As stated before, I am working on a new document titled Orders of the Turamzzyrian Empire. So far it's including 71 organizations, all broken into a category of Magical, Martial, Religious, and Unlawful. Each entry ranges from like 2 or 3 paragraphs to 6 or so, just covering some general information known about the organizations, even if it's just rumors and speculation. Enough to foster RP but not constrain it.

That said, are there any particular organizations within the Empire that people would be interested in knowing more about? (Hall of Mages, Golvern Knights, Order of the Night's Blade, already included)

Since the current list of known Orders in the Empire is pretty small, is there any specific facet, or religion, or region you'd like to know more about, when it comes to the groups that operate within?



-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

>>71?! yikes.

Go big or go home, hehe.

-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

There's always such a strong emphasis on the military. How about something less externally focused?

I'm interested in how the constabulary system and similar civil policing forces are structured and utilized in the Empire. Because of reasons.

- Overlord EK

>You now regard Eorgina with a warm demeanor.

>>I'm curious to know if there are any orders that incorporate Empaths as a profession. We know this for wizards and clerics, and presumably sorcerers wouldn't have one, but I've been curious as to how empaths are treated in the Empire.

I can definitely try to explore this a bit, dabble a little and see if there couldn't be some decent orders/groups created around the empath profession. However, based on the little tidbit below from the Turamzzyrian Empire history, I'd say empaths are treated as well as one could expect, since they aren't even part of the registration of Hall of Mages, etc, and definitely seen more as a value and aid, then potential threat to safety for sure.

4565

A major magical catastrophe destroys the city of Toullaire, causing a devastating earthquake that damages Krestle, Immuron and Elstreth, and even shakes the city of Tamzyrr. The disastrous combination causes several volcanoes to erupt, hurling a huge cloud of dust and ash into the air that covers the region for several months. Dust falls as far away as the Kezmon Isle. Imperial historians call the territory the Wizardwaste, but the citizens of Krestle and Immuron call it "Ba'Lathon", which translates to "Land in Pain" in the elder Kannalar tongue.

Faced with the clear proof of the folly of irresponsible and unrestricted magical training, Empress Verranna passes a law requiring mandatory registration of all wizards and sorcerers within the Empire, and to require all elemental magic instruction to be approved and guided by the Hall of Mages. Casting of elemental magics (Minor Elemental, Major Elemental, Wizard, and Sorcerer Circles) without registering leads to imprisonment, and using elemental magic against another individual is punishable by death.


-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

>>And also, Imperial Army Empaths are a natural source of food in dire situations. FYI, THE MORE YOU KNOW.

While this may be true, I hear there's a growing trend amongst some of the more liberal, dare I say "hipster" baronies to refuse to serve their soldiers Empathically Modified Organisms as rations. I suspect they refuse to acknowledge the consensus amongst the Hall of Mages magisters that there is no scientific evidence that EMOs are harmful to one's health.

Many also support this means of sustenance, calling it the Grimswarm Diet.

---

(After Bristenn uses the branding iron on a trivial wound)

Speaking to Bristenn, you say, "That's the sort of thing that makes me wish I didn't know you."

But... but... But in great sweeping epic stories, the hero NEVER gets (really) hurt! I mean, everyone knows THAT....

I'd love to find out more about what if any presence the followers of Jastev have in the human empire, we aren't as flashy as roanites, or the church of koar, but i have to believe we play an important role in religious customs throughout the empire.

I'd also love to know about how bards are categorized if at all by the hall of mages, maybe if there were any outspoken poets in the realm decrying tyranny at their own peril, an most of all i'd love to see some local lore, or folk songs examples from the various regions.

I'm not sure if this last part is even feasible, but i'd love to have a fairly comprehensive listing of what its like to be a half-elf in the different counties/baronies of turamzyr, are there any groups or lore about half-elves escaping/challenging the might of the empire. After all the fighting with Cross' forces is there more or even less tolerance for non-humans presently?

Archales

>>Jastev, and bards...

I do actually have some orders already written up, or some ideas thrown together so far, one for each of these. The goal of this document is not to cover "every" group or organization, but I wanted to touch a bit on some of the prominent ones, and I've tried to cover many of the professions, and Arkati in this document. I think the Religious groups are the largest section I believe. Like I said, this won't limit anyone's RP, since there's countless organizations, far more than we could hope of documenting, but this can help spark some RP I hope, give folks something to play off of, or expand on, etc.

>>I'm not sure if this last part is even feasible, but i'd love to have a fairly comprehensive listing of what its like to be a half-elf in the different counties/baronies of turamzyr, are there any groups or lore about half-elves escaping/challenging the might of the empire. After all the fighting with Cross' forces is there more or even less tolerance for non-humans presently?

I'd like to dive into this as well, and maybe it calls for another document, albeit a shorter one. Maybe half the size? (hah, half-elf joke, get it?) Chaston's Edict for example, is still a law, but each province kind of adheres to it in a variety of different ways, and I'd love to kind of break down the racial outlook of each barony, earldom, etc. Places like Hendor and Vornavis, are more open to non-humans, especially half-elves, giants, dwarves, etc. Aldora in the far south, the same due to their heavy involvement with the Order of Voln, who has no racism, and their endless efforts against the Horned Cabal, etc. But there's so much more to explore with each region. I also want to explore some more unique creatures/materials for other regions. We now have "blood marble" coming out of mines in Talador, but I'd like to explore some other materials, items, weapon names, etc that could be used in-game, with origins/presence in the Turamzzyrian Empire. (or maybe I just really want a direwolf pelt cloak)



-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

There IS the Order of Venquinor, which was established back in '10 in response to the insane effort that the clerics and empaths put into keeping everyone fighting during the Solhaven Cataclysm. It bestowed the rank of Hospitaller to several folks, not just humans, so I'm not sure if it really counts as a distinctly Imperial/human order, but given that it was recognized by Baron Malwind, I would have to think it'd confer a fair measure of recognition.

-AM

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(After Bristenn uses the branding iron on a trivial wound)

Speaking to Bristenn, you say, "That's the sort of thing that makes me wish I didn't know you."

<<That said, are there any particular organizations within the Empire that people would be interested in knowing more about? (Hall of Mages, Golvern Knights, Order of the Night's Blade, already included)>>

The Friary

<<Since the current list of known Orders in the Empire is pretty small, is there any specific facet, or religion, or region you'd like to know more about, when it comes to the groups that operate within?>>

Church of Koar

Wolfloner's player

Steve

>https://gswiki.play.net/mediawiki/index.php/Tattered_bloodstained_armband_marked_with_an_ancient_imperial_insignia

...

So glad I didn't read this before lunch.

Rishi
- Player of Kembal

---

Speaking to Plur, Belnia says, "You're no Kembal."

>Since the current list of known Orders in the Empire is pretty small, is there any specific facet, or religion, or region you'd like to know more about, when it comes to the groups that operate within?

Regions, yes! Namely Bourth, Gallardshold in particular. Its people are strongly opinionated one way or the other in regards to Chaston's Edict and the status of the elves living in the Wyrdeep. Surely this must have given rise to some politically motivated organizations beyond simply those who wear the feather and those who do not.

Also interested in any tidbits that might shine some more light on Highmount.

~Arrec's Player

<<This has always been one of my favorite H4H loresongs, possibly because I'm deranged. So telling! (of me, or of GS4 humans? You decide...)

GM Agro was the author of that piece, FYI.

GM Scribes

One thing you could do with respect to "professions" is make their representation as organizations much narrower and more idiosyncratic than our guilds. In other words, most practitioners would be specialists in specific kinds of skills and magic, making our adventurers look like dilettantes by comparison. Torment (718) and Minor Summoning (725), for example, can be interpreted as reflecting radically different philosophies on the way the demonic should be summoned.

That way you can make magic much more culturally heterogeneous without having to invent whole new categories of spells. The NPCs would say things like, "I guess what I do would fall under what you call 'wizardry', but that is a really misleading way to think about it."

In the case of empaths our characters focus on traumatic injuries and curing simple diseases, but all-purpose healers who can help you with anything might be rare or very elite. People willing to transfer terrible injuries to themselves, maybe explained as being necessary for treating trauma, might also be really unusual.

<<Since the current list of known Orders in the Empire is pretty small, is there any specific facet, or religion, or region you'd like to know more about, when it comes to the groups that operate within?>> - Kenstrom

The Council of... *gurgle choke collapse*

Just kidding. Sort of. ;)

- Xorus' player

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>A monastic lich points a skeletal finger at you and exclaims, "Your soul is forfeit!"

>>Order of the Night's Blade please :-)

But of course!

-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

I'd be interested in any documentation discussing how gnomes are actually the true overlords of the Turamzzyrian Empire and how it is that they are able to work so successfully behind the scenes.

-- Robert

"Wyrom isn't interacting with me, I think he is AFK scripting."

>>I'd be interested in any documentation discussing how gnomes are actually the true overlords of the Turamzzyrian Empire and how it is that they are able to work so successfully behind the scenes.

Everyone knows Emperor Aurmont Anodheles is just three forest gnomes standing on each others heads inside a billowy imperial robe.

-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

Everyone knows Emperor Aurmont Anodheles is just three forest gnomes standing on each others heads inside a billowy imperial robe.>>

Or a seated Giantman.

>>Just a randomy query, if possible, but how long has this been in the works and.. ballpark range, when do you expect it to be available for us to read?


I started the document in early Feb, and out of the 73 or so orders, I've got about 8 left. I'm making a mad push to finish those in the next week, pick GM Scribes brain on a few of them, then submit it to be QC'd and released. It's hard to say how long QC will be, so I don't want to commit just yet, BUT when it's released, I'd like to first reveal the groups via an NPC in-game, maybe a two night history lesson/session, then release the doc online. I'm done with school for a few months, so literally most of my focus is going into this doc, and I'm pretty damn excited about it.

-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru

<<When everyone asks, who was the mad genius behind the idea of a league of weavers who are actually assassins and get their assassination targets from the weave of a loom and can bend the path of arrows and stuff, the answer is me!>> - Scribes

So, that would make Mhorigan Freyman the secret identity of the Grand Po.. *cough blood spurt gurgle*

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>A monastic lich points a skeletal finger at you and exclaims, "Your soul is forfeit!"