requires a living touch, but undead can also provide a useful power-source. Necromancer farms require no windmills, for the undead turn the cranks day and night and need no rest.

Some undead can be made to carry out more difficult tasks if they had performed such tasks in life. A cobbler, for example, when re-animated and seated before a workbench and supplied with tools and materials, can be made to continue producing shoes. In such an instance, the undead would be able to produce only a single design of shoe, over and over again, but could likely achieve the same level of quality as in life.

Undead must be preserved and maintained, so mummification is often undertaken. In wetter climates where keeping a body dry is impractical, necromancers will often strip the flesh and keep only the skeleton, which can be animated with ease.

===Raising of Souls===
The raising of souls involves bringing back a shade or ghost of the dead from the underworld and allowing them to commune with the living. This is completely different from re-animating corpses, as the shade has all the memories and personality of its former life, and is fully cognizant of its surroundings.

A raised soul has a fusion of both the conscious and the unconscious mind of the individual, granting access to much greater knowledge and understanding than it may have had in life. The shade can speak, though only in its native tongue, and can even move about. Depending on the strength of the shade, the skill of the necromancer, and the potency of the spell, the shade may even take on a fully corporeal form. In most cases, it will appear only as a shadow; sometimes only as a head, with only vaguely distinguishable features.

Shades can only exist in the living world within a ritual site, and will return to the underworld if the ritual is disturbed. A necromantically-summoned shade should not be confused with the widely known creatures of darkness caused by the abuse of dark magics.

The most difficult task among necromancers, the fusion of the undead with the raised, creates a powerful being called a [[Litch]].

==Terminology and Belief System==
Necromancy is practiced by mages called Necromancers, to whom it is both a religon and a form of magic. Their entire culture revolves around this practice.

The group noun for necromancers is cult, so a bunch of necromancers would be called a cult of necromancers. This term can be used to describe either a number of necromancers or a specific settlment. A permanent settlement is called a [[Necromancy Temple|Temple]]; this refers both to the structure and to the necromancers therein.

Necromancers worship death, understanding that it is not an end but a change, and one they can reverse to a degree. They value history and are known for extensive record-keeping. Much information about the [[Mage Wars]] was chronicled in Necromancer [[Necromancy Temple|temples]].

===Ideologies in Necromancy===
[[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] describe two differing ideologies of Necromancy, with all Grey Temple necromancers having been put to death by the end of the fifth century of the [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]] at the order of [[Pendragon]] [[Lal Soratami|Soratami]]. This followed the [[Necromanic Wars]].

===Priesthood===
Any blood necromancer has access to the necromanic magics and is thus eligible to join the priesthood. Traditionally, the men are called priests and woman are called chantresses. Though the power strucuture and dynamic has changed over the [[Ages]], in the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] priestesses had more power with fewer restrictions. This is believed to relate to the central role fertility and femininity played especially in [[Green Temple]] ideology.

The main function of the priesthood is to delineates a regular necromancer from those practicing of necromancer magic. Because the magic is so heavily tied to the religious and spiritual aspects of necromancy, the process of learning the magic requires being inducted into the priesthood. Whether priest or chantress, a necromancer who demonstrates power to command the undead and completes certain religious rites will receive the title "[[Servant in the House of Truth]]". Other titles will be bestowed as more rites are completed or status attained within the temple hierarchy.

====Leadership====
Necromancy temples are lead by a group of High Temple Priests and High Temple Chantresses. This means that only magic-using necromancers are able to hold leadership roles, which in turn encourages as many necromancers as possible to practice the dark arts.

===Masonry===
Masonry plays a minor but important role in the religious side of Necromancy. Necromancers believe that once a stone has been cut and shaped, it cannot be cut again. The act of carving bricks also carried ritual and sacred significance.

==Invention==
Necromancy was invented by [[Rubiceye]] in the early part of the [[Mage Wars]], roughly 3500 [[B.G.A. System|B.G.A.]], though it is well known that the sorcerer began work on the magic long before. It is also well known that he made numerous failed attempts before perfecting the technique.

After its creation, Necromancy became hereditary in familial lines. Unlike other magicks which could be learned and practiced by any, Necromancy could only be performed by necromancers.

==Culture==
The necromancers' culture is very rich and deep.

===Nomenclature===
Necromancy cannot be learned; only those born with it can practice it. The power is believed to occur within an artificially created gene, originally bestowed by [[Rubiceye]].

The Necromancer, then, is both a people group and a type of mage.

The members of a particular group are called a temple, which also the name of the structure where most necromancer's live and practice. The collective noun for necromancer's is 'cult'. Often, this term will be used to refer to the entire temple; however within necromancer parlance a 'cult' specifically means "any gathering"

===Caste System===
The Necromancer's temple population is divided into four castes: Priest, Scholar, Warrior, and Worker (with the latter sometimes described as "Tradesmen"). Young necromancers usually follow into their parents' caste, but changing castes is not uncommon. Most necromancers belong to the worker caste. The priest caste rules the temple, the warrior caste defends it.

The rules depend on the temple, but in general one is not allowed to marry outside their caste. This is especially troubling for the warrior-caste, which tended to be heavily male-dominated. Warriors often could not take a wife and sometimes resorted to trilateral marriages. Another common solution was for a woman from the worker caste to officially join the warrior caste to be the wife of a warrior, without actually engaging in martial training herself.

The most diverse caste is that of scholar. Originally, the function of the scholar caste was closely tied to the priests; the scholars were responsible for recording the history the temple and helping the priests to inscribe spell books. In addition to history, the scholar-caste was responsible for recording any knowledge gained by the temple, and later with sharing this knowledge with other temples.

During Necromancy's Golden Age, the scholars largely remained just that: adding to the temple's knowledge, whatever was learned from outside sources. During this era, doctors, builders, and planners belonged to the worker-caste. As time passed, and the bodies of knowledge grew more complex, these and other jobs gradually shifted to the scholar-caste. Since most necromancers begin their caste-training in their early teens, this means that, for example, a doctor can begin studying at a very young age. Any trade, then, that required a great deal of study, became a part of the Scholar caste, which in turn caused the caste to grow.

While no necromancer is considered to have a dual-caste, there are many within a given temple who may have a gray area regarding their exact caste.

====Castes and Naming Conventions====
A necromancer's caste tended to have some impact on their name. Every necromancer has a given name, a common name, and a temple name. The given name is bestowed in a [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|special ceremony]] 8 days after birth; while the common name is generally what they go by (a sort of shorthand or nickname). The temple name is used in religious rituals and is taken up at the ''Ah'khat'ankq''.

Worker-caste necromancers tended to live in more traditional family units and used recognizable family names, often tied to the trade they practiced. The warrior-caste took up the name of their squad or regiment; these were sometimes handed down and even retained as descendants became part of the worker-caste.

Members of the priest caste took up elaborate titles relating to their roles within the temple. These could be very long and lead to senior priests having names consisting of several paragraphs.

Scholars typically used only a first name. This could be rather confusing, as the authorship of certain texts composed over hundreds of years might have dozens of contributors but only a few names. When two scholars within the same era had the same name, they might distinguish themselves by adding 'the elder' or 'the younger', but in general they kept whatever name they had chosen. To further compound the errors in such matters, while both men and women could be scholars, they tended towards unisex names which might belong to any gender.

===Orthodox vs. Conservative===
Necromancers are often referred to as being on a scale from orthodox to conservative. Necromancers on the ultra-orthodox side will live communally in a temple and spend all their time practicing rituals or otherwise engaged in devotional activities. The opposite end of the spectrum describes someone who is ethnically a necromancer but does not engage in any cultural or religious activities. All necromancers are said to be somewhere on the scale.

Of important note is that, at least pose-[[Imprisonment of the Necromancers|confinement]], neither side is considered "correct" or incorrect, but rather a symbol of your devotion. Necromancers believe each necromancer is called to demonstrate his or her devotion, and express it in whatever manner he or she sees fit.

===Physical Description===
Because all necromancers are descended from a particular people group, they all tend to have a similar physical description. They are on average shorter than the general population by around 6 inches. 'Tall' for a necromancer is 'average' for everyone else. They have olive-skin complexions, usually with dark hair and green or brown eyes. Hair is usually straight. They are known for smooth skin and very little body hair.

===Age-Mixing===
Necromancers have deep societal and religious taboos regarding age-mixing, especially as it takes place outside of Sunday mass rituals. While no formal doctrine exists, intimate relationships are restricted to individuals with no more than one to two years age difference. Social relationships are frowned upon unless in some sort of mentor/protegé configuration (such as teachers and students). Children are heavily encouraged only to socialize with peers of their own age (or at most 1-2 years difference) except for immediate family members (in the case of conservative necromancers) or specific, designated individuals in the event not enough children of the same age are available.

The origins of this taboo are unclear, but can be found all throughout the sacred texts and classical literature.

===Clothing===
Typical necromancer attire consists of long linen robes. Necromancer culture began in a desert region, and as such their style and aesthetics retain elements of these attributes. These are often tied at the waist with a sash and may be embroidered with beads. Bracelets and necklaces are also popular, as well as rings and earrings. Nearly all necromancers, both male and female, have pierced ears.

Females typically wear their hair tied back or braided, while males cut their hair short. A wide variety of hairstyles exist. Males and females also both typically wear heavy eye makeup. The cosmetics black out the entire area around the eye, stopping at the bridge of the nose but sometimes covering the eyebrows and down onto the cheeks. This is believed originally a ritualistic component evolved into every-day wear. There is no symbolic signficance to the eye makeup, and the exact shape and area covered is completely a matter of fashion.

In warmer climates, lighter, thinner robes are popular, as well as shorter ones. In especially warm areas, men might wear a half-robe that covers from the waist to the knees. The traditional female robe, or "temple dress", is a single piece of linen that covers them from about the knees up to just above the breasts. It is strapless and leaves the shoulders bare, and has a lon slit up the right hand-side that ends just above the hip. While formally a ceremonial garment, the temple dress is quite popular and many fashioned inspired by it can be seen in day-to-day wear.

===Family Unit===
Necromancers maintain a traditional family unit (mother, father, children) but live in a highly inter-connected society. Consanguinity is kept high in mind;–– that is to say knowing how various others are related to you and to what degree;–– but is only used to prevent inbreeding. Living in such close-knit groups, it is very important to keep the bloodline diverse.

Since necromancers typically live in communal buildings, a family unit might have a room or suite of rooms to themselves, used for sleeping, dressing, indoor recreation, and storing personal items. The family would be responsible for cleaning and maintaining these rooms.

Cooking and bathing are communal activities. Large kitchens produce meals for the entire temple, with dedicated staff who carry out all the requisite duties. A larger temple might have multiple kitchens. Cooking is usually done on a fairly large scale, and necromancer cuisine is not known for diversity.

The baths are segregated by age but not gender, to degree determined by the size of the temple. A very small temple may have only one bath, and designate different times of the day for different groups. The larger temples will have separate facilities in both for youth, young adults, older adults, and even the elderly. Young children typically bathe with their parents, while older children (starting around 8) go to the children's bath.

===Marriage===
Though it varies by temple, arranged marriages are not uncommon in necromancer society. There is no defined age of majority or age of consent, and the age of marriage also varies by temple. In larger temples, it is not uncommon for youth as young as 15 or 16 to marry, though this is a hold-over from the early days when life expectancies were much shorter.

Nearly all necromancers marry, including the priesthood (it is a requirement in some temples). A necromancer who remains single into adulthood is highly uncommon, and given the arrangments of necromanic society they would have a very difficult time.

Amongts the necromancers, a great deal of love poetry has been produced and preserved throughout the ages. It is perhaps one of the youth's favorite subjects upon which to muse.

Marriage outside the cult is unheard of, and happens extremly rarely. In the nearly 7,000 years between the creation of Necromancy and the destruction of the last temple in the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], only a few cases are documented. Of those, all took place in very small temples (populations of less than 100). Anyone marrying into the cult could never truly be a necromancer, and would be unable to participate in the ritualistic aspects of the necromancer lifestyle.

Some necromancers are known to have left the temple to wed an outsider. However, the archives do not give any indication of what happened to them.

=====Arranged Marriage=====
Arranged marriages typically happen amongst slightly older couples (late teens, early 20s), and is usually encouraged by the parents when neither party has found a suitable mate of its own.

Love is a very highly valued thing within the necromancer culture. Many of what are recorded as arranged marriages do happen between loving couples who merely seek the approval of their elders to wed.

Still others employ the help of matchmakers to find a suitable partner. Only very rarely are marriages arranged for political reasons.

=====Parentage, Love, and Sexuality=====
Necromancers typically consider the physical act of sexual contact to be separate from romance or love. While not common, if a father is unable to give his wife a child, she may go to another man; in this case there is no shame nor is the act considered adulterous. However, if a man were to express romantic feelings for a woman other than his wife, this would be a sacrilege.

Sexual activity is divided into three categories: for procreation, for spiritual enlightenment, and for physical pleasure. While all three of these can be put together in any combination, they are still regarded as highly distinct. Necromancers lack concepts such as orientation and virginity, and view sex as extremely natural and normal activity alongside eating and breathing. The only thing Necromancers find unusual is inter-generational relationships, so long as the partners are no more than a few years apart in age, virtually anything is acceptable.

=====Trilateral Marriage=====
During the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]], necromancers tended to live in smaller groups or temples. The practice of trilateral marriage(a marriage with three equal partners) began out of simple necessity. Because necromancers tend to disparage inter-generational relationships, there would frequently not be an even number of men and women within a particular generation. That era also heavily discouraged marriage outside of the temple(and indeed this was not even an option on the [[Arcol Steppe]]). The solution was to create marriages of three equal partners.

When possible it was preferred to pair two women with one man who was particularly strong with the magical aspects of necromancy. Marriages of two men to the same women were equally as common. The practice fell out of favor during the latter portions of the [[Mage Wars]], but was revived in the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] with new religious significance. A typical trilateral marriage is a democracy requiring a two-third majority to make any decisions.

Sacred marriage and sacred sex had always played a role in both ritual and practical aspects of necromancer life. Trilateral religious marriages were practiced by both the [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] necromancers, but for different reasons. Among the [[Grey Temple]], it was done deliberately to breed stronger necromancers, and exclusively with one man and two women. In the [[Green Temple]], the practice was used primarily to fulfill ritualistic roles; the trifles were always members of the priest caste(no matter the combination) and represented various aspects of dieties, carrying out specific ceremonies. Worker-caste trilateral marriages were also accepted in both theologies out of neccessity.

After the [[Necromanic Wars|necromanic wars]] the practice died out, with the remaining population of Necromancers confined to a single temple in [[Arindell]], many of their practices and customs became defined entirely by the area in which they were confined.

Little information survives about how necromancy changed during the [[Long Night]]. During the era of the [[New Day]], the practices of trilateral marriage were revived for the purposes of religious ritual. Though not forbidden, reformed necromancy abolished the caste system and removed the taboo of marrying outside the temple, so there has been no need for trilateral marriages among anyone besides the priests and priesteses.

In a sacred trilateral marriage one member is a priest or priestess, while the other two form two aspects of a specific deity. These marriages are also practical, in that the thruple live together and engage in sexual activities. Some of these are ritual in nature.

===Economy===
Internally, Necromancers do not use a monetary system. Because their organizational strucutre is communal, food, clothing, and housing are provided by group effort. The support systems for these areas are also carried out communaly, with individuals learning trades as needed. Basic personal items are provided to indivudals by crafters, who often emblish them with artistic decorations. A barter system is very common within the temple, with craftsmen trading wares and favors.

One Necromancer explained it thusly: ''"If I am a Hatter, I make hats. I am provided with tools and materials as needed. If you come into my workshop and ask me for a hat, I shall provide you one. However, if you desire a particularly fine hat, you should bring me something to offer in trade."''

Necromancers typically value the effort placed into producing an item over any precised monetary value of the materials. Hence, golden jewelry could be traded for wooden beads, if the beads took more work to produce.

This system, however, does not extend outside of the temple, and Necromancer traders who sell their wares to outsiders are known to be particularly shrewd. It does help that what they sell tends to be of the highest quality.

===Games===
====Ko'r't====
Ko'r't, commonly translated simply as 'court' or spelled phonetically as 'kort' is a blanket title for a variety of ball games. The most common version, Foot Kort, is roughly similar to soccer, but has numerous derivations and levels of rules and strategy. The games are played by Necromancers as well as outsiders who live in the vicinity, with Necromancers commonly inviting their neighbors to a friendly game. While much ritual significance has been ascribed to the various derivations of kort, the Necromancers will readily admit it really is just a game.

While hundreds of permutations exist, Kort is most often played in three different forms: Traditional, Floor, and Foot.

A traditional game of Kort requires a playing field with a hardened floor and a painted series of grids, flat walls on three sides, and a hoop for the goal mounted on one wall. The hoop can be as large as a few feet across or just barely bigger than the ball, depending on the skill and seriousness of the players. The game is played with two teams of two or three each, depending on the size of the playing field. In traditional Kort, only the hands and elbows can be used to engage with the ball, and the ball must bounce off at least one surface before making a goal or being engaged by another player. Players are allowed to catch and throw the ball, but must bounce it off either the wall or floor. The grid on the floor also denotes spaces where the players are allowed to set foot. Traditional Kort is the oldest and most ritualized form, and while competition between temples is often fierce, outsiders are still frequently welcomed to join in. While not a formal part of the religion, Kort is frequently used to resolve disputes or to make decisions.

Floor Kort is more common as the requirements for a playing field are far lower. A raised circular goal and a flat surface are still necessary, but the walls and grid are not. Floor Kort works on the same principles of bouncing the ball and striking only with the hands and elbows. As high quality rubber became more common, notions of 'dribbling'(similar to basketball) entered the game.

Foot Kort is the most common; it is, for all intents and purposes, soccer. No one is entirely sure which game was invented first, and how much was appropriated. The Necromancer 'version' of the game has rule-sets worded very differently and still uses a grid (like in Traditional) but changes from hands and elbows to feet and knees, and uses a soccer-style goal. Strangely, much more ritual significance is ascribed to Foot Kort by outsiders than to Necromancers (who regard it as healthy fun). Many outsiders, wrongly assuming certain things about Necromancy, will often assume all forms of Kort are treated the same, and believe Foot Kort is an ancient, highly ritualized game, and a matter of life and death.

During the [[New Day]] era, Foot Kort became a major form of outreach. Every temple and necromancer community had at least one field, and it was ''"never fenced, always open, always inviting to anyone"''. In cities that housed even small necromancer populations, they would organize (usually free) foot kort leagues as a way of being involved. This led to some clashes as soccer rose in popularity; the two games as played in the New Day era are close enough for opposing teams to compete. But while participating in a soccer league was usually required at least an entry fee and paying for one's own equipment, foot kort teams--especially those aimed at youths--were always free, and often gave away what little equipment was needed. This made Foot Kort the de facto sport of the lower classes, while the middle and uppers played soccer. Despite the two sports' extreme similarity, this has made for very serious business in the [[Final Foot Championship]] competitions.

There is one key difference between foot kort and soccer, though it does not matter even a little. While modern foot kort is largely a sport like any other, it is customary to wear a traditional head-covering called a ka'daim similar to a bandana (interchangeable for one, in fact). While this has no bearing on play, it is considered to be so important to the sport that Necromancers have been known to interrupt games and scold children for playing without one. Often, this proves embarrassing, as the children were in fact playing soccer.

====Wrestling====
The Necromancers have a traditional form of wrestling or grappling, an intrinsic part of their ritual life. The sport is played in a round sand pit, usually wetted to provide a more comfortable surface for falling and rolling on. The game requires two participants and a drummer to keep time. Much like Kort, wrestling is used to resolve disputes, but very much unlike it the skill of individual competitors is deliberately not tracked or considered.

The participants usually wear very little clothing. Barefoot with a small loincloth, or a piece of cloth around the breasts if the competitors are female. Hair is tied back into a braid or bun. Matches are very short, and over when the first competitor's shoulder touches the sand. Usually the ring will be surrounded by observers who will call out once they see a touch. The objective is to knock your opponent down on their back.

The time keeper is a drummer beating a very large and loud drum. While matches are sometimes held outdoors, most often they are in special chambers underground where the time keeper's rhythm can reverberate off the walls. The time keeper always faces away from the competitors. When a match is declared, the timekeeper begins a rhythmic beat, while the competitors hold absolutely still. When the timekeeper stops (at a time known only to him) the opponents move and attempt the win. The timed roll can land anywhere from a few seconds to an entire hour, with an important part of the ritual aspect being how tightly the competitors can hold their stance.

All physically fit Necromancers between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five are trained in this form of ritual combat, though those aged sixteen to twenty are preferred. The priests will choose two competitors of the same gender and similar height and build, and dispatch them to the ring while a timekeeper is called. The competitors will strip down and prepare, while the priests will either observe from afar or even wait in another chamber. The competitors will intentionally not be told which priest selected them or for what purpose, they will only be asked to compete.

The ritual significance of the rite holds that the fighters are enacting the will of the Necrosages, and the ritual is used as a way to let them settle disputes without being consulted directly. The ritual aspect of this ceremony is used to settle disagreements between priests, effectively as an elaborate coin-flip.

=====Croq-Wae=====
An extension of the traditional wrestling is Croq-Wae, the necromancer's martial art. It is a focused grappling technique that makes use of fast, close-in strikes to specific pressure points designed to cripple the opponent. Croq-Wae is explicitly designed for use in cramped quarters and meant to require very little physical strength. Its intended goal is to allow an emaciated prisoner to fight back against a healthy guard.

There is considerably more to it, and among the wider world it is known as one of the deadlier martial arts. However Croq-Wae cannot be used is tournaments and actual sparring is rare; because the "real" techniques tend to break bones or cause severe, permanent damage.

A Croq-Wae Master is called a Balga.

===Language===
{{#lsth:Endu}}

For a complete list of necromancer profanity, see [[Endu#Swear Words|Endu Swear Words]].

====Common Slang====
*''Fairly Wintering'' - a common parlance for "boring". The term comes from colder climates where the bulk of the temple population would have to stay indoors, below ground, for winter.

*''Ny-pep’no'' - a contraction of the [[Common]] word 'no' and 'pep'no', [[Endu]] for 'problem'. Used in a general sense to say "no problem" and sometimes more specifically in reference to things that might be a problem for a non-necromancer but aren't one for a necromancer.

===Literature===
{{:Necromancer Literature}}

===Bathing===
Necromancers practice communal ritual bathing in bath houses connected to the temple complex. The bathing ritual involves a full-body wash followed by a lengthy soak. The same baths are also used as a social space and may be the only place to wash for some poorer members or fully orthodox practioners. In keeping with the taboo on age-mixing, baths are divided by age group but not gender.

===Sex===
Necromancers are stereotypically considered very sexually active, with the common outsider belief being that all necromancer women are very easy and temples are just lousy with orgies.

The reality is much more complex, though not altogether inaccurate. Necromancers as a whole do not stigmatize sex, regarding it as a physical question rather than a moral one. They do not have a concept of "virginity". Even the most conservative groups do not view sex or pregnancy outside of marriage as being a problem. Group sex does happen and is viewed more as a matter of preference than anything else.

On the sliding scale of conservative to orthodox, the more orthodox a necromancer is, the less likely they are to be in a committed relationship. In fully orthodox temples, necromancers practice open polyamory with fully communal living. Family units exist to provide nurturing and early structure, but all property is communal and the adults actually raising the children are seldom the biological parents.

From a statistical standpoint, more orthodox necromancers are likely to have had more sexual partners than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given demographic group. Those on the more conservative side tend towards the societal average. What sets necromancers apart statistically is their likelihood to have only had partners with a very narrow age window, generally no more than 3 years difference.

====Religious Elements====
Sex and sexuality play an important role in the necromancer religion. This is also part of what contributes to the stereotype or the "Necromancers worship sex!" attitude.

Sexual rituals do happen as a part of the necromancer religion. And very often these are carried out by temple chantresses and priests. However, unlike what outsiders believe, in most cases the individuals in question are already in a sexual relationship. Regular necromancers also routinely perform sexual rituals; but, again, this is between two or more parties already in a relationship. More intricate symbolic rituals (in which no actual sexual contact occurs) are a regular part of temple life.

The reality is that fertility plays an important, almost central role in the necromancer religion. Officially they worship death (that part is not a stereotype), but in order to die something has to live, and most things begin to live through sex. Originally fertility and birth played major roles in the necromancer religion. Among women especially fertility was considered very important. If a woman became pregnant regardless of her marital status it was viewed as a wonderful thing and proof of her ability to conceive. In [[Necromancer Literature|Endu and classic literature]], fertility is often described as a very important sexual trait and indeed extremely arousing to males.

The central role of fertility is inexorably tied to sexuality as, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pregnancy does not happen without sex. Necromancers have always been very open about this fact and saw no problems with depicting it in art and literature. Many temples are decorated with scenes outsiders view as extremely sexually explicit, but to the necromancers this is only part of the cycle of undeath.

After the [[Necromanic Wars]] and the subsequent [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]], their culture was forced to undergo some changes. With extremely strict population controls place, having children became a rather serious problem. The necromancer religion responded to this by shifting the focus from actual conception to the sex-act itself. Under the use of contraceptives or outright sterilization, priests and chantresses continued to engage in sexual rituals, while

====Prostitution====
Among the ongoing stigmas associated with necromancers is the belief by outsiders that their culture freely encourages prostitution. Many cite references in their religious texts and literature as proof of this. In reality, necromancers engage in sexual services at a rate no higher than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given economic bracket. The statistics are skewed noticeably by many necromancers being more economically disadvantaged. Further damaging the reputation is the tendency of young adult necromancers to engage in casual forms of prostitution with their peers, then later openly admit to this in surveys.

The stereotype comes from two places.

*In the necromancer religion, ritual sacred prostitution is practiced. In this ritual, women, usually temple chantresses, are seen to accept money in exchange for sex, the money is then used for the temple. However, the reality of this scenario is not at all what it appears: the money is being paid from the temple coffers, back to the temple coffers, the participants are strictly only priests and chantresses, and sex is not part of the ritual. The process is purely symbolic. It is believed that, at one time, there may have been lass sexual rituals practiced this way, but at least as early as the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] the ritual had become purely symbolic.

*In necromancer ''literature'' sex and prostitution are used frequently in elaborate metaphors. A common motif is a ritual in which all of the girls of a certain age in the temple must put on their temple dresses and sit on the steps, then wait until a man throws some money in her lap, and go and have sex with him. During the act, he will tear her dress. It is important to note that this situation is entirely fictional, and no known temple ever practiced such a ritual. In [[Necromancer Literature|literature]], descriptions of sacred prostitution can be used for any number of metaphoric purposes, often with multiple meanings. These kinds of mass rituals are also a very popular in necromancer pornography (both aimed at them and of the tan'nesh variety).

As far actual prostitution carried out by necromancers goes, their culture does not stigmatize the sex act itself or the exchange of money. However age-mixing is deeply taboo, so a necromancer who engaged in such acts would be shamed if the other party were much older or younger.

==Converts==
Not possible until after the Necromancers were freed in the first year of the [[Age of the Dragon]], converts, called Acolytes or Necromancer Acolytes, are outsiders who have adopted the necromancer faith. Acolytes subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Necromancy and participate in non-magical rituals. While Acolytes cannot join the priesthood (because they lack the magical ability), they are given the same respect within the cult as full-blooded Necromancers. Children born with one Acolyte parent and one Necromancer parent are similarly not stigmatized, and typically have full access to Necromancer magic; indicating the power might not be limited to their lineage.

==History==
===Ancient History===
"Long ago during the Mage Wars, a wizard named [[Isolia]] fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy."

[[Rubiceye]] was widely known to have many followers in the early days. Though not considered a politician, he was a good leader and an entire nation formed around him. He was a powerful mage and had many other powerful mages following him, and with the [[Mage Wars]] already in full swing, many people flocked to him.

The original name of his people group is now lost to history, though it is believed to have been similar in pronunciation to the name of the magic Rubiceye was to create. The customs and practices of those people, while not initially magical, were later adapted into the rituals of Necromancy.

===Mage Wars===
Around the middle of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], early Necromancers made their home on the [[Arcol Steppe]] at the north-eastern corner of the [[Agras Plain]]. The area was a high-altitude desert at the time, cold and very dry: ideal conditions for the activities Necromancers are known for. From [[B.G.A.]] 3528 until 3021, everything was going swimingly. This era is often known as the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]]. The magic and ritualistic lifestyle of necromancers solidified largely during this time; and while the region was mostly a loose association of temples, it was still a powerful force in the region.

The military and magical might of the Necromancers were able to defend their borders until the end of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]]. However, as the [[Mage Wars#The Intermediate Period|Intermediate Period]] began, they soon lost ground to other, stronger empires which had the advantage of off-world holdings to supply troops and war material. This led to, among other events, the [[Necromancer Wars]], a proxy conflict that gave rise to [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] ideology.

Amidst the peril of looming conquest, a [[Litch]] known as [[Kozek]] rose to power. Necromancers, while willing to defend themselves, had always been at their core a peaceful lot. Kozek had other ideas, and thought that, with some effort and guile, Necromancers could command a vast multi-world empire of their own.

His push caused a schism within the necromancer world. The region of Arcol, while large and populous, had never been an empire in its own right. Prior to Kozek's rise, the area had been a loose association of city-states that tended to cooperate well and support each other, but had no central leadership. Kozek sought to crown himself emperor, but not all necromancers agreed. Kozek's ideology became known as the [[Grey Temple]], and for the first time a true Necromancer nation was founded.

This, in turn, led to a mass exodus of Arcol, of many necromancers who refused to live under Kozek's rule. Still others remained in Arcol, bent on maintaining "the old ways" (by then known as [[Green Temple]] ideology). Weakened by the exodus and torn apart by internal struggle, Kozek's empire collapsed. The entire region of the Arcol Steppe, with its ancient and hallowed temples, had to be abandoned as the then-new [[Marcon Alliance]] had taken a liking to the territory.

Necromancers then spread throughout the [[known worlds]], founding new temples wherever they settled. Many Green Temples were initially welcomed with open arms, for the services they provided. Grey Temples sought more remote areas to settle, either landing in un-populated regions or enslaving local peoples. Many an empire rose and fell while backed by Grey Temple necromancers throughout the rest of the Mage Wars.

===Alliance Era===
When the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] began, some Necromancers sought to reclaim their ancestral homeland, but found Arcol (by this time a fertile and temperate region) populated by other peoples. Some Necromancers still lived there, and others were able to relocate; but the hope of rebuilding the old nation was impossible.

Instead, a large number of Necromancers settled in [[Serreth]], on the [[Sword Coast]], with designs on building a 'Most High' temple at the site. Others settled in [[Stormreaver Valley]], where yet another temple of supreme importance was constructed. These temples unfortunately saw both grey and green necromancers alike, as both ideologies sought a strong, centralized Necromancer nation.

~History~

In the Third Age, the Grey Temple under Arch-Lich [[Honoreck]] began a campaign to take over the [[Known Worlds]]; but they were stopped ultimately by [[Lal Soratami]]. This time-period is known as the [[Necromanic Wars]]. The few survivors (both Green and Grey) were corralled in [[Arindell]] for the next 3000-odd years, until the reign of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]; or else dispersed to obscure [[Planet]]s, where they became the [[Dark Order]]s.

==Other==
The [[Okina Gaori]] is an ancient Necromancer book and is often described as "the only think most outsiders know about Necromancy". In addition to hundreds of illustrations, it includes in-depth descriptions of many rituals. While parts of the book are still in use, necromanic scholars are quick to point out that none of the rituals described were ever actually used.

The word "[[Niktapede]]" is a slang term used to describe people who are racially intolerant of necromancers.

A related word, "[[Niktad]]", describes non-necromancer/non-acolytes who express an interest in necromancer culture and lifestyles without embracing the religious aspects of it. "Nickta-fever" refers to someone, most often a young woman, with a sexual attraction to necromancers.

==History (Original)==
Taken from [[The Reunion of the Eighth Power]] from [[The Path to Ascension]]:

Long ago during the [[Mage Wars]], a wizard named Isolia fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy. Using underworld magics he and his followers created a new path of magic: the Path of Necromancy. Together they raised ghoulish armies from the fallen corpses of their enemies, and trapped souls to be converted into terrible spells.
By the time the Mage Wars had ended, Necromancy had solidified into a full-blown religion. All the Necromancers were blood descendants of Isolia and his original followers, and all possessed the gift of Necromancy passed down from him. Because there were so many, [[Eieber]] decreed that the Necromancers could be allowed to live, if they swore never again to practice their grotesque birthright.

A hundred years passed, and Eieber went into the Light.

For five generations, the Necromancers had kept silent, staying in their own quiet villages, practicing their trade only amongst themselves. Now with Eieber dead they felt no reason to hide their art anymore.

Two great followings were established: the Grey Temple and the Green Temple. Necromancers of the Green Temple believed the power of Necromancy could be used for a greater good. They reanimated corpses for use as laborers, and raised souls only to comfort those left alive after a tragedy.

Despite their intentions, the Green Necromancers were much hated and feared by people who simply didn’t understand them, and so more and more Necromancers turned to the Grey Temple.

The Grey Necromancers used their power for one thing: gaining more power. An uneasy alliance was forged, but the Grey Necromancers still grew rapidly in numbers, and spread across the Multi-Verse like a slow tide of terror.

Finally, over two thousand years after Eieber’s death, the Necromancers of the Grey temple plunged the [[Multi-Verse]] into a chaotic battle the likes of which had not been seen since the depths of the Mage Wars.

Despite fighting valiantly against the Grey Necromancers, the Green Temple was still much hated and feared, and their highest pantheon was ransacked and burned. Even with this crushing blow, the Green Necromancers still forged an alliance with the Slayer Dragons to strike out against the real enemy.

After forty years of fighting, the Grey Temple finally fell, and the Necromancy Wars ended. [[Lal Soratami]], the Pendragon anointed during the war, outlawed Necromancy once and for all, and gathered up all the remaining Necromancers in a new temple where he could watch them.

Those who did not willfully enter the [[Necromancy Temple]] established in [[Arindell]] were killed, and their bodies burned: the greatest insult a Necromancer could know. The temple in Arindell became the last bastion of Necromancy in the World of Life.

Things must have been desperate if they were using a Necromancer.

The sword he carried was a simple one-handed short sword that was inexpertly crafted, and it looked like he was talking to it.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancy

2025-12-03T23:59:18Z

Siddharth1: /* Sex */

Necromancy is a form of magic practiced by Necromancers. 'Necro–' meaning 'dead', it specifically deals with re-animating dead things and returning dead souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancy is among the types of [[Magic|magic]] that is strictly inherited, therefore only those born into the fold can practice it. This has allowed a rich and ancient culture to form around the practice.

Despite its heavy emphasis on death, the core of necromancy is actually about life. Necromancers believe that life is made possible through a generative encounter. Without life, there is no death; so that generative encounter is at the very heart of their belief system.

==Magic==
Nearly all necromancers can use the magic of necromancy to one degree or another; for most, it is fairly limited. Anyone demonstrating a high degree of potential with the art will be made a part of the priest caste, and assist with the temple's rituals.

Necromancy itself has two major parts: the re-animation of the undead, and the raising of souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancers have also found ways to turn their power to various other endeavors, often wielding it in a fashion similar to more main-stream [[Magic]]. There are some caveats; necromancy has no healing capability, nor can it see or harness the elements. But it can be used to grant great strength and to perform attacks.

Many necromancers are also competent, occasionally highly-skilled mages along the normal lines of magic.

===Re-Animation===
Re-animation magic is the mainstay of the Necromancer's workforce, and perhaps their best known trick. The process involves animating a dead life-form and making it [[Types of Undead|un-dead]]. The basic form of this spell typically has a very short duration, and the fresher the corpse, the easier it is to animate. Re-animation is typically focused around creating mindless worker-drones who can preform simple tasks and follow orders; part of the magic is in simply controlling them. A necromancer can directly control a single undead to carry out complex steps, or impose will over a group to guide them through a simpler task. Anything requiring a great deal of skill still requires a living touch, but undead can also provide a useful power-source. Necromancer farms require no windmills, for the undead turn the cranks day and night and need no rest.

Some undead can be made to carry out more difficult tasks if they had performed such tasks in life. A cobbler, for example, when re-animated and seated before a workbench and supplied with tools and materials, can be made to continue producing shoes. In such an instance, the undead would be able to produce only a single design of shoe, over and over again, but could likely achieve the same level of quality as in life.

Undead must be preserved and maintained, so mummification is often undertaken. In wetter climates where keeping a body dry is impractical, necromancers will often strip the flesh and keep only the skeleton, which can be animated with ease.

===Raising of Souls===
The raising of souls involves bringing back a shade or ghost of the dead from the underworld and allowing them to commune with the living. This is completely different from re-animating corpses, as the shade has all the memories and personality of its former life, and is fully cognizant of its surroundings.

A raised soul has a fusion of both the conscious and the unconscious mind of the individual, granting access to much greater knowledge and understanding than it may have had in life. The shade can speak, though only in its native tongue, and can even move about. Depending on the strength of the shade, the skill of the necromancer, and the potency of the spell, the shade may even take on a fully corporeal form. In most cases, it will appear only as a shadow; sometimes only as a head, with only vaguely distinguishable features.

Shades can only exist in the living world within a ritual site, and will return to the underworld if the ritual is disturbed. A necromantically-summoned shade should not be confused with the widely known creatures of darkness caused by the abuse of dark magics.

The most difficult task among necromancers, the fusion of the undead with the raised, creates a powerful being called a [[Litch]].

==Terminology and Belief System==
Necromancy is practiced by mages called Necromancers, to whom it is both a religon and a form of magic. Their entire culture revolves around this practice.

The group noun for necromancers is cult, so a bunch of necromancers would be called a cult of necromancers. This term can be used to describe either a number of necromancers or a specific settlment. A permanent settlement is called a [[Necromancy Temple|Temple]]; this refers both to the structure and to the necromancers therein.

Necromancers worship death, understanding that it is not an end but a change, and one they can reverse to a degree. They value history and are known for extensive record-keeping. Much information about the [[Mage Wars]] was chronicled in Necromancer [[Necromancy Temple|temples]].

===Ideologies in Necromancy===
[[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] describe two differing ideologies of Necromancy, with all Grey Temple necromancers having been put to death by the end of the fifth century of the [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]] at the order of [[Pendragon]] [[Lal Soratami|Soratami]]. This followed the [[Necromanic Wars]].

===Priesthood===
Any blood necromancer has access to the necromanic magics and is thus eligible to join the priesthood. Traditionally, the men are called priests and woman are called chantresses. Though the power strucuture and dynamic has changed over the [[Ages]], in the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] priestesses had more power with fewer restrictions. This is believed to relate to the central role fertility and femininity played especially in [[Green Temple]] ideology.

The main function of the priesthood is to delineates a regular necromancer from those practicing of necromancer magic. Because the magic is so heavily tied to the religious and spiritual aspects of necromancy, the process of learning the magic requires being inducted into the priesthood. Whether priest or chantress, a necromancer who demonstrates power to command the undead and completes certain religious rites will receive the title "[[Servant in the House of Truth]]". Other titles will be bestowed as more rites are completed or status attained within the temple hierarchy.

====Leadership====
Necromancy temples are lead by a group of High Temple Priests and High Temple Chantresses. This means that only magic-using necromancers are able to hold leadership roles, which in turn encourages as many necromancers as possible to practice the dark arts.

===Masonry===
Masonry plays a minor but important role in the religious side of Necromancy. Necromancers believe that once a stone has been cut and shaped, it cannot be cut again. The act of carving bricks also carried ritual and sacred significance.

==Invention==
Necromancy was invented by [[Rubiceye]] in the early part of the [[Mage Wars]], roughly 3500 [[B.G.A. System|B.G.A.]], though it is well known that the sorcerer began work on the magic long before. It is also well known that he made numerous failed attempts before perfecting the technique.

After its creation, Necromancy became hereditary in familial lines. Unlike other magicks which could be learned and practiced by any, Necromancy could only be performed by necromancers.

==Culture==
The necromancers' culture is very rich and deep.

===Nomenclature===
Necromancy cannot be learned; only those born with it can practice it. The power is believed to occur within an artificially created gene, originally bestowed by [[Rubiceye]].

The Necromancer, then, is both a people group and a type of mage.

The members of a particular group are called a temple, which also the name of the structure where most necromancer's live and practice. The collective noun for necromancer's is 'cult'. Often, this term will be used to refer to the entire temple; however within necromancer parlance a 'cult' specifically means "any gathering"

===Caste System===
The Necromancer's temple population is divided into four castes: Priest, Scholar, Warrior, and Worker (with the latter sometimes described as "Tradesmen"). Young necromancers usually follow into their parents' caste, but changing castes is not uncommon. Most necromancers belong to the worker caste. The priest caste rules the temple, the warrior caste defends it.

The rules depend on the temple, but in general one is not allowed to marry outside their caste. This is especially troubling for the warrior-caste, which tended to be heavily male-dominated. Warriors often could not take a wife and sometimes resorted to trilateral marriages. Another common solution was for a woman from the worker caste to officially join the warrior caste to be the wife of a warrior, without actually engaging in martial training herself.

The most diverse caste is that of scholar. Originally, the function of the scholar caste was closely tied to the priests; the scholars were responsible for recording the history the temple and helping the priests to inscribe spell books. In addition to history, the scholar-caste was responsible for recording any knowledge gained by the temple, and later with sharing this knowledge with other temples.

During Necromancy's Golden Age, the scholars largely remained just that: adding to the temple's knowledge, whatever was learned from outside sources. During this era, doctors, builders, and planners belonged to the worker-caste. As time passed, and the bodies of knowledge grew more complex, these and other jobs gradually shifted to the scholar-caste. Since most necromancers begin their caste-training in their early teens, this means that, for example, a doctor can begin studying at a very young age. Any trade, then, that required a great deal of study, became a part of the Scholar caste, which in turn caused the caste to grow.

While no necromancer is considered to have a dual-caste, there are many within a given temple who may have a gray area regarding their exact caste.

====Castes and Naming Conventions====
A necromancer's caste tended to have some impact on their name. Every necromancer has a given name, a common name, and a temple name. The given name is bestowed in a [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|special ceremony]] 8 days after birth; while the common name is generally what they go by (a sort of shorthand or nickname). The temple name is used in religious rituals and is taken up at the ''Ah'khat'ankq''.

Worker-caste necromancers tended to live in more traditional family units and used recognizable family names, often tied to the trade they practiced. The warrior-caste took up the name of their squad or regiment; these were sometimes handed down and even retained as descendants became part of the worker-caste.

Members of the priest caste took up elaborate titles relating to their roles within the temple. These could be very long and lead to senior priests having names consisting of several paragraphs.

Scholars typically used only a first name. This could be rather confusing, as the authorship of certain texts composed over hundreds of years might have dozens of contributors but only a few names. When two scholars within the same era had the same name, they might distinguish themselves by adding 'the elder' or 'the younger', but in general they kept whatever name they had chosen. To further compound the errors in such matters, while both men and women could be scholars, they tended towards unisex names which might belong to any gender.

===Orthodox vs. Conservative===
Necromancers are often referred to as being on a scale from orthodox to conservative. Necromancers on the ultra-orthodox side will live communally in a temple and spend all their time practicing rituals or otherwise engaged in devotional activities. The opposite end of the spectrum describes someone who is ethnically a necromancer but does not engage in any cultural or religious activities. All necromancers are said to be somewhere on the scale.

Of important note is that, at least pose-[[Imprisonment of the Necromancers|confinement]], neither side is considered "correct" or incorrect, but rather a symbol of your devotion. Necromancers believe each necromancer is called to demonstrate his or her devotion, and express it in whatever manner he or she sees fit.

===Physical Description===
Because all necromancers are descended from a particular people group, they all tend to have a similar physical description. They are on average shorter than the general population by around 6 inches. 'Tall' for a necromancer is 'average' for everyone else. They have olive-skin complexions, usually with dark hair and green or brown eyes. Hair is usually straight. They are known for smooth skin and very little body hair.

===Age-Mixing===
Necromancers have deep societal and religious taboos regarding age-mixing, especially as it takes place outside of Sunday mass rituals. While no formal doctrine exists, intimate relationships are restricted to individuals with no more than one to two years age difference. Social relationships are frowned upon unless in some sort of mentor/mentee configuration(such as teachers and students). Children are heavily encouraged only to socialize with peers of their own age(or at most 1-2 years difference) except for immediate family members(in the case of conservative necromancers) or specific, designated individuals in the event not enough children of the same age are available.

The origins of this taboo are unclear, but can be found all throughout the sacred texts and classical literature.

===Clothing===
Typical necromancer attire consists of long linen robes. Necromancer culture began in a desert region, and as such their style and aesthetics retain elements of these attributes. These are often tied at the waist with a sash and may be embroidered with beads. Bracelets and necklaces are also popular, as well as rings and earrings. Nearly all necromancers, both male and female, have pierced ears.

Females typically wear their hair tied back or braided, while males cut their hair short. A wide variety of hairstyles exist. Males and females also both typically wear heavy eye makeup. The cosmetics black out the entire area around the eye, stopping at the bridge of the nose but sometimes covering the eyebrows and down onto the cheeks. This is believed originally a ritualistic component evolved into every-day wear. There is no symbolic signficance to the eye makeup, and the exact shape and area covered is completely a matter of fashion.

In warmer climates, lighter, thinner robes are popular, as well as shorter ones. In especially warm areas, men might wear a half-robe that covers from the waist to the knees. The traditional female robe, or "temple dress", is a single piece of linen that covers them from about the knees up to just above the breasts. It is strapless and leaves the shoulders bare, and has a lon slit up the right hand-side that ends just above the hip. While formally a ceremonial garment, the temple dress is quite popular and many fashioned inspired by it can be seen in day-to-day wear.

===Family Unit===
Necromancers maintain a traditional family unit (mother, father, children) but live in a highly inter-connected society. Consanguinity is kept high in mind;–– that is to say knowing how various others are related to you and to what degree;–– but is only used to prevent inbreeding. Living in such close-knit groups, it is very important to keep the bloodline diverse.

Since necromancers typically live in communal buildings, a family unit might have a room or suite of rooms to themselves, used for sleeping, dressing, indoor recreation, and storing personal items. The family would be responsible for cleaning and maintaining these rooms.

Cooking and bathing are communal activities. Large kitchens produce meals for the entire temple, with dedicated staff who carry out all the requisite duties. A larger temple might have multiple kitchens. Cooking is usually done on a fairly large scale, and necromancer cuisine is not known for diversity.

The baths are segregated by age but not gender, to degree determined by the size of the temple. A very small temple may have only one bath, and designate different times of the day for different groups. The larger temples will have separate facilities in both for youth, young adults, older adults, and even the elderly. Young children typically bathe with their parents, while older children (starting around 8) go to the children's bath.

===Marriage===
Though it varies by temple, arranged marriages are not uncommon in necromancer society. There is no defined age of majority or age of consent, and the age of marriage also varies by temple. In larger temples, it is not uncommon for youth as young as 15 or 16 to marry, though this is a hold-over from the early days when life expectancies were much shorter.

Nearly all necromancers marry, including the priesthood (it is a requirement in some temples). A necromancer who remains single into adulthood is highly uncommon, and given the arrangments of necromanic society they would have a very difficult time.

Amongts the necromancers, a great deal of love poetry has been produced and preserved throughout the ages. It is perhaps one of the youth's favorite subjects upon which to muse.

Marriage outside the cult is unheard of, and happens extremly rarely. In the nearly 7,000 years between the creation of Necromancy and the destruction of the last temple in the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], only a few cases are documented. Of those, all took place in very small temples (populations of less than 100). Anyone marrying into the cult could never truly be a necromancer, and would be unable to participate in the ritualistic aspects of the necromancer lifestyle.

Some necromancers are known to have left the temple to wed an outsider. However, the archives do not give any indication of what happened to them.

=====Arranged Marriage=====
Arranged marriages typically happen amongst slightly older couples (late teens, early 20s), and is usually encouraged by the parents when neither party has found a suitable mate of its own.

Love is a very highly valued thing within the necromancer culture. Many of what are recorded as arranged marriages do happen between loving couples who merely seek the approval of their elders to wed.

Still others employ the help of matchmakers to find a suitable partner. Only very rarely are marriages arranged for political reasons.

=====Parentage, Love, and Sexuality=====
Necromancers typically consider the physical act of sexual contact to be separate from romance or love. While not common, if a father is unable to give his wife a child, she may go to another man; in this case there is no shame nor is the act considered adulterous. However, if a man were to express romantic feelings for a woman other than his wife, this would be a sacrilege.

Sexual activity is divided into three categories: for procreation, for spiritual enlightenment, and for physical pleasure. While all three of these can be put together in any combination, they are still regarded as highly distinct. Necromancers lack concepts such as orientation and virginity, and view sex as extremely natural and normal activity alongside eating and breathing. The only thing Necromancers find unusual is inter-generational relationships, so long as the partners are no more than a few years apart in age, virtually anything is acceptable.

=====Trilateral Marriage=====
During the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]], necromancers tended to live in smaller groups or temples. The practice of trilateral marriage(a marriage with three equal partners) began out of simple necessity. Because necromancers tend to disparage inter-generational relationships, there would frequently not be an even number of men and women within a particular generation. That era also heavily discouraged marriage outside of the temple(and indeed this was not even an option on the [[Arcol Steppe]]). The solution was to create marriages of three equal partners.

When possible it was preferred to pair two women with one man who was particularly strong with the magical aspects of necromancy. Marriages of two men to the same women were equally as common. The practice fell out of favor during the latter portions of the [[Mage Wars]], but was revived in the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] with new religious significance. A typical trilateral marriage is a democracy requiring a two-third majority to make any decisions.

Sacred marriage and sacred sex had always played a role in both ritual and practical aspects of necromancer life. Trilateral religious marriages were practiced by both the [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] necromancers, but for different reasons. Among the [[Grey Temple]], it was done deliberately to breed stronger necromancers, and exclusively with one man and two women. In the [[Green Temple]], the practice was used primarily to fulfill ritualistic roles; the trifles were always members of the priest caste(no matter the combination) and represented various aspects of dieties, carrying out specific ceremonies. Worker-caste trilateral marriages were also accepted in both theologies out of neccessity.

After the [[Necromanic Wars|necromanic wars]] the practice died out, with the remaining population of Necromancers confined to a single temple in [[Arindell]], many of their practices and customs became defined entirely by the area in which they were confined.

Little information survives about how necromancy changed during the [[Long Night]]. During the era of the [[New Day]], the practices of trilateral marriage were revived for the purposes of religious ritual. Though not forbidden, reformed necromancy abolished the caste system and removed the taboo of marrying outside the temple, so there has been no need for trilateral marriages among anyone besides the priests and priesteses.

In a sacred trilateral marriage one member is a priest or priestess, while the other two form two aspects of a specific deity. These marriages are also practical, in that the thruple live together and engage in sexual activities. Some of these are ritual in nature.

===Economy===
Internally, Necromancers do not use a monetary system. Because their organizational strucutre is communal, food, clothing, and housing are provided by group effort. The support systems for these areas are also carried out communaly, with individuals learning trades as needed. Basic personal items are provided to indivudals by crafters, who often emblish them with artistic decorations. A barter system is very common within the temple, with craftsmen trading wares and favors.

One Necromancer explained it thusly: ''"If I am a Hatter, I make hats. I am provided with tools and materials as needed. If you come into my workshop and ask me for a hat, I shall provide you one. However, if you desire a particularly fine hat, you should bring me something to offer in trade."''

Necromancers typically value the effort placed into producing an item over any precised monetary value of the materials. Hence, golden jewelry could be traded for wooden beads, if the beads took more work to produce.

This system, however, does not extend outside of the temple, and Necromancer traders who sell their wares to outsiders are known to be particularly shrewd. It does help that what they sell tends to be of the highest quality.

===Games===
====Ko'r't====
Ko'r't, commonly translated simply as 'court' or spelled phonetically as 'kort' is a blanket title for a variety of ball games. The most common version, Foot Kort, is roughly similar to soccer, but has numerous derivations and levels of rules and strategy. The games are played by Necromancers as well as outsiders who live in the vicinity, with Necromancers commonly inviting their neighbors to a friendly game. While much ritual significance has been ascribed to the various derivations of kort, the Necromancers will readily admit it really is just a game.

While hundreds of permutations exist, Kort is most often played in three different forms: Traditional, Floor, and Foot.

A traditional game of Kort requires a playing field with a hardened floor and a painted series of grids, flat walls on three sides, and a hoop for the goal mounted on one wall. The hoop can be as large as a few feet across or just barely bigger than the ball, depending on the skill and seriousness of the players. The game is played with two teams of two or three each, depending on the size of the playing field. In traditional Kort, only the hands and elbows can be used to engage with the ball, and the ball must bounce off at least one surface before making a goal or being engaged by another player. Players are allowed to catch and throw the ball, but must bounce it off either the wall or floor. The grid on the floor also denotes spaces where the players are allowed to set foot. Traditional Kort is the oldest and most ritualized form, and while competition between temples is often fierce, outsiders are still frequently welcomed to join in. While not a formal part of the religion, Kort is frequently used to resolve disputes or to make decisions.

Floor Kort is more common as the requirements for a playing field are far lower. A raised circular goal and a flat surface are still necessary, but the walls and grid are not. Floor Kort works on the same principles of bouncing the ball and striking only with the hands and elbows. As high quality rubber became more common, notions of 'dribbling'(similar to basketball) entered the game.

Foot Kort is the most common; it is, for all intents and purposes, soccer. No one is entirely sure which game was invented first, and how much was appropriated. The Necromancer 'version' of the game has rule-sets worded very differently and still uses a grid (like in Traditional) but changes from hands and elbows to feet and knees, and uses a soccer-style goal. Strangely, much more ritual significance is ascribed to Foot Kort by outsiders than to Necromancers (who regard it as healthy fun). Many outsiders, wrongly assuming certain things about Necromancy, will often assume all forms of Kort are treated the same, and believe Foot Kort is an ancient, highly ritualized game, and a matter of life and death.

During the [[New Day]] era, Foot Kort became a major form of outreach. Every temple and necromancer community had at least one field, and it was ''"never fenced, always open, always inviting to anyone"''. In cities that housed even small necromancer populations, they would organize (usually free) foot kort leagues as a way of being involved. This led to some clashes as soccer rose in popularity; the two games as played in the New Day era are close enough for opposing teams to compete. But while participating in a soccer league was usually required at least an entry fee and paying for one's own equipment, foot kort teams--especially those aimed at youths--were always free, and often gave away what little equipment was needed. This made Foot Kort the de facto sport of the lower classes, while the middle and uppers played soccer. Despite the two sports' extreme similarity, this has made for very serious business in the [[Final Foot Championship]] competitions.

There is one key difference between foot kort and soccer, though it does not matter even a little. While modern foot kort is largely a sport like any other, it is customary to wear a traditional head-covering called a ka'daim similar to a bandana (interchangeable for one, in fact). While this has no bearing on play, it is considered to be so important to the sport that Necromancers have been known to interrupt games and scold children for playing without one. Often, this proves embarrassing, as the children were in fact playing soccer.

====Wrestling====
The Necromancers have a traditional form of wrestling or grappling, an intrinsic part of their ritual life. The sport is played in a round sand pit, usually wetted to provide a more comfortable surface for falling and rolling on. The game requires two participants and a drummer to keep time. Much like Kort, wrestling is used to resolve disputes, but very much unlike it the skill of individual competitors is deliberately not tracked or considered.

The participants usually wear very little clothing. Barefoot with a small loincloth, or a piece of cloth around the breasts if the competitors are female. Hair is tied back into a braid or bun. Matches are very short, and over when the first competitor's shoulder touches the sand. Usually the ring will be surrounded by observers who will call out once they see a touch. The objective is to knock your opponent down on their back.

The time keeper is a drummer beating a very large and loud drum. While matches are sometimes held outdoors, most often they are in special chambers underground where the time keeper's rhythm can reverberate off the walls. The time keeper always faces away from the competitors. When a match is declared, the timekeeper begins a rhythmic beat, while the competitors hold absolutely still. When the timekeeper stops (at a time known only to him) the opponents move and attempt the win. The timed roll can land anywhere from a few seconds to an entire hour, with an important part of the ritual aspect being how tightly the competitors can hold their stance.

All physically fit Necromancers between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five are trained in this form of ritual combat, though those aged sixteen to twenty are preferred. The priests will choose two competitors of the same gender and similar height and build, and dispatch them to the ring while a timekeeper is called. The competitors will strip down and prepare, while the priests will either observe from afar or even wait in another chamber. The competitors will intentionally not be told which priest selected them or for what purpose, they will only be asked to compete.

The ritual significance of the rite holds that the fighters are enacting the will of the Necrosages, and the ritual is used as a way to let them settle disputes without being consulted directly. The ritual aspect of this ceremony is used to settle disagreements between priests, effectively as an elaborate coin-flip.

=====Croq-Wae=====
An extension of the traditional wrestling is Croq-Wae, the necromancer's martial art. It is a focused grappling technique that makes use of fast, close-in strikes to specific pressure points designed to cripple the opponent. Croq-Wae is explicitly designed for use in cramped quarters and meant to require very little physical strength. Its intended goal is to allow an emaciated prisoner to fight back against a healthy guard.

There is considerably more to it, and among the wider world it is known as one of the deadlier martial arts. However Croq-Wae cannot be used is tournaments and actual sparring is rare; because the "real" techniques tend to break bones or cause severe, permanent damage.

A Croq-Wae Master is called a Balga.

===Language===
{{#lsth:Endu}}

For a complete list of necromancer profanity, see [[Endu#Swear Words|Endu Swear Words]].

====Common Slang====
*''Fairly Wintering'' - a common parlance for "boring". The term comes from colder climates where the bulk of the temple population would have to stay indoors, below ground, for winter.

*''Ny-pep’no'' - a contraction of the [[Common]] word 'no' and 'pep'no', [[Endu]] for 'problem'. Used in a general sense to say "no problem" and sometimes more specifically in reference to things that might be a problem for a non-necromancer but aren't one for a necromancer.

===Literature===
{{:Necromancer Literature}}

===Bathing===
Necromancers practice communal ritual bathing in bath houses connected to the temple complex. The bathing ritual involves a full-body wash followed by a lengthy soak. The same baths are also used as a social space and may be the only place to wash for some poorer members or fully orthodox practioners. In keeping with the taboo on age-mixing, baths are divided by age group but not gender.

===Sex===
Necromancers are stereotypically considered very sexually active, with the common outsider belief being that all necromancer women are very easy and temples are just lousy with orgies.

The reality is much more complex, though not altogether inaccurate. Necromancers as a whole do not stigmatize sex, regarding it as a physical question rather than a moral one. They do not have a concept of "virginity". Even the most conservative groups do not view sex or pregnancy outside of marriage as being a problem. Group sex does happen and is viewed more as a matter of preference than anything else.

On the sliding scale of conservative to orthodox, the more orthodox a necromancer is, the less likely they are to be in a committed relationship. In fully orthodox temples, necromancers practice open polyamory with fully communal living. Family units exist to provide nurturing and early structure, but all property is communal and the adults actually raising the children are seldom the biological parents.

From a statistical standpoint, more orthodox necromancers are likely to have had more sexual partners than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given demographic group. Those on the more conservative side tend towards the societal average. What sets necromancers apart statistically is their likelihood to have only had partners with a very narrow age window, generally no more than 3 years difference.

====Religious Elements====
Sex and sexuality play an important role in the necromancer religion. This is also part of what contributes to the stereotype or the "Necromancers worship sex!" attitude.

Sexual rituals do happen as a part of the necromancer religion. And very often these are carried out by temple chantresses and priests. However, unlike what outsiders believe, in most cases the individuals in question are already in a sexual relationship. Regular necromancers also routinely perform sexual rituals; but, again, this is between two or more parties already in a relationship. More intricate symbolic rituals (in which no actual sexual contact occurs) are a regular part of temple life.

The reality is that fertility plays an important, almost central role in the necromancer religion. Officially they worship death (that part is not a stereotype), but in order to die something has to live, and most things begin to live through sex. Originally fertility and birth played major roles in the necromancer religion. Among women especially fertility was considered very important. If a woman became pregnant regardless of her marital status it was viewed as a wonderful thing and proof of her ability to conceive. In [[Necromancer Literature|Endu and classic literature]], fertility is often described as a very important sexual trait and indeed extremely arousing to males.

The central role of fertility is inexorably tied to sexuality as, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pregnancy does not happen without sex. Necromancers have always been very open about this fact and saw no problems with depicting it in art and literature. Many temples are decorated with scenes outsiders view as extremely sexually explicit, but to the necromancers this is only part of the cycle of undeath.

After the [[Necromanic Wars]] and the subsequent [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]], their culture was forced to undergo some changes. With extremely strict population controls place, having children became a rather serious problem. The necromancer religion responded to this by shifting the focus from actual conception to the sex-act itself. Under the use of contraceptives or outright sterilization, priests and chantresses continued to engage in sexual rituals, while

====Prostitution====
Among the ongoing stigmas associated with necromancers is the belief by outsiders that their culture freely encourages prostitution. Many cite references in their religious texts and literature as proof of this. In reality, necromancers engage in sexual services at a rate no higher than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given economic bracket. The statistics are skewed noticeably by many necromancers being more economically disadvantaged. Further damaging the reputation is the tendency of young adult necromancers to engage in casual forms of prostitution with their peers, then later openly admit to this in surveys.

The stereotype comes from two places.

*In the necromancer religion, ritual sacred prostitution is practiced. In this ritual, women, usually temple chantresses, are seen to accept money in exchange for sex, the money is then used for the temple. However, the reality of this scenario is not at all what it appears: the money is being paid from the temple coffers, back to the temple coffers, the participants are strictly only priests and chantresses, and sex is not part of the ritual. The process is purely symbolic. It is believed that, at one time, there may have been lass sexual rituals practiced this way, but at least as early as the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] the ritual had become purely symbolic.

*In necromancer ''literature'' sex and prostitution are used frequently in elaborate metaphors. A common motif is a ritual in which all of the girls of a certain age in the temple must put on their temple dresses and sit on the steps, then wait until a man throws some money in her lap, and go and have sex with him. During the act, he will tear her dress. It is important to note that this situation is entirely fictional, and no known temple ever practiced such a ritual. In [[Necromancer Literature|literature]], descriptions of sacred prostitution can be used for any number of metaphoric purposes, often with multiple meanings. These kinds of mass rituals are also a very popular in necromancer pornography (both aimed at them and of the tan'nesh variety).

As far actual prostitution carried out by necromancers goes, their culture does not stigmatize the sex act itself or the exchange of money. However age-mixing is deeply taboo, so a necromancer who engaged in such acts would be shamed if the other party were much older or younger.

==Converts==
Not possible until after the Necromancers were freed in the first year of the [[Age of the Dragon]], converts, called Acolytes or Necromancer Acolytes, are outsiders who have adopted the necromancer faith. Acolytes subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Necromancy and participate in non-magical rituals. While Acolytes cannot join the priesthood (because they lack the magical ability), they are given the same respect within the cult as full-blooded Necromancers. Children born with one Acolyte parent and one Necromancer parent are similarly not stigmatized, and typically have full access to Necromancer magic; indicating the power might not be limited to their lineage.

==History==
===Ancient History===
"Long ago during the Mage Wars, a wizard named [[Isolia]] fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy."

[[Rubiceye]] was widely known to have many followers in the early days. Though not considered a politician, he was a good leader and an entire nation formed around him. He was a powerful mage and had many other powerful mages following him, and with the [[Mage Wars]] already in full swing, many people flocked to him.

The original name of his people group is now lost to history, though it is believed to have been similar in pronunciation to the name of the magic Rubiceye was to create. The customs and practices of those people, while not initially magical, were later adapted into the rituals of Necromancy.

===Mage Wars===
Around the middle of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], early Necromancers made their home on the [[Arcol Steppe]] at the north-eastern corner of the [[Agras Plain]]. The area was a high-altitude desert at the time, cold and very dry: ideal conditions for the activities Necromancers are known for. From [[B.G.A.]] 3528 until 3021, everything was going swimingly. This era is often known as the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]]. The magic and ritualistic lifestyle of necromancers solidified largely during this time; and while the region was mostly a loose association of temples, it was still a powerful force in the region.

The military and magical might of the Necromancers were able to defend their borders until the end of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]]. However, as the [[Mage Wars#The Intermediate Period|Intermediate Period]] began, they soon lost ground to other, stronger empires which had the advantage of off-world holdings to supply troops and war material. This led to, among other events, the [[Necromancer Wars]], a proxy conflict that gave rise to [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] ideology.

Amidst the peril of looming conquest, a [[Litch]] known as [[Kozek]] rose to power. Necromancers, while willing to defend themselves, had always been at their core a peaceful lot. Kozek had other ideas, and thought that, with some effort and guile, Necromancers could command a vast multi-world empire of their own.

His push caused a schism within the necromancer world. The region of Arcol, while large and populous, had never been an empire in its own right. Prior to Kozek's rise, the area had been a loose association of city-states that tended to cooperate well and support each other, but had no central leadership. Kozek sought to crown himself emperor, but not all necromancers agreed. Kozek's ideology became known as the [[Grey Temple]], and for the first time a true Necromancer nation was founded.

This, in turn, led to a mass exodus of Arcol, of many necromancers who refused to live under Kozek's rule. Still others remained in Arcol, bent on maintaining "the old ways" (by then known as [[Green Temple]] ideology). Weakened by the exodus and torn apart by internal struggle, Kozek's empire collapsed. The entire region of the Arcol Steppe, with its ancient and hallowed temples, had to be abandoned as the then-new [[Marcon Alliance]] had taken a liking to the territory.

Necromancers then spread throughout the [[known worlds]], founding new temples wherever they settled. Many Green Temples were initially welcomed with open arms, for the services they provided. Grey Temples sought more remote areas to settle, either landing in un-populated regions or enslaving local peoples. Many an empire rose and fell while backed by Grey Temple necromancers throughout the rest of the Mage Wars.

===Alliance Era===
When the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] began, some Necromancers sought to reclaim their ancestral homeland, but found Arcol (by this time a fertile and temperate region) populated by other peoples. Some Necromancers still lived there, and others were able to relocate; but the hope of rebuilding the old nation was impossible.

Instead, a large number of Necromancers settled in [[Serreth]], on the [[Sword Coast]], with designs on building a 'Most High' temple at the site. Others settled in [[Stormreaver Valley]], where yet another temple of supreme importance was constructed. These temples unfortunately saw both grey and green necromancers alike, as both ideologies sought a strong, centralized Necromancer nation.

~History~

In the Third Age, the Grey Temple under Arch-Lich [[Honoreck]] began a campaign to take over the [[Known Worlds]]; but they were stopped ultimately by [[Lal Soratami]]. This time-period is known as the [[Necromanic Wars]]. The few survivors (both Green and Grey) were corralled in [[Arindell]] for the next 3000-odd years, until the reign of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]; or else dispersed to obscure [[Planet]]s, where they became the [[Dark Order]]s.

==Other==
The [[Okina Gaori]] is an ancient Necromancer book and is often described as "the only think most outsiders know about Necromancy". In addition to hundreds of illustrations, it includes in-depth descriptions of many rituals. While parts of the book are still in use, necromanic scholars are quick to point out that none of the rituals described were ever actually used.

The word "[[Niktapede]]" is a slang term used to describe people who are racially intolerant of necromancers.

A related word, "[[Niktad]]", describes non-necromancer/non-acolytes who express an interest in necromancer culture and lifestyles without embracing the religious aspects of it. "Nickta-fever" refers to someone, most often a young woman, with a sexual attraction to necromancers.

==History (Original)==
Taken from [[The Reunion of the Eighth Power]] from [[The Path to Ascension]]:

Long ago during the [[Mage Wars]], a wizard named Isolia fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy. Using underworld magics he and his followers created a new path of magic: the Path of Necromancy. Together they raised ghoulish armies from the fallen corpses of their enemies, and trapped souls to be converted into terrible spells.
By the time the Mage Wars had ended, Necromancy had solidified into a full-blown religion. All the Necromancers were blood descendants of Isolia and his original followers, and all possessed the gift of Necromancy passed down from him. Because there were so many, [[Eieber]] decreed that the Necromancers could be allowed to live, if they swore never again to practice their grotesque birthright.

A hundred years passed, and Eieber went into the Light.

For five generations, the Necromancers had kept silent, staying in their own quiet villages, practicing their trade only amongst themselves. Now with Eieber dead they felt no reason to hide their art anymore.

Two great followings were established: the Grey Temple and the Green Temple. Necromancers of the Green Temple believed the power of Necromancy could be used for a greater good. They reanimated corpses for use as laborers, and raised souls only to comfort those left alive after a tragedy.

Despite their intentions, the Green Necromancers were much hated and feared by people who simply didn’t understand them, and so more and more Necromancers turned to the Grey Temple.

The Grey Necromancers used their power for one thing: gaining more power. An uneasy alliance was forged, but the Grey Necromancers still grew rapidly in numbers, and spread across the Multi-Verse like a slow tide of terror.

Finally, over two thousand years after Eieber’s death, the Necromancers of the Grey temple plunged the [[Multi-Verse]] into a chaotic battle the likes of which had not been seen since the depths of the Mage Wars.

Despite fighting valiantly against the Grey Necromancers, the Green Temple was still much hated and feared, and their highest pantheon was ransacked and burned. Even with this crushing blow, the Green Necromancers still forged an alliance with the Slayer Dragons to strike out against the real enemy.

After forty years of fighting, the Grey Temple finally fell, and the Necromancy Wars ended. [[Lal Soratami]], the Pendragon anointed during the war, outlawed Necromancy once and for all, and gathered up all the remaining Necromancers in a new temple where he could watch them.

Those who did not willfully enter the [[Necromancy Temple]] established in [[Arindell]] were killed, and their bodies burned: the greatest insult a Necromancer could know. The temple in Arindell became the last bastion of Necromancy in the World of Life.

Things must have been desperate if they were using a Necromancer.

The sword he carried was a simple one-handed short sword that was inexpertly crafted, and it looked like he was talking to it.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancy

2025-12-03T23:55:22Z

Siddharth1: /* Common Slang */

Necromancy is a form of magic practiced by Necromancers. 'Necro–' meaning 'dead', it specifically deals with re-animating dead things and returning dead souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancy is among the types of [[Magic|magic]] that is strictly inherited, therefore only those born into the fold can practice it. This has allowed a rich and ancient culture to form around the practice.

Despite its heavy emphasis on death, the core of necromancy is actually about life. Necromancers believe that life is made possible through a generative encounter. Without life, there is no death; so that generative encounter is at the very heart of their belief system.

==Magic==
Nearly all necromancers can use the magic of necromancy to one degree or another; for most, it is fairly limited. Anyone demonstrating a high degree of potential with the art will be made a part of the priest caste, and assist with the temple's rituals.

Necromancy itself has two major parts: the re-animation of the undead, and the raising of souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancers have also found ways to turn their power to various other endeavors, often wielding it in a fashion similar to more main-stream [[Magic]]. There are some caveats; necromancy has no healing capability, nor can it see or harness the elements. But it can be used to grant great strength and to perform attacks.

Many necromancers are also competent, occasionally highly-skilled mages along the normal lines of magic.

===Re-Animation===
Re-animation magic is the mainstay of the Necromancer's workforce, and perhaps their best known trick. The process involves animating a dead life-form and making it [[Types of Undead|un-dead]]. The basic form of this spell typically has a very short duration, and the fresher the corpse, the easier it is to animate. Re-animation is typically focused around creating mindless worker-drones who can preform simple tasks and follow orders; part of the magic is in simply controlling them. A necromancer can directly control a single undead to carry out complex steps, or impose will over a group to guide them through a simpler task. Anything requiring a great deal of skill still requires a living touch, but undead can also provide a useful power-source. Necromancer farms require no windmills, for the undead turn the cranks day and night and need no rest.

Some undead can be made to carry out more difficult tasks if they had performed such tasks in life. A cobbler, for example, when re-animated and seated before a workbench and supplied with tools and materials, can be made to continue producing shoes. In such an instance, the undead would be able to produce only a single design of shoe, over and over again, but could likely achieve the same level of quality as in life.

Undead must be preserved and maintained, so mummification is often undertaken. In wetter climates where keeping a body dry is impractical, necromancers will often strip the flesh and keep only the skeleton, which can be animated with ease.

===Raising of Souls===
The raising of souls involves bringing back a shade or ghost of the dead from the underworld and allowing them to commune with the living. This is completely different from re-animating corpses, as the shade has all the memories and personality of its former life, and is fully cognizant of its surroundings.

A raised soul has a fusion of both the conscious and the unconscious mind of the individual, granting access to much greater knowledge and understanding than it may have had in life. The shade can speak, though only in its native tongue, and can even move about. Depending on the strength of the shade, the skill of the necromancer, and the potency of the spell, the shade may even take on a fully corporeal form. In most cases, it will appear only as a shadow; sometimes only as a head, with only vaguely distinguishable features.

Shades can only exist in the living world within a ritual site, and will return to the underworld if the ritual is disturbed. A necromantically-summoned shade should not be confused with the widely known creatures of darkness caused by the abuse of dark magics.

The most difficult task among necromancers, the fusion of the undead with the raised, creates a powerful being called a [[Litch]].

==Terminology and Belief System==
Necromancy is practiced by mages called Necromancers, to whom it is both a religon and a form of magic. Their entire culture revolves around this practice.

The group noun for necromancers is cult, so a bunch of necromancers would be called a cult of necromancers. This term can be used to describe either a number of necromancers or a specific settlment. A permanent settlement is called a [[Necromancy Temple|Temple]]; this refers both to the structure and to the necromancers therein.

Necromancers worship death, understanding that it is not an end but a change, and one they can reverse to a degree. They value history and are known for extensive record-keeping. Much information about the [[Mage Wars]] was chronicled in Necromancer [[Necromancy Temple|temples]].

===Ideologies in Necromancy===
[[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] describe two differing ideologies of Necromancy, with all Grey Temple necromancers having been put to death by the end of the fifth century of the [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]] at the order of [[Pendragon]] [[Lal Soratami|Soratami]]. This followed the [[Necromanic Wars]].

===Priesthood===
Any blood necromancer has access to the necromanic magics and is thus eligible to join the priesthood. Traditionally, the men are called priests and woman are called chantresses. Though the power strucuture and dynamic has changed over the [[Ages]], in the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] priestesses had more power with fewer restrictions. This is believed to relate to the central role fertility and femininity played especially in [[Green Temple]] ideology.

The main function of the priesthood is to delineates a regular necromancer from those practicing of necromancer magic. Because the magic is so heavily tied to the religious and spiritual aspects of necromancy, the process of learning the magic requires being inducted into the priesthood. Whether priest or chantress, a necromancer who demonstrates power to command the undead and completes certain religious rites will receive the title "[[Servant in the House of Truth]]". Other titles will be bestowed as more rites are completed or status attained within the temple hierarchy.

====Leadership====
Necromancy temples are lead by a group of High Temple Priests and High Temple Chantresses. This means that only magic-using necromancers are able to hold leadership roles, which in turn encourages as many necromancers as possible to practice the dark arts.

===Masonry===
Masonry plays a minor but important role in the religious side of Necromancy. Necromancers believe that once a stone has been cut and shaped, it cannot be cut again. The act of carving bricks also carried ritual and sacred significance.

==Invention==
Necromancy was invented by [[Rubiceye]] in the early part of the [[Mage Wars]], roughly 3500 [[B.G.A. System|B.G.A.]], though it is well known that the sorcerer began work on the magic long before. It is also well known that he made numerous failed attempts before perfecting the technique.

After its creation, Necromancy became hereditary in familial lines. Unlike other magicks which could be learned and practiced by any, Necromancy could only be performed by necromancers.

==Culture==
The necromancers' culture is very rich and deep.

===Nomenclature===
Necromancy cannot be learned; only those born with it can practice it. The power is believed to occur within an artificially created gene, originally bestowed by [[Rubiceye]].

The Necromancer, then, is both a people group and a type of mage.

The members of a particular group are called a temple, which also the name of the structure where most necromancer's live and practice. The collective noun for necromancer's is 'cult'. Often, this term will be used to refer to the entire temple; however within necromancer parlance a 'cult' specifically means "any gathering"

===Caste System===
The Necromancer's temple population is divided into four castes: Priest, Scholar, Warrior, and Worker (with the latter sometimes described as "Tradesmen"). Young necromancers usually follow into their parents' caste, but changing castes is not uncommon. Most necromancers belong to the worker caste. The priest caste rules the temple, the warrior caste defends it.

The rules depend on the temple, but in general one is not allowed to marry outside their caste. This is especially troubling for the warrior-caste, which tended to be heavily male-dominated. Warriors often could not take a wife and sometimes resorted to trilateral marriages. Another common solution was for a woman from the worker caste to officially join the warrior caste to be the wife of a warrior, without actually engaging in martial training herself.

The most diverse caste is that of scholar. Originally, the function of the scholar caste was closely tied to the priests; the scholars were responsible for recording the history the temple and helping the priests to inscribe spell books. In addition to history, the scholar-caste was responsible for recording any knowledge gained by the temple, and later with sharing this knowledge with other temples.

During Necromancy's Golden Age, the scholars largely remained just that: adding to the temple's knowledge, whatever was learned from outside sources. During this era, doctors, builders, and planners belonged to the worker-caste. As time passed, and the bodies of knowledge grew more complex, these and other jobs gradually shifted to the scholar-caste. Since most necromancers begin their caste-training in their early teens, this means that, for example, a doctor can begin studying at a very young age. Any trade, then, that required a great deal of study, became a part of the Scholar caste, which in turn caused the caste to grow.

While no necromancer is considered to have a dual-caste, there are many within a given temple who may have a gray area regarding their exact caste.

====Castes and Naming Conventions====
A necromancer's caste tended to have some impact on their name. Every necromancer has a given name, a common name, and a temple name. The given name is bestowed in a [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|special ceremony]] 8 days after birth; while the common name is generally what they go by (a sort of shorthand or nickname). The temple name is used in religious rituals and is taken up at the ''Ah'khat'ankq''.

Worker-caste necromancers tended to live in more traditional family units and used recognizable family names, often tied to the trade they practiced. The warrior-caste took up the name of their squad or regiment; these were sometimes handed down and even retained as descendants became part of the worker-caste.

Members of the priest caste took up elaborate titles relating to their roles within the temple. These could be very long and lead to senior priests having names consisting of several paragraphs.

Scholars typically used only a first name. This could be rather confusing, as the authorship of certain texts composed over hundreds of years might have dozens of contributors but only a few names. When two scholars within the same era had the same name, they might distinguish themselves by adding 'the elder' or 'the younger', but in general they kept whatever name they had chosen. To further compound the errors in such matters, while both men and women could be scholars, they tended towards unisex names which might belong to any gender.

===Orthodox vs. Conservative===
Necromancers are often referred to as being on a scale from orthodox to conservative. Necromancers on the ultra-orthodox side will live communally in a temple and spend all their time practicing rituals or otherwise engaged in devotional activities. The opposite end of the spectrum describes someone who is ethnically a necromancer but does not engage in any cultural or religious activities. All necromancers are said to be somewhere on the scale.

Of important note is that, at least pose-[[Imprisonment of the Necromancers|confinement]], neither side is considered "correct" or incorrect, but rather a symbol of your devotion. Necromancers believe each necromancer is called to demonstrate his or her devotion, and express it in whatever manner he or she sees fit.

===Physical Description===
Because all necromancers are descended from a particular people group, they all tend to have a similar physical description. They are on average shorter than the general population by around 6 inches. 'Tall' for a necromancer is 'average' for everyone else. They have olive-skin complexions, usually with dark hair and green or brown eyes. Hair is usually straight. They are known for smooth skin and very little body hair.

===Age-Mixing===
Necromancers have deep societal and religious taboos regarding age-mixing, especially as it takes place outside of Sunday mass rituals. While no formal doctrine exists, intimate relationships are restricted to individuals with no more than one to two years age difference. Social relationships are frowned upon unless in some sort of mentor/mentee configuration(such as teachers and students). Children are heavily encouraged only to socialize with peers of their own age(or at most 1-2 years difference) except for immediate family members(in the case of conservative necromancers) or specific, designated individuals in the event not enough children of the same age are available.

The origins of this taboo are unclear, but can be found all throughout the sacred texts and classical literature.

===Clothing===
Typical necromancer attire consists of long linen robes. Necromancer culture began in a desert region, and as such their style and aesthetics retain elements of these attributes. These are often tied at the waist with a sash and may be embroidered with beads. Bracelets and necklaces are also popular, as well as rings and earrings. Nearly all necromancers, both male and female, have pierced ears.

Females typically wear their hair tied back or braided, while males cut their hair short. A wide variety of hairstyles exist. Males and females also both typically wear heavy eye makeup. The cosmetics black out the entire area around the eye, stopping at the bridge of the nose but sometimes covering the eyebrows and down onto the cheeks. This is believed originally a ritualistic component evolved into every-day wear. There is no symbolic signficance to the eye makeup, and the exact shape and area covered is completely a matter of fashion.

In warmer climates, lighter, thinner robes are popular, as well as shorter ones. In especially warm areas, men might wear a half-robe that covers from the waist to the knees. The traditional female robe, or "temple dress", is a single piece of linen that covers them from about the knees up to just above the breasts. It is strapless and leaves the shoulders bare, and has a lon slit up the right hand-side that ends just above the hip. While formally a ceremonial garment, the temple dress is quite popular and many fashioned inspired by it can be seen in day-to-day wear.

===Family Unit===
Necromancers maintain a traditional family unit (mother, father, children) but live in a highly inter-connected society. Consanguinity is kept high in mind;–– that is to say knowing how various others are related to you and to what degree;–– but is only used to prevent inbreeding. Living in such close-knit groups, it is very important to keep the bloodline diverse.

Since necromancers typically live in communal buildings, a family unit might have a room or suite of rooms to themselves, used for sleeping, dressing, indoor recreation, and storing personal items. The family would be responsible for cleaning and maintaining these rooms.

Cooking and bathing are communal activities. Large kitchens produce meals for the entire temple, with dedicated staff who carry out all the requisite duties. A larger temple might have multiple kitchens. Cooking is usually done on a fairly large scale, and necromancer cuisine is not known for diversity.

The baths are segregated by age but not gender, to degree determined by the size of the temple. A very small temple may have only one bath, and designate different times of the day for different groups. The larger temples will have separate facilities in both for youth, young adults, older adults, and even the elderly. Young children typically bathe with their parents, while older children (starting around 8) go to the children's bath.

===Marriage===
Though it varies by temple, arranged marriages are not uncommon in necromancer society. There is no defined age of majority or age of consent, and the age of marriage also varies by temple. In larger temples, it is not uncommon for youth as young as 15 or 16 to marry, though this is a hold-over from the early days when life expectancies were much shorter.

Nearly all necromancers marry, including the priesthood (it is a requirement in some temples). A necromancer who remains single into adulthood is highly uncommon, and given the arrangments of necromanic society they would have a very difficult time.

Amongts the necromancers, a great deal of love poetry has been produced and preserved throughout the ages. It is perhaps one of the youth's favorite subjects upon which to muse.

Marriage outside the cult is unheard of, and happens extremly rarely. In the nearly 7,000 years between the creation of Necromancy and the destruction of the last temple in the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], only a few cases are documented. Of those, all took place in very small temples (populations of less than 100). Anyone marrying into the cult could never truly be a necromancer, and would be unable to participate in the ritualistic aspects of the necromancer lifestyle.

Some necromancers are known to have left the temple to wed an outsider. However, the archives do not give any indication of what happened to them.

=====Arranged Marriage=====
Arranged marriages typically happen amongst slightly older couples (late teens, early 20s), and is usually encouraged by the parents when neither party has found a suitable mate of its own.

Love is a very highly valued thing within the necromancer culture. Many of what are recorded as arranged marriages do happen between loving couples who merely seek the approval of their elders to wed.

Still others employ the help of matchmakers to find a suitable partner. Only very rarely are marriages arranged for political reasons.

=====Parentage, Love, and Sexuality=====
Necromancers typically consider the physical act of sexual contact to be separate from romance or love. While not common, if a father is unable to give his wife a child, she may go to another man; in this case there is no shame nor is the act considered adulterous. However, if a man were to express romantic feelings for a woman other than his wife, this would be a sacrilege.

Sexual activity is divided into three categories: for procreation, for spiritual enlightenment, and for physical pleasure. While all three of these can be put together in any combination, they are still regarded as highly distinct. Necromancers lack concepts such as orientation and virginity, and view sex as extremely natural and normal activity alongside eating and breathing. The only thing Necromancers find unusual is inter-generational relationships, so long as the partners are no more than a few years apart in age, virtually anything is acceptable.

=====Trilateral Marriage=====
During the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]], necromancers tended to live in smaller groups or temples. The practice of trilateral marriage(a marriage with three equal partners) began out of simple necessity. Because necromancers tend to disparage inter-generational relationships, there would frequently not be an even number of men and women within a particular generation. That era also heavily discouraged marriage outside of the temple(and indeed this was not even an option on the [[Arcol Steppe]]). The solution was to create marriages of three equal partners.

When possible it was preferred to pair two women with one man who was particularly strong with the magical aspects of necromancy. Marriages of two men to the same women were equally as common. The practice fell out of favor during the latter portions of the [[Mage Wars]], but was revived in the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] with new religious significance. A typical trilateral marriage is a democracy requiring a two-third majority to make any decisions.

Sacred marriage and sacred sex had always played a role in both ritual and practical aspects of necromancer life. Trilateral religious marriages were practiced by both the [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] necromancers, but for different reasons. Among the [[Grey Temple]], it was done deliberately to breed stronger necromancers, and exclusively with one man and two women. In the [[Green Temple]], the practice was used primarily to fulfill ritualistic roles; the trifles were always members of the priest caste(no matter the combination) and represented various aspects of dieties, carrying out specific ceremonies. Worker-caste trilateral marriages were also accepted in both theologies out of neccessity.

After the [[Necromanic Wars|necromanic wars]] the practice died out, with the remaining population of Necromancers confined to a single temple in [[Arindell]], many of their practices and customs became defined entirely by the area in which they were confined.

Little information survives about how necromancy changed during the [[Long Night]]. During the era of the [[New Day]], the practices of trilateral marriage were revived for the purposes of religious ritual. Though not forbidden, reformed necromancy abolished the caste system and removed the taboo of marrying outside the temple, so there has been no need for trilateral marriages among anyone besides the priests and priesteses.

In a sacred trilateral marriage one member is a priest or priestess, while the other two form two aspects of a specific deity. These marriages are also practical, in that the thruple live together and engage in sexual activities. Some of these are ritual in nature.

===Economy===
Internally, Necromancers do not use a monetary system. Because their organizational strucutre is communal, food, clothing, and housing are provided by group effort. The support systems for these areas are also carried out communaly, with individuals learning trades as needed. Basic personal items are provided to indivudals by crafters, who often emblish them with artistic decorations. A barter system is very common within the temple, with craftsmen trading wares and favors.

One Necromancer explained it thusly: ''"If I am a Hatter, I make hats. I am provided with tools and materials as needed. If you come into my workshop and ask me for a hat, I shall provide you one. However, if you desire a particularly fine hat, you should bring me something to offer in trade."''

Necromancers typically value the effort placed into producing an item over any precised monetary value of the materials. Hence, golden jewelry could be traded for wooden beads, if the beads took more work to produce.

This system, however, does not extend outside of the temple, and Necromancer traders who sell their wares to outsiders are known to be particularly shrewd. It does help that what they sell tends to be of the highest quality.

===Games===
====Ko'r't====
Ko'r't, commonly translated simply as 'court' or spelled phonetically as 'kort' is a blanket title for a variety of ball games. The most common version, Foot Kort, is roughly similar to soccer, but has numerous derivations and levels of rules and strategy. The games are played by Necromancers as well as outsiders who live in the vicinity, with Necromancers commonly inviting their neighbors to a friendly game. While much ritual significance has been ascribed to the various derivations of kort, the Necromancers will readily admit it really is just a game.

While hundreds of permutations exist, Kort is most often played in three different forms: Traditional, Floor, and Foot.

A traditional game of Kort requires a playing field with a hardened floor and a painted series of grids, flat walls on three sides, and a hoop for the goal mounted on one wall. The hoop can be as large as a few feet across or just barely bigger than the ball, depending on the skill and seriousness of the players. The game is played with two teams of two or three each, depending on the size of the playing field. In traditional Kort, only the hands and elbows can be used to engage with the ball, and the ball must bounce off at least one surface before making a goal or being engaged by another player. Players are allowed to catch and throw the ball, but must bounce it off either the wall or floor. The grid on the floor also denotes spaces where the players are allowed to set foot. Traditional Kort is the oldest and most ritualized form, and while competition between temples is often fierce, outsiders are still frequently welcomed to join in. While not a formal part of the religion, Kort is frequently used to resolve disputes or to make decisions.

Floor Kort is more common as the requirements for a playing field are far lower. A raised circular goal and a flat surface are still necessary, but the walls and grid are not. Floor Kort works on the same principles of bouncing the ball and striking only with the hands and elbows. As high quality rubber became more common, notions of 'dribbling'(similar to basketball) entered the game.

Foot Kort is the most common; it is, for all intents and purposes, soccer. No one is entirely sure which game was invented first, and how much was appropriated. The Necromancer 'version' of the game has rule-sets worded very differently and still uses a grid (like in Traditional) but changes from hands and elbows to feet and knees, and uses a soccer-style goal. Strangely, much more ritual significance is ascribed to Foot Kort by outsiders than to Necromancers (who regard it as healthy fun). Many outsiders, wrongly assuming certain things about Necromancy, will often assume all forms of Kort are treated the same, and believe Foot Kort is an ancient, highly ritualized game, and a matter of life and death.

During the [[New Day]] era, Foot Kort became a major form of outreach. Every temple and necromancer community had at least one field, and it was ''"never fenced, always open, always inviting to anyone"''. In cities that housed even small necromancer populations, they would organize (usually free) foot kort leagues as a way of being involved. This led to some clashes as soccer rose in popularity; the two games as played in the New Day era are close enough for opposing teams to compete. But while participating in a soccer league was usually required at least an entry fee and paying for one's own equipment, foot kort teams--especially those aimed at youths--were always free, and often gave away what little equipment was needed. This made Foot Kort the de facto sport of the lower classes, while the middle and uppers played soccer. Despite the two sports' extreme similarity, this has made for very serious business in the [[Final Foot Championship]] competitions.

There is one key difference between foot kort and soccer, though it does not matter even a little. While modern foot kort is largely a sport like any other, it is customary to wear a traditional head-covering called a ka'daim similar to a bandana (interchangeable for one, in fact). While this has no bearing on play, it is considered to be so important to the sport that Necromancers have been known to interrupt games and scold children for playing without one. Often, this proves embarrassing, as the children were in fact playing soccer.

====Wrestling====
The Necromancers have a traditional form of wrestling or grappling, an intrinsic part of their ritual life. The sport is played in a round sand pit, usually wetted to provide a more comfortable surface for falling and rolling on. The game requires two participants and a drummer to keep time. Much like Kort, wrestling is used to resolve disputes, but very much unlike it the skill of individual competitors is deliberately not tracked or considered.

The participants usually wear very little clothing. Barefoot with a small loincloth, or a piece of cloth around the breasts if the competitors are female. Hair is tied back into a braid or bun. Matches are very short, and over when the first competitor's shoulder touches the sand. Usually the ring will be surrounded by observers who will call out once they see a touch. The objective is to knock your opponent down on their back.

The time keeper is a drummer beating a very large and loud drum. While matches are sometimes held outdoors, most often they are in special chambers underground where the time keeper's rhythm can reverberate off the walls. The time keeper always faces away from the competitors. When a match is declared, the timekeeper begins a rhythmic beat, while the competitors hold absolutely still. When the timekeeper stops (at a time known only to him) the opponents move and attempt the win. The timed roll can land anywhere from a few seconds to an entire hour, with an important part of the ritual aspect being how tightly the competitors can hold their stance.

All physically fit Necromancers between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five are trained in this form of ritual combat, though those aged sixteen to twenty are preferred. The priests will choose two competitors of the same gender and similar height and build, and dispatch them to the ring while a timekeeper is called. The competitors will strip down and prepare, while the priests will either observe from afar or even wait in another chamber. The competitors will intentionally not be told which priest selected them or for what purpose, they will only be asked to compete.

The ritual significance of the rite holds that the fighters are enacting the will of the Necrosages, and the ritual is used as a way to let them settle disputes without being consulted directly. The ritual aspect of this ceremony is used to settle disagreements between priests, effectively as an elaborate coin-flip.

=====Croq-Wae=====
An extension of the traditional wrestling is Croq-Wae, the necromancer's martial art. It is a focused grappling technique that makes use of fast, close-in strikes to specific pressure points designed to cripple the opponent. Croq-Wae is explicitly designed for use in cramped quarters and meant to require very little physical strength. Its intended goal is to allow an emaciated prisoner to fight back against a healthy guard.

There is considerably more to it, and among the wider world it is known as one of the deadlier martial arts. However Croq-Wae cannot be used is tournaments and actual sparring is rare; because the "real" techniques tend to break bones or cause severe, permanent damage.

A Croq-Wae Master is called a Balga.

===Language===
{{#lsth:Endu}}

For a complete list of necromancer profanity, see [[Endu#Swear Words|Endu Swear Words]].

====Common Slang====
*''Fairly Wintering'' - a common parlance for "boring". The term comes from colder climates where the bulk of the temple population would have to stay indoors, below ground, for winter.

*''Ny-pep’no'' - a contraction of the [[Common]] word 'no' and 'pep'no', [[Endu]] for 'problem'. Used in a general sense to say "no problem" and sometimes more specifically in reference to things that might be a problem for a non-necromancer but aren't one for a necromancer.

===Literature===
{{:Necromancer Literature}}

===Bathing===
Necromancers practice communal ritual bathing in bath houses connected to the temple complex. The bathing ritual involves a full-body wash followed by a lengthy soak. The same baths are also used as a social space and may be the only place to wash for some poorer members or fully orthodox practioners. In keeping with the taboo on age-mixing, baths are divided by age group but not gender.

===Sex===
Necromancers are stereotypically considered very sexual active, with the common outsider belief being that all necromancer women are very easy and temples are just lousy with orgies.

The reality is much more complex, though not altogether inaccurate. Necromancers as a whole do not stigmatize sex, regarding it as a physical question rather than a moral one. They do not have a concept of "virginity". Even the most conservative groups do not view sex or pregnancy outside of marriage as being a problem. Group sex does happen and is viewed more as a matter of preference than anything else.

On the sliding scale of conservative to orthodox, the more orthodox a necromancer is, the less likely they are to be in a committed relationship. In fully orthodox temples, necromancers practice open polyamory with fully communal living. Family units exist to provide nurturing and early structure, but all property is communal and the adults actually raising the children are seldom the biological parents.

From a statistical standpoint, more orthodox necromancers are likely to have had more sexual partners than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given demographic group. Those on the more conservative side tend towards the societal average. What sets necromancers apart statistically is their likelehood to have only had partners with a very narrow age window, generally no more than 3 years difference.

====Religious Elements====
Sex and sexuality play an important role in the necromancer religion. This is also part of what contributes to the stereotype or the "Necromancers worship sex!" attitude.

Sexual rituals do happen as a part of the necromancer religion. And very often these are carried out by temple chantresses and priests. However, unlike what outsiders believe, in most cases the individuals in question are already in a sexual relationship. Regular necromancers also routinely perform sexual rituals; but, again, this is between two or more parties already in a relationship. More intricate symbolic rituals(in which no actual sexual contact occurs) are a regular part of temple life.

The reality is that fertility plays an important, almost central role in the necromancer religion. Officially they worship death(that part is not a sterotype), but in order to die something has to live, and most things begin to live through sex. Originally fertility and birth played major roles in the necromancer religion. Among women especially fertility was considered very important. If a woman became pregnant regardless of her marital status it was viewed as a wonderful thing and proof of her ability to conceive. In [[Necromancer Literature|Endu and classic literature]], fertility is often described as a very important sexual trait and indeed extremely arousing to males.

The central role of fertility is inexorably tied to sexuality as, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pregnancy does not happen without sex. Necromancers have always been very open about this fact and saw no problems with depicting it in art and literature. Many temples are decorated with scenes outsiders view as extremely sexualy explicit, but to the necromancers this is only part of the cycle of undeath.

After the [[Necromanic Wars]] and the subsequent [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]], their culture was forced to undergo some changes. With extremely strict population controls place, having children became a rather serious problem. The necromancer religion responded to this by shifting the focus from actual conception to the sex-act itself. Under the use of contraceptives or outright sterilization, priests and chantresses continued to engage in sexual rituals, while

====Prostitution====
Among the ongoing stigmas associated with necromancers is the belief by outsiders that their culture freely encourages prostitution. Many cite references in their religious texts and literature as proof of this. In reality, necromancers engage in sexual services at a rate no higher than there non-necromancer counterparts within a given economic bracket. The statistics are screwed noticeably by many necromancers being more economically disadvantaged. Further damaging the reputation is the tendency of young adult necromancers to engage in casual forms of prostitution with their peers, then later openly admit to this in surveys.

The sterotype comes from two places.

*In the necromancer religion, ritual sacred prostitution is practiced. In this ritual, women, usually temple chantresses, are seen to accept money in exchange for sex, the money is then used for the temple. However, the reality of this scenario is not at all what it appears: the money is being paid from the temple coffers, back to the temple coffers, the participants are strictly only priests and chantresses, and sex is not part of the ritual. The process is purely symbolic. It is believed that, at one time, there may have been lass sexual rituals practiced this way, but at least as early as the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] the ritual had become purely symbolic.

*In necromancer ''literature'' sex and prostitution are used frequently in elaborate metaphors. A common motif is a ritual in which all of the girls of a certain age in the temple must put on their temple dresses and sit on the steps, then wait until a man throws some money in her lap, and go and have sex with him. During the act, he will tear her dress. It is important to note that this situation is entirely fictional, no known temple ever practiced such a ritual. In [[Necromancer Literature|literature]], descriptions of sacred prostitution can be used for any number of metaphoric purposes, often with multiple meanings. These kinds of mass rituals are also a very popular in necromancer pornography(both aimed at them and of the tan'nesh variety).

As far actual prostitution carried out by necromancers goes, their culture does not stigmatize the sex act itself or the exchange of money. However age-mixing is deeply taboo, so a necromancer who engaged in such acts would be shamed if the other party were much older or younger.

==Converts==
Not possible until after the Necromancers were freed in the first year of the [[Age of the Dragon]], converts, called Acolytes or Necromancer Acolytes, are outsiders who have adopted the necromancer faith. Acolytes subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Necromancy and participate in non-magical rituals. While Acolytes cannot join the priesthood (because they lack the magical ability), they are given the same respect within the cult as full-blooded Necromancers. Children born with one Acolyte parent and one Necromancer parent are similarly not stigmatized, and typically have full access to Necromancer magic; indicating the power might not be limited to their lineage.

==History==
===Ancient History===
"Long ago during the Mage Wars, a wizard named [[Isolia]] fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy."

[[Rubiceye]] was widely known to have many followers in the early days. Though not considered a politician, he was a good leader and an entire nation formed around him. He was a powerful mage and had many other powerful mages following him, and with the [[Mage Wars]] already in full swing, many people flocked to him.

The original name of his people group is now lost to history, though it is believed to have been similar in pronunciation to the name of the magic Rubiceye was to create. The customs and practices of those people, while not initially magical, were later adapted into the rituals of Necromancy.

===Mage Wars===
Around the middle of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], early Necromancers made their home on the [[Arcol Steppe]] at the north-eastern corner of the [[Agras Plain]]. The area was a high-altitude desert at the time, cold and very dry: ideal conditions for the activities Necromancers are known for. From [[B.G.A.]] 3528 until 3021, everything was going swimingly. This era is often known as the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]]. The magic and ritualistic lifestyle of necromancers solidified largely during this time; and while the region was mostly a loose association of temples, it was still a powerful force in the region.

The military and magical might of the Necromancers were able to defend their borders until the end of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]]. However, as the [[Mage Wars#The Intermediate Period|Intermediate Period]] began, they soon lost ground to other, stronger empires which had the advantage of off-world holdings to supply troops and war material. This led to, among other events, the [[Necromancer Wars]], a proxy conflict that gave rise to [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] ideology.

Amidst the peril of looming conquest, a [[Litch]] known as [[Kozek]] rose to power. Necromancers, while willing to defend themselves, had always been at their core a peaceful lot. Kozek had other ideas, and thought that, with some effort and guile, Necromancers could command a vast multi-world empire of their own.

His push caused a schism within the necromancer world. The region of Arcol, while large and populous, had never been an empire in its own right. Prior to Kozek's rise, the area had been a loose association of city-states that tended to cooperate well and support each other, but had no central leadership. Kozek sought to crown himself emperor, but not all necromancers agreed. Kozek's ideology became known as the [[Grey Temple]], and for the first time a true Necromancer nation was founded.

This, in turn, led to a mass exodus of Arcol, of many necromancers who refused to live under Kozek's rule. Still others remained in Arcol, bent on maintaining "the old ways" (by then known as [[Green Temple]] ideology). Weakened by the exodus and torn apart by internal struggle, Kozek's empire collapsed. The entire region of the Arcol Steppe, with its ancient and hallowed temples, had to be abandoned as the then-new [[Marcon Alliance]] had taken a liking to the territory.

Necromancers then spread throughout the [[known worlds]], founding new temples wherever they settled. Many Green Temples were initially welcomed with open arms, for the services they provided. Grey Temples sought more remote areas to settle, either landing in un-populated regions or enslaving local peoples. Many an empire rose and fell while backed by Grey Temple necromancers throughout the rest of the Mage Wars.

===Alliance Era===
When the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] began, some Necromancers sought to reclaim their ancestral homeland, but found Arcol (by this time a fertile and temperate region) populated by other peoples. Some Necromancers still lived there, and others were able to relocate; but the hope of rebuilding the old nation was impossible.

Instead, a large number of Necromancers settled in [[Serreth]], on the [[Sword Coast]], with designs on building a 'Most High' temple at the site. Others settled in [[Stormreaver Valley]], where yet another temple of supreme importance was constructed. These temples unfortunately saw both grey and green necromancers alike, as both ideologies sought a strong, centralized Necromancer nation.

~History~

In the Third Age, the Grey Temple under Arch-Lich [[Honoreck]] began a campaign to take over the [[Known Worlds]]; but they were stopped ultimately by [[Lal Soratami]]. This time-period is known as the [[Necromanic Wars]]. The few survivors (both Green and Grey) were corralled in [[Arindell]] for the next 3000-odd years, until the reign of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]; or else dispersed to obscure [[Planet]]s, where they became the [[Dark Order]]s.

==Other==
The [[Okina Gaori]] is an ancient Necromancer book and is often described as "the only think most outsiders know about Necromancy". In addition to hundreds of illustrations, it includes in-depth descriptions of many rituals. While parts of the book are still in use, necromanic scholars are quick to point out that none of the rituals described were ever actually used.

The word "[[Niktapede]]" is a slang term used to describe people who are racially intolerant of necromancers.

A related word, "[[Niktad]]", describes non-necromancer/non-acolytes who express an interest in necromancer culture and lifestyles without embracing the religious aspects of it. "Nickta-fever" refers to someone, most often a young woman, with a sexual attraction to necromancers.

==History (Original)==
Taken from [[The Reunion of the Eighth Power]] from [[The Path to Ascension]]:

Long ago during the [[Mage Wars]], a wizard named Isolia fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy. Using underworld magics he and his followers created a new path of magic: the Path of Necromancy. Together they raised ghoulish armies from the fallen corpses of their enemies, and trapped souls to be converted into terrible spells.
By the time the Mage Wars had ended, Necromancy had solidified into a full-blown religion. All the Necromancers were blood descendants of Isolia and his original followers, and all possessed the gift of Necromancy passed down from him. Because there were so many, [[Eieber]] decreed that the Necromancers could be allowed to live, if they swore never again to practice their grotesque birthright.

A hundred years passed, and Eieber went into the Light.

For five generations, the Necromancers had kept silent, staying in their own quiet villages, practicing their trade only amongst themselves. Now with Eieber dead they felt no reason to hide their art anymore.

Two great followings were established: the Grey Temple and the Green Temple. Necromancers of the Green Temple believed the power of Necromancy could be used for a greater good. They reanimated corpses for use as laborers, and raised souls only to comfort those left alive after a tragedy.

Despite their intentions, the Green Necromancers were much hated and feared by people who simply didn’t understand them, and so more and more Necromancers turned to the Grey Temple.

The Grey Necromancers used their power for one thing: gaining more power. An uneasy alliance was forged, but the Grey Necromancers still grew rapidly in numbers, and spread across the Multi-Verse like a slow tide of terror.

Finally, over two thousand years after Eieber’s death, the Necromancers of the Grey temple plunged the [[Multi-Verse]] into a chaotic battle the likes of which had not been seen since the depths of the Mage Wars.

Despite fighting valiantly against the Grey Necromancers, the Green Temple was still much hated and feared, and their highest pantheon was ransacked and burned. Even with this crushing blow, the Green Necromancers still forged an alliance with the Slayer Dragons to strike out against the real enemy.

After forty years of fighting, the Grey Temple finally fell, and the Necromancy Wars ended. [[Lal Soratami]], the Pendragon anointed during the war, outlawed Necromancy once and for all, and gathered up all the remaining Necromancers in a new temple where he could watch them.

Those who did not willfully enter the [[Necromancy Temple]] established in [[Arindell]] were killed, and their bodies burned: the greatest insult a Necromancer could know. The temple in Arindell became the last bastion of Necromancy in the World of Life.

Things must have been desperate if they were using a Necromancer.

The sword he carried was a simple one-handed short sword that was inexpertly crafted, and it looked like he was talking to it.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Necromancy

2025-12-03T23:54:51Z

Siddharth1: /* Croq-Wae */

Necromancy is a form of magic practiced by Necromancers. 'Necro–' meaning 'dead', it specifically deals with re-animating dead things and returning dead souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancy is among the types of [[Magic|magic]] that is strictly inherited, therefore only those born into the fold can practice it. This has allowed a rich and ancient culture to form around the practice.

Despite its heavy emphasis on death, the core of necromancy is actually about life. Necromancers believe that life is made possible through a generative encounter. Without life, there is no death; so that generative encounter is at the very heart of their belief system.

==Magic==
Nearly all necromancers can use the magic of necromancy to one degree or another; for most, it is fairly limited. Anyone demonstrating a high degree of potential with the art will be made a part of the priest caste, and assist with the temple's rituals.

Necromancy itself has two major parts: the re-animation of the undead, and the raising of souls from the [[Underworld]]. Necromancers have also found ways to turn their power to various other endeavors, often wielding it in a fashion similar to more main-stream [[Magic]]. There are some caveats; necromancy has no healing capability, nor can it see or harness the elements. But it can be used to grant great strength and to perform attacks.

Many necromancers are also competent, occasionally highly-skilled mages along the normal lines of magic.

===Re-Animation===
Re-animation magic is the mainstay of the Necromancer's workforce, and perhaps their best known trick. The process involves animating a dead life-form and making it [[Types of Undead|un-dead]]. The basic form of this spell typically has a very short duration, and the fresher the corpse, the easier it is to animate. Re-animation is typically focused around creating mindless worker-drones who can preform simple tasks and follow orders; part of the magic is in simply controlling them. A necromancer can directly control a single undead to carry out complex steps, or impose will over a group to guide them through a simpler task. Anything requiring a great deal of skill still requires a living touch, but undead can also provide a useful power-source. Necromancer farms require no windmills, for the undead turn the cranks day and night and need no rest.

Some undead can be made to carry out more difficult tasks if they had performed such tasks in life. A cobbler, for example, when re-animated and seated before a workbench and supplied with tools and materials, can be made to continue producing shoes. In such an instance, the undead would be able to produce only a single design of shoe, over and over again, but could likely achieve the same level of quality as in life.

Undead must be preserved and maintained, so mummification is often undertaken. In wetter climates where keeping a body dry is impractical, necromancers will often strip the flesh and keep only the skeleton, which can be animated with ease.

===Raising of Souls===
The raising of souls involves bringing back a shade or ghost of the dead from the underworld and allowing them to commune with the living. This is completely different from re-animating corpses, as the shade has all the memories and personality of its former life, and is fully cognizant of its surroundings.

A raised soul has a fusion of both the conscious and the unconscious mind of the individual, granting access to much greater knowledge and understanding than it may have had in life. The shade can speak, though only in its native tongue, and can even move about. Depending on the strength of the shade, the skill of the necromancer, and the potency of the spell, the shade may even take on a fully corporeal form. In most cases, it will appear only as a shadow; sometimes only as a head, with only vaguely distinguishable features.

Shades can only exist in the living world within a ritual site, and will return to the underworld if the ritual is disturbed. A necromantically-summoned shade should not be confused with the widely known creatures of darkness caused by the abuse of dark magics.

The most difficult task among necromancers, the fusion of the undead with the raised, creates a powerful being called a [[Litch]].

==Terminology and Belief System==
Necromancy is practiced by mages called Necromancers, to whom it is both a religon and a form of magic. Their entire culture revolves around this practice.

The group noun for necromancers is cult, so a bunch of necromancers would be called a cult of necromancers. This term can be used to describe either a number of necromancers or a specific settlment. A permanent settlement is called a [[Necromancy Temple|Temple]]; this refers both to the structure and to the necromancers therein.

Necromancers worship death, understanding that it is not an end but a change, and one they can reverse to a degree. They value history and are known for extensive record-keeping. Much information about the [[Mage Wars]] was chronicled in Necromancer [[Necromancy Temple|temples]].

===Ideologies in Necromancy===
[[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] describe two differing ideologies of Necromancy, with all Grey Temple necromancers having been put to death by the end of the fifth century of the [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]] at the order of [[Pendragon]] [[Lal Soratami|Soratami]]. This followed the [[Necromanic Wars]].

===Priesthood===
Any blood necromancer has access to the necromanic magics and is thus eligible to join the priesthood. Traditionally, the men are called priests and woman are called chantresses. Though the power strucuture and dynamic has changed over the [[Ages]], in the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]] priestesses had more power with fewer restrictions. This is believed to relate to the central role fertility and femininity played especially in [[Green Temple]] ideology.

The main function of the priesthood is to delineates a regular necromancer from those practicing of necromancer magic. Because the magic is so heavily tied to the religious and spiritual aspects of necromancy, the process of learning the magic requires being inducted into the priesthood. Whether priest or chantress, a necromancer who demonstrates power to command the undead and completes certain religious rites will receive the title "[[Servant in the House of Truth]]". Other titles will be bestowed as more rites are completed or status attained within the temple hierarchy.

====Leadership====
Necromancy temples are lead by a group of High Temple Priests and High Temple Chantresses. This means that only magic-using necromancers are able to hold leadership roles, which in turn encourages as many necromancers as possible to practice the dark arts.

===Masonry===
Masonry plays a minor but important role in the religious side of Necromancy. Necromancers believe that once a stone has been cut and shaped, it cannot be cut again. The act of carving bricks also carried ritual and sacred significance.

==Invention==
Necromancy was invented by [[Rubiceye]] in the early part of the [[Mage Wars]], roughly 3500 [[B.G.A. System|B.G.A.]], though it is well known that the sorcerer began work on the magic long before. It is also well known that he made numerous failed attempts before perfecting the technique.

After its creation, Necromancy became hereditary in familial lines. Unlike other magicks which could be learned and practiced by any, Necromancy could only be performed by necromancers.

==Culture==
The necromancers' culture is very rich and deep.

===Nomenclature===
Necromancy cannot be learned; only those born with it can practice it. The power is believed to occur within an artificially created gene, originally bestowed by [[Rubiceye]].

The Necromancer, then, is both a people group and a type of mage.

The members of a particular group are called a temple, which also the name of the structure where most necromancer's live and practice. The collective noun for necromancer's is 'cult'. Often, this term will be used to refer to the entire temple; however within necromancer parlance a 'cult' specifically means "any gathering"

===Caste System===
The Necromancer's temple population is divided into four castes: Priest, Scholar, Warrior, and Worker (with the latter sometimes described as "Tradesmen"). Young necromancers usually follow into their parents' caste, but changing castes is not uncommon. Most necromancers belong to the worker caste. The priest caste rules the temple, the warrior caste defends it.

The rules depend on the temple, but in general one is not allowed to marry outside their caste. This is especially troubling for the warrior-caste, which tended to be heavily male-dominated. Warriors often could not take a wife and sometimes resorted to trilateral marriages. Another common solution was for a woman from the worker caste to officially join the warrior caste to be the wife of a warrior, without actually engaging in martial training herself.

The most diverse caste is that of scholar. Originally, the function of the scholar caste was closely tied to the priests; the scholars were responsible for recording the history the temple and helping the priests to inscribe spell books. In addition to history, the scholar-caste was responsible for recording any knowledge gained by the temple, and later with sharing this knowledge with other temples.

During Necromancy's Golden Age, the scholars largely remained just that: adding to the temple's knowledge, whatever was learned from outside sources. During this era, doctors, builders, and planners belonged to the worker-caste. As time passed, and the bodies of knowledge grew more complex, these and other jobs gradually shifted to the scholar-caste. Since most necromancers begin their caste-training in their early teens, this means that, for example, a doctor can begin studying at a very young age. Any trade, then, that required a great deal of study, became a part of the Scholar caste, which in turn caused the caste to grow.

While no necromancer is considered to have a dual-caste, there are many within a given temple who may have a gray area regarding their exact caste.

====Castes and Naming Conventions====
A necromancer's caste tended to have some impact on their name. Every necromancer has a given name, a common name, and a temple name. The given name is bestowed in a [[Necromancer Rites of Passage|special ceremony]] 8 days after birth; while the common name is generally what they go by (a sort of shorthand or nickname). The temple name is used in religious rituals and is taken up at the ''Ah'khat'ankq''.

Worker-caste necromancers tended to live in more traditional family units and used recognizable family names, often tied to the trade they practiced. The warrior-caste took up the name of their squad or regiment; these were sometimes handed down and even retained as descendants became part of the worker-caste.

Members of the priest caste took up elaborate titles relating to their roles within the temple. These could be very long and lead to senior priests having names consisting of several paragraphs.

Scholars typically used only a first name. This could be rather confusing, as the authorship of certain texts composed over hundreds of years might have dozens of contributors but only a few names. When two scholars within the same era had the same name, they might distinguish themselves by adding 'the elder' or 'the younger', but in general they kept whatever name they had chosen. To further compound the errors in such matters, while both men and women could be scholars, they tended towards unisex names which might belong to any gender.

===Orthodox vs. Conservative===
Necromancers are often referred to as being on a scale from orthodox to conservative. Necromancers on the ultra-orthodox side will live communally in a temple and spend all their time practicing rituals or otherwise engaged in devotional activities. The opposite end of the spectrum describes someone who is ethnically a necromancer but does not engage in any cultural or religious activities. All necromancers are said to be somewhere on the scale.

Of important note is that, at least pose-[[Imprisonment of the Necromancers|confinement]], neither side is considered "correct" or incorrect, but rather a symbol of your devotion. Necromancers believe each necromancer is called to demonstrate his or her devotion, and express it in whatever manner he or she sees fit.

===Physical Description===
Because all necromancers are descended from a particular people group, they all tend to have a similar physical description. They are on average shorter than the general population by around 6 inches. 'Tall' for a necromancer is 'average' for everyone else. They have olive-skin complexions, usually with dark hair and green or brown eyes. Hair is usually straight. They are known for smooth skin and very little body hair.

===Age-Mixing===
Necromancers have deep societal and religious taboos regarding age-mixing, especially as it takes place outside of Sunday mass rituals. While no formal doctrine exists, intimate relationships are restricted to individuals with no more than one to two years age difference. Social relationships are frowned upon unless in some sort of mentor/mentee configuration(such as teachers and students). Children are heavily encouraged only to socialize with peers of their own age(or at most 1-2 years difference) except for immediate family members(in the case of conservative necromancers) or specific, designated individuals in the event not enough children of the same age are available.

The origins of this taboo are unclear, but can be found all throughout the sacred texts and classical literature.

===Clothing===
Typical necromancer attire consists of long linen robes. Necromancer culture began in a desert region, and as such their style and aesthetics retain elements of these attributes. These are often tied at the waist with a sash and may be embroidered with beads. Bracelets and necklaces are also popular, as well as rings and earrings. Nearly all necromancers, both male and female, have pierced ears.

Females typically wear their hair tied back or braided, while males cut their hair short. A wide variety of hairstyles exist. Males and females also both typically wear heavy eye makeup. The cosmetics black out the entire area around the eye, stopping at the bridge of the nose but sometimes covering the eyebrows and down onto the cheeks. This is believed originally a ritualistic component evolved into every-day wear. There is no symbolic signficance to the eye makeup, and the exact shape and area covered is completely a matter of fashion.

In warmer climates, lighter, thinner robes are popular, as well as shorter ones. In especially warm areas, men might wear a half-robe that covers from the waist to the knees. The traditional female robe, or "temple dress", is a single piece of linen that covers them from about the knees up to just above the breasts. It is strapless and leaves the shoulders bare, and has a lon slit up the right hand-side that ends just above the hip. While formally a ceremonial garment, the temple dress is quite popular and many fashioned inspired by it can be seen in day-to-day wear.

===Family Unit===
Necromancers maintain a traditional family unit (mother, father, children) but live in a highly inter-connected society. Consanguinity is kept high in mind;–– that is to say knowing how various others are related to you and to what degree;–– but is only used to prevent inbreeding. Living in such close-knit groups, it is very important to keep the bloodline diverse.

Since necromancers typically live in communal buildings, a family unit might have a room or suite of rooms to themselves, used for sleeping, dressing, indoor recreation, and storing personal items. The family would be responsible for cleaning and maintaining these rooms.

Cooking and bathing are communal activities. Large kitchens produce meals for the entire temple, with dedicated staff who carry out all the requisite duties. A larger temple might have multiple kitchens. Cooking is usually done on a fairly large scale, and necromancer cuisine is not known for diversity.

The baths are segregated by age but not gender, to degree determined by the size of the temple. A very small temple may have only one bath, and designate different times of the day for different groups. The larger temples will have separate facilities in both for youth, young adults, older adults, and even the elderly. Young children typically bathe with their parents, while older children (starting around 8) go to the children's bath.

===Marriage===
Though it varies by temple, arranged marriages are not uncommon in necromancer society. There is no defined age of majority or age of consent, and the age of marriage also varies by temple. In larger temples, it is not uncommon for youth as young as 15 or 16 to marry, though this is a hold-over from the early days when life expectancies were much shorter.

Nearly all necromancers marry, including the priesthood (it is a requirement in some temples). A necromancer who remains single into adulthood is highly uncommon, and given the arrangments of necromanic society they would have a very difficult time.

Amongts the necromancers, a great deal of love poetry has been produced and preserved throughout the ages. It is perhaps one of the youth's favorite subjects upon which to muse.

Marriage outside the cult is unheard of, and happens extremly rarely. In the nearly 7,000 years between the creation of Necromancy and the destruction of the last temple in the mid [[Ages#The Third Age|Third Age]], only a few cases are documented. Of those, all took place in very small temples (populations of less than 100). Anyone marrying into the cult could never truly be a necromancer, and would be unable to participate in the ritualistic aspects of the necromancer lifestyle.

Some necromancers are known to have left the temple to wed an outsider. However, the archives do not give any indication of what happened to them.

=====Arranged Marriage=====
Arranged marriages typically happen amongst slightly older couples (late teens, early 20s), and is usually encouraged by the parents when neither party has found a suitable mate of its own.

Love is a very highly valued thing within the necromancer culture. Many of what are recorded as arranged marriages do happen between loving couples who merely seek the approval of their elders to wed.

Still others employ the help of matchmakers to find a suitable partner. Only very rarely are marriages arranged for political reasons.

=====Parentage, Love, and Sexuality=====
Necromancers typically consider the physical act of sexual contact to be separate from romance or love. While not common, if a father is unable to give his wife a child, she may go to another man; in this case there is no shame nor is the act considered adulterous. However, if a man were to express romantic feelings for a woman other than his wife, this would be a sacrilege.

Sexual activity is divided into three categories: for procreation, for spiritual enlightenment, and for physical pleasure. While all three of these can be put together in any combination, they are still regarded as highly distinct. Necromancers lack concepts such as orientation and virginity, and view sex as extremely natural and normal activity alongside eating and breathing. The only thing Necromancers find unusual is inter-generational relationships, so long as the partners are no more than a few years apart in age, virtually anything is acceptable.

=====Trilateral Marriage=====
During the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]], necromancers tended to live in smaller groups or temples. The practice of trilateral marriage(a marriage with three equal partners) began out of simple necessity. Because necromancers tend to disparage inter-generational relationships, there would frequently not be an even number of men and women within a particular generation. That era also heavily discouraged marriage outside of the temple(and indeed this was not even an option on the [[Arcol Steppe]]). The solution was to create marriages of three equal partners.

When possible it was preferred to pair two women with one man who was particularly strong with the magical aspects of necromancy. Marriages of two men to the same women were equally as common. The practice fell out of favor during the latter portions of the [[Mage Wars]], but was revived in the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] with new religious significance. A typical trilateral marriage is a democracy requiring a two-third majority to make any decisions.

Sacred marriage and sacred sex had always played a role in both ritual and practical aspects of necromancer life. Trilateral religious marriages were practiced by both the [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] necromancers, but for different reasons. Among the [[Grey Temple]], it was done deliberately to breed stronger necromancers, and exclusively with one man and two women. In the [[Green Temple]], the practice was used primarily to fulfill ritualistic roles; the trifles were always members of the priest caste(no matter the combination) and represented various aspects of dieties, carrying out specific ceremonies. Worker-caste trilateral marriages were also accepted in both theologies out of neccessity.

After the [[Necromanic Wars|necromanic wars]] the practice died out, with the remaining population of Necromancers confined to a single temple in [[Arindell]], many of their practices and customs became defined entirely by the area in which they were confined.

Little information survives about how necromancy changed during the [[Long Night]]. During the era of the [[New Day]], the practices of trilateral marriage were revived for the purposes of religious ritual. Though not forbidden, reformed necromancy abolished the caste system and removed the taboo of marrying outside the temple, so there has been no need for trilateral marriages among anyone besides the priests and priesteses.

In a sacred trilateral marriage one member is a priest or priestess, while the other two form two aspects of a specific deity. These marriages are also practical, in that the thruple live together and engage in sexual activities. Some of these are ritual in nature.

===Economy===
Internally, Necromancers do not use a monetary system. Because their organizational strucutre is communal, food, clothing, and housing are provided by group effort. The support systems for these areas are also carried out communaly, with individuals learning trades as needed. Basic personal items are provided to indivudals by crafters, who often emblish them with artistic decorations. A barter system is very common within the temple, with craftsmen trading wares and favors.

One Necromancer explained it thusly: ''"If I am a Hatter, I make hats. I am provided with tools and materials as needed. If you come into my workshop and ask me for a hat, I shall provide you one. However, if you desire a particularly fine hat, you should bring me something to offer in trade."''

Necromancers typically value the effort placed into producing an item over any precised monetary value of the materials. Hence, golden jewelry could be traded for wooden beads, if the beads took more work to produce.

This system, however, does not extend outside of the temple, and Necromancer traders who sell their wares to outsiders are known to be particularly shrewd. It does help that what they sell tends to be of the highest quality.

===Games===
====Ko'r't====
Ko'r't, commonly translated simply as 'court' or spelled phonetically as 'kort' is a blanket title for a variety of ball games. The most common version, Foot Kort, is roughly similar to soccer, but has numerous derivations and levels of rules and strategy. The games are played by Necromancers as well as outsiders who live in the vicinity, with Necromancers commonly inviting their neighbors to a friendly game. While much ritual significance has been ascribed to the various derivations of kort, the Necromancers will readily admit it really is just a game.

While hundreds of permutations exist, Kort is most often played in three different forms: Traditional, Floor, and Foot.

A traditional game of Kort requires a playing field with a hardened floor and a painted series of grids, flat walls on three sides, and a hoop for the goal mounted on one wall. The hoop can be as large as a few feet across or just barely bigger than the ball, depending on the skill and seriousness of the players. The game is played with two teams of two or three each, depending on the size of the playing field. In traditional Kort, only the hands and elbows can be used to engage with the ball, and the ball must bounce off at least one surface before making a goal or being engaged by another player. Players are allowed to catch and throw the ball, but must bounce it off either the wall or floor. The grid on the floor also denotes spaces where the players are allowed to set foot. Traditional Kort is the oldest and most ritualized form, and while competition between temples is often fierce, outsiders are still frequently welcomed to join in. While not a formal part of the religion, Kort is frequently used to resolve disputes or to make decisions.

Floor Kort is more common as the requirements for a playing field are far lower. A raised circular goal and a flat surface are still necessary, but the walls and grid are not. Floor Kort works on the same principles of bouncing the ball and striking only with the hands and elbows. As high quality rubber became more common, notions of 'dribbling'(similar to basketball) entered the game.

Foot Kort is the most common; it is, for all intents and purposes, soccer. No one is entirely sure which game was invented first, and how much was appropriated. The Necromancer 'version' of the game has rule-sets worded very differently and still uses a grid (like in Traditional) but changes from hands and elbows to feet and knees, and uses a soccer-style goal. Strangely, much more ritual significance is ascribed to Foot Kort by outsiders than to Necromancers (who regard it as healthy fun). Many outsiders, wrongly assuming certain things about Necromancy, will often assume all forms of Kort are treated the same, and believe Foot Kort is an ancient, highly ritualized game, and a matter of life and death.

During the [[New Day]] era, Foot Kort became a major form of outreach. Every temple and necromancer community had at least one field, and it was ''"never fenced, always open, always inviting to anyone"''. In cities that housed even small necromancer populations, they would organize (usually free) foot kort leagues as a way of being involved. This led to some clashes as soccer rose in popularity; the two games as played in the New Day era are close enough for opposing teams to compete. But while participating in a soccer league was usually required at least an entry fee and paying for one's own equipment, foot kort teams--especially those aimed at youths--were always free, and often gave away what little equipment was needed. This made Foot Kort the de facto sport of the lower classes, while the middle and uppers played soccer. Despite the two sports' extreme similarity, this has made for very serious business in the [[Final Foot Championship]] competitions.

There is one key difference between foot kort and soccer, though it does not matter even a little. While modern foot kort is largely a sport like any other, it is customary to wear a traditional head-covering called a ka'daim similar to a bandana (interchangeable for one, in fact). While this has no bearing on play, it is considered to be so important to the sport that Necromancers have been known to interrupt games and scold children for playing without one. Often, this proves embarrassing, as the children were in fact playing soccer.

====Wrestling====
The Necromancers have a traditional form of wrestling or grappling, an intrinsic part of their ritual life. The sport is played in a round sand pit, usually wetted to provide a more comfortable surface for falling and rolling on. The game requires two participants and a drummer to keep time. Much like Kort, wrestling is used to resolve disputes, but very much unlike it the skill of individual competitors is deliberately not tracked or considered.

The participants usually wear very little clothing. Barefoot with a small loincloth, or a piece of cloth around the breasts if the competitors are female. Hair is tied back into a braid or bun. Matches are very short, and over when the first competitor's shoulder touches the sand. Usually the ring will be surrounded by observers who will call out once they see a touch. The objective is to knock your opponent down on their back.

The time keeper is a drummer beating a very large and loud drum. While matches are sometimes held outdoors, most often they are in special chambers underground where the time keeper's rhythm can reverberate off the walls. The time keeper always faces away from the competitors. When a match is declared, the timekeeper begins a rhythmic beat, while the competitors hold absolutely still. When the timekeeper stops (at a time known only to him) the opponents move and attempt the win. The timed roll can land anywhere from a few seconds to an entire hour, with an important part of the ritual aspect being how tightly the competitors can hold their stance.

All physically fit Necromancers between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five are trained in this form of ritual combat, though those aged sixteen to twenty are preferred. The priests will choose two competitors of the same gender and similar height and build, and dispatch them to the ring while a timekeeper is called. The competitors will strip down and prepare, while the priests will either observe from afar or even wait in another chamber. The competitors will intentionally not be told which priest selected them or for what purpose, they will only be asked to compete.

The ritual significance of the rite holds that the fighters are enacting the will of the Necrosages, and the ritual is used as a way to let them settle disputes without being consulted directly. The ritual aspect of this ceremony is used to settle disagreements between priests, effectively as an elaborate coin-flip.

=====Croq-Wae=====
An extension of the traditional wrestling is Croq-Wae, the necromancer's martial art. It is a focused grappling technique that makes use of fast, close-in strikes to specific pressure points designed to cripple the opponent. Croq-Wae is explicitly designed for use in cramped quarters and meant to require very little physical strength. Its intended goal is to allow an emaciated prisoner to fight back against a healthy guard.

There is considerably more to it, and among the wider world it is known as one of the deadlier martial arts. However Croq-Wae cannot be used is tournaments and actual sparring is rare; because the "real" techniques tend to break bones or cause severe, permanent damage.

A Croq-Wae Master is called a Balga.

===Language===
{{#lsth:Endu}}

For a complete list of necromancer profanity, see [[Endu#Swear Words|Endu Swear Words]].

====Common Slang====
*''Fairly Wintering'' - a common parlance for "boring". The term comes from colder climates where the bulk of the temple population would have to stay indoors, bellow ground, for winter.

*''Ny-pep’no'' - a contraction of the [[Common]] word 'no' and 'pep'no', [[Endu]] for 'problem'. Used in a general sense to say "no problem" and sometimes more specifically in reference to things that might be a problem for a non-necromancer but aren't one for a necromancer.

===Literature===
{{:Necromancer Literature}}

===Bathing===
Necromancers practice communal ritual bathing in bath houses connected to the temple complex. The bathing ritual involves a full-body wash followed by a lengthy soak. The same baths are also used as a social space and may be the only place to wash for some poorer members or fully orthodox practioners. In keeping with the taboo on age-mixing, baths are divided by age group but not gender.

===Sex===
Necromancers are stereotypically considered very sexual active, with the common outsider belief being that all necromancer women are very easy and temples are just lousy with orgies.

The reality is much more complex, though not altogether inaccurate. Necromancers as a whole do not stigmatize sex, regarding it as a physical question rather than a moral one. They do not have a concept of "virginity". Even the most conservative groups do not view sex or pregnancy outside of marriage as being a problem. Group sex does happen and is viewed more as a matter of preference than anything else.

On the sliding scale of conservative to orthodox, the more orthodox a necromancer is, the less likely they are to be in a committed relationship. In fully orthodox temples, necromancers practice open polyamory with fully communal living. Family units exist to provide nurturing and early structure, but all property is communal and the adults actually raising the children are seldom the biological parents.

From a statistical standpoint, more orthodox necromancers are likely to have had more sexual partners than their non-necromancer counterparts within a given demographic group. Those on the more conservative side tend towards the societal average. What sets necromancers apart statistically is their likelehood to have only had partners with a very narrow age window, generally no more than 3 years difference.

====Religious Elements====
Sex and sexuality play an important role in the necromancer religion. This is also part of what contributes to the stereotype or the "Necromancers worship sex!" attitude.

Sexual rituals do happen as a part of the necromancer religion. And very often these are carried out by temple chantresses and priests. However, unlike what outsiders believe, in most cases the individuals in question are already in a sexual relationship. Regular necromancers also routinely perform sexual rituals; but, again, this is between two or more parties already in a relationship. More intricate symbolic rituals(in which no actual sexual contact occurs) are a regular part of temple life.

The reality is that fertility plays an important, almost central role in the necromancer religion. Officially they worship death(that part is not a sterotype), but in order to die something has to live, and most things begin to live through sex. Originally fertility and birth played major roles in the necromancer religion. Among women especially fertility was considered very important. If a woman became pregnant regardless of her marital status it was viewed as a wonderful thing and proof of her ability to conceive. In [[Necromancer Literature|Endu and classic literature]], fertility is often described as a very important sexual trait and indeed extremely arousing to males.

The central role of fertility is inexorably tied to sexuality as, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pregnancy does not happen without sex. Necromancers have always been very open about this fact and saw no problems with depicting it in art and literature. Many temples are decorated with scenes outsiders view as extremely sexualy explicit, but to the necromancers this is only part of the cycle of undeath.

After the [[Necromanic Wars]] and the subsequent [[Imprisonment of the Necromancers]], their culture was forced to undergo some changes. With extremely strict population controls place, having children became a rather serious problem. The necromancer religion responded to this by shifting the focus from actual conception to the sex-act itself. Under the use of contraceptives or outright sterilization, priests and chantresses continued to engage in sexual rituals, while

====Prostitution====
Among the ongoing stigmas associated with necromancers is the belief by outsiders that their culture freely encourages prostitution. Many cite references in their religious texts and literature as proof of this. In reality, necromancers engage in sexual services at a rate no higher than there non-necromancer counterparts within a given economic bracket. The statistics are screwed noticeably by many necromancers being more economically disadvantaged. Further damaging the reputation is the tendency of young adult necromancers to engage in casual forms of prostitution with their peers, then later openly admit to this in surveys.

The sterotype comes from two places.

*In the necromancer religion, ritual sacred prostitution is practiced. In this ritual, women, usually temple chantresses, are seen to accept money in exchange for sex, the money is then used for the temple. However, the reality of this scenario is not at all what it appears: the money is being paid from the temple coffers, back to the temple coffers, the participants are strictly only priests and chantresses, and sex is not part of the ritual. The process is purely symbolic. It is believed that, at one time, there may have been lass sexual rituals practiced this way, but at least as early as the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] the ritual had become purely symbolic.

*In necromancer ''literature'' sex and prostitution are used frequently in elaborate metaphors. A common motif is a ritual in which all of the girls of a certain age in the temple must put on their temple dresses and sit on the steps, then wait until a man throws some money in her lap, and go and have sex with him. During the act, he will tear her dress. It is important to note that this situation is entirely fictional, no known temple ever practiced such a ritual. In [[Necromancer Literature|literature]], descriptions of sacred prostitution can be used for any number of metaphoric purposes, often with multiple meanings. These kinds of mass rituals are also a very popular in necromancer pornography(both aimed at them and of the tan'nesh variety).

As far actual prostitution carried out by necromancers goes, their culture does not stigmatize the sex act itself or the exchange of money. However age-mixing is deeply taboo, so a necromancer who engaged in such acts would be shamed if the other party were much older or younger.

==Converts==
Not possible until after the Necromancers were freed in the first year of the [[Age of the Dragon]], converts, called Acolytes or Necromancer Acolytes, are outsiders who have adopted the necromancer faith. Acolytes subscribe to the spiritual aspects of Necromancy and participate in non-magical rituals. While Acolytes cannot join the priesthood (because they lack the magical ability), they are given the same respect within the cult as full-blooded Necromancers. Children born with one Acolyte parent and one Necromancer parent are similarly not stigmatized, and typically have full access to Necromancer magic; indicating the power might not be limited to their lineage.

==History==
===Ancient History===
"Long ago during the Mage Wars, a wizard named [[Isolia]] fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy."

[[Rubiceye]] was widely known to have many followers in the early days. Though not considered a politician, he was a good leader and an entire nation formed around him. He was a powerful mage and had many other powerful mages following him, and with the [[Mage Wars]] already in full swing, many people flocked to him.

The original name of his people group is now lost to history, though it is believed to have been similar in pronunciation to the name of the magic Rubiceye was to create. The customs and practices of those people, while not initially magical, were later adapted into the rituals of Necromancy.

===Mage Wars===
Around the middle of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], early Necromancers made their home on the [[Arcol Steppe]] at the north-eastern corner of the [[Agras Plain]]. The area was a high-altitude desert at the time, cold and very dry: ideal conditions for the activities Necromancers are known for. From [[B.G.A.]] 3528 until 3021, everything was going swimingly. This era is often known as the [[Golden Age of Necromancy]]. The magic and ritualistic lifestyle of necromancers solidified largely during this time; and while the region was mostly a loose association of temples, it was still a powerful force in the region.

The military and magical might of the Necromancers were able to defend their borders until the end of the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]]. However, as the [[Mage Wars#The Intermediate Period|Intermediate Period]] began, they soon lost ground to other, stronger empires which had the advantage of off-world holdings to supply troops and war material. This led to, among other events, the [[Necromancer Wars]], a proxy conflict that gave rise to [[Grey Temple]] and [[Green Temple]] ideology.

Amidst the peril of looming conquest, a [[Litch]] known as [[Kozek]] rose to power. Necromancers, while willing to defend themselves, had always been at their core a peaceful lot. Kozek had other ideas, and thought that, with some effort and guile, Necromancers could command a vast multi-world empire of their own.

His push caused a schism within the necromancer world. The region of Arcol, while large and populous, had never been an empire in its own right. Prior to Kozek's rise, the area had been a loose association of city-states that tended to cooperate well and support each other, but had no central leadership. Kozek sought to crown himself emperor, but not all necromancers agreed. Kozek's ideology became known as the [[Grey Temple]], and for the first time a true Necromancer nation was founded.

This, in turn, led to a mass exodus of Arcol, of many necromancers who refused to live under Kozek's rule. Still others remained in Arcol, bent on maintaining "the old ways" (by then known as [[Green Temple]] ideology). Weakened by the exodus and torn apart by internal struggle, Kozek's empire collapsed. The entire region of the Arcol Steppe, with its ancient and hallowed temples, had to be abandoned as the then-new [[Marcon Alliance]] had taken a liking to the territory.

Necromancers then spread throughout the [[known worlds]], founding new temples wherever they settled. Many Green Temples were initially welcomed with open arms, for the services they provided. Grey Temples sought more remote areas to settle, either landing in un-populated regions or enslaving local peoples. Many an empire rose and fell while backed by Grey Temple necromancers throughout the rest of the Mage Wars.

===Alliance Era===
When the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] began, some Necromancers sought to reclaim their ancestral homeland, but found Arcol (by this time a fertile and temperate region) populated by other peoples. Some Necromancers still lived there, and others were able to relocate; but the hope of rebuilding the old nation was impossible.

Instead, a large number of Necromancers settled in [[Serreth]], on the [[Sword Coast]], with designs on building a 'Most High' temple at the site. Others settled in [[Stormreaver Valley]], where yet another temple of supreme importance was constructed. These temples unfortunately saw both grey and green necromancers alike, as both ideologies sought a strong, centralized Necromancer nation.

~History~

In the Third Age, the Grey Temple under Arch-Lich [[Honoreck]] began a campaign to take over the [[Known Worlds]]; but they were stopped ultimately by [[Lal Soratami]]. This time-period is known as the [[Necromanic Wars]]. The few survivors (both Green and Grey) were corralled in [[Arindell]] for the next 3000-odd years, until the reign of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]; or else dispersed to obscure [[Planet]]s, where they became the [[Dark Order]]s.

==Other==
The [[Okina Gaori]] is an ancient Necromancer book and is often described as "the only think most outsiders know about Necromancy". In addition to hundreds of illustrations, it includes in-depth descriptions of many rituals. While parts of the book are still in use, necromanic scholars are quick to point out that none of the rituals described were ever actually used.

The word "[[Niktapede]]" is a slang term used to describe people who are racially intolerant of necromancers.

A related word, "[[Niktad]]", describes non-necromancer/non-acolytes who express an interest in necromancer culture and lifestyles without embracing the religious aspects of it. "Nickta-fever" refers to someone, most often a young woman, with a sexual attraction to necromancers.

==History (Original)==
Taken from [[The Reunion of the Eighth Power]] from [[The Path to Ascension]]:

Long ago during the [[Mage Wars]], a wizard named Isolia fell from the purer faith, and created the Cult of Necromancy. Using underworld magics he and his followers created a new path of magic: the Path of Necromancy. Together they raised ghoulish armies from the fallen corpses of their enemies, and trapped souls to be converted into terrible spells.
By the time the Mage Wars had ended, Necromancy had solidified into a full-blown religion. All the Necromancers were blood descendants of Isolia and his original followers, and all possessed the gift of Necromancy passed down from him. Because there were so many, [[Eieber]] decreed that the Necromancers could be allowed to live, if they swore never again to practice their grotesque birthright.

A hundred years passed, and Eieber went into the Light.

For five generations, the Necromancers had kept silent, staying in their own quiet villages, practicing their trade only amongst themselves. Now with Eieber dead they felt no reason to hide their art anymore.

Two great followings were established: the Grey Temple and the Green Temple. Necromancers of the Green Temple believed the power of Necromancy could be used for a greater good. They reanimated corpses for use as laborers, and raised souls only to comfort those left alive after a tragedy.

Despite their intentions, the Green Necromancers were much hated and feared by people who simply didn’t understand them, and so more and more Necromancers turned to the Grey Temple.

The Grey Necromancers used their power for one thing: gaining more power. An uneasy alliance was forged, but the Grey Necromancers still grew rapidly in numbers, and spread across the Multi-Verse like a slow tide of terror.

Finally, over two thousand years after Eieber’s death, the Necromancers of the Grey temple plunged the [[Multi-Verse]] into a chaotic battle the likes of which had not been seen since the depths of the Mage Wars.

Despite fighting valiantly against the Grey Necromancers, the Green Temple was still much hated and feared, and their highest pantheon was ransacked and burned. Even with this crushing blow, the Green Necromancers still forged an alliance with the Slayer Dragons to strike out against the real enemy.

After forty years of fighting, the Grey Temple finally fell, and the Necromancy Wars ended. [[Lal Soratami]], the Pendragon anointed during the war, outlawed Necromancy once and for all, and gathered up all the remaining Necromancers in a new temple where he could watch them.

Those who did not willfully enter the [[Necromancy Temple]] established in [[Arindell]] were killed, and their bodies burned: the greatest insult a Necromancer could know. The temple in Arindell became the last bastion of Necromancy in the World of Life.

Things must have been desperate if they were using a Necromancer.

The sword he carried was a simple one-handed short sword that was inexpertly crafted, and it looked like he was talking to it.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Lost Civilizations of the Greater Continent

2025-11-29T01:47:31Z

Siddharth1: /* Standing Column Culture, Geth */

The [[Greater Continent]] on [[Aren]], and the surrounding land masses, are home to many strange and enigmatic ruins. Among them, many distinct lost civilizations have been identified, about which virtually nothing is known. This section will document a few of them. All of these civilizations are known or thought to pre-date the [[Mage Wars#The Dynastic Period|Dynastic Period]], and many are known to have been wiped out by the [[Marcon Alliance]].

==Direct Evidence==

===Canton H Culture, [[Iami]]===
In Iami, spread across the Maze grasslands and the Highlands, exist traces of an ancient civilization dubbed "Canton H" for the large earthwork-structures that define the ruins. The name derives from the first undisturbed site excavated, the 8th such berm documented during initial surveys. Canton H is especially strange because, while thought to have existed during the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], the earthworks they left behind show no signs of defensive purpose.

Rather, they would build long, wide berms, usually straight but sometimes in the shape of a capital T. There are signs that the berms were at the center of villages, and some indication that wattle and daub round houses were built around and on top of them. It is thought the berms formed some ceremonial purpose, but no concrete evidence of the culture survives. Very few artifacts have been found, displaying unusually primitive workmanship when compared to the scale of the earthworks (which are sometimes miles long, thousands of feet wide, and perfectly flat and straight). No traces of metal tools have been found at all, nor any signs of agriculture. The denizens of Canton H. used flint and stone tools.

However, they were highly organized and in possession of a widespread, unified culture. The most curious aspect of the Canton H sites is the lack of any evidence for warfare. At all of the sites examined, no sign has been found of spearheads, sling shot, or defensive fortifications. Small arrowheads, as would be suitable for hunting small game, as well as flint knives, have been discovered, but no evidence for weapons.

The exact age of Canton H. is difficult to determine, but thought to be during the [[Age of Darkness]]. The more telling aspect is the way in which it relates to the other ancient civilization in [[Iami]]. The funerary practices of Canton H were the use of urn burials and stone cairns, some of which can still be seen today. Curiously, they did not appear to build cemeteries, making it uncommon to find any more than a few burials in a large area.

===Fluted Colonnade Culture, Iami===
Beside, and sometimes on top of Canton H is the Fluted Colonnade Culture, so named for the distinctive fluted stone columns found at many of the sites. This culture is perhaps even more enigmatic that Canton H. While the nature and purpose of the ruins left behind is far easier to discern, it is the lack of accompanying evidence which makes the remains so puzzling. Several concourses of colonnades have been found all over the continent in a distinct and well-developed style, but no record of their builders. No villages or structures of the same style; indeed no sign habitation for miles around any of the sites, at least none that can be conclusively dated to the same timeframe as the colonnades. Radiocarbon dating seems to show that all of the colonnade sites were constructed within a relatively short time frame somewhere between 3300 and 3600 [[B.G.A.]].

In stark contrast, all of the sites attributed to Canton H were abandoned by 3700 B.G.A., and no sign of a transition has ever been found. The Colonnade sites are religious or ritualistic in nature, with some theorizing they may have [[magic]] properties. Unfortunately auramancers studying the sites have not been able to find anything.

===Standing Column Culture, Geth===
In [[Geth]] there exist hundreds of sites defined by free-standing stone columns. Many outline buildings that have since collapsed, or are partially buried. The layout and size of the columns indicate a cohesive culture built in the same style, and based on maps of some of the sites they likely held a ritual significance. Unfortunately, no systematic investigation has ever been published, and may of the better-preserves sites were destroyed during Geth's tumultuous history. Several statues of a strange fishlike idol have surfaced in the hands of private collectors over the years, all claimed to have been bought on the black market and looted from illegal excavations on Geth. The [[Marcon Alliance]] also left its mark on the island nation, so without serious examination it is impossible to piece together anything about this mysterious culture.

===The Works of the Old Masons, Greater Continent===
In the region north of [[High Mountain]], a great many curious stone works have been discovered in most unusual places. Of course given the highly complex history of the region, it is impossible to attribute all of these to some lost progenitor race, but there are a few particularly enigmatic points.

Finds described as the "Works of the Old Masons" are defined by unusually high quality, displaying a degree of precision very difficult to replicate without advanced tools, and found in places where either no culture with these capabilities is known to have existed, or were never inhabited at all.

Another peculiar point, aside from the high quality, is the purpose for which they were used. One enigmatic example shows very high-quality stonework around a well, which indicates a high and well-developed culture. The amount of work needed to create such a construction would not have been wasted on a well, unless much greater works existed in the area which have not survived.

====Greater Continent Megaliths====
Possibly created by the same hand are numerous megalithic sites dotted all over the continent but most frequently found north of High Mountain. Often mistaken for standing stones, these are carefully hewn statues forty to eighty feet in height, always carved from a single stone. On occasion, signs of the block having been quarried nearby can be identified, but as often as not the origins remain a mystery.

Of particular difficulty is the weathering of the stones. Many primary and secondary sources from the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]] tell of the statues appearing old, but still bearing clearly recognizable features. They were all of armored knights, most carrying weapons; and some accounts tell of astonishing levels of detail. However, by the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] many of the best examples had been destroyed or were otherwise located in now remote and inaccessible regions.

Further still was the mythology surrounding them. While clearly ancient in origin, many had become the subject of local folklore which, when mixed with actual events, provided credible stories about their origins. This led to the few megaliths located in easy-to-reach places to be dismissed or wrongly attributed to [[Mage Wars#The Dynastic Period|Dynastic]] civilizations until long after the most important details had faded away.

It was not until the publication of the [[Accepted Histories]] and the wide scale tabulation of ancient written records that the pattern emerged, and over 100 megaliths predating the dynastic era were identified. Of them, only 40 still existed, and of these few features were still evident. Dozens more would eventually be discovered, but the information was simply lost. The largest unanswered question was whether or not the megaliths showed a preponderance of form, or were copied from each other and adapted to the local style. The direction the statues are facing could also have been useful, but aside from rough guesses about front and back no information is known.

While the megalithic soldiers have been positively identified as artificial in origin, many theorists speculate a connection to the more controversial [[Doldrome Heads]] found in the same region.

===The Builders of Roads===
Several long and well-constructed stone roads have been discovered across the [[Agras Plains]]. Some link modern and ancient settlements, but others do not. These are all built in a similar style and made to last for ages, but no cohesive civilization ever covered the entirety of the region in which they were found. The roads are also described in many surviving accounts from the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], indicating they are far older than the other civilizations in the region.

===Sunken Cities of The Blue Sea===
In the shallow waters of the [[The Blue Sea]] region near [[Narano]], thousands of submerged ruins have been discovered, including over a hundred cities and a network of roads. Some are at depths of over two thousand feet. Artifacts recovered from the various ruins indicate there may have been as many as three distinct cultures. While some stones and statues with inscriptions have been discovered, they have not yielded enough to provide a successful translation. No large quantities of writing widely-disseminated writing has been found that could shed light on who lived there.

Some similarities have been observed between the Fluted Colonnade Culture in Iami and the Square Circle Temple Culture found beneath the Blue sea. However, mainstream researchers state that the sunken ruins are too badly weathered to provide more than a very rough match. The layout of the Colonnades is simply not distinctive enough to prove any more than coincidental similarities. The Square Circle Temple Culture may be the oldest of the three distinct groups, as its ruins, largely exposed on the sea floor, show significant signs of weathering both before and after being submerged.

The Pyramid 7 culture, so named for one of the submerged pyramids, has better preserved ruins. However much of the layout and patterns of their cities has been derived from sonar scans of the areas around the preserved ruins. The real state of preservation is unknown due to the depth and difficulty of underwater archeology.

The ruins of the unimaginatively named Round House Culture are much more difficult to examine, and many researchers have suggested these were merely the minor outlying agricultural regions of the other two cultures. The Round Houses used wattle and daub construction and all remnants are in a very poor state of preservation. However dozens of sites have been identified by the terminus of roads. Dredging at the site has brought back fragments of pottery and stone artifacts. It is believed however the over-all state of technology may have been more advanced, with metal tools simply not surviving.

====Dating and Origin of the Ruins====
No written record of the region being above water exists. The earliest known accounts, found in the history of [[Zathra]] indicate the region had been floored at least by the establishment of [[High Tower]]. Nothing in the mytho-history or oral traditions of Zathra or the [[Narano]] indicates there was ever a well-developed culture there. Indeed, the entire history of the Narano focuses on the [[Solollo River]] and [[Nara River]] basins.

Scientific dating based on radiometric decay has also been attempted, but has yielded wildly different results. Despite rigid experimental protocols, suitable samples obtained from well-established sites have failed to produce any sort of acceptable date. In the [[Ages#The Second Age|Second Age]], one particular test was preformed on pieces of wood recovered from what was believed to be a tomb located in one of the pyramids from the Pyramid 7 Culture. All 5 fragments were believed to be from a lacquered sarcophagus. Two yielded a radiometric dates of less than 500 years old, two more came back with dates 3,000 years apart but from a time when the temple was known to be underwater, and the fifth returned a result that would indicate it was from the future. Other tests came back with dates tens of thousands of years old, of band for the testing methods being used. One study found evidence of vitrification, or sustained high heat, on some of the submerged structures, which could indicate the use of atomic weapons at some point in the region's long history. This would also throw off any attempts at radiometric dating. Enough information to produce a reliable test simply does not exist.

The origins are an even greater problem. While the Blue Sea has a relatively shallow mean depth of around 300 feet, with the deepest points dropping off to as much as 5,000; once one reaches the edge of the continental shelf which forms the border with the great [[Northeastern Sea]], the drop off is rapid and substantial. Average depth of the Northeastern Sea, with no islands between the Blue Sea and [[Yanomano]]. There is no evidence for any sort of natural barrier that may once have held back and the sea, and no indication anywhere else that the sea level may once have been low enough for this region to be above water. Of course unknown magical means could have existed, but where and when is a mystery.

====The Deep Blue Library Incident====
There was one major opportunity to solve the mysteries of the sunken cities. In [[A.Y.]] 2402, marine archeologists discovered at a depth of nearly 500 feet, the well-preserved ruins of an ancient library. This library contained tens of thousands of tablets, made from fired clay, stone, and even metal. It was reported to be 'The Find of the Age' and was thought that it would soon solve the riddle of the Blue Sea.

The archaeological team involved made the find at the end of summer, and were not able to recover any of the tablets. Some managed to be photographed, but the negatives were stolen. When the team returned the following season, no trace of the ruins could be found. The entire site - a well-known and well-established one - was now just a sandy sea bed.

That same winter, hundreds of wet-navy ships of the [[Crimson Blade]] were sites in the region, many more than were usually present, as the [[Foundation]] had no bases and no influence in [[Narano]]. Along with it were several mobile drilling rigs. The Foundation claimed the mission was for oil and natural gas exploration in the area (already well-known to be practically devoid of fossil fuels). While the fleet was spread out, other boats were prohibited. However, civilian flyovers did report significant activity at the site of the library find.

The Foundation never admitted culpability, but made numerous donations all over the region. While no proof has ever been found, it seems clear the Foundation took the library and associated ruins. Many attempts have been made to force them to admit to this, but the official line remains the same. However, a leaked [[White Paper|white paper]] circulated around a thousand years after the event which hinted at the language having been deciphered.

At the time of the initial discovery of the library, researchers who saw the tablets claimed the script on them was similar to that of the [[Ancients]], which was not deciphered until the [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]]. This contradicts the white paper, as well-established sources state the Foundation could not translate Ancient during the Third Age.

===The Old Miners===
In the mid [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]], prospectors exploring a remote section of the [[Barrier Range]] not known to have ever been inhabited, chanced upon a rich gold seam and began mineral exploitation. What they found, however, defied all explanation or logic.

Mining technology of the time was still fairly primitive and the region remote, so a great deal of effort had to be undertaken in order to begin extracting the ore. A railway was constructed and a town built, and hard rock miners began tunneling into the seam. It was expected at the time to yield a considerable load, just the exposed portions indicated a very sizable discovery had been made.

However, the first tunnel penetrated just a few hundred feet into the cliff-side before breaking through into a pre-existing (and abandoned) mine. The workings antedated any sort of modern technology, having been dug entirely by hand and apparently with stone and wooden tools. Extensive bracing as well as ingenious mining equipment (such as contra-rotating reverse-waterwheels to drain flooded sections). The workers mapped over a hundred miles of tunnels, some extending thousands of feet underground.

Tailings and surface entrances were eventually located, but no signs of settlement. A mine of that size would have needed a labor force in the tens of thousands, in turn requiring a very large population to support, no trace of which was ever found. The spoils piles were examined, and found that the gold was extracted from them by an unknown yet highly efficient method.

===Ulanat and the Enigmatic Weapons of the Undying Age===
The [[Ulanat]] civilization was not discovered directly, but by their funerary offerings, the [[Enigmatic Weapons of the Undying Age]] which were discovered during the [[Mage Wars]]. Ulanat has not been identified directly but some information about their customs and people has been pieced together.

==Discovered in Secondary Sources==
No direct evidence exists for these civilizations, but they are described in writings. In most cases, only the location is unknown, but the general region might be.

===Cadolonima===
Described as being "to the northwest of Sindall", [[Cadolonima]] was said to be a powerful coalition of city states, with [[Mage Tower]]s and a standing army that fought many campaigns across the lowland regions. Numerous accounts survive most especially in the histories of [[Rowen]]. Most historians place Cadolonima in modern-day [[Korrinth]], but Rowen sources indicate it was further south, though that would place it in either Sindall or the [[Brutish Sea]].

Cadolonima is unique because, unlike many of the other lost civilizations, there are some direct sources. Thousands of documents bound into folios were found in the [[Library of Arindell]] proport to be from Cadolonima, and tell of a rich culture that may have been one of the earliest constitutional monarchies.

The script found in the Library should make discovery of the location fairly simple, but no matching inscriptions have ever been found. The leading theory is that Cadolonima existed somewhere in modern-day Korrinth, and all traces of it were erased by the Kori.

===The Sea People===
In the records of [[Sun's Beacon]] (the best-preserved ancient documents outside of [[Arindell]]) tells of a group called only "the sea people" who carried out raids on coastal settlements up and down the [[Sword Coast]]. Their origins and home are unknown, but was not any of the islands that today dot the [[Brutish Sea]]. It would be easy to write them off as simple pirates, but the records talk about them as a distinct culture, and draw a distinction between normal pirates and those belonging to the Sea People. Accounts describe them using well-built ships in an established style, indicating they had a home somewhere. Many theories have been put forth as to where they originated.

===Moay Blood Fighters===
{{#lsth:Moay Blood Fighters}}

==See Also==
[[Category:Course Books]]

Korsic-Phong

2025-11-27T06:28:19Z

Siddharth1: /* Hostilities Close */

Koric-Phong, on [[Pem Farheuill]], is often called "The last Great Hold-out of the [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]]". A nation of some sixty million people, they retained sovereignty and were able to remain independent when the Confederacy fell. As they were well outside draconic territory, their war industries were not affected by the devastating battles with the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]].

==Early History==
Like most ConFed states, Korsic has its roots in the [[Long Night]]. The island is comprised of fourteen Cantons covering an island of 80,000 square miles. During the Long Night, twelve of the cantons were controlled independently by loyalists and proved productive farming and mining communities. By the end of the Long Night, some 95% of the population were slaves. As the Confederacy solidified, the twelve cantons took control of the remaining two, and fought a brief civil war, which ended in all fourteen cantons under the rule of five families. The old borders were maintained for organizational purposes.

Korsic-Phong was quick to industrialize, rapidly building advanced technologies and beginning a war of conquest on every region it could reach. By the time the confederacy was officially founded, the five families controlled an empire of several hundred million square miles. While most of the new territories had abolished slavery at the end of the Long Night, under Confederate rule it was rapidly brought back. The seat of power on the isle of Korsic grew exceptionally wealthy and became an economic and technological power-house.

==End of Confederate Rule==
When open war began between the ConFeds, the [[Foundation]], and the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]], most of Korsic's territories were lost in a matter of months. The home island, however, was safely far away from the front; and when the Confederation collapsed, they were able to keep a working economy. Officially, slavery had to be abolished, but most of the elite of Korsic were able to keep their property under terms of indentured servitude.

As an independent nation, Korsic flourished with to a wealth of natural resources and a labor force to turn those into finished products at very competitive prices. Their exports were many, and their imports were mostly technological. Korsic had a very good track-record for bringing in technologies developed elsewhere, reverse-engineering them, then building more advanced and cheaper variants.

==Life in Korsic-Phong==
While the proportion of slaves did shift down under 70%, indentured labor was still the backbone of their economy. Poor families were forced, often at gun-point, to sell their children into slavery, and even the sizable military was mostly slaves. This included, interestingly, much of the officer corps. The five ruling families ruled as a brutal, militaristic regime. Hard work and ingenuity were rewarded, but unquestioning loyalty to the state was indoctrinated into every individual from a young age.

Central to Korsican ideology was the notion of "Koph", a pseudo-religious belief, by which the entire state was made stronger by the combined loyalty of every member. Anything from a simple declaration, to an act of charity, to the completion of some challenge, could be done as a dedication to Koph, and was strongly encouraged. The five families, then, did not openly rule as dictators, but simply gave orders in the name of Koph. They were further justified their wildly hedonistic lifestyles in the name of Koph.

===Property===
Property rights in Korsic were patrilineal, and in practice passed always to the eldest male heir. All land in the country belonged to forty families, with the lion's share belonging to the Five. Land was never sold, and it is unclear if it was even possible to buy and sell. Landed families controlled nearly everything, and the only other way to accumulate significant wealth was through the acquisition of servitude contracts (which meant owning slaves).

===Human Rights===
Curiously, despite the state of things, day-to-day human rights among the slaves was not terrible. They had plenty of food and adequate shelters, and working conditions were not overly dangerous. Later historians attributed this mostly to the economic shifts. While previous iterations of the Confederacy openly treated slaves as property, in Korsic, with the advent of mechanization and factory work, "indentured servants" had to be trained to do difficult, skilled work. This meant, in order to get a good return on investment, they needed to be kept alive and in relative comfort. Further, indentured workers who were decently happy were much less likely to damage the expensive machines in factories. The land in Korsic was good, and with mechanized farming it was not difficult to feed the population at a very good standard. However, they were still property of the ruling class, and could be punished, mistreated, or starved at-will.

===Military===
Korsic's army was a highly mobile, mechanized, advanced force touting the latest in domestically-produced copies of advanced weapons. Though most of the armed forces were slaves, they were the most fanatical devotees of Koph, willing to fight and die for the ideal. A key aspect to Korsic's military buildup was their ability to reproduce and improve upon existing technologies. By the time of their annihilation as a state, they had weapons far more advanced than any other force on Pem Farheuill.

==War of Aggression and Fall of the State==
In [[N.D.]] 62, the five families tripled the size of the navy and conscripted eight million soldiers. They had, for the past decade, been building an elite core of the finest pilots available, and put them in a locally-built aerofighter of unique design. The air-wing, which boasted some seven-thousand highly-trained pilots, operated a jet-aircraft faster and more maneuverable than the [[Doer-Daisy]] then operated by the [[TDFN]].

The top commanders assured the five families, that given the skill of their pilots and the vast superiority of their aircraft, they could confidently win even if outnumbered fourteen-to-one (this was, as should be noted, a technical impossibility; but they were at least correct that their fighters were far superior). The elite core of highly specialized pilot, operating from advanced super-carriers, and backed by a powerful navy fitted with the latest in surface warfare capabilities, was far and away the best in the dimension.

In N.D. 66, they began to annex neighboring regions, using primarily the threat of their powerful military. Some territory was taken through bombing, or quick, decisive battles. In two years, they had once again built up a vast empire.

===Alliance Response===
Korsic-Phong had been allowed to remain sovereign due primarily to its remote location. Its neighbors were independent states, and the nearest Alliance or Draconic territories were thousands of miles away. Add in that the Alliance was a fledgling group at the time; with no intergovernmental forces to deploy and reliant entirely on coalition armies from the member worlds, they had very little power to intercede until directly attacked.

However. All flights belonging to the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] were also members of the Alliance; and the Federation had a very powerful inter-flight military force of its own. Draconic territories were not immediately under threat, but as [[Conri Jusenkyou]] was still [[Pendragon]] at this time, he had the opportunity to ask directly for assistance. While the dragons left the decision to go to their appointed human naval commanders, the general consensus was, yes, the TDFN would gladly fight on behalf of the Alliance and in the name of freedom and crushing the last vestige of the Confederacy.

The response force assembled was drawn mainly from local TDFN garrisons and backed by ships from local member-states with capable sea-power. Since this was a rapidly-assembled, they were roughly equal in numbers of ships and planes, but significantly lower in terms of infantry. The initial battle plan involved neutralizing the Korsic navy and attempting to force a surrender from occupying troops.

===First Battle of Lumot Sea===
The first actual battle ended in a draw. Korsican fighters proved every bit superior to the Doer-Daisy. It did however offer a demonstration of the TDFN's party-piece. The dragons, who were quite fond of their human pilots, had loaded their aircraft with the latest safety features, even paying the Foundation (who had developed the fighter) to equip extra "pilot-survivability" functions even at the cost of performance. In the first engagement, 256 Daisys faced off against 211 K-Type-94s. 177 Daisies were shot down, and no pilots lost. By contrast, of the 15 K-types lost, only two pilots are known to have survived.

Similar to their fighters, TDFN ships were fitted with the latest defensive capabilities, again even at the cost of offensive weapons. Draconic naval-doctrine at the time was to use the superior numbers of their fighters to overwhelm enemy defenses, and to fight long-range standoff wars. As such, their capitol ships stayed well out of range of enemy guns, while easily defeating anti-ship missiles.

Opinions are divided, but history would ultimately rule the first engagement as a draw. The TDFN lost 177 planes, no ships, and no pilots. Korsic lost 15 planes, no ships, and all 15 pilots (the two survivors were captures as prisoners of war). However, due to the extreme loss of aircraft, the TDFN task-force was forced to withdraw from the region as Korsic had gained air-superiority.

That being said, there were two major factors the Korsicans had not accounted for. Firstly, Korsican fighters were far superior, but also came with a hugely increased price-tag. The lost of 15 fighters was a serious financial blow; and while they could be replaced with reserves, the fifteen pilots would be more difficult. Comparatively, the TDFN had thousands more aircraft available and was able to fly them in along with fresh pilots, while those who had been shot down and recovered were evacuated to tend to their injuries (as well as any possible hurt feelings). Secondly, the TDFN, backed by the massive financial might of the dragons, could afford to hire the [[Crimson Blade]].

===Second Battle of Lumot Sea===
The second battle came just two weeks after the first. The TDFN brought in three additional carrier groups, increasing the total strength to 1,024 fighters, as well as a carrier group from the Crimson Blade Elites. While most Crimson Blade units were armed with the same Doer-Daisy multi-role fighters as the TDFN, the elites had the far more advanced Snowflake dedicated air-superiority aircraft. As one Blader put it, ''"The Daisy is a good plane, an all-weather, multi-role vehicle as at home dropping bombs as shooting off missiles. It's an excellent piece of kit whose primary selling-point is the low cost per flight-hour. The Snowflake is designed, from the wheels up, to do one thing and one thing only: gain and keep air-superiority."''

The attack on the Lumot Sea was a well-planned engagement against a prepared-defense. At one in the morning on the day of the battle, the first wave of Crimson Blade aircraft flew a wildly successful SEAD mission, destroying 112 SAM batteries that the Koriscan navy had set up on various islands. These had been the key to their defensive plan, which relied on the batteries in the event the TDFN gained a significant enough numbers advantage.

At dawn, the second wave arrived. Running point were 198 of the Crimson Blade's very best pilots flying the state-of-the-art Snowflake fighter, backed by all 1,024 Doer-Daisies. The Korsican Navy had replaced the fifteen downed fighters and brought in two more wings to be flown from hastily-built airstrips on the islands, but that still brought their total air power to just 259 aircraft. Without SAM batteries to provide additional firepower, their warships steamed towards the zone of engagement to use their own anti-aircraft weapons. This had, it proved, been part of a trap into which they had casually waltzed.

While the K-Type was far and away superior to the Daisy, it was utterly and completely ill-equipped to deal with the Snowflake. To further complicate matters, at the suggestion of the Crimson Blade, the TDFN had swapped fully a third of its fighter/attack Daisies for the electronic warfare variant, which provided a massive screen for sea and ground-based anti-air weapons. With the heavy duty ECM screen, TDFN fighters began attacking the advance radar picket ships of the Korsican navy at will, effectively blinding them to the zone of engagement. In the air, Snowflakes teamed up with jammer-equipped Daisies to shoot down K-Types at will, while roving wings employed wolf-pack-tactics to make kills of their own.

By mid day, Korsic had lost over 200 fighters to just 97 Daisies, and not a single Snowflake had fallen. Most of the daisies were taken out by anti-aircraft measures, and not as a result of direct air-to-air kills. In fact, Daisy pilots from the TDFN achieved 63 victories that day, while Korsicans managed only 60. A key factor was the rate of attrition: not only did the TDFN have more fighters, it had more pilots. With 3 qualified pilots to every 1 airplane, each sortie was flown by a new, fresh pilot. Conversely, the Korsicans had been trained to form a close bond with their arcraft, so for the 259 jets involved in the battle, they also had just 259 pilots.

The battle ended with the bulk of the Korsican navy making a tactical withdrawal, with seven small ships severely damaged and 214 planes shot down. This should not have been such a serious defeat, but in the whole of the Korsican air corpse, there were only about 450 pilots total, and just 500 of those advanced warplanes. The 214 loses were a staggering blow from which they could not easily recover.

Worse still, another threat now lurked beneath the seas. While submarine technology was well-understood, Korsic-Phong lacked nuclear technology. The five families had also invested nearly all their military resources into overcoming the threat posed by the Doer-Daisy, believing that, if they could have enough better airplanes with enough better pilots, they could rebuff any counter-offensive with great ease. While their navy did have a few diesel-electric submarines, these were well behind the technology-curve and fitted primarily for reconnaissance and commerce-raiding roles.

===Campaign Begins===
Once the TDFN had proven its mettle in the Lumot sea, the dragons gave the order ''"To sally forth and liberate all the peoples of the land"''. The exact wording of the order gave the military commanders carte blanche to engage in unrestricted warfare against strictly military targets, so long as they adhered to the rules of engagement. They would further be backed by Crimson Blade Elite task forces as necessary, but ''"may be required to submit expense reports"''.

The TDFN first deployed its armada of nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines. Korsic had little to no anti-submarine weapons available, and their own subs were not designed for defensive usage. It wouldn't have mattered much, anyway, as like most equipment of the time TDFN submarines were designed for standoff warfare, and carried powerful, ultra long-range super-cavitating torpedoes. On the surface, carrier-launched Daisies used the same wolf-pack tactics from the Battle of the Lumot Sea to further cull the ranks of K-Type fighters. Korisic navy vessels still had formidable air-defenses, but upon learning of the unrivaled superiority they had beneath the waves, the TDFN set about employing a dual strategy. They would deploy mostly wings of ECM-equipped fighters, with a few carrying anti-ship missiles to put on a show. The primary goal, however, was to paint a target, while submarines miles away at periscope depth lined up a shooting solution. Most Korsic warships could be destroyed with a single well-aimed torpedo.

Within a couple of months, the combined air power of the TDFN and Crimson Blade had gained complete air-superiority. The Korsic had managed to preserve all of their super-carriers, but had lost nearly all of their highly-trained pilots. They had not accounted, either, for the massive attrition rate. They had started the war with 450 top pilots and 500 state of the art fighters, and within four months had just 50 operational aircraft and only about 100 pilots left. Back on the home island they began a crash program to produce as many fighters as possible from spare parts, and to re-train anyone with flight capability to fly them. All the while, their navy was being pushed back at an alarming rate.

The biggest loss was in sub-capitol ships, which were relatively easy to pick off either by submarines or with anti-ship missiles. Their heavy dreadnought warships, ironically, would have proven resilient against such measures, but were left alone. They were never allowed to get close enough to engage TDFN surface ships, and as such there was seen no reason to sink them.

==="The Option"===
Facing staggering defeat, Korsic desperately turned its weapons on the civilian populations, using their heavy warships to shell coastal cities as they went on the retreat. It was an attempt at scorched earth, but served only to provoke the extreme ire of the dragons. From the start, TDFN forces had been strictly forbidden from attacking civilian or even non-combatant targets, & this included orders not to attack the factories and training facilities churning out new weapons for Korsic. They were only allowed, it was said, to fight armed opponents clearly engaged in aggressive warfare. This even meant that, when a Korsic ship sounded the retreat, the TDFN was sometimes required to break off if the ship's weapons were thought to be crippled.

However, when the Korsic began to attack civilian targets wholesale, the dragons issued new orders. From now on, any military target was considered fair-game, and TDFN forces would adhere to "Strict rules of engagement". In practice, this gave the TDFN captains the ability to persist in sinking any ship. Under strict rules, only enemy soldier who surrendered in uniform and presenting identification would be spared, all others could be killed. The dragons further gave their highest ranking human admiral the option of issuing a single nuclear strike, ''"In retaliation for the attacks on unarmed civilians."''.

There was much opposition to this decision. Despite the atomic weapons having been sold to the TDFN by the Gudersnipe Foundation, the Crimson Blade Supreme Commander for the region did not approve of the dragons' decision. While relations were amicable, he stated that if a nuclear strike were to be ordered, the Crimson Blade would be required to withdraw from the campaign. As the TDFN had things well in hand at this point, TDFN admiral [[Chaser M. Trabolt]] agreed to this, and asked them to step back. He made the decision to launch on Korsic High, the capital city of the Korsic home island.

In keeping with draconic customs, which held that destroying property was an acceptable punishment but taking lives frowned upon, the TDFN contacted the five families and provided both the exact time, date, and location of the strike. They also created a very well-written evacuation plan for the city. The families responded that, not only would they NOT be evacuating, but that a large festival was to he held on that date in the city-center, with as many people brought in from the surrounding areas as possible. Admiral Chaser asked the dragon elders what to do, and they replied that he was to use his judgement.

A day before the missile strike, Admiral Chaser visited one of the cities attacked by the Korsic. Crimson Blade relief teams were still in the area on what was described as an ''"unrelated humanitarian mission"'', but the numbers of wounded and dying still staggered Chaser. Knowing there was still a considerable distance to fight before they reached the Korsic home islands, he decided to proceed.

The nuclear strike was carried out by a multi-warhead submarine-launched ballistic missile. Korsic had no missile defense system of any kind, and despite ample warnings, had proceeded with the festival. The weapon carried five medium-yield N1 devices, which struck in a staggered cluster, utterly annihilating the city-center in a single fell-swoop. The attack as followed up immediately by an air-raid, with two thousand ground-attach Daisies sent in to destroy the rest of Korsic's air force and as many SAM batteries as they could find. The same afternoon, Korsic's two heavy warships, which had been used to shell coastal cities "sunk mysteriously with all hands" (it is a well-established fact that the fast-attack submarine ''C.B.S. Mysterious'' was in the area at the time, though the published logs only show that it was delivering humanitarian aid).

===Hostilities Close===
In a rather surprising turn of events, the heads of each of the five families had in fact been at the festival, so confident were they that the dragons would not allow a nuclear attack on unarmed civilians. As such, the head of the snake had been cut off, and while the Korsic navy did fight on, it was clear they could do little more than delay the inevitable. As supply lines were cut, Korsic soldiers began to surrender in droves, fearing actual dragons may soon be involved in the fighting. As soon as a suitable forward-operating base had been established, the TDFN brought in its heavy bomber wings and began a brutal campaign against the Korsic home-island. The favored "Grid-square Annihilators", using simple chemical explosives, wrought havoc on Korsic bases, and began to attack their war industry. In a cruel twist of fate, it was the arrogance of the five families that doomed countless more civilians lucky enough to evade the nuclear attack. The will of Korsic was broken long before the second bomb fell on the home island, but without a functioning government, they had no way to sue for peace.

The only order came from the military, the highest ranking members of which were also the most fanatical devotees to the ideals of Koph. They swore openly to fight on until killed, but lacked the resources to mount any kind of successful defense. The decision was made at the highest echelons to assemble one last carrier task force and sortie against the advancing TDFN. Despite all the critical losses, the Korsic Navy had managed to preserve its three super-carriers. Each one was capable of fielding 144 of their K-Type fighters, and could have possed a very serious threat. However, by this time, they had only 74 aircraft left and just 59 of the original corps of highly-trained and skilled pilots.

They did, however, have many hastily-retrofit trainers made combat ready, plus dozens of obsolete fighters and even a few civilian aircraft. In a supreme twist, they even had 19 Doer-Daisies of their own; though these were badly outdated as compared to the fighters then being flown by the TDFN. In all, each carrier. In all, they were able to field 300 functional aircraft for the final assault, though only a fraction of these could put up any sort of fate. As the day of the battle neared, the Korsic admirals revealed their secret orders to the air crews: that they should make the ultimate show of their devotion to Koph, and pilot their aircraft directly into the enemy ships. This act of desperation had been planned from the start; if the Korsic were low on aircraft, they were now even lower on missiles. Of the 59 K-Type jet fighters still in operation, only 40 carried a full munitions payload. Most of the aircraft would be armed only with hastily-fit machine guns, or carry no weapons at all. Their pilots, mostly civilian aviators, some even flying their own planes, were being sent to certain death.

====Final Battle====
By this time, the [[Naval Intelligence Service]] had broken Korsic naval codes and had access to the complete battle plan. Admiral Chaser was reportedly horrified at what he read, and personally ordered all of his commanders to join him in a planning session. He is famously quoted as saying ''"We're not going to give these people any more rope, they've hung themselves enough!"''. The tactic was fairly straightforward. An expeditionary group comprised of fast battleships and escorts would meet the Korsic fleet while broadcasting decrypted that they were running point for the bulk of the surface navy. They would then lead the task force on a stern chase, while a submarine group would take out the capitol ships. Meanwhile, several task forces would move on the home island and attempt to destroy their command and control. The hope was, once the admirals directing the campaign had been killed, the task force could be convinced to surrender peacefully.

This was not to be, however. While the TDFN fleet put up a valiant effort, they were forced to engage the task force anyway. Famously, TDFN naval aviators were given the option not to fly that day. Some did, but others professed that the defense of their ships and crewmates was more important than personal scruples. After the war had ended, the dragons issued a special decoration for the pilots who had refused to fly, stating that holding true to one's moral compass was a quality they wanted to reward.

The focus of the fighting was on defense against the suicide attacks and destroying the last of the functional fighters. The TDFN pilots now had a well-honed technique for taking down K-Types; and while it did require a 20-to-1 advantage with at least 6 electronic-warfare planes involved, when executed correctly it was foolproof. They did still loose 23 planes in the ensewing battle, but all 59 remaining K-types were destroyed and over 250 enemy aircraft shot down.

Beneath the sea, the submarines set about the grisly task of sinking the remaining Korsic warships, taking pains to line up shots that would hopefully cripple them and give the crews a chance to escape. Losses were still catastrophically-one-sided.

===Home Island Invasion===
The TDFN discovered that the remaining leadership had been aboard the naval task force, so when the invasion party arrived on the Korsic home island, they landed unopposed. The landscape they encounters was scatterd and chaotic. Fully one-fifth of the population had been killed in the missile attack, and with no form of government the entire society fell apart. There was no more Korsic, just millions of frightened, starving people.

===Aftermath and Rebuilding===
The aggressive, mobile attack force that landed in Korsic quickly switched to first an occupying force, then to an aid group. The massive supplies of fuel and food staged for a long and bloody conflict were instead shipped in to feed the population. The TDFN, neither experienced nor prepared for what they found, once again called on the Crimson Blade for assistance. Having the Foundation present was also important as, on the world stage, they provided evidence of a protecting power.

As soon as the core needs of the people were met and basic law and order restored, the TDFN began an exhaustive hunt for the parties responsible. Most of the landed families had been completely wiped out, and all but only a few of the military leadership died with the task force. In the end, there was no one to punish.

Korsic-Phong was divided first into two states but later unified, and slowly rebuilt into a peaceful, democratic Pro-Alliance government.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Korsic-Phong

2025-11-27T06:25:59Z

Siddharth1: /* Campaign Begins */

Koric-Phong, on [[Pem Farheuill]], is often called "The last Great Hold-out of the [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]]". A nation of some sixty million people, they retained sovereignty and were able to remain independent when the Confederacy fell. As they were well outside draconic territory, their war industries were not affected by the devastating battles with the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]].

==Early History==
Like most ConFed states, Korsic has its roots in the [[Long Night]]. The island is comprised of fourteen Cantons covering an island of 80,000 square miles. During the Long Night, twelve of the cantons were controlled independently by loyalists and proved productive farming and mining communities. By the end of the Long Night, some 95% of the population were slaves. As the Confederacy solidified, the twelve cantons took control of the remaining two, and fought a brief civil war, which ended in all fourteen cantons under the rule of five families. The old borders were maintained for organizational purposes.

Korsic-Phong was quick to industrialize, rapidly building advanced technologies and beginning a war of conquest on every region it could reach. By the time the confederacy was officially founded, the five families controlled an empire of several hundred million square miles. While most of the new territories had abolished slavery at the end of the Long Night, under Confederate rule it was rapidly brought back. The seat of power on the isle of Korsic grew exceptionally wealthy and became an economic and technological power-house.

==End of Confederate Rule==
When open war began between the ConFeds, the [[Foundation]], and the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]], most of Korsic's territories were lost in a matter of months. The home island, however, was safely far away from the front; and when the Confederation collapsed, they were able to keep a working economy. Officially, slavery had to be abolished, but most of the elite of Korsic were able to keep their property under terms of indentured servitude.

As an independent nation, Korsic flourished with to a wealth of natural resources and a labor force to turn those into finished products at very competitive prices. Their exports were many, and their imports were mostly technological. Korsic had a very good track-record for bringing in technologies developed elsewhere, reverse-engineering them, then building more advanced and cheaper variants.

==Life in Korsic-Phong==
While the proportion of slaves did shift down under 70%, indentured labor was still the backbone of their economy. Poor families were forced, often at gun-point, to sell their children into slavery, and even the sizable military was mostly slaves. This included, interestingly, much of the officer corps. The five ruling families ruled as a brutal, militaristic regime. Hard work and ingenuity were rewarded, but unquestioning loyalty to the state was indoctrinated into every individual from a young age.

Central to Korsican ideology was the notion of "Koph", a pseudo-religious belief, by which the entire state was made stronger by the combined loyalty of every member. Anything from a simple declaration, to an act of charity, to the completion of some challenge, could be done as a dedication to Koph, and was strongly encouraged. The five families, then, did not openly rule as dictators, but simply gave orders in the name of Koph. They were further justified their wildly hedonistic lifestyles in the name of Koph.

===Property===
Property rights in Korsic were patrilineal, and in practice passed always to the eldest male heir. All land in the country belonged to forty families, with the lion's share belonging to the Five. Land was never sold, and it is unclear if it was even possible to buy and sell. Landed families controlled nearly everything, and the only other way to accumulate significant wealth was through the acquisition of servitude contracts (which meant owning slaves).

===Human Rights===
Curiously, despite the state of things, day-to-day human rights among the slaves was not terrible. They had plenty of food and adequate shelters, and working conditions were not overly dangerous. Later historians attributed this mostly to the economic shifts. While previous iterations of the Confederacy openly treated slaves as property, in Korsic, with the advent of mechanization and factory work, "indentured servants" had to be trained to do difficult, skilled work. This meant, in order to get a good return on investment, they needed to be kept alive and in relative comfort. Further, indentured workers who were decently happy were much less likely to damage the expensive machines in factories. The land in Korsic was good, and with mechanized farming it was not difficult to feed the population at a very good standard. However, they were still property of the ruling class, and could be punished, mistreated, or starved at-will.

===Military===
Korsic's army was a highly mobile, mechanized, advanced force touting the latest in domestically-produced copies of advanced weapons. Though most of the armed forces were slaves, they were the most fanatical devotees of Koph, willing to fight and die for the ideal. A key aspect to Korsic's military buildup was their ability to reproduce and improve upon existing technologies. By the time of their annihilation as a state, they had weapons far more advanced than any other force on Pem Farheuill.

==War of Aggression and Fall of the State==
In [[N.D.]] 62, the five families tripled the size of the navy and conscripted eight million soldiers. They had, for the past decade, been building an elite core of the finest pilots available, and put them in a locally-built aerofighter of unique design. The air-wing, which boasted some seven-thousand highly-trained pilots, operated a jet-aircraft faster and more maneuverable than the [[Doer-Daisy]] then operated by the [[TDFN]].

The top commanders assured the five families, that given the skill of their pilots and the vast superiority of their aircraft, they could confidently win even if outnumbered fourteen-to-one (this was, as should be noted, a technical impossibility; but they were at least correct that their fighters were far superior). The elite core of highly specialized pilot, operating from advanced super-carriers, and backed by a powerful navy fitted with the latest in surface warfare capabilities, was far and away the best in the dimension.

In N.D. 66, they began to annex neighboring regions, using primarily the threat of their powerful military. Some territory was taken through bombing, or quick, decisive battles. In two years, they had once again built up a vast empire.

===Alliance Response===
Korsic-Phong had been allowed to remain sovereign due primarily to its remote location. Its neighbors were independent states, and the nearest Alliance or Draconic territories were thousands of miles away. Add in that the Alliance was a fledgling group at the time; with no intergovernmental forces to deploy and reliant entirely on coalition armies from the member worlds, they had very little power to intercede until directly attacked.

However. All flights belonging to the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] were also members of the Alliance; and the Federation had a very powerful inter-flight military force of its own. Draconic territories were not immediately under threat, but as [[Conri Jusenkyou]] was still [[Pendragon]] at this time, he had the opportunity to ask directly for assistance. While the dragons left the decision to go to their appointed human naval commanders, the general consensus was, yes, the TDFN would gladly fight on behalf of the Alliance and in the name of freedom and crushing the last vestige of the Confederacy.

The response force assembled was drawn mainly from local TDFN garrisons and backed by ships from local member-states with capable sea-power. Since this was a rapidly-assembled, they were roughly equal in numbers of ships and planes, but significantly lower in terms of infantry. The initial battle plan involved neutralizing the Korsic navy and attempting to force a surrender from occupying troops.

===First Battle of Lumot Sea===
The first actual battle ended in a draw. Korsican fighters proved every bit superior to the Doer-Daisy. It did however offer a demonstration of the TDFN's party-piece. The dragons, who were quite fond of their human pilots, had loaded their aircraft with the latest safety features, even paying the Foundation (who had developed the fighter) to equip extra "pilot-survivability" functions even at the cost of performance. In the first engagement, 256 Daisys faced off against 211 K-Type-94s. 177 Daisies were shot down, and no pilots lost. By contrast, of the 15 K-types lost, only two pilots are known to have survived.

Similar to their fighters, TDFN ships were fitted with the latest defensive capabilities, again even at the cost of offensive weapons. Draconic naval-doctrine at the time was to use the superior numbers of their fighters to overwhelm enemy defenses, and to fight long-range standoff wars. As such, their capitol ships stayed well out of range of enemy guns, while easily defeating anti-ship missiles.

Opinions are divided, but history would ultimately rule the first engagement as a draw. The TDFN lost 177 planes, no ships, and no pilots. Korsic lost 15 planes, no ships, and all 15 pilots (the two survivors were captures as prisoners of war). However, due to the extreme loss of aircraft, the TDFN task-force was forced to withdraw from the region as Korsic had gained air-superiority.

That being said, there were two major factors the Korsicans had not accounted for. Firstly, Korsican fighters were far superior, but also came with a hugely increased price-tag. The lost of 15 fighters was a serious financial blow; and while they could be replaced with reserves, the fifteen pilots would be more difficult. Comparatively, the TDFN had thousands more aircraft available and was able to fly them in along with fresh pilots, while those who had been shot down and recovered were evacuated to tend to their injuries (as well as any possible hurt feelings). Secondly, the TDFN, backed by the massive financial might of the dragons, could afford to hire the [[Crimson Blade]].

===Second Battle of Lumot Sea===
The second battle came just two weeks after the first. The TDFN brought in three additional carrier groups, increasing the total strength to 1,024 fighters, as well as a carrier group from the Crimson Blade Elites. While most Crimson Blade units were armed with the same Doer-Daisy multi-role fighters as the TDFN, the elites had the far more advanced Snowflake dedicated air-superiority aircraft. As one Blader put it, ''"The Daisy is a good plane, an all-weather, multi-role vehicle as at home dropping bombs as shooting off missiles. It's an excellent piece of kit whose primary selling-point is the low cost per flight-hour. The Snowflake is designed, from the wheels up, to do one thing and one thing only: gain and keep air-superiority."''

The attack on the Lumot Sea was a well-planned engagement against a prepared-defense. At one in the morning on the day of the battle, the first wave of Crimson Blade aircraft flew a wildly successful SEAD mission, destroying 112 SAM batteries that the Koriscan navy had set up on various islands. These had been the key to their defensive plan, which relied on the batteries in the event the TDFN gained a significant enough numbers advantage.

At dawn, the second wave arrived. Running point were 198 of the Crimson Blade's very best pilots flying the state-of-the-art Snowflake fighter, backed by all 1,024 Doer-Daisies. The Korsican Navy had replaced the fifteen downed fighters and brought in two more wings to be flown from hastily-built airstrips on the islands, but that still brought their total air power to just 259 aircraft. Without SAM batteries to provide additional firepower, their warships steamed towards the zone of engagement to use their own anti-aircraft weapons. This had, it proved, been part of a trap into which they had casually waltzed.

While the K-Type was far and away superior to the Daisy, it was utterly and completely ill-equipped to deal with the Snowflake. To further complicate matters, at the suggestion of the Crimson Blade, the TDFN had swapped fully a third of its fighter/attack Daisies for the electronic warfare variant, which provided a massive screen for sea and ground-based anti-air weapons. With the heavy duty ECM screen, TDFN fighters began attacking the advance radar picket ships of the Korsican navy at will, effectively blinding them to the zone of engagement. In the air, Snowflakes teamed up with jammer-equipped Daisies to shoot down K-Types at will, while roving wings employed wolf-pack-tactics to make kills of their own.

By mid day, Korsic had lost over 200 fighters to just 97 Daisies, and not a single Snowflake had fallen. Most of the daisies were taken out by anti-aircraft measures, and not as a result of direct air-to-air kills. In fact, Daisy pilots from the TDFN achieved 63 victories that day, while Korsicans managed only 60. A key factor was the rate of attrition: not only did the TDFN have more fighters, it had more pilots. With 3 qualified pilots to every 1 airplane, each sortie was flown by a new, fresh pilot. Conversely, the Korsicans had been trained to form a close bond with their arcraft, so for the 259 jets involved in the battle, they also had just 259 pilots.

The battle ended with the bulk of the Korsican navy making a tactical withdrawal, with seven small ships severely damaged and 214 planes shot down. This should not have been such a serious defeat, but in the whole of the Korsican air corpse, there were only about 450 pilots total, and just 500 of those advanced warplanes. The 214 loses were a staggering blow from which they could not easily recover.

Worse still, another threat now lurked beneath the seas. While submarine technology was well-understood, Korsic-Phong lacked nuclear technology. The five families had also invested nearly all their military resources into overcoming the threat posed by the Doer-Daisy, believing that, if they could have enough better airplanes with enough better pilots, they could rebuff any counter-offensive with great ease. While their navy did have a few diesel-electric submarines, these were well behind the technology-curve and fitted primarily for reconnaissance and commerce-raiding roles.

===Campaign Begins===
Once the TDFN had proven its mettle in the Lumot sea, the dragons gave the order ''"To sally forth and liberate all the peoples of the land"''. The exact wording of the order gave the military commanders carte blanche to engage in unrestricted warfare against strictly military targets, so long as they adhered to the rules of engagement. They would further be backed by Crimson Blade Elite task forces as necessary, but ''"may be required to submit expense reports"''.

The TDFN first deployed its armada of nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines. Korsic had little to no anti-submarine weapons available, and their own subs were not designed for defensive usage. It wouldn't have mattered much, anyway, as like most equipment of the time TDFN submarines were designed for standoff warfare, and carried powerful, ultra long-range super-cavitating torpedoes. On the surface, carrier-launched Daisies used the same wolf-pack tactics from the Battle of the Lumot Sea to further cull the ranks of K-Type fighters. Korisic navy vessels still had formidable air-defenses, but upon learning of the unrivaled superiority they had beneath the waves, the TDFN set about employing a dual strategy. They would deploy mostly wings of ECM-equipped fighters, with a few carrying anti-ship missiles to put on a show. The primary goal, however, was to paint a target, while submarines miles away at periscope depth lined up a shooting solution. Most Korsic warships could be destroyed with a single well-aimed torpedo.

Within a couple of months, the combined air power of the TDFN and Crimson Blade had gained complete air-superiority. The Korsic had managed to preserve all of their super-carriers, but had lost nearly all of their highly-trained pilots. They had not accounted, either, for the massive attrition rate. They had started the war with 450 top pilots and 500 state of the art fighters, and within four months had just 50 operational aircraft and only about 100 pilots left. Back on the home island they began a crash program to produce as many fighters as possible from spare parts, and to re-train anyone with flight capability to fly them. All the while, their navy was being pushed back at an alarming rate.

The biggest loss was in sub-capitol ships, which were relatively easy to pick off either by submarines or with anti-ship missiles. Their heavy dreadnought warships, ironically, would have proven resilient against such measures, but were left alone. They were never allowed to get close enough to engage TDFN surface ships, and as such there was seen no reason to sink them.

==="The Option"===
Facing staggering defeat, Korsic desperately turned its weapons on the civilian populations, using their heavy warships to shell coastal cities as they went on the retreat. It was an attempt at scorched earth, but served only to provoke the extreme ire of the dragons. From the start, TDFN forces had been strictly forbidden from attacking civilian or even non-combatant targets, & this included orders not to attack the factories and training facilities churning out new weapons for Korsic. They were only allowed, it was said, to fight armed opponents clearly engaged in aggressive warfare. This even meant that, when a Korsic ship sounded the retreat, the TDFN was sometimes required to break off if the ship's weapons were thought to be crippled.

However, when the Korsic began to attack civilian targets wholesale, the dragons issued new orders. From now on, any military target was considered fair-game, and TDFN forces would adhere to "Strict rules of engagement". In practice, this gave the TDFN captains the ability to persist in sinking any ship. Under strict rules, only enemy soldier who surrendered in uniform and presenting identification would be spared, all others could be killed. The dragons further gave their highest ranking human admiral the option of issuing a single nuclear strike, ''"In retaliation for the attacks on unarmed civilians."''.

There was much opposition to this decision. Despite the atomic weapons having been sold to the TDFN by the Gudersnipe Foundation, the Crimson Blade Supreme Commander for the region did not approve of the dragons' decision. While relations were amicable, he stated that if a nuclear strike were to be ordered, the Crimson Blade would be required to withdraw from the campaign. As the TDFN had things well in hand at this point, TDFN admiral [[Chaser M. Trabolt]] agreed to this, and asked them to step back. He made the decision to launch on Korsic High, the capital city of the Korsic home island.

In keeping with draconic customs, which held that destroying property was an acceptable punishment but taking lives frowned upon, the TDFN contacted the five families and provided both the exact time, date, and location of the strike. They also created a very well-written evacuation plan for the city. The families responded that, not only would they NOT be evacuating, but that a large festival was to he held on that date in the city-center, with as many people brought in from the surrounding areas as possible. Admiral Chaser asked the dragon elders what to do, and they replied that he was to use his judgement.

A day before the missile strike, Admiral Chaser visited one of the cities attacked by the Korsic. Crimson Blade relief teams were still in the area on what was described as an ''"unrelated humanitarian mission"'', but the numbers of wounded and dying still staggered Chaser. Knowing there was still a considerable distance to fight before they reached the Korsic home islands, he decided to proceed.

The nuclear strike was carried out by a multi-warhead submarine-launched ballistic missile. Korsic had no missile defense system of any kind, and despite ample warnings, had proceeded with the festival. The weapon carried five medium-yield N1 devices, which struck in a staggered cluster, utterly annihilating the city-center in a single fell-swoop. The attack as followed up immediately by an air-raid, with two thousand ground-attach Daisies sent in to destroy the rest of Korsic's air force and as many SAM batteries as they could find. The same afternoon, Korsic's two heavy warships, which had been used to shell coastal cities "sunk mysteriously with all hands" (it is a well-established fact that the fast-attack submarine ''C.B.S. Mysterious'' was in the area at the time, though the published logs only show that it was delivering humanitarian aid).

===Hostilities Close===
In a rather surprising turn of events, the heads of each of the five families had in fact been at the festival, so confident were they that the dragons would not allow a nuclear attack on unarmed civilians. As such, the head of the snake had been cut off, and while the Korsic navy did fight on, it was clear they could do little more than delay the inevitable. As supply lines were cut, Korsic soldiers began to surrender in droves, fearing actual dragons may soon be involved in the fighting. As soon as a suitable forward-operating base had been established, the TDFN brought in it's heavy bomber wings and began a brutal campaign against the Korsic home-island. The favored "Grid-sqaure Annihilators", using simple chemical explosives, wrecked havoc on Korsic bases, and began to attack their war industry. In a cruel twist of fate, it was the arrogance of the five families that doomed countless more civilians lucky enough to evade the nuclear attack. The will of Korsic was broken long before the second bomb fell on the home island, but without a functioning government, they had no way to sue for peace.

The only order came from the military, the highest ranking members of which were also the most fanatical devotees to the ideals of Koph. They swore openly to fight on until killed, but lacked the resources to mount any kind of successful defense. The decision was made at the highest etchlons to assemble one last carrier task force and sortie against the advancing TDFN. Despite all the critical losses, the Korsic Navy had managed to preserve its three super-carriers. Each one was capable of fielding 144 of their K-Type fighters, and could have possed a very serious threat. However, by this time, they had only 74 aircraft left and just 59 of the original corpse of highly-trained and skilled pilots.

They did, however, have many hastily-retrofit trainers made combat ready, plus dozens of obsolete fighters and even a few civilian aircraft. In a supreme twist, they even had 19 Doer-Daisies of their own; though these were badly outdated as compared to the fighters then being flown by the TDFN. In all, each carrier. In all, they were able to field 300 functional aircraft for the final assault, though only a fraction of these could put up any sort of fate. As the day of the battle neared, the Korsic admirals revealed their secret orders to the air crews: that they should make the ultimate show of their devotion to Koph, and pilot their aircraft directly into the enemy ships. This act of desperation had been planned from the start; if the Korsic were low on aircraft, they were now even lower on missiles. Of the 59 K-Type jet fighters still in operation, only 40 carried a full munitions payload. Most of the aircraft would be armed only with hastily-fit machine funs, or carry no weapons at all. Their pilots, mostly civilian aviators, some even flying their own planes, were being sent to certain death.

====Final Battle====
By this time, the [[Naval Intelligence Service]] had broken Korsic naval codes and had access to the complete battle plan. Admiral Chaser was reportedly horrified at what he read, and personally ordered all of his commanders to join him in a planning session. He is famously quoted as saying ''"We're not going to give these people any more rope, they've hung themselves enough!"''. The tactic was fairly straightforward. An expeditionary group comprised of fast battleships and escorts would meet the Korsic fleet while broadcasting unecrypted that they were running point for the bulk of the surface navy. They would then lead the task force on a stern chase, while a submarine group would take out the capitol ships. Meanwhile, several task forces would move on the home island and attempt to destroy their command and control. The hope was, once the admirals directing the campaign had been killed, the task force could be convinced to surrender peacefully.

This was not to be, however. While the TDFN fleet put up a valiant effort, they were forced to engage the task force anyway. Famously, TDFN naval aviators were given the option not to fly that day. Some did, but others professed that the defense of their ships and crewmates was more important than personal scruples. After the war had ended, the dragons issued a special decoration for the pilots who had refused to fly, stating that holding true to one's moral compass was a quality they wanted to reward.

The focus of the fighting was on defense against the suicide attacks and destroying the last of the functional fighters. The TDFN pilots now had a well-honed technique for taking down K-Types; and while it did require a 20-to-1 advantage with at least 6 electronic-warfare planes involved, when executed correctly it was foolproof. They did still loose 23 planes in the ensewing battle, but all 59 remaining K-types were destroyed and over 250 enemy aircraft shot down.

Beneath the sea, the submarines set about the grisly task of sinking the remaining Korsic warships, taking pains to line up shots that would hopefully cripple them and give the crews a chance to escape. Losses were still catastrophically-one-sided.

===Home Island Invasion===
The TDFN discovered that the remaining leadership had been aboard the naval task force, so when the invasion party arrived on the Korsic home island, they landed unopposed. The landscape they encounters was scatterd and chaotic. Fully one-fifth of the population had been killed in the missile attack, and with no form of government the entire society fell apart. There was no more Korsic, just millions of frightened, starving people.

===Aftermath and Rebuilding===
The aggressive, mobile attack force that landed in Korsic quickly switched to first an occupying force, then to an aid group. The massive supplies of fuel and food staged for a long and bloody conflict were instead shipped in to feed the population. The TDFN, neither experienced nor prepared for what they found, once again called on the Crimson Blade for assistance. Having the Foundation present was also important as, on the world stage, they provided evidence of a protecting power.

As soon as the core needs of the people were met and basic law and order restored, the TDFN began an exhaustive hunt for the parties responsible. Most of the landed families had been completely wiped out, and all but only a few of the military leadership died with the task force. In the end, there was no one to punish.

Korsic-Phong was divided first into two states but later unified, and slowly rebuilt into a peaceful, democratic Pro-Alliance government.

[[Category:Course Books]]

The Dork Age

2025-11-27T06:21:22Z

Siddharth1: /* Lasting Impact */

The Dork Age is a colloquial term for a period between about [[New Day|N.D.]] 130 and 190 during which, due to rapid shifts in technology and a high degree of digitization, very little information survived. The loss of data was discovered around N.D. 200, and was considered very shocking and appalling.

==Background==
During the original era of the old [[Alliance]], most digital archiving was done by the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]], who had had a standardized and centralized database from the first. Data storage services were commonly sold; so thanks to the organization, much information survived.

However, when the [[Long Night]] arrived, most Alliance Member-Worlds were cut off from the Foundation, and by the dawn of the New Day, the notion of buying storage and archival services from the Foundation had been forgotten.

As the Alliance was rebuilt, rapid advances in technology were made all across the [[known worlds]], kicking off an information age and computer revolution. Civilizations, especially around the [[Arindell|Alliance capitol]] and on the [[Greater Continent]] quickly moved towards all-digital media. However, these rapid shifts in technology also caused rapid obsoletion.

By N.D. 200, it was determined that any data not transferred to a storage medium created within the last decade had effectively become unreadable. What few storage systems that had been created before that time, whose media did survive, were largely unreadable thanks to changes in formatting. All in all, this led to a sixty-year period, between about N.D. 130 (the last time analogue files on magnetic tapes were the norm), and N.D. 190 (when standardized formats and mediums with long shelf-lives became popular) where nearly all information was missing.

==Lasting Impact==
The lasting effect of the Dork Age was a return to print media. While most popular culture (movies, shows, music, etc) is still mostly created and stored digitally, anything deemed particularly important will get an analogue release. Books and newspapers were particularly important, since they could easily be stored in the [[Library of Arindell]]. Other cultural treasures saw an effort to preserve and store them in ways that future generations could access without sophisticated technology.

[[Category:Course Books]]

New Day

2025-11-27T06:19:27Z

Siddharth1: /* Chronology of Events */

The Age of the New Day is preceeded by the [[Long Night]].

The exact date of the begining of the New Day is disputed by historians. Some claim it should begin with [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]'s rebirth; others put the [[Battle of the New Day]] as its actual beginning. Still others site the date of birth the physical body of Hunter's reborn form. It gets murkier from there given that various historians recognize different dates for all of these events.

There is a roughly 10-to-20 year gap between the two dates, and there is much debate as to how that time should be classified. Some argue that it should count as a part of the [[Long Night]] as there was no real change until the second date. Another group argues for an era called "The Dawn of the Dragon" between those dates.

In this timeline, date of Hunter's rebirth is used. Dates in the Age of the New Day use the [[N.D. System]].

==Chronology of Events==
Year 0 of the New Day: [[Hunter Jusenkyou]] is reborn, hope is resurrected, and the task of preparing for the final battle begins.

Year 0 of the New Day:

Year 7 of the New Day: [[Joshua Jusenkyou]] and [[Lily McConery]] are married.

Year 7 of the New Day: The [[Battle of the New Day]] destroys [[Samuel Fate]] and frees the [[Multi-Verse]].

Year 7 of the New Day: following the destruction of Samuel Fate, the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] re-asserts its dominance.

Year 7 of the New Day: The [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] is founded by an alliance of [[dragon]] flights. The alliances the federation is based on had been present for thousands of years, but this is the date they formed a political entity.

Year 8 of the New Day: the literary works of [[Augustian]], updated linguistically, are re-released.

Year 9 of the New Day: in [[Shenzen]] and [[Serpentia]], the seeds of what would become the [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]] begin a pogram to remove certain ethnic minorities deemed "undesirable", most particularly the Ral ethno-religious group. Most of the undesirables are moved to Geth, which is re-named [[Ral'Parthia]].

Year 11 of the New Day: [[Half Full]] takes place, first Joshua/Lily story.

Year 13 of the New Day: Joshua and Lily's daughter [[Rebecca Jusenkyou]] is born.

Year 14 of the New Day: the [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]] is officially founded.

Year 15 of the New Day: Joshua and Lily's son [[Conri Jason Jusenkyou]] is born.

Year 16 of the New Day: [[Aden Jusenkyou]] is born.

Year 25 of the New Day: In the story [[Overhead]], Aden comes to live with Joshua and Lily.

Year 28 of the New Day: the first updated edition of [[The Old Complete Common Dictionary]] is printed.

Year 33 of the New Day: [[Shenzen]], then a part of the [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]], launches an invasion on [[Ral'Parthia]].

Year 34 of the New Day: [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]] collapses under mounting debt and ceases to exist as a multi-world organization.

Year 34 of the New Day: [[Korsic-Phong]] founded in [[Pem Farheuill]].

Year 35 of the New Day: [[The Next Progression]], book one of the [[Consecution Books]]
(In case you can't tell, this timeline is heavily a work in progress).

Year 43 of the New Day: the [[New Day Alliance|New Alliance]] solidifies.

Year 51 of the New Day: reconstruction of [[New Arindell]] begins.

Year 51 of the New Day: the ruins of an old observation point are turned into the foundation for [[4826 Maple Dew]], the new structure is described as a rest house for workers rebuilding the city.

Year 52 of the New Day: [[Necromancers]] assisting in the reconstruction of [[New Arindell]] offer a service to the other construction teams, using undead to carry messages between the various job sites. This service eventually evolves into the [[New Stormreaver Messenger Mummies]].

Year 70 of the New Day: [[Korsic-Phong]] destroyed by forces of the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]].

Year 80 of the New Day: [[New Stormwind University]] accepts its first students.

Year 97 of the New Day: [[The Late Draconic Wars]], a war of extermination against all former [[Fallen Dragon]]s begin.

Year 100 of the New Day: The [[Obwalla Ascension Dragon Flight]] wages what can only be described as a war of subjugation against the human inhabitants of [[Obwalla]], and joins the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]].

Year 101 of the New Day: [[4826 Maple Dew]] sold on the private market as a residential home.

Year 130 of the New Day: Beginning of an era referred to as "[[The Dork Age]]", a digital dark age of the New Day.

Year 190 of the New Day: End of the Dork Age

Year 200 of the New Day: due to building code requirements, the basement of [[4826 Maple Dew]] sealed off completely, all traces removed from the surface and any mention stricken from the deed.

Year 230 of the New Day: [[Aggathorin]] is born.

Year 252 of the New Day: [[Aggathorin]] is anointed as a Slayer Dragon

Year 300 of the New Day: [[Aggathorin]] dies.

Year 305 of the New Day: a group of [[Necromancer]]s purchase [[4826 Maple Dew]] to use as a communal home, secretly re-open the forgotten basement, and construct a temple for worship of the [[Cult of the Dracolitch|the dracolitches]]

Year 317 of the New Day: evidence of human sacrifice at [[4826 Maple Dew]] leads to the execution of 9 necromancers and the seizure of property, all other necromancers in the neighborhood are driven out.

Year 356 of the New Day: [[Tollero Jusenkyou]] is born

Year 381 of the New Day: the [[Ral'Parthia#Goban Straights Conflict|Goban Straights Conflict]] spurned on by [[Ral'Parthia]] laying claim to the [[Goban]] islands causes a massive standoff, eventually brought under control by the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]].

Year 381 of the New Day: [[Tollero Jusenkyou]] dies

Year 418 of the New Day: Royland Jusenkyou's father, Ruben Jusenkyou, is born

Year 422 of the New Day: The [[Obwalla Ascension Dragon Flight]] ousts the human rulers of Obwalla and replaces them with a dragon king.

Year 423 of the New Day: [[Alyster de Argentine]] siezes control of [[Naomi's Citadel]]

Year 429 of the New Day: Sandra Day, mother to [[Royland Jusenkyou]], is born

Year 435 of the New Day: [[Babbette Lewis]] is born.

Year 435 of the New Day: [[Sandra Day]] (mother of Royland Jusenkyou) is born.

Year 449 of the New Day: Amarir's eldest brother is born

Year 457 of the New Day: Amarir's sister is born

Year 463 of the New Day: [[Tortuga Galilee]] is born

Year 464 of the New Day: [[Amarir Tenzeki]] is born

Year 465 of the New Day: [[Dan Bolin]] is born

Year 470 of the New Day: [[Saber Raquel]] is born.

Year 473 of the New Day: [[Dailyn Wuz]] is born

Year 475 of the New Day: Sandra Day marries Rueben Jusenkyou.

Year 478 of the New Day: Tortuga is confirmed as the youngest [[Paladin]] in history.

Year 479 of the New Day: [[Royland Jusenkyou]] is born

Year 480 of the New Day: The [[Gobal#Goban Accord|Goban Accord]] is signed, officially ceding control of the [[Goban]] Islands to [[Ral'Parthia]].

Year 481 of the New Day: [[Camp Shababadahs]] is founded.

Year 481 of the New Day: [[Ann Jusenkyou]] is born

Year 486 of the New Day: Amarir Tenzeki is anointed as a Slayer Dragon

Year 490 of the New Day: Saber Raquel is anointed as a Slayer Dragon

Year 493 of the New Day: [[Camp Shababadahs]] suffers "The [[Camp Shababadahs#The Summer of Long Knives|The Summer of Long Knives]]", its worst season until the one that closed the camp.

Year 493 of the New Day: [[Veronica McMasters]] is born.

Year 493 of the New Day: [[June Taylor]] is born.

Year 495 of the New Day: [[Ares Rai]] is born

Year 497 of the New Day: [[Leeta Mastero]] is born

Year 498 of the New Day: Amarir Tenzeki becomes [[Light Bearer]]

Year 498 of the New Day: [[Siobhan Cassia]] is born

Year 499 of the New Day: [[Darryl Tenzeki]] is born

Year 500 of the New Day: [[Scarlet Jusenkyou]] is born.

Year 513 of the New Day: Scarlet book one.

Year 513 of the New Day: [[Camp Shababadahs]] is permanently closed and lawsuits filed after 4 children are eaten by [[Dragons]].

Year 514 of the New Day: Scarlet book two.

Year 515 of the New Day: Scarlet book Three.

==Other Information==
The [[Consecution Books]] take place during the Age of the New Day, after which nothing is yet written.

G.E.

[[Category:Course Books]]

New Day

2025-11-27T06:18:57Z

Siddharth1: /* Chronology of Events */

The Age of the New Day is preceeded by the [[Long Night]].

The exact date of the begining of the New Day is disputed by historians. Some claim it should begin with [[Hunter Jusenkyou]]'s rebirth; others put the [[Battle of the New Day]] as its actual beginning. Still others site the date of birth the physical body of Hunter's reborn form. It gets murkier from there given that various historians recognize different dates for all of these events.

There is a roughly 10-to-20 year gap between the two dates, and there is much debate as to how that time should be classified. Some argue that it should count as a part of the [[Long Night]] as there was no real change until the second date. Another group argues for an era called "The Dawn of the Dragon" between those dates.

In this timeline, date of Hunter's rebirth is used. Dates in the Age of the New Day use the [[N.D. System]].

==Chronology of Events==
Year 0 of the New Day: [[Hunter Jusenkyou]] is reborn, hope is resurrected, and the task of preparing for the final battle begins.

Year 0 of the New Day:

Year 7 of the New Day: [[Joshua Jusenkyou]] and [[Lily McConery]] are married.

Year 7 of the New Day: The [[Battle of the New Day]] destroys [[Samuel Fate]] and frees the [[Multi-Verse]].

Year 7 of the New Day: following the destruction of Samuel Fate, the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] re-asserts its dominance.

Year 7 of the New Day: The [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] is founded by an alliance of [[dragon]] flights. The alliances the federation is based on had been present for thousands of years, but this is the date they formed a political entity.

Year 8 of the New Day: the literary works of [[Augustian]], updated linguistically, are re-released.

Year 9 of the New Day: in [[Shenzen]] and [[Serpentia]], the seeds of what would become the [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]] begin a pogram to remove certain ethnic minorities deemed "undesirable", most particularly the Ral ethno-religious group. Most of the undesirables are moved to Geth, which is re-named [[Ral'Parthia]].

Year 11 of the New Day: [[Half Full]] takes place, first Joshua/Lily story.

Year 13 of the New Day: Joshua and Lily's daughter [[Rebecca Jusenkyou]] is born.

Year 14 of the New Day: the [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]] is officially founded.

Year 15 of the New Day: Joshua and Lily's son [[Conri Jason Jusenkyou]] is born.

Year 16 of the New Day: [[Aden Jusenkyou]] is born.

Year 25 of the New Day: In the story [[Overhead]], Aden comes to live with Joshua and Lily.

Year 28 of the New Day: the first updated edition of [[The Old Complete Common Dictionary]] is printed.

Year 33 of the New Day: [[Shenzen]], then a part of the [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]], launches an invasion on [[Ral'Parthia]].

Year 34 of the New Day: [[Earth-Sphere Confederation]] collapses under mounting debt and ceases to exist as a multi-world organization.

Year 34 of the New Day: [[Korsic-Phong]] founded in [[Pem Farheuill]].

Year 35 of the New Day: [[The Next Progression]], book one of the [[Consecution Books]]
(In case you can't tell, this timeline is heavily a work in progress).

Year 43 of the New Day: the [[New Day Alliance|New Alliance]] solidifies.

Year 51 of the New Day: reconstruction of [[New Arindell]] begins.

Year 51 of the New Day: the ruins of an old observation point are turned into the foundation for [[4826 Maple Dew]], the new structure is described as a rest house for workers rebuilding the city.

Year 52 of the New Day: [[Necromancers]] assisting in the reconstruction of [[New Arindell]] offer a service to the other construction teams, using undead to carry messages between the various job sites. This service eventually evolves into the [[New Stormreaver Messenger Mummies]].

Year 70 of the New Day: [[Korsic-Phong]] destroyed by forced of the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]].

Year 80 of the New Day: [[New Stormwind University]] accepts its first students.

Year 97 of the New Day: [[The Late Draconic Wars]], a war of extermination against all former [[Fallen Dragon]]s begin.

Year 100 of the New Day: The [[Obwalla Ascension Dragon Flight]] wages what can only be described as a war of subjugation against the human inhabitants of [[Obwalla]], and joins the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]].

Year 101 of the New Day: [[4826 Maple Dew]] sold on the private market as a residential home.

Year 130 of the New Day: Beginning of an era referred to as "[[The Dork Age]]", a digital dark age of the New Day.

Year 190 of the New Day: End of the Dork Age

Year 200 of the New Day: due to building code requirements, the basement of [[4826 Maple Dew]] sealed off completely, all traces removed from the surface and any mention stricken from the deed.

Year 230 of the New Day: [[Aggathorin]] is born.

Year 252 of the New Day: [[Aggathorin]] is anointed as a Slayer Dragon

Year 300 of the New Day: [[Aggathorin]] dies.

Year 305 of the New Day: a group of [[Necromancer]]s purchase [[4826 Maple Dew]] to use as a communal home, secretly re-open the forgotten basement, and construct a temple for worship of the [[Cult of the Dracolitch|the dracolitches]]

Year 317 of the New Day: evidence of human sacrifice at [[4826 Maple Dew]] leads to the execution of 9 necromancers and the seizure of property, all other necromancers in the neighborhood are driven out.

Year 356 of the New Day: [[Tollero Jusenkyou]] is born

Year 381 of the New Day: the [[Ral'Parthia#Goban Straights Conflict|Goban Straights Conflict]] spurned on by [[Ral'Parthia]] laying claim to the [[Goban]] islands causes a massive standoff, eventually brought under control by the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]].

Year 381 of the New Day: [[Tollero Jusenkyou]] dies

Year 418 of the New Day: Royland Jusenkyou's father, Ruben Jusenkyou, is born

Year 422 of the New Day: The [[Obwalla Ascension Dragon Flight]] ousts the human rulers of Obwalla and replaces them with a dragon king.

Year 423 of the New Day: [[Alyster de Argentine]] siezes control of [[Naomi's Citadel]]

Year 429 of the New Day: Sandra Day, mother to [[Royland Jusenkyou]], is born

Year 435 of the New Day: [[Babbette Lewis]] is born.

Year 435 of the New Day: [[Sandra Day]] (mother of Royland Jusenkyou) is born.

Year 449 of the New Day: Amarir's eldest brother is born

Year 457 of the New Day: Amarir's sister is born

Year 463 of the New Day: [[Tortuga Galilee]] is born

Year 464 of the New Day: [[Amarir Tenzeki]] is born

Year 465 of the New Day: [[Dan Bolin]] is born

Year 470 of the New Day: [[Saber Raquel]] is born.

Year 473 of the New Day: [[Dailyn Wuz]] is born

Year 475 of the New Day: Sandra Day marries Rueben Jusenkyou.

Year 478 of the New Day: Tortuga is confirmed as the youngest [[Paladin]] in history.

Year 479 of the New Day: [[Royland Jusenkyou]] is born

Year 480 of the New Day: The [[Gobal#Goban Accord|Goban Accord]] is signed, officially ceding control of the [[Goban]] Islands to [[Ral'Parthia]].

Year 481 of the New Day: [[Camp Shababadahs]] is founded.

Year 481 of the New Day: [[Ann Jusenkyou]] is born

Year 486 of the New Day: Amarir Tenzeki is anointed as a Slayer Dragon

Year 490 of the New Day: Saber Raquel is anointed as a Slayer Dragon

Year 493 of the New Day: [[Camp Shababadahs]] suffers "The [[Camp Shababadahs#The Summer of Long Knives|The Summer of Long Knives]]", its worst season until the one that closed the camp.

Year 493 of the New Day: [[Veronica McMasters]] is born.

Year 493 of the New Day: [[June Taylor]] is born.

Year 495 of the New Day: [[Ares Rai]] is born

Year 497 of the New Day: [[Leeta Mastero]] is born

Year 498 of the New Day: Amarir Tenzeki becomes [[Light Bearer]]

Year 498 of the New Day: [[Siobhan Cassia]] is born

Year 499 of the New Day: [[Darryl Tenzeki]] is born

Year 500 of the New Day: [[Scarlet Jusenkyou]] is born.

Year 513 of the New Day: Scarlet book one.

Year 513 of the New Day: [[Camp Shababadahs]] is permanently closed and lawsuits filed after 4 children are eaten by [[Dragons]].

Year 514 of the New Day: Scarlet book two.

Year 515 of the New Day: Scarlet book Three.

==Other Information==
The [[Consecution Books]] take place during the Age of the New Day, after which nothing is yet written.

G.E.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Naomi Jusenkyou

2025-11-27T06:17:46Z

Siddharth1: /* Tournament World */

Naomi Jusenkyou is the second child of [[Hunter Jusenkyou]] and [[Lina Rowen|Lina Rowen Jusenkyou]]. She was was actually born 31 years after her older sister, [[Emily Jusenkyou|Emily]], and 11 years after her nephew, [[Joshua Jusenkyou|Joshua]]. Naomi survived the events at the end of the [[The Concourse to Victory]], and found a [[Mantle of Immortality]] Hunter had kept hidden for decades. With it, she survived the [[Long Night]] and went on to help win the battle of the [[New Day]].

Naomi does not feature heavily in the [[Course Books]] but is a main character in the [[Consecution Books]].

==Early Life==
[[Lina Rowen|Lina]] had long been using magic to preserve her youth and vitality, so her having a child so late in life was not difficult (she would have been 58 at the time). From infancy, Naomi displayed a natural gift for magic, such that she required intense supervision (and usually needed to be within a few feet of a fire extinguisher).

The other adult members of the household aided in caring for Naomi, and all helped to foster her gift. By the age of four she had also displayed remarkable intelligence, another factor that would lead to her becoming a powerful mage. She never attended formal education, but was instead tutored by various members of the [[Eighth Power]] and other people from the [[Victory Research Facility]]. At the age of seven, she began piloting [[mecha]] under supervision, which became her true passion.

Unfortunately, around this time, the second [[Army of Darkness]] appeared, and Naomi's parents were often away fighting them for the next several years. By the age of ten she was often left completely alone, or with only Joshua to care for her. As this was in stark contrast to the large amount of attention she was used to recieving, she quickly became quite jaded.

===Tournament World===
At the age of 13, Naomi ran away from home, using her extensive knowledge of the [[GATE]] network to make her way to [[Tournament World]]. Once there, she quickly secured a job as a pilot on one of the many mecha teams. During her entire tenure on Tournament World she is not known to have used magic. She was married at fifteen to a much older man. The relationship was not a healthy one, with abuse on either side.

By 17, Naomi had separated from her husband and was working as a repairer for another team in order to be rid of him. She re-married (because Tournament World had no formal mechanism for divorce, she would be recognized as a bigamist elsewhere in the [[Alliance]]), and quickly rose to prominence as a pilot with her new team.

While she was obviously skilled, Naomi never became a "Top Pilot" on Tournament World. She was notorious for inter-personal problems and drama within her teams, which kept her from being recruited by the top-ranked groups. During this time, she had some contact with her father, who made frequent trips to Tournament World with a team drawn from the VRF. With the second Army of Darkness gone, he made numerous attempts to convince her to return home. However, despite the highs and lows, Naomi refused to leave.

Naomi was 19 when [[Samuel Fate]] attacked and the [[Long Night]] began. Her second husband was killed in the process. She remained on Tournament World for some time. The mech battles continued for a few years, but as the Alliance went into disarray, the main industry went into sharp decline. Naomi is known to have married for a third time.

===Joining the Resistance===
At the age of 27, Naomi finally left Tournament World. She killed her third husband (possibly in self-defense, though accounts indicate it was more of a rage-killing); but, as law and order had largely broken down, she was never prosecuted for the crime. She returned home to the [[Dragon's Lair]] only to find it abandoned to the elements. She met Joshua there, briefly, but he had made arrangements of his own and opted to sever all ties with her.

Alone, Naomi left for [[Arindell]], where she found the [[Mantle of Immortality]] Hunter been keeping. Thinking it was a simple cloak of invisibility she had played with as a child, she put it on. Infused with power, Naomi began to use magic again, and joined her sister in fighting Samuel Fate.

==The Citadel==
After her sister's death, Naomi led the resistance for some time, but was eventually expelled from it. At this time, she founded [[Naomi's Citadel|The Citadel]], and began to gather forces for an eventual counter-attack. She was more than strong enough to repel Fate, who never built a strong power-base on the [[Greater Continent]] ([[Arindell]] was razed and [[Sun's Beacon]] went into sharp decline without the backing of an industrial world).

Naomi's Citadel, situated on the [[Lowland Plains]], was prosperous, but never grew into the empire Naomi had planned. By the end of the [[Long Night]], she had few forces to commit to the [[Battle of the New Day]]. However, she still had herself, and she was more than powerful enough to assist in the final destruction of Samuel Fate.

After the battle, Naomi spent many years traveling with her family, before returning to her Citadel.

==See Also:==
*[[Characters]]

[[Category:Course Books]]

The Summer of the Long Knives

2025-11-27T06:16:06Z

Siddharth1: /* Parents */

[[The Summer of the Long Knives]] was an incident which occurred at [[Camp Shababadahs]] near [[Arindell]] on the [[Greater Continent]] of [[Aren]]. The incident made national headlines when a riot broke out at the severely over-crowded camp.

Camp Shababadahs was infamous at the time for being overcrowded, under-staffed, and having extremely lax regulations. The Summer of the Long Knives happened when they inadvertently invited over twice as many campers as usual, most of them teenaged [[Necromancers]] who had never been to a summer camp before. They were bullied by the seasoned campers at the site, which eventually lead to a major riot.

==The Summer of Long Knives==
The camp's 12th season would forever be remembered as its worst ever, up until the second to last season and the incident which closed the camp.

===Camp Store===
Like all summer camps at the time, Camp Shababadahs operated a small store on the premise where kids could buy batteries, soap, deodorant, candy, soda, and various other accoutrements. The store was given little oversight and run by the often quite young councilors.

By the 12th, the running of the camp store was a task delegated entirely to the camp councilors. The only directive they received from the owners was "make sure there's plenty of cheap soda and candy, kids love that" and no real over-site of the accounting. The directors provided a budget for the store and expected it to make that budget back. Since it dealt entirely in cash, this made running the store a ''very'' lucrative prospect for the young councilors.

Usually, the job went to an 18 year old who had been a junior councilor in the two years prior to being hired as a staffer (usually picked by the previous store runner who was on to greener pastures). It didn't take very many years of this for the store runners to figure out extra money could be made by dealing contraband out of the store. In a previous summer, a councilor attempted to smuggle some illicit substances in with the intention of selling them through the store. He was caught on the first day, ejected from the camp, and criminally indicted. Future store-runners learned from his mistake and stuck to dealing in contraband that was officially legal but banned by camp directives.

This mostly consisted of gum, pornography, and knives. Small folding knives were not just allowed but actually required kit for any camper. Larger knives and fixed-blade knives were banned. Butterfly knives and switchblades (not technically illegal but widely believed to be in Arindell) were especially popular.

On the Summer of the Long Knives, the new store-runner brought with him about 400 various fixed and folding knives, mostly of the butterfly and switch variety. After the incidents of the summer the staffer admitted he actually hadn't known about the inflated numbers when he brought that many blades.

===Necromancer Involvement===
That year, the [[Necromancer Temple]] in [[New Arindell]] was hosting a particularly large delegation of [[Necromancer Pilgrimage|pilgrims]]. A lot of the pilgrims were families coming in from off-world, with many traditions that revered nature. The Temple wanted to do something special, and attempted to contract with Camp Shababadahs to buy out the whole camp for the summer.

By this time, the camp was already regularly hosting 600 campers at a time, but reported a capacity of only 400 (the laws regarding summer camps stipulated a certain ratio of campers to permanent flush toilets which Shababadahs was not meeting), and happily sold "all of their available capacity" to the temple. The necromancers mistakenly thought they were paying for exclusive use of the camp, and in fact intended to bring their own staffers and run their own programs; only making use of camp facilities.

The camp directors, meanwhile, did not explicitly agree to that, and planned to host the necromancer delegation in addition to their regular program of season-long campers. By this time the camp already had a cult-like following of repeat customers, who would have been very upset if they couldn't attend. The camp rented dozens of large tents intended for daytime-use at outdoor events, and had the wood shop knock up cots out of locally-sourced wood to cover the additional capacity.

Despite running less advertising that usual and limiting attendees to ages 9 and up for the season, the camp still sold many more slots than intended. As an additional problem, the necromancers (who did not need to obey Arindell's capacity laws) brought significantly more than the 400 campers they paid for (numbers are difficult to pin down but roughly 600 kids is the best estimate). Along with the campers, the necromancers brought along their own councilors (typically also in the 18-22 range) and several parents to assist.

==The Season==
The total population of Camp Shababadahs that summer ballooned from the usual 660 campers and staffers to over 1200, most of them being housed in very much substandard accommodations. Right from the start there were fights over the cabins, the necromancers were told they'd be getting them, while the returning Shababadah regulars believed they were entitled. The camp directors instituted a "first come, first serve" policy, which greatly angered the necromancers, who thought they had reserved the cabins.

Since so many more adults arrived than were expected, many of them ended up having to drive into town and buy regular camping tents to sleep in for the entire summer.

===Food===
Food was also an issue. Camp Shababadahs did typically to provide generous portions of decent-quality (one of the reasons the necromancers chose it), and made a token effort to continue this trend. The camp, which only had enough toilets for 400 people, made provisions to feed 800. When more than 1200 showed up, this proved to be a problem.

No one actually went hungry. The camp received its food shipments every two weeks and was all stocked up at the start of the season, so there was plenty to eat on hand. An emergency shipment did need to be brought in early, and later meals saw the diet heavily supplemented with lima beans. The issue came from the kitchen staff. Generally a surly bunch, they were very vocal about having to prepare twice as many meals as usual. They made several disparaging comments regarding "running out of food", which fanned the flames of an already tense situation. Not helping matters, several of the senior campers began spreading rumors that they would have to resort to cannibalism (note that necromancers are especially averse to even survival cannibalism, as they both believe they continue to live after their body dies, but if their body is consumed it destroys their soul).

All of this happened before the staffer running the camp store started to sell knives to anyone with the cash.

===Tensions Mount, Store Stokes Flames===
Due to the lowered quality of food, many campers turned to the snacks at the camp store to supplement their diets. This was a fairly usual thing for the long-time campers as, while regular food was plentiful, if you turn a bunch of teenagers loose in a candy store and don't tell them not to, they will eat mostly that.

The long-time campers tended to bring what (for a child) is a very large amount of money with them to camp. Most of the more experienced campers usually had enough to buy a soda with every dinner and a snack every day, and still be able to afford souvenirs and t-shirts. The necromancers, by contrast, were told they were going to a nature camp and not aware there would even be a store. Since many were from off-world what little cash they did have was typically in money they couldn't spend on [[Aren]]. This created quite a serious division, especially since many of the necromancers did come from wealthy temples or families and would have been well-supplied if informed.

To further complicate matters, the adults accompanying the necromancer campers (about 100 in total including parents and chaperones) were mostly relegated to the least-developed campsites and thus had to rely on the store for amenities. The store runners in turn raised prices on everything but candy and soda (the cost of which was set by the camp directors).

The councilor running the camp store was among the few staffers allowed to keep a personal vehicle on site (most of the staffers couldn't afford a car anyway and were required to be bussed in for the summer). The reasoning being that whoever ran the camp store might occasionally have to drive into town (about a 3-hour run each way) to pick up extra supplies. The staffer used this position to get anything requested, albeit for a price.

Another serious issue was crowding of the camps few available activities. In normal seasons, "Go and play unsupervised in the woods" was the most popular pastime, so the other available activities were never in high demand. Many of the necromancers expected to be doing structured activities, and their councilors tried to guide them in this. The only real response from the directors was to hastily mow a disused clearing to create an additional sports court. Though it was meant to be used for any activity, the seasoned campers claimed this very sub-standard play area was "the [[Foot Kort|foot kort]]" and told the necromancer children they were only allowed to play there (Of note: foot kort is effectively the only sport necromancers play, so even just the camp's three existing sports fields were not enough for the roughly 600 necromancer children in attendance).

To combat the issue (and without the knowledge or approval of management), the camp store began making up and selling "activity passes" allowing the holder to cut in line. As the seasoned campers typically had more money, they could afford more; though many of the adult necromancers (unaware it was a scam) began to pay for them for the kids as well. Because of the extremely insular nature of the camp's councilor organization, nobody working for the camp did anything to stop it; indeed, most of the activities directors either turned a blind eye or actively participated for a cut of the profits. This is as good a time as any to mention that this year, the staffers figured out they were working for considerably less than minimum wage.

The buying and selling of activity passes got even worse when rival factions within the staff started to print and sell them, and kids learned how to forge their own. It got to the point where bathroom and mess hall passes were being made, though these were difficult to enforce.

===Black Market===
The camp store handled most of the black market activities directly, buying supplies in a nearby town and selling them at considerable markup. The youths also engaged in a black market of their own, selling and trading contraband to each other. The seasoned campers were eager to get [[Ke'tcha]] from the necromancer campers, incorrectly believing it to be a narcotic.

====Allegations of Sexual Misconduct====
By about the middle of the season, the camp was awash with rumors that most of the young necromancers, particularly the girls, were trading sexual favors for sodas and candy. These rumors were heavily investigated after the fact and found to be completely baseless, having been spread by vindictive seasoned campers. The rumors were widely repeated owing to the common belief that younger necromancers are especially promiscuous. In point of fact, about half the necromancers in attendance belonged to an orthodox sect which practiced "ritualized abstinence". The others were normal enough teenagers some of whom happened to be able to raise the dead.

Despite exhaustive investigation, only one such incidence was uncovered. A 15-year-old girl admitted to trading a brief kiss to a 13-year-old boy in exchange for a candy bar. Neither of them were necromancers.

===More Weapons===
After the staffer running the store was sold out of his four hundred knives, he went back to civilization to buy more. The knives, for which he paid about a wingbeat each wholesale, and which were meant to be sold for 8-10 wingbeats, were going for as high as 40. Though actual altercations were few, many campers told him they were buying a knife ''"to protect themselves from the body-snatchers"'' (a derisive term for necromancers).

Seeing the high profit margin, the staffer bought another 400 knives, as well as brass knuckles, ninja stars, and pepper spray. All to be sold at exorbitant prices from the camp store. By this time, many of the necromancers, fearing for their own safety, were starting to buy or trade for weapons. Others fashioned their own out of whatever they could find.

===Camp Sanitation Issues===
As previously noted, the camp had barely adequate toilets for about 400 campers, and 3 times that many were on site for the season. The shower situation was even worse, the camp had been cited multiple times for having only one shower house with heated water, and insufficient space in the cold showers provided in the outlying toilet blocks. Many necromancers in the satellite camps were forced to resort to washing in streams, which quickly became contaminated with human waste. Portable camping showers were sold (at a grievous markup) from the camp store and used by some of the adults. The outlying camps that did have toilet blocks also started to construct makeshift shower stations using water from the taps and whatever they could scrounge up.

Aside from showers and toilets, the actual camp staff became increasingly apathetic about cleaning. The kitchen was always immaculate, but the mess hall was rarely swept or mopped, and the toilet blocks in the necromancer camps (if any) were hardly ever cleaned. Normally the junior staffers were expected to clean bathrooms as part of their usual duties, or to organize junior councilors to do the work. That summer, this did not happen. Some of the adult necromancers in attendance (many of whom were older than the camp directors) eventually took it upon themselves to do the cleaning, but found supplies severely lacking.

Owing primarily to mismanagement, the camp's cleaning supplies were exhausted within the first month of the season. In previous seasons the camp was kept quite clean, with sweeping, dusting, and mopping done regularly. Every cabin was supplied with the necessary tools, and a huge delivery of supplies came in at the start of the season. This summer, owing to issues with the supplier, the camp only received about half of the supplies they ordered. The money was refunded and the directors intended to order more from a new supplier before what they had ran out, but this was never done. What cleaning products did make it the camp were looted, re-sold on the black market, or miss-used. One oft-cited example: the temporary tents in the outer camps had huge insect problems. The type of hand soap meant for the bathrooms was found to work as a very effective ant repellent, but only if used in very large quantities. Liquid hand soap therefore "went extinct" after about two weeks.

===Payment Issues===
To most of [[Camp Shababadahs]] employees, the job looked pretty good. Minimum wage in the [[New Arindell Greater Metropolitan Area]] sat at about 7 wingbeats, fifty talons an hour (in practice most low-level jobs paid 8 or 9). The camp offered a highly competitive 11 wingbeats an hour and, unlike most summer camps at the time, did not charge staffers for room and board. The councilors even got the benefit of a co-ed cabin a good ways away from the children's cabins, which had its own bathrooms with hot showers, internet access(albeit very slow and metered), and a TV to which they were encouraged to pack in game consoles. Because of the complete lack of oversight by the camp directors, the staffers cabin was treated like a clubhouse.

However, the 11 wingbeats an hour proved to be based on a 40-hour, Monday-Friday work-week. Staffers were not paid overtime, were not paid for working on weekends, and were regularly expected to put in 12-hour days. A half a day off every other week was the most they would be officially granted. Some of the more junior staffers were expected to work from dawn until dusk, 7 days a week, for the entirety of summer. A privileged few, such as Cook's Assistant Loganoff and the camp nurse, were able to negotiate reasonable salaries. The lifeguards were also paid separately for any time they spent on duty at the lake.

Unfortunately, this left the bulk of the staffers (about 35 people total), making between 3 wingbeats 19 talons and 5 wingbeats 2 talons an hour.

In previous seasons complaints were few, and most staffers didn't even do the math to work out what they were actually being paid. The camp was so lackadaisical that while they might be assigned tasks during most daylight hours, unless made to run a specific station like the craft center or the wood shop, they could take breaks whenever they pleased. For a lot of the returning junior staffers, they treated camp like a paid vacation. Many of them even used the opportunity to undergo lifeguard training (for which there was always one or two certified instructors) to make extra income in the off season. The training didn't cost anything, and was just another perk of the job.

That all changed in the Summer of the Long Knives. The huge extra influx of campers coupled with the presence of responsible adult necromancers constantly hounding the staffers to get to work led many of them to feel dissatisfied with their job. This in turn caused them to work out what they were being paid, and caused additional tensions. Many who would otherwise not have participated in the camp's black market activities happily joined in or at least condoned the practices.

==Management Responses to the Poor Season==
The camp was owned by the four original founders, who also served as the camp directors (none of whom had any sort of formal training in running a summer camp, indeed 3 of the 4 did not even have college educations). At the start of the season, the two older directors decided to leave, putting the entire 3-month camp in the hands of the younger two and telling them ''"Just try not to burn the place down. Everybody paid in advance."''

Those two directors then proceeded to lock themselves in the camp office (which included a small apartment) for practically the duration of the summer, delegating the day-to-day running to the over-worked, under-paid, and often quite immature staffers. [[Cook's Assistant Loganoff]] became the de facto leader of the camp, being the most senior staffer. He was too busy trying feed the camp to do much more than dispense summary judgements or bark orders. The actual directors mostly worked on organizing shipments of supplies and bringing in extra equipment to deal with shortages.

The only serious responses from the camp directors was to hastily create an additional athletic field and to formalize the then-unofficial "KP for any infraction" punishment. To try and help with the chaos, they also deputized the junior-councilors to met out punishment. Since most of the junior councilors were really just campers themselves, they mostly used this privilege to dismiss each other from punishment and to bully other kids. Note that only non-necromancer campers were signed up as junior councilors, none of the necromancers had been offered this opportunity. Even so the process was wildly disorganized. Cook's Assistant Loganoff later commented later commented that one night over 100 kids, almost all of them necromancers, showed up for KP (the job required at the absolute most about 15).

==Riot==
Near the end of the season the situation became especially grim. Much of Camp Shababadahs' staff walked off the job two weeks before the end of the season when a clerical error caused their already miniscule paychecks to bounce. Believing they were not to be paid for the last two weeks, they quit in disgust. The camp store-runner used this opportunity to "quit" as well (as he was also only being officially paid 440 wingbeats a week). He absconded with the remaining money in the store as well as having his car stuffed with high-value goods he traded for (including all of the remaining laundry detergent in the camp). That staffer would later admit he made enough in the one summer to pay for his college education. Ironically, he became a civil defense attorney.

Once the bulk of the paid staffers were gone, the junior councilors broke into and looted the camp store, making off with all the remaining goods inside and spiriting them away to various cabins and caches around the camp. A group of older necromancers found out about the looting and broke in a second time, but when they saw how thoroughly the first wave had cleaned out the store, they trashed the place in retribution.

So began the imaginatively-named Night of Broken Glass, which actually took place over the course of an afternoon and saw nearly every class window in the camp shattered. Only the windows in the infirmary (which had shutters) and those of the kitchen survived. Reportedly, Cook's Assistant Loganoff stood outside the kitchen throughout the entire ordeal, smoking a cigarette and saying ''"Just you fucking try it,"'' to every kid who approached with a rock.

The window-breaking spree was accompanied by a full-on riot. Fortunately most of the kids did not happen to have their knives or brass knuckles on them when the fighting broke out, and the lion's share of it just involved a lot of chasing and shouting. The major hot-spots were around the wood-shop, the camp store, and the councilor's cabin.

In a cruel twist of irony, it was the store-runner's decision to bring some 200 cans of pepper spray for his illicit sales that kept anyone from getting too badly injured. The pepper spray was hoarded mostly by the girl campers and many of the younger, smaller necromancers, all of whom showed no hesitation to use it once the fighting started. A few blasts to the face was enough to put down most attackers.

Full scale brawls did erupt, especially between factions of older necromancers and the junior councilors. Once things got heated, however, most of the fighters were willing to engage with anyone not armed with pepper spray. A lot of the injuries ended up being inflicted on non-necromancers by non-necromancers, despite initial reports to the contrary.

Credit for bringing the situation under control was given to [[Arkul Semketa Ruha Hai]], then a mere high priest in Arindell's main temple. Blinded by pepper spray from a 12-year-old necromancer girl, he walked out into the fray with his arms outstretched and began chanting call and response prayers. First the adult and then child necromancers started to respond, and then they knew they needed to get the fighting under control. The necromancers formed up into large groups, rightly assuming the scattered teenagers breaking windows and starting fights would be intimidated by superior numbers. Anyone not engaged in the fighting was brought into the center of the group for protection, while those brandishing weapons were made to lay them down. The riot, which had been going on for about six hours at that point, was brought to a close fairly quickly.

Reportedly, by the time the fighting was over, the entire camp, necromancer and non alike, were gathered into a single enormous mass near the mess hall, save for Cook's Assistant Loganoff, who stamped out his cigarette, indicated the windows, and repeated ''"Just you fucking try it"'' to the gathered group. In point of fact this account is incorrect. Loganoff was sheltering about 40 younger campers in the kitchen (the main reason for his guarding the place) and the group outside the mess hall numbered only about 300. Campers were scattered all over the facility, with more large groups on the athletic fields and many kids taking shelter in and under cabins.

===Injuries===
In all, over 900 adults and campers were injured in the event.

The only serious injury went to a 17-year-old junior councilor, who was stabbed in the side. Despite initial claims to the contrary, it was actually another junior councilor who did the deed, due to an argument over a case of soda they were looting from the camp store. He reportedly pulled the knife out himself, and nearly bled to death in the woods. He was found by one of the necromancers and brought to the infirmary while the fighting was still going on. 23 other boys, aged 16-18, were also beaten severely as retribution for injuries inflicted on younger necromancers. The injuries were reported to be systematic, focusing primarily on the back, arms, and kidneys. Extremely painful, not causing any long-term harm. It was never proven who carried out the beatings, but many claim it was done by a group of adult necromancers. 5 other campers suffered head wounds the EMTs called "serious", but all made full recoveries.

Most of the injuries were minor, a lot of cuts and bruises. The older male necromancer campers were disproportionately likely to have received injuries, reportedly due to them being more likely to put themselves in harms way to protect their younger companions.

Injuries highest among 16-17-year-old boys. Over 300 individuals had been sprayed with pepper spray.

===Damage to the Camp===
The councilor's cabin was burned to the ground and the camp store severely damaged. Every single window in the camp, save for those on the infirmary and those on the kitchen was shattered. The mess hall also suffered severe damage, with tables being dragged outside for form makeshift barricades and the pantry looted. Reportedly no rioters ever entered the kitchen itself, which was protected by 3 adults and provided shelter to some 40 younger campers.

===Camp Closure===
It was only once the riot was quelled that the camp directors (who spent the entire afternoon hiding behind a sofa in their apartment) came out and made a show of telling everyone to quiet down. This is also when police and emergency services were finally called in. The nearest town was 3 hours away and the nearest major population center another 5. It took about two hours for a single police highway patrol officer to reach the secluded camp. Even though the riot was over, he remained outside the perimeter until backup arrived another hour later. A few ambulances reached the camp around midnight and evacuated the most seriously injuries. Five EMTs remained on site to help get the remaining severe injuries kept stable while more assistance was called in.

The next morning, Cook's Assistant Loganoff organized breakfast for everyone out of the few remaining supplies. No one had eaten since about noon the day before, and most of the camp's food was destroyed in the riot. Loganoff informed the directors that after this meal they were down to 4 pallets of canned lima beans. The directors promptly announced the camp would be closed and promised to get everyone home as quickly as possible.

Nineteen fire trucks arrived that morning, having driven all night from the nearest city to assist. Apparently somewhere in the shaky communications, they got the idea that the entire camp was ablaze and a huge forest fire was imminent. The firefighters provided much-needed medical supplies to the injured campers, many of whom had had only rudimentary treatment. Among the necromancer delegation were three skilled herbalists who were able to create poultices for those that had been pepper-sprayed. Many of the necromancer councilors, being there to accompany a years-long pilgrimage, had extensive first-aid training.

That afternoon, a contingent of marines from the [[TDFN]] arrived, also under the impression the riot was still going on they were needed to save lives. They were able to organize an airlift to evacuate all of the remaining serious injuries to the nearest hospital. The marines also provided enough rations to get everyone through the night. The camp directors were still working to organize transport to get everyone out of the camp.

The following morning, busses started to arrive. In a move that would later be criticized heavily, the camp directors prioritized evacuating the necromancers first. Order of priorities went Necromancers --> Injuries --> Minor Injuries --> Regular Campers. This meant that quite a few campers with minor injuries and most of the uninjured ended up stuck at the camp for an extra night. Food ran out except for the lima beans, though several caches of snacks were recovered from the store.

The camp ended up only closing 11 days early. Once the last kids were out, Cook's Assistant Loganoff reportedly told the directors he would be back next year and promptly left. The other remaining staffers (the nurse and a few others left with the injured kids) trickled out after that, being informed they wouldn't be paid for the remaining 11 days and had to find their own rides back to civilization. Several of them hitched rides out with the fire fighters. By the end of the third day after the riot, only the two camp directors remained. It was at this time that they discovered someone slashed the tires on the camp's one remaining vehicle. Reportedly, the two directors survived on lima beans and wild caught fish until their business partners returned, and together the four of them spent six weeks rebuilding the camp.

==Aftermath==
===Handling of the Necromancers===
The necromancers being bussed out arrived at what they thought was to be their lunch stop in the nearby town, only to discover the camp directors had only paid to have them bussed that far. Two full bus-loads were abandoned outside a fast food place before the others got wise and refused to get off. Many of the initially abandoned group were those with minor injuries. The drivers were brow-beaten into taking them at least as far a the city where they could at least get real medical treatment, though this meant skipping the lunch stop. Room was made on the remaining busses for the groups which had been abandoned, and they completed the five-hour journey back to civilization.

===Handling of the Injured===
A lot of the kids who had only minor cuts and bruises never received more than a cursory checkout. Their parents were not informed of the riot, many were not even informed their children were being sent home from camp early. When the busses started to arrive at the drop-off locations, many of the children were still wearing makeshift bandages fashioned from camp t-shirts, or sporting poultices provided by the necromancer apothecaries. A good number of them suffered from infections because the cuts were not adequately cleaned. A few were also found to have much more serious injuries not identified by the initial triage.

Because of the extremely poor organization of the evacuation, a lot of the kid were simply dropped off at random rec-centers in the nearby city, most of whom actually lived in Arindell another 5 hours away by train.

===Dispensation of Property===
Only the very last group of kids to be evacuated were given time to pack their belongings. All the others left with only the clothes on their backs. This remaining group of kids, mostly older teenagers, used the opportunity to loot the camp of any valuables left behind by other campers. There was no adult supervision at all for them at this point. The goods taken amounted to very serious thefts; the necromancers were traveling with all of their luggage on a years-long pilgrimage. This meant they were frequently carrying expensive personal items bought by their families back home. Other goods taken included valuable souvenirs from off-world, expensive clothing; anything the looters thought they might like.

After the evacuation was complete, the camp owners made the issue even worse. First, they did not get to cleaning up the satellite camps used by the necromancers until weeks after everyone left. The looters knocked over most of the tents and spread out what personal belongings they did not take, which then lay exposed to the elements. The camp directors made no attempt to separate out anyone's personal property. They merely gathered up everything left behind by the campers (probably stealing any remaining items of value) and cast it all into an enormous "lost and found" at the back of the mess hall.

Many parents on both sides were understandably miffed. In addition to not returning any of the property, the camp also refused to give out any refunds. They did provide some travel vouchers to cover the fairs of families who had to come up to the city to retrieve their children.

==Lawsuits==
===Necromancers===
Individual necromancers were unable to sue the camp as most of them were from off-world. Any possible payout would have paled in comparison to the travel costs. Instead, the task of persecuting the camp fell on [[New Arindell]]'s [[Council of Litches]], as they had organized the the camp anyway. The Arindell [[Necromancer Temple]] has thousands of lawyers among its membership, as well as access to the greatest legal minds in history (presuming those minds have already died).

Camp Shababadahs' owner/directors then counter-sued, claiming the necromancers had violated the camp rules by bringing [[Ke'tcha]] on site, which they claimed to be alcoholic. This suit was quickly dismissed as, despite common perception, it was well established in legal circles that Ke'tcha is indeed not considered alcohol.

The entire necromancer suit was organized into a class-action.

====Outcome====
The Council of Litches became heavily involved in the suit directly, sending avatars into the courtroom to testify. Their defense council also included the raised up [[Shade|shades]] of several prominent lawyers throughout history, all of whose advice proved to be useless as they were only familiar with the law in their own time.

Unfortunately, the litches' attempt to impress the jury with what the media described as "undead shenanigans" and a fair amount of anti-necromancer sentiments in the media, failed to impact the case. Ultimately, the judge found that Camp Shababadahs had fulfilled their end of the contract as it was signed. The necromancer's decision to bring their own camp councilors nullified the culpability of Camp Shababadahs' own councilors, few of whom could be found to testify. The fact that the pilgrims directly involved in the event had already moved on and were now off-world did not help the matter either. The court ruled the camp only had to refund the 11 days when no necromancers were on site, as this is what they had agreed to in the contract. The Council of Litches was not happy.

While the judge did find in favor of the defendants, in his closing statements he decried the actions of Camp Shababadahs and stated that while they technically fulfilled the contract, they did so in such a slipshod manner their business practices should be criminal. The judge even made a formal appeal to then-[[Light Bearer]] [[placeholder lightbearer]] to intercede.

This incident in and of itself represents an important landmark decision in Arindell's legal history. Traditionally, the [[Pendragon]] has always had the power to to overturn judgements; especially in cases where one party very clearly did wrong but the letter of the law protects them. The Light Bearer apologized and explained that the Light Bearer was not the Pendragon, and therefore lacked power. The Pendragon's legal powers stem from holding the sword [[Echbalder]], which was lost. Although it was well-understood since the death of [[Conri Jusenkyou]] that the Light Bearer did not hold equal power to the Pendragon, this was one of the few cases where that point was entered into a major legal proceeding.

===Parents===
The families of the non-necromancer campers involved in the incident filed surprisingly few lawsuits. A lot of the older campers, when interviewed later, admitted they heavily downplayed the event when describing it to their parents. It helped that the camp did send out small sums to pay for the most of the injured campers to see mage-healers (though not until six months later). Several of the teenagers involved would later tell news outlets they deliberately played off the whole incident like a row because they didn't want the camp to close.

The parents of many younger campers attempted to sue on the grounds of trauma, but the whole riot was so poorly documented they had a difficult time proving anything in court. The camp directors agreed to pay out half refunds to the families of any campers who would state they did not ever wish to return. Other suits were settled by offering 30% discounts on return-visits (a move that had surprisingly high acceptance).

The families of the 23 boys beaten severely made the largest suits, but the camp was able to skirt liability by claiming adult necromancers carried out the beatings. This was never proven, and the camp settled out of court by paying part of the cost to have the boys healed.

====Class-Action Over Material Losses====
Nearly every child who attended camp that year lost all of their belongings when the camp was evacuated. This amounted to well over 100,000 wingbeats in material possessions lost or destroyed. Unfortunately, the class-action suit included the necromancers, the majority of whom could not be even be reached. Shababadahs' primary defense hinged upon the fact that they never wrote anything down. While there were records of payments being accepted, they made almost no accounting of children's names, bunk assignments, or anything else. In many cases parents could not even prove their child actually attended the camp.

The class-action fell apart when the prosecution failed to assemble a complete enough list of belongings lost or destroyed. Though estimates put the number somewhere between 120,000 and 250,000 wingbeats, they were only able to document 56,000 wingbeats worth of losses; largely made up of used items with very little intrinsic value (children's clothing they are likely to grow out of and old sleeping bags, for example).

The camp also claimed that nothing had actually been destroyed or stolen, and that all of the campers' possessions had been moved to the mess hall and were accounted for. It was late winter by this point and Shababadahs was snowed-in. The camp directors offered to verify any possessions were present if the family could provide a picture of the item, this would then be sent to the winter caretaker. In point of fact, Shababadahs had no winter caretaker; the roads were utterly impassible until mid-spring, so the directors simply fixed any damage when they prepared for each new season.

The directors then offered to let anyone who could prove they attended camp the previous summer come up before the new season was set to begin and claim their property. Provided they made an appointment ahead of time and arrived precisely at the hour, usually late-afternoon on a single specific day. Given that most campers lived down in Arindell and this involved a 13-hour-each-way journey, few elected to make the trek. Returning campers were also told they would be able to claim their belongings, but in practice everything had been thrown into an un-sorted lost and found, which was again quickly looted without any real thought to what belonged to whom.

==Conclusion==
Despite everything, the summer of [[N.D.]] 493 proved to be the most lucrative for Camp Shababadahs. Even with all the repairs and payouts, the camp owners made more than they'd done in any previous season. The woodshop never had power tools again and the boat-building program was permanently ended; but despite all the negative press the camp still opened to a huge turnout in N.D. 494.

The only real winners were the next generation of camp counselors. Amidst everything else, Camp Shababadahs was found guilty of under-paying its staff. Unfortunately because so few of them could be located in the aftermath, none received compensation. Going forward, the camp was required to account for its employees' time, not to over-work them, and to compensate them accordingly if they worked more than 8 hours in a day. The camp responded by lowering the rate to minimum wage and instituting a time clock for the following season. This unfortunately created another round of losers: the children. Now that they had established work-hours, off-duty employees preferred to spend their time in the new councilor's cabin rather than hanging around in camp, which led to even less supervision than ever before.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Camp Shababadahs

2025-11-27T06:06:52Z

Siddharth1: /* Swimming */

Camp Shababadahs was a summer camp in the mountains above [[Long Lake]]. Founded in [[N.D.]] 480, the camp operated for a surprising 32 years before being forced to close under mounting lawsuits. During the camp's tenure some 26 children were eaten by dragons.

==History==
The camp began as the brainchild of four 22 year old lifeguards working at the public pools of [[New Arindell]]. For legal reasons their names will not be mentioned here. The young men were all friends since childhood and attended various summer camps around [[Long Lake]] all through their youths. The idea began at the close-of-summer bash at one such camp where all four worked. As lifeguards (a typically highly-paid position for a 19 or 20 year old) they were beginning to feel like they would never make "adult money" doing what they loved, and that they needed to come up with a plan to earn a good living. After much discussing (and quite a lot of drinking) they reached the conclusion that they should open and run their own summer camp.

After all, it couldn't be so hard. Hundreds of them operated all over the region, and between them these young men had decades of experience as junior councilors, councilors, and now a few years as full-fledged professional lifeguards. They truly thought with a lot of work and little ingenuity, this could be their path to riches.

===Financial Backing===
The foursome found financing through contacts at a high-end fitness club where he worked the rest of the year. They put together an elaborate presentation based off rough numbers and guessed they would need 100,000 wingbeats to get off the ground. The financiers were in turn looking to dump some cash on a failed business venture for tax purposes, and agreed to fund the group to the tune of 60,000. The rest would be made up from the founder's life savings and small loans from various family members. Initially the group ''Safewater Investments'' formed as a financial entity, but was then immediately dissolved so that the backers could claim the loss on their taxes.

The four founders now had a small fortune on their hands and no oversight. After operating for two years without proper licensing or an actual registered business, they created ''Wolfram, Whitney, Strat, and Sanke LLC.'', later abbreviated to WWSS LLC. When the camp started operating with better efficiency the group began operating a string of seasonal under eighteen dance halls back in Arindell, where they further advertised the camp.

===Site Selection===
The founders envisioned a water recreation and sports camp, with an emphasis on swimming. A lake was a necessity to this. They first explored buying one of several existing summer camps, but found none in their price range. The foursome then turned to a very shady real estate broker (whose name will also be excluded for legal reasons) who claimed to specialize in finding properties nobody else wants.

The agent in turn found them a lake sitting in the middle of 3,000 acres of pristine woodland available for just 16 wingbeats an acre. The founding four jumped at the chance, unaware the land was for sale so cheap because it was basically useless. Dragons forbid logging within the entire [[High Mountain]] range, and the land was unsuitable for running cattle owing to its proximity to the dragon fence. Hunting so close to the fence was also illegal, and the remoteness of the parcel made it unsuitable for camping when much better public lands could found closer to the railroad spurs.

The lake had previously been targeted for development of a remote mountain resort, which necessitated the building of a high-quality paved road as well as utilities such as power and sewage. But the resort never materialized and the land went into default. After depreciating for several years, it went up for sale at the very low asking price. The founders bought it, and Camp Shababadahs formed.

It was doomed from the start.

===Initial Design and Layout===
Shababadahs was constructed on the windward side of the lake at the terminus of the road. This was also the same side of the lake as the [[Dragon Fence]], which sat about 1,000 yards from the mess hall. The founders spent most of their remaining capital building what they saw as "the heart of the camp", a state of the art timber dining hall and industrial kitchen. Above the dining hall they had an elaborate apartment for themselves along with offices. Because of this proximity to the road and utilities, the dining hall had all the modern conveniences including power and plumbing. The heart of the camp itself covered the entire area between the lake edge and the [[Dragon Fence]], making the fence plainly visible from most of the camp.

The founders planned to house 200 campers in 20 bunk houses built around a large green space near the dining hall. When their contractors informed them they only had enough money left to build 5 bunk houses (at a steep discount, no less), the founders fired the contractors and spent the remaining capital on materials, keen to build the bunk houses themselves. Since all four were talented woodworkers with some construction experience, this went well.

They still ended up having to salvage a lot of materials from other places to get the job done, which gave each original cabin a very unique look. Despite the ramshackle appearance, each cabin was fitted with small conveniences not found at most camps, including an indoor flush toilet and sink. Certain other conveniences, such as window screens to keep out insects, were missing in the first year. Being short on funds, the founders had to buy [[TDFN]]-surplus cots for sleeping surfaces, along with a lot of other military detritus, which ended up working out in their favor given the kind of patrons they would come to attract.

The last major building was a combination shower and toilet block, built next door to the dining hall, which proved woefully too small to support 200 mixed-gender campers. To pay for this they had to take out several short-term personal loans from [[High Mountain Bank and Trust]] and max out several credit cards.

At this point, the founders found themselves in late spring, deeply in debt, with a half-finished camp. They had to open that year or face total financial ruin.

===Advertising===
The founders began taking out ads in free newspapers around [[New Arindell]], and further drummed up business by papering the city with fliers. This was very non-standard for summer camps of the time and involved a lot of legwork by the founders, who were by then crashing on friends' couches to get by. Since they didn't have any pictures of the camp and no real experience, their advertising played heavily into low rates and low hassles, promising parents they could "dump your children and not worry about them all summer!"

They mostly targeted middle-class neighborhoods, but the promised low rates (about 20% under the standard prices for low-to-mid-tier camps) attracted a lot of lower-income customers. From the middle-classes, this brought in parents with delinquent children they wanted to be rid of for a few weeks and who had been kicked out of other camps.

===Initial Opening===
The day before the initial opening, the founders had not yet secured a food supplier, and ended up spending their entire initial take at a small rural grocery store some three hours drive from the camp. They scrounged thrift stores and allegedly even stole sporting equipment from local schools so they would at least have something when the kids arrived.

The camp had promised a wide array of traditional camp activities such as swimming, boating, archery, crafts, and sports. Generic by the standards of the time, and something they were woefully under-equipped to provide. The camp opened with little more than a pile of old sports equipment, not a single boat, and no sporting fields to speak of. Nor did they have any sort of planned program or even a designated swimming area. The camp still looked like a construction site with tools and debris spread everywhere. About the only thing they did have was a well-designated swimming area with piers and lifeguard chairs.

Despite all of this, the first round of campers reportedly had an absolute blast. They were effectively set loose with little structure beyond assigned cabins and set meal times. The camp had just 40 adult staffers for 200 children aged 9-15. Activities during the first week included such fun pastimes as digging trenches and building makeshift rafts. Children as young as 10 were reportedly given axes and allowed to fell trees.

Things got better as the summer went on. Most of the staffers were pretty inventive and the children were allowed to organize their own games. Sports fields did get set up, even an archery range (though this worked in tandem with the craft center where one of the crafts was "make your own bow and arrow out of whatever you can find in the woods!").

By the end of summer, the founders had made just enough money to pay off their short-term debts. They now owned Shababadahs free and clear, though had nothing left over to live on or make improvements during the next 9 months.

====Accidents and Incidents====
Despite wildly unsafe behavior, the first summer of operation saw no major injuries. This was good, since the camp neglected to hire a mage healer, nurse, or even make sure they had a fully-stocked first aid kit when the season began. All four founders had exhaustive first-aid training and were qualified to treat the constant stream of bumps and bruises. By some estimates 70% of the campers suffered a bleeding injury, and it was said every single male camper went home with a scar.

=====Blackened Summer=====
The first season would become ensconced in camp lore as "Blackened Summer" owing to issues with the food. The camp hired a single cook to handle the kitchens, planning to make up the labor shortages by assigning misbehaving children to work the kitchens. However the lax rules enforcement that would come to define the camp began on day one, and the single cook was left to layout snacks and prepare 720 meals each day. The cook quit after 2 weeks. The camp directors, unable to find anyone else on such short noticed, ordered the staffers to create a "rotation" for working the kitchen, and empowered them to draft junior councilors to assist. Kitchen Patrol was meted out at random for even the slightest infraction. Ironically, bad behavior was going on all over the place, but the assigned staffers typically only remembered they needed help minutes before a meal rotation.

Of the 39 remaining staffers that first season, 4 were the camp directors, and 8 others were lifeguards. The directors exempted themselves and their cronies from the kitchen rotation. The remaining staffers in the rotation treated running the mess hall as secondary to their duties (which were already treated as tertiary to hanging out), and as such food quality suffered accordingly. Most of the time the counselor in charge would draft a junior councilor, delegate the work to him, and then assign 4 or 5 children to "KP" to act as assistants.

The season became known as "Blackened Summer" owing to the amount of charred and inedible food produced. No one ever went hungry, but the quality of the food that year was regarded as bad even by summer camp standards. During the second season, the directors grudgingly hired three full-time staffers just to run the kitchen, but continued the trend of assigning KP to campers for rules violations. One of the newly-hired staffers had recently completed a six-year stint as a cook in the [[Trans-Draconic Federation Navy]], and successfully ran the kitchen with military-precision. "Cook's Assistant Loganoff" as he demanded to be called (he never completed navy culinary school) was among the very few long-term employees.

====Public Response====
Despite all of that, the general response to the camp was very positive. The camp directors and councilors were very good at spin, and most of the injured campers came home with the mentality that scars make for cool stories. The camp gained a reputation throughout Arindell's school system as a tough place where you could show your mettle. Youth summer camps were all the rage in the latter half of the 4th century; as [[New Arindell]] grew, parents were desperate for places to send their children where they could get back to nature.

===Second Year and Continued Operations===
Over the 9 months between the first summer and the second year, the founders lived at the site in shifts, some working as lifeguards back in Arindell and sending money to the others. They continued the trend of scavenging construction supplies wherever they could and supplemented their food supply by fishing and illegal hunting. They used the time to build more amenities for the camp, such as a craft hall and a better archery range. With summer fast approaching the obtained more loans and bought a flotilla of used boats, primarily aluminum canoes and small sailing catamarans.

The second year saw the first two-week session sell out in the first afternoon, filled entirely with campers who'd attended the previous season. This sort of repeat business would become a cornerstone of Shababadahs' business model. To commemorate the occasion, these 200 children were each given a special patch with the word "Lifer" stitched on it. This would become a sought-after title given to any kid who came back two years in a row, and in practice a lot of children kept coming back as long as they were able.

The second year proved a financial success with a real profit. The founders made enough to live off of and put serious money back into the camp. A surprising amount of this was spent on concrete and paving stones, so they could build improved paths all through the camp.

A big part of the success came because they continued to compete heavily on price, have a lower cost than most camps while appearing to offer almost as many activities. Other factors were encouraging as well, as many campers liked the lax approach to enforcing rules. A counselor was eaten during the second season, but as he was an adult and had signed a liability waver, the program continued unaffected.

In the third year, the owners decided they could improve returns by adding capacity. The camp had opened as a short-duration camp, running "programs" of 1-2 weeks. But several parents approached them between the second and third season asking for whole-season programs. Most camps at the time did one or the other, but Camp Shababadahs resolved to do both. The camp founders sold all 200 full-season slots as well as another 200 short-duration stays. The cheapest solution was to buy wood-frame canvas tents and erect them in small campsites, using portable toilets to cater to those needs and the existing shower house for other sanitation.

In the third season, 16 children caught dysentery and 2 were eaten by dragons. Despite doubling in capacity, they had not added any paid employees; instead older teenagers were promoted to the rank of "Junior Councilor" and put in charge with little oversight.

In preparation for the fourth season, additional permanent sanitation facilities were added. These consisted of flush toilets and cold showers placed in block-houses where the tent camps sat. In addition, permanent cabins without any amenities (essentially wooden shacks) were built at some of these sites.

==General Operation==
Despite the events of the third season, the 4th opened with full bookings, and the owners were obliged to further expand capacity. Several problems were already mounting. That season, another child was eaten (this was also the season the secret "dragon baiters" society was established). Further, it was a co-ed camp with little division other than designated "boys cabins" and "girls cabins" with no bunk assignments, bed checks, or even separating the cabins into zones. The oldest and best cabins were in two rows lining the greenway and were simply arranged by boy-girl-boy-girl. They did have designated shower times, but due to lax enforcement it was quite common to organize "shower gangs" who would take over the block and deny entry at given times. Peeping was a common issue ignored by the staff and often dealt with via vigilante tactics.

Injuries, be it from accidents, negligence, or violence, became a way of life at Camp Shababadahs. Though not explicitly addressed in the marketing, this played heavily into the camp's reputation as a tough place for strong kids, and it continued to attract the sort of rowdy teenagers who got kicked out of other camps. There were few structured activities and probably the most popular was "play unsupervised in the woods". The 4th season saw the first lawsuit, though not from the family of the child who was eaten. The owners settled quietly out of court.

In the years that followed, the camp grew to a daily capacity of around 600, while still having only about 60 paid employees. The number of adult councilors remained the same; the only added positions were additional lifeguards and kitchen staff. When the trial came decades later, the directors were quick to point out they never had a single drowning and very few water-related injuries.

In the later summers, Camp Shababadahs did add a mage healer to the roster, though this was typically an apprentice not yet certified by the guild who was grossly under-paid for his services.

===Camp Store===
Like all summer camps, Camp Shababadahs operated a camp store. Initially the store operated out of tent, but later seasons saw a permanent structure erected with a refrigerator and microwave. The store was run by a single staffer with complete autonomy. The only directives from the camp directors were "Make back your budget, and make sure there's enough cheap candy, soda, and chips." The store carried other sundries, and skimming profits were considered to be expected. The camp store runner and the junior counselors who helped out generally became quite corrupt.

==Death Toll==
In 32 summers of operation, 26 children and teenagers and four staffers were eaten by dragons. A few mage healers who worked at the camp reported that serious injuries were rare (though they did happen), but cuts, scrapes, and bruises were pretty much constant. One healer complained about having to teach himself suturing techniques because the children would rather have stitches than magic since magic didn't leave scars. Another healer claimed that "protruding broken bones and skull fractures" were an every-day occurrence, injuries which should have been followed up on by mundane doctors but weren't. The veracity of these latter claims is unconfirmed, though broken clavicles were apparently "par for the course".

All of this came alongside an alarmingly high repeat-customer rate, with many people known to have spent 10 summers in a row at Camp Shababadahs. The return rate was over 50%; the kids who went there liked the freedom and the danger.

At the N.D. 512 session, a record 4 children were eaten at once. This happened in full view of many witnesses and left more than a few traumatized. Still, it managed to happen in the last week of camp, and no early closure was done. An investigation began, however given the general attitude towards dragon-devourings (which happened with considerable frequency in [[New Arindell]]), the camp was allowed to open again for the N.D. 513 season. This would prove to be the final held.

===Closure and Lawsuits===
At the conclusion of the N.D. 513 session, the authorities in Arindell ordered the camp closed. Since it was already shuttered for the year, the owners didn't give it much thought until they were informed their operating licenses had been revoked and all four of them were under criminal indictment. In a public statement, the central authorities in Arindell revealed the existence of a secret society that had persisted for years, possibly decades in the camp, in which children deliberately crossed the dragon fence.

The Dragon Baiters, as they were called, were believed to be responsible for all but the earliest deaths. They were organized and well-run, with many strange cult-like practices and pseudo-religious undertones. Hundreds of former campers and councilors were interviewed, many of whom openly admitted to being members and claimed it was just "Good, clean camp fun" (of which their secret rituals most definitely were not). Thousand of lawsuits were organized into a class-action, mostly for campers and councilors who were still under-age.

It was well-established that many junior-councilors had knowledge of the secret society and helped perpetuate it. Since most of the paid councilors were hired from the ranks of junior councilors, there was no question that the camp administration was aware of the group. Ultimately the case never went to trial. All four co-owners of the camp plead guilty to willful negligence and received life sentences. Most of the camp's assets were stripped to pay for their legal bills, and the property itself went into receivership. The lawsuit required the property to be sold for a substantial sum, well above market value, in order to pay the settlements, and many called for [[HMBT]] to make the buyout themselves in order to compensate the families.

High Mountain refused, on the grounds that to do so would be the same as admitting that eating humans who crossed the dragon fence was a crime, and this was a legal precedent they were unwilling to set. The TDF stood by this decision, however allowed special dispensation for the property to retain its value while a buyer was found.

===Settlement and Sale===
Unfortunately, there was not much use for the property. The settlement from the lawsuits came down some on appeals, with the courts deciding to narrow the plaintiff list considerably. Originally, the class-action had been open to anyone who had ever attended the camp, regardless of whether or not they had participated in dragon-baiting. This included over 16,000 potential claimants, each seeking multi-million-wingbeat settlements when the only asset was a piece of property worth only a few million wingbeats if it weren't so unfortunately located.

So the list was first slashed to only include claimants who had been minors in N.D. 513 and further to those who could demonstrate they had been pressured into the dragon-baiting. Additional dispensation was added for those who had not participated but had witnessed the attacks in 512, and to any who could show they had endured some hardship as a direct result of attending the camp. The damages were then capped at 50,000 wingbeats a head, with the 26 wrongful death lawsuits having been separated out to be weighed against the personal estates of the camp owners.

This still left the property in a state of limbo. The structures on the site had only one possible use: as a summer camp; a function for which it had demonstrated itself most unsuitable. As undeveloped land, it was valued at just 1.6 million wingbeats (much less in practice given the remote location and lack of commercial uses), nowhere near enough to pay for all the claims against it. Any potential buyer would have to pay tens of millions, and it was thought no one would want it at that price.

Then, in N.D. 517, [[Naomi Jusenkyou]] came forward with a request to buy the property. She named over 100 individuals who were to be removed from the lawsuit, and offered only 25,000 wingbeats ahead to the others. Her demands further included she be allowed to buy several neighboring properties (some not for sale) at slightly above market value. She then finally added she not need approval to make changes or upgrades to the land.

Being one quarter dragon herself and having standing within [[High Mountain Flight]], the dragons offered no objections (indeed Naomi's funds were actually those of High Mountain, which she had received and managed as a member), which left it up to the Alliance government to make the approvals. Seeing as the land was useless and "practically belonged to the dragons already" they let the sale go ahead, arguing it was the very best offer they could possibly hope to get (Naomi paid about 30 times the market value of the land).

Many argued that Naomi's purchase of the property was a way for the dragons to 'save face'. Letting them provide a payout without themselves admitting any wrongdoing. Naomi for her part denied this, claiming she merely wanted a secluded mountain retreat.

==Final Layout and Organization==
By the time of its closure, the camp had 45 permanent cabins of which 40 had electricity and sinks and 25 included indoor toilets. Each cabin housed 10 to 20 campers. An additional 80 concrete platforms house semi-permanent wood-frame tents for 2 campers each. The camp had 8 permanent toilet blocks and 6 shower buildings, of which only one ever had hot water. Additional buildings include the large kitchen/dining hall with offices and apartments above, a nurses station with a small apartment, and "The Flop" to house the paid camp staff.

The Flop consisted of a large, multi-room building a few hundred yards into the woods behind the dining hall. This included two sizable bunk rooms, twelve individual bedrooms, a common room for recreation, private bathing and toilet facilities, and a separate kitchen for staffers to cook personal meals. In stark contrast to the generally lax rules enforcements, The Flop had a high fence around it and a very strictly enforced "no campers may enter" policy. Later additions to The Flop included a big screen TV and above ground hot tub, added without the knowledge of the camp directors.

Adjacent to the mess hall lay the camp workshop and boat house. Other unimproved buildings included craft halls and various storage sheds for camp equipment. One building known as "Central Crafting" gained some infamy for a series of unfounded rumors surrounding it. Unlike the other craft halls, which were glorified sheds with maybe electricity, Central Crafting included hot and cold running water and a secret toilet and shower (the only place outside the main shower block were a camper could enjoy such luxuries). It also had a second story built originally as a storage loft, but later augmented with a sort of tower attachment with windows. It was the tallest building in camp and located on a small hill, providing commanding views of the lake. Central Crafting included the woodshop campers were allowed to use for small projects such as birdhouses and improvised weapons. While the safety record of this shop was not great, serious injuries were rare. Most of the kids old enough to be admitted to the woodshop had been coming to the camp for at least a few years and thus knew the unofficial camp motto: "Pain Hurts". Stories were spread every single year about brutal, grievous injuries that happened in Central Crafting, and the building was purported to be haunted. The building was falsely rumored to have a basement, but did include many small and not well-known rooms.

By the time of its closing, the camp catered to a daily population of 600 campers, of which 3-400 were usually full-season.

Beside the main avenue was an outdoor pavilion with a large cement slab and cement tables. This included a big outdoor barbecue pit. A bit further up the slope lay the fire pit with an enormous log amphitheater that included a an outdoor stage. Above this were more cabins. The far end of the main grass area was where the dragon fence lay and the camp ended.

The combination archery and gun range was up near the fence. No backstock was constructed, but berms were added on either side. The logic being that "since the back of the range is the dragon fence, no one will ever be behind it". Owing to the camp's own wood mill, construction of spaces like the archery range could get quite elaborate. The shooting area included a cement and tile floor, built-in tables, and a very large covered area. A second shooting deck was later added above the first, which doubled as a driving range for hitting golf balls. The stairs were housed inside an attached building which doubled as storage for all the equipment. Again in stark contrast to the chaotic nature of the camp, gun safety saw strict enforcement to the point where no minor injuries were ever reported from the range. Gun safety was provided partially by a limited arsenal that included only .22 long rifles, shotguns equipped only with birdshot, and black powder rifles. Coupled with the camp directors exclusively seeking out the most anal-retentive range-masters available (rangmaster also being one of the very few jobs which paid a decent wage). Quite a few mishaps occurred with the archery (owing to kids being encouraged to make their own bows and arrows), and more than a few beatings with golf clubs.

Near the range lay the arts and crafts buildings. A permanent toilet building was later added for convenience.

==Camp Activities==
While most summer camps either operated around a theme or otherwise tried to offer something special, Camp Shababadahs was known for two things: having a low price and offering the most generic activities schedules ever seen. The camp advertised itself as a water recreation and sports camp, though the brochures didn't describe anything beyond the very basics and had no set program. The brochures also prominently featured pictures of children horseback riding, but the camp never had any animals besides a small population of feral cats.

In practice, the camp did offer a lot more activities than what was advertised. The generic "crafts" actually included fairly sophisticated wood and metal working, including full-on boat-building. By the tenth season all boats but the aluminum canoe were camper-built. The camp had no real organization for activities, with each structured thing operating as a "station". When one station got too crowded, campers were turned away.

The sports had no counselor oversight at all. The camp had three sporting fields primarily used for soccer and put under the command of "junior councilors". This led to a lot of interesting camper-created games and activities.

The only well-structured (and supervised) activities took place on the lake. However, the lake was much too small for motor craft and not really well-suited to sailing. They did have a few small sailing catamarans and a motorized fishing barge. Canoes and rowboats could be signed out, with fishing as another major draw (being isolated as it was, the seasonal camp had the only access to the lake, so the fishery was very healthy). In fact the "fishing club" which was fairly informal, was advertised in the brochure. Kids were encouraged to come, fish, and learn to cook and eat their catch at the outdoor barbecue grill.

As befitting the setting, nature hikes, nature walks, and as many possible things with the word "nature" on the front existed. These were mostly done informally, with camp councilors mapping out the paths, then letting junior counselors guide the campers.

Every two weeks, the camp organized an elaborate three-day soccer tournament to celebrate the end of a short-stay season. Campers were not required to participate and were instead allowed to form their own teams and enter. In later years this tournament took place on the camp's singular regulation soccer pitch surrounded by a running track. Some junior councilors organized additional tournaments and competitions in all kinds of games, some traditional and others made up by the camp.

Whole-season campers could also enter into an organized soccer league which tracked performance by individual players and not teams. This came about because players changed teams throughout the season as loyalties shifted. The league could become quite contentious, and more than one dragon devouring is believed to have been orchestrated to eliminate a problem-player.

Despite all of these attempts, the camp made no effort to ensure less athletic campers had the chance to participate, so only a small subset of attendees got to enjoy the full gamut of sporting activities. Such uninspired campers were often left to their own devices, however the camp offered plenty for these children as well.

===Swimming===
Being founded by lifeguards, swimming took front and center. Every child was required to complete a swim test and memorize a series of water rules. Those that could not swim were taught. The camp directors spent painstaking years establishing the main swim area on the lake out in front of the mess hall, clearing it of sharp rocks and submerged logs. Two other swimming beaches were added nearby. Lifeguards were on duty during all daylight hours and the lake was even watched at night to prevent unauthorized swims. The three designated swim areas included piers, dive boards, and slides. Campers were encouraged to bring and share floating toys.

The directors personally organized swimming events on every level and handed out awards. Several world-class swimmers are known to have attended the camp, with one even outright stating the camp taught him to swim and gave him his love for the sport.

==Camp Culture==
Shababadahs developed a few unique cultural trends, largely invented by the generational councilors.

During the first season, the camp needed to provide parkas and jackets to all children (a licensing requirement). Being unable to afford branded merchandise that first year, the owners went and bought military surplus from the [[TDFN]]. These were military-grade and came in forest camouflage. Later seasons saw the parkas replaces by camp-colored one, but the campers liked the jackets so much the directors kept going with it.

Returning campers then sewed their "lifer" patches to the jackets and began customizing them at the arts and crafts stations. The camp councilors encouraged this, and by the fourth year many campers wore unique and fabulously decorated coats. This gave rise to a pseudo-militaristic style to the camp (that was not advertised in brochures).

This led to campers referring to anything that happened outside of camp as "civilian life" and adopting informal "ranks" based on the number of years they had attended.

Another minor one was the abbreviation of the camp name to "Shaba", a privilege reserved strictly for campers. Visiting parents and even sometimes councilors were strictly discouraged from using it. Outside of camp, campers recognized one another by the use of the abbreviation.

==Supervision and Safety==
None.

Or at least very little. The four co-owners of the camp had all met while working as life guards, and water safety was about the only thing they understood. Every single employee was required to know how to swim and to take a basic life-saving class. The staff of 60 included at least 20 fully-trained and registered lifeguards. Every camper was required to take a swim-test on the day they arrived. Any who failed or reported being unable to swim were given lessons. In fact one of the enduring legacies of the facility was its dedication to ensuring every single camper could tread water.

Unfortunately, that same dedication did not extend to most other activities. Since archery was a popular sport in Arindell, they usually had a professional archery instructor to run the range and give lessons. Otherwise most activities were run by junior councilors (paying attendees in their late teens) and only marginally supervised by councilors. For a camp that catered to many hundreds of kids, they had just 28 councilors.

Safety was primarily achieved through preventative measures. The guns, for example, were kept in a secured cabinet and only the rangemaster had a key. The woodshop, similarly, was always supervised by the same adult who had the only key. While the camp's over-all safety record was quite bad, most injuries came from simple accidents or rough play, not from the miss-use of equipment.

Age range of the employees contributed to the over-all poor safety record of the camp. The owners of the camp opened it in their mid-twenties and refused to hire anyone older than themselves. Since they owned it free and clear, they had no one to answer to. As the summers passed and the owners got better at managing it, they discovered they could save money by continuing to hire exclusively 18-22-year-olds for all but the most vital camp functions.

A small town in the [[Long Lake]] region then made this problem even worse by passing a law allowing 16 year olds (with proper work permits) to work at "over night establishments". This law was intended to allow teenagers to work overnight shifts at restaurants and hotels during he busy tourist season, with the assumption they would go home to their parents afterwards. Due to the poor way in which the law was worded, Camp Shababadahs was able to rent a P.O. box in the town which allowed them to hire fully-fledged councilors as young as 16, the same age as many of the campers.

Discipline was a massive issue. The camp had rules and punishments, but these were very seldom enforced. Most infractions were punished by a verbal reprimand from a junior councilor and never reported to the staff. Only misbehavior at the archery range, wood shop, or waterfront ever saw formal reprimands (usually with meal-cleanup as punishment) and even then were not recorded.

===Drug and Alcohol Usage===
This was actually the one other area in which the camp did well. All four directors were teetotalers and only a small number of their employees were of legal age to drink. As such the camp had a very strict (and very well-enforced) zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol (though this was largely for insurance reasons). Any camper caught with an illicit substance would be immediately ejected from the camp (in point of fact this was the only way to get kicked out). Since most of the kids came from Arindell's middle-class suburbs this wasn't often an issue. The councilors got the brunt of it, with even the few 21 and over counselors being made to sign legally-binding summer-long abstinence contracts. The very few paid employees were hand-picked by the owners and directors, typically from a pool of former campers whom they'd known for years. This allowed them to pick and choose employees who would follow the rules.

At various times, campers and some junior councilors would try to sneak things in, usually to be caught during initial bag checks. During one summer, a particularly inventive group of campers were caught selling moonshine from a crudely-built still.

===Allegations of Sexual Abuse===
Camp Shababadahs' closing happened around the same time as a high-profile sex scandal at another camp, which prompted journalists to look into Shababadahs in this regard. Given the chaotic nature of the camp it seemed obvious the place should be rife with abuse, but very little was found.

One former counselor who attended camp from the age of 8 and then worked 5 years as a councilor, summed it up best. He said ''"It did happen, but not like at that other camp. The directors never hired anyone with short eyes. There was a ton of sexual activity, but consensual stuff. I mean, you've got a ton of hormone-addled teenagers and no one to look out for them. Shit happens. I went with girls when I was there, no one ever got hurt. For assaults... yeah, we got a ton of low-grade stuff. I saw girls get their asses grabbed every day, and cabin-peeping was the norm. I think the staff all sort of felt like, you know, if you came to this camp you did it because you were tough enough to handle that. All the women councilors I worked with were straight-up cast-iron bitches, in the best way possible. I'm not saying it was right, just that I don't think anyone ever got it bad."''

Other former campers and councilors shared similar sentiments, indicating considerable risky behavior but little non-consensual activity.

==The Dragon Baiters==
Crossing the [[Dragon Fence|dragon fence]] became a popular camp dare the first year the facility was open. The first iteration of The Dragon Baiters probably formed around the fourth year, N.D. 484. The dangers of the dragon fence were well understood in [[New Arindell]], but not as well-known in the [[Agras]] regions and [[Long Lake]] where many campers hailed from. Further, most of campers from Arindell lived in the city center, so while dragons overhead were a familiar site, the fence itself was a myth.

Most of Camp Shababadahs, however, was situated within sight of the fence. The combination archery, rifle, and driving range even used the fence in place of a backstop. Most of the camper cabins and tents were built out in the thick woods, with plenty of cover and little adult supervision, making trips up to the fence very simple. To make things even more problematic, the fence itself did not pose much of a barrier, being only about 4 feet high and made up of spun metal wires with large gaps easy to fit through.

===Levels===
The Dragon Baiters (or Society of Dragon Baiters, or Order of Dragon Baiters) had four ranks of membership based on dragon-types, and achieved by completion of initiation challenges. Each successful level would see the brave baiter taken to one of four secrete initiation sites to be shown the deeper mysteries of the society. Over the years they adopted many cult-like and pseudo-religious practices that would not be made public until the trial.

*Black-Earth Baiter - a camper achieved the status of 'Black-Earth Baiter' by crossing the fence. The black-earth [[Dragons#Physical Types|type]] was chosen because the campers thought they were 'ugly' and thus made them the lowest rank (a detail which the dragons were later offended by). To make black-earth baiter, a camper had to take a red-fire or above baiter to the fence, ask them to throw something over it, then cross and retrieve it. This was traditionally done at night when it was thought to be "safer" (in fact all the known deaths occurred at night). If the baiter was a friend or otherwise had a reason to like you, they might not throw the item very far. Usually selecting a treasured personal item was preferable, as it would provide greater impetus to cross the line.

*Red-Fire Baiter - to achieve the rank of Red-Fire Baiter, a camper had to cross the fire break on the far side of the fence (again usually at night) and make a mark on one of the trees. The following day, they had to show the mark to another baiter, who had to be able to see it with the naked eye from inside the fence.

*Blue-Air Baiter - becoming a blue-air baiter was much more difficult. First, it required the permission of another blue-air or white-water baiter to even attempt. It then had to be completed in daylight and along the section of fence that bordered the main camp. The actual challenge was simple: run across the fire break, tag a tree, run back, while in view of at least 3 baiters. This specific rite was doubly-difficult as crossing the fence was grounds for immediate expulsion from the camp. In later years, to combat the baiting, the staff made being caught within 10 feet of the fence an expellable offence, but in practice no one was ever caught as supervision was always quite poor.

*White-Water Baiter - to achieve the rank of white-water baiter, the most difficult and dangerous of all, the baiter had to cross the fence and place a marker in one of the trees on the far side (usually a flag or ribbon of some kind). This marker also had to be judged "further from the fence than any other visible marker" by a quorum of at least six blue-air baiters and confirmed by another white-water. The challenge could be done at night, though preparations were usually important. To prevent cheating, the marker usually had to be selected ahead of time, shown to the others, and then the location scouted to confirm the baiter was not taking credit for an old marker. By the later years of the camp, hundreds of markers were plainly visible from the main camp compound. For reasons known only to the baiters, under garments were a preferred marker, bras in particular. Though exact numbers are not known, from the visible markers it seems apparent girls outnumber boys two-to-one in the White Water rank.

===Initiation Rites===
In a boulder field about a mile outside camp (but inside the fence), the baiters constructed a ring ditch and henge which was used for first-level ceremonial initiations. It was one of four ritual sites used by the group, and the one they had put the most effort into. The location was known to the camp councilors as early as N.D. 490, but not it's purpose. It was even used a few times by the legitimate honor-societies sponsored by the camp directors.

At least once per 2-week camp session the baiters would sneak out and meet at the henge around midnight. There they would build a fire and initiate the newest baiters (those who had completed the "black" challenge) by carrying out a ritual dance. All campers were issued matching rain parkas as part of their kit, so the dance involved everyone wearing their Camp Shababadahs parka and dancing in a circle. At the conclusion of the dance the parkas were removed and everyone would give their "dragon roar". A common prank was to tell new baiters they needed to be naked or only wearing underwear beneath the parka.

The second initiation site was at a secret swimming beach two miles from the camp. Where the same boulder field intersected with the lake shore, a stream flowed into the lake and deposited sand over a large flat area about six feet deep. This beach was known to the camp directors and used for sanctioned "Swim expeditions" during daylight hours, but otherwise off-limits. All the campers knew about it and sneaking out for night swims was pretty common. The Baiters took it a step forward, requiring all members to come and skinny-dip, with new initiates having to jump from a specific rock in full view of the others. In the boulder field beside the swim area, the Baiters carved hundreds of petroglyphs depicting secret rites and various events from their mythology. Most of these were known to other campers and some staff, but since the meanings were a cult secret they were written off as petty vandalism.

Very few baiters reached the third level, and the location of the third initiation site was one of the deeply-guarded secrets. During the trial one of the former baiters led authorities to it. The site was well hidden but had been stumbled upon a few times, and initially had no obvious significance. It was past the boulder field a few miles outside camp, accessible by a narrow slot-canyon and reached only by a reasonably dangerous climb down a 14 foot cliff-face. On the stone wall, baiters were to create a unique symbol of their own and draw or etch it on the wall beside the symbols from the other baiters. In the area in front of the cliff, they were then made to dig a shallow hole (representing a grave) and lay in it while the other third-levels made dragon noises around them. Once complete, they then had to build a cairn over the hole, representing the empty grave that would be made for them if they were eaten while attempting to reach the fourth level. Much like the petroglyphs by the swimming hole, camp staff knew vaguely of this location but again believed it to be just another play area.

The final site was found only when a former, now adult baiter was forced to lead authorities there as part of a plea agreement. The site, just a few thousand feet from the camp's mess hall, consisted of a small cave called 'the dungeon'. The opening was covered by a metal grate with a lock, and when not obscured by leaves, campers were told that bats and snakes lived inside. In reality, the hole went about a dozen feet and opened into a small, dry chamber. It was in this where the final secret initiations were kept, along with books and other documents concerning the whole history of the society. Most notably, it contained extensive records of all the suspected deaths by dragon, essentially a signed confession for the order.

===Camp Director Awareness and Lack of Response===
The camp directors initially claimed to have no knowledge of the Dragon Baiter's existence, then changed the story to having only found out about it in the last two years of camp operation. In fact, several current and former councilors were known members of the secret club and testified to having disclosed its existence to the owners as much as 20 years before the forced closure. When confronted with this information, the owners first denied it, then admitted they were aware but believed the club's antics were exaggerated. Investigators counted over five hundred markers consisting of tree scrawls, stone cairns, and articles of clothing tied to trees in full view from the section of fence closest to the mess hall.

One director later admitted to media outlets that he knew full well how dangerous the club was and turned a blind eye because he ''"Hoped it would go away"''. The others made no formal comment beyond whatever was said in the sealed plea agreement.

During the trial, the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] then weighed in with evidence of it's own. When the land was initially sold and before it was even open, they issued a series of written recommendations to the camp as follows:

*For the entire length of the camp, and any distance beyond it which will be accessed by campers, create a 10-foot exclusion zone on the inside of the fence.
*Ensure this zone is clear of any obstructions or vegetation
*Erect a second fence at least 10' high and topped with razor wire
*Add motion sensors and cameras to cover the exclusion zone
*Provide routine patrols of the areas around the fence

The camp directors acknowledged receipt of these directives and claimed they were not instituted because of costs. This is despite the camp turning sizable increasing profits year over year.

===Jerimiah Rackham===
[[Jerimiah Rackham]], or "Jerry" for short, is widely regarded as having started the Dragon Baiters club when he was 10 years old. He was 38 at the time the club came to light, and would have had no involvement with it after turning 18. He was given a 2 year sentence for his involvement and served just 6 months, but was then murdered by the father of one of the children killed during the 513 season.

==The Summer of the Long Knives==
{{:The Summer of the Long Knives}}

[[Category:Course Books]]

Camp Shababadahs

2025-11-27T06:06:33Z

Siddharth1: /* Camp Activities */

Camp Shababadahs was a summer camp in the mountains above [[Long Lake]]. Founded in [[N.D.]] 480, the camp operated for a surprising 32 years before being forced to close under mounting lawsuits. During the camp's tenure some 26 children were eaten by dragons.

==History==
The camp began as the brainchild of four 22 year old lifeguards working at the public pools of [[New Arindell]]. For legal reasons their names will not be mentioned here. The young men were all friends since childhood and attended various summer camps around [[Long Lake]] all through their youths. The idea began at the close-of-summer bash at one such camp where all four worked. As lifeguards (a typically highly-paid position for a 19 or 20 year old) they were beginning to feel like they would never make "adult money" doing what they loved, and that they needed to come up with a plan to earn a good living. After much discussing (and quite a lot of drinking) they reached the conclusion that they should open and run their own summer camp.

After all, it couldn't be so hard. Hundreds of them operated all over the region, and between them these young men had decades of experience as junior councilors, councilors, and now a few years as full-fledged professional lifeguards. They truly thought with a lot of work and little ingenuity, this could be their path to riches.

===Financial Backing===
The foursome found financing through contacts at a high-end fitness club where he worked the rest of the year. They put together an elaborate presentation based off rough numbers and guessed they would need 100,000 wingbeats to get off the ground. The financiers were in turn looking to dump some cash on a failed business venture for tax purposes, and agreed to fund the group to the tune of 60,000. The rest would be made up from the founder's life savings and small loans from various family members. Initially the group ''Safewater Investments'' formed as a financial entity, but was then immediately dissolved so that the backers could claim the loss on their taxes.

The four founders now had a small fortune on their hands and no oversight. After operating for two years without proper licensing or an actual registered business, they created ''Wolfram, Whitney, Strat, and Sanke LLC.'', later abbreviated to WWSS LLC. When the camp started operating with better efficiency the group began operating a string of seasonal under eighteen dance halls back in Arindell, where they further advertised the camp.

===Site Selection===
The founders envisioned a water recreation and sports camp, with an emphasis on swimming. A lake was a necessity to this. They first explored buying one of several existing summer camps, but found none in their price range. The foursome then turned to a very shady real estate broker (whose name will also be excluded for legal reasons) who claimed to specialize in finding properties nobody else wants.

The agent in turn found them a lake sitting in the middle of 3,000 acres of pristine woodland available for just 16 wingbeats an acre. The founding four jumped at the chance, unaware the land was for sale so cheap because it was basically useless. Dragons forbid logging within the entire [[High Mountain]] range, and the land was unsuitable for running cattle owing to its proximity to the dragon fence. Hunting so close to the fence was also illegal, and the remoteness of the parcel made it unsuitable for camping when much better public lands could found closer to the railroad spurs.

The lake had previously been targeted for development of a remote mountain resort, which necessitated the building of a high-quality paved road as well as utilities such as power and sewage. But the resort never materialized and the land went into default. After depreciating for several years, it went up for sale at the very low asking price. The founders bought it, and Camp Shababadahs formed.

It was doomed from the start.

===Initial Design and Layout===
Shababadahs was constructed on the windward side of the lake at the terminus of the road. This was also the same side of the lake as the [[Dragon Fence]], which sat about 1,000 yards from the mess hall. The founders spent most of their remaining capital building what they saw as "the heart of the camp", a state of the art timber dining hall and industrial kitchen. Above the dining hall they had an elaborate apartment for themselves along with offices. Because of this proximity to the road and utilities, the dining hall had all the modern conveniences including power and plumbing. The heart of the camp itself covered the entire area between the lake edge and the [[Dragon Fence]], making the fence plainly visible from most of the camp.

The founders planned to house 200 campers in 20 bunk houses built around a large green space near the dining hall. When their contractors informed them they only had enough money left to build 5 bunk houses (at a steep discount, no less), the founders fired the contractors and spent the remaining capital on materials, keen to build the bunk houses themselves. Since all four were talented woodworkers with some construction experience, this went well.

They still ended up having to salvage a lot of materials from other places to get the job done, which gave each original cabin a very unique look. Despite the ramshackle appearance, each cabin was fitted with small conveniences not found at most camps, including an indoor flush toilet and sink. Certain other conveniences, such as window screens to keep out insects, were missing in the first year. Being short on funds, the founders had to buy [[TDFN]]-surplus cots for sleeping surfaces, along with a lot of other military detritus, which ended up working out in their favor given the kind of patrons they would come to attract.

The last major building was a combination shower and toilet block, built next door to the dining hall, which proved woefully too small to support 200 mixed-gender campers. To pay for this they had to take out several short-term personal loans from [[High Mountain Bank and Trust]] and max out several credit cards.

At this point, the founders found themselves in late spring, deeply in debt, with a half-finished camp. They had to open that year or face total financial ruin.

===Advertising===
The founders began taking out ads in free newspapers around [[New Arindell]], and further drummed up business by papering the city with fliers. This was very non-standard for summer camps of the time and involved a lot of legwork by the founders, who were by then crashing on friends' couches to get by. Since they didn't have any pictures of the camp and no real experience, their advertising played heavily into low rates and low hassles, promising parents they could "dump your children and not worry about them all summer!"

They mostly targeted middle-class neighborhoods, but the promised low rates (about 20% under the standard prices for low-to-mid-tier camps) attracted a lot of lower-income customers. From the middle-classes, this brought in parents with delinquent children they wanted to be rid of for a few weeks and who had been kicked out of other camps.

===Initial Opening===
The day before the initial opening, the founders had not yet secured a food supplier, and ended up spending their entire initial take at a small rural grocery store some three hours drive from the camp. They scrounged thrift stores and allegedly even stole sporting equipment from local schools so they would at least have something when the kids arrived.

The camp had promised a wide array of traditional camp activities such as swimming, boating, archery, crafts, and sports. Generic by the standards of the time, and something they were woefully under-equipped to provide. The camp opened with little more than a pile of old sports equipment, not a single boat, and no sporting fields to speak of. Nor did they have any sort of planned program or even a designated swimming area. The camp still looked like a construction site with tools and debris spread everywhere. About the only thing they did have was a well-designated swimming area with piers and lifeguard chairs.

Despite all of this, the first round of campers reportedly had an absolute blast. They were effectively set loose with little structure beyond assigned cabins and set meal times. The camp had just 40 adult staffers for 200 children aged 9-15. Activities during the first week included such fun pastimes as digging trenches and building makeshift rafts. Children as young as 10 were reportedly given axes and allowed to fell trees.

Things got better as the summer went on. Most of the staffers were pretty inventive and the children were allowed to organize their own games. Sports fields did get set up, even an archery range (though this worked in tandem with the craft center where one of the crafts was "make your own bow and arrow out of whatever you can find in the woods!").

By the end of summer, the founders had made just enough money to pay off their short-term debts. They now owned Shababadahs free and clear, though had nothing left over to live on or make improvements during the next 9 months.

====Accidents and Incidents====
Despite wildly unsafe behavior, the first summer of operation saw no major injuries. This was good, since the camp neglected to hire a mage healer, nurse, or even make sure they had a fully-stocked first aid kit when the season began. All four founders had exhaustive first-aid training and were qualified to treat the constant stream of bumps and bruises. By some estimates 70% of the campers suffered a bleeding injury, and it was said every single male camper went home with a scar.

=====Blackened Summer=====
The first season would become ensconced in camp lore as "Blackened Summer" owing to issues with the food. The camp hired a single cook to handle the kitchens, planning to make up the labor shortages by assigning misbehaving children to work the kitchens. However the lax rules enforcement that would come to define the camp began on day one, and the single cook was left to layout snacks and prepare 720 meals each day. The cook quit after 2 weeks. The camp directors, unable to find anyone else on such short noticed, ordered the staffers to create a "rotation" for working the kitchen, and empowered them to draft junior councilors to assist. Kitchen Patrol was meted out at random for even the slightest infraction. Ironically, bad behavior was going on all over the place, but the assigned staffers typically only remembered they needed help minutes before a meal rotation.

Of the 39 remaining staffers that first season, 4 were the camp directors, and 8 others were lifeguards. The directors exempted themselves and their cronies from the kitchen rotation. The remaining staffers in the rotation treated running the mess hall as secondary to their duties (which were already treated as tertiary to hanging out), and as such food quality suffered accordingly. Most of the time the counselor in charge would draft a junior councilor, delegate the work to him, and then assign 4 or 5 children to "KP" to act as assistants.

The season became known as "Blackened Summer" owing to the amount of charred and inedible food produced. No one ever went hungry, but the quality of the food that year was regarded as bad even by summer camp standards. During the second season, the directors grudgingly hired three full-time staffers just to run the kitchen, but continued the trend of assigning KP to campers for rules violations. One of the newly-hired staffers had recently completed a six-year stint as a cook in the [[Trans-Draconic Federation Navy]], and successfully ran the kitchen with military-precision. "Cook's Assistant Loganoff" as he demanded to be called (he never completed navy culinary school) was among the very few long-term employees.

====Public Response====
Despite all of that, the general response to the camp was very positive. The camp directors and councilors were very good at spin, and most of the injured campers came home with the mentality that scars make for cool stories. The camp gained a reputation throughout Arindell's school system as a tough place where you could show your mettle. Youth summer camps were all the rage in the latter half of the 4th century; as [[New Arindell]] grew, parents were desperate for places to send their children where they could get back to nature.

===Second Year and Continued Operations===
Over the 9 months between the first summer and the second year, the founders lived at the site in shifts, some working as lifeguards back in Arindell and sending money to the others. They continued the trend of scavenging construction supplies wherever they could and supplemented their food supply by fishing and illegal hunting. They used the time to build more amenities for the camp, such as a craft hall and a better archery range. With summer fast approaching the obtained more loans and bought a flotilla of used boats, primarily aluminum canoes and small sailing catamarans.

The second year saw the first two-week session sell out in the first afternoon, filled entirely with campers who'd attended the previous season. This sort of repeat business would become a cornerstone of Shababadahs' business model. To commemorate the occasion, these 200 children were each given a special patch with the word "Lifer" stitched on it. This would become a sought-after title given to any kid who came back two years in a row, and in practice a lot of children kept coming back as long as they were able.

The second year proved a financial success with a real profit. The founders made enough to live off of and put serious money back into the camp. A surprising amount of this was spent on concrete and paving stones, so they could build improved paths all through the camp.

A big part of the success came because they continued to compete heavily on price, have a lower cost than most camps while appearing to offer almost as many activities. Other factors were encouraging as well, as many campers liked the lax approach to enforcing rules. A counselor was eaten during the second season, but as he was an adult and had signed a liability waver, the program continued unaffected.

In the third year, the owners decided they could improve returns by adding capacity. The camp had opened as a short-duration camp, running "programs" of 1-2 weeks. But several parents approached them between the second and third season asking for whole-season programs. Most camps at the time did one or the other, but Camp Shababadahs resolved to do both. The camp founders sold all 200 full-season slots as well as another 200 short-duration stays. The cheapest solution was to buy wood-frame canvas tents and erect them in small campsites, using portable toilets to cater to those needs and the existing shower house for other sanitation.

In the third season, 16 children caught dysentery and 2 were eaten by dragons. Despite doubling in capacity, they had not added any paid employees; instead older teenagers were promoted to the rank of "Junior Councilor" and put in charge with little oversight.

In preparation for the fourth season, additional permanent sanitation facilities were added. These consisted of flush toilets and cold showers placed in block-houses where the tent camps sat. In addition, permanent cabins without any amenities (essentially wooden shacks) were built at some of these sites.

==General Operation==
Despite the events of the third season, the 4th opened with full bookings, and the owners were obliged to further expand capacity. Several problems were already mounting. That season, another child was eaten (this was also the season the secret "dragon baiters" society was established). Further, it was a co-ed camp with little division other than designated "boys cabins" and "girls cabins" with no bunk assignments, bed checks, or even separating the cabins into zones. The oldest and best cabins were in two rows lining the greenway and were simply arranged by boy-girl-boy-girl. They did have designated shower times, but due to lax enforcement it was quite common to organize "shower gangs" who would take over the block and deny entry at given times. Peeping was a common issue ignored by the staff and often dealt with via vigilante tactics.

Injuries, be it from accidents, negligence, or violence, became a way of life at Camp Shababadahs. Though not explicitly addressed in the marketing, this played heavily into the camp's reputation as a tough place for strong kids, and it continued to attract the sort of rowdy teenagers who got kicked out of other camps. There were few structured activities and probably the most popular was "play unsupervised in the woods". The 4th season saw the first lawsuit, though not from the family of the child who was eaten. The owners settled quietly out of court.

In the years that followed, the camp grew to a daily capacity of around 600, while still having only about 60 paid employees. The number of adult councilors remained the same; the only added positions were additional lifeguards and kitchen staff. When the trial came decades later, the directors were quick to point out they never had a single drowning and very few water-related injuries.

In the later summers, Camp Shababadahs did add a mage healer to the roster, though this was typically an apprentice not yet certified by the guild who was grossly under-paid for his services.

===Camp Store===
Like all summer camps, Camp Shababadahs operated a camp store. Initially the store operated out of tent, but later seasons saw a permanent structure erected with a refrigerator and microwave. The store was run by a single staffer with complete autonomy. The only directives from the camp directors were "Make back your budget, and make sure there's enough cheap candy, soda, and chips." The store carried other sundries, and skimming profits were considered to be expected. The camp store runner and the junior counselors who helped out generally became quite corrupt.

==Death Toll==
In 32 summers of operation, 26 children and teenagers and four staffers were eaten by dragons. A few mage healers who worked at the camp reported that serious injuries were rare (though they did happen), but cuts, scrapes, and bruises were pretty much constant. One healer complained about having to teach himself suturing techniques because the children would rather have stitches than magic since magic didn't leave scars. Another healer claimed that "protruding broken bones and skull fractures" were an every-day occurrence, injuries which should have been followed up on by mundane doctors but weren't. The veracity of these latter claims is unconfirmed, though broken clavicles were apparently "par for the course".

All of this came alongside an alarmingly high repeat-customer rate, with many people known to have spent 10 summers in a row at Camp Shababadahs. The return rate was over 50%; the kids who went there liked the freedom and the danger.

At the N.D. 512 session, a record 4 children were eaten at once. This happened in full view of many witnesses and left more than a few traumatized. Still, it managed to happen in the last week of camp, and no early closure was done. An investigation began, however given the general attitude towards dragon-devourings (which happened with considerable frequency in [[New Arindell]]), the camp was allowed to open again for the N.D. 513 season. This would prove to be the final held.

===Closure and Lawsuits===
At the conclusion of the N.D. 513 session, the authorities in Arindell ordered the camp closed. Since it was already shuttered for the year, the owners didn't give it much thought until they were informed their operating licenses had been revoked and all four of them were under criminal indictment. In a public statement, the central authorities in Arindell revealed the existence of a secret society that had persisted for years, possibly decades in the camp, in which children deliberately crossed the dragon fence.

The Dragon Baiters, as they were called, were believed to be responsible for all but the earliest deaths. They were organized and well-run, with many strange cult-like practices and pseudo-religious undertones. Hundreds of former campers and councilors were interviewed, many of whom openly admitted to being members and claimed it was just "Good, clean camp fun" (of which their secret rituals most definitely were not). Thousand of lawsuits were organized into a class-action, mostly for campers and councilors who were still under-age.

It was well-established that many junior-councilors had knowledge of the secret society and helped perpetuate it. Since most of the paid councilors were hired from the ranks of junior councilors, there was no question that the camp administration was aware of the group. Ultimately the case never went to trial. All four co-owners of the camp plead guilty to willful negligence and received life sentences. Most of the camp's assets were stripped to pay for their legal bills, and the property itself went into receivership. The lawsuit required the property to be sold for a substantial sum, well above market value, in order to pay the settlements, and many called for [[HMBT]] to make the buyout themselves in order to compensate the families.

High Mountain refused, on the grounds that to do so would be the same as admitting that eating humans who crossed the dragon fence was a crime, and this was a legal precedent they were unwilling to set. The TDF stood by this decision, however allowed special dispensation for the property to retain its value while a buyer was found.

===Settlement and Sale===
Unfortunately, there was not much use for the property. The settlement from the lawsuits came down some on appeals, with the courts deciding to narrow the plaintiff list considerably. Originally, the class-action had been open to anyone who had ever attended the camp, regardless of whether or not they had participated in dragon-baiting. This included over 16,000 potential claimants, each seeking multi-million-wingbeat settlements when the only asset was a piece of property worth only a few million wingbeats if it weren't so unfortunately located.

So the list was first slashed to only include claimants who had been minors in N.D. 513 and further to those who could demonstrate they had been pressured into the dragon-baiting. Additional dispensation was added for those who had not participated but had witnessed the attacks in 512, and to any who could show they had endured some hardship as a direct result of attending the camp. The damages were then capped at 50,000 wingbeats a head, with the 26 wrongful death lawsuits having been separated out to be weighed against the personal estates of the camp owners.

This still left the property in a state of limbo. The structures on the site had only one possible use: as a summer camp; a function for which it had demonstrated itself most unsuitable. As undeveloped land, it was valued at just 1.6 million wingbeats (much less in practice given the remote location and lack of commercial uses), nowhere near enough to pay for all the claims against it. Any potential buyer would have to pay tens of millions, and it was thought no one would want it at that price.

Then, in N.D. 517, [[Naomi Jusenkyou]] came forward with a request to buy the property. She named over 100 individuals who were to be removed from the lawsuit, and offered only 25,000 wingbeats ahead to the others. Her demands further included she be allowed to buy several neighboring properties (some not for sale) at slightly above market value. She then finally added she not need approval to make changes or upgrades to the land.

Being one quarter dragon herself and having standing within [[High Mountain Flight]], the dragons offered no objections (indeed Naomi's funds were actually those of High Mountain, which she had received and managed as a member), which left it up to the Alliance government to make the approvals. Seeing as the land was useless and "practically belonged to the dragons already" they let the sale go ahead, arguing it was the very best offer they could possibly hope to get (Naomi paid about 30 times the market value of the land).

Many argued that Naomi's purchase of the property was a way for the dragons to 'save face'. Letting them provide a payout without themselves admitting any wrongdoing. Naomi for her part denied this, claiming she merely wanted a secluded mountain retreat.

==Final Layout and Organization==
By the time of its closure, the camp had 45 permanent cabins of which 40 had electricity and sinks and 25 included indoor toilets. Each cabin housed 10 to 20 campers. An additional 80 concrete platforms house semi-permanent wood-frame tents for 2 campers each. The camp had 8 permanent toilet blocks and 6 shower buildings, of which only one ever had hot water. Additional buildings include the large kitchen/dining hall with offices and apartments above, a nurses station with a small apartment, and "The Flop" to house the paid camp staff.

The Flop consisted of a large, multi-room building a few hundred yards into the woods behind the dining hall. This included two sizable bunk rooms, twelve individual bedrooms, a common room for recreation, private bathing and toilet facilities, and a separate kitchen for staffers to cook personal meals. In stark contrast to the generally lax rules enforcements, The Flop had a high fence around it and a very strictly enforced "no campers may enter" policy. Later additions to The Flop included a big screen TV and above ground hot tub, added without the knowledge of the camp directors.

Adjacent to the mess hall lay the camp workshop and boat house. Other unimproved buildings included craft halls and various storage sheds for camp equipment. One building known as "Central Crafting" gained some infamy for a series of unfounded rumors surrounding it. Unlike the other craft halls, which were glorified sheds with maybe electricity, Central Crafting included hot and cold running water and a secret toilet and shower (the only place outside the main shower block were a camper could enjoy such luxuries). It also had a second story built originally as a storage loft, but later augmented with a sort of tower attachment with windows. It was the tallest building in camp and located on a small hill, providing commanding views of the lake. Central Crafting included the woodshop campers were allowed to use for small projects such as birdhouses and improvised weapons. While the safety record of this shop was not great, serious injuries were rare. Most of the kids old enough to be admitted to the woodshop had been coming to the camp for at least a few years and thus knew the unofficial camp motto: "Pain Hurts". Stories were spread every single year about brutal, grievous injuries that happened in Central Crafting, and the building was purported to be haunted. The building was falsely rumored to have a basement, but did include many small and not well-known rooms.

By the time of its closing, the camp catered to a daily population of 600 campers, of which 3-400 were usually full-season.

Beside the main avenue was an outdoor pavilion with a large cement slab and cement tables. This included a big outdoor barbecue pit. A bit further up the slope lay the fire pit with an enormous log amphitheater that included a an outdoor stage. Above this were more cabins. The far end of the main grass area was where the dragon fence lay and the camp ended.

The combination archery and gun range was up near the fence. No backstock was constructed, but berms were added on either side. The logic being that "since the back of the range is the dragon fence, no one will ever be behind it". Owing to the camp's own wood mill, construction of spaces like the archery range could get quite elaborate. The shooting area included a cement and tile floor, built-in tables, and a very large covered area. A second shooting deck was later added above the first, which doubled as a driving range for hitting golf balls. The stairs were housed inside an attached building which doubled as storage for all the equipment. Again in stark contrast to the chaotic nature of the camp, gun safety saw strict enforcement to the point where no minor injuries were ever reported from the range. Gun safety was provided partially by a limited arsenal that included only .22 long rifles, shotguns equipped only with birdshot, and black powder rifles. Coupled with the camp directors exclusively seeking out the most anal-retentive range-masters available (rangmaster also being one of the very few jobs which paid a decent wage). Quite a few mishaps occurred with the archery (owing to kids being encouraged to make their own bows and arrows), and more than a few beatings with golf clubs.

Near the range lay the arts and crafts buildings. A permanent toilet building was later added for convenience.

==Camp Activities==
While most summer camps either operated around a theme or otherwise tried to offer something special, Camp Shababadahs was known for two things: having a low price and offering the most generic activities schedules ever seen. The camp advertised itself as a water recreation and sports camp, though the brochures didn't describe anything beyond the very basics and had no set program. The brochures also prominently featured pictures of children horseback riding, but the camp never had any animals besides a small population of feral cats.

In practice, the camp did offer a lot more activities than what was advertised. The generic "crafts" actually included fairly sophisticated wood and metal working, including full-on boat-building. By the tenth season all boats but the aluminum canoe were camper-built. The camp had no real organization for activities, with each structured thing operating as a "station". When one station got too crowded, campers were turned away.

The sports had no counselor oversight at all. The camp had three sporting fields primarily used for soccer and put under the command of "junior councilors". This led to a lot of interesting camper-created games and activities.

The only well-structured (and supervised) activities took place on the lake. However, the lake was much too small for motor craft and not really well-suited to sailing. They did have a few small sailing catamarans and a motorized fishing barge. Canoes and rowboats could be signed out, with fishing as another major draw (being isolated as it was, the seasonal camp had the only access to the lake, so the fishery was very healthy). In fact the "fishing club" which was fairly informal, was advertised in the brochure. Kids were encouraged to come, fish, and learn to cook and eat their catch at the outdoor barbecue grill.

As befitting the setting, nature hikes, nature walks, and as many possible things with the word "nature" on the front existed. These were mostly done informally, with camp councilors mapping out the paths, then letting junior counselors guide the campers.

Every two weeks, the camp organized an elaborate three-day soccer tournament to celebrate the end of a short-stay season. Campers were not required to participate and were instead allowed to form their own teams and enter. In later years this tournament took place on the camp's singular regulation soccer pitch surrounded by a running track. Some junior councilors organized additional tournaments and competitions in all kinds of games, some traditional and others made up by the camp.

Whole-season campers could also enter into an organized soccer league which tracked performance by individual players and not teams. This came about because players changed teams throughout the season as loyalties shifted. The league could become quite contentious, and more than one dragon devouring is believed to have been orchestrated to eliminate a problem-player.

Despite all of these attempts, the camp made no effort to ensure less athletic campers had the chance to participate, so only a small subset of attendees got to enjoy the full gamut of sporting activities. Such uninspired campers were often left to their own devices, however the camp offered plenty for these children as well.

===Swimming===
Being founded by lifeguards, swimming took front and center. Every child was required to complete a swim test and memorize a series of water rules. Those that could not swim were taught. The camp directors spent painstaking years establishing the main swim area on the lake out in front of the mess hall, clearing it of sharp rocks and submerged logs. Two other swimming beaches were added nearby. Lifeguards were on duty during all daylight hours and the lake was even watched at night to prevent unauthorized swims. The three designated swim areas included piers, dive boards, and slides. Campers were encouraged to bring and share floating toys.

The directors personally organized swimming events on every level and handed our awards. Several world-class swimmers are known to have attended the camp, with one even outright stating the camp taught him to swim and gave him his love for the sport.

==Camp Culture==
Shababadahs developed a few unique cultural trends, largely invented by the generational councilors.

During the first season, the camp needed to provide parkas and jackets to all children (a licensing requirement). Being unable to afford branded merchandise that first year, the owners went and bought military surplus from the [[TDFN]]. These were military-grade and came in forest camouflage. Later seasons saw the parkas replaces by camp-colored one, but the campers liked the jackets so much the directors kept going with it.

Returning campers then sewed their "lifer" patches to the jackets and began customizing them at the arts and crafts stations. The camp councilors encouraged this, and by the fourth year many campers wore unique and fabulously decorated coats. This gave rise to a pseudo-militaristic style to the camp (that was not advertised in brochures).

This led to campers referring to anything that happened outside of camp as "civilian life" and adopting informal "ranks" based on the number of years they had attended.

Another minor one was the abbreviation of the camp name to "Shaba", a privilege reserved strictly for campers. Visiting parents and even sometimes councilors were strictly discouraged from using it. Outside of camp, campers recognized one another by the use of the abbreviation.

==Supervision and Safety==
None.

Or at least very little. The four co-owners of the camp had all met while working as life guards, and water safety was about the only thing they understood. Every single employee was required to know how to swim and to take a basic life-saving class. The staff of 60 included at least 20 fully-trained and registered lifeguards. Every camper was required to take a swim-test on the day they arrived. Any who failed or reported being unable to swim were given lessons. In fact one of the enduring legacies of the facility was its dedication to ensuring every single camper could tread water.

Unfortunately, that same dedication did not extend to most other activities. Since archery was a popular sport in Arindell, they usually had a professional archery instructor to run the range and give lessons. Otherwise most activities were run by junior councilors (paying attendees in their late teens) and only marginally supervised by councilors. For a camp that catered to many hundreds of kids, they had just 28 councilors.

Safety was primarily achieved through preventative measures. The guns, for example, were kept in a secured cabinet and only the rangemaster had a key. The woodshop, similarly, was always supervised by the same adult who had the only key. While the camp's over-all safety record was quite bad, most injuries came from simple accidents or rough play, not from the miss-use of equipment.

Age range of the employees contributed to the over-all poor safety record of the camp. The owners of the camp opened it in their mid-twenties and refused to hire anyone older than themselves. Since they owned it free and clear, they had no one to answer to. As the summers passed and the owners got better at managing it, they discovered they could save money by continuing to hire exclusively 18-22-year-olds for all but the most vital camp functions.

A small town in the [[Long Lake]] region then made this problem even worse by passing a law allowing 16 year olds (with proper work permits) to work at "over night establishments". This law was intended to allow teenagers to work overnight shifts at restaurants and hotels during he busy tourist season, with the assumption they would go home to their parents afterwards. Due to the poor way in which the law was worded, Camp Shababadahs was able to rent a P.O. box in the town which allowed them to hire fully-fledged councilors as young as 16, the same age as many of the campers.

Discipline was a massive issue. The camp had rules and punishments, but these were very seldom enforced. Most infractions were punished by a verbal reprimand from a junior councilor and never reported to the staff. Only misbehavior at the archery range, wood shop, or waterfront ever saw formal reprimands (usually with meal-cleanup as punishment) and even then were not recorded.

===Drug and Alcohol Usage===
This was actually the one other area in which the camp did well. All four directors were teetotalers and only a small number of their employees were of legal age to drink. As such the camp had a very strict (and very well-enforced) zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol (though this was largely for insurance reasons). Any camper caught with an illicit substance would be immediately ejected from the camp (in point of fact this was the only way to get kicked out). Since most of the kids came from Arindell's middle-class suburbs this wasn't often an issue. The councilors got the brunt of it, with even the few 21 and over counselors being made to sign legally-binding summer-long abstinence contracts. The very few paid employees were hand-picked by the owners and directors, typically from a pool of former campers whom they'd known for years. This allowed them to pick and choose employees who would follow the rules.

At various times, campers and some junior councilors would try to sneak things in, usually to be caught during initial bag checks. During one summer, a particularly inventive group of campers were caught selling moonshine from a crudely-built still.

===Allegations of Sexual Abuse===
Camp Shababadahs' closing happened around the same time as a high-profile sex scandal at another camp, which prompted journalists to look into Shababadahs in this regard. Given the chaotic nature of the camp it seemed obvious the place should be rife with abuse, but very little was found.

One former counselor who attended camp from the age of 8 and then worked 5 years as a councilor, summed it up best. He said ''"It did happen, but not like at that other camp. The directors never hired anyone with short eyes. There was a ton of sexual activity, but consensual stuff. I mean, you've got a ton of hormone-addled teenagers and no one to look out for them. Shit happens. I went with girls when I was there, no one ever got hurt. For assaults... yeah, we got a ton of low-grade stuff. I saw girls get their asses grabbed every day, and cabin-peeping was the norm. I think the staff all sort of felt like, you know, if you came to this camp you did it because you were tough enough to handle that. All the women councilors I worked with were straight-up cast-iron bitches, in the best way possible. I'm not saying it was right, just that I don't think anyone ever got it bad."''

Other former campers and councilors shared similar sentiments, indicating considerable risky behavior but little non-consensual activity.

==The Dragon Baiters==
Crossing the [[Dragon Fence|dragon fence]] became a popular camp dare the first year the facility was open. The first iteration of The Dragon Baiters probably formed around the fourth year, N.D. 484. The dangers of the dragon fence were well understood in [[New Arindell]], but not as well-known in the [[Agras]] regions and [[Long Lake]] where many campers hailed from. Further, most of campers from Arindell lived in the city center, so while dragons overhead were a familiar site, the fence itself was a myth.

Most of Camp Shababadahs, however, was situated within sight of the fence. The combination archery, rifle, and driving range even used the fence in place of a backstop. Most of the camper cabins and tents were built out in the thick woods, with plenty of cover and little adult supervision, making trips up to the fence very simple. To make things even more problematic, the fence itself did not pose much of a barrier, being only about 4 feet high and made up of spun metal wires with large gaps easy to fit through.

===Levels===
The Dragon Baiters (or Society of Dragon Baiters, or Order of Dragon Baiters) had four ranks of membership based on dragon-types, and achieved by completion of initiation challenges. Each successful level would see the brave baiter taken to one of four secrete initiation sites to be shown the deeper mysteries of the society. Over the years they adopted many cult-like and pseudo-religious practices that would not be made public until the trial.

*Black-Earth Baiter - a camper achieved the status of 'Black-Earth Baiter' by crossing the fence. The black-earth [[Dragons#Physical Types|type]] was chosen because the campers thought they were 'ugly' and thus made them the lowest rank (a detail which the dragons were later offended by). To make black-earth baiter, a camper had to take a red-fire or above baiter to the fence, ask them to throw something over it, then cross and retrieve it. This was traditionally done at night when it was thought to be "safer" (in fact all the known deaths occurred at night). If the baiter was a friend or otherwise had a reason to like you, they might not throw the item very far. Usually selecting a treasured personal item was preferable, as it would provide greater impetus to cross the line.

*Red-Fire Baiter - to achieve the rank of Red-Fire Baiter, a camper had to cross the fire break on the far side of the fence (again usually at night) and make a mark on one of the trees. The following day, they had to show the mark to another baiter, who had to be able to see it with the naked eye from inside the fence.

*Blue-Air Baiter - becoming a blue-air baiter was much more difficult. First, it required the permission of another blue-air or white-water baiter to even attempt. It then had to be completed in daylight and along the section of fence that bordered the main camp. The actual challenge was simple: run across the fire break, tag a tree, run back, while in view of at least 3 baiters. This specific rite was doubly-difficult as crossing the fence was grounds for immediate expulsion from the camp. In later years, to combat the baiting, the staff made being caught within 10 feet of the fence an expellable offence, but in practice no one was ever caught as supervision was always quite poor.

*White-Water Baiter - to achieve the rank of white-water baiter, the most difficult and dangerous of all, the baiter had to cross the fence and place a marker in one of the trees on the far side (usually a flag or ribbon of some kind). This marker also had to be judged "further from the fence than any other visible marker" by a quorum of at least six blue-air baiters and confirmed by another white-water. The challenge could be done at night, though preparations were usually important. To prevent cheating, the marker usually had to be selected ahead of time, shown to the others, and then the location scouted to confirm the baiter was not taking credit for an old marker. By the later years of the camp, hundreds of markers were plainly visible from the main camp compound. For reasons known only to the baiters, under garments were a preferred marker, bras in particular. Though exact numbers are not known, from the visible markers it seems apparent girls outnumber boys two-to-one in the White Water rank.

===Initiation Rites===
In a boulder field about a mile outside camp (but inside the fence), the baiters constructed a ring ditch and henge which was used for first-level ceremonial initiations. It was one of four ritual sites used by the group, and the one they had put the most effort into. The location was known to the camp councilors as early as N.D. 490, but not it's purpose. It was even used a few times by the legitimate honor-societies sponsored by the camp directors.

At least once per 2-week camp session the baiters would sneak out and meet at the henge around midnight. There they would build a fire and initiate the newest baiters (those who had completed the "black" challenge) by carrying out a ritual dance. All campers were issued matching rain parkas as part of their kit, so the dance involved everyone wearing their Camp Shababadahs parka and dancing in a circle. At the conclusion of the dance the parkas were removed and everyone would give their "dragon roar". A common prank was to tell new baiters they needed to be naked or only wearing underwear beneath the parka.

The second initiation site was at a secret swimming beach two miles from the camp. Where the same boulder field intersected with the lake shore, a stream flowed into the lake and deposited sand over a large flat area about six feet deep. This beach was known to the camp directors and used for sanctioned "Swim expeditions" during daylight hours, but otherwise off-limits. All the campers knew about it and sneaking out for night swims was pretty common. The Baiters took it a step forward, requiring all members to come and skinny-dip, with new initiates having to jump from a specific rock in full view of the others. In the boulder field beside the swim area, the Baiters carved hundreds of petroglyphs depicting secret rites and various events from their mythology. Most of these were known to other campers and some staff, but since the meanings were a cult secret they were written off as petty vandalism.

Very few baiters reached the third level, and the location of the third initiation site was one of the deeply-guarded secrets. During the trial one of the former baiters led authorities to it. The site was well hidden but had been stumbled upon a few times, and initially had no obvious significance. It was past the boulder field a few miles outside camp, accessible by a narrow slot-canyon and reached only by a reasonably dangerous climb down a 14 foot cliff-face. On the stone wall, baiters were to create a unique symbol of their own and draw or etch it on the wall beside the symbols from the other baiters. In the area in front of the cliff, they were then made to dig a shallow hole (representing a grave) and lay in it while the other third-levels made dragon noises around them. Once complete, they then had to build a cairn over the hole, representing the empty grave that would be made for them if they were eaten while attempting to reach the fourth level. Much like the petroglyphs by the swimming hole, camp staff knew vaguely of this location but again believed it to be just another play area.

The final site was found only when a former, now adult baiter was forced to lead authorities there as part of a plea agreement. The site, just a few thousand feet from the camp's mess hall, consisted of a small cave called 'the dungeon'. The opening was covered by a metal grate with a lock, and when not obscured by leaves, campers were told that bats and snakes lived inside. In reality, the hole went about a dozen feet and opened into a small, dry chamber. It was in this where the final secret initiations were kept, along with books and other documents concerning the whole history of the society. Most notably, it contained extensive records of all the suspected deaths by dragon, essentially a signed confession for the order.

===Camp Director Awareness and Lack of Response===
The camp directors initially claimed to have no knowledge of the Dragon Baiter's existence, then changed the story to having only found out about it in the last two years of camp operation. In fact, several current and former councilors were known members of the secret club and testified to having disclosed its existence to the owners as much as 20 years before the forced closure. When confronted with this information, the owners first denied it, then admitted they were aware but believed the club's antics were exaggerated. Investigators counted over five hundred markers consisting of tree scrawls, stone cairns, and articles of clothing tied to trees in full view from the section of fence closest to the mess hall.

One director later admitted to media outlets that he knew full well how dangerous the club was and turned a blind eye because he ''"Hoped it would go away"''. The others made no formal comment beyond whatever was said in the sealed plea agreement.

During the trial, the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] then weighed in with evidence of it's own. When the land was initially sold and before it was even open, they issued a series of written recommendations to the camp as follows:

*For the entire length of the camp, and any distance beyond it which will be accessed by campers, create a 10-foot exclusion zone on the inside of the fence.
*Ensure this zone is clear of any obstructions or vegetation
*Erect a second fence at least 10' high and topped with razor wire
*Add motion sensors and cameras to cover the exclusion zone
*Provide routine patrols of the areas around the fence

The camp directors acknowledged receipt of these directives and claimed they were not instituted because of costs. This is despite the camp turning sizable increasing profits year over year.

===Jerimiah Rackham===
[[Jerimiah Rackham]], or "Jerry" for short, is widely regarded as having started the Dragon Baiters club when he was 10 years old. He was 38 at the time the club came to light, and would have had no involvement with it after turning 18. He was given a 2 year sentence for his involvement and served just 6 months, but was then murdered by the father of one of the children killed during the 513 season.

==The Summer of the Long Knives==
{{:The Summer of the Long Knives}}

[[Category:Course Books]]

Camp Shababadahs

2025-11-27T06:00:19Z

Siddharth1: /* Initial Design and Layout */

Camp Shababadahs was a summer camp in the mountains above [[Long Lake]]. Founded in [[N.D.]] 480, the camp operated for a surprising 32 years before being forced to close under mounting lawsuits. During the camp's tenure some 26 children were eaten by dragons.

==History==
The camp began as the brainchild of four 22 year old lifeguards working at the public pools of [[New Arindell]]. For legal reasons their names will not be mentioned here. The young men were all friends since childhood and attended various summer camps around [[Long Lake]] all through their youths. The idea began at the close-of-summer bash at one such camp where all four worked. As lifeguards (a typically highly-paid position for a 19 or 20 year old) they were beginning to feel like they would never make "adult money" doing what they loved, and that they needed to come up with a plan to earn a good living. After much discussing (and quite a lot of drinking) they reached the conclusion that they should open and run their own summer camp.

After all, it couldn't be so hard. Hundreds of them operated all over the region, and between them these young men had decades of experience as junior councilors, councilors, and now a few years as full-fledged professional lifeguards. They truly thought with a lot of work and little ingenuity, this could be their path to riches.

===Financial Backing===
The foursome found financing through contacts at a high-end fitness club where he worked the rest of the year. They put together an elaborate presentation based off rough numbers and guessed they would need 100,000 wingbeats to get off the ground. The financiers were in turn looking to dump some cash on a failed business venture for tax purposes, and agreed to fund the group to the tune of 60,000. The rest would be made up from the founder's life savings and small loans from various family members. Initially the group ''Safewater Investments'' formed as a financial entity, but was then immediately dissolved so that the backers could claim the loss on their taxes.

The four founders now had a small fortune on their hands and no oversight. After operating for two years without proper licensing or an actual registered business, they created ''Wolfram, Whitney, Strat, and Sanke LLC.'', later abbreviated to WWSS LLC. When the camp started operating with better efficiency the group began operating a string of seasonal under eighteen dance halls back in Arindell, where they further advertised the camp.

===Site Selection===
The founders envisioned a water recreation and sports camp, with an emphasis on swimming. A lake was a necessity to this. They first explored buying one of several existing summer camps, but found none in their price range. The foursome then turned to a very shady real estate broker (whose name will also be excluded for legal reasons) who claimed to specialize in finding properties nobody else wants.

The agent in turn found them a lake sitting in the middle of 3,000 acres of pristine woodland available for just 16 wingbeats an acre. The founding four jumped at the chance, unaware the land was for sale so cheap because it was basically useless. Dragons forbid logging within the entire [[High Mountain]] range, and the land was unsuitable for running cattle owing to its proximity to the dragon fence. Hunting so close to the fence was also illegal, and the remoteness of the parcel made it unsuitable for camping when much better public lands could found closer to the railroad spurs.

The lake had previously been targeted for development of a remote mountain resort, which necessitated the building of a high-quality paved road as well as utilities such as power and sewage. But the resort never materialized and the land went into default. After depreciating for several years, it went up for sale at the very low asking price. The founders bought it, and Camp Shababadahs formed.

It was doomed from the start.

===Initial Design and Layout===
Shababadahs was constructed on the windward side of the lake at the terminus of the road. This was also the same side of the lake as the [[Dragon Fence]], which sat about 1,000 yards from the mess hall. The founders spent most of their remaining capital building what they saw as "the heart of the camp", a state of the art timber dining hall and industrial kitchen. Above the dining hall they had an elaborate apartment for themselves along with offices. Because of this proximity to the road and utilities, the dining hall had all the modern conveniences including power and plumbing. The heart of the camp itself covered the entire area between the lake edge and the [[Dragon Fence]], making the fence plainly visible from most of the camp.

The founders planned to house 200 campers in 20 bunk houses built around a large green space near the dining hall. When their contractors informed them they only had enough money left to build 5 bunk houses (at a steep discount, no less), the founders fired the contractors and spent the remaining capital on materials, keen to build the bunk houses themselves. Since all four were talented woodworkers with some construction experience, this went well.

They still ended up having to salvage a lot of materials from other places to get the job done, which gave each original cabin a very unique look. Despite the ramshackle appearance, each cabin was fitted with small conveniences not found at most camps, including an indoor flush toilet and sink. Certain other conveniences, such as window screens to keep out insects, were missing in the first year. Being short on funds, the founders had to buy [[TDFN]]-surplus cots for sleeping surfaces, along with a lot of other military detritus, which ended up working out in their favor given the kind of patrons they would come to attract.

The last major building was a combination shower and toilet block, built next door to the dining hall, which proved woefully too small to support 200 mixed-gender campers. To pay for this they had to take out several short-term personal loans from [[High Mountain Bank and Trust]] and max out several credit cards.

At this point, the founders found themselves in late spring, deeply in debt, with a half-finished camp. They had to open that year or face total financial ruin.

===Advertising===
The founders began taking out ads in free newspapers around [[New Arindell]], and further drummed up business by papering the city with fliers. This was very non-standard for summer camps of the time and involved a lot of legwork by the founders, who were by then crashing on friends' couches to get by. Since they didn't have any pictures of the camp and no real experience, their advertising played heavily into low rates and low hassles, promising parents they could "dump your children and not worry about them all summer!"

They mostly targeted middle-class neighborhoods, but the promised low rates (about 20% under the standard prices for low-to-mid-tier camps) attracted a lot of lower-income customers. From the middle-classes, this brought in parents with delinquent children they wanted to be rid of for a few weeks and who had been kicked out of other camps.

===Initial Opening===
The day before the initial opening, the founders had not yet secured a food supplier, and ended up spending their entire initial take at a small rural grocery store some three hours drive from the camp. They scrounged thrift stores and allegedly even stole sporting equipment from local schools so they would at least have something when the kids arrived.

The camp had promised a wide array of traditional camp activities such as swimming, boating, archery, crafts, and sports. Generic by the standards of the time, and something they were woefully under-equipped to provide. The camp opened with little more than a pile of old sports equipment, not a single boat, and no sporting fields to speak of. Nor did they have any sort of planned program or even a designated swimming area. The camp still looked like a construction site with tools and debris spread everywhere. About the only thing they did have was a well-designated swimming area with piers and lifeguard chairs.

Despite all of this, the first round of campers reportedly had an absolute blast. They were effectively set loose with little structure beyond assigned cabins and set meal times. The camp had just 40 adult staffers for 200 children aged 9-15. Activities during the first week included such fun pastimes as digging trenches and building makeshift rafts. Children as young as 10 were reportedly given axes and allowed to fell trees.

Things got better as the summer went on. Most of the staffers were pretty inventive and the children were allowed to organize their own games. Sports fields did get set up, even an archery range (though this worked in tandem with the craft center where one of the crafts was "make your own bow and arrow out of whatever you can find in the woods!").

By the end of summer, the founders had made just enough money to pay off their short-term debts. They now owned Shababadahs free and clear, though had nothing left over to live on or make improvements during the next 9 months.

====Accidents and Incidents====
Despite wildly unsafe behavior, the first summer of operation saw no major injuries. This was good, since the camp neglected to hire a mage healer, nurse, or even make sure they had a fully-stocked first aid kit when the season began. All four founders had exhaustive first-aid training and were qualified to treat the constant stream of bumps and bruises. By some estimates 70% of the campers suffered a bleeding injury, and it was said every single male camper went home with a scar.

=====Blackened Summer=====
The first season would become ensconced in camp lore as "Blackened Summer" owing to issues with the food. The camp hired a single cook to handle the kitchens, planning to make up the labor shortages by assigning misbehaving children to work the kitchens. However the lax rules enforcement that would come to define the camp began on day one, and the single cook was left to layout snacks and prepare 720 meals each day. The cook quit after 2 weeks. The camp directors, unable to find anyone else on such short noticed, ordered the staffers to create a "rotation" for working the kitchen, and empowered them to draft junior councilors to assist. Kitchen Patrol was meted out at random for even the slightest infraction. Ironically, bad behavior was going on all over the place, but the assigned staffers typically only remembered they needed help minutes before a meal rotation.

Of the 39 remaining staffers that first season, 4 were the camp directors, and 8 others were lifeguards. The directors exempted themselves and their cronies from the kitchen rotation. The remaining staffers in the rotation treated running the mess hall as secondary to their duties (which were already treated as tertiary to hanging out), and as such food quality suffered accordingly. Most of the time the counselor in charge would draft a junior councilor, delegate the work to him, and then assign 4 or 5 children to "KP" to act as assistants.

The season became known as "Blackened Summer" owing to the amount of charred and inedible food produced. No one ever went hungry, but the quality of the food that year was regarded as bad even by summer camp standards. During the second season, the directors grudgingly hired three full-time staffers just to run the kitchen, but continued the trend of assigning KP to campers for rules violations. One of the newly-hired staffers had recently completed a six-year stint as a cook in the [[Trans-Draconic Federation Navy]], and successfully ran the kitchen with military-precision. "Cook's Assistant Loganoff" as he demanded to be called (he never completed navy culinary school) was among the very few long-term employees.

====Public Response====
Despite all of that, the general response to the camp was very positive. The camp directors and councilors were very good at spin, and most of the injured campers came home with the mentality that scars make for cool stories. The camp gained a reputation throughout Arindell's school system as a tough place where you could show your mettle. Youth summer camps were all the rage in the latter half of the 4th century; as [[New Arindell]] grew, parents were desperate for places to send their children where they could get back to nature.

===Second Year and Continued Operations===
Over the 9 months between the first summer and the second year, the founders lived at the site in shifts, some working as lifeguards back in Arindell and sending money to the others. They continued the trend of scavenging construction supplies wherever they could and supplemented their food supply by fishing and illegal hunting. They used the time to build more amenities for the camp, such as a craft hall and a better archery range. With summer fast approaching the obtained more loans and bought a flotilla of used boats, primarily aluminum canoes and small sailing catamarans.

The second year saw the first two-week session sell out in the first afternoon, filled entirely with campers who'd attended the previous season. This sort of repeat business would become a cornerstone of Shababadahs' business model. To commemorate the occasion, these 200 children were each given a special patch with the word "Lifer" stitched on it. This would become a sought-after title given to any kid who came back two years in a row, and in practice a lot of children kept coming back as long as they were able.

The second year proved a financial success with a real profit. The founders made enough to live off of and put serious money back into the camp. A surprising amount of this was spent on concrete and paving stones, so they could build improved paths all through the camp.

A big part of the success came because they continued to compete heavily on price, have a lower cost than most camps while appearing to offer almost as many activities. Other factors were encouraging as well, as many campers liked the lax approach to enforcing rules. A counselor was eaten during the second season, but as he was an adult and had signed a liability waver, the program continued unaffected.

In the third year, the owners decided they could improve returns by adding capacity. The camp had opened as a short-duration camp, running "programs" of 1-2 weeks. But several parents approached them between the second and third season asking for whole-season programs. Most camps at the time did one or the other, but Camp Shababadahs resolved to do both. The camp founders sold all 200 full-season slots as well as another 200 short-duration stays. The cheapest solution was to buy wood-frame canvas tents and erect them in small campsites, using portable toilets to cater to those needs and the existing shower house for other sanitation.

In the third season, 16 children caught dysentery and 2 were eaten by dragons. Despite doubling in capacity, they had not added any paid employees; instead older teenagers were promoted to the rank of "Junior Councilor" and put in charge with little oversight.

In preparation for the fourth season, additional permanent sanitation facilities were added. These consisted of flush toilets and cold showers placed in block-houses where the tent camps sat. In addition, permanent cabins without any amenities (essentially wooden shacks) were built at some of these sites.

==General Operation==
Despite the events of the third season, the 4th opened with full bookings, and the owners were obliged to further expand capacity. Several problems were already mounting. That season, another child was eaten (this was also the season the secret "dragon baiters" society was established). Further, it was a co-ed camp with little division other than designated "boys cabins" and "girls cabins" with no bunk assignments, bed checks, or even separating the cabins into zones. The oldest and best cabins were in two rows lining the greenway and were simply arranged by boy-girl-boy-girl. They did have designated shower times, but due to lax enforcement it was quite common to organize "shower gangs" who would take over the block and deny entry at given times. Peeping was a common issue ignored by the staff and often dealt with via vigilante tactics.

Injuries, be it from accidents, negligence, or violence, became a way of life at Camp Shababadahs. Though not explicitly addressed in the marketing, this played heavily into the camp's reputation as a tough place for strong kids, and it continued to attract the sort of rowdy teenagers who got kicked out of other camps. There were few structured activities and probably the most popular was "play unsupervised in the woods". The 4th season saw the first lawsuit, though not from the family of the child who was eaten. The owners settled quietly out of court.

In the years that followed, the camp grew to a daily capacity of around 600, while still having only about 60 paid employees. The number of adult councilors remained the same; the only added positions were additional lifeguards and kitchen staff. When the trial came decades later, the directors were quick to point out they never had a single drowning and very few water-related injuries.

In the later summers, Camp Shababadahs did add a mage healer to the roster, though this was typically an apprentice not yet certified by the guild who was grossly under-paid for his services.

===Camp Store===
Like all summer camps, Camp Shababadahs operated a camp store. Initially the store operated out of tent, but later seasons saw a permanent structure erected with a refrigerator and microwave. The store was run by a single staffer with complete autonomy. The only directives from the camp directors were "Make back your budget, and make sure there's enough cheap candy, soda, and chips." The store carried other sundries, and skimming profits were considered to be expected. The camp store runner and the junior counselors who helped out generally became quite corrupt.

==Death Toll==
In 32 summers of operation, 26 children and teenagers and four staffers were eaten by dragons. A few mage healers who worked at the camp reported that serious injuries were rare (though they did happen), but cuts, scrapes, and bruises were pretty much constant. One healer complained about having to teach himself suturing techniques because the children would rather have stitches than magic since magic didn't leave scars. Another healer claimed that "protruding broken bones and skull fractures" were an every-day occurrence, injuries which should have been followed up on by mundane doctors but weren't. The veracity of these latter claims is unconfirmed, though broken clavicles were apparently "par for the course".

All of this came alongside an alarmingly high repeat-customer rate, with many people known to have spent 10 summers in a row at Camp Shababadahs. The return rate was over 50%; the kids who went there liked the freedom and the danger.

At the N.D. 512 session, a record 4 children were eaten at once. This happened in full view of many witnesses and left more than a few traumatized. Still, it managed to happen in the last week of camp, and no early closure was done. An investigation began, however given the general attitude towards dragon-devourings (which happened with considerable frequency in [[New Arindell]]), the camp was allowed to open again for the N.D. 513 season. This would prove to be the final held.

===Closure and Lawsuits===
At the conclusion of the N.D. 513 session, the authorities in Arindell ordered the camp closed. Since it was already shuttered for the year, the owners didn't give it much thought until they were informed their operating licenses had been revoked and all four of them were under criminal indictment. In a public statement, the central authorities in Arindell revealed the existence of a secret society that had persisted for years, possibly decades in the camp, in which children deliberately crossed the dragon fence.

The Dragon Baiters, as they were called, were believed to be responsible for all but the earliest deaths. They were organized and well-run, with many strange cult-like practices and pseudo-religious undertones. Hundreds of former campers and councilors were interviewed, many of whom openly admitted to being members and claimed it was just "Good, clean camp fun" (of which their secret rituals most definitely were not). Thousand of lawsuits were organized into a class-action, mostly for campers and councilors who were still under-age.

It was well-established that many junior-councilors had knowledge of the secret society and helped perpetuate it. Since most of the paid councilors were hired from the ranks of junior councilors, there was no question that the camp administration was aware of the group. Ultimately the case never went to trial. All four co-owners of the camp plead guilty to willful negligence and received life sentences. Most of the camp's assets were stripped to pay for their legal bills, and the property itself went into receivership. The lawsuit required the property to be sold for a substantial sum, well above market value, in order to pay the settlements, and many called for [[HMBT]] to make the buyout themselves in order to compensate the families.

High Mountain refused, on the grounds that to do so would be the same as admitting that eating humans who crossed the dragon fence was a crime, and this was a legal precedent they were unwilling to set. The TDF stood by this decision, however allowed special dispensation for the property to retain its value while a buyer was found.

===Settlement and Sale===
Unfortunately, there was not much use for the property. The settlement from the lawsuits came down some on appeals, with the courts deciding to narrow the plaintiff list considerably. Originally, the class-action had been open to anyone who had ever attended the camp, regardless of whether or not they had participated in dragon-baiting. This included over 16,000 potential claimants, each seeking multi-million-wingbeat settlements when the only asset was a piece of property worth only a few million wingbeats if it weren't so unfortunately located.

So the list was first slashed to only include claimants who had been minors in N.D. 513 and further to those who could demonstrate they had been pressured into the dragon-baiting. Additional dispensation was added for those who had not participated but had witnessed the attacks in 512, and to any who could show they had endured some hardship as a direct result of attending the camp. The damages were then capped at 50,000 wingbeats a head, with the 26 wrongful death lawsuits having been separated out to be weighed against the personal estates of the camp owners.

This still left the property in a state of limbo. The structures on the site had only one possible use: as a summer camp; a function for which it had demonstrated itself most unsuitable. As undeveloped land, it was valued at just 1.6 million wingbeats (much less in practice given the remote location and lack of commercial uses), nowhere near enough to pay for all the claims against it. Any potential buyer would have to pay tens of millions, and it was thought no one would want it at that price.

Then, in N.D. 517, [[Naomi Jusenkyou]] came forward with a request to buy the property. She named over 100 individuals who were to be removed from the lawsuit, and offered only 25,000 wingbeats ahead to the others. Her demands further included she be allowed to buy several neighboring properties (some not for sale) at slightly above market value. She then finally added she not need approval to make changes or upgrades to the land.

Being one quarter dragon herself and having standing within [[High Mountain Flight]], the dragons offered no objections (indeed Naomi's funds were actually those of High Mountain, which she had received and managed as a member), which left it up to the Alliance government to make the approvals. Seeing as the land was useless and "practically belonged to the dragons already" they let the sale go ahead, arguing it was the very best offer they could possibly hope to get (Naomi paid about 30 times the market value of the land).

Many argued that Naomi's purchase of the property was a way for the dragons to 'save face'. Letting them provide a payout without themselves admitting any wrongdoing. Naomi for her part denied this, claiming she merely wanted a secluded mountain retreat.

==Final Layout and Organization==
By the time of its closure, the camp had 45 permanent cabins of which 40 had electricity and sinks and 25 included indoor toilets. Each cabin housed 10 to 20 campers. An additional 80 concrete platforms house semi-permanent wood-frame tents for 2 campers each. The camp had 8 permanent toilet blocks and 6 shower buildings, of which only one ever had hot water. Additional buildings include the large kitchen/dining hall with offices and apartments above, a nurses station with a small apartment, and "The Flop" to house the paid camp staff.

The Flop consisted of a large, multi-room building a few hundred yards into the woods behind the dining hall. This included two sizable bunk rooms, twelve individual bedrooms, a common room for recreation, private bathing and toilet facilities, and a separate kitchen for staffers to cook personal meals. In stark contrast to the generally lax rules enforcements, The Flop had a high fence around it and a very strictly enforced "no campers may enter" policy. Later additions to The Flop included a big screen TV and above ground hot tub, added without the knowledge of the camp directors.

Adjacent to the mess hall lay the camp workshop and boat house. Other unimproved buildings included craft halls and various storage sheds for camp equipment. One building known as "Central Crafting" gained some infamy for a series of unfounded rumors surrounding it. Unlike the other craft halls, which were glorified sheds with maybe electricity, Central Crafting included hot and cold running water and a secret toilet and shower (the only place outside the main shower block were a camper could enjoy such luxuries). It also had a second story built originally as a storage loft, but later augmented with a sort of tower attachment with windows. It was the tallest building in camp and located on a small hill, providing commanding views of the lake. Central Crafting included the woodshop campers were allowed to use for small projects such as birdhouses and improvised weapons. While the safety record of this shop was not great, serious injuries were rare. Most of the kids old enough to be admitted to the woodshop had been coming to the camp for at least a few years and thus knew the unofficial camp motto: "Pain Hurts". Stories were spread every single year about brutal, grievous injuries that happened in Central Crafting, and the building was purported to be haunted. The building was falsely rumored to have a basement, but did include many small and not well-known rooms.

By the time of its closing, the camp catered to a daily population of 600 campers, of which 3-400 were usually full-season.

Beside the main avenue was an outdoor pavilion with a large cement slab and cement tables. This included a big outdoor barbecue pit. A bit further up the slope lay the fire pit with an enormous log amphitheater that included a an outdoor stage. Above this were more cabins. The far end of the main grass area was where the dragon fence lay and the camp ended.

The combination archery and gun range was up near the fence. No backstock was constructed, but berms were added on either side. The logic being that "since the back of the range is the dragon fence, no one will ever be behind it". Owing to the camp's own wood mill, construction of spaces like the archery range could get quite elaborate. The shooting area included a cement and tile floor, built-in tables, and a very large covered area. A second shooting deck was later added above the first, which doubled as a driving range for hitting golf balls. The stairs were housed inside an attached building which doubled as storage for all the equipment. Again in stark contrast to the chaotic nature of the camp, gun safety saw strict enforcement to the point where no minor injuries were ever reported from the range. Gun safety was provided partially by a limited arsenal that included only .22 long rifles, shotguns equipped only with birdshot, and black powder rifles. Coupled with the camp directors exclusively seeking out the most anal-retentive range-masters available (rangmaster also being one of the very few jobs which paid a decent wage). Quite a few mishaps occurred with the archery (owing to kids being encouraged to make their own bows and arrows), and more than a few beatings with golf clubs.

Near the range lay the arts and crafts buildings. A permanent toilet building was later added for convenience.

==Camp Activities==
While most summer camps either operated around a theme or otherwise tried to offer something special, Camp Shababadahs was known for two things: having a low price and offering the most generic activities schedules ever seen. The camp advertised itself as a water recreation and sports camp, though the brochures didn't describe anything beyond the very basics and had no set program. The brochures also prominently featured pictures of children horseback riding, but the camp never had any animals besides a small population of feral cats.

In practice, the camp did offer a lot more activities than what was advertised. The generic "crafts" actually included fairly sophisticated wood and metal working, including full-on boat-building. By the tenth season all boats but the aluminum canoe were camper-built. The camp had no real organization for activities, with each structured thing operating as a "station". When one station got too crowded, campers were turned away.

The sports had no counselor oversight at all. The camp had three sporting fields primarily used for soccer and put under the command of "junior councilors". This led to a lot of interesting camper-created games and activities.

The only well-structured (and supervised) activities took place on the lake. However, the lake was much too small for motor craft and not really well-suited to sailing. They did have a few small sailing catamarans and a motorized fishing barge. Canoes and rowboats could be signed out, with fishing as another major draw (being isolated as it was, the seasonal camp had the only access to the lake, so the fishery was very healthy). In fact the "fishing club" which was fairly informal, was advertised in the brochure. Kids were encouraged to come, fish, and learn to cook and eat their catch at the outdoor barbecue grill.

As befitting the setting, nature hikes, nature walks, and as many possible things with the word "nature" on the front existed. These were mostly done informally, with camp councilors mapping out the paths, then letting junior counselors guide the campers.

Every two weeks, the camp organized an elaborate three-day soccer tournament to celebrate the end of a short-stay season. Campers were not required to participate and were instead allowed to form their own teams and enter. In later years this tournament took place on the camp's singular regulation soccer pitch surrounded by a running track. Some junior councilors organized additional tournaments and competitions in all kinds of games, some traditional and others made up by the camp.

Whole-season campers could also enter into an organized soccer league which tracked performance by individual players and not teams. This came about because players changed teams throughout the season as loyalties shifted. The league could become quite contentious, and more than one dragon devouring is believed to have been orchestrated to eliminate a problem-player.

Despite all of these attempts, the camp made no effort to ensure less athletic campers had the chance to participate, so only a small subset of attendees got to enjoy the full gambit of sporting activities. Such uninspired campers were often left to their own devices, however the camp offered plenty for these children as well.

===Swimming===
Being founded by lifeguards, swimming took front and center. Every child was required to complete a swim test and memorize a series of water rules. Those that could not swim were taught. The camp directors spent painstaking years establishing the main swim area on the lake out in front of the mess hall, clearing it of sharp rocks and submerged logs. Two other swimming beaches were added nearby. Lifeguards were on duty during all daylight hours and the lake was even watched at night to prevent unauthorized swims. The three designated swim areas included piers, dive boards, and slides. Campers were encouraged to bring and share floating toys.

The directors personally organized swimming events on every level and handed our awards. Several world-class swimmers are known to have attended the camp, with one even outright stating the camp taught him to swim and gave him his love for the sport.

==Camp Culture==
Shababadahs developed a few unique cultural trends, largely invented by the generational councilors.

During the first season, the camp needed to provide parkas and jackets to all children (a licensing requirement). Being unable to afford branded merchandise that first year, the owners went and bought military surplus from the [[TDFN]]. These were military-grade and came in forest camouflage. Later seasons saw the parkas replaces by camp-colored one, but the campers liked the jackets so much the directors kept going with it.

Returning campers then sewed their "lifer" patches to the jackets and began customizing them at the arts and crafts stations. The camp councilors encouraged this, and by the fourth year many campers wore unique and fabulously decorated coats. This gave rise to a pseudo-militaristic style to the camp (that was not advertised in brochures).

This led to campers referring to anything that happened outside of camp as "civilian life" and adopting informal "ranks" based on the number of years they had attended.

Another minor one was the abbreviation of the camp name to "Shaba", a privilege reserved strictly for campers. Visiting parents and even sometimes councilors were strictly discouraged from using it. Outside of camp, campers recognized one another by the use of the abbreviation.

==Supervision and Safety==
None.

Or at least very little. The four co-owners of the camp had all met while working as life guards, and water safety was about the only thing they understood. Every single employee was required to know how to swim and to take a basic life-saving class. The staff of 60 included at least 20 fully-trained and registered lifeguards. Every camper was required to take a swim-test on the day they arrived. Any who failed or reported being unable to swim were given lessons. In fact one of the enduring legacies of the facility was its dedication to ensuring every single camper could tread water.

Unfortunately, that same dedication did not extend to most other activities. Since archery was a popular sport in Arindell, they usually had a professional archery instructor to run the range and give lessons. Otherwise most activities were run by junior councilors (paying attendees in their late teens) and only marginally supervised by councilors. For a camp that catered to many hundreds of kids, they had just 28 councilors.

Safety was primarily achieved through preventative measures. The guns, for example, were kept in a secured cabinet and only the rangemaster had a key. The woodshop, similarly, was always supervised by the same adult who had the only key. While the camp's over-all safety record was quite bad, most injuries came from simple accidents or rough play, not from the miss-use of equipment.

Age range of the employees contributed to the over-all poor safety record of the camp. The owners of the camp opened it in their mid-twenties and refused to hire anyone older than themselves. Since they owned it free and clear, they had no one to answer to. As the summers passed and the owners got better at managing it, they discovered they could save money by continuing to hire exclusively 18-22-year-olds for all but the most vital camp functions.

A small town in the [[Long Lake]] region then made this problem even worse by passing a law allowing 16 year olds (with proper work permits) to work at "over night establishments". This law was intended to allow teenagers to work overnight shifts at restaurants and hotels during he busy tourist season, with the assumption they would go home to their parents afterwards. Due to the poor way in which the law was worded, Camp Shababadahs was able to rent a P.O. box in the town which allowed them to hire fully-fledged councilors as young as 16, the same age as many of the campers.

Discipline was a massive issue. The camp had rules and punishments, but these were very seldom enforced. Most infractions were punished by a verbal reprimand from a junior councilor and never reported to the staff. Only misbehavior at the archery range, wood shop, or waterfront ever saw formal reprimands (usually with meal-cleanup as punishment) and even then were not recorded.

===Drug and Alcohol Usage===
This was actually the one other area in which the camp did well. All four directors were teetotalers and only a small number of their employees were of legal age to drink. As such the camp had a very strict (and very well-enforced) zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol (though this was largely for insurance reasons). Any camper caught with an illicit substance would be immediately ejected from the camp (in point of fact this was the only way to get kicked out). Since most of the kids came from Arindell's middle-class suburbs this wasn't often an issue. The councilors got the brunt of it, with even the few 21 and over counselors being made to sign legally-binding summer-long abstinence contracts. The very few paid employees were hand-picked by the owners and directors, typically from a pool of former campers whom they'd known for years. This allowed them to pick and choose employees who would follow the rules.

At various times, campers and some junior councilors would try to sneak things in, usually to be caught during initial bag checks. During one summer, a particularly inventive group of campers were caught selling moonshine from a crudely-built still.

===Allegations of Sexual Abuse===
Camp Shababadahs' closing happened around the same time as a high-profile sex scandal at another camp, which prompted journalists to look into Shababadahs in this regard. Given the chaotic nature of the camp it seemed obvious the place should be rife with abuse, but very little was found.

One former counselor who attended camp from the age of 8 and then worked 5 years as a councilor, summed it up best. He said ''"It did happen, but not like at that other camp. The directors never hired anyone with short eyes. There was a ton of sexual activity, but consensual stuff. I mean, you've got a ton of hormone-addled teenagers and no one to look out for them. Shit happens. I went with girls when I was there, no one ever got hurt. For assaults... yeah, we got a ton of low-grade stuff. I saw girls get their asses grabbed every day, and cabin-peeping was the norm. I think the staff all sort of felt like, you know, if you came to this camp you did it because you were tough enough to handle that. All the women councilors I worked with were straight-up cast-iron bitches, in the best way possible. I'm not saying it was right, just that I don't think anyone ever got it bad."''

Other former campers and councilors shared similar sentiments, indicating considerable risky behavior but little non-consensual activity.

==The Dragon Baiters==
Crossing the [[Dragon Fence|dragon fence]] became a popular camp dare the first year the facility was open. The first iteration of The Dragon Baiters probably formed around the fourth year, N.D. 484. The dangers of the dragon fence were well understood in [[New Arindell]], but not as well-known in the [[Agras]] regions and [[Long Lake]] where many campers hailed from. Further, most of campers from Arindell lived in the city center, so while dragons overhead were a familiar site, the fence itself was a myth.

Most of Camp Shababadahs, however, was situated within sight of the fence. The combination archery, rifle, and driving range even used the fence in place of a backstop. Most of the camper cabins and tents were built out in the thick woods, with plenty of cover and little adult supervision, making trips up to the fence very simple. To make things even more problematic, the fence itself did not pose much of a barrier, being only about 4 feet high and made up of spun metal wires with large gaps easy to fit through.

===Levels===
The Dragon Baiters (or Society of Dragon Baiters, or Order of Dragon Baiters) had four ranks of membership based on dragon-types, and achieved by completion of initiation challenges. Each successful level would see the brave baiter taken to one of four secrete initiation sites to be shown the deeper mysteries of the society. Over the years they adopted many cult-like and pseudo-religious practices that would not be made public until the trial.

*Black-Earth Baiter - a camper achieved the status of 'Black-Earth Baiter' by crossing the fence. The black-earth [[Dragons#Physical Types|type]] was chosen because the campers thought they were 'ugly' and thus made them the lowest rank (a detail which the dragons were later offended by). To make black-earth baiter, a camper had to take a red-fire or above baiter to the fence, ask them to throw something over it, then cross and retrieve it. This was traditionally done at night when it was thought to be "safer" (in fact all the known deaths occurred at night). If the baiter was a friend or otherwise had a reason to like you, they might not throw the item very far. Usually selecting a treasured personal item was preferable, as it would provide greater impetus to cross the line.

*Red-Fire Baiter - to achieve the rank of Red-Fire Baiter, a camper had to cross the fire break on the far side of the fence (again usually at night) and make a mark on one of the trees. The following day, they had to show the mark to another baiter, who had to be able to see it with the naked eye from inside the fence.

*Blue-Air Baiter - becoming a blue-air baiter was much more difficult. First, it required the permission of another blue-air or white-water baiter to even attempt. It then had to be completed in daylight and along the section of fence that bordered the main camp. The actual challenge was simple: run across the fire break, tag a tree, run back, while in view of at least 3 baiters. This specific rite was doubly-difficult as crossing the fence was grounds for immediate expulsion from the camp. In later years, to combat the baiting, the staff made being caught within 10 feet of the fence an expellable offence, but in practice no one was ever caught as supervision was always quite poor.

*White-Water Baiter - to achieve the rank of white-water baiter, the most difficult and dangerous of all, the baiter had to cross the fence and place a marker in one of the trees on the far side (usually a flag or ribbon of some kind). This marker also had to be judged "further from the fence than any other visible marker" by a quorum of at least six blue-air baiters and confirmed by another white-water. The challenge could be done at night, though preparations were usually important. To prevent cheating, the marker usually had to be selected ahead of time, shown to the others, and then the location scouted to confirm the baiter was not taking credit for an old marker. By the later years of the camp, hundreds of markers were plainly visible from the main camp compound. For reasons known only to the baiters, under garments were a preferred marker, bras in particular. Though exact numbers are not known, from the visible markers it seems apparent girls outnumber boys two-to-one in the White Water rank.

===Initiation Rites===
In a boulder field about a mile outside camp (but inside the fence), the baiters constructed a ring ditch and henge which was used for first-level ceremonial initiations. It was one of four ritual sites used by the group, and the one they had put the most effort into. The location was known to the camp councilors as early as N.D. 490, but not it's purpose. It was even used a few times by the legitimate honor-societies sponsored by the camp directors.

At least once per 2-week camp session the baiters would sneak out and meet at the henge around midnight. There they would build a fire and initiate the newest baiters (those who had completed the "black" challenge) by carrying out a ritual dance. All campers were issued matching rain parkas as part of their kit, so the dance involved everyone wearing their Camp Shababadahs parka and dancing in a circle. At the conclusion of the dance the parkas were removed and everyone would give their "dragon roar". A common prank was to tell new baiters they needed to be naked or only wearing underwear beneath the parka.

The second initiation site was at a secret swimming beach two miles from the camp. Where the same boulder field intersected with the lake shore, a stream flowed into the lake and deposited sand over a large flat area about six feet deep. This beach was known to the camp directors and used for sanctioned "Swim expeditions" during daylight hours, but otherwise off-limits. All the campers knew about it and sneaking out for night swims was pretty common. The Baiters took it a step forward, requiring all members to come and skinny-dip, with new initiates having to jump from a specific rock in full view of the others. In the boulder field beside the swim area, the Baiters carved hundreds of petroglyphs depicting secret rites and various events from their mythology. Most of these were known to other campers and some staff, but since the meanings were a cult secret they were written off as petty vandalism.

Very few baiters reached the third level, and the location of the third initiation site was one of the deeply-guarded secrets. During the trial one of the former baiters led authorities to it. The site was well hidden but had been stumbled upon a few times, and initially had no obvious significance. It was past the boulder field a few miles outside camp, accessible by a narrow slot-canyon and reached only by a reasonably dangerous climb down a 14 foot cliff-face. On the stone wall, baiters were to create a unique symbol of their own and draw or etch it on the wall beside the symbols from the other baiters. In the area in front of the cliff, they were then made to dig a shallow hole (representing a grave) and lay in it while the other third-levels made dragon noises around them. Once complete, they then had to build a cairn over the hole, representing the empty grave that would be made for them if they were eaten while attempting to reach the fourth level. Much like the petroglyphs by the swimming hole, camp staff knew vaguely of this location but again believed it to be just another play area.

The final site was found only when a former, now adult baiter was forced to lead authorities there as part of a plea agreement. The site, just a few thousand feet from the camp's mess hall, consisted of a small cave called 'the dungeon'. The opening was covered by a metal grate with a lock, and when not obscured by leaves, campers were told that bats and snakes lived inside. In reality, the hole went about a dozen feet and opened into a small, dry chamber. It was in this where the final secret initiations were kept, along with books and other documents concerning the whole history of the society. Most notably, it contained extensive records of all the suspected deaths by dragon, essentially a signed confession for the order.

===Camp Director Awareness and Lack of Response===
The camp directors initially claimed to have no knowledge of the Dragon Baiter's existence, then changed the story to having only found out about it in the last two years of camp operation. In fact, several current and former councilors were known members of the secret club and testified to having disclosed its existence to the owners as much as 20 years before the forced closure. When confronted with this information, the owners first denied it, then admitted they were aware but believed the club's antics were exaggerated. Investigators counted over five hundred markers consisting of tree scrawls, stone cairns, and articles of clothing tied to trees in full view from the section of fence closest to the mess hall.

One director later admitted to media outlets that he knew full well how dangerous the club was and turned a blind eye because he ''"Hoped it would go away"''. The others made no formal comment beyond whatever was said in the sealed plea agreement.

During the trial, the [[Trans-Draconic Federation]] then weighed in with evidence of it's own. When the land was initially sold and before it was even open, they issued a series of written recommendations to the camp as follows:

*For the entire length of the camp, and any distance beyond it which will be accessed by campers, create a 10-foot exclusion zone on the inside of the fence.
*Ensure this zone is clear of any obstructions or vegetation
*Erect a second fence at least 10' high and topped with razor wire
*Add motion sensors and cameras to cover the exclusion zone
*Provide routine patrols of the areas around the fence

The camp directors acknowledged receipt of these directives and claimed they were not instituted because of costs. This is despite the camp turning sizable increasing profits year over year.

===Jerimiah Rackham===
[[Jerimiah Rackham]], or "Jerry" for short, is widely regarded as having started the Dragon Baiters club when he was 10 years old. He was 38 at the time the club came to light, and would have had no involvement with it after turning 18. He was given a 2 year sentence for his involvement and served just 6 months, but was then murdered by the father of one of the children killed during the 513 season.

==The Summer of the Long Knives==
{{:The Summer of the Long Knives}}

[[Category:Course Books]]

Druet Young

2025-11-17T04:20:43Z

Siddharth1: /* Disability */

Born in [[N.D.]] 460, Dr. Druet Young is an historian and [[Antiquarian]] living in [[Arindell]]. A persistent thorn in [[Scarlet Jusenkyou]]'s side, he is first introduced to go over her infamous history paper.

==Early Life and Education==
Young was born in [[Sun's Beacon]] and moved to [[Arindell]] at the age of seven where he became a regular fixture at the [[Library of Arindell|Library]]. Growing up he attended private schools and completed compulsory education at the age of 16. Young's father was a [[Dragoon Lancer]], the school he attended was run by the [[Gudersnipe Foundation]] which employs a work-at-your-own-pace approach, which allowed him to finish school early. He attended [[University of New Stormreaver]] and did his doctorial program under [[Emmerich Thomson]].

==Disability==
Upon preparing to move from Sun's Beacon, Young set off for one last romp around the city. While exploring an abandoned building, he stumbled into a hibernaculum, a massive communal snake nest. He was bitten several times before escaping, and fearing punishment, hid the injuries from his parents. All through the three-day trip from Sun's Beacon to Arindell, he fought through the pain, and sincerely believed that if he were strong enough he could recover on his own. The incident ended in both legs being amputated, the right leg at the mid-thigh and the left just below the knee.

His hesitation at seeking treatment led to gangrene, which meant the legs could not be replaced with biosynthetics immediately. The doctors informed the Young family that Druet would need nearly a year to recover before they could begin the process of grafting and growing replacement legs. This would be further complicated by his age, as his body would be growing at a different rate than his legs. Though the Foundation would cover the costs (as Druet was a dependent of one of their soldiers), it was the timeframe and pain involved which were more daunting. The surgeons estimated it would take about two years of frequent surgery and almost constant pain to properly replace the legs, and suggested that it might be better to wait until adulthood when the same end could be accomplished in about six months.

By the time he was fully recovered from the initial injuries, Young had mastered walking on prosthetics. The doctors and his parents discussed the next steps, and agreed that since he didn't appear to be having any troubles keeping up with his friends, and that he himself was very resistant to the idea, they would hold off on the surgery. Young never bothered to have the legs replaced, reasoning that he would live longer never having to lace his shoes.

Aside from a few weeks during his initial recovery and the odd hospital stay, Young never used a wheelchair. He has a variety of crutches and a cane. In his youth he needed neither, happily hobbling and running without issue. As he grew older he started to need them, not out of infirmity but due to a lack of fitness. As an historian he spent long hours crouched over worktables, and would frequently remove his prosthesis and sit in his work chair. He would also often remove one leg and use a crutch under the other.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Emily

2025-11-11T04:54:53Z

Siddharth1: /* Trivia */

Emily was the fifth [[Pendragon]] of [[Slayer Dragons]] and widely regarded as the greatest Pendragon in history, second only to Eieber. She was also the longest-lived Pendragon in history, carrying the sword for 72 years. A protesia of [[Astrid Stador]], she was chosen during training and groomed for the position, quickly becoming the second female Pendragon.

Born of Atayan descent, Emily followed the common (traditionally male) practice of eschewing a family name when she came of age. Though not in common practice, this decision was never the less with precedent within Atayan society.

[[File:Ep.jpg|400px|thumb]]

==Early Life==
Emily was born in [[Border Watch]], but moved to [[Arindell]] while an infant. Her mother and father both worked at [[Valley Gale Keep]], and while they did not live within the castle, Emily grew up mostly within its halls.

While still very young, she would slip away from her guardians and roam the halls, exploring the many hidden passageways and secret sections of the keep. On one of these adventures, she found her way into a secluded indoor garden reserved for the [[Slayer Dragons]]. Instead of encountering a guard or an over-protective servant, however, Emily found herself face to face with [[Astrid Stador]], the recently anointed [[Pendragon]].

Throughout her youth, Emily would often sneak off to spend time with her new friend. Her parents, both very busy working in different sections of the castle, saw little of her and presumed she was at the childcare center with other children. But nearly every day for six years, Emily spent time with Astrid and the other Slayer Dragons.

==Squire to the Pendragon==
At the age of 11, Emily was appointed Astrid's personal squire. [[Eieber]] had squires during the [[Mage Wars]], but since then no [[Slayer Dragon]] had ever adopted the practice. The old stories of knights and other powerful warriors mistreating their squires and using them like slaves made the idea unfashionable at the time.

But Astrid created the position of [[Squire Dragon]], making Emily the very first to hold the title and setting a precedent for the practice as equal-opportunity. Emily applied herself to becoming a capable assistant, and therefore accompanied the Pendragon on many fantastic adventures.

==Attache to the Pendragon==
At 19, Emily was promoted from squire to personal attache to the Pendragon. [[Eieber]] had also had personal attaches, and it was not considered uncommon even then for a [[Slayer Dragon]] to take on a young adult interested in pursuing [[The Trials]] as an assistant. Under Astrid, Emily completed the Trials in record time. Her record, however, would not be upheld because the Trials would change significantly over the next few centuries, becoming much longer and more difficult.

==Slayer Dragon==
Emily was anointed a [[Slayer Dragon]] at the age of 25, in [[A.Y.]] 1135. [[Astrid Stador]] was by now in her 60s and her health was begining to fail. There was no doubt that Emily was to become the next Pendragon; many had assumed it because she was a young girl. There was (therefore) considerable discord between her and the rest of the Ten. She was only 25 when she was anointed, making her then the youngest Slayer Dragon since one of the original Ten.

However, the discord quickly subsided when she joined the others as a full-fledged Slayer Dragon. All of the others had known her since she was a child, and it quickly became clear that she would carry the sword well.

===Battle Standard===
Emily's battle [[Slayer Dragon#Battle Standard|standard]] bore a tiger and a shield; however this was before the rules and traditions of the standards were firmly established. Her primary colors were gold and sage, but her standard also initially included white and later black. Only within the first century or so of the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] was this permissible.

The standard also changed over time (again an extremely uncommon occurrence not allowed in later generations): at one point the black dragon wings on the shield were added with no clear explanation given. At this time the [[First File]] still numbered near 100,000, so at least 10,000 [[paladin]]s carried her standard into battle.

==Pendragon==
At 28, Emily would become one of the youngest [[Pendragon]]s in history, and carry the sword longer than anyone. Though young, she was a forceful and authoritative leader, commanding the [[Alliance]] when the Pendragon still held very significant power.

Under Emily's leadership, the [[Earth Sphere Unified Nations]] plan functioned almost perfectly. She was a dominant leader, always open to compromise, but only on her terms. It was only by the strength of her will that she maintained the peace, and through outright intimidation of other leaders.

She also served admirably as a Slayer Dragon, fullfilling all the roles and functions as [[Eieber]] had intended. She fought monsters, led armies, and still found time to counsel new trainees and ensure a fresh crop of new Slayer Dragons when the time came.

==Later Life and Death==
Emily was perhaps too successful, however, and never found time for a family of her own. the [[Slayer Dragons]] were her family, but [[Jack Shannon]], the young man she'd been training as her replacement, died while taking [[The Trials]], and in her late 90s, Emily found herself without a strong successor.

She had outlived her first intended replacement, another woman whom Emily had groomed since young adulthood to replace her. That woman became a Slayer Dragon herself, filled the role faithfully, and died at the age of 70, having lived entirely while Emily carried the sword.

At the age of 100, Emily was still very strong, and most wondered if she would ever give up the sword. She still walked without a cane and even excercised daily, though no longer left the keep; but the years were clearly begining to wear on her.

One day, very unexpectedly, she took her second, a [[Slayer Dragon]] by the name of [[Tanner Ruegg]], to the garden where she had played with [[Astrid Stador]] as a little girl. She settled into a comfortable chair, placed the sword in his hand, then closed her eyes and died quietly. Tanner was already 81 at the time.

==Legacy==
Emily's legacy would be remembered all the way to the end of the [[Alliance]] and the fall of the [[Slayer Dragons|Order]]. The longest-lived, and possibly greatest Pendragon of all time. It would be said by the historian [[Herbet Patric Galactis]] that Eieber ended the [[Mage Wars]], and that each [[Pendragon]] to follow was tasked with one thing: making sure they did not start again. 'And none', he said, 'would do the job quite so well as Emily'.

==Trivia==
Emily was a silent partner in the founding of [[LWA]], a fine clothier. She also began the tradition of [[Raven's Day]].

[[Category:Course Books]]

June Taylor

2025-11-01T01:01:03Z

Siddharth1: /* Career */

[[June Taylor]], often known as ''"The Late, Great Dragonologist"'' is a tv personality in [[Arindell]]. She was born on the 37th day of [[N.D.]] 483, to an upperclass family in the [[Flight Heights]] district.

==Early Life==
fill in later.

==DragonTalk==
While still in her late teens, June became famous throughout Arindell for her video series "DragonTalk" in which she discussed dragons and dragonology. Though a well-worn field at the time, her videos were extremely popular both for features a cooperative [[dragon]] and for the exciting, accessible way she presented the material.

==University==
June attended [[New Stormwind University]] from the ages of 18-22, paid for by her parents, who also rented an apartment near campus for her and provided a generous spending allowance, so she could focus entirely on her studies. A bright girl, June not only excelled in school but continued to produce her show and began a lucrative writing career, publishing articles in both academic journals and magazines all around the [[known worlds]]. Thanks to some advanced work in highschool she was able to complete her undergraduate degree at 21 and begin work on a masters in Dragonology, which she received in record time.

In between completion of her master's and beginning work on her Ph.D., June traveled to [[Djr]] and spent nearly a year and half on the island (2 years, counting travel). Though she had been working on her doctoral thesis since the age of 16 (and earlier, by many accounts), much of her research came from this trip. June was by no means the first dragonologist to visit the island, but was the first to bring modern, high-tech equipment such as high-definition cameras and sensors. This would not normally be allowed, but she used her connections with [[High Mountain Flight]] to obtain special permissions.

Upon her return, June took a break from school to go over her notes. At the age of 26 she released a documentary about her journey to Djr as part of the DragonTalk program, and returned to school to complete her Ph.D., which she was awarded after just one year. There were many rumors that it was an honorary degree given the short timeframe, but the school confirmed she did indeed complete the process and that her thesis contained some of the most substantial insights into the draconic nature ever uncovered. Her thesis, in its entirety, was published, and a more accessible version released for public consumption, which quickly became a best seller.

==Career==
Upon completion of her doctorial degree, June discovered that the only real paying work in the field of dragonology was teaching dragonology at a university. Though she had many offers for a professorship, she turned them all down and instead embarked on a writing career while also developing a new show. Most of her books became instant best-sellers, both due to her fame and her knack for making dragons interesting and accessible.

===Dragonology Tonight===
Based on her success with bringing dragonology to the masses, June launched a new show called Dragonology Tonight. It was a much more polished, professional take on her old DragonTalk segments (which she did continue to create and release, sporadically). The show initially began as a science/educational program, but as the audience was discovered June began to tinker with the format, until it more more into a sort of dragon-themed talk show. Every episode included previously prepared segments she recorded (sometimes traveling all over the verse and going to very exotic locations), as well as a live question and answer segment, and later celebrity interviews. The most popular portion of the program was a short called "Celebrity Meets Dragon" wherein Scarlet would introduce someone of note to a dragon, and record the conversation. These often proved quite hilarious and almost never involved unpopular politicians being immolated.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Great Aspaguin

2025-11-01T00:59:53Z

Siddharth1:

[[Great Aspaguin]] is a species of large tree found in some remote regions of [[Aren]]. It was once more common, but many were cut down during the latter years of the [[Mage Wars]]. The trees were famous for being quite large, typically into the hundreds of feet, with enormous fronds, so big the separated portions were often used as impromptu paper.

The wood was popular material for [[SkyShips]] production, being very rubbery and pliable. This accounts for much of the deforestation, though these trees seldom grew in sizable groves.

Some Great Aspaguin can still be found in remote corners of the [[Agras Plain]] and presumably in the less-peopled regions north of [[High Mountain]]. Fossil records indicate either Great Aspaguin once grew substantially larger, or it is related to a now extinct mega-tree able to grow thousands of feet tall.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Great Aspaguin

2025-11-01T00:59:37Z

Siddharth1:

[[Great Aspaguin]] is a species of large tree found in some remote regions of [[Aren]]. It was once more common, but many were cut down during the latter years of the [[Mage Wars]]. The trees were famous for being quite large, typically into the hundreds of feet, with enormous fronds, so big the separated portions were often used as impromptu paper.

The wood was popular material for [[Skyship]] production, being very rubbery and pliable. This accounts for much of the deforestation, though these trees seldom grew in sizable groves.

Some Great Aspaguin can still be found in remote corners of the [[Agras Plain]] and presumably in the less-peopled regions north of [[High Mountain]]. Fossil records indicate either Great Aspaguin once grew substantially larger, or it is related to a now extinct mega-tree able to grow thousands of feet tall.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Great Aspaguin

2025-11-01T00:59:30Z

Siddharth1:

[[Great Aspaguin]] is a species of large tree found in some remote regions of [[Aren]]. It was once more common, but many were cut down during the latter years of the [[Mage Wars]]. The trees were famous for being quite large, typically into the hundreds of feet, with enormous fronds, so big the separated portions were often used as impromptu paper.

The wood was popular material for [[SkyShip]] production, being very rubbery and pliable. This accounts for much of the deforestation, though these trees seldom grew in sizable groves.

Some Great Aspaguin can still be found in remote corners of the [[Agras Plain]] and presumably in the less-peopled regions north of [[High Mountain]]. Fossil records indicate either Great Aspaguin once grew substantially larger, or it is related to a now extinct mega-tree able to grow thousands of feet tall.

[[Category:Course Books]]

Lost Civilizations of the Greater Continent

2025-10-26T02:35:53Z

Siddharth1: /* Dating and Origin of the Ruins */

The [[Greater Continent]] on [[Aren]], and the surrounding land masses, are home to many strange and enigmatic ruins. Among them, many distinct lost civilizations have been identified, about which virtually nothing is known. This section will document a few of them. All of these civilizations are known or thought to pre-date the [[Mage Wars#The Dynastic Period|Dynastic Period]], and many are known to have been wiped out by the [[Marcon Alliance]].

==Direct Evidence==

===Canton H Culture, [[Iami]]===
In Iami, spread across the Maze grasslands and the Highlands, exist traces of an ancient civilization dubbed "Canton H" for the large earthwork-structures that define the ruins. The name derives from the first undisturbed site excavated, the 8th such berm documented during initial surveys. Canton H is especially strange because, while thought to have existed during the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], the earthworks they left behind show no signs of defensive purpose.

Rather, they would build long, wide berms, usually straight but sometimes in the shape of a capital T. There are signs that the berms were at the center of villages, and some indication that wattle and daub round houses were built around and on top of them. It is thought the berms formed some ceremonial purpose, but no concrete evidence of the culture survives. Very few artifacts have been found, displaying unusually primitive workmanship when compared to the scale of the earthworks (which are sometimes miles long, thousands of feet wide, and perfectly flat and straight). No traces of metal tools have been found at all, nor any signs of agriculture. The denizens of Canton H. used flint and stone tools.

However, they were highly organized and in possession of a widespread, unified culture. The most curious aspect of the Canton H sites is the lack of any evidence for warfare. At all of the sites examined, no sign has been found of spearheads, sling shot, or defensive fortifications. Small arrowheads, as would be suitable for hunting small game, as well as flint knives, have been discovered, but no evidence for weapons.

The exact age of Canton H. is difficult to determine, but thought to be during the [[Age of Darkness]]. The more telling aspect is the way in which it relates to the other ancient civilization in [[Iami]]. The funerary practices of Canton H were the use of urn burials and stone cairns, some of which can still be seen today. Curiously, they did not appear to build cemeteries, making it uncommon to find any more than a few burials in a large area.

===Fluted Colonnade Culture, Iami===
Beside, and sometimes on top of Canton H is the Fluted Colonnade Culture, so named for the distinctive fluted stone columns found at many of the sites. This culture is perhaps even more enigmatic that Canton H. While the nature and purpose of the ruins left behind is far easier to discern, it is the lack of accompanying evidence which makes the remains so puzzling. Several concourses of colonnades have been found all over the continent in a distinct and well-developed style, but no record of their builders. No villages or structures of the same style; indeed no sign habitation for miles around any of the sites, at least none that can be conclusively dated to the same timeframe as the colonnades. Radiocarbon dating seems to show that all of the colonnade sites were constructed within a relatively short time frame somewhere between 3300 and 3600 [[B.G.A.]].

In stark contrast, all of the sites attributed to Canton H were abandoned by 3700 B.G.A., and no sign of a transition has ever been found. The Colonnade sites are religious or ritualistic in nature, with some theorizing they may have [[magic]] properties. Unfortunately auramancers studying the sites have not been able to find anything.

===Standing Column Culture, Geth===
In [[Geth]] there exist hundreds of sites defined by free-standing stone columns. Many outline buildings that have since collapsed, or are partially buried. The layout and size of the columns indicate a cohesive culture builting in the same style, and based on maps of some of the sites they likely held a ritual signficance. Unfortunately, no systematic investigation has ever been published, and may of the better-preserves sites were destroyed during Geth's tumultuous history. Several statues of a strange fishlike idol have surfaced in the hands of private collectors over the years, all claimed to have been bought on the black market and looted from illegal excavations on Geth. The [[Marcon Alliance]] also left its mark on the island nation, so without serious examination it is impossible to piece together anything about this mysterious culture.

===The Works of the Old Masons, Greater Continent===
In the region north of [[High Mountain]], a great many curious stone works have been discovered in most unusual places. Of course given the highly complex history of the region, it is impossible to attribute all of these to some lost progenitor race, but there are a few particularly enigmatic points.

Finds described as the "Works of the Old Masons" are defined by unusually high quality, displaying a degree of precision very difficult to replicate without advanced tools, and found in places where either no culture with these capabilities is known to have existed, or were never inhabited at all.

Another peculiar point, aside from the high quality, is the purpose for which they were used. One enigmatic example shows very high-quality stonework around a well, which indicates a high and well-developed culture. The amount of work needed to create such a construction would not have been wasted on a well, unless much greater works existed in the area which have not survived.

====Greater Continent Megaliths====
Possibly created by the same hand are numerous megalithic sites dotted all over the continent but most frequently found north of High Mountain. Often mistaken for standing stones, these are carefully hewn statues forty to eighty feet in height, always carved from a single stone. On occasion, signs of the block having been quarried nearby can be identified, but as often as not the origins remain a mystery.

Of particular difficulty is the weathering of the stones. Many primary and secondary sources from the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]] tell of the statues appearing old, but still bearing clearly recognizable features. They were all of armored knights, most carrying weapons; and some accounts tell of astonishing levels of detail. However, by the [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]] many of the best examples had been destroyed or were otherwise located in now remote and inaccessible regions.

Further still was the mythology surrounding them. While clearly ancient in origin, many had become the subject of local folklore which, when mixed with actual events, provided credible stories about their origins. This led to the few megaliths located in easy-to-reach places to be dismissed or wrongly attributed to [[Mage Wars#The Dynastic Period|Dynastic]] civilizations until long after the most important details had faded away.

It was not until the publication of the [[Accepted Histories]] and the wide scale tabulation of ancient written records that the pattern emerged, and over 100 megaliths predating the dynastic era were identified. Of them, only 40 still existed, and of these few features were still evident. Dozens more would eventually be discovered, but the information was simply lost. The largest unanswered question was whether or not the megaliths showed a preponderance of form, or were copied from each other and adapted to the local style. The direction the statues are facing could also have been useful, but aside from rough guesses about front and back no information is known.

While the megalithic soldiers have been positively identified as artificial in origin, many theorists speculate a connection to the more controversial [[Doldrome Heads]] found in the same region.

===The Builders of Roads===
Several long and well-constructed stone roads have been discovered across the [[Agras Plains]]. Some link modern and ancient settlements, but others do not. These are all built in a similar style and made to last for ages, but no cohesive civilization ever covered the entirety of the region in which they were found. The roads are also described in many surviving accounts from the [[Mage Wars#The First Chaotic Period|First Chaotic Period]], indicating they are far older than the other civilizations in the region.

===Sunken Cities of The Blue Sea===
In the shallow waters of the [[The Blue Sea]] region near [[Narano]], thousands of submerged ruins have been discovered, including over a hundred cities and a network of roads. Some are at depths of over two thousand feet. Artifacts recovered from the various ruins indicate there may have been as many as three distinct cultures. While some stones and statues with inscriptions have been discovered, they have not yielded enough to provide a successful translation. No large quantities of writing widely-disseminated writing has been found that could shed light on who lived there.

Some similarities have been observed between the Fluted Colonnade Culture in Iami and the Square Circle Temple Culture found beneath the Blue sea. However, mainstream researchers state that the sunken ruins are too badly weathered to provide more than a very rough match. The layout of the Colonnades is simply not distinctive enough to prove any more than coincidental similarities. The Square Circle Temple Culture may be the oldest of the three distinct groups, as its ruins, largely exposed on the sea floor, show significant signs of weathering both before and after being submerged.

The Pyramid 7 culture, so named for one of the submerged pyramids, has better preserved ruins. However much of the layout and patterns of their cities has been derived from sonar scans of the areas around the preserved ruins. The real state of preservation is unknown due to the depth and difficulty of underwater archeology.

The ruins of the unimaginatively named Round House Culture are much more difficult to examine, and many researchers have suggested these were merely the minor outlying agricultural regions of the other two cultures. The Round Houses used wattle and daub construction and all remnants are in a very poor state of preservation. However dozens of sites have been identified by the terminus of roads. Dredging at the site has brought back fragments of pottery and stone artifacts. It is believed however the over-all state of technology may have been more advanced, with metal tools simply not surviving.

====Dating and Origin of the Ruins====
No written record of the region being above water exists. The earliest known accounts, found in the history of [[Zathra]] indicate the region had been floored at least by the establishment of [[High Tower]]. Nothing in the mytho-history or oral traditions of Zathra or the [[Narano]] indicates there was ever a well-developed culture there. Indeed, the entire history of the Narano focuses on the [[Solollo River]] and [[Nara River]] basins.

Scientific dating based on radiometric decay has also been attempted, but has yielded wildly different results. Despite rigid experimental protocols, suitable samples obtained from well-established sites have failed to produce any sort of acceptable date. In the [[Ages#The Second Age|Second Age]], one particular test was preformed on pieces of wood recovered from what was believed to be a tomb located in one of the pyramids from the Pyramid 7 Culture. All 5 fragments were believed to be from a lacquered sarcophagus. Two yielded a radiometric dates of less than 500 years old, two more came back with dates 3,000 years apart but from a time when the temple was known to be underwater, and the fifth returned a result that would indicate it was from the future. Other tests came back with dates tens of thousands of years old, of band for the testing methods being used. One study found evidence of vitrification, or sustained high heat, on some of the submerged structures, which could indicate the use of atomic weapons at some point in the region's long history. This would also throw off any attempts at radiometric dating. Enough information to produce a reliable test simply does not exist.

The origins are an even greater problem. While the Blue Sea has a relatively shallow mean depth of around 300 feet, with the deepest points dropping off to as much as 5,000; once one reaches the edge of the continental shelf which forms the border with the great [[Northeastern Sea]], the drop off is rapid and substantial. Average depth of the Northeastern Sea, with no islands between the Blue Sea and [[Yanomano]]. There is no evidence for any sort of natural barrier that may once have held back and the sea, and no indication anywhere else that the sea level may once have been low enough for this region to be above water. Of course unknown magical means could have existed, but where and when is a mystery.

====The Deep Blue Library Incident====
There was one major opportunity to solve the mysteries of the sunken cities. In [[A.Y.]] 2402, marine archeologists discovered at a depth of nearly 500 feet, the well-preserved ruins of an ancient library. This library contained tens of thousands of tablets, made from fired clay, stone, and even metal. It was reported to be 'The Find of the Age' and was thought that it would soon solve the riddle of the Blue Sea.

The archaeological team involved made the find at the end of summer, and were not able to recover any of the tablets. Some managed to be photographed, but the negatives were stolen. When the team returned the following season, no trace of the ruins could be found. The entire site - a well-known and well-established one - was now just a sandy sea bed.

That same winter, hundreds of wet-navy ships of the [[Crimson Blade]] were sites in the region, many more than were usually present, as the [[Foundation]] had no bases and no influence in [[Narano]]. Along with it were several mobile drilling rigs. The Foundation claimed the mission was for oil and natural gas exploration in the area (already well-known to be practically devoid of fossil fuels). While the fleet was spread out, other boats were prohibited. However, civilian flyovers did report significant activity at the site of the library find.

The Foundation never admitted culpability, but made numerous donations all over the region. While no proof has ever been found, it seems clear the Foundation took the library and associated ruins. Many attempts have been made to force them to admit to this, but the official line remains the same. However, a leaked [[White Paper|white paper]] circulated around a thousand years after the event which hinted at the language having been deciphered.

At the time of the initial discovery of the library, researchers who saw the tablets claimed the script on them was similar to that of the [[Ancients]], which was not deciphered until the [[Ages#The Sixth Age|Sixth Age]]. This contradicts the white paper, as well-established sources state the Foundation could not translate Ancient during the Third Age.

===The Old Miners===
In the mid [[Ages#The Golden Age|Golden Age]], prospectors exploring a remote section of the [[Barrier Range]] not known to have ever been inhabited, chanced upon a rich gold seam and began mineral exploitation. What they found, however, defied all explanation or logic.

Mining technology of the time was still fairly primitive and the region remote, so a great deal of effort had to be undertaken in order to begin extracting the ore. A railway was constructed and a town built, and hard rock miners began tunneling into the seam. It was expected at the time to yield a considerable load, just the exposed portions indicated a very sizable discovery had been made.

However, the first tunnel penetrated just a few hundred feet into the cliff-side before breaking through into a pre-existing (and abandoned) mine. The workings antedated any sort of modern technology, having been dug entirely by hand and apparently with stone and wooden tools. Extensive bracing as well as ingenious mining equipment (such as contra-rotating reverse-waterwheels to drain flooded sections). The workers mapped over a hundred miles of tunnels, some extending thousands of feet underground.

Tailings and surface entrances were eventually located, but no signs of settlement. A mine of that size would have needed a labor force in the tens of thousands, in turn requiring a very large population to support, no trace of which was ever found. The spoils piles were examined, and found that the gold was extracted from them by an unknown yet highly efficient method.

===Ulanat and the Enigmatic Weapons of the Undying Age===
The [[Ulanat]] civilization was not discovered directly, but by their funerary offerings, the [[Enigmatic Weapons of the Undying Age]] which were discovered during the [[Mage Wars]]. Ulanat has not been identified directly but some information about their customs and people has been pieced together.

==Discovered in Secondary Sources==
No direct evidence exists for these civilizations, but they are described in writings. In most cases, only the location is unknown, but the general region might be.

===Cadolonima===
Described as being "to the northwest of Sindall", [[Cadolonima]] was said to be a powerful coalition of city states, with [[Mage Tower]]s and a standing army that fought many campaigns across the lowland regions. Numerous accounts survive most especially in the histories of [[Rowen]]. Most historians place Cadolonima in modern-day [[Korrinth]], but Rowen sources indicate it was further south, though that would place it in either Sindall or the [[Brutish Sea]].

Cadolonima is unique because, unlike many of the other lost civilizations, there are some direct sources. Thousands of documents bound into folios were found in the [[Library of Arindell]] proport to be from Cadolonima, and tell of a rich culture that may have been one of the earliest constitutional monarchies.

The script found in the Library should make discovery of the location fairly simple, but no matching inscriptions have ever been found. The leading theory is that Cadolonima existed somewhere in modern-day Korrinth, and all traces of it were erased by the Kori.

===The Sea People===
In the records of [[Sun's Beacon]] (the best-preserved ancient documents outside of [[Arindell]]) tells of a group called only "the sea people" who carried out raids on coastal settlements up and down the [[Sword Coast]]. Their origins and home are unknown, but was not any of the islands that today dot the [[Brutish Sea]]. It would be easy to write them off as simple pirates, but the records talk about them as a distinct culture, and draw a distinction between normal pirates and those belonging to the Sea People. Accounts describe them using well-built ships in an established style, indicating they had a home somewhere. Many theories have been put forth as to where they originated.

===Moay Blood Fighters===
{{#lsth:Moay Blood Fighters}}

==See Also==
[[Category:Course Books]]

Talk:Lost Civilizations of the Greater Continent

2025-10-26T02:32:16Z

Siddharth1: Created page with "Suggestion: should Shenzen's distant past be added to this list?"

Suggestion: should Shenzen's distant past be added to this list?

Shenzen

2025-10-14T18:48:47Z

Siddharth1:

[[Shenzen]], the largest landmass in the [[Counterwise Region]], is known locally as "The Land of Three Kingdoms", though it has been a unified nation since late in the old [[Alliance]] era. Modern-day Shenzen is known for its exotic spices and well-preserved ancient ruins, its unique local culture, and the wondrous legends that still circulate about it' distant history.

==Modern Shenzen==
Modern-day Shenzen is a constitutional parliament which retains an emperor as a powerless figurehead. One curious eccentricity of the state is the way the emperor is not even paid for his position, and is in fact a middle-class working man. While no one would ever argue that Shenzen's government works "well", it has a semi-command economy which lets it respond to market forces while also maintaining local wealth. Shenzen is unique on [[Aren]] in the [[New Day]] era for having its own currency strong enough to exchange for [[Gate Credits]] and [[Wingbeats]].

Shenzen's chief industries are tourism and spice production. The island is food-self-sufficient and sometimes exports food as well.

==Population==
Because of its status as an island, Shenzen is also uncommon on Aren for having a unique ethnographic population. Comprised of two major haplo-groups, typical facial features include high but rounded cheekbones and slit-shaped eyes. Skincolors are generally darker tending towards more yellowish. Shenzen has a population in the [[New Day]] era of around 750,000,000; notably low for the land area.

===Necromancer Population===
Around ten percent of the population of Shenzen are necromancers, who while sharing many physical features in common with the locals, still comprise a unique haplogroup. [[Shenzen Necromancers]] are considered a unique tribe within the greater necromancer population, and have their own version of the sacred texts and lore.

==History==
===Ancient History===
Shenzen contains many ruins that can be dated to Antiquity, but these are unique and do not match the style of other ruins known to belong to [[The Ancients]].