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Terran Calendar: The current year is 30 AO = 598 WTA. All new threads happen during the current year unless otherwise stated by the creator. Setting elements cannot be ignored or manipulated City maps are guides and not authoritative sources ✪ = City | ✦ = Landmark | ✿ = Independent territory ✪ Casper (Primary sea port) ✪ Dougton ✪ Ignatz ✪ Blairville (Secondary sky port) ✪ Hell's Gate (Primary sky Port) | Langley Keep ✪ Martial Town ✪ Last Chance (Secondary sea port) ✦ Biazo Isle | Bi'le'ah | ✪ Aspyn ✦ Weland Gorge; Day River ✦ Scudder Forests ✦ Hills of Noddendody ✦ Blue Hills ✦ Moonwood ✦ Ponkapoag Lake | Gaian Academy; Haunted Glen ✦ Timber Creek ✦ Great Pine Barrens | No Man's Land; Witch's Cave; Herbie's Bed; Peaceful Woods ✦ Sidereal Lake | Zuhl Plateau ✦ Forgotten Wood ✦ Black Ridge ✦ Hidden Valley ✦ Dark Forest | The Cedars ✦ Forbidding Hills ✦ Shawnee Glacier ✦ The Wastelands | Badlands; High Desert; Dead Peaks ✦ Blaurg Mountain ✦ Coconino Marsh | Labyrinth Forest; Coconino Creek ✦ Hills of Lost Hearts ✦ Barnstable Coast ✦ Southern Sea ✿ Predator's Keep ✿ Amalia ✿ Yh'mi ✿ Eridianus | Taen | Ursa Madeum ✿ Absalom | Béhods ✿ Chesterfield | Aligoria ✿ Nesthome | Anima ✿ Everrun Announcements Newer information at the top; keep up with the latest in the Updates thread. Lightning Rail infrastructure between the major cities of the Terran Empire have been replaced with MagVac Train technology. Terrenus rename to Lagrimosa. During the events of Civil War - Phase 3, a number of those factions which established themselves in the Wilds have grown in size and successfully established sovereignty over their lands. Notable stewards of their respective regions are Chesterfield and Absalom Breaking news from the Symposium Against Doom - body snatchers and volatile loci Visible to the entire continent, the sun burns green for ten minutes. During the events of the Civil War - Phase 2, a number of different factions have established themselves in the greater Wilds of Lagrimosa and are poised to become enclaves with sovereign leadership. This has added new territories to the map: Aligoria, Chesterfield, Everrun, COTH, Temple City, Nesthome, Anima. Due to the events of the Civil War - Phase 1, transportation across the nation of Lagrimosa has been crippled and magical availability has been concentrated in the Shawnee Wastelands. Geography Located in the north-east of planet Valucre, Lagrimosa is approximately twice the size of the North American continent and has a citizen population of approximately 300,000,000 (three-hundred million) as of 24 AO. Climate A dense arcanosphere has resulted in sections of unpredictable climate and terrain. The fluctuating levels of magic also lead to random side effects on plant and animal life, and has been noted to render gunpowder unreliable in greater Lagrimosa (this is meant to prompt creative alternatives to basic firearms). The tip of Ponkapoag Lake will be used as the central marker for description purposes. The area enveloping Ponkapoag Lake and Coconino Marsh is characterized by warm, dry summers which average 66°F with low precipitation and cool, wet winters which average 25°F and moderate precipitation. Evergreen and deciduous trees, fig, walnut and citrus trees, and bay rosemary herbs thrive in the area. North of the central marker the weather increases sharply in temperature and vegetation becomes sparse as grassland and forest biomes turn into desert, which average around 100°F with pronounced dry periods. The desert biome is expansive but is at its north-eastern section is abruptly interrupted by arctic tundra. South of the central marker, the climate features warm summers and cool winters with a narrow annual temperature range. There is no dry season in this section, precipitation ranging from moderate to heavy, and the forests are temperate, especially in the Great Pine Barrens. In Amalia, Ursa Madeum and Biazo Isle, year round temperatures are consistently a humid 75°F and are dominated by precipitation, especially during monsoon season. Flora and Fauna Lagrimosa has plant and animal life recognizable to most characters, such as: flowers, trees, dogs, horses, crabs, salmon, etc. and so on. In addition to this standard there are a number of animals and plants unique to Lagrimosa. You can read more in the Lagrimosa section of the Terran Creature Codex, the Terran Herbology Index and Herbalism 202. Note that users aren't limited to what's included in the present material and are free/encouraged to come up with plant and animal life as long as they adhere to the Mild Powers rules. Users can also make bestiary submissions if they want to formalize information about their creations and make them available for public use. Cities, Provinces, Territories The Terran Empire has a handful of megacities (with numbers in flux due to magical and political unrest) and numerous villages, towns, and enclaves around the nation. The major cities are population dense and, thanks to magi-tech introduced with Odin Haze's sweeping regime, vary wildly in setting and tone. Outside of the major cities Lagrimosa's wilderness is mystical, savage and untamed. It is not uncommon for the citizen or amateur adventurer striking out on their own between the cities to find death as to find fortune. Culture Terrenus Quest Index Terrenus Artifact List A citizen living within one of the megacities is literate, adequately versed in magical theory to make use of Terran magi-tech, is aware of common metaphysical phenomena (ghosts, rituals, telepathy, charms, hexes, etc), and is often capable of using magic as a result of scholarly pursuit and understanding. A native from one of the towns or villages is less likely to be literate and have empirical insight into arcana and magical phenomena. Instead, their knowledge of ability to use magic is a result of hereditary traditions and cultural myths. Their understanding of magic is intuitive rather than logical, making them more susceptible to charlatans and superstitious fears. But, with generations of experience springing from tradition, the villages produce more young people capable of wielding powerful, ancient magic. A Terran from any part of the nation tends to be physically robust due to Gaian religious practices and Terran diet. They have a special love for music, having considered music the universal language before they discovered mathematics and magic, and as a consequence also enjoy indulging lavishly in food and dance. Terrans celebrate not just their history, but their art throughout their ages as well. Language Terric is the primary language of the Terran Empire. It is spoken in all megacities and most towns, though becomes rare in isolated villages and islands, where a pidgin form of modified Terric of varying names (Terril, Terrin, Terrie, etc) is usually the norm. Terric's primary dialects sounds like Spanish (users should treat this as a plot device and are not expected to learn how to write Spanish). Other dialects sound close to Romance-influenced language, such as Italian and French, but will also deviate into Germanic-influenced languages. The rarest language in Lagrimosa is Oldspeak, which is practiced by less than 1% of the population. The language requires line of sight and has no verbal components, instead communicating complete ideas between speaker and receiver. Magic The Terran federal government has published a white paper on the Terran laws of magic, an authoritative perspective on the laws, principles and terminology of magic as they apply in Lagrimosa. Also note that with events between the Wastelands and Shawnee loci during the Safeguard riots, magical availability in Lagrimosa has been reduced everywhere except the new boundaries of the Shawnee itself. Religion Gaianism: Quick Reference Guide Bible of Gaia The Gaian Church Gaianism is the Lagrimosa's largest religion, constituting approximately 70% (down from 79%) of the total population. Gaianists consider nature, the universe, reality, magic and mathematics to be mortally comprehensible expressions of an inconceivable deific form. Gaianism advocates peace but not blind pacifism, leaving violence as a final solution and a mechanism for self-defense. The notable exception of this rule are Unnatural (any offspring of dark necromancy, such as vampires, zombies, liches, and occasionally Outsiders). Gaians attack Unnaturals on principle unless the Unnatural has taken pains to prove themselves righteous. Cuisine As a whole the food produced by Empire trends towards the utilitarian. Three primary staples are high-yield disease resistant wheat varieties, a sub-species of rice engineered to biosynthesize beta-carotene, and a hardy cabbage variant which can grow in nearly any biome. This has led to a staggeringly robust ability for Empire to produce food for its citizens, making political inequality and the dangers of transporting food through the savage Wilds the primary drivers behind widespread hunger. In its parts, Empire's cuisine can be extravagant to the point of pedantry. Dougton, for example, produces over 100 varieties of cheeses, Casper's array of seafood dishes are second to none (with a special emphasis on snapper, octopus and squid, lobster, and salmon), and Ashville's long-standing traditions for pâtissiers remains alive even when the city is defunct, moving its pastry-making locus to Aspyn. With the vineyard in full production in Biazo Isle, Empire is also becoming known for its wines. Fashion Co-authoring credit to Csl Thanks primarily to a largely isolationist government much of Terran fashion has been insular, known to and satisfying the needs mostly of the continent's inhabitants. This trend has changed in the last few years as Dali Fashions, based out of Ursa Madeum, builds international recognition for itself but that is the rare exception - much of Terran fashion is tribal. The innate dangers presented by the Wilds has guided Terran design to favor pragmatics over aesthetics. Though these vary by culture or region, garments are made for durability, mobility, and protection from the elements. Enhancing clothing and gear is a common practice as well, with both magical and technological methods; more arcane locations like Blairville specialize in enchantments, while Hell’s Gate integrates magitech in adventurer gear. At a national level, one of the early and most persistent waves of vogue design are what is known as "dungeon couture", whose designs and specifications align themselves with the long-standing tradition of adventure economics through the continent's history. Lagrimosa, then Terrenus, has innovated and mass-produced fireproof cloaks and hoodies, suits with hand stitched invisibility runes for slinky thieves, autoswords, and hosts an annual convention of mages and engineers known as StabCon to discuss new enchantments, meta-materials, or machining techniques. Technology and Development Technology in Lagrimosa is highly advanced, arguably some of the most advanced on the planet. Although this fact not immediately grasped by foreigners accustomed to development in the form of electrical and mechanical contrivances, the Terran Empire is the historical pioneer of magi-technology on Valucre, democratizing and automating a great deal of otherwise obscure and hidden knowledge. Terran tech is rooted in cores of abstract knowledge, interlacing philosophy, natural and conceptual science, and magical theory to pioneer the current paragon of magi-tech in Valucre. Lagrimosa has sentient golems where another country might have "robots", rock satellites powered by runes and divination lattices, and crystal-based tactile computing systems instead of console based computers one might find elsewhere. In this sense "technology" is something learned and understood rather than picked up and used. For this reason education, especially developmental and postgraduate education, is of vital importance to the government. The newest generations of children show an adept knowledge of magical theory, a strong grasp of complex mathematical concepts and explore unconventional modes of thought. Like with telecom availability (see below), technology and magi-tech is the most advanced in the cities and attenuates as one goes into towns and then villages. Author's note: My fellow board leader captured it best when he said "Lagrimosa uses magic to achieve modern results". This can be used as a handy rule of thumb. Communications General Information Following the introduction and proliferation of magi-tech in Lagrimosa, economic concerns shifted to prioritize three new markets: Energy, Information and Transportation. With the explosion of communication methods, primarily in the form of crystal storage devices and photonic relays, came the immediate concern over authentication (assurance of claimed identity), integrity (assurance data has not been altered), and confidentiality (assurance that none but specified parties can read a piece of data). To those ends, Empire also pioneered the fields of encryption and hash algorithms, non-repudiation practices with digital signatures, and now with the advent of the Crook, the Public Encryption Cipher System (PECS) to allow civilians and citizens the same capabilities. Military technology and ciphers are known to be highly advanced, though private and public technology is catching up as corporations invest in the Information market. Terran military-grade communication systems use quantum entangled encryption to prevent interception. Systems create entangled photons, beaming one half of each pair to the receiving system, and made secure because the "observer effect" will change the quantum state of the key pair. This would make any interception obvious and also would modify the key, making it useless. A notable outlier demographic to the conventional communication methods in Lagrimosa are those that are fluent in Oldspeak (.7% of the population), who are limited by line-of-sight but require no material channels for relay. OOC discussion about some of this technology Telecom Availability As with other gifts of the Empire, the most sophisticated technology and methods tend to exist in the megacities and attenuates as one radiates outwards towards the smaller, more numerous towns and villages. One notable exception are the twinned crystal relays created and distributed by the government to any signification population center. These allow for easy, long-distance audio communication between any parties with properly tuned crystal fragments and without the need for complicated training. These simple but effective radios have drastically reduced missing persons reports and increased cultural exchange. Villages: Tribes and villages use magical means to communicate where possible. Examples of this include telepathy, oneiromancy (dream-walking), divinatory practices with water, smoke and mirrors, and shamanistic practices like reading tea leaves and animal guts or bones. Where these means are not available, visual communications rely heavily on beacons, smoke signals, and flags and audio communications rely on coded drumbeats and whistles. Towns: Towns use copper and nth wires run over natural ley-lines, piggy-backing on their natural radiation to power the communications. With this method towns are able to communicate with equivalents to telegraphs and telephones. With the advent of Tia's faux-ton relay system, towns are now able to communicate with line-of-sight-limited laser communications at millisecond speeds. Cities: Communication systems in the megacities make full use of magical theory and the technological capabilities of the nation. Three-dimensional holographic arrays (holo-arrays for short) are used primarily for relay on politics, economics, weather, and criminal activity. These relay systems make use of the military satellites and are capable of radiation communication (radio and microwave). The World Fair introduced three new pieces of technology which greatly influence communications in Lagrimosa. The first is the LIES (Luminal Illusion Entertainment System), an immersive storytelling platform which is having a notable growth effect on the Entertainment sector. The second is the 'logical' Crook technology, which allows for lossless connection between legacy crystal computing systems. This allows for the creation of ad-hoc, large-scale networks and what is being termed 'nebulous' storage. In tandem with The Storage Movement's efforts to digitize all written information, the Crook is widening information availability and increasing literacy. The third is the Faux-Ton, a materials transportation system invented by the Tia government which allows for the movement of objects at speeds many multiple that of the Lightning Rails, but limited by line-of-sight. Transportation Transportation varies between cities depending on their magi-tech saturation and biomimicry level. Below are standards found across the nation. Animal Propulsion Often used for inter-city travel. Often ridden alone or attached to a cabby. The maintenance and upkeep of a living transport makes this a largely inefficient form of inner city travel, but because a large percentage of a given city's population are short-term travelers from abroad (international foreigners, inter-city adventurers, non-natives that live elsewhere on the nation, etc), animal propulsion is still fairly common. A lot of infrastructure continues to supports this form of travel. Horses (ground), Imperial Drae (aerial) and Rider Dragons (aerial) are common mounts. Mechanical Propulsion Often used for inner city travel. Automatic wagons with steam-engines produced in Tia and gyroscopically rotating spheres with a stable core produced by Gaian engineers in Hell's Gate are the two most common examples. In densely packed city infrastructure, powered zip-lines are occasionally employed between buildings. Sea-ships and air-ships are common for travel around and between nations. Submarines, which Empire invented and introduced into the world as a counter to the Siren menace, are predominantly used to the military but are becoming more popular among wealthier merchants. Magical Propulsion Inter-city travel used to be served primarily via Rail and Gate, until consequences of the civil war combined with supernatural phenomena to cause catastrophic damage to both and bring them offline for several years. Tia's Faux-ton system is growing in popularity but has limited application until more pylons are built, able to serve only Tia and Biazo Isle at the moment. Lightning Rails - used to be magnetically propelled trains capable of traveling several hundred miles an hour. Currently offline. Tracks are used by slower, simpler, privately owned carts and trolleys for now. New - Rail services between Casper, Hell's Gate and Ignatz has been restored. New - Lightning Rail infrastructure between the major cities of the Terran Empire have been replaced with MagVac Train technology. Warp Gates - used to be stabilized portals and the only reliable method of teleportation in Lagrimosa. Currently offline. Faux-ton System - Tia patented technology that converts matter to energy to achieve subliminal travel speeds. Currently online but limited in presence. Government and Politics Odin Haze is recognized as the Saint of Gaianism and King of the Terran Empire. Odin's rule is one of enlightened absolute monarchy, and his administration embraces logic and expertise as the driving force for fiats and policy. The arts, sciences, education and social welfare all flourish under Odin's regime, a near polar opposite to the dark ages of King Levas and Zengi. Though Odin Haze rules Lagrimosa as a whole, the megacities under him are ruled over by individual regents that interpret federal law and administer local policy. Some are federally appointed, some are democratically elected, some are rulers by heritage; political states are a very fluid dynamic in the megacities. Each megacity also has a PeaceKeeper, a high-ranking military official to add balance and division of labor. There are also present in the massive Terran continent enclave baronies and kingdoms, which are independent governments. Examples include Taen, Predator's Keep, and Amalia. The Gaian Academy is a national research university located on Deepview Island, an inland island and part of the Ponkapoag Lake Archipelago. It is the premier education center in the nation, some say even globally, and has also begun to establish itself as a competitive research facility. Law Author's note: I don't have a full legal system written out and likely never will because the complexity of that endeavor doesn't interest me. In terms of what's legal reference real bodies of law for basics, so imagine that things like theft, assault, perjury, slavery, murder and so on are illegal. Each city has a local police force to operate within its limits and the military employs federal investigators who are able to enforce law anywhere in the nation. The Safeguard Act - Prohibits the use of unlicensed magic in specific cities. In each city there's a congress, which is made up of majority and minority leaders from each city. The majority leader is the elected official of a city (usually but not always), and the minority leader is usually the one who lost the elections but still represents a significant portion of the electorate. The king decides on issues which affect everyone. If regents are in conflict about any change, the king is the final word and can supersede any motion. The king also appoints chief of staff for various departments, such as the head of the military, the bureau of science, internal investigations, as well as determines who makes up the supreme court out of nominees put forward by the congress. In criminal investigations Empire's law enforcement makes use of various forms of divination, in particular retrocognition and psychometry, as well as Gaian candles of truth and clergy to compel honesty. Each megacity has at least one maximum security prison to house the most dangerous local criminals, such as terrorists, political prisoners, the excessively violent or those with gang affiliations. With Empire penology skewing towards rehabilitation rather than deterrence or retribution and treating most criminal offenses as mental health issues, the megacities also have a larger distribution of minimum security prisons for non-violent offenders. Minimum security prisons populate the city at the ratio of 1:15 compared to libraries, hospitals, and schools. Lagrimosa also has one super-max prison in the Dead Peaks, aptly titled the Dead Peaks Prison. The Dead Peaks Prison is the most secure level of custody in the nation, purpose-built towards providing long term, segregated housing for inmates classified as posing a threat to national health (a classification that designates one a danger to people or life rather than to information or infrastructure) or international security risks. Recently the Dead Peaks Prison has gone offline with the loci event that saw the Shawnee Glacier covering most of the Wasteland. Empire exercises capital punishment nationwide for criminals that pose an unmanageable threat or show no potential for reform. Military Terran Military (Overview and Information) Terran Military is made up of ~2% of the population (approximately 6 million). Odin Haze, as King of the Terran Empire, is also its Commander-in-Chief, exercising total authority over the military. Edward Brown (5-star General and PeaceKeeper handler) is Odin's right hand man and adviser, the highest military authority other than the King himself. He is involved in the day-to-day responsibilities of maintaining the military, government, and nation. The complex that stores and relays information, innovates military technology and strategy, and is responsible for national security is known as Central. Despite its name Central has no central location. It has a manifold presence throughout the nation, and those few offices that are permanently stationed and open to the public are often underground. Note that this enigmatic and transient nature applies to the most secure aspects of Central and do not apply to the various local agencies found in the cities such as Immigration, Sanitation, Education, local Law enforcement, and so on. The path to citizenship in Empire requires a 2 year service in the military (or ranking to Sergeant) and bestows the ability to vote for officials and own and pass down land. Foreign Relations In regards to foreign policy Empire is an autarky and practices a modified form of isolationism, declining to enter into alliances and international agreements, and generally attempting to make their economy as self-reliant as possible. Where Empire deviates from traditional isolationism is in their support of free trade, travel, and certain, limited, trade agreements with other kingdoms and nations. You can read more about Empire's political relations in Terran Military - Allies and Enemies. Economy A large part of Empire's internal economy is dungeon based (see: professional adventures), with adventurers taking on the high-risk work of crawling dungeons for the high reward of prized cultural artifacts and items of power; although this has led to some legal conflicts regarding ownership of artifacts, these disputes are generally handled in the courts after the adventurer has been paid for his or her legal reclamation efforts. Some towns and cities pivot around this, specializing in crafted weaponry, armor, and healing potions. Others are known to offer tours through cleared levels of dungeons and vaults for tourists. Because the task of increasing the nation's food security was the first and foremost priority of the Haze regime, understanding that one cannot create if one is starving, Empire focused its considerable resources on agronomy and crafted several techniques and tools for high-yield farming. This has greatly increased Empire's ability to self-sustain without foreign aid even when its economy falls. Empire exports a great deal of utility (i.e. non-combat) magi-tech and magical and scientific knowledge to other countries, and supplements its national income with submarine exploration of natural resources throughout the large tracts of Valucre which are underwater. Empire's economic and market systems revolve around precious metals. Crystals and other minerals are valuable as spell components but are not fungible. Copper, silver, gold, and platinum are the most common precious metals traded and used for purchase. Value is determined by weight and type, not by design or origin, allowing travelers and immigrants from other countries to more easily integrate. 1 oz of Tin = .25 USD 1 oz of Copper = 2 USD 1 oz of Silver = 10 USD 1 oz of Gold = 50 USD 1 oz of Platinum = 100 USD 1 oz of Rhodium = 500 USD. Each metal currency comes in fractions as well, such as half-ounce and quarter-ounce coins. These prices are not an accurate reflection of real world costs. You can read more about special metals and materials in the Terran Materials List. Terran population demographics Teran religion demographics History Condensed Terran Timeline Major Historical Periods These events are from most recent to oldest.

New lore article: https://www.valucre.com/lore.html/tellusmater/alterion/alterion-overview-r738/ Please see Alterion Snap-Shot for a more condensed informational. Expect Heavy Updates and formatting in the months to come. Alterion is a nation in Tellus Mater, a continent in the southeast region of Valucre. At approximately 3.7 Million square miles, Alterion is roughly the size of China. It shares Elendaron's southern border via land bridge and is a short airship voyage to Renovatio. Unlike most nations in Valucre, Alterion does not have a single ruling body, but rather possess three city states that regulate, maintain, provide for and protect the populace. The only uniting factor shared by the souls that rule these cities, aside from greed, is their strict adherence to the Masonic Faith. From an outsider's perspective the nation of Alterion is a theocracy with the High Mason as it's ruler, but only the very foolish believe this to be true. Despite all claims to the contrary, Alterion is an oligarchy. The High Mason has very little power and instead defers all matters of National Security to the Four Companies. Daius Industries, Proteus Enterprises, Aureus Labs and Magnus Corp all play a critical role in the nation and they all scheme to gain the strongest hold over the High Mason, rather that was the case before Magnus Corp fell apart. In a ruthless move to seize control, Daius Industries asserts it's will over the High Mason, threatening to end the struggle for power that has existed since the founding of the nation. Founded as a theocracy under Riva, the Masonress, Alterion soon fell prey to the iron grip of the Four Merchant Companies, MaGNUS, Proteus, Daius and Aureus. Note: The leader of Daius Industries, Ocelot Royce, has seized command of the Church and now sits as the High Mason. Through his restructuring policies he now rules Alterion as Prime Minister of Commerce, and has exerted full authority over the remaining city states. With Ocelot Royce now sitting as High Mason and the CEO of Daius Industries, Proteus Enterprises and Aureus Labs, Alterion is fully under the control of the current High Mason. Notice: The cities and locations listed below are major locations. Not represented on this list are a number/hundreds, if not thousands of smaller kingdoms, fiefdoms, outlying villages, smaller towns, meadows, etc which users are free to make up and exploit for their own dramatic purposes. The three Major cities are extremely well fortified and overpopulated. Your character or ragtag group of misfits won't be able to do much damage to a major city as a whole, at least not without a great amount of effort. Consider each Major city as Kingdoms of their own right, with all paying tribute to the High Mason. Cosanastre Region The Holy Cities Arkadia Prime Region The Cities of Tomorrow Izral Region The Free Cities Xaengri-La The Celestial Realm Cosanastre (Proper) 1 1 1 Chamre 2 2 2 Kageroth 3 3 3 Opharion 4 4 4 Vysroth 5 5 5 Setroth 6 6 6 Arysene 7 7 7 Zompoc 8 8 8 Brummagen 9 9 9 - - - - G E O G R A P H Y Climate During the reign of MaGNUS Corp, the Alterian people learned how to manipulate the atmosphere via technologikal and Alchemical means. Alterion receives all four seasons, but is known to have very mild winters, being a land of spring storms and fall rains more than winter and cold. The people believe that the Crystal helps keep the weather in check and this has largely proven to be true. Most hurricanes and storms that build off the coast of Alterion rarely make landfall and those that do, leave few casualties in their wake. Overall, Alterion can have it’s sweltering days in the summer, but is largely a pleasant and mild locale. It’s snow capped peaks are known for their cold bite, however, and its coasts are known to have creeping tides that can pull an unsuspecting soul out to sea, at times. Topography Alterion is slightly a mountainous region, with the Kageroth Mountains stretching across it’s center. It is largely a land of forests, plains and meadows, however. Surrounded by water on three sides, it’s coasts and beaches are some of the most romantic locations in all of the known world and also possess some of the most dangerous creatures in its depths. Flora and Fauna I intend to leave plant life at the player’s discretion. Having said the only lore I’ve toyed with of note regarding fauna and agriculture thus far is detailed below. Alterion is flush with various types of plants, many of which are used in alchemic concoctions and various other chemicals. As the player, feel free to create your own type of plants and creatures. Notify me of their creation and I’ll add them to the Lore page. You can read more in the Alterion section of the Bestiary and Race Codex Despite its vast urban city-scapes, Alterion is quite rich in agriculture. Though, Izral specializes in genetically modifying and distributing produce, Alterion as whole can provide for itself. Alterion's coastal regions, with their sandy, soft soil terrain are ideal for fruit and vegetable growth. Alterion is the largest producer of citrus in the known world and has cross bred a particular hybrid known as the Cosa Blood Orange—named so due to the Crimson color of the orange's pulp. Alterion does have difficulty cultivating a lasting row crop, however, these crops usually see a boom in production thanks to genetic engineering. Cities, Provinces, Territories Alterion is a booming hub of technology, with it’s primary Regions all having access to advanced technology. For a more detailed look at the individual regions and their varying designs please visit the links provided above in the introduction. Alterion has three massive regions and numerous disparate villages, towns, baronies and lordships around the nation. The three major regions are population dense and, thanks to advanced technology and spell crystals vary in tone and design. Outside of the major cities the Alterion wilderness is horrific, wild and unbroken. It is not uncommon for the merchant or fool hardy hunter to venture on their on beyond the protected regions and wind up dead. Alterion is scattered with ‘unaffiliated cities.’ (disparate villages, towns, baronies and lordships that do not adhere to the Masonic Faith). These small towns and villages have limited to no technology and range from rural, feudal villages, to lower steam punk tech. They’re referred to as ‘unaffiliated’ since they have not sworn fealty to the Masons and, as such, are not always afforded protection from bandits, rebels and monsters. C U L T U R E · Alterion is flush with cultural stemming from a blend of multiple locales and time periods, one such as Victorian London/America and its reliance on corporations during its industrial revolution. As well as Chinese culture due to long periods of trade with the outside world, but its systematic reliance on a caste system and honor bound code of conduct. Alterion was designed to allow players to write whatever they desire without searching various subforums for a specific genre. The City-States allow a rich modern/steam punk/sci fi culture, along with its affiliated cities, while the unaffiliated cities and unconquered realms allow for any other genre ranging from fantasy to cyberrpunk, pending your desire. A citizen living within one of the mega cities, or an affiliated city, is literate, adequately versed in alchemic theory to make use ofAlterion crystals and technology, is aware of common metaphysical phenomena (ghosts, rituals, telepathy, charms, hexes, etc), and is often capable of using Alchemy (“magic”) as a result of scholarly pursuit and understanding. A native from one of the unaffiliated towns or unconquered regions is less likely to be literate and have empirical insight into Alchemy and metaphysical phenomena. Instead, their ability to use metaphysica is a result of hereditary traditions and cultural myths. Their understanding of alchemy is intuitive rather than logical, making them more susceptible to charlatans and superstitious fears. But, steeped in tradition and removing empirical observation as an obstacle, more young tend to be able to wield powerful, ancient abilities. An Alterian from any part of the nation tends to be robust due to exposure to the Crystal’s energy and Masonic religious practices and have a strong fortitude and charisma about them. Language The Primary spoken language of Alterion is Alterrin. It can be compared to Chinese and its multiple dialects. It has various dialects (well over 200), but the best known in order of use. 1) Indigenous; the standard dialect, very proper lots of honorifics. Used exclusively by the uppers with other uppers or with those they are showing a high regard for. 2) Lesser; bastardization of the first. very gruff, very urban. 3) Muhiran dialect, a blend of 1 and the muhiran tongue. Most common amongst the merchant and lower classes. 4) Rosinderian dialect; a blend of 1 and the rosinderian tongue. Most common amongst the uppers and middle class. Politics & Religion Political Turmoil and Affiliation ; The Crystal ; Masonism: The Clergy ; The Rebellion, Alterion Religion and Mythology Politics and religion in Alterion are largely one and the same, with the nations largest religious body, The Masons, also being the dominant political force in the realm. The dominant religion of Alterion is Masonism. It is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Riva the Masonress as presented in canonical gospels and other writings. Adherents of the Masonic faith are known as Masons.Masonism advocates acceptance of all beings, but not at the cost of its tenants, violence is not encouraged, but accepted as a means of furthering the faith and promoting safety. Masons are accepting of every faith, creed, ideology and race believing all stem from the Crystal. This also includes Unnaturals and Outsiders provided their existence promotes the greater good. If determined otherwise, Masons eradicate Unnaturals, Outsiders and Xenos with unparalleled righteous fury. The Masons have been warring with a faction of fanatics known as The Rebellion since the founding of the church. Alterians believe in an afterlife and in the existence of alternate planes of existence. The Alterion refer to the realm of their Archon's as Valholl (the hall of heroes). It is considered to be similar to Renovatio's realm of Qua'Xar. Alterion's also recognize the existence of Inferno and utilizes their own version of Heaven's Gate called Xaengri-La for entering and travel between the realms. The celestial plane that encompasses all these realms is referred to as Xaengri-La, as well. Government Alterion is unique in that it can fit a multitude of definitions. To the outside world, it’s a Theocracy with the Masons ruling over the people by divine right of the Crystal. Those within the nation itself, Alterion very much appears an Oligarchy, with a select few (Regents, CEOs, Crime Bosses) working together to rule over the populace. To those who fill these shoes, Alterion is known as an Autocracy with the High Mason, Ocelot Royce having absolute authority over the nation, as a whole. Alterion is composed of three Regions, each the size of a small nation in their own right. All three Regions now operate at the pleasure of the Masons, but have been broken up into different Province's with each Province being ruled by a Regent. As the largest region, Cosanastre is split into the most Province, and is Alterion's capitol city. Each Province's Regent is granted authority over their Province(city/kingdom) and granted the right to rule as they see fit, provided they follow two basic tenants. First, they must continuously pay taxes to the Mason's, for protection both physical and spiritual and second, they must swear fealty to the High Mason. Though Ocelot rarely calls upon his Regents, he expects loyalty from all of his citizens. Education The Masons provide an education for every man woman and child at their various temples and chapter houses scattered throughout Alterion. The Uppers often hire tutors for their children and their are private academies and universities available for those who can afford them. There is public education, as funded by the Masons for all children in Alterion, regardless of age or station (though children of the Uppers/the Nobility often receive private schooling to prevent them from mixing with undesirables.) The Masonic Clergy also provide schooling to any who seek knowledge, but reserve the secrets of their Alchemy for those who have earned the privilege. I N F R A S T R U C T U R E National Flag Law and Order The Poors Sons; The Justicar The Masons are the ruling political body of Alterion. They are represented in the Alterion Justice system by two separate, yet equally important groups: The Poor Sons who attempt to stop and apprehend criminals and the Justicar who wage righteous justice on those who have offended the state. Certain members of the Masonic Clergy may pass judgement as well, but the Justicar corps often serve as judge, jury and executioner. It is not uncommon, however, to see a Justicar apprehend criminals. It’s worth nothing the Masons maintain national oversight, but individual Regents reserve the right to rule their Province/Kingdom as they see fit. The Poor Sons and The Justicar still have authority, but will (almost always) defer to the Regent’s government in matters of the Provincial Courts. So essentially, you have the Masonic Courts and the Provincial Courts. The same applies for Provincial defense. It’s safe to assume there will always be Poor Sons and Justicar stationed somewhere in all the Province’s but, again, they will (almost always) defer to whoever the Regent places in charge of their Province’s security. Foreign relations Alterion is far from an isolationist nation, but it primarily deals in exports, feeling it can provide for its people. Certain imports are permitted, provided they come through Masonic sanctioned vendors, but overall Alterion prefers to operate as an intermediary, moving what would be their imports to a third party before it touches Alterion soil. It's a poorly kept secret that the Masons and Daius Industries are large supporters of piracy/privateers , particularly Sky Pirates, and pay decent and fair wages to those who provide consistent service. Alterion has signed no official treaty's with any foreign body's but remain on good terms with most nations. | Terrenus Alterion holds Terrenus in what regard it's due for its 'World Superpower' status. That being said, Alterion is not overly fond of Terrenus' lax view of invaders in its own territory, nor is it particularly fond of its high non-hume population. Alterion maintains a small amount of trade, for appearance sake, but prefers to remain out of Terrenite affairs. | Genesaris Alterion does not deal with Genesaris, as a whole. Aside from the vast diverse races and religions, Alterion prefers to deal with some of Genesaris' smaller nations. Alterion's dislike of Genesaris stems more from Xenophobia than anything else. | Cold South / Kadia Alterion is on good terms with the Cold South and considers the nation its closest trading partner aside from Renovatio. In addition to shared values, the two nations are known to fulfill various work contracts for mutual benefit. | Rising West --Aelindra City Much like the Cold South, Alterion is on good terms with Aelindra City, but the relationship is more tenuous. Whereas the Cold South and Alterion are bound politically, Aelindra and Alterion are bound only by business. Mostly, Alterion waits to see if Aelindra will adopt the Xenophobic values of the Cold South before it will commit more of its resources. | Orisia As a city run by an unnatural (specifically one not motivated by greed), Orisia is seen as a nation that must be conquered and cleansed. | Muhir Alterion is on neutral terms with Muhir. Given that both nations pay tribute to Tellus (albeit in different ways), Alterion does not view Muhir as a heretic, merely misguided. As such it maintains regular trade routes with the nation. | Renovatio Renovatio is Alterion's closest trading partner. As the two largest technological powerhouses of Valucre, Renovatio and Alterion keep a steady peace, but have yet to official declare one another as allies. Recently, each nations premier shinobi clan have formed an alliance and held a joint examination for students, making strides towards a better tomorrow. | Rosinder Prior to its abrupt disappearance, Rosinder was Alterions most frequent antagonist. The highly religious technophobic Kingdom was constantly at odds with Alterion. Despite its vehement stance towards Rosinder Alterion’s view the nation as their honored enemy. To this end they view Elandaron with a great deal of disdain and hatred. National Defense The Royal Alterion Military; The Masonic Imperial Family ; Alterion Mecha The Nation of Alterion is defended by the Masons, in conjunction with multiple Businesses and Private Military Companies. Much like the King would press his Nobles into service, any PMC or Weapons Manufacturer that wishes to continue doing business in Alterion (or continue living) are required to assist the Masons in all matters of National Defense. Ocelot Royce, as High Mason, serves as Supreme Leader of Alterion and is also its Commander-in-Chief, exercising total authority over the military. Enacting a practice wherein all students must complete military training prior to graduation, Ocelot has raised the number of military participation from 15% to 60%. A majority of the Alterion populace serves the military in one capacity or another. The Royal Alterion Military of the Masons is broken down into Multiple Branches: Branches Sanctum—The High Mason’s personal soldiers. An elite subset within RioT. COMMANDER: HIGH MASON RioT—Genetically modified super soldiers, beholden to the High Mason. COMMANDER: HIGH MARSHSALL Justicar- Holy Knights of the church. COMMANDER: HIGH INQUISITOR ARMADA—Heavy Artillery. Maintains and pilots Alterion's massive war machines. COMMANDER: HIGH FIST Radicals—Black Ops Intelligence Agency COMMANDER: HIGH KING, PRINCE SEER—Alterion’s version of a Mage Council. Made up of Alchemists and the brightest minds of Alterion. COMMANDER: HIGH OVERSEER Poor Sons & Proteus-- Weapon Masters and foot soldiers. The general military of the Masons. The Regents sit on the High Mason’s Council and have a voice in matters of War, but final say is ultimately the High Mason’s.Ocelot's Council consists of his personally appointed Ministers, The Cabinet (Any and all Regents of Alterion, including Cosanastre, Ark Prime and Izral), Military High Command and the Royal Family.  The Rebellion The ever present enemy to all Crystal fearing Alterians. To those who serve the Masons they are seen as pirates and terrorists. To those who will not suffer the yolk of Masonic rule they are freedom fighters and revolutionaries. Economy Currency Despite dealing heavily in crystals, Alterion currency is known as Notes. A note may be transcribed via alchemic sigil on special alchemic paper (this is the most common form of currency among the populace) but the more tech savvy traders are capable of transferring Notes through specialized alchemic crystals (all managed and monitored by the Masons.) The particular brand of alchemic paper, the specialized and treated ink, and the specialized sigils used are closely guarded secretes of the masons, making counter fitting a nigh impossible task from outside of the organization. Exchange Rate: A Note may be loaded with any specific type of currency. Given that most of the world trades in precious metals, (ie. Tin Copper SIlver Gold Platinum, Rhodium, etc) Alterion notes typically reference these. (ie. a 10 Gold Note, exchanges for 10 oz of Gold. ) Alterion's wealth of precious crystals and jewels and its booming alchemical prowess means the nation is usually able to create, trade or (thanks to the booming sky pirate trade) steal almost every known currency. Magic and Technology Crystallyns, Tellyns and other Preternaturals; Tellus Seeds Alterion doesn't practice traditional magic, viewing magic unaided by the Crystal as of questionable means. The closest thing to Mages Alterion has would be the Alchemists. While Alterion does practice traditional alchemy and chemistry, the term has become something of a catch all for abilities granted via the Crystal.Other forms of magic exist and are practiced in secret within, Alterion—but it's not something the populace likes acknowledging.The most common forms of Alchemy (Magic) within Alterion follows and are in order from Common to Exceptional. Please note: that the order does not dictate supremacy over the other, merely the level of exposure. Common Knowledge Alteria/Alterna— Imbued with the power of the Crystal these manufactured crystals come in all shapes and sizes and grant individuals abilities and powers they might not otherwise have, and/or enhance current abilities/powers. Crystallyn—Crystallyns are individuals infused with the Crystal's power, either by genetic enchantment or by virtue of birth (given that the Crystals power literally infects the land it resides in, it's very common for children to be born with preternatural abilities.) They can be considered something of a demi-god. Masonic Alchemy —Just as the Runemaster serves as the jack-of-all-trades for the magical community, so too does the Alchemist serve the psionic/scientific. The alchemist uses scientific knowledge and complex formulae in conjunction with Alchemic symbols to unleash devastating attacks. Just as a Runemaster studies spells and their workings, an alchemist studies the world and it's compounds in order to manipulate it. There are numerous schools of Alchemy each of which differ in their results, but all operate off of the same principle of equivalent exchange. Many practice the basics of Masonic Alchemy, but few can claim to be a master of a specific School. Tellyn—the term reserved for individuals who have consumed a Tellus Seed and gained supernatural abilities as a result. Considered a lower level demi-god. Rare Knowledge Althane—a race of greater demigods resulting from the breeding of the The Guild with the indigenous people of Alterion. They left Alterion when the Alteri and the Guild fled, but unlike their ancestors have been known to visit the mortal realm from time-to-time. The Guild—a pantheon of gods and goddesses that are descended from the Alteri. They are sometimes referred to as Archons and High Archons by Renovatians and the Altarr, by Alterians. The Alteri— The primordial deities spawned from the Crystal during its descent into the Alterion landmass. They were exceptionally powerful beings revered as nature spirits and elementals. They birthed the Altarr, the gods and goddeses of the Guild. Technology and Setting From a technological standpoint Alterion is on par, if not a small step ahead of Renovatio—if only in regards to biotechnology. Alterion is a blend of dark science fantasy and horror. There are certainly modern and futuristic elements, at play. You'll see motor cars, you'll also see horse(and various other creature)drawn carriages. You'll see men in doublets and men in jerkins alongside men in business suits. You'll see a man in a suit of armor. It's common for people to utilize swords and other bladed weaponry as guns (as is the case with most RP) aren't tried and true methods of stopping an attacker. Older sections of certain Provinces may have archaic temples and castles with vaulted skyscrapers looming over them. How is Alterion tech affected elsewhere? Alterion technology operates via crystal energy from synthetic crystals. Unless you are in close proximity to the Crystal or crystal reactors (ie. if you’re not in Alterion and there are no sources of Crystal energynear ) then your power is finite. Alterion tech can usually function in other realms, but since it operates on auxiliary energy it is only as powerful as that land can provide (ieAlterion weapons in Terrenus are bound by that boards limitations, but function normally in Alterion. Political Climate & Important Events Political Turmoil & Affiliations Alterion has three distinct and powerful political factions at play: The Masons, The Hunters and the Rebellion. These three groups represent the greatest military forces on Alterion, and their relations are very vital to the balance of power and maintaining the Alterion Nation. The three powers exist in a delicate balance of power, not all the details of which are known. It is however known that only the other two organizations are equivalent to the Masons' military might. While there are certainly more than three organization at the end of the day, a player/groups alliance will fall into one of these three Categories. Heroes have emerged within all three factions, and infighting is common among them, but full out war has been averted for a number of years. H I S T O R Y Condensed Alterion Timeline Major Historical Periods These events are from oldest to most recent. The Republic of Alterion Settlers from the Muhir and Rosinder regions, fled their homelands for various reasons and commingled with the native Alterian's, who revered the Crystal as a god. They eventually established a thriving republic, wherein the wealthiest individuals made up a senatorial body, contingent upon election by the people. Dependent upon a patron-client relationship, the republic thrived and spread across Alterian, forming a vast merchant empire. During the Republic's reign a number of slave revolts occurred, leading to what would become the First Rebellion. Claiming the Crystal was not a true Deity but a malevolent entity from another world, the rebellion was subsequently crushed by the republic forces, but not before it destabilized the republic. Era of the Winter King The republic attempted to stay strong for a multitude of years, but eventually lost its waning stability to a warlord called The Winter King. The Winter King reigned for a very short decade before being deposed and the republic took control again. Vowing not to repeat it's mistakes, the republic reformed into a genuine merchant Empire with the most prosperous family serving as Emperor. It was during the reign of the Empire that a young woman stepped forward claiming to be the Crystal incarnate, Riva the Masonress. The Age of Riva and the Rebirth of Rebellion Riva rose up against the empire and spoke out against the corruption in the senate. Calling for lighter tax on free merchants and stricter regulations on the slave trade, Riva soon made allies within the Merchant Guild and used these contacts to build her army and eventually overthrow the republic/empire. The remnants of the original Empire scattered across Alterion, going on to reform into several rebellious factions that plague the Masons and the Corporations, to this day. The Masonic Theocracy Upon seizing control, Riva began the arduous process of building her church, the Cathedral, around the Crystal itself. Riva's design of the monolithic temple and further blueprints for her ideal city were used throughout the years to expand Cosanastre—building the new world atop the ashes of the old.Of all the merchant families and allied organizations that followed her, the four most powerful ruled alongside the young Madonress and eventually spread to found the remaining cities of Alterion.The MaGNUS collective of merchants, the Proteus Company Caravan Guard, The Daius Syndicate of Pirates and the Aureus School of Scholars and learned men—these Titans of industry founded the four ruling companies and oversaw the protection of Riva and her Masons, long after her death. The Hidden Oligarchy Riva soon died and her body disappeared, leaving the Corporations to elect a puppet High Mason. For the next several generations Alterion saw the nation ruled by a collective of four corporations—each vying for control of the High Mason, while the people prospered or suffered as the ruling company deemed fitting. Within the last generation MaGNUS Corp gained control and maintained their position, but Alterion was destined to never know peace or stability. The Royce Conspiracy MaGNUS fell, under mysterious means, though many believed a young Daius Operative, Ocelot Royce responsible for the act. As was the case, the corporations began their quiet power struggle and Daius rose to the top, their CEO and High King Long Tom Gallin claiming superiority and control of the High Mason. Long Tom was eventually betrayed and replaced by his adoptive son, Ocelot Royce. In a move, as rash as it was daring, Ocelot also assassinated the High Mason and seemingly merged with the Crystal, claiming his actions guided by the deity's divine will. Resurgence of the Winter King In an unprecedented move, Ocelot Royce named himself High Mason and CEO of Daius Industries (High King of the Daius Syndicate). In order to secure his power, Ocelot moved against Proteus and Aureus, engaging the rival companies in a successful hostile takeover, adding Proteus Enterprises and Aureus Labs as subsidiaries of Daius Industries. Though the Rebellion remains an ever present threat in Izral, it remains the sole city not officially under Ocelot Royce's purview.

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