『 CONTENT WARNING 』
ad meliora may contain most of, if not all, the following:
Graphic/Explicit Gore and Violence, Death or Dying, Explicit Language, Implied Sexual Content, Period-typical Attitudes, Body Horror, and Potentially Disturbing Material.« ad meliora is rated 18+ only for its mature content. »

ad meliora is a private, semi-sandbox style and high fantasy TTRPG based solely on Discord. While primarily RP and gameplay focused we also double as somewhat art-based.The nature of the group's setting is to keep you and/or your noble bloodline surviving, be it through political subterfuge or total war among the noble houses. Survival is key for everyone in this world, as brutal as it can be. Set in a world only slightly similar to our own, you must navigate it through your characters' eyes.The group is heavily character interaction and dialogue focused, every choice and action your character makes will affect the story in some way or another via a butterfly effect.You create and drive the story.

The themes that will be predominantly explored in ad meliora include, feudalistic hierarchies, political conflict & drama, moral ambiguity, character development, relationship development, magic & realism, violence & death, open world exploration & adventure, environmentalism, and survival.

『 Inspiration behind the group is heavily drawn from the ASOIAF book series, the visual novel game Lamento -Beyond the Void-, and the animated film Princess Mononoke. Anything else is purely little bits and pieces picked up here and there or purely our own brainchild. 』

Server Rules

RP Rules

Character Creation Rules

Frequently Asked Questions

Q What exactly are you looking for in characters?A We're looking for interesting and well thought out characters who will be open to development! The group is heavily decision based and the actions your characters take will have an effect on the overall plot and progression of the group’s story. You guys are in charge of pushing the plot forward with your character’s actions, whether it be fully starting wars or trying to underhandedly usurp the monarchy! A lot of the story and decisions within ad meliora are almost solely based on your character’s personal morals and not just what the player OOC wants, as such, characters with interesting motivations are something we keep an eye out for.

Q Do I need to draw well?A No not really! The group is considerably writing based, so drawing isn't a must have skill; but visuals of your character will be necessary to join.

Q Do I need to write well?A Yes actually, although we'll accept most of any writing format, only that it must be readable.

Q How many members are you accepting in total?A As of now? The tentative threshold is twenty (20) players in total, but this may change. We are currently at 10 players total!

Q How many characters am I allowed to have?A Short answer: However many you can handle having!
Long answer: When you first join you're allowed two freebie character slots right off the bat. Any others are purchased through our currency system!

Q What are the requirements for activity?A While we're not exactly an activity check-driven group as of now (we do have some in-world events!), it will be required of you to engage with other members within the realm of possibility for the individual, as well as completing RPs are a must. We're fairly lax because we're familiar with those who may have chronic illnesses or personal schedules that may get in the way of things, we get it! Life happens, and it always comes first! However that's not an invitation to join the server and never interact at all, try to be engaged as much as you can! We don't like to have ghosts in our roster!

Q Why do you have a currency system?A It's purely incentive-based; coin is obtained through artwork and literature submissions so you can purchase fun goodies or extra characters. While we're very casual in terms of individual activity, it is disheartening to see players join and never interact in the server. So, one of the solutions was adding these sort of incentives! Don't worry, all's fair as it also applies to the GMs, we have to grind for what we want too so we'll be right there with you 🤞

Q Is there a set time zone this group will be mostly active during?A Yes and no! The GMs are in very different time zones themselves (roughly ~8 hours between them) so what we mainly do is establish things like deadlines and whatnot at the EST time zone to work with our own! Though, with that being said, RP itself and events will be determined with players' time zones also taken into consideration-- but a specific time zone that we will be mostly active during is nondeterminative so as to accommodate everyone!

Q Can a character’s status(es) change within RP?A Yes, given certain and specific conditions. Characters born into nobility will always have the Noble status unless they become a Priest, become a Maester, join the Swords of Evenfall, they are disowned by their family, OR their house is dismantled by the crown. In fact, any previous status is completely dropped upon the character becoming a Sword of Evenfall, Priest, Maester, or Knight of the Queensguard. A character that has the Squire status can move upwards to a Knight status given the appropriate RP of them being knighted is logged. Nobles can even later tack on a second status, but as mentioned on the Mechanics page, you can only stack two statuses at a time! If your character is Noble and a Knight and instead becomes studious to be a Noble and a Scholar, you can’t just switch between Knight and Scholar whenever, you have to choose one of those two.

Q Are there any other locations or continents other than Mazura?A Sorry, but no :( We're still working on filling up the current continent itself, but maybe in the future we'll entertain the thought of adding another faraway terra firma...!

Q Are there any restrictions on colors for family crests?A As long as you can come up with the closest fitting blazoning (i.e. azure, purpure, brunâtre, etc.) then you're free to use any color you'd like-- we're not greatly concerned with the rule of tincture, so don't worry too much.

Community Challenge

Community Challenges are collaborative optional events that the server works to achieve together, posted at the beginning of each month. The challenge is a word subject prompt, which you can interpret however you'd like and submit with any individual character. Completing the prompt within the time of its release will earn double the amount of coin than usually available at submissions. If a goal is reached, everyone who participated will receive a specific reward in addition.On each monthly shift, a community goal will be set. If a certain number of total players complete the prompt challenge, everyone who participated will earn an additional item as bonus, which will be randomized each month. These items can range from healing potions, to instant Attribute stat boosts, or to even more coin rewards. The community goal will be listed clearly in the monthly server update and on the website’s News page, and will fluctuate depending on how many people are currently in the server. For example, if there are 30 members, the community goal may be set at 17. If 17-- or more-- complete the set community goal, everyone who participated and completed it, receives an additional set reward for the month.CC's can be completed as artwork, literature, or roleplays (as long as it is logged sufficiently!). In the case of RPs, the characters of the participating players can be all counted for the prompt. However, you must include a minimum of 30 words in the description of your CC submission, which explains how exactly it meets the monthly prompt, and it must fit the theme! Otherwise, you can submit any of your creations for the standard amount of calculated coin as per usual._{The monthly challenge may be foregone under certain circumstances, including specific server events, GM hiatuses, etc. etc.}

The World of Ad Meliora

Mazura is a vast and sweeping world, comprised of a race of humanoid cat-people known colloquially as Mazurans. Mazura was once divided into several independent kingdoms before the start of a war known as Valerys' Conquest. After this war all the regions south of the Abyssal Plains were united under the rule of House Vamería into a nation known as the Eight Kingdoms. Mazurans have a culture of their own; feudalistic in nature and reminiscent of medieval society and high fantasy.Clicking the buttons above will direct you to everything you need to know and more!

• Feudalism
• Small Council
• Knighthood
• Maesters
• Inheritance
• Bastardy
• Age of Majority
• Marriage
• Gender & Sexuality
• Naming Customs
• Pastimes
• Idioms & Sayings
• Birthdays
• Education
• Language & Writing
• Ironborn
• Free Folk

Monarchy & Nobility

In Mazura, all authority derives from the ruling Monarch. The Monarch's right hand is their Hand of the King (or Queen). When the Monarch is sick, or unable to attend court sessions, the Hand can take their place and sit the throne to dispense justice. Additionally, nobles are charged with keeping the monarch’s peace; in the monarch’s name, they can punish criminals.It is possible for the monarch to redistribute lands and grant titles of nobility as they see fit; they may also sign bills of attainder to strip lords of their lands and incomes. A lord can conceivably hold more than one title; however, it is unusual for noble holdings to be divided or combined. Younger siblings of lords can become bannermen to their older sibling, and hold a keep in their name. Territorial disputes between landowners are adjudicated, either by the Lord, the Monarch, or their Hand.Social Ranks
^{See also: Feudalism}Mazura is a feudal society. Below the Monarch and the royal family rank the Great Houses, followed by other noble houses, both greater and small, knights (landed knights, household knights, and hedge knights), and smallfolk. Nobles are addressed as "my lord" or "my lady" by other highborn, or "m’lord", "m’lady" by the lowborn. A Monarch is always addressed as “Your Grace”.Every noble house has a house motto, while a coat of arms can be used by both nobility and knights, as a sign of status and identification (e.g. on the battlefield). Both nobles and knights can be ransomed, so in battle it might be preferred to capture them instead of killing them. 300 gold scales is considered to be a fair ransom for a knight, whereas a nobleman’s son might be ransomed for 1300 gold scales. A noble prisoner can be treated with honor and be kept in isolation in rooms as their status requires. However, making offense can result in the loss of the right for such honorable treatment.At feasts, great honor can be given to a guest by seating them on the dais, with the place of highest honor being on the right side of the host. Being seated at the far end of the hall, far from the dais, however, is regarded as a place of little honor and regard. When a lord presides over a feast, they receive the first choice of all dishes. They might send some of the especially fine dishes down to specific guests, showing friendship and respect.

Feudalism

Feudalism ascribes the societal structure of Mazura, as it largely resembles the feudal system of medieval Europe. This society is based on a rigid social structure and government consisting of kings, lords, and the peasants. Nobles rule over the smallfolk within their territories through a system of fealty and sworn oaths. In this system each Mazuran owes military service to their lord in return for protection, a grant of land, and the smallfolk to work itSocial Hierarchy
The feudal system has a rigid structure of social classes. Nepenthe Sorros and Nahirah Hestaris are examples of highborn, born into prestigious families. One cannot gain or lose their highborn status; the impoverished, exiled, and powerless nobility are still highborn. Highborn do not consider the lowborn, like former hedge knight Kareyth of Castellora, as one of them, despite their knighthood, land, keep, and banner.The highborn status is desirable. People expect highborn to differ from others in behavior, dress, speech, and given names. Highborn bastards have special surnames, highborn lords rarely ride with hedge knights (and highborn nobles are unlikely to marry them), and highborn prisoners of war are held for ransom when others are killed.Those who are not highborn are lowborn or smallfolk. Smallfolk who become members of nobility are still lowborn. Despite House Castellora’s creation most highborn scorn Ser Kareyth, and their future children will be considered lowborn. Most lowborn can, however, expect to die as commoners. There are no provisions for the advancement of individuals from a lower class into the higher classes. This is not to say that it is impossible, only that it is very difficult, usually bestowed by lords to those who have done a great service to them, or knights bestow the rank and title of Knighthood on any individual who has proven themselves worthy.Monarch
The Monarch, King, or Queen has the highest feudal rank; beneath them are the various lords and knights, with peasants, also known as smallfolk, at the bottom. The monarch sits on the royal throne, claims ownership of the land, has the final political authority and holds the ultimate power in all matters. Although in practice the monarch is constrained by political realities, and while no individual command is likely to be countermanded, they could still lose their position to intrigue if they were to offend the wrong people. Of course, as monarchs typically do not "retire", this loss of position would involve their death or abdication.A Monarch is always addressed as “Your Grace”.Lordship
In Mazura’s system of nobility, above knights and below the monarch there are only lords and ladies, some greater and some lesser, some sworn to others, but all with the same title. Nobility is hereditary, expressed through vassalage which connect between them the various owners of strongholds. Each lord has vassals; and sometimes vassals have vassals.The lords of the great houses have the highest ranks in their regions, and are vassals only to the monarch. Petty lords at the bottom have a few villages. It is the lord's responsibility to govern their lands, keep the monarch's peace, enforce law and justice on local matters, and ensure that taxes due to the monarchy are collected in a timely manner.Some lords have titles which belong only to their houses: For example, the Great House of the Veldt has the title of "Warden of the North”, and the Great House of the Narrow Plains has “Lord Paramount of the Valley”; indicators placing them in charge of their respective regions Some houses have corresponding titles from which they reside or made hereditary for them. These titles do not elevate a lord above others but simply demonstrate a house's history.A steward is a person responsible for running the day-to-day affairs of the castle and acting on the lord's behalf, typically they are a vassal to their liege lord. They may be entrusted with the castle in the lord's absence.A vassal is a person granted the use of land, in return for rendering homage, fealty, and usually military service or its equivalent to a lord or other superior. They are frequently referred to as "bannermen".The number of lordly houses is in flux, however, as over time some die out through war, or new ones are created by younger children. Minor vassal houses, of course, have a higher turnover rate than major vassal houses.Landed Knights
Landed knights are the lowest rank of the nobility: Knights who have been given a keep and grant of land to administer. They have their own peasants and men-at-arms, and may even take sworn swords. Landed knights are sworn to fight for the lord who holds dominion over their land. While the wealthiest knights manage more land than the poorest lords, landed knights do not have the authority to deliver law and justice in their land. Rather, they must appeal to their liege lord.Landed knight is a rare rank in the Veldt and is almost entirely nonexistent on the Scyllian Isles, because knighthood is culturally linked with certain regions, which is not widely practiced in those lands.Smallfolk
Commoners or smallfolk are at the bottom of the social structure. They do not own lands or titles; they work the lands of their lords, and do not have a say in their own governing. While this may seem similar to slavery or indentured servitude, the difference is that commoners do own themselves, and can make appeals to their local lord regarding violations of the law or general disagreements between parties; they are recognized as having a right to fair and just treatment by the nobility and society in general. There is a sacred law defending the rights and freedoms of smallfolk.Many of the tradesmen and craftsmen belong to guilds. There is little social mobility; odds are that if you are born a commoner, you will never be able to rise above smallfolk status. However, it does happen, and there are several examples of people who have managed it. Kareyth of Castellora was born a commoner in the Narrow Plains and rose from a traveling hedge knight to a landed knight with their own banner and words.

Small Council

The small council is a small group of advisers who aid the Lord of the Eight Kingdoms, the reigning monarch of the realm, on matters of policy and their areas of expertise.The small council traditionally consists of eight permanent members. It has reserved positions for:

Councilors can be appointed by the monarch or a regent. This can be done for a variety of reasons, for instance, to appease a certain party or region. Regents can participate in the small council, and the council may include additional members as advisors. Some queen consorts, have attended council meetings in the past.The council is headed by the reigning monarch, the only one who can make the council's decisions into law. If the monarch has not yet reached the age of majority, the small council can consent if they agree with the king's decisions. The Hand can also draft laws for the king. Once they reach the age of majority, the monarch can appoint and dismiss councilors as they will.The small council can be entrusted with handling the day-to-day governance of the kingdom, especially by monarchs uninterested in minutiae. Councilors may be called "lords" even if they are not members of the nobility. Although their allegiance should be to the monarch, councilors' loyalty may be divided by faction or region of origin.The small council meets privately in the council chamber in the Violet Palace. When the monarch is not in attendance, the Hand may sit in their place at the head of the council table. A knight of the Queensguard stands guard outside the chamber.

Knighthood

A knight is a member of a warrior tradition that is heavily interwoven in the feudal culture of Mazura. Knights occupy a social standing between that of lords and smallfolk. In contrast to nobility, this rank is not hereditary. Knights are referred to with the title "Ser".Any cat can be knighted, no matter their birth. Social pressure keeps knighthood from being exploited by unscrupulous knights who might give the accolade for money. Knighthood is seen as primarily a martial position, so even the children of powerful lords are not necessarily knighted if they are incapable of fulfilling the requirements. Doing otherwise would lose honor rather than gain it, and would make a lord and their family be held up to ridicule. Regardless, at times, a lord's child is knighted without fulfilling the requirements. Further, a young knight's reputation partially derives from the honor of the cat who conferred knighthood onto them. Receiving your knighthood from a monarch, prince or princess, Kingsguard or Queensguard knight, or legendary knight holds great prestige.Although lords hold certain legal rights (e.g., the right of pit and gallows) which knights do not have, and outrank knights at tourney’s and feasts, certain landed knights can be lord in all but name. It is mostly the title which sets the two apart, as the title of lord is generally considered to be more prestigious than the title “ser”. However, the title of a knight has its own prestige, as it cannot be inherited. And although knights are often ranked below lords, certain landed knights might actually be more powerful than lesser lords. It is certainly possible that a landed knight has more lands and wealth than a small lord. Especially landed knights who come from ancient houses, and who have extensive lands and a large, strong castle may actually be more powerful than many smaller lordlings. Such a peculiar status is often reflected by taking a style that incorporates the name of their castle, such as the Knight of Castellora.Lordly houses can be reduced to landed knights as punishment from the crown. Knighthood can also be stripped from individuals, through attainder or royal decree. Three hundred gold scales is a fair ransom for a knight from a noble house.Knights display a coat-of-arms on their shield and surcoat to identify themselves. Those who are nobly born often wear the arms of their house. Some might choose to use variations of their house's sigil, however. A knight can also choose a completely new coat-of-arms. Many knights wear large crests on their helms that embellish the theme of their arms.Any knight can make a knight. However, monarchs can make knights as well, even if they were never knighted themselves. On the other hand, lords cannot dub someone a knight if they have not previously been knighted themselves.When knighting someone in a formal manner, the dubber speaks the knight-to-be's name and House, if they have one. The dubber touches the subject on the right shoulder with their sword, and while placing the sword on the other shoulder following every sentence says:“In the name of the goddess Vhaehra I charge you to be brave. In the name of the goddess Disdona I charge you to be just. In the name of the goddess Mithra I charge you to defend the young and innocent....”In a less formal knighting ceremony, the dubber lays their sword upon the knight-to-be's right shoulder, and says:“[Name of knight-to-be], do you swear before the eyes of gods and men to defend those who cannot defend themselves, to protect all innocents and children, to obey your captains, your liege lord, and your [king], to fight bravely when needed and do such other tasks as are laid upon you, however hard or humble or dangerous they may be?”After the subject who is being knighted confirms that they will do as asked, the sword is moved to the left shoulder, and the dubber will say that the newly-made knight can rise.Practices
Knights are supposed to be honorable and follow the chivalric codes. They are expected to be brave and just, and to defend the innocent, the weak, and children. Some knights are expected to train and lead a group of men-at-arms.Knights preferably have multiple horses, including one to travel on and another to ride in tourneys and in battle. Some knights refuse to name their horses, so they are less likely to feel attached to them, as horses are likely to die in battle.The host of a tourney decides whether only knights, or also sellswords, squires, and bounty hunters are allowed to compete. The Narrow Plains, the heart of the chivalric tradition in Mazura, is the most likely place to encounter a tourney only for knights. During the joust, the cat who loses the tilt usually has to give up their armor and horse. For a poor knight, this might represent a danger. So long as a knight is armed and horsed, they remain a knight of sorts, but without, they are little more than a beggar.Types of Knights
Several different types of knights can be identified:

Kingsguard

The Sworn Brotherhood of the Kingsguard, also known poetically as the White Swords or white cloaks, are the royal bodyguards of the Throne. Regarded as the finest knights in the Eight Kingdoms, they are sworn to protect their king and the royal family with their own lives, to obey his commands, and to keep his secrets. The Kingsguard are sworn for life and are forbidden from owning land, taking a spouse, or siring children, although they can hold non-hereditary commands, such as being warden or Hand of the King.Two molly ruling monarchs, Queen Saenerys I Vamería (129 – 130 AC) and Queen Vysenys I Vamería (297 AC – Present), have operated with a Queensguard instead of a Kingsguard.Duties
The Kingsguard is composed of seven cats, all of them sworn knights. A Kingsguard knight serves for life, regardless of age or any physical or mental ailments. When an invalid Kingsguard knight is incapable of performing his duties, they are taken up by his sworn brothers. The knights of the Kingsguard are forbidden to marry, sire children, and to hold land. Regardless, the White Swords may retain or be granted certain titles.The first duty of the Kingsguard is defending the king from harm. They are sworn to obey the king's commands, to keep his secrets, to counsel him when requested and to keep silent when not, and to defend his name and honor. The king can decide to extend the protection offered by the Kingsguard to others. Some kings have chosen to extend this protection to their wives, children, and other relatives, and some have even chosen to grant this protection to their lovers, mistresses, and bastards. The Kingsguard are sworn to protect the queen, though not from anything the king might do. They are also sworn not to harm any member of the royal family.In order to protect the king and the royal family night and day, the seven-man Kingsguard must rely to some degree on others. A child of the royal family may have their own sworn shield and other knights are trusted with the king's security when the entire Kingsguard meets in White Sword Tower. The queen may be guarded by their own sworn shield, or household knights.The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard serves on the king's small council. When the small council is in session, one of the Kingsguard always stands guard outside the council chambers, while another is usually posted at the end of the bridge into Vaesa's Holdfast.Equipment
The Kingsguard wear all white cloaks and intricate suits of white enameled scales, their fastenings for breastplate and other pieces made of silver. They alone bear the right to carry a pure white unemblazoned shield. Their white armor has little decoration, although some members wear decorative brooches or gaudy helms. The Kingsguard's standard depicts seven silver swords encircling a golden crown.Appointments
The rite for making a new member of the White Swords can vary. It can be a solemn and formal event in which the knight kneels as he makes his vows before the king, and he then receives the white cloak of the Kingsguard from the Hand of the King or the Lord Commander himself. The new Kingsguard might then be anointed by the High Priest in the names of the Seven.The Lord Commander is always chosen by the king, with seniority and ability playing parts in the decision. Also, the Lord Commander is generally chosen from the existing pool of the Kingsguard.White Book
The white cloaks' uninterrupted history since its creation during the reign of King Valerys I Vamería is recorded in the White Book, formally named The Book of the Brothers. The White Book is kept in the White Sword Tower, the tower of the Voilet Palace in the Citadel which is home to the Kingsguard. Every knight who has ever served in the Kingsguard has a page in the book, on which his deeds are recorded. The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard is tasked with keeping the entries up to date, while priests come three times a year from the Temple of Dragons to add heraldic drawings and illuminations.History
The Kingsguard was founded during the reign of the first Vamería king on the Throne, Valerys the Conqueror. The first Kingsguard was created at the suggestion of Valerys' sibling-wife, Queen Vaelyx Vamería, after an assassination attempt on their lives in the streets of the Citadel in 10 AC. He deliberately modeled the Kingsguard vows of holding no lands or title on the ancient vows of the Swords of Evenfall, and eight knights were chosen because the king ruled the eight Kingdoms.During the Dance of the Dragons, the Kingsguard split between knights serving King Valerys II Vamería and Queensguard serving Queen Saenerys Vamería.

Maesters

The maesters are an order of scholars, healers, messengers, and scientists. They educate new students at the Lyceum, which is located in Dokshyvyen, a city in the Palisade. The Great House of the region was integral in the Lyceum's foundation, and continues to patronize the order. As advisers to the Mazuran nobility, the maesters have largely supplanted the Alchemists' Guild. They are sometimes called "the knights of the mind."

Organization

Novices and Acolytes
Students who start their education at the Lyceum are known as novices. Once they have earned a link for their chain, they become acolytes. Most acolytes treat novices as if they are slow-witted. Acolytes train at letters at the Scribe's Hearth, and can be hired by Dokshyvyites to read their letters or write their wills. When an acolyte is prepared to take their vows and become a maester, they are placed in a completely dark room with one of the Lyceum's glass candles, made of razor-sharp obsidian. They must stay in that room for the entire night in darkness, unless they are able to light the candle. The tradition serves as a lesson about truth and learning.Students who violate the rules of the Lyceum can be ordered confined to their rooms by the maesters. They can also receive more physical punishments. For example, for stealing from the kitchens, rectors might place them in stocks at the Seneschal's Court, where acolytes may throw rotten vegetables at them.Maesters
Maesters are scholars and healers who have completed their training at the Lyceum. They can be sent by the Lyceum to serve at the holding of a lord throughout the Eight Kingdoms. Maesters are only found in castles; if a lord does not have a maester in his service, he is seen as unimportant. Valerys I Vamería and his sibling-wife each had a maester during the Conquest, and as king Valerys had as many as six serving him, separate from the Grand Maester. A lord has to pay the Lyceum for a maester's service, and smallfolk believe that maesters are unwilling to help them.Maesters wear a necklace of chainlinks, which is supposed to remind them of the realm they serve. When they complete their education and take their vows, a maester puts aside their House and family name. Although they are supposed to be loyal to the seat to which they are assigned, regardless of the changes in control of that holding, old allegiances or loyalties might continue to linger.Archmaesters
Archmaesters are maesters who have demonstrated mastery of a particular subject. They receive a mask, ring, and rod in the metal corresponding to the link of the maester's chain which signifies their expertise on the topic. Archmaesters teach the students at the Lyceum in their subject of expertise, and they judge whether a novice or an acolyte has shown enough knowledge on their subject to receive a link for their chain.Archmaesters have the right to sit on the Conclave, a council which elects the Grand Maester and determines when the seasons change. The meetings of the Conclave are conducted behind closed doors at the Lyceum.Each archmaester is said to carry a heavy, black iron key that will open most of the doors in the Lyceum. They keep them close on their person, or hide them well.Grand Maesters
The office of Grand Maester was created in 5 AC by Valerys I Vamería, who asked for an archmaester to advise him on governing the Eight Kingdoms. Sworn to serve the whole realm, the Grand Maester sits on the king's small council and acts as one of the royal advisers. As the Lyceum's representative at the royal court of the king on the Throne, the Grand Maester is elected by the Conclave, and only the Conclave can unmake them again, although several Grand Maesters have died violently. King Vaesa I Vamería executed three Grand Maesters during her reign, while Valerys II Vamería had his half-sister's Grand Maester Samurel fed to his dragon Vorson. Grand Maester Carth was executed as well, on grounds of treason.Although the Conclave puts effort into demonstrating their consideration of ability before birth, this is generally a pretense, as family status often affects their final choice for Grand Maester.More than forty cats have served the Throne as Grand Maester. Grand Maesters are generally older cats. Benam was chosen as Grand Maester at the age of eighty, Gianas at almost ninety, and Edam at the age of sixty-six. After all three died within a short time span, King Vaemond I Vamería suggested to the Conclave that a younger cat might be better. As such, Crodell, aged forty-two, was raised to the office, recently passing in Queen Vysenys I Vamería's reign at the age of eighty-five.The Grand Maester wears many interwoven maester chains to indicate their high office, but these do not reflect their true studies. Gems are sometimes woven into the chains.Seneschal
The governance of the Lyceum is held by the Seneschal, who is chosen from among the archmaesters. A new Seneschal is appointed annually. Because the archmaesters tend to see the office as a thankless task, as it takes them away from their true work, the Seneschal is selected by lot, with the one who draws the black stone taking on the office. When the archmaester who draws the black stone is not capable of fulfilling his duties as Seneschal, another archmaester might volunteer to serve his term instead.Conclave
The Conclave is the governing body of the Lyceum and the order of maesters. All meetings of the Conclave, which is composed of archmaesters, are confidential in nature and conducted behind closed doors at the Lyceum. The Conclave elects the Grand Maester, a member of the small council and an advisor to the King of Mazura. After reviewing information from maesters throughout the Eight Kingdoms, the Conclave sends forth white ravens to announce the changing of seasons.

Practices

Education
Cays from all over Mazura come to study, learn, and forge their chains at the Lyceum. There is no age requirement, and despite the prejudice of the archmaesters to status of birth, cats of every social status are allowed to forge their chain. As such, baseborns, bastards, younger children of lords, and even royalty can study together at the Lyceum.Novices and acolytes are educated together. Archmaesters give open lectures, which the students can attend at will. Once a student believes they have sufficient knowledge on a particular subject, they can go before an archmaester to demonstrate their knowledge. If the archmaester judges the student’s knowledge to be proficient, they award them with a link of a metal reflecting the topic.Not all who start their studies will complete their chain. Dokshyvyen is full of aging novices and acolytes who have never started their chains, or never finished forging them. Others leave the Lyceum before completing their chain on purpose. Some students learn only something about healing, and may become barbers, serving smallfolk with leeches, setting broken bones, and shaving and cutting their hair.It is not known how long a student generally takes to forge a chain. The speed at which a student earns their links differs between each student. While some might take a year per link, exceptional students might earn as many as three links within a year, possibly even more.Lyceum
Students are educated at the Lyceum, a complex of buildings found in Dokshyvyen. The Lyceum is financed by the lords who pay for having a maester in their service, and from certain taxes that the Lyceum collects at Dokshyvyen.Maester's Vows
When an acolyte has completed their chain, they can swear a maester's vows. The night before, the acolytes must stand a vigil in a vault with a black glass candle. The acolytes are not allowed any other source of light, and has to spend the night in total darkness unless they can light the candle.When an acolyte of noble birth takes their vows and dons their chain, they put aside their House name. They swear sacred vows, promising to hold no lands or lordships, and to be celibate.Maester's serving in the Swords of Evenfall are doubly sworn, and uphold both the maester's vows and the oaths of the Swords of Evenfall.Subjects of knowledge and tasks
The order of maesters are sometimes called the knights of the mind. Numerous subjects are taught at the Lyceum. They include history, healing, herblore, the speech of ravens, the building of castles, navigating by the stars, the measurement of days and the marking of seasons. Maesters have performed autopsies for centuries to better understand the workings of the mazuran body. They have observed that highborn mollies get their first period at a younger age than lower born mollies, and that very young mothers tend to have a significantly higher rate of death in childbirth. They make star maps, monitor temperature variations and the march of the seasons, so they can advise on what to plant and when to expect a harvest, and measure the length of the days, as to determine the change of the seasons. When the Conclave has decreed that the seasons have indeed changed, the Lyceum sends out white ravens to the lords of Mazura, to herald the changing of the seasons.Maesters advise their lords on the operation of their households and lands. Some lords trust their maesters to open and read letters, and to convey their contents to them. Others prefer to do so for themselves. Maesters can be tasked with writing letters for their lords as well, and might be trusted to read and write the letters of those lords who are illiterate. They are in charge of the ravens used as messengers. Although most ravens can only be trained to fly to one castle, a few can be trained to distinguish between two, and rarely even more. Maesters assist in childbirth, treat illnesses, and teach children arithmetic, geometry, language, and history.Even among the maesters who have earned a Damascus steel link, representing the higher mysteries, there are those who believe that, though magic might have once been a mighty force in the world, it no longer is. Most archmaesters do not care much for ideas concerning occult matters. The rare archmaester who does can expect it to impact their reputation. It is said that all those who study the higher mysteries try their own hands at sorcery eventually, but always fail.Some subjects are forbidden in the Lyceum, including cutting open living people, or practicing necromancy.Chain
A maester can be recognized by the chain they wear around their neck. The collar is intended to remind a maester of the realm they serve. The links of the chain can be made of every metal known to man. By earning their links, students "forge" their chain. Note, "forge" is metaphorical; though they do study metals at the Lyceum, maesters do not necessarily train as blacksmiths. Maesters never remove their chain, not even when sleeping, and it is considered a great shame for a maester to surrender their chain. The Lyceum can decide to strip a maester of their chain, thereby exiling them from the Lyceum. This is done as a punishment for cutting open living people, or practicing necromancy. There may be other reasons the Lyceum could strip a maester of their chain. It is known that it has to be more than nine links to become a maester, but one does not need to have every possible link, since for instance only one in a hundred maesters have a Damascus steel link.It is possible to earn multiple links of the same metal. Multiple links of the same metal on a maester's chain signifies the expertise of the maester on the subject. The metals of which a student can earn links for their chain include:

While there are only sixteen known links, and thus sixteen known subjects of expertise taught at the Lyceum, there are twenty-one known current archmaesters of the Lyceum, for only eight of whom a specialty is known. It is currently unknown if each of these archmaesters are specialized in a separate subject, or whether multiple archmaesters can be specialized in the same subject.Only one maester in a hundred holds a link of Damascus steel.

History

Although the origin of the Lyceum is disputed, the Great House of Stillshield are considered to have been instrumental in its founding, having granted land alongside mountain face to numerous scholars, including wise men, teachers, priests, healers, singers, wizards, alchemists, and sorcerers, who developed the tract into the maesters' Lyceum.In recent centuries, the maesters of the Lyceum have supplanted the once powerful Alchemists' Guild through most of the Eight Kingdoms.

Inheritance

Inheritance laws in Mazura are not clear cut. The laws of inheritance are modeled on those in real medieval history, which is to say, they were vague, uncodified, subject to varying interpretations, and often contradictory.Children sometimes may inherit in order of birth regardless of gender. However, many lords follow the older tradition of tom primogeniture, while their molly children are married to other families to secure alliances and fealty; such ideals are commonly found throughout the realm save for the Eonian Coast. While few, there are some matriarchal houses that follow solely molly primogeniture. A lord’s eldest child is their heir, followed by their second child, then their third child, and so on. Children usually inherit before a lord’s sibling. However, a lord also has the option of naming one of their younger children heir, passing over their elder children or to name the child of another as their heir. When there is no clear heir, claims can be presented to the ruling Monarch.When a ruling lord dies and leaves no clear heir, their widow might lay claim upon their lands and rule until their own death, and in such a case, might name an heir by themselves.A lord may lay out specific terms for inheritance or pass over their offspring in their will, which may invite legal wrangling after their death, and potentially violence during it. The role of legitimized bastards throughout Mazura is also unclear, i.e. whether they follow trueborn children, or join the line of succession in order of birth as if they had been trueborn all along. Legitimization, once made, is irreversible. The claims of legitimized bastards can also present dangerous consequences for trueborn relatives. While un-legitimized bastards have no legal claim, they may still threaten legitimate descendants' inheritance.Heirs born into a different house drop their birth surname when they come into their inheritance, adopting the name of the inherited house as their own.Loss of Succession Right
The right of succession may be renounced. A monarch or lord can also name another as their heir. However, even in such cases, claims might still be made later on.Right of succession is also lost when someone becomes a member of the Swords of Evenfall, a priest, a maester, or joins the Kingsguard/Queensguard. Traitors may be attainted, in which case even their descendants would lose their right to succeed.Kinslaying
Kinslaying is a great taboo in Mazura. Any individual who kills a member of their own family is dubbed a kinslayer, and believed to be cursed forever. Many nobles and smallfolk believe this, and thus those who slay their own blood are usually looked down upon or shunned. Across Mazura, men state that "no man is so accursed as the kinslayer" and that "the kinslayer is accursed in the eyes of gods and men".The stigma and notoriety of kinslaying can go both ways. There are degrees in kinslaying, as in anything else. Fighting a battle in which a brother dies might be frowned upon, but killing him with your own hand would be considered far worse.Known kinslayers:
• Callisto Cyrrhus for killing her father Cassander Cyrrhus.
• Artaris Moors for killing his uncle Lysello Veket.
• Bryn Saltbrine for assumedly causing the death of their father Brennard Saltbrine.
• Rie Hartewell for killing both of her parents, Elliot and Manami Hartewell.

Bastardy

A bastard is a person whose parents are not married to each other. A bastard can also be referred to as a natural child.A polite way of referring to someone who is bastard-born is referring to them as a “natural child”. Others might refer to a bastard simply as "bastard-born". The term "baseborn" is used to refer to a child of whom one parent is of the smallfolk.It is not unexpected for nobles to have bastard children, though it is considered rude to pry into the origins of a noble’s bastards. While it is not typical for a noble to bring their bastards home and raise them with their own children, it is usually expected that they will see to the child's well-being to some degree. Some might choose to have their bastards fostered at the home of another lord, while others might decide to raise their bastard at their own home, in the position of a servant. A noble-born wife can take insult at their husband's bastards being introduced into their household and being commensurate in rank with their legally-born children.There is a certain stigma that comes from being born as a bastard. They are said to be born from lust, lies, and weakness, and as such, they are said to be wanton and treacherous by nature. Because of the stigma bastards have to deal with, they are said to grow up faster than trueborn children. Even after being legitimized, bastards will usually have considerable difficulty in removing the stigma of having been bastard-born.Nonetheless, a bastard might rise high. Bastards can be knighted, and may even be appointed to the Kingsguard or Queensguard, and bastards can even rise to become the Commander of the Kingsguard or Queensguard. In the Swords of Evenfall, any person may rise to command, no matter the circumstance of their birth.Surnames
Each of the constituent regions of Mazura have bastard surnames decreed by custom, not law. Bastards with a high-born parent are given these surnames to hold them apart from their parent's houses. The parents may give a bastard a different surname if they wish, or no name at all. A bastard might also choose a surname for themselves.The surname a bastard receives appears to be connected to the location the child is raised, though this is not a consistent rule. Because of this, bastards who are half-siblings but born or raised in separate locations might have different surnames.Most legitimate offspring of a bastard decide to keep the bastard surname. Some later legitimate offspring of bastards might change their surname to demonstrate their legitimate nature, and remove the bastard-born taint.

Acknowledgement & Legitimization
At any point, the biological sire of a bastard may acknowledge them and bring them formally into their house. An acknowledged bastard might even be considered to inherit a seat when no direct heirs can be found.Besides acknowledging bastards, they can also be legitimized. This power is reserved to monarchs alone. Once a bastard is legitimized, this cannot be undone.Rights of Inheritance
^{See also: Inheritance}The bastard-born have few rights under law and custom. When it comes to rights of inheritance, there are no clear cut laws.A bastard may inherit if the sire has no other trueborn children nor any other direct heirs to follow them. However, in order to inherit or be installed as an heir, the bastard-born child will first have to be legitimized by a royal decree. It is unclear whether a legitimized bastard would be placed in the succession according to birth order, or would be placed at the end, after the trueborn children.Coat of Arms
Bastards do not have the right to use the arms of the highborn families from which they descend. Recognized bastards who take arms (highborn, knighted, etc.) often, but not always, take the coat of arms of their sire with the colors reversed; a bend sinister is also sometimes added.A bastard that wants to emphasize their affiliation and minimize their own bastardy may decide to use the same sigil as their sire, perhaps illegally. Other bastards might choose to combine multiple sigils together to create something new.

Age of Majority

The age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as recognized or declared in law. It is the moment when minors cease to be considered such and assume legal control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thus terminating the control and legal responsibilities of their parents or guardian over them.In Mazura, for both toms and mollies, sixteen is the age of legal majority.Young highborn can be sent away for fosterage to other noble families. While there are exceptions, it appears that Mazurans who have reached the age of majority are free to go where they like, thereby ending their fosterage.Ruling lords, ladies, and lieges who inherit while still in their minority usually have a regent, who serves as the decision-making ruler until they come of age.

Marriage

_{See also: Gender & Sexuality}A marriage is the legally or formally recognized union of (usually) two people. This socially recognized union establishes rights and obligations between the spouses, as well as any biological or adopted children and affinity.Marriages are frequently preceded by a betrothal. Betrothals are expected to be arranged by the head of a house, both for their heir children and any unwed younger siblings.A molly is typically referred to as bride and wife, while a tom is defaulted to a groom and husband, HOWEVER, this simply always comes down to the preference of the individual.Sometimes un-betrothed mollies that reach the age of majority hold debutante balls, ostentatious affairs announcing to bachelors of their availability for potential marriage. Though this is a regional aspect, typically found in Dragonfly Bay, the Narrow Plains, and the Eonian Coast.It is not entirely frowned upon for two toms or two mollies to wed! But may be inconvenient for the couple in the case of carrying a blood lineage and they would most likely need a surrogate or donor for these circumstances. Some polygamous marriages are acceptable and if officiated properly are considered valid.In ironborn culture, a salt wife is a sort of concubine. They are the mollies kidnapped by the ironborn during raids. An ironborn may keep several salt wives, but only one ironborn "rock wife". A rock wife is an ironborn lord's true spouse, an ironborn molly. Salt wives are bound to their captors in a religious ceremony, though it is considered a lesser ceremony than that of their rock wife. The number of salt wives kept by an ironman is a symbol of status and virility. Unlike paramours, salt wives have a low status in the society of the Scyllian Islands, on the same level of thralls. They are not, however, considered whores or slaves, and their tom children can even inherit property or lands in lieu of trueborn heirs born of a tom's rock wife. Due to outside influence, this has diminished since the last Scyllian Rebellion, but once again has risen among some Scyllian lords in the most recent years.Betrothals
Most betrothals among nobility are to ally with another family, not for love; such marriages of convenience are also common among the middle class and peasants. Betrothals and marriages can be part of a pledge of support, or to help arrange peace between rivals.The head of house is expected to arrange matches for their children and any unwed younger siblings. Although a lord cannot force the marriage if their dependent refuses to say the vows, this would carry serious consequences. While lords do not necessarily arrange marriages for their vassals or household knights, they would be wise to consult them and respect their feelings when arranging their own matches. Betrothals can be made at a large variety of ages. Children might be as young as two years old, though generally betrothals are made when the people involved are somewhat older. Eleven is considered a more normal age for a betrothal, though when severe political matters are involved, children might be younger.Betrothals can be broken, but this can have serious consequences. The breaking of a betrothal might end a military alliance. Betrothals can be cut off if a lord feels slighted by another or if another betrothal is proposed.If a noble who has been betrothed dies before a political marriage can occur, a sibling or heir may take their place.Age at Marriage
Just as toms and mollies can be betrothed at a large variety of ages, they can also be wed at a large variety of ages, which might depend on the necessity of an heir, or the political environment. While marriages to mollies who have not yet reached their majority or even their first flowering have happened, they are rare. Moreover, bedding these mollies before they are at the least flowered is seen as perverse. Generally, weddings are postponed until the molly has passed into maidenhood with their flowering (i.e., has had their first menstruation). Most highborn mollies have their first menstruation at the age of twelve to fourteen. It is not uncommon for a molly to be married after they have had their first menstruation, or within the first year following their first flowering. Some may wait until their majority or afterwards. Nonetheless, infants have been married so a claim could be placed on a family's lands, though this is very rare.Marriages when the bride or groom is under the age of puberty are not consummated, though the bride and groom may ceremonially share a bed on the wedding night. If a bride is under the age of majority, many husbands will wait until they are seventeen or eighteen before sleeping with them, to avoid the deaths in childbirth that maesters have recorded for very young mothers.Marriage Ceremonies
Wedding ceremonies involve the exchange of vows in the presence of priests and/or priestesses, and are followed by a feast, where the bride and groom eat and drink with everyone. Afterwards, the bedding takes place, where the marriage is consummated.In Mazura, the wedding ceremony is a religious ceremony. The bride’s sire, or the person standing in their place (usually kin or whoever else is closest to living kin), will escort the bride to their future husband and those presiding over the marriage, typically by a priest or priestess. The bride wears a "maiden's cloak" in the colors of their house. The bride's father, or the person standing in their place, is to remove the cloak from their shoulders, so that their husband can place an heirloom cloak of their own house colors about their shoulders. This signifies the bride passing from their sire's protection into their husband's protection. Wedding attire itself can vary in color and there are no set rules on such a thing, usually though it is in the shade of green or gold, to promote happiness and fertility in the union. Sometimes a highborn bride may wear gowns and clothing indicative of both their own family sigil and their groom's.For highborn weddings, a wedding pie will be presented during the feast, which the bride and groom cut open. The pie is filled with living birds (e.g. doves, bluejays, skylarks, pigeons, mockingbirds, nightingales, sparrows, or other songbirds), which fly away once the pie is cut open.Tourneys might be held to celebrate a wedding, though it is not customary to have melees at a wedding tourney. It is considered ill luck to refuse a knight hospitality on your wedding day.Consummation
In Mazura, the bedding takes place after the feast. The bride is escorted to their bedroom, usually by the tom guests from the feast. The mollies at the feast will do the groom the same honors. Usually, once the bride and groom are in the bedchamber they are left alone, though wedding guests might stand on the other side of the door, shouting suggestions.Mollies, more so for noble mollies, are generally expected to be virgins on their first wedding night. After some weddings, the bedsheets are displayed to show the blood, thereby proving the breaking of the bride's maidenhead and thus their virginity at their wedding night. However, since it is known that horse riding can break a molly's maidenhead, few families are insistent on physical proof.Even though it is rare for a marriage to occur before the bride has had their first flowering, they do sometimes occur. However, it is considered perverse to bed a bride who is so young. Nonetheless, it is considered to be bad luck for the marriage if the tom is to sleep apart from their bride on their wedding night.Legality, Divorce, and Annulment
Vows said at swordpoint are not held to be valid and are illegal, and in theory, a person cannot be declared to be married if they refuse to say the vows.Marriages in Mazura can be ended in several ways. A king is able to put their queen aside-- even if they have given birth to the king’s children-- and marry another. A marriage that has not been consummated can be set aside by a priest or priestess. A marriage which has been consummated can be set aside, even a marriage of many years with children. Neither bride nor groom needs to be present for an annulment, but it must be requested by at least one of the wedded pair.Divorce in Mazura is not common though. Instead, couples may simply decide to live separately.Another way of ending a marriage is by becoming a priest, priestess, or maester and taking the vows of celibacy. Similarly, when a cat takes the oath of the Swords of Evenfall, their marriage is over.

Gender & Sexuality

^{See also: Mazuran Biology}A variety of social patterns concerning gender and sexuality can be observed in Mazura. The ideas of gender and sexuality in this world are very loose, and specific terminology is largely nonexistent.Modern terms such as "gay", "homosexual", "LGBT", etc., do not appear in Mazura. Moreover, no analogous in-universe term is even found. That does not mean it doesn’t exist in-universe however! Tom/tom and molly/molly couples very much exist and are found throughout Mazura, though this particularly may bring forth complications in the event of conceiving children to carry a noble bloodline. Surrogates and donors are frequently sought out in these specific situations. Tom/molly coupling is considered to be the "default" as it is the reproductive coupling, and marriages are typically arranged between them in the event of allying noble families, though this does sometimes present problems if one or both parties are uninterested in the opposite sex.Asexuality is indeed present as well! Typically there are few easy outs for nobles who are asexual, to avoid arranged marriages, including priesthood. Though for those who are perhaps less peace-inclined can join the ranks of the Queensguard or the Swords of Evenfall.Toms and mollies may also present as their opposing sex, and this is not seen as a huge defining issue. There is a cultural respect to all identities across the realm, and to slight someone’s identity is considered a huge offense.Mollies are the child bearing sex, while toms are the child siring sex. Mollies with children may typically default to the term “mother”, while toms may default to the terms “father” or “sire”-- though this is not the end all be all, as depending on the preference of the individual the terms for parents can vary all across Mazura and gender neutral terminology for parents is found throughout.Depending on the region, attitudes of equal rights may differ, though the general consensus is that toms and mollies often are able to do all the same things, such as rule, fight, become ministers of the faith, become bards, or travel freely throughout the realm. Many modern houses follow equal primogeniture; however, historically and some modern cultural identities of specific regions may favor agnatic primogeniture, that the line of inheritance passes through tomcats. Rarely, but possible in some nobility, matrilineal primogeniture is found.Many Mazurans have very positive attitudes towards sex, seeing it as a joyous and life-affirming act given to them as a gift from the Gods. Some Gods, like Pherim, Luxses, or Khalthar, may be invoked to promote a person’s or couple’s sex drive(s), or to promote virility and fertility.Contraception
Condoms are not present in Mazura. The only birth control that Mazurans ever make use of is the withdrawal method (Coitus interruptus).Mollies may rely on several herbal mixtures as a means of contraceptives or abortion, most notably “moon tea". Moon tea is made generally by maesters, alchemists, and woods witches out of tansy, mint, mugwort, a spoon of honey, and a little bit of pennyroyal. Moon tea is commonly used without much issue, but it can also have dangerous side effects if consumed in excess.The views of contraceptives and abortion vary from person to person, but a general consensus is that it is largely not another’s business should it be used.Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment, most frequently coin. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute but is also known by the term courtesan; or more derogatorily as whores. Prostitutes who follow an army are included in the camp followers, and some are politely grouped with serving launderers. If a camp follower attaches themselves to a single cat for the duration of a campaign, they are referred to as a camp bride.Some prostitutes cater to highly exclusive clientele, make a good enough living, and may to a certain extent pick and choose their clientele, others live in brothels, or pillow houses and receive walk-in clientele there. Others take who they can get and do whatever they have to in order to survive, often living miserable lives.Prostitutes are normally on the bottom rung of the ladder of society, even the wealthier ones, and are looked down upon by most people because of their trade. However some Mazurans esteem the art of lovemaking, thus in some parts of the world there is not much stigma to prostitution. It is considered dishonorable for a nobleman to openly frequent whores and brothels. A virgin prostitute's maidenhead can cost a gold scale.

Naming Customs

Names correspond typically with the phonetics of the Mazuran language and depending on the region they aren’t specifically gendered, and the sounds of them can vary due to regional dialects.In Mazura, children receive a name at their birth.Surnames
Upon marriage, noble mollies ruling in their own right retain their house name, though some brides take their groom’s surname-- it really largely depends on the preference of the individual. Some houses may be matrilineal, wherein the groom takes the surname. The consort of the reigning monarch always retains their surname, as does the spouse of a royal prince or princess.Bastards with at least one noble parent can be given surnames by their parents. There are "usual bastard surnames", which differ per region. When a bastard has legitimate children, these children receive their parent bastard’s name, though a later generation might adjust the name so as to remove the taint of bastardy. When a tom and molly noble-born bastard from a different region (i.e. with a different surname) marry, the child will most likely take the surname of the sire. People who receive lands and knighthood might also take a (new) surname. The bastards of two common born people do not receive a surname.Epithets
An epithet is an alias, byname, or a descriptive term, accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature.Epithets are often the "official nicknames" of people, or the aliases they go by, typically nobles and knights. E.g. Kareyth is sometimes referred to as the Red Lion.

Pastimes

Nobles and smallfolk alike participate in a variety of pastimes for their entertainment.Children play with toys (e.g., puppets, hoop trundling, carved wooden statues, and dolls) or play a variety of games. Highborn children, especially when they grow older, are expected to train in several skills for their entertainment as well as general education. Both toms and mollies learn to ride horses. Noble mollies are often taught sewing, embroidering, dancing, singing, writing poetry, or playing musical instruments (e.g., the high harp or the bells). From a certain age and onwards, tomcats begin to train in martial skills. Usually starting at a young age, toms are trained with spear, sword, and shield. Younger tomkits train with wooden swords. By the time most toms are twelve, they have often been training at arms for years.Places adults might like to visit for their entertainment include taverns and pillow houses. Most nobles are literate, and therefore might prefer to spend their time reading books. Nobles might prefer to sail for their pleasure, or simply take a horse ride, sometimes to pick flowers or feast outdoors.Games
Mazuran children’s games include tag, hide-and-go-seek, Truth or Dare, hop-frog, Knights-and-Pirates, one-and-twenty-questions, Matarra’s Gate, and Nehzotl’s Dance.There are the board games Latrunculi and Quintus, both two-player strategy games though with widely different forms and rules. Latrunculi is much like modern chess with some differences in the pieces, whereas Quintus is a much more abstract strategy game; it is a board divided into quadrants that spin upon it. Taking turns, the two players place a marble of their color (either black or white) onto an unoccupied space on the board, and then rotate one of the sub-boards by ninety degrees either clockwise or anti-clockwise. A player wins by getting five of their marbles in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row.The finger dance is a game played by the ironborn of the Scyllian Isles, and involves throwing a hand axe which must be caught or leaped over without missing a step. The game is named for the fact that it usually ends with a dancer losing one or more of his fingers.Some regional variants of certain games exist, and even completely separate and new ones in different regions occur. Rules of children’s games can also vary throughout the regions.Hunting
Nobles sometimes hunt for sport. They might like to hunt a large variety of animals, like boar, hare, or deer. Hunting hounds might be used. When hunting boar, a boarspear is needed, as well as horses and dogs, and men to flush the boar from its lair. According to some regional cultures, mollies do not generally join such hunting parties.Some nobles practice a more specific form of hunting: falconry (frequently called "hawking"), the sport of hunting with falcons, hawks, eagles, or other birds of prey. Nobles might own a falcon, an eagle, or a hawk of their own.Hunts can be dangerous, and accidents during a hunt are common enough that they might be faked in order to assassinate someone. Although hawking is much safer, deathly accidents can still occur.Often the god Vimion is invoked for a successful hunt, whether for sport or for necessity.Combat
Tourneys are popular among nobles in Mazura, chivalrous competitions where cats compete against one another either in a joust, a melee, or an archery competition. The format and rules used during a tourney can vary between different regions in Mazura, demonstrating the desires of the hosting lord. Mazurans additionally participate in bear-baiting and boar-baiting. Rat pits are also popular in the slum districts of major cities such as the Amaranthine Citadel and Vagos, though bulls and cats also often fight in the pits.Mummers & Music
Mummers and bards often travel from place to place in Mazura. While bards may travel alone, mummers travel in troupes, performing their acts wherever they go; bards may sometimes travel alongside however. A mummer is an actor and entertainer in Mazura. A mummer is usually part of a troupe of fellow actors who travel from place to place or perform at a playhouse. They entertain at various feasts and functions performing plays and shows. Because mummers' performances are often comical, a bungled, unbelievable, or manufactured event can be referred to as a mummer's farce. Tourneys and weddings can attract mummer troupes and bards. Some mummer groups prefer to perform from a fixed location. At least in the mummers' playhouses in the Citadel, the mummers play out written stories, instead of making up farces.Bards are popular in Mazura and highly regarded, although rare. The act of singing and playing the lyre or lute is considered culturally sacred.Bards typically travel alone and perform wherever they please, though some may travel in a mummer's troupe and learn other trades along with. Places located more remotely, like the Scyllian Isles and the Veldt might not be visited by traveling entertainment for years or seasons on end; bards rarely travel very far north. Bards, if paid handsomely enough may provide entertainment for tourneys and weddings. Sometimes they may have a patron, typically a noble that favors them and provides them coin and lodging.Gambling
Other pastimes include gambling, like playing at dice or cards. The former can be twenty-sided. However, bets can be placed upon anything, including the outcome of a tournament.

Idioms & Sayings

Kitday

The day a child is born, their age is counted with their kitday as the start.A person celebrating their kitday may receive gifts from friends and family, and a feast may be held for them. A tourney may be held to celebrate a noble's kitday. In Mazura, a person reaches their age of majority on their eighteenth kitday.There are expressions such as "naked as their kitday" and "wearing their kitday suits" or "in their kitday gown". The latter two phrases are the equivalent of the real-world expression "birthday suit", meaning wearing no clothes at all.A superstition among Mazurans is that killing someone on your kitday is considered ill luck, as the saying goes, “what a man sows on his kitday, he reaps throughout the seasons.”

Education

Nobles are typically learned and literate, and receive tutelage from a very early age. Often they are taught by specialized educators, tutors, or governesses. Highborn children from a very early age learn how to read, write, mathematics, and sometimes even strategy and diplomacy.Smallfolk do not have access to education and typically do not know how to read or write, although commoners that are born to craftsmen. tradesmen, and farmers are very knowledgeable in their trades, and learn how to count, add, subtract, multiply, and divide, as it is necessary to such jobs; as well as learning the value of items when trading and bartering.

Ironborn

"It was said that the ironmen of old had oft been blood-drunk in battle, so berserk that they felt no pain and feared no foe."

The ironborn are the natives of the Scyllian Isles in Shipbreaker's Gulf off the western coast of Mazura. They are also known as ironmen, especially by those they raid.Culture & Customs
While it is often believed the people of the Scyllian Isles are named after their deposits of ore, the ironborn insist they are instead named for their people's fierce, hard, unbending nature. The ironborn of old prided themselves on their fierceness in battle and their sacred freedoms. The ironborn are a people of the sea and are loath to go too far from the waters. Their captains are proud and willful, and are considered to be a king aboard their own ships. It is forbidden for ironborn to spill the blood of other ironborn, but drowning is acceptable by some.Literacy remains uncommon in the Scyllian Isles to this day; those who are literate are often mocked as weaklings or feared as sorcerers.Social Status
Ironborn can be looked down upon by mainlanders. When Lord Draqello Velasura resigned as Hand of the King to Vaegon I Vamería in 54 AC, for instance, at the time it was considered unthinkable to bring an ironman to the Citadel as Draqello's replacement. Prominent ironborn who have greater connections with the mainland are more likely to be attended by maesters, singers, and knights than they are by thralls or salt wives.Old Way
The Old Way is the term used by the ironborn, much like the free folk, to refer to their ancient tradition of reaving and plundering. In the Old Way, the ironborn took whatever they wanted, be it wealth, cats, or glory, and their reavers were feared all over. Ironborn considered this "paying the iron price".House Cyrrhus of Driftwood Fort are famous for their hatred of the ironborn, and even the wives of House De'Cielo of Craghall are trained to defend against ironborn raiding.The Old Way came to an end when King Valerys I Vamería conquered the Realm during Valerys' Conquest, and his child and successor Vaesa I Vamería spent further years violently quashing any resistance, before King Vaegon I finally subsumed a treaty of peace between the Isles and mainland, while somewhat outlawing their practices of reaving. Sporadic attempts have been made by the ironborn to restore the Old Way to the islands, such as by Lords Victarion Greywynd and Noccer Saltbrine but all have failed. Some ironmen still yearn for its return, however.Religion
The ironborn primarily worship the goddess Disdona. This has persisted long through history, and although the mainland Mazurans have made multiple attempts to supplant it with the rest of the Seven, all have failed.The ironborn believe they come from the watery halls of Disdona and that their deity created them in her likeness to reave, carve out kingdoms, make their names known in fire and blood and song, and to hold dominion over all the waters of the earth.On the Isles, Disdona has no temples, holy books, or idols, save for her ancient, giant statue, carved out from atop a strange oily black rock. Priests of Disdona constantly wander the Scyllian Isles without a permanent home, although they never go far from the sea. The lords and peasants on the islands are obliged to give them food and shelter. The priests can wield considerable power over the ironborn. Important aspects of their religion include drowning a man and then bringing him back with the kiss of life, blood sacrifice using thralls, or sacrificing a person by drowning him, preferably in salt water. Their acolytes are also sometimes known as drowned men.When an ironman dies, his body is committed to the sea. The ironborn believe that "no true son of the sea would want to rot beneath the ground" as it would make him unable to find Disdona's watery halls. It is believed the deceased can drink and feast in these halls for all eternity, with mermaids attending his every want.Thralldom
Captives taken during raids become thralls bound to their captors in service. To find a loophole to the law against enslaving their fellow men, these thralls are considered no man's property. They are allowed to marry and have children, who, if born on the Scyllian Isles, are considered to be ironborn.Most thralls are set to work in the fields or the mines, tasks the ironborn consider to be done by “lesser men”, for their entire lives-- although the situation in the mines usually results in a shorter life-span. Thralls who are able to read, write, and do sums are instead set to work as stewards, tutors, and scribes. Skilled craftsmen, like stonemasons, are considered to be of even more value. Older mollies are made into scullions, cooks, seamstresses, weavers, or midwives, although they are not often taken on raids. Fair maidens near their first flowering are most often taken captive on raids, becoming serving mollies, whores, or household drudges upon the isles.The fairest of the young mollies taken as thralls are made into salt wives by their captors. In a ceremony performed by a priest of Disdona, the cat and their captor were “wed”. A cat can join their self to multiple salt wives, the number of which speaks to their power, wealth, and virility. The children born from such a union are not considered to be true bastards, but instead can inherit should their sire have no surviving heirs by their true, freeborn rock wife from the Scyllian Isles. The practice of salt wives however has dwindled in recent years and lost most of its popularity.Military
The ironborn pride themselves on their fierceness in battle and their sacred freedoms. They are a seafaring people, and esteem those who sail the seas, especially their reavers. In the past, raiders from the Scyllian Isles were considered to be the “terrors of the sea”. They were called the "wolves of the sea" by the men of the Palisade and Narrow Plains, as they sailed the seas in “packs” with their longships and galleys. The sailing ironborn are not afraid of drowning and thus dress in armor while in battle at sea. Most ironborn prefer to fight on foot or from the deck of their ship. They are more comfortable on the deck of a longship than in the saddle of a horse, and they are known to lack the discipline to stand against the charge of armored mounts.Each ironborn lord can float about a hundred ships. However, their vessels are simpler in appearance than the other ships of the Eight Kingdoms.The ironborn also have the Iron Fleet, one of the three most powerful fleets of Mazura, the other two being the royal fleet of Dragonfly Bay and the Kilandra fleet of the Coast. Numbering a hundred ships, this navy belongs to the Seastone Chair and is commanded by the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. The ships of the Iron Fleet have been made for battle, equal to war galleys in speed and strength but smaller than the war dromonds of the mainland. Compared to the standard longships of individual lords, the ships of the Iron Fleet are three times larger.There are few knights from the isles because most ironborn typically do not follow the majority Faith of the Seven.History
In antiquity, the most accepted origin for the ironborn states they descend from First Men who settled upon the Scyllian Isles thousands of years ago. Their Seastone Chair, carved from oily black stone, is said to have been found on the shores of Lusca Cay when they first arrived. Somewhat isolated from the rest of Mazura, the ironborn created their own religion based around the goddess Disdona. According to their priests, the ironborn came from beneath the oceans and are more kin to fish and merlings than the rest of mankind.

Pantheon & Faith

The Mazuran faith is a loose polytheistic and matriarchal religion. The Major Deities, or the Seven, are the ones worshiped most often, their large sprawling statues are easy to spot in the major cities of Mazura.The Gods are worshiped at household shrines, family shrines, and public shrines. The latter are staffed by priests and priestesses, who oversee offerings of food and drink to the specific Gods enshrined at that location. This is done to cultivate harmony between Mazurans and Gods and to solicit the latter's blessing. Other common rituals include rites of passage and seasonal festivals. Public shrines also supply religious paraphernalia such as amulets and talismans to the religion's adherents and facilitate forms of divination.The religion has no specific doctrinal text, but exists in a diverse range of local and regional forms and stories and legends are often spoken word by priest/esses and bards or written in books. The act of song is preferred, as it gives access to the faith for both highborn and lowborn alike.

Worship & Spirituality

The act of worship is a prevalent concept throughout all of Mazura. The seven major deities are present in most, if not all, of the known world. Most cats may customarily worship all seven as one faith; though specific regions venerate specific deities the most. In the Veldt, Mithra is regarded most dearly, though she is praised all throughout Mazura. In the Palisade, Vethos is the most worshiped deity as most of his sacred animals are native to the location. The deity Khalthar is worshiped mostly on the Eonian coast by fishermen and sailors, but he may be called upon by the farmers of the Narrow Plains. While Disdona may be worshiped in other locations for her domain of law and order, she is highly revered in the Scyllian Isles for her domain of storms and rough waters. The goddess Vhaehra is the patron goddess of the Narrow Plains. Luxses is worshiped the most in the Forestlands.In regions like Wyrm-mire and Dragonfly Bay, the deity Nehzotl is highly venerated out of the seven, although the creation deity is worshiped for very different reasons in these locations. While some natives of Wyrm-mire believe their region to be the birthplace of draconic beasts (thus including Nehzotl), in Dragonfly Bay Nehzotl is worshiped for its ancient connection to the reigning royal family and considered the birthplace of dragons in contrast.Spirituality is very important in Mazuran culture, thanking the gods for their blessings is utmost important.

Holy Days & Festivals

_{See also: Calendar}Festival of Luxses
A celebration that lasts almost the whole month of Epiphi. It is held in honor of all types of love, be it romantic, platonic, and so on and so forth.Festival of the Valley
A festival that is celebrated in the Narrow Plains to thank the gods for a plentiful harvest. It is held for five days at the end of the month of Vofosis.Day of the Hunt
A day set aside in honor of Vimion for both lowborn and highborn alike, on this day huge hunting events are arranged in preparation for the winter. It is held on the last day of the month of Vofosis.Sea-lion’s Tourney
A regional holiday specific to the coastal region, celebrated in honor of Khalthar. Fishermen fish in excess on this day in preparation for winter, while knights of the coast gather to show off their prowess, including elaborate competitions that show off sailing and swimming skills. It is held near the end of the month of Vofosis.Morou
A celebration to ward off evil spirits and ill intentions, and to give blessings for a safe winter season. Cats dress up as demons and wear masks, open up street stalls, and celebrate with festivities for three days. It is held in the beginning of the month of Keln. It is hosted almost exclusively in the Citadel of Dragonfly Bay, and cats from all over Mazura gather to celebrate.Giftday
A holiday in honor of the goddess Mithra, it is a day set aside for peace and gift giving and spending time with family and loved ones. It is held on the seventh day of the month of Nuhoht.Turn of the Seasons
A holiday akin to that of New Year’s. It is held on the last day of the month of Nuhoht. Specific religious rites may be practiced by priests to usher in a new year of peace and prosperity.

Funeral Customs

Little emphasis is placed on particular afterlife beliefs, although the dead are given funerary rites to be reborn into butterflies, so they may help to continue to facilitate growth in the known world.Many priests and priestesses invoke the funerary deity Itar during funerary rituals to facilitate the funerary rites.Mazurans who have passed typically are not buried, but given funeral pyres instead.Seven hells are possible afterlives preached by the devout. People of Mazura often refer to "seven hells" as an expletive.

Statues, Shrines, & Temples

_{See also: Map & Locations}In seven of the major capital cities of the regions, colossal and ancient statues of the seven major deities sit in the centers, where their respective public shrines are found and cities were built and formed around.

Iconography of the entire pantheon is found in public shrines and temples found all over Mazura, though the highest concentration is found in the Amaranthine Citadel, as cats from all over the realm gather here. The largest of temples in the Amaranthine Citadel is the Temple of Dragons. It is noted that the greatest statue of Nehzotl greatly differs from the rest, given that it is a winged serpent eating itself by the tail. Within the Temple of Dragons it circles the whole chamber, around a circle of statues of the other six deities. Iconography of Laziphos and Zorroqas decorate the ceilings of the chamber.As for the Wyrm-mire region, even ancient Mazurans knew the risks of such unstable and soft lands, most of anything that they built on the grounds would become submerged by the thick bogs and swamps. Though, that didn’t necessarily deter some builders and stonemasons. In some parts of the marshy region, cats will find almost entirely submerged ancient iconography and temples dedicated to various major gods, though with a high concentration of dragon deities. Such temples are surrounded by a miasma of lizard-lions, large venomous water-dwelling snakes, and blood sucking flying insects, and thus they are incredibly dangerous to attempt to explore.

Priesthood

The status of priesthood in Mazura is highly coveted and respected. The tom and molly godsworn are called priests and priestesses, respectively. Upon taking their vows, they set aside their last names, even if they come from noble families. Priests and Priestesses take vows of celibacy in dedication to the gods. Priests and priestesses often wear white robes and a crystal about their necks. They lead worship with incense, censers, and songs. Priestesses sometimes wear hoods, but not always, and their hair can be seen. Priestesses may serve as governesses in noble households.In villages which are too small to support a shrine, a priest or priestess from a neighboring village might visit twice a year. Other times, a "wandering priest" or “wandering priestess”, a priest or priestess who travels from village to village without a specific shrine at which they serve, might visit these small villages. These priests perform holy services, marriages, heal ailments, and forgive sins. While the priest is visiting the village, the people must provide them with food and a place to sleep.The head of the faith is the High Priest-- or Priestess-- the voice of the new gods on earth. The Most Devout, a council of the highest-ranking priests and priestesses, elect the High Priest, usually from among their own ranks, although there have been notable exceptions. The priest who is elected gives up their name, as the faith believes that the High Priest no longer has any need of a man’s name, since they have become the avatar of the gods. Typically, the High Priest wears long white robes and a laurel crown. Priests and priestesses from the Most Devout wear robes of cloth-of-silver and olive wreaths.Humbler members of the faith include "holy brothers" and "holy sisters", particularly including those who remain in training to be priests or priestesses. Tomcats often wear robes of brown, dun, or green. Mollies can wear robes of white, blue, or grey.Toms can serve at monasteries. Some of these toms wear an iron shield of Vethos about their neck. The brothers live in penitence, quiet contemplation, and prayer at these monasteries, and they often take vows of silence. The leader of the community, the Elder Brother, is assisted by proctors. Motherhouses-- like nunneries-- are corresponding communities for mollies.

The Seven

Mithra — Goddess of Protection, Family, Motherhood, Childbirth, and Marriage

Animals: Wolves, Bears, Boars, Ravens, Theows
Symbols: Diadem, Throne, Hearth, Cloak, Bridal Torch

Vhaehra — Goddess of War, Blood/lust, Conquest, Wealth, Destruction, and the Sun

Animals: Dogs, Vultures, Lions, Musimons, Chimeras
Symbols: Sickle, Whip, Chariot, (Destructive) Fire, The Sun

Vethos — God of Wisdom, Strategy, Mathematics, Writing, the Arts, and the Moon

Animals: Owls, Moths, Snakes, Foxes, Pantheons
Symbols: Shield, Helm, Opium Poppy, The Moon

Khalthar — God of Honor, Hospitality, the Sea, Agriculture, the Harvest, and Fertility

Animals: Dolphins, Fish, Cranes, Bulls, Sea-lions
Symbols: Bident, Fishing Net, Cornucopia, Ships

Disdona — Goddess of Justice, Law, Order, Retribution, Judgement, and Storms

Animals: Eagles, Sharks, Leviathans, Krakens, Sea-griffins
Symbols: Sword, Scales, Thunderbolt, Lightning Rod

Luxses — God of Freedom, Youth, Festivity, Euphoria, and Desire

Animals: Rabbits, Hummingbirds, Deer, Bees, Unicorns
Symbols: Flowers, Lyre, Lute, Chalice

Nehzotl — Personification of Creation and Rebirth

Animals: Dragons, Wyrms, Lizard-lions

Other Deities

Omnas — Personification of Life and Death

Muruer — Personification of Memory and Oath Keeping

Laziphos — Dragon God of Eternity and Transience

Zorroqas — Dragon God of Dreams and Nightmares

Pherim — God of Love, Sexuality, and Beauty

Vektia — God of Thieves, Vagabonds, Gambling, Wit, and Cunning

Vimion — God of Hunting and the Wilderness

Vazdis — God of Blacksmiths, Metalworking, and Technology

Ferusor — God of Sleep and Prophecy

Kienta — Patron Deity of Healers and Medicine

Vistus — Personification of Victory

Matarra — Goddess of Boundaries, Entryways, and Choices

Miseri — Goddess of Innocence and Mercy

Itar — Funeral deity and psychopomp

Oprium — God of Joy, Friendship, Mirth, and Affection

Nimara — Goddess of Temperance, Moderation, Decorum, and Discipline

Vhyrgus — God of Truth, Trade, and Commerce.

Lyssara — Goddess of Madness, Mania, Rage, and Frenzy

Kedione — Goddess of Magic, Crossroads, Obscurity, and Fate

Ygesis — Sea Monster Deity of Turmoil, Tidal Waves, Whirlpools, and Rough Seas

Amerin — Direwolf Deity of the North Wind, Fealty, and Duty

Nementiae — Forest Spirit

Hridgandr — Legendary Sea Serpent

Character Statuses

In Mazura, a cat can be just about any occupation, though as of now, these are the current ones available to join as with your primary character, as well as for your secondary and for any other characters obtained. Statuses serve a role much the same as classes in D&D, which come with roll bonuses for particular attributes when rolling. Status roll bonuses can be found in mechanics!^{If a Status is locked and greyed out, that means it is closed for any new characters!}

Noble
Includes a Lord, Lady, or Liege, Great House or Vassal House. This status requires a coat of arms, a house motto, and castle. There are some castles already available to choose from, though if none interest you, you are free to appeal to the mods and create one yourself; and we will duly place it onto the map given that you provide the exact location you’d like for it to be in. The Noble status also functions as an umbrella status, as nobles can also be knights, scholars, squires.Knight
A knight is a member of a warrior tradition that is heavily interwoven in the feudal culture of the Eight Kingdoms. Knights occupy a social standing between that of lords and smallfolk. In contrast to nobility, this rank is not hereditary. Knights are referred to with the title "Ser". There are different types of knights that one can be, such as:

Squire
The apprentices to knights, they act as attendants, training to become a knight. Squires serve a knight as a shield carrier, doing simple but important tasks such as saddling a horse or caring for the knight's weapons and armor. The squire sometimes carries the knight's flag into battle with their mentor.Scholar
A scholar is usually highborn, and they study a litany of things, like sciences, arithmetic, astronomy, and so on. Scholars can be inventors, artisans, and sometimes even artists.Bounty Hunters
Bounty hunting is a dangerous business, so only highly skilled fighters engage in it. They seem to act in place of an actual law enforcement-- although the largest cities all have guards charged with maintaining order, bounty hunters do the work when it comes to catching fugitives, scofflaws, or highroad bandits. The hunters meet in taverns in Mazura to buy and exchange information and rumors. Most of them seem to be a pretty rough lot, and some are not above engaging in dishonorable behavior themselves-- for example, trying to steal each other's bounty. Like sellswords they do not take a knight's oath, thus differentiating them from knights, however, unlike sellswords they do uphold the monarch's justice (sellswords typically do not).Sellsword
A sellsword is a soldier who hires out their services for a wage. Most sellswords are professionals with some experience in fighting. Sellswords do not take a knight’s oath, rather they “sell their sword”; i.e. they’re willing to do your dirty work for a pretty penny. Sellswords are often viewed negatively by others, with some nobles considering them unchivalrous and pitiless. Sellswords have a reputation for being willing to betray anyone for enough gold. Other names for sellswords include mercenaries, sellsails, and freeriders.Sailor
The sailor status applies mainly to pirates, Ironborn raiders, and, well, sailors! Any seafaring Mazuran is applicable under this status, however its stat rolls only apply when the character is at sea. After all, such types of cats have far better sea legs than most, and thus they're much better at working and fighting when on the high seas than on the green lands.Sword of Evenfall
All sorts of people can be a Sword, whether it be highborn nobles, bastards from all over, or lowborn criminals seeking an escape from execution. Don’t be fooled by the old tales of glory and honor, or perhaps respite from past crimes, though. The Swords of Evenfall are isolated deep into the farthest north of the Veldt and one may encounter horrors from the worst kinds of nightmares, given the harsh and unusual nature of the fabled Abyssal Plains. Within the Swords are many ranks: the two commanding ranks under the Sword Commandant: Commandant of Fire and Chief Pathfinder, as well as the maester, arms trainers, rangers, stewards, and any other Swords. This status cannot be stacked.Maester
The maesters are an order of scholars, healers, messengers, and scientists, serving as advisers to the Mazuran nobility. Cats from all over Mazura come to study, learn, and forge their chains at the Lyceum. There is no age requirement, and despite the prejudice of the archmaesters to status of birth, cats of every social status are allowed to forge their chain. As such, baseborns, bastards, younger children of lords, and even royalty can study together at the Lyceum. This status cannot be stacked.Huntsman
A huntsman is a hunter, engaged within the practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. Skillful tracking and acquisition of an elusive target is their specialty as a Status.Tradesman
A tradesperson or tradesman/woman is a skilled worker that specializes in a particular trade. Merchants, Blacksmiths, Carpenters, etc. all fit within this Status, with proficient skills and knowledge in their occupation.Priest
A priest, or priestess, is a cat that serves only the gods. They attend public shrines in cities and villages, and sometimes family or household shrines of nobles. This status cannot be stacked.Alchemist
An alchemist is someone who practices alchemy, the medieval forerunner of chemistry, based on the supposed transformation of matter. Considered to be a realistic alternative to practicing magic. Scholars can be alchemists, and alchemists can be scholars, but the two are completely separate as the science of alchemy is steeped in complex formulas and equations, an ages old replacement to the mystique of magic. Alchemists can be highborn, although smallfolk can study alchemy through guilds. The alchemy status cannot be stacked with Magic attributes. Currently only THREE Alchemists will be accepted into the group roster.Bard
Rare and highly regarded, the bard is a status that is considered a sacred one by most, as the art of song-spinning is a rare delight and a gift from the gods. Understandably, we probably won't be accepting very many of these. Currently only FOUR Bards will be accepted into the group roster.Commonfolk
The commonfolk, or smallfolk, status acts as an umbrella status for any lowborn designation.Rogue
A rogue is a versatile character, capable of sneaky combat and nimble tricks. Rogues might be ruthless criminals, greedy poachers, sly tricksters, or perhaps good hearted thieves who steal from the rich and give to the poor. Rogue is a status focused on stealth, thievery, and deception.

• Dragonfly Bay
• Narrow Plains
• Eonian Coast
• Forestlands
• Wyrm-mire
• The Palisade
• Scyllian Isles
• The Veldt

• Waterbodies
• Roads
• Trade Routes

Map & Locations

The continent of Mazura is large and relatively thick, extending from the Eonian Coast in the south to the Swords of Evenfall; in the far north is the frozen Abyssal Plains, where a large amount of land remains uncharted due to the extremely cold temperatures and the nature of the Abyss itself.The distance between each of the forts lining the northern front is two hundred leagues long, or two hundred miles. The continent itself stretches for about 4,000 miles from north to south and for some 2,000 miles at its widest point east to west.Mazura's western coast borders on Shipbreaker's Gulf. To the south is located the Lanterre Sea.The northern lands of Mazura are less densely populated than the south despite their roughly equivalent size. The major cities of Mazura are, in order of size: the Amaranthine Citadel, Lakumi, Vagos, Altenfelden, Dokshyvyen, Shisa, and Karybdia.

Dragonfly Bay

Dragonfly Bay is the principal region of Mazura, from where the royal house rules. The metropolis of the Amaranthine Citadel is the driving force of the region, with the largest population and harbor in the realm. Trade and taxes flow into the capital from every corner of the realm acknowledging the royal throne, and many vessels ply their wares as well. Virtually every craft and trade is practiced here, from metalsmithing and shipbuilding to alchemy. Elsewhere, fishing and farming are the norm, with a smattering of the common professions. Mazurans of all sorts of fur and build types are found, though it does boast a large population of “domestic” type cats. The demonym sometimes used for its inhabitants is "Dragonian", although a true Dragonian may refer to the blood of House Vamería.

Narrow Plains

The Narrow Plains vary from unbearably hot to pleasantly warm and fertile farmland. The arid desert grassland to the southeast that border the Eonian Coast, Forestlands, and Wyrm-mire reach sweltering temperatures, while to the west at the base of the mountains and the seaside front are vast sprawling grassy steppes and farms of all sorts of crops. The Narrow Plains are considered the wealthiest, as their economy subsists on feeding all of the people of Mazura with grain, vegetables, and fruits. Chivalry is esteemed in the Narrow Plains, and the birthplace of knighthood. People of the plains region are built for speed and running long distances. Their fur tends to be sandy colored, spotted, or boasts lion-like tufts at the end of their tails. Another notable, albeit rare, regional specific trait native plains cats may share are the black tear duct lines that stem from the inner corners of their eyes and crawl to the outer corners of their lips. Mazurans from this region are called plains cats or plainsmen. Of note, there are different types of plainsmen, those who live near the sea on the embercoast are known as salty plainsmen, while cats of summerfield are referred to as grassy plainsmen, and those of the arid and sandy valleys to the east are called sandy plainsmen. Kareyth of Castellora, for example, would be considered a grassy plainsman.

Eonian Coast

The Eonian Coast is known to be pleasantly warm and sunny, as it borders the warm and crystalline blue-green Lanterre Sea. This region is known to be leisurely and its inhabitants pleasant, and its economy purely subsists on the sheer amount of coastal fishing towns and villages it boasts, as well as a seafaring trade culture, making it a very wealthy region. Cats from this region are known to have golden rosette spotted and water-resistant furs, skin dark and tanned, and their figures built for swimming long distances, as swimming both to fish and for pleasure is common to this region. People from this region tend to be referred to as coast cats. By and large, coast cats are a kind people, and great lovers of song. On the Coast, unlike the other seven kingdoms, no distinction is made between sons and daughters. Instead, children inherit in order of birth regardless of sex. In the case of an inheriting molly, their last name will be passed on to their children, instead of the name of their husband. Furthermore, views on bastardy are milder in the Eonian Coast compared to the rest of Mazura. Especially when a child is born to a paramour, coast cats are not greatly concerned if a child is born in wedlock or out of it; as many lords and ladies on the Coast have paramours.

Forestlands

The Forestlands vary from the evergreen conifers to the north, to the deciduous trees to the south. It is a rich, fertile, and populous region; and one of the wealthiest in the realm. The numerous rivers that run across their expanse are used for trading and the transport of goods. It is famed for its timber harvesting, as it provides wood for a majority of the realm. Among the products it produces are kuims, peaches, apples, and grapes. Honeywood is said to make the finest of rich wines, from reds to a golden vintage. Wood harps made in Mapleview are highly sought after. However, because of their central position in Mazura and lack of natural boundaries, the Forestlands have been a frequent battleground. The people of the Forestlands are known as woodsmen or occasionally woods cats, and they are a mixture of hardy warriors, peaceful fisherfolk, and devout smallfolk. Their lords have a reputation for being notoriously quarrelsome, and are referred to as "forest lords". The cats of the Forestlands are lithe, limber, and nimble footed, innately talented at navigating the trees that surround them. There’s a high concentration of Mazurans with “domestic” cat patterning and traits here, though some share the tree cat trait of short tails and tufted ears like those of Wyrm-mire.

Wyrm-mire

A marshy, swampy, and humid region that is nigh impossible to traverse through to those not native to the location and has historically been difficult to invade on foot. The black bogs of the region contain lizard-lions, snakes, whiskerfish, carnivorous fish, and dozens of varieties of huge flowers. Dense thickets of trees are half-drowned and covered in pale fungus, and beneath the water, thick and deep mud will try to pull down and drown anyone who attempts to walk the waters. Cats from this land are known as reed cat and are usually short and stocky, with water-resistant and dark fur, often-times short-furred, though some may boast short bobbed tails and tufted ears like tree cats. Reed cats are so called for their habit of living in small villages formed of reeds and thatch that sit atop swampy waters and floating islands in the mire; while castles are built where stable land can be found, however minimal. Reed cats are often looked down upon by other Mazurans, including neighboring woodsmen. The swamp-dwellers are disparaged as "frogeaters" and "mudmen", while ironborn refer to them as "bog devils". Though, reed cats are talented hunters and warriors; despite their short stature and somewhat primitive lifestyle, they have proven to be a notoriously difficult people to conquer. They wield nets, bronze knives, three-pronged frog spears, and round leather shields. They use guerrilla tactics and have a mastery of their difficult terrain. They are a poor people and seldom leave their lands, subsisting on fishing and frogging; though while particularly reclusive, they can be a very jovial and welcoming people during times of peace.

The Palisade

Comparatively to the other isolated regions, the Palisade is characterized by its sheer height. Cities, villages, and castles are nestled into the stone peaks, and are risky to travel on foot to. Steps can be narrow and avalanches are common. Lissom deer, sturdy and antlered mounted ungulates, are indigenous to the location and often used to traverse the mountainous region. The valley's rich black soil allows them to grow wheat, corn, and barley. Not even in the Narrow Plains do the pumpkins grow any larger nor is the fruit any sweeter. There is at least one rock quarry in the Palisade that produces “white stone” suitable for use in castle walls. In the days of old, the Palisade was difficult to invade and conquer, though when House Vameria flew over their peaks with their dragons they were the quickest to surrender. Cats from this region are referred to as stone cats, and the nobles tend to be rather lofty in nature, even a bit pretentious, as they see themselves “above it all”, while the lowborn are considered much more down to earth and resourceful. Their fur tends to be thick and suited for cold weather, though more often described as feathery looking, or sleek and plain, like that of a mountain lion; as well as snow lynx, stony lynx, and snow leopard bloodlines that can also be found here. Their equilibriums are much more balanced, allowing them to thrive in such high up locations, and are long adapted to high-altitude sickness. Most blacksmiths and stonemasons call the Palisade home, alongside those in Dragonfly Bay. Scholars are common here, as Vethos is the patron of scholars and artisans, thus most nobles of the Palisade are encouraged towards the pursuit of knowledge.

Scyllian Isles

The Scyllian Isles are a rough and harsh region, albeit small. They border the stormy waters of Shipbreaker’s Gulf. There are three livable islands within it, and it subsists mostly on fishing, crabbing, shell-fishing, and trading with the other regions, although the pearls found in their oysters are lucrative and desired by nobles throughout the realm. With little ore, no farms, nor much cattle, most of the cats in this region fish and sail, like the Eonian Coast. However, before the royal house Vameria conquered all of the known realm, cats of the Scyllian Isles raided other regions to subsist on their meager lifestyle. The islands are sparse and rocky with a thin, stony soil that makes it hard for the smallfolk to farm, often having to do without the animals that might make their job easier, such as oxen or horses. While their mines do not produce the precious metals of the Palisade, iron is abundant on the isles. Lead and tin can also be obtained. Most ironborn feel the dangerous and backbreaking labor required to mine these metals is work suitable only for thralls. With so little wealth on the islands themselves, it is not difficult to understand why the ironborn of old turned to raiding. The cats of the Scyllian Isles are as rough as the terrain and incredible sea-farers, with sleek and short, water-resistant and dark furs-- though unlike cats of the Eonian Coast they are not very good at swimming. The waters around the Scyllian Isles are dark, tempestuous, and cold, unlike the warm and blue waters of the southern Eonian Coast. Though like coast cats, Scyllian cats are a people of the sea and are loath to go too far from the waters. The people of this region often share the name stone cats with those of the Palisade, though to differentiate them from their lofty mountain neighbors, they identify either as Scyllian cats or ironborn. The ironborn are considered independent, fierce, and sometimes cruel. They live in a harsh land and hold no love for the peoples of the mainland Mazura, whom they consider green and weak. Scyllian cats of old prided themselves on their fierceness in battle and their sacred freedoms. The Scyllian Isles are theoretically something of a loose democracy, where the ship captains choose their leaders through a kingsmoot. Their captains are proud and willful, and are considered to be a king aboard their own ships. It is forbidden for ironborn to spill the blood of other ironborn, but drowning is acceptable by some.

The Veldt

The Veldt is the largest region, to the north of Mazura. It is sparsely populated, with vast wilderness, forests, pine-covered hills and snow capped mountains, although it also is home to one of the six major Mazuran cities, Shisa. The northern climate is cold and harsh in the winter, and occasionally it snows even in the summer. The snow tends to be so thick in the long winters it reaches at least five meters in height the further you travel up and closer to the Abyss. Its northern border is the Abyssal Plains. Its southern frontier lies along the Forestlands and Wyrm-mire, bordered by the Palisade to the west and icy, frozen seas to the east. The difficulty of the terrain makes it a natural border for the Veldt, protecting it from invasion. Cats of the Veldt are known to be thick in fur, height, and build; typically of the variety that are better suited for living in the wintry region, from snow tigers to shadowcats. People from the Veldt tend to be referred to as northmen or snow cats. Northern accents can be considered "frosted". Northmen place less of an emphasis on courtly ritual and culture, and instead prefer hunting and brawling. Their tourneys are often melees and rarely feature jousting. Northern cats are known to have long memories, and a lord who does not seek their rightful vengeance threatens to have their own men turn on them. Though, there is an established and long held importance of family loyalty in the Veldt, as they highly revere the goddess Mithra; Guest Right is deeply honored in the Veldt. Northmen hold the Swords of Evenfall in high regard, and many northern lords send annual gifts to support the Swords.

Abyssal Plains

Shorthand called the Abyss, it is a stretch of slowly encroaching land to the north of the Veldt. It spreads across the land like an infection, covering the plants and earth with its sickly colors and making them untouchable to mazurans-- cats cannot touch the affected area because they "cut like a razor". It is a freezing cold wasteland where the meat of any animals hunted are poisoned ("bad meat") and untold abominable abyss-made monsters of all sorts call the place their home. No one knows where it originates and the science of it leaves maesters and scholars utterly baffled. In the southernmost regions, the Abyss is commonly used to scare misbehaving children, while those in the Veldt are more familiar with the goings ons of the Swords, as most cats from the Veldt are sent there to aid them. The Swords of Evenfall raised ten castles to guard against the northern expanse of the Abyss, although they never manned more than five at one time. Over the last few hundred years, as the manpower of the Swords has dropped, most of these castles have been abandoned. Some cats of the Swords refer to them as "ghost castles". The castles themselves are closer to garrisons, composed mostly of barracks, stables, storehouses, towers and out-buildings. Only three castles currently remain in use, though sometimes a larger force is sent to one of the abandoned castles for a fortnight or a moon's turn. The castles are listed from west to east:

Bodies of Water

Seas

Lanterre Sea
The calm and warm waters of the Lanterre Sea line the southern most coastline of Mazura, also known as the Eonian Coast. Dolphins and jellyfish are found here, among many different species of sharks suited towards the warmer temperatures.Shipbreaker’s Gulf
The rough seas near the Scyllian Isles. The sea floors in this area are ridden with the carcasses of sunken ships that now serve as homes and reefs for sea-life.Deathless Sea
The ocean to the west of the continent, named so for how endless it seems, as no man has been able to see what lies beyond it. The Deathless Sea is roamed by swordfish, king sharks, and whales, and Shipbreaker’s Gulf and coastal regions are populated by various fish and shellfish. The north of the sea contains krakens, leviathans, and possibly even legendary sea monsters.Bay of Seals
The eastern coastline of the Veldt. Named so for the large swaths of seals that inhabit the icy coast, it is also roamed by walrus, narwhals, sea wolves, and snow bears that call the bay home.

Roads & Paths

Trade Routes

Trading is integral to the wealth and mobility of the realm. Over the many centuries major ports have sprung up and with them the major trade routes that ships and carts may follow by land and sea. Some ships however will not dare tread certain waters, and some goods are better traversed by river than road.

The Basics

The people of Mazura all have the essential items that make them a “cat person”. Ears, tail, fangs, claws, and vertical pupil slits-- like our average feline friend.The ears and tail can range in all shapes and sizes, and all sorts of fur types and fur patterns and colorations. While there are regional differences, usually one can simply default to the “domestic cat” when it comes down to it, as they are the most common and are found throughout the whole realm. Both melanism and albinism can also be found and are rare, just like in real life. Funnily, like in our world, solid black fur can be considered bad luck by some!Mazuran eyes have a nictitating membrane like their canine cousins, an inner third eyelid, which protects the eye from dryness and/or damage. Their pupils can dilate and contract, giving them that vertical slit-like look. Mazurans have a tapetum lucidum, allowing them to see easily during the night, like their canine cousins. Eye colors in Mazura are a bit more fantastical however. While violet eyes are rare they are found strongly in the bloodline of House Vameria, the current royal house. Ojos Azules, Chinchilla Turquoise, Russian Topaz, heterochromia, dichromia, etc. are found throughout. Pink eyes are associated with albinism, though pink-eyed dilution is possible in combination with bluish-beige furs.Fangs are typical and don’t necessarily need an explanation, though claws function a bit interestingly here. They do indeed “sheath” and “unsheath” like cat claws, however on a fantasy scale it’s merely just the nails lengthening to appear in such a manner. Like domestic cats, Mazurans also possess “pads” embedded within their vocal cords, which add an extra layer of fatty tissue that allows them to vibrate at low frequencies, AKA purring! Often Mazurans purr when calm and happy, or to self-soothe when stressed; though it is noted that when one dies, a similar purr is released and is often referred to as the colloquial “death rattle”.

Society

Touch is an extremely integral part of Mazuran society. They crave touch, it is almost a vital need. Therefore, it's not surprising that a large amount of communication and social signals are transmitted by various forms of touch. Real life cats express their feelings physically, and so do Mazurans.The all-purpose cat way of saying hello is to slide one's cheek against the other cat’s, along the cheekbone back to behind the ear, and then to inhale deeply there. That is the point of the purest, strongest personal scent. Usually though, in more formal and dignified settings, cats grip each other by the tops of the shoulders. Sometimes this gesture is altered into a rather European exchange of kisses to the cheeks, hands on shoulders or upper arms.Friendly greetings between Mazurans are always more effusive than those between human friends or family members. Only cats on unfriendly terms would pass with merely a monosyllable or the flick of an ear exchanged between them, or nothing at all.Mazurans that are particularly close tend to walk closely together, tails almost intertwined.Ear cuffing and scruffing is most common between parent and child, ear cuffing being a pinch to the kit’s ears, and scruffing being a firm grip to the back of the neck.Like real cats, it’s common to give tokens of affection to those you love in Mazura, be it jewels or food. Giving presents is a sign of love, as it is the ultimate trust. It is oft considered a privilege that should not be afforded to many people.

Sexes & Sexual Dimorphism

^{See also: Gender & Sexuality}In the world of Mazura, the people have a largely different sex binary, divided into tom and molly. Toms are the children siring sex, with the external sex organ. Mollies are the children bearing sex, with the internal sex organ. Toms and mollies can present as any gender regardless. Toms identifying as female may have breasts, and mollies identifying as male may forgo them.There is actually hardly a difference between toms and mollies! Height, build, etc. aren’t secondary sex characteristics, but typically depend on the bloodline and region the individual hails from. Toms and mollies can be short, tall, thickset, or lithe, it’s all dependent on their genes and environment.The differential terms between children are tomkits and mollykits. Puberty for adolescent toms and mollies both begin at around 13-14 years old.While actual cats in real life are polyestrous breeders, Mazuran mollies are much closer to their famed human counterparts. Like humans, Mazuran mollies begin having a menstrual cycle at the start of puberty and for the most part are fertile throughout the year. Like humans, they also menstruate after ovulation. Sometimes though healthy menstrual cycles can be impeded by factors such as malnourishment and anemia, or stress.Though, unlike humans, the Mazuran gestation period lasts up to about 29 to 31 weeks, comparatively to the human 38-40 weeks, Mazuran years are shorter and so are their pregnancies. However, no litters for Mazurans! Thank goodness. The general rule of thumb for virtually any mammal, for however many teats, half that in young. Twins and triplets are possible though!In the case of your character falling pregnant, as both accidental and purposeful pregnancies are possible consequences in this world, be sure to let the admins know in advance! We won't force members to log... those kinds of RPs because they're not really our business and must be kept out of the public server, but a heads up regarding having children would be very much appreciated. ^{See Mechanics}

I have two hands and feet

With five digits on each

I can stand and walk on my two feet

A god sang this song

The Beginning

The beginning of Mazura is primitive, the creation begins with the deity Nehzotl. A serpentine, winged creature. The priests and bards sing of Nehzotl’s power, of its mercurial and mysterious nature, that the circular body of Nehzotl forms the world. Nehzotl is a creature that is an enigma, though in both ancient and modern Mazura its iconography is found everywhere.The wyrm deity is believed to eat itself day by day, painfully and ritualistically swallowing its tail, forming an eternal circle from its body. Within that circle is the world itself.From Nehzotl’s tears as it slowly and painstakingly ate at itself, imbued with ancient and powerful creation magic, formed the Gods Omnas and Murer. Omnas personified the ideas of life and of death itself, the primitive representation of rebirth in Mazuran culture. Murer personified the idea of memory and oath keeping, the power of spoken word and the importance of memory itself. Together they began filling Nehzotl's barren world with life, with fauna and flora of all kinds.Arguably, Omnas and Murer are not Mazurans, nor are they dragons, and their iconography depicts them as earless Mazurans oftentimes. Twocanes as they are called. Mazurans with no ears, claws, or tails, or fangs. Mythic in every sense.From Omnas and Murer, with their combined magic, they created the twin Gods Vhaehra and Vethos, the sun and the moon, to bring light to the world. Vhaehra and Vethos are day and night, complete opposites, and many songs and oral folklore establish them as rivals. Then not long after, the goddess Mithra was created.Mithra breathed true life into the world. From her bore the first Mazurans, and through her true order was established. She founded the order of family and love. Mithra devoted her love and adoration to all of her children and hoped to instill this same love and adoration in them. Mithra was a heartless mother, with too much love to bear.Mithra would go on to birth the gods Disdona and Khalthar, justice and honor respectively. The brother and sister deities would fill the seas and waters, Khalthar bringing forth abundance and flourish for Mazurans, while Disdona balanced his generosity with the violence of her tempest storms and rough seas. Khalthar and Disdona together established the codes of law and respect, instilling onto the mortal people of the world.From thereon the world had begun.Many gods and deities sprung forth, and in the minds of the people they are just as real as the world around them. Though you will find as you travel through this world, there are many different tales, some varying from region to region, oral folklore passing from ear to ear and mouth to mouth before having ever been written.Below are some of these tales, the most prevalent in the lore of this world.

Mithra’s Ascension

In the beginning, the world that had been formed was wild and untamed, cruel and cold. No place to find comfort and no place to bear a new life of one’s own. While Omnas and Murer may have filled the world with life, they were hardly concerned with what happened to such life afterwards. As much as they were gods, they did not carry the love for their creations that mortals had, it was not in their capabilities. The twin deities Vhaehra and Vethos, already created from the proto-deities, could offer no respite from this harsh realm. Mithra, the third and last born of Omnas and Murer, was therefore called upon the creatures of the world for guidance and protection.Murer and Omnas’ lack of interest in their creations directly affected the fact that there was no other “intelligent” life nor any form of actual civilization, until Mithra created Mazurans, who then founded society on the love and trust she taught and the familial foundation she gave them. It was her structure that gave the world order and made the first civilization.In her graciousness and love for the world’s creations, Mithra gave Mazurans a gift. That gift was a flame that could not be extinguished, and its warmth and light would offer safety and protection to the people of the realm. However, this gift had its contractual requirements. In return for Mithra’s benevolence, the people of Mazura would devote themselves in turn to her.She warned that the light of her eternal flame could be extinguished, and her protection will thus be lost. Therefore, the flame must be shielded and protected, offerings thrown into it to thank her, to help the flame grow. Mazurans took this to heart, building a hearth around this immortal fire to protect it from the environment, and later building a statue of the goddess around that hearth in Mithra’s honor.It is somewhere within this ancient tale that the Swords of Evenfall formed. The slow arrival of the Abyssal Plains threatened Mithra’s promise of protection, and so this honorable military order in the Veldt was created to protect the Allmother’s flame from the twisted and horrible darkness of the abyss.Mithra’s gift to the people established her as the highest of gods in the early days of its order. Both the people of the realm and gods beneath kneeled in respect.As the other gods and goddesses found themselves coming to her for guidance she naturally fell into the role of matriarch. Omnas and Murer had no interest in the affairs of the world they had built and neither Vhaehra nor Vethos could rule, for if one held more power than the other the balance between them would fall to ruin along with Mazura itself.A silent agreement between the gods was made, each would rule over their domains independently, but should any conflict need amending Mithra would have final say. And thus the Allmother was born. Not of magic and great power, but out of patience and love for her fellow beings.Though as Mithra flourished in her motherhood, nourishing her beloved Mazurans and birthing demigods such as Secis Zakoris, Dreaphar Halic, and Veorri The Vigilant, her time for ruling was taken up by the “lesser beings” she'd created and so the conflicts of the gods were delegated to her daughter Disdona, the goddess of justice. Though should a conflict go on after Disdona’s word is given, Mithra tended to step in. Her quiet fury, caused by anyone disrespecting her most mindful and fair child’s dictations, quickly brought rebellions to an end.Mithra established the order of family, the highest order and a treasured belief in Mazura that has stood the test of time. Her idolatry became a symbol of protection, for babies and children, pregnant Mazurans, and married couples. And to many, the protection of the realm entirely.She is still to this day highly regarded and valued across Mazura, though no other region reveres the mother goddess as much as the Veldt does. It is in their capital city, Shisa, that her statue-shrine sits. The eternally burning flames crackle within the hearth in her throne, and the torch within her raised hand. It is believed by many that should the flames ever be snuffed, great and terrible destruction would befall the realm; her protection gone from the world. It’s thought by some, in the mythos of the world, that life started in the north, before spreading outwards and further south, and that her eternal protective flame is where life had first gathered. Thus the cats of the north follow what is called “the old ways”, the times of ancient Mazura before the ideas of chivalry and ostentation in current times. Mithra’s ways, as they may be thought of as.While some noble houses may scorn the old ways, considered primitive and beneath them, there is the uncontested belief in the order of togetherness, family loyalty, and fellowship; especially among the smallfolk. Whether this still rings true for the upper echelon of Mazura… is uncertain.

Vhaehra & Vethos

Vhaehra and Vethos hadn’t always ruled the domains of the sun and moon.The two twins however, did always bear a particular grudge against each other. Vhaehra was a warrior, gifted in blade and battle. Vethos was scholarly, with a natural affinity for knowledge and sciences. Though both were very stubborn cats. Two opposite sides of the same coin, their rivalry was unending. The gods were born feuding.As offspring of Omnas and Murer, they would come to represent the delicate balance of the world, as if one would tip the scales too far to either side, chaos would befall the natural order.Though, there had been a pressing issue-- the world was dark, in its early stages, and many of the world's creatures lamented upon this. Mithra, Vhaehra, and Vethos convened, having been left to the arduous task of providing relief to the creatures of their world.Mithra, the Allmother, was already preoccupied with the protection of the world’s creatures, as the domain she ruled dictated so, and thus the task of bringing light to the world was left to her twin siblings. As expected, this became yet another competition to the two gods.Vhaehra believed the source of the world’s light should come from a chariot’s wheel of fire, burning eternally in the sky above Nehzotl’s head.Vethos, however, thought the softer silver gleam of a shield should work better, believing that Vhaehra’s idea would be far too disastrous.The two fought, and fought, and fought, ceaselessly, neither side yielded to the other-- and as they bickered the creatures of the world cried out still for an answer to their needs. Of course Mithra heard them, and urged her siblings to end their quarreling for the sake of everyone. The twins, reluctantly, listened to their sister.Mithra asked them then, of what solution had they come to? Whatever had them arguing so vehemently? Vhaehra answered first with her idea, the fiery chariot wheel in the sky. Vethos answered next, the silver shield gleaming from Nehzotl’s eye. The Allmother listened with rapt attention. Both were quite acceptable solutions in their own right, but the ever attentive and wise mother of gods pointed out the flaws in both twins’ arguments. The wheel of fire would have to be doused, as to not burn too harshly, and the silvery shield would need a source of light to gleam from.If they would come up with a resolute and final solution, they would have to create one together. Begrudgingly, they conceded. They took their sister’s wise counsel to heart, understanding her well-founded point of view.As they came to a final resolution the twins realized then how both ideas could work together cohesively. The chariot wheel would burn during what would be called the day and be doused when the day ended, bleeding the world back into darkness, but the gleaming of the shield would capture the fire’s light, illuminating the darkness of what would be the night.Thus becoming the sun and the moon.As balance again reigned, Vhaehra and Vethos shared the domain of the heavens. The war goddess’ chariot pulling the wheel of flame across the sky, to be then doused by Vethos who raised his shield against it.

Khalthar & Luxses

Khalthar, the firstborn son of Mithra and god of hospitality, was not known to travel. As his domains dictated he took up a homestead on the coasts, where he was known to help sailors and farmers alike; he was also known to host great feasts during the harvest, taking any that needed refuge as his guest, god or Mazuran alike. He lived a comfortable life along the seafront, hands and beard salty and coarse from the ocean breeze, and though he could seem a stoic and hardworking god, Khalthar had a warm heart like his mother Mithra. Few found love in such a place and Khalthar would come to father a few minor gods and demigods. Though the responsible and dedicated god found none of his lovers quite fit within the space his heart reserved for a true companion. His love for the sea and its wildness and unpredictability not filled by any who came to love him.This changed though as word of Khalthar’s harvest festival reached the ears of a young, jovial and wily god, Luxses, the offspring of the deity of beauty and love themself. As the embodiment of high spirits, Luxses naturally made their way to the coast to see for himself the festivities put on by the typically stoic and down to earth god of honor. And while his party wasn't nearly as grand as anything Luxses themself would put on, they were impressed at Khalthar’s efforts. Taking the guise of merely a well traveled bard, Luxses found themself as guest under the hospitable Khalthar’s roof. Khalthar’s alleged notoriety for kindness and geniality would be proven true to the god of festivity, having been treated with a most pleasant kindness themself.While Luxses was charmed by such generosity they had come for one thing and one thing only, to party. And while they were jovial and full of boisterous laughter, Khalthar was petrified. Smitten by such a passionate and free spirit, the god of the harvest sought after his guest however discreetly as he could, not wanting to scare away such a flighty creature. Luxses however, being the patron of desire, saw through the other god’s fleeting glances and feigned an air of disinterest. Finding this ever more charming, Luxses would draw out this little dance the two of them had fallen into. Khalthar inching closer and closer as he built his confidence only to have Luxses flit again out of reach.Their little dance went long into the night, until Luxses tired, and fell into the sea god’s arms. Come sunrise, the god of freedom belonged to another, their mortal disguise shed to reveal their true self. The two gods had fallen in love and quickly. Khalthar had not known a love like any other, entirely besotted with the other.Though in the days, weeks, and months that followed their union, Luxses felt the constant call of wanderlust-- they were still the god of freedom and festivity, traveling and wandering was their domain. They lamented this to their lover, pleading to return to their life of roving the realm. Khalthar reluctantly conceded; for he could not deny his partner’s duties. Though, he had Luxses promise him to always return to him when the days grew short and the snows long. The youthful god promised so, as they understood that they could never truly bear being so far from their beloved for so long.And so, when wanderlust calls Luxses away from Khalthar, to keep himself busy and to make Luxses’ travels easier, the god of the seas and harvests brings the warmer months, fair weather, and tends to the crops of the world, so that when his dearest returns to him they may hold the harvest and spend the winter months close together.This particular tale ultimately culminates into a rational myth explaining the seasons of Mazura, explaining the long warmer months compared to the short colder months, specifically in the southernmost regions. As regions farther north experience snow for far longer, this tale isn’t quite as popular in such locations.

The Sacred Laws

Before the sacred laws were written there was no law but the Allmother’s divine word. Most Mazurans strove to please and abide by Mithra’s teachings, but as in any family there were those who would stray from the path and instead of following the mother goddess blindly they would betray her rules, igniting a new interest from the goddess Vhaehra.As the first Mazuran quarrels began, death would soon follow. Murder was not known as evil-- it was not known at all. And as other vices rose and infested Mithra's beloved flock, wars would ignite amongst her people. There was no right or wrong way to persecute such sins. And though Mithra tried to be an unbiased and fair creator, she too had her favorites.Strife and jealousy coiled in the hearts of Mazura, the scales tipping and throwing the people into a war that would nearly extinguish the eternal flame in Mithra's sacred shrine. And while Vhaehra reveled in her new found power amongst the lesser beings she recognized that should they all die in her marvelous war that there would no longer be any joy nor fun in it. And as her brother Vethos rallied power with the other gods to bring Mithra's children to their senses, Vhaehra would eventually be the one to stop the fighting, finding there was no glory in the extinction of the Mazuran race.It was clear to Mithra that an order must be put in place. Without laws the Mazurans would fall again to iniquity. And so she gathered her fellow gods and goddesses to decide upon the sacred laws that all Mazurans must abide by.And though each sacred law was created and enforced by a different god, these laws would become the fundamental building blocks of “the old ways” or otherwise known as “Mithra’s ways”.The first law that was established was by Mithra herself. Mother’s Protection, ensuring that no children, pregnant persons, or mother shall be harmed under any circumstance. This was left uncontested by no other god.Disdona came next, as the goddess of justice itself she deemed the second law, Due Process. This law required that legal matters be resolved according to established rules and principles, and that individuals be treated fairly and justly, with a fair and objective mind and to never let one’s own bias and prejudice cloud one’s judgment.The third law was decreed by Vhaehra, in regard to her own bloodshed she felt it right to enact the Warrior’s Oath. A pledge that warriors of the realm uphold an oath of obedience, respect, duty, and mercy, to which this oath is only broken in death. This law later would become known as Knight’s Oath as the culture of Mazura shifted ever south.Honorable Khalthar enacted the fourth law, Guest Right. This law declaring that when guests, be they any station of birth, god and Mazuran, eat the food and drink off of a host's table beneath the host's roof, guest right is invoked. When invoked, neither the guest nor the host can harm the other for the length of the guest's stay.Following their husband, Luxses chimed in with their own law, Messenger’s Amnesty. While they understood Vhaehra’s desire for bloodshed would never be satiated, they decided that those who were not involved in the conflicts of her creation, be granted safe passage through wartorn and battletorn territories, like messengers, travelers, healers, and any other neutral parties.The final law was given to Vethos to decree, who took deliberation, not wanting to be swift in his answer-- this meaning he could not find a law of his own to give at first. All of his immortal family had already given substantial decrees, and as the wisest and most scholarly of them all, he had been left with the hardest work. He thought it over long and hard before giving the final edict. Thus, he mandated Common Shield. Vethos ensured the natural rights and freedoms of Mazurans, that no status should put one above the other in the eye of the law.As these six Sacred Laws were put into place, some gods would propose their own laws to be added, feeling that they were as necessary as the initial six. All of them were considered, though most of them would be voted out. The only one of the proposed seventh laws that would make it was the god Pherim’s. Born from love itself, and the parent of Luxses, Pherim’s word was heeded. Pherim’s Wrath was decreed, to use their blessing to harm another was considered a crime worthy of death, thus protecting any Mazuran from being sexually harassed or abused by any other.The Sacred Laws would be immortalized and upheld by both mortals and immortals, as they were necessary to keeping Mithra’s precious order, and are the only laws to never be changed, only amended upon as the culture of Mazura advanced.

Lyssara’s Curse

The curse of the goddess Lyssara is fraught with different variations that differ from place to place. There are claimants that she was born from parthenogenesis, the goddess Vhaehra “birthing” her in a fit of rage, in the Palisade, the Veldt, Wyrm-mire, and the Scyllian Isles. Other southron regions think the free-spirited Luxses indulged for a night with the war goddess, which had originally come from the tale of the Sanga and Touga, of which has more prevalence in aforementioned regions where knighthood and chivalry is more valued.In the north, Lyssara was created as Vhaehra’s blind rage poured out on the battlefield, bringing her into the world as a goddess of madness and frenzy. Lyssara quickly soon after became a loyal retainer of her parent, following her into battle alongside her “brother”, the god of victory, Vistus.Lyssara was notably temperate with a moderate demeanor, though her tendency for cruelty was far more notorious. The goddess would often be called upon by other gods to enact divine punishment, by driving heroes and historical figures mad with blind rage and insanity. Though, there was one instance that Lyssara had crossed a line she shouldn’t have.Mithra didn’t often bear demigod children, though when she did, she protected them with a fierceness that rivaled any mother in the world. One child in particular was Dreaphar Halic, the eldest son of the Lord of House Halic. He was a noble and honorable cat, powerful in battle, and valiantly defended his family’s seat in times of struggle. It was at that time, did the demigod scorn the goddess of frenzy, calling her actions of inflicting her domain upon his bannermen and his enemies an insult to his valiant efforts. Lyssara did not take too kindly to that, and in a fit of cruelty, cursed the Mazuran with insanity, sending him into a mad rage that caused him to murder his wife, children, and family.This action quickly reached the attention of the Allmother, who found Lyssara’s deed to be a personal slight. In Mithra’s own rage, she thus cursed the lesser goddess in turn, as punishment. The queen of the gods turned Lyssara into a frenzied, rabid hound, forcing her to wander the realm in this form.In some parts of Mazura, the ending of this splits into differentiations, of just what exactly happens to Lyssara as she is forced to walk the world as a mad dog. Some believe as time went on, and at Vhaehra’s behest, Mithra granted the minor goddess a return to her life as a bipedal creature, though as Lyssara lived as a hound, she bred with other dogs, inflicting the curse further unto her canine offspring. This forms the superstitions in some regions towards stray hounds. Other regions believe she wanders the world still as a dog, sinking her fangs into other creatures and spreading her curse-- which is formally known as Lyssa disease, or in our own terms, rabies.

Sanga & Touga

As aforementioned, one tale of Lyssara’s creation is semi-connected to the culture of the magic of the sanga and their touga, which also variates based on periods in time.Sanga magic is arguably ancient, and it is unsure if it is inherited or randomly innate in a select few. The words sanga and touga are allegedly ancient Mazuran, the meanings of the words themselves lost to time, now only remaining as mere titles. According to ancient myth, a Sanga is a Mazuran born with the ability to compose and perform mysterious songs that aid Tougas in battle, empowering them, Touga being the title that describes cats that have been trained to fight-- a warrior.In the northernmost regions, sanga and touga are as rare as the idea of skinchanging, infused deep into myth and mystery-- though something very much real and cautionary. However to the south of Mazura, as the culture shifted into more fanciful and romantic ideals, the ancient story of sanga and touga were infused into the modern culture of knights and bards. The story itself spun into a belief that Luxses, the god of festivity, patron of bards, and consort of the sea god Khalthar, indulged in a night with the sun goddess and patron of knights, Vhaehra-- the goddess of frenzy supposedly born from this short affair.It is also believed by some, in another tale, that Vhaehra was tasked with defeating Taraset, a great and fearsome hydra that had taken roost in the mountains of Dragon’s Spine, as the creature had been threatening the lives of those who scaled Vulture’s Pass and all of the neighboring villages. The battle was long and tiresome, and the great warrior goddess was weakened by her manxome foe, as for every head she cut from its neck, two more sprung from a severed stump. In her enfeebled state, the god Luxses was sent by the Allmother to aid her with their bolstering magic, the queen of the gods fearing for the safety of her noble sister.It is said that Luxses sang a song of strength, a powerful melody strung from their divine lyre, revitalizing the warrior goddess’ strength to continue fighting Taraset. Together, the legendary creature was finally slain and defeated. This supposedly resulted in a passionate, albeit short, romance between the two gods; Luxses allegedly bearing forth the minor goddess Lyssara from this fleeting union.Upon this ending, some Mazurans believe that in times of dire need, some song-spinning cats are given a special song to aid warriors in battle, this song resonating more soundly with a cat they have formed a bond to; a gift from Luxses themself and in reflection of the legendary tale.Regardless of the story and reasoning, it is irrefutable that the magic of sanga and touga runs deep in the world of Mazura, as both song and blade is found everywhere, regardless of the region.

The Eight Kingdoms

The history of the eight kingdoms altogether dates back to ancient Mazura itself, making many records lost or incomplete.The first kingdom to ever exist in Mazura was in the Veldt. Mithra herself brought civilization its first breath under her watchful eye. And she herself would rule over the mortals until the first war, but as this great divide of her beloved Mazurans would take hold, many a cat would take a chance at leading those who followed their ideals. But as the fighting was brought to an end a leader for the Mazurans was needed. Mithra would still oversee all of Mazuran kind, but some found that they could no longer reside with each other, causing factions of the previously fighting cats to leave the safety of Mithra’s hearth, expanding her domain as the cats scattered on the winds.Many chose to stay both to protect Mithra’s sacred flame and because Shisa was all they’d ever known. With the new sacred laws passed down to them by the gods, a fit leader needed to be put in place to uphold the god’s declarations and also protect the people and hearth as Mithra saw fit to wander and protect all her children in turn.The Hildjöfurr house would claim the Veldt as their kingdom, ruling the icy north. House Hildjofurr is an ancient house from the icy north that has maintained its rule over the Veldt with an iron grip for centuries. The house would spend years building alliances, conquering rivals, and consolidating power in their imposing keep, Northgarde. The family is known for the high value they put on their oaths and their honor, but also for their ruthlessness and pragmatism. Their forces would always accept surrender and treat prisoners well, but as the Hildjöfurrs would say, "honorable combat does not mean fair". They would strike under the veil of the long nights, and the silence granted by the snow to devastate their enemies in sneak attacks. Their strength only grew and their rivals all eventually learned that the smart move was to bend the knee or be wiped out. Especially feared was the personal guard of the Hildjöfurr lords, who would become known as ruthless masters of combat that would lay down their lives unthinkingly for their lord.The seat of power that would be erected would be known as the Ivory Throne, an imposing throne built of bone, tusk, and antler, the spoils of the north. The house would maintain their martial prowess, but understood that the threat of force alone was not enough to inspire loyalty in their subjects. They established a rapport with the commoners and governed as fairly as they could in order to stay in power and keep the North strong. It didn't have the wide grain fields of the Narrow Plains, or the bountiful ocean of the Eonian Coast, but the Hildjöfurrs saw the beauty and pride in their homeland and would not trade it for anythingAs Mazurans drifted far southernmost, great kingdoms sprung from mere villages. Regions were established, unwritten borders that many a ruler warred overIn the dark bogs of Wyrm-mire, explorers who dared to traverse the marshes settled into their thatched villages atop the murky waters; the castle Greyfort rising out of these multiple smaller settlements. Petty kings warred with each other in the mire for a time, before the Leech Kings of House Grise of Greyfort came out on top.In the mountainous Palisade, two twin sisters supposedly descending from the bloodline of the god Vethos, dared to cross the steep cliffs, founding the grand city of Dokshyvyen. From this, the great seat of Stillshield was built up from the highest peak.Some noble families perhaps have stood the test of time, holding to the Allmother’s unwritten law of family order. Though… as the sun chariot turns in the sky, falling below the horizon, days moving into passing years, some great houses have collapsed under their own weight. Some of those great ancient houses have all been lost in Nehzotl’s endless turning. Though their names, etched into weathered stone in the old tongue, live on in the minds of those who aspire to reach such heights. While some great houses yet remain from this age of warring kings and queens, few have fallen into history-- a lesson to those who came after them.House Zakoris of Katareen Keep is an extinct house of The Eonian Coast. They claimed descendance from the hero Secis Zakoris, demigod offspring of Mithra, who was supposedly awarded the seat of Katareen Keep by their half-brother Khalthar. Allegedly blazoned their arms with per bend blue-green and white, a silver dolphin embowed. According to some sources their words were “By land and sea.” House Zakoris ruled the Coast during the age of the Eight Kingdoms before being destroyed by House Vamería during The Conquest.House Greybeard of Saltholde is an extinct house of the Scyllian Isles. The Greybeards of antiquity were Salt Kings on the island of Lusca Cay and their rule extended to the coasts of the Palisade and the Narrow Plains before Valerys’ Conquest. The family claimed descendance from King Greybeard, who’s legend tells of him slaying a mighty sea serpent bare-handed. The last Salt king of this ancient house was named Herrath VI Greybeard. The Greybeards blazoned their arms with quartered: a gold King shark on dark blue, a black longship on gray-green. Their words are unknown. Collapsed part way during the age of the Eight Kingdoms and was left in multiple factions.Nowadays, more than one modern house may claim to be descendants of the original founders of collapsed kingdoms, which often brings up disputes of who is the greater house or who should inherit what.^{This section will be dependent on playing characters.}

Valerys’ Conquest

^{Three centuries prior to modern day}Valerys’ Conquest, also called The Conquest, was the campaign in which Valerys I Vamería conquered the whole of Mazura. Together with his sibling-wife and queen, and their dragons Vaerion and Thyraxes, Valerys successfully subdued the Eight Kingdoms. Not all the continent had to be taken by conquest, as some regions and houses actively supported House Vamería and others submitted voluntarily.House Vamería clearly hadn't always been the reigning royal family of the realm, though ancient and powerful as they are. As once part of the Eight Kingdoms, they had already ruled for centuries from Dragonfly Bay with fire and blood, claiming descendance from the dragon deity Laziphos and their mortal lover-- Queen Vysehrys, the Dragonmother.Many legends surround the family, the most prolific of all being that they had been dragonriders themselves, gifted with the innate ability to tame and mount dragons. It is said at the start of House Vamería’s reign in the Eight Kingdoms they had as many as twenty living dragons on the continental island. Though, the existence of actual dragons beyond the known dragon gods is still arguable in modern Mazura. Many believe the supposed dragons to have been a metaphorical allusion to the Vamería coat of arms.Though the one thing that truly set them apart from other ruling families had been their propensity for consanguineous marriage, even so much as wedding sibling with sibling to keep the bloodline pure, to keep them connected with their dragons. This trend would follow them even until modern day, regardless of their lack of dragons, nonetheless frowned upon by all of the great houses of the realm.During the age of the eight kingdoms, they weren’t necessarily the wealthiest out of them all. Despite their port being a prime spot for trade, they held one of the smallest regions with not much to offer in terms of resources. For one to rule Dragonfly Bay, they had to be clever and have a mind for persuasion. Though what they lacked in resources, they made up for in military might and firepower. Dragons may be considered mythic in modern Mazura, but during the height of house Vamería’s power the noble family supposedly bred, tamed, and mounted dragons into battle. It was believed to be customary that a newborn Vamería child received a dragon’s egg upon their first kitday.One such king of Dragonfly Bay that made his mark in his history was Valerys I Vamería, also known as Valerys the Conqueror and Valerys the Dragon, the first Lord of the Eight Kingdoms and King of Mazura. The dragonlord was the founder of the current ruling Vamería dynasty of Mazura. Valerys was tall, broad-shouldered and powerful in appearance, with bright violet eyes and his silver-gold hair kept long, thick, and in a braid, while his face was kept clean-shaven. He was very charismatic and commanding, yet he was seen as an enigma. He was a solitary person whose only companions were his spouse and dragon. The king was a great warrior who only rode his dragon for battle or travel and never entered tourneys. While he was considered harsh with those who defied him, he was generous to those that bent the knee.Valerys’ interest in conquering the realm began when he noticed how often the other kingdoms were warring with each other. The collapse of the great House Greybeard having already marked a change in the way the eight kingdoms were beginning to function. He considered all of Mazura as one land, despite the fact that the continent was long split into Eight Kingdoms, and was determined to unify it under his rule, thinking it would benefit the Realm as a whole.Valerys called his banners and took counsel with them and his family, after which he sent ravens to the other rulers in the kingdoms. He informed them that he would be the only king in Mazura and that those who bent the knee would keep their lands and titles, while those that did not he would destroy.The war began in 2 BC when Valerys Vamería and his sibling-wife landed with fewer than 1,600 men at the mouth of Dragon Cove. Upon the highest hill, of a nearby island, that would later become the Amaranthine Citdel, Valerys started construction of the Kingsfort, a wooden motte and bailey fort as his first claim to the mainland of Mazura. The first couple of houses surrendered to him quickly, and the next two were quickly defeated in Valerys’ first test. Before the defeated lords gathered at the new Kingsfort, Valerys was crowned with a steel circlet and hailed as King of All Mazura by his mother, Dowager Queen Vysemera. “Valerys, First of His Name, King of All Mazura, and Shield of His People.”A martial family, House Veket of Houndkeep, who ruled in their own right as Kings of the Valley, well understood the power a dragon could hold, and were none so unwise against the power of its fire. The hunting leopards submitted freely, with the promise of retaining their lands as well as the defeat of their long-standing rivals of House Zakoris. The newly established army departed from Houndkeep, Valerys and his men marching into the Eonian Coast to confront lord Lazelos Zakoris on the fields bordering the Narrow Plains, however, lord Zakoris' men would swiftly meet their end, snuffed out by Vaerion's flames. In the midst, the merchant family of House Kilandra would seek to climb the ladder of chaos, offering their less than savory services to the dragonlord to exterminate the entirety of their former liege lords' bloodline. In return Valerys raised their name to that of Lord Paramount of the Trident and Warden of the South.Wyrm-mire held fast in spite of their neighbor's vanquishment, though with the aid of King Grise's concubine, Lady Adelina Rotte, Valerys proved victorious. In thanks for the brave girl's leal service, the Conqueror named her and her descendants as Warden of the East, the rat king banners of House Rotte of Greyfort would remain for the following centuries.As the Conquest would rage through the lower kingdoms, the mood in Northgarde was tense. the Veldt, ever defiant, prepared itself to defend its legacy as the cradle of civilization to the last. The king, however, was thinking deeply on the matter. King Ragnar VI Hildjöfurr, already a veteran of many battles, accruing many scars and costing him an eye, earning him the titles of One-Eye and the Unbroken. But he had seen the armies of the Vamerías, ever growing. And he had seen the devastation their dragons could wreak. And so, as Valerys the Dragon approached the Veldt, the Beast of the Blizzard rode out with his guard to meet him under the banner of negotiation. The King of the North had previously rejected the Conqueror's ultimatum, as his house's pride had not allowed him to even consider it. But Ragnar had seen more than his share of the horrors of war, and had no desire to see his homeland and his people burned in the pyre of his family's pride. After much negotiation, it was decided that Ragnar would abdicate the Ivory Throne to his daughter and enter the service of the Dragon as his Hand. The new Warden of the North bent the knee to the Vamería dynasty, while the former king held his head high in service of his new lord despite his personally felt shame having betrayed his family's proud history in his own eyes. House Hildjöfurr would have fought to the last man, but he was not willing to sacrifice the common folk, the lifeblood of his beloved North, for something as intangible as pride.When the capitol was moved from the beautiful and icy city of Shisa, which held the great statue-shrine of the Allmother, to Dragonfly Bay, many in the Veldt would seethe and whisper of how this insult could not stand. But House Hildjöfurr kept its oaths. To keep the peace and ensure the safety of their subjects, they had vowed to uphold the rule of the Royal Throne and those oaths would be honored. In the centuries since, the Hildjöfurrs would continue to rule the Veldt, shepherding the north to keep it safe and thriving as best they could.When the campaign had finally come to an end, with Valerys’ victory, he returned to Dragonmont, the ancestral seat of House Vamería. There, the High Priest declared Valerys to be King of Mazura, Lord of the Eight Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm.While the ironborn were a proud, solitary people and warred among each other, the dragonriders knew that peace and compromise would win the Scyllian Isles. While House Greywynd of Saltholde was placed as the ruling Great House of the islands, this peace would never truly last. Despite it, their culture of reaving and raiding would ebb and flow like the tides.The Amaranthine Citadel around the royal palace would grow in Valerys’ time as king, high walls being built around it in the latter half of his reign, due to tensions with the still fractured and rebellious Scyllian Isles. The original capital of the realm had been Shisa, in the Veldt, truth be told. Mithra’s great statue-shrine, her eternally burning hearth, a holy symbol of the Allmother, was where it was believed Mazuran civilization had started and spread out from. Though, when Valerys took his place as the sole king of the eight kingdoms, the capital was eventually moved to the citadel in Dragonfly Bay-- of which this has since left a silent bitterness and resentment between the northmen and royal house. House Vamería since then hasn’t had the fondest attitude towards the houses of the Veldt, and have a particular distaste for “the old ways” that the northern cats still follow.Although Valerys’ reign had largely been peaceful, many of his subjects desired to go back to the days of old, when there were still eight kingdoms. Others wanted vengeance for the deaths of their loved ones in wars, and yet others saw the Vamerías as abominations. Because of this, the tumultuous reigns of his offspring were filled with battles and chaos. However, it stabilized and a dynasty that would last for over three hundred more years was established.The death of dragons upon King Valerys’ ascension began during the reign of King Vigon I Vamería, the Conqueror's great great grandson. By the end of the reign of Vigon I, House Vamería was at its strongest with twenty dragons at its yoke. However, by the end of the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, most of the dragons had died out, whether by their rider’s hands or by old age. This catastrophic war would soon after set the current precedent of agnatic tom primogeniture in the royal family, since the reign of Queen Saenerys I Vamería.Superstitious folk believe that magic in Mazura died when the last dragon died. Regardless of this, dragons are nonetheless extinct and evidence of their existence is hard to come by, thus many doubt the existence of dragons at all.

Recent History

The Pyrepillar Pretenders were a series of claimants to the Throne of the Eight Kingdoms, flying the banner of House Pyrepillar in several Pyrepillar Rebellions. The Pyrepillar opposed the reign of House Vamería from the reign of King Vaehrys I until they were extinguished in the tomcat line during the reign of King Valerys III. In the year 184 AC, Vigon the Unworthy would set a terrible precedent by legitimizing his bastard son Valerys Pillars upon his deathbed. In 196 AC Valerys would make claimant to the royal throne, taking the name Pyrepillar to remove the taint of bastardy, in spite of his half-sister, Prince Vaehrys inheriting as the trueborn heir. This would set forth a civil war that would divide the Eight Kingdoms. The First Pyrepillar Rebellion, known to contemporaries as the Pyrepillar Rebellion, was a war fought between the loyalist forces of King Vaehrys I Vamería and the rebel forces of her half-brother, Valerys I Pyrepillar. The war lasted nigh on a year. It would end with the death of Valerys and his two eldest tomkits at the hands of his half-sister Prince Vanyx Vamería at the battle of the Southern Steppes, and the exile of his wife and further children. The First Pyrepillar Rebellion left its mark upon Mazura for years to come. Asking a man whether he had fought for the black dragon or the violet was considered a dangerous question.The Second Pyrepillar Rebellion was the second attempt of the Pyrepillar Pretenders to claim the royal Throne. The failed plot, which took place in 211 AC, began at Springhaven, where the hedge knight known as Ser Dorrick the beggar was revealed to be Valerys II Pyrepillar during a wedding tourney. The rebellion was ended before it began.The Third Pyrepillar Rebellion was a conflict late in the reign of King Vaegon II Vamería. In 219 AC, Rhaegel I Pyrepillar made claim to the Throne. The Third Pyrepillar Rebellion ended with the death of Rhaegel I, and the arrest of his supporters.The Fourth Pyrepillar Rebellion, was a brief conflict during the reign of King Valerys III Vamería. The eldest son of Rhaegel I Pyrepillar, Valerys III Pyrepillar, had been crowned following Rhaegel's death during the end of the Third Pyrepillar Rebellion. In 230 AC, as a cruel winter was ending, Valerys III Pyrepillar and his supporters launched the Fourth Pyrepillar Rebellion. The final Rebellion ended with Valerys Pyrepillars' death during the Battle of the Hydra’s Tail. Sometime after the defeat, the tomcat lineage of House Pyrepillar died out.In the last half century, there would be fewer wars, but not until the late reign of King Vaemond I Vamería did the ironborn rise up in rebellion again, a century after their last. Led by the forces of House Saltbrine and House Greywynd from 260 AC to 264 AC, the conflict would end with the Saltbrines defeated, the death of heir apparent Prince Vanyx, the betrayal of House Greywynd's new lord, and the placement of [...] as the Great House of the Scyllian Isles.Of the years since then, during the following reigns of King Vytautys I and Queen Vysenys I, the Realm at large has been at peace, though it is now uncertain how long that may last.^{This section will be dependent on playing characters.}

Magic & Alchemy

Magic is a supernatural force in Mazura. It is rare enough for many to doubt its effectiveness or even its existence. Magic is a little-understood force in the world. It has been so long since magic was truly potent that most understanding of it only lives on in superstition and rituals of questionable validity. Blood, life, and death seem to be keys that can help unlock the secrets of magic. In Mazura, magic is held to be a mythical force only.It is believed that magic died out when the last dragon died, hundreds of years ago early in the reign of House Vameria, though many argue that dragons never existed, and the term itself is largely metaphorical in reference to the dragon sigil of the royal family.

Magic

Sanga and Touga
The ancient mythicalities of Sanga and Touga are steeped into the culture of knights and bards in modern Mazura. The Sanga is the bard, and the Touga is the knight, respectively. According to ancient myth, a Sanga is a Mazuran born with the ability to compose and perform mysterious songs that aid Tougas in battle, empowering them. Touga is the title that describes cats that have been trained to fight. In the myths, Tougas were great warriors and Sangas their pillars. The stories of Sangas and Tougas are usually framed in a romantic light, made for young Mazurans with fanciful imaginations and ideas of heroism. Though, there seemed to have been some merit to the idea, as bards have become a rare and delightful status, their song-spinning a unique art that is cherished by the realm; and knights are a common status in the culture of Mazura.Divination
Some people exhibit the ability to see the future either through dreams or other conduits to facilitate prophetic visions. Considered a mere mummer’s trick by most if not all of Mazura though some bog witches can be found deep into the thick murky swamps of Wyrm-mire, who are said to offer their services of divination and other such magics, for a steep price that is.Necromancy
Some are rumored to dabble in necromancy, the ability to raise the dead as mindless automatons bound to serve a specific purpose. Not to be confused with explicitly raising one from the dead. Considered a part of the darker side of magic, it is steeped in mystery and largely considered unattainable and unrealistic. Many cats scoff at the idea of necromancy.Skinchanging
A skinchanger or beastling is a person with the ability to enter the mind of an animal and control its actions. A skinchanger able to enter the mind of a wolf or dog is known as a warg. The interaction between the skinchanger and animal's minds influence both personalities, with detrimental effects to the human if the animal's influence is not fought. It is much easier for a skinchanger to do so if a bond exists between the two parties. An untrained skinchanger may unconsciously enter the mind of an animal, especially while sleeping, particularly if a bond exists. It is traumatic if an animal is killed while its mind is inhabited by a skinchanger; and if a skinchanger is killed while inhabiting a creature, a part of his consciousness will remain in the creature. It is a rare ability with only one man in a thousand being born a skinchanger. It was historically common to northmen of the Veldt and possibly some stone cats of the Palisade; though now it's simply considered a fanciful myth to delight children with.Bloodmagic
Bloodmagic or blood sorcery is a type of magic rooted in the use of blood and sacrifice. It is considered the darkest and most powerful sorcery. Practitioners of bloodmagic are known as bloodmages, or maegi. Bloodmages have dark spells to save a man from death-- though some may say death is cleaner-- and even the power of granting eternal youth through blood.Dragon Dreams
Dragon dreams affect those with the blood of the dragon, members of House Vameria, who are known to have a premonition-like dream ability-- they are no ordinary dreams. They often involve dragons but not always.Dragon dreams appear to have haunted those with the blood of the dragon throughout the generations; some more than others.

Alchemy

A diverse range of practices involving the creation of substances or materials without magical powers. Alchemy has been considered something of a fad for absent-minded, bookish lords to "dabble" in alchemy research, by other nobles. Though, there is some merit to it, as alchemy is considerably the medieval forerunner to modern chemistry. Alchemists have developed a basic set of laboratory techniques, theories, and terms, some of which are still in use today.The Alchemists' Guild, also called the Guild of Alchemists, is an old order of pyromancers. The guild was once powerful, though in the recent centuries, maesters have largely replaced the alchemist everywhere. The alchemists claim to possess vast secret stores of knowledge. A full member of the Alchemists' Guild is called a wisdom. There are also apprentices and acolytes to assist them. The order is led by a wisdom known as the Grand Master.In its earlier years, the guild was very powerful, but by the reign of Queen Vysenys I Vameria, their abilities and influence have been greatly diminished. Now only a few of the old order remain. The alchemists from the Alchemists' Guild in the Citadel are not the only alchemists that can be found across the known world; alchemists can also be found in the city of Dokshyvyen in The Palisade.The alchemists claimed to be able to transmute metals, create living creatures of flame, along with other powers, at the height of their power. In recent centuries their power has waned, and they focus on creating the incendiary substance known as wildfire, which burns much hotter than normal fire and cannot be extinguished by water, an effort that keeps House Vameria in power without dragons. They claim that wildfire's power is magical in nature, though the exact ingredients are a closely guarded secret. They are still hinted at possessing vast secret stores of knowledge, though they only demonstrate the skill to create wildfire, which they call the substance. The wildfire is created in the Guildhall, located near the Temple of Dragons in the Amaranthine Citadel. The hall is an imposing labyrinth of cold black stone. Great care is taken when producing wildfire. Trained acolytes prepare the product in bare stone cells, and once a jar is ready, it is immediately removed by an apprentice and brought to the vaults.

Laws & Justice

The system of laws and justice of Mazura are largely defined by its feudal system of local government.Justice belongs to the royal throne. Lords are allowed to pronounce justice in the name of the ruling monarch. Lords have the right of pit and gallows over their own lands, i.e. having the authority to hang people or arrest them and have them executed according to the monarch's law. Landed knights cannot exercise the same right without the leave of their liege lord.On the monarch’s small council, the Chief Justiciar serves as one of the monarch's councilors. The royal executioner is known as the King's/Queen’s/Monarch’s Justice. The Monarch's Justice holds the responsibility for the dungeons of the Citadel in Dragonfly Bay. The Lord Confessor is responsible for questioning prisoners.Taxes
In Mazura, taxes are collected locally. Lords pay taxes to the crown. The Great Houses gather the taxes from their region. The Great Houses subsequently pay their own taxes to the Crown. Lords can have treasurers in their service to handle the incoming taxes.Captivity
Those accused of a crime can be arrested and kept in a dungeon. Many, if not most, castles have their own dungeons.

Crimes & Punishments

Numerous different punishments can be given for different crimes.Treason
The crown is the protector and overseer of all Mazura. To attempt to slander, tarnish, harm or otherwise overthrow House Vameria is to attempt the same treason upon the realm. Conspiracy to kidnap, abuse, discredit, dethrone, or slay any member of the royal house is punishable by revocation of titles, lands, standing, and citizenship. Attempted treason is punishable by stripping of all these as well as imprisonment and death. known conspirators to treason and protectors of treasonous people are subject to the same fate.Thievery and pick-pocketing
It is customary for a thief to be punished by losing a finger or a hand, or have their nose slit off. Pickpockets can likewise be punished by cutting off a hand. Those who steal from shrines can be considered to have stolen from the gods, and thus receive far harsher punishment.Poaching
Poaching is strictly forbidden. Lords are generally not tolerant towards poachers, and punishments for poaching can include being forced to join the Swords of Evenfall, losing a hand, or hard labor (i.e. being forced to row ships, being forced to work as an ore miner, etc.).Outlawry
Outlaws are generally sentenced to death by hanging.Slavery
Slavery is illegal in Mazura. The gods consider slavery to be an abomination, and as such, there have been no slaves in Mazura for thousands of years. The punishment for selling people in Mazura is execution.Swords of Evenfall
An alternative for some punishments is joining the Swords of Evenfall Debtors, poachers, thieves, and murderers are among those who might be forced to join the Swords. People of the Swords of Evenfall are required to swear a vow, by which means their crimes are washed away and all debts are forgiven. Breaking the oath made to the Swords of Evenfall is punishable by death. Refusing Orders made by the Sword Commandant can also be punishable by death.Execution
The most severe crimes are punishable by death. These crimes include deserting the Swords of Evenfall and treason.People can be put to death by beheading, either with an axe or a sword, or by hanging. Although, sometimes it can get a little creative and torturous if the punisher is particularly cruel.Miscellaneous
For lying about a crime, a nail might be driven through the palm of a person's hand.Slitting a man's nostrils may be deemed a suitable punishment for injuring an innocent person with ill intent.A baker who adulterates their flour, might be fined. If such a fine cannot be paid, they might be whipped instead.

Known Laws

King's Peace
This law requires petty lords and landed knights to take their disputes to their liege lord, and abide by their judgement, while disputes between great houses are adjudicated by the Crown.Slayer’s Penance
This law states that unnecessary murder is punishable by law, whether it be accidental or ill intent. Though killings that are deemed as accidents tend to have less severe punishments than intentional murder. Additionally should an accidental killing occur and the slayer steps forward to confess and accept punishment for their crime they may become exempt from Retributive Justice as they will serve whatever punishment is deemed fit by their jurors.Retributive Justice
This law grants due punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act. This doubles as the self-defense law.Fair Trade
Stealing, breaking contracts, and breaking oaths is outlawed. Even spoken word is considered legally binding and if it is to be broken, punishment will be swiftly dealt.Bladed Pledge
The Bladed Pledge affirms that marriage vows spoken at swordpoint are not held to be legally valid and violate the freedoms of the individual. Betrothals are legal, but forcing a marriage upon another person with yourself is not binding.Widow's Law
The Widow's Law reaffirms the right of the eldest child to inherit. However, the law requires the heirs to maintain their sire’s surviving widow, no matter whether they had been a second, third, or even later wife, under the same conditions as they had been before their husband’s death. The widows could no longer be driven from their late husband’s castle, deprived of their servants or possessions, or their income. The law similarly prevented people from disinheriting the children from an earlier marriage in favor of children from a later marriage.

Sacred Laws

The sacred laws are supposedly laws enacted by six of the major Gods themselves, one law for each deity, and are unchangeable; although they can be amended upon by the current monarch. These laws are held most dear throughout the realm.Mother’s Protection
A law enacted by the Goddess Mithra. The law ensures that no children, pregnant persons, or mothers shall be harmed under any circumstance.Due Process
A law enacted by the Goddess Disdona. This law requires that legal matters be resolved according to established rules and principles, and that individuals be treated fairly and justly. This is the “innocent until proven guilty” law.Knight’s Oath
A law enacted by the Goddess Vhaehra. The law requires that knights of the realm uphold an oath of obedience, respect, duty, and mercy, to which this oath is only broken in death.Guest Right
A law enacted by the God Khalthar. When a guest, be they commonborn or noble, eats the food and drink off of a host's table beneath the host's roof, guest right is invoked. When invoked, neither the guest nor the host can harm the other for the length of the guest's stay.Messenger’s Amnesty
A law enacted by the God Luxses. The law grants safe passage through wartorn and battletorn territories for messengers, travelers, healers, priests, and any other neutral parties.Common Shield
A law enacted by the God Vethos. This law ensures the rights and freedoms of commonborn Mazurans. This law has been interpreted as to outlaw any iteration of slavery in Mazura.Pherim’s Wrath
The only sacred law that was not given by one of the six, Pherim’s Wrath protects any cat from being sexually harassed or abused by any other person. To use their blessing to harm another is detested most vehemently and will result in execution.

Trials

Trials of the Crown
Trials, at least among the nobility, often begin with a prayer from a priest or priestess beseeching the goddess Disdona to guide them towards justice. The accused and witnesses are sworn to honesty before he gives testimony at a trial. The accused is allowed to be present as witnesses give their testimony, in front of one or multiple judges.Trial by Combat
Any knight accused of wrongdoing is allowed by law to demand a trial by combat. The right to a trial by combat also extends to nobles who are not knighted. The accused and accusers are allowed to have champions fight in their place. When a person is killed in a trial by combat, by law it is not considered murder. When the person who stands accused is royalty, their champion has to be a knight of the Kings or Queensguard. When the accuser is royalty, however, they are within their rights to select a champion who is not a sworn member of the Kings or Queensguard.

• Architecture
• Ships & Boats
• Medicine
• Astronomy
• Songs & Books
• Units of Measurement
• Currency
• Armament

Science & Technology

General

Architecture

Ships & Boats

Watercraft in Mazura ranges from small river and fishing boats, raider vessels, various warships and trade ships, up to the huge war galleys.

Ships

Boats

Medicine

Medicine in Mazura often plays a key role in the quality of life of its inhabitants. In addition to common healers, midwives, and bonesetters, there are a number of different orders practicing medicine, such as the priests and priestesses of Mazura.The Mazuran healing arts include medicines that dull pain (e.g., milk of the poppy, chewing willow bark) and tinctures that either prevent pregnancy or induce abortions (e.g., pennyroyal oil). Wounds are often cleaned with boiling alcohol or with salt water. Practicing healers have learned to stitch wounds closed and how to use poultices containing mustard seeds, nettles, and bread mold to prevent infection. Leeches are also used to drain bad blood that builds up in wounds. Vinegar is used to disinfect surgical instruments. Fractured limbs are immobilized using plasters until the bones are joined up.Practicing healers are typically Priests or Priestesses, who offer their services to highborn and lowborn alike, in the mercy of the Gods.Diseases & Illnesses
Minor colds, fevers, and fluxes are rarely deadly or even seriously debilitating. The pale mare is quite serious and often deadly. A number of diseases can be contracted primarily during childhood. Redspots is common, but it never kills anyone under the age of ten, and once you have had it you are immune to it for the rest of your life. However, adults who did not contract it in childhood remain at risk of infection.Some diseases that may stem from the Abyssal Plains are only recorded by the medics serving in the Swords of Evenfall, and are not known by the majority of Mazura. Most diseases that are abyssal in nature often result in a quick death, though the Swords’ medics work tirelessly to find treatments and cures to some. Wasting disease is the most well known abyssal illness and has no known cure nor a viable treatment, the disease consists of a quick failure of all of the organs in succession until death. Sword's medics note after autopsy it's peculiarity in how the failing organs change in appearance.List of known diseases and illnesses

Astronomy

Astronomy is a topic studied by scholars in Mazura. Telescopes can be used to observe the stars. At some locations, dedicated observatories can be found. Scholars compile maps of the starry sky for their research and studies and their knowledge is useful in navigation at the open sea.The known constellations correspond with the Mazuran zodiac.

Songs & Books

Mazura has a deep mythic and historic legacy recounted in song, story, and literature. These tales recount the stories of the world and the Gods, the epics of legendary heroes and romances, and the retelling of romanticized history and fables of fantastic creatures.Books, scrolls, parchment, and paper are in common use. Song is considerably preferred, as it is enjoyed by highborn and lowborn alike.

Instruments

Units of Measurement

A measurement is the assignment of a number to a characteristic of an object or event, which can be compared with other objects or events. The Mazuran measurement units are non-metric, growing out of customary use and not abstract principles.

Units of Length

Units of Volume

Units of Area Measurement

Units of weight measurement

Units of time measurement

Sundials and hourglasses can be used to track the passage of time. There are no such thing as clocks or lightbulbs in Mazura, thus most often people follow the cycle of day and night.

Although hours are used in Mazura as a measurement of time, individual hours are never referred to by names such as "eleven o'clock". Instead, functional definitions such as dawn, noon, and dusk are used (e.g., "the hours before dawn".) The common tongue of Mazura has the habit of applying traditional names for specific hours of nighttime.Known Hours

Currency

Currency is money in a form circulated as a medium of exchange. Coins are mostly used by merchants and nobles, though the poorest of the smallfolk will at times still resort to barter.Contracts written on parchment or paper can also be accepted as payment, though these are not "currency", simply written and binding agreements.

Examples for costs include, forging a sword may cost 3 Gold Scales, and buying a horse may cost 1 Gold Scale and 5 Silver Scales. It depends on the seller most of the time however.As stated before, the poorest of smallfolk don’t typically have money. They typically resort to a barter system and communities are usually dependent on one another to take care of each other and pull their own weight within the town or settlement. Taxes are collected from smallfolk in means of resources such as livestock, produce, and goods to the lords who protect them and allow them to live on “their land”.Traveling folk like knights, bards, sellswords, bandits, bounty hunters and some priests fall in the in between. Some may have a good store of currency, a small pouch or store of silver and copper scales but anything more than 10 gold scales is a fortune to these folks. And even if they earned that much it may be difficult for them to find places that would take gold from them unless they are within the walls of the capital of Mazura.Citizens of capital cities do tend to have more currency than citizens outside of the large Mazuran cities and bartering is practically unheard of to the cats that call Dragonfly Bay home. These cats tend to have a good stash of cash but nothing more than 50-100 gold scales depending on occupation. Having 100 gold pieces amongst the smallfolk would mean you are considerably wealthy.Minor lords typically stand over settlements and farms which brings in possible trade and more wealth. These lords typically hold about 200-300 gold scales at their disposal.Great houses typically hold anywhere from 400-600 gold scales at their disposal. Using currency to support their people and to promote prosperity within their local economies, or using their wealth in more unsavory ways to gamble or bribe other houses to side with them.The royal house holds the most wealth within Mazura anywhere from 1000-2000 gold pieces at a time depending on who sits the throne and how viciously they tax the realm. If a kind ruler sits the throne, that fund is used to encourage prosperity and distribute wealth where it is needed; making sure there is always a good flow of currency throughout the kingdom.

Armament

The weapons carried generally reflect those of the prototype armies and by far the most common is the sword. This is to a very real extent the mark of a soldier and so carried by all, although it may not necessarily be the soldier's primary weapon.Castle-forged weapons are of high quality, generally better than those produced by smiths in the cities. However, usually only knights and nobles can afford them.Other weapons are also common. Almost everyone carries a knife or dagger, as they are useful and practical in many circumstances. Effective spears and mauls are relatively cheap to make and are, thus, popular weapons for men-at-arms. A cheap spear can still be a good weapon; the same cannot be said of a cheap sword.

Swords

Knives

Bows and Arrows

Bows in Mazura are made from wood, though bows sometimes may be made from laminated horn or bone. Bows are difficult to use while mounted and cannot normally be used with any accuracy if the mount is moving, although some warriors may train in the art of mounted archery with much practice.

Lances

Polearms

Axes

Clubs

Clubs and cudgels are short weapons fashioned of hard wood or sometimes metal.

Flails

A flail is a military cousin to the farmer's tool. A warrior's flail is a length of chain attached to a rod. At the end of the chain is a heavy metal head.

Other Weapons

Siege Weapons

Armor

Armor in Mazura is commonly forged from iron and steel. The style of armor is most reminiscent of the Hundred Years' War. Occasionally one may find an ancient piece of armor forged from bronze, but that is a great rarity today. Advanced full plate and scale armor, made of relatively light weight steel, is also available to those with the proper funds.Additional ornamentation can be quite elaborate. Common methods involve paints, enamels, or bluing the steel. A truly skilled blacksmith, however, can work color into the metal itself to ensure that it does not chip or flake off. Such work is expensive and can be afforded only by the nobility.The most effective, and expensive, armor is plate armor, which consists of a number of shaped plates of steel fitted to the body. Plate is normally worn over chainmail and an undercoat padded leather. Those who cannot afford plates may wear chainmail and leather, and this coverage still provides good protection. It is also common to wear only partial plates; a plate helm, for example, is common, as are breastplates and gorgets. Armor made of boiled leather is sometimes worn by itself, particularly by scouts and levied men-at-arms. While better than nothing, it cannot stop an on-target sword blow, whereas plate armor can.Plate armor is more common in southern regions, while mail is more worn in the north. Sailors clad themselves lightly in armor to avoid drowning.Armor Types

Headwear

Due to the Mazurans’ felid ears, helm wearing can be tiresome and often foregone, though typically helms are used to be showy in competitions among knights. Some warriors wear fantastical helms, decorated with that of animals.

Other Armor Components

Shields

The typical Mazurans shield appears to be a heater shield. Although in real life knights rarely used shields alongside full plate armor. Mazuran knights utilize shields for aesthetic purposes. Coats of arms are typically depicted on shields.

Calendar

In Mazura, there are only three seasons. Autumn does exist in a way, though it is simply combined with Winter. When the leaves start browning and falling, and a chill sets in, Mazurans mark it as the beginning of winter. Storms are more frequent in winter, making sailing Shipbreaker’s Gulf more dangerous.There are a total of nine months, three for each season, and thirty days in each month. There are roughly six days in a week and thus five weeks in one month. Days however do not have names. Days are longest in summer, shorter in other seasons, and shorter in the far north. The Mazuran calendar is usually depicted as circular on parchment or stone.

Zodiac

The zodiac of Mazura corresponds monthly and are determined by the constellations that are most easily spotted within these months, though this is considered a pseudo-science and doesn’t always determine a persons’ traits and personality. It is fun to think about though, no?

Swords of Evenfall

The Swords of Evenfall is a military order dedicated to guarding against the Abyssal Plains, defending the realm from what lies within the Abyss. The order's foundation dates back to the first discovery of the Abyss, hundreds of years ago. The Swords are isolated deep in the far north where the Abyss slowly encroaches from its unknown source. Because cats come from throughout the realm, there is an unspoken pact to not discuss politics or former loyalties. When war breaks out in Mazura, the Swords of Evenfall tries to remain neutral by honoring all monarchs and obeying none. The Swords customarily wear only black, and so they are known as black brothers. Recruits who join the Swords are said to take the black.Structure
Under the Sword Commandant are the Commandant of Fire and Chief Pathfinder. These officers are appointed by the sword commandant. Under these officers are the medic, arms trainers, rangers and stewards.The Commandant of Fire is responsible for maintaining order among the Swords, be it mandating tasks to the arms trainers and stewards, or keeping all of the other Swords in line. They keep stock and report back to the sword commandant.The Chief Pathfinder is the equivalent to the reconnaissance captain. Their responsibility is to lead other rangers on journeys into the Abyss and make sure everyone is accounted for during them. These journeys are to survey the area, mark any sudden changes, and report back to the Sword Commandant and notify him.Leadership
The Sword Commandant is the final authority and oversees the entire order. A sword commandant serves in office until the day they die, when a replacement is elected by the order. Any cat of the Swords of Evenfall can be nominated to be the sword commandant.At the Duskfort, Sword Commandant Mortimer Frost is advised by the Commandant of Fire and the Chief Pathfinder.An honorable opportunity to command and rise in rank are reasons why cats join the Swords of Evenfall voluntarily. A noble or knighted cat isn't always guaranteed a position as an officer in the Swords though, and there are several powerful and influential Swords that are of common blood; the Sword Commandant himself is bastard-born from the Veldt. The Swords, as a meritocracy, is one of the few places in feudal Mazura where a common man can rise high.Recruitment
Once, serving the Swords was an honor and a sign of selfless devotion to duty, with many knights, honorable men, and nobles taking the oath of dawn voluntarily. The Swords of Evenfall is now often seen only as a way to avoid punishment, suitable less for knights than for the dregs of Mazura. These cats are salvaged from dungeons by traveling recruiters known as wandering crows. Disgraced nobles, bastards, and the unwanted legitimate offspring of nobles can be encouraged to take the oath, making many of today's Swords a surly and dissatisfied lot. The nobles of the Veldt are the only cats who recognize the importance of the Swords’ work today, and they try their hardest to supply enough voluntary people to serve them.Those who come voluntarily are free to leave during any time of their training, but no cat may leave after they have said their oath. Any deserters are sentenced to death. After taking the oath, the cats of the Swords cannot own any land, marry, or sire or bear children. Cats are also encouraged to sever any ties left with their families, if they are lucky enough to have one.Oath of Dawn
When recruits are considered ready to join the Swords they speak the Oath of Dawn, at the shrine within the Duskfort.“Dusk gathers and the light of Mazura is fading. Mithra’s promise must be kept, the light of her hearth we protect. We are the last light of day. We are the flame that keeps the night at bay. As sunlight fades my watch begins. I shall live and die to protect the Allmother’s children and in turn shall not have any of my own. I am a sword of evenfall. In the gods’ sight I pledge my life, honor, and sword, until my last breath."Once a cat takes their vows, their crimes and debts are forgiven. Members of the Swords of Evenfall serve for life.Military Strength
The numbers of the Swords of Evenfall have long been dwindling. Their strength has dwindled to less than a thousand. Of these thousand, three hundred are stationed at the Duskfort, two hundred at Twilight Keep, and fewer at Nightguard.Castles
See also: Map & LocationsThe Swords of Evenfall raised ten castles to guard against the expanse of the Abyss, although they never manned more than five at one time. Over the last few hundred years, as the manpower of the Swords has dropped, most of these castles have been abandoned. Some cats of the Swords refer to them as "ghost castles". The castles themselves are closer to garrisons, composed mostly of barracks, stables, storehouses, towers and out-buildings.Only three castles currently remain in use, though sometimes a larger force is sent to one of the abandoned castles for a fortnight or a moon's turn. Patrols between the castles used to be more regular, but as the manpower of the Swords diminished, so did the number of patrols. The manned castles are the Duskfort, the largest-maintained castle, located at the center and held by nearly six hundred Swords, the Last Light, the easternmost fort, garrisoned by two hundred cats of the Swords of Evenfall, and Twilight Hall, a fortress to the west garrisoned by a little over a half a hundred Swords.The castles are listed from west to east:

Equipment
Sworn Swords wear all black, with rough spun wool being common. Swords who come from wealthier origins might wear velvet, crisp leathers, moleskin, or sable.Each Sword receives a dark cloak, so the Swords are also called "black cloaks". Because members swear oaths to serve for life, a stranger wearing black attire is often viewed with suspicion in the Veldt because they might be a deserter.Armor includes black ringmail hauberks and coifs. All Swords carry a steel hunting knife. Nobles relinquish the heraldry of their houses and take up plain black shields. Swords can carry axes, long axes, bows, knives, spears, swords, and longswords. Guardsmen carry warhorns, while foresters use axes to chop down trees. The Swords can defend the north with catapults and trebuchets from their forts. When journeying into the Abyss, rangers camp in black tents.

History

The Swords of Evenfall is one of the oldest orders in Mazura, its formation long lost in the history of ancient Mazura, though all can agree it arrived at the first notice of the Abyss.The Swords of Evenfall built ten forts along the furthest point of the north. At the zenith of its power, the Swords had seven of the forts manned, with at least ten thousand cats between them. The Duskfort alone once quartered five thousand fighting cats with all their horses, servants, and equipment. The highborn of the Veldt have always traditionally considered it an honor to serve the Swords of Evenfall. Many younger sons of northern houses, low in the line of succession, gladly took the oath of dawn.When House Vameria conquered the realm, bringing all of the regions to heel, the Swords remained decidedly neutral. King Valerys I modeled the oath of his newly-created Kingsguard on the oath of dawn.The manpower of the Swords of Evenfall has decreased more and more, a process which began before the conquest of House Vameria. Most of Mazura neglects the Swords. Only the Veldt has the memory of the old days. Only a few of the houses south of the Veldt have members in the Swords of Evenfall, and most serve because they fell afoul of political machinations or fought on the wrong side of a war. However, there have been fewer wars since the conquest of House Vameria. Northmen such as the Hildjöfurrs and Blackmonts are more likely to hold the Swords in higher regard than southrons; House Vekete, for instance, has not been a strong supporter of the Swords.By the reign of Queen Vysenys I Vameria, only three forts remain in use-- the Duskfort, Last Light, and Twilight Hall-- and the Sword’s numbers have dwindled to fewer than a thousand members. The Swords of Evenfall is now largely made up of the misfits of Mazura, such as bastards, debtors, killers, outlaws, smallfolk, poachers, and thieves.

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Mechanics & Stats

ad meliora also functions as a tabletop RPG (TTRPG), though there are a few differentiations that separate it from a standard D&D-type game setup. A lot of the tabletop functions available are largely optional and not completely necessary, but are simply there for fun and to enhance the experience!

Stats

Character stats are divided into four types: Might, Speed, Endurance, Knowledge, and Sanity. Might, Speed, and Endurance are your physical traits while Knowledge and Sanity are your mental traits. Your stats can go up or down and also double as your HP in a way. Player's characters may gain a crippling wound or massive scar on the physical side (Speed/Might/Endurance) or be emotionally or mentally damaged on the mental side (Sanity) and gain a new fear or trauma of some kind which makes it so they are at a disadvantage when whatever caused their wound is present. All character stats start at the base levels listed below and all characters can work to train their stats to the max through training RPs.