Salvar Submission Thread

[Zieg dil' Tulfried]

Have something you want to do in Salvar? Have an idea for something you think would be really cool? Post it here and let the writer take a look at it. The writer will help flesh it out enough and make it a valuable part of the region. Althanas is all of ours to create, so you input is always wanted!

[INDK]

Adam, this is the submission I talked to you about. If you'd like me to elaborate on anything, let me know.

The Party of the White Thorn.

The exact makeup of this party is unknown at the grassroots level, and most people wonder if any support does in fact exist. However, this political party controls a sizeable minority of the Salvarian parliament, and even a few ministers in the King’s Cabinet. Politically, they are quite conservative, generally disdainful of any idea that would bring more power to the people or wealth distribution. By and large, this party consists of people of long noble lineages, but none who have direct blood ties to the king. By and large, these nobles would be considered some of Salvar’s “lesser nobles.” They are often disliked by the military because of particularly hawkish views that would lead to greater scrutiny of martial affairs by the king and his cabinet. Generally, military generals work as a bloc to oppose the appointment of any member of the Party of the White Thorn.

A fact unknown to everyone, including the king is that the Party of the Black Scorpion is a transnational movement with ties in the parliaments of other countries and rogue Enarlin mages from Raiaera. Additionally, the Party of the White Thorn possesses a small army about 500 soldiers strong in Berevar, in addition to the fiefdoms of many of the parliament nobles being more local to their local patron than they are to the king. However, most of the higher ranking members of the party have proved their loyalty to the king at one time or another, and their leader, a human by the name of Velkov Tariakin, is relied upon for deeds of state repression. He currently serves as the King’s Minister of Secret Operations, and some insiders have wondered just how much of his activities are even known to the Salvarian king.

Many other nobles, parliamentarians and generals are wary of the Party of the White Thorn, but they are relatively powerless when compared to some of the bigger factions. As such, their presence is tolerated, primarily because of the areas in which they facilitate Salvarian diplomacy and secret operations. However, there have been rumors that more than one Salvarian noble has a bounty on the head of Velkov Tariakin.

Some general information on their makeup:

Parliament members that affiliate with this organization: 57
Members of the King’s cabinet at the current time: 3 Minister of Military Affairs, Minister of Foreign Diplomacy and Minister of Secret Operations.
(Adam, feel free to change these numbers around if you don’t like them)

Profile of key members.
(Again Adam, feel free to change any names)

Velkov Tariakin: A human of supposedly humble origins, though many rumors link him to some of the wealthier royal families. Unlike most of the rest of the Black Scorpion, Tariakin has never actually served in parliament. However, he is widely considered to be both the party’s biggest leader and one of the most influential Salvarians. While he has no official power, or even land to his name, he has served the Salvarian government as a spy throughout his forties and is now Minister of Secret Operations, in charge of quelling any potential dissent among Salvarians. In general, his duties only extend to the lower classes, though there have been rumors that he may have been involved in the disappearances of two Salvarian generals.

Vikrash Qarashai- He is a transplanted drow who was once considered among the King’s most loyal generals. However, soon after entering parliament, his alliances seemed to shift towards the Black Scorpion. He is not explicitly a member of their organization, but it is widely considered that he is a member of the party. He is also the Minister of Military Affairs.

Delek Abromov- The minister of foreign diplomacy, Abromov is slick tongued and able to charm even those who are particularly skeptical of the Party’s activities. While he isn’t the smartest or most cunning member of the party (both of those distinctions are reserved for Velkov Tariakin) it is often thought that it is Abromov who helps maintains their mass appeal. One of the wealthier Salvarians though the sources of his funds are largely unknown.

Dumas Karishnev- The most outspoken member of the Black Scorpion in parliament is also one of the most reviled nobles in Salvar. Many attribute the fact he is still alive to his experienced swordsmanship and suspected Enarlin magic.

Engels Kalishnekov- The Kalishnekovs were among the first families in Salvar to be involved with the White Thorn, dating back to Engels' great grandfater. However, Engels is thought to be widely different than the rest, perhaps the only radical populist in the entire organization (or Salvar's parliament as a whole). Family ties often keep him with the party, but his generosity and kindness has often made him the unofficial spokesperson of the party to the masses. It has been noted by some observers of the Salvarian government, that much of the White Thorn's popularity at the local levels stems from Engels' association with the group. However, this populist appeal has yet to transfer into any particular clout among the group. Engels is equally disliked by the rest of parliament, as to this day, he is the only parliamentarian to ever actually challenge the king's authority.

[grim137]

I know this is really simple for a submission, but I never really sat down and did a write up regarding the area before, despite the large role it plays in my character's storyline.

Asaraka zor Vampira

((Please note that all ranks and rituals mentioned here regarding vampires were discussed and approved by Lorenor prior to the last crash.))

Asaraka zor Vampira is a hidden underground vampire city in the vast mountain regions of Salvar. The city itself is actually compoused of hundreds of various caves and caverns (both natural and articificially dug) of all sorts of different shapes and sizes that serve various purposes to the vampires, ranging from kitchens, to meeting halls, to storage rooms, to training rooms, to special rooms for various rituals, ect. Though several smaller caves that are easily accessible to anybody, the vast majority of the 'city' is sealed off by magical titanium reinforced, liviol doors that can only be opened by vampires. The vast majority of main entrances that would allow a creature access to several of the more important areas of the city with out having to navigate a maze of caves are carefully hidden at various parts of on the face of the mountain.

Though few vampires live in the hidden city all year round (most just stay for major events) the city serves several important purposes. In addition to the obvious purpose of providing a home for vampires in Salvar the city usually serves as the main meeting place and living area for the 9 vampire lords (one rank below the vampire elders) and the 15 vampire generals(one rank below the vampire lords, I will be writing up more detailed descriptions of these 24 vampires later). The city also serves as the area where the last 2 parts of the vampire's Redeemption Ritual (I already have a detailed description of this written, PM for it if you want), as well as various other rituals and celebrations.

The caves of Asaraka zor Vampira are also important to the vampires because currently they (the caves) are the only places where a the bladed ice grow which is an essential plant to the vampires due mostly to the special ink that it can make. The ink harvested from the plant when dried will react with a vampire's mind, making it visible in the vampire's but invisible to all other types of creatures.

[Horizon's End]

The Kingdom of Ead’Nith

Basic Information

Area: About 50 square kilometers.
Population: About 35,000.
Races: 100% human.
Languages: Somewhat archaic Salvic spoken by all. Tradespeak spoken by diplomats and some nobility.
Religion: Mostly secular with an undertone of Jomil worship.

Location: ((Unsure as to distance but much to the North of the Monarchic Salvarian Republic))
Economy/Subsistence: Self-sufficient in Agriculture and Fishing (from a central lake).
Head of State: The King Nassatas Raenassis, Guardian of the Unfalling Walls, Keeper of the Ancient Truths, Watcher of the Seal.
Military: Around 100 active and well trained guards. 1000 reserve forces called The Watchers of the Wall. Most of the populace including women has been trained with weapons during their education. These contingents are largely historical artifacts as the city has not been attacked since shortly after its founding.
Major Adversaries: None.
Major Exports: Textiles, Wine.
Major Imports: Non-renewable materials for repairs, certain foods, miscellanea.
Perceptions: Most cultured scholars know the city exists as a relic of an ancient war. Fewer know its true nature and truly fewer still its origins. Within Salvar the city has oft been attacked when a new ruler came to power in the main regions yet the siege was, again oft, stopped after the futility of the assault was realized. The Monarchic Republic is the city’s biggest, though not only, trade partner. Caravans from even further north have been observed.

Current State ((Reading the History first is preferable though I’ve set this section before for those that don’t feel like reading it.))

The Kingdom is a city-state. The city is pretty low in density for a city as many of the outlying habitations are agricultural. The city is roughly divided into sectors corresponding to the cardinal directions and a central area for organizational purposes. Near the wall one finds a ring of more dense habitation followed by the agricultural region interspersed with more dense nexuses of habitation followed by the central area. The city as is, is very bureaucratic with forms and the need for approval for a lot of mundane processes such as looking at the libraries. Each region is somewhat independent to the center are and for the most part are left alone yet due to the small size of the entire kingdom the regions are reasonably similar in accent, customs and manner. The roads are well paved and maintained allowing easy transportation between regions and within them. Each region has a library (void of books dealing with magic) with the majority being in Salvic including translations of works from other tongues, a government outpost, a market, and a communal hall.

The central region is the hub of this kingdom. The king and his advisors reside in the Marble Palace which lives up to its name. It is not opulently grand yet it has a stark simplicity that is coupled to its elegant design which inspires a form of deep awe at this structure. This region also houses most of the original books gathered during the outset of its creation as well as any books dealing with magic subsequently found. This central library is very hard to access by most citizens and is the grandest structure inside the Walls. Its entrance is not the reason for this adjective as it seems to be nothing more than a small building in the Central tradition of marble structures. The reason it is grand is the way it expands beneath a hill upon which it is built tunneling to depths few can fathom.

The Royal Family is a large one and is basically the entirety of the nobility save for exalted individuals who marry into it or will. Though monarchic the kingship is not transferred necessarily from father to son (or daughter) if the child is unfit for rule. The king (or queen) has absolute power, in theory, yet due to their raising rarely exercise it openly leaving most of the kingdom to the power of a meritocratic aristocracy of advisors intervening when a consensus is untenable and when he is struck by insights. Heirs are trained from a young age to be good rulers with their personalities molded to the task, to live for the Kingdom, for the People and for reasons only the Royal Family knows. The family is very well educated in the outside world’s state to the contrast of the vast majority which is kept ignorant of it, not maliciously but out of respect for the founding mage’s wishes which are apparently valid enough to have survived the millennia. Likewise they are well versed in the existence of magic and its uses rather than the populace at large which see it merely as a fantasy novel’s tool.

The city still follows the decennial tradition of searching new books and this time is a festival of unparalleled dimensions compared to any other within the walls. It is a holiday and a time of renewal in every sense, repairs are made, more marriages in a day than there are in a normal year, people move out to their own places, to a different reason, and many other such events. The culmination is a reading from the closely guarded Book of Decades which is said to be written by the first mage trapped inside. It contains eerily accurate forecasts of what has happened in the city (and the world, the only such news for most) and steps that he believed must be taken.

The city-state, in general, has become a classical nation with a strong cultural identity and a very inwards looking society which, nonetheless, has progressed along with the rest of the world through their sporadic contacts. It is entrenched in traditions and norms yet due to their leaders’ trainings not lost to the past. Their seemingly overtly bulky bureaucracy (to a foreigner’s eyes, as to the inhabitants it barely registers) is merely a finely tuned tool used by royalty to keep the status quo at will and change it when necessary. Its population is self-limiting mostly through instilled traditions that extol the necessity of never expanding beyond the walls which are seen as godsends that ward of the Outside. Lastly it is not possible to enter the city without approval of the Royal Family by any means and unless one is a high ranking individual in a particular field a request will be met by scorn, it is by invite only for most people (at the current time).

History ((Details subject to change once I get more accurate War of the Tap info))

During the last metaphorical days of the War of the Tap a council was formed. Knoweldge of the imminent end was leaked to a member of this council, the Elat Nilid as it would come to be known, that the Raiaeran Song Mages were about to unleash the final blow which would, sadly, severely hamper certain forms of magic. Each member on the council was a powerful, if obscure, mage; mages of great knowledge who had lost too much during the war, and seen too much be lost. They knew how the end would prevent another such war and for a time they were content with this fact and merely discussed the implications of what the final blow would mean for their specialties of magic yet during these discussions a disturbing fact came to light. Sparked by an insight from a member who was unparalleled with the raw manipulation of the Tap itself, it seemed that though the Eternal Tap would be ‘destroyed’ ((this is what I’ve gathered from The World Will Remember (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=99) using the Turrea a Calan)) there would theoretically be a way to restore it under certain circumstances that were highly contingent on the exact method of the ‘destruction’. There was little they could do as their power, though, great, was not enough to stop the War and the stopgap measure was much better than nothing in their war-weary minds. Impotent on the main front, they planned for the aftermath.

They lived in a magical time; a time where magic was everything and everywhere. Time has lost who suggested the radical idea but, though slow, acceptance grew. Magic was too great a weapon, they argued, not to be misused again. Much like bows they could be used for good or ill yet much unlike them it was possible to ravage peoples and threaten the world with it. No known weapon had such a dual-nature in potential as when used properly it elevated the users to a Utopia but when it was misused it led to the War. It had been a necessary ally but only because it had also been their adamant foe, it was thus they envisioned a haven which would be free of such worries. A land without magic, they decided, would be their final gift.

They knew Salvar would be the best place to create it. The fabric that separated, in a very abstract way, the world from the Tap was thinnest at some of its points due to the battles there fought. To the far North of the scattered gatherings where Knife’s Edge would be built they found an ideal spot. The resonance was strong, the fabric abruptly thin in a good sized radius with no tapering off to a normal thickness. They studied it for years as what they would do would require knowledge beyond that most spells needed. As they did this they called out to the broken people of the region who had so terribly suffered. Salvar may have been almost empty but to the people there it was home. The people gathered at the words of these mages who promised a respite and a small camp was set up within the site.

When the day of the spell came the site had become a small town which was almost lost within the radius of the site, the mages had worked to gather as many texts as they could scavenge from their extensive collections and through less than moral means from other libraries. They had begun this nigh the beginning of their mission knowing full well how important this safekeeping would be as already too many tomes were lost. They had a more than decent stock of books for a town this small, even for a reasonably large city, as they knew the people would expand to its borders.

The spell began as planned. People in the settlement had been screened out if they possessed the slightest spark of magic and been sent away. They ringed the thinness and let the mage who had discovered the possibility of another such war, the mage who was experienced in this raw manipulation, lead their spell. At the center of the site a pinprick was induced through the fabric, not an easy task even there where it was almost vanishingly thin. The Tap flooded out in a torrent of invisible energy whose strength was easily felt world round, though in those times such beacons were not uncommon. Due to the precise geometry of the initial gap the Tap exploded outward instantly with the people within the ring completely oblivious to it lacking any magical essence and the exquisite control over its nature the ring achieved. Two or three people died, having had wisps of magic within them, yet for the greater part not even the wind was a sign of the forces at work. They were likely right not to divulge their plan as any mage of a decent caliber could have seen the danger if the Tap broke through the normal thickness fabric or got out of their control.

The spell lasted around a day and a half of continuous magical usage. Eventually scouts from both sides came to explore yet too late to stop the spell and, fearing the outcome of a disastrous failure if they interfered, they did nothing. Once the Tap had begun to expand against the unrelenting fabric the lead mage was able to use a particular shaping of the currents to cause an explosion of the fabric within the sphere of the manifest Tap, this was done simultaneously with the injection of Song Magic to the fluxes of the manifest Tap itself. The first caused a bubble to form where once was a sphere, it was infinitely thin yet it could not expand in either direction and was thus constrained once the flaw in the fabric which had fueled its growth collapsed against it. The second would serve as a ward against the magic which had been found to counter the Tap’s effects in certain ways. It was a dilute magic compared to the raw Tap yet enough to prevent localized tunnels. The way the Tap had crystallized created an invisible shield impervious to magic. Magic was simply absorbed if it was fueled by the Tap or repelled unless its source was greater than the Eternal Tap. With this final upheaval a wall had been wrought with the last vestiges of the fluxing magics before they crystallized, it was an unblemishable white which ringed the once-thinness which reached around 100 meters in height. A gate was created as well, and though the smooth rock was not present the bubble was.

The wall was impregnable, magic cannot be broken without magic and due to the bubble magic was deflected or absorbed. The gate, one might say, was the weakest point yet it was small compared to the wall and when sealed by the stone which would have filled it became as indestructible as the rest of it. Once the finalities were finished the link between the mages collapsed with some dying of exhaustion. Another was said to be burned dry, never to touch magic again, the others fared better and tested their creation. No spell scratched it and try as they might they could not go through the gate. Only the lead mage would ever see the inside of the city which had been rid of all magic as he had had to move inwards for a crucial part of the process. The city could be damaged by high flying projectiles which contained no magical residue yet the attackers could only go in one way as the walls could not be broken and knowing this it said the mage who remained inside, destined never to leave, became the king and setup the foundations for an enduring city starting the weapons training of its citizens, the keepers of the gate, and the customs which would see knowledge of magic dwindle. It is not known why he instigated reforms which would lead to a society mostly ignorant that magic exists yet it is known, from the secret histories, it was he would did it. Finally his last great contribution was setting up a process which would occur once a decade. During this event parties of people would go out or request recent books on all subjects save magic which would be sought for by a small party unbeknownst to the rest of the city. The city would be more open during this time and take in people as well as allow them to leave thus allowing some renewal.

The Demon Wars barely evoked a response as sealing the gate was the only required defense. Some damage occurred with catapults but none too major as most projectiles were kept out. So the Kingdom of Ead’Nith as it came to be called as Salvic evolved was created and so it became what it is now.

[INDK]

Here are some animals.

Great Bear- The great bear is a special animal for a number of reasons. One is its size. This creature towers at about fifteen feet when its stands on its hind legs. Also, what may perhaps be even more remarkable about this creature is the willingness of those around it to attempt to tame it. It is only in the extreme north that people are foolhardy enough to attempt to train a great bear, and even many hardy warriors know well enough to leave a creature like the great bear alone. Few have ever been domesticated, and those that were had been done so at an incredible loss of life. However, the few that are now in the Salvarian army are completely loyal to their trainers and willing to do anything. Great Bears make a perfect ally, if you can tame one.

Physically, they look no different than a normal white bear, save for the fact that their noses are quite compressed and their claws are long and black. Their hair also tends to be very coarse, and when wet it will stick up like a thousand spikes. Great Bears running at their maximum speed of thirty miles per hour have been rumored to clear an entire wall of paint just by rubbing against it with their fur. However, Great Bears do not have particularly strong stamina, so if one is just seeking to kill the creature, surviving for more than half an hour is likely to tire the beast out. In the Salvarian army, Great Bears are often used to start a charge, but then immediately fall to the back of the army once more conventional cavalry units arrive.

Great Bears are also mediocre swimmers and are not particularly deterred by cold water. They primarily eat fish (in addition to any kind of mammal that crosses their path) so swimming is a necessity for them. At times, they will even battle sea serpents, especially if a serpent has been in their area for a very long time and has eaten a great deal of the fish. In fact, it is argued that the best way to catch a Great Bear is to ‘rescue’ it after it has fought a battle with a serpent.

Snow Scorpions- These creatures look quite dangerous. They are small, cold blooded and can be easily lost in a shoe because of their dark brown complextion. On the positive side, their poison is not even strong enough to kill weak children. It can create hallucinations. These scorpions are often sold in markets in Salvar on the cheap, so as to fool any wandering assassins. They are also sometimes used to train scorpion handlers. A few people will even let these scorpions sting them to experience the hallucinogenic effects of their stings.

Rukinov Wolves- Rukinov wolves are no different from normal wolves in appearance and are merely a genetic mutation from the normal wolf sect. While there is no exact count on how many wolves in Salvar actually are Rukinov wolves, they are distinguishable from others because of a yellow streak they possess on the back of each ear. As adults, they are particularly ferocious creatures and will often attack bipeds if they are hungry enough. However, if they are captured as before the age of six months and treated well, they will develop a bond of loyalty with the people who take care of them. Adventurers seeking reliable companions should try and find a Rukinov pup. Many times they can be taught ice and earth magics as well.