Of Peace and Opportunity

A land without a master

Fey and their place in the world

Court of Archons

The confederacy of New Ras was birthed after the end of the Cyrian Crusade, when the Unifier, the one responsible for defeating the Cyrians, through means unknown to most, enforced peace among the warring realms and unified them into a single nation, passing into the arms of the Creator she worshiped shortly thereafter. She was both the first and last sole ruler of the unified realms.

Already during her life, in an attempt to foster a sense of unity, she created the Court of Archons, the leaders of the many disparate states were all to have a hand in ruling the confederacy. The wild lands of the western peninsula and twin islands that were mostly human held would be divided into themes as per the system of the old human empire that sat upon the Western Twin, and from there shall the forces to defend the land be mustered.

The Unifier undertook the restoration of the City of Spires(or Great Sorrow as it is known to some) and therein placed the "capital" of this amalgamation of states, and therein the Council of Archons meets. Unlike most ruling bodies the Council of Archons is far less powerful, for though she forced those who were once foes to live together, she never truly managed to get them to work together. Most archons send representatives, some such as the snow elves send no one at all, remaining in isolation, and all decisions undertaken only apply if a specific archon agrees to enforce it within their own lands. The archon of the City of Spires rules over the themes, and thus the majority of the human lands, though as with the Council, their authority is weak and does not spread far beyond the Western Twin. In this manner they have taken over many of the roles the Regent of the Old Empire held, and would in fact be almost entirely the same as them. A strategos is only loyal to his archon to a degree however, and enjoys great autonomy within their own realm.

Though there are many archons, most have formed groups that actually participate in the politics of the Council. This is not to say the others are weak, as stated before the Snow Elves prefer their isolation, and some, such as the Archons of Summer and Winter prefer a distant approach.

_________________________________________________

The Dwarfholds

Chaffing under the constraints of the Great Peace, the dwarves still grumble about the lack of a true war with the Dark Elves(For what are just a few border skirmishes?), but only a fool would defy the influence of the holds over trade. Master craftsmen and the main suppliers of ore to the confederacy, the dwarven guilds and kings make savvy use of their position to hold influence over the other folk. This is especially true for trade in bronze, silver and gold, as the former two are key components in magic whereas the latter is used to feed the cravings of the decadent nobility.

_________________________________________________

The Highborn

Arrogance was always among the main traits assigned to High and Sky Elves. Living in glittering palace cities and using magic and glamour to bend the world around them into small pockets of paradise, one would almost forget the amount of magic power necessary to achieve such a feat. Having infiltrated the priesthoods and magic schools of the realm and placed themselves above much of the human nobility, they lord their mastery over others much in the same way as dwarves do, for where they provide the raw goods and material for the realm, the most expensive manufactured goods and powerful of magics are held under the sway of the highborn, inevitably leading to clashes with the dwarves, also master craftsmen and their main competition.

_________________________________________________

The Minor Races

A collection of all the minor races that stood with the Unifier against the Cyrians at the Battle of the Spires, the minor races enjoy special privileges granted to them by the Unifier which they defend with great zeal. The entire Undercity, the catacombs, passages and chambers bellow the City of Spires, as well as Marshtown, the town sitting at the estuary of the river that pours into the lake upon which the city sits, are held entirely by them. The water elf cities of the Eastern Twin and beyond allow them a vast network of informants and traders as well on sea, whereas on land, the caravans of the Wanderers ensure their dominance there as well. For all intents and purposes this makes them the glue that holds everything together, as for all the skills of the other races, they are the ones who transport all that they require from one end of the confederacy to the other.

_________________________________________________

The Priesthoods

Though the Highborn have a great amount of influence among them, the priesthoods are none the less an independent entity, and a powerful one at that, for the gods are the one thing all the folk of the land share, and this allows them the greatest sway over the people. The Creator cult, once a minor religion, has seen itself thrust into a dominant position despite its small following due to being the faith of the Unifier. The priesthoods of the many gods in turn vie with one another and the other factions for their own purposes. It is a testament to both the size of the City of Spires and the influence of the priesthoods that it still lacks for people while the priesthoods and magical schools hold a full third of the city under their sway.

_________________________________________________

The schools of magic

Not just schools to train folk in the arcane and mystic arts, but fraternities within the political makeup of the confederacy, the variety of magic practiced within the City of Spires and the constant thirst for more folk to inhabit the city leads to great competition among the schools. From the arcanists that make the artifacts and constructs of the city, to the necromancers that care for the city's dead along with the priesthoods, they constantly strive to outwit each other and attain greater prominence within the magical community. The majority of the confederacy's nobility are mages, and so there is little wonder that some of them are also members of certain schools and fraternities.

_________________________________________________

The human nobility and the Archon of the City of Spires

The humans of the land were never truly unified under a single polity, and the many human nobles both compete and work together to achieve the goals of their state or to gain more influence within the theme system. One must remember that along with the nobility of the other races, they also hold a full third of the City of Spires, the Palatial and Noble Districts, under their command. The Archon is the closest thing they have to a leader, though to assume that they have much authority over the nobility is also folly. For the humans of Ras, most alliances are that of convenience, as they've had to survive in the shadow of the elder races, and it is this very thing that allows them to survive. For the humans hold sway over the largest and most fertile swathes of land, and so they hold a sway over the infrastructure of the empire like no other. Because no matter the trade goods, magic or wonders the other factions hold, no empire lives on an empty stomach.

A matter of faith

Many gods are worshiped throughout the isles and on the peninsulas of Ras. From the six elemental deities to the sidereal gods, the priesthoods of the land are varied, in tradition, beliefs and the powers their gods bestow upon them. Yet there is an oddity among all these groups, and that is worship of the Creator. Gods that may not exist are not so rare as one may think. Either they are beings that lack the prayers necessary to manifest or they do not exist at all. When it comes to the worship of the Creator the latter seems to be the case, and yet many arcanists believe at least some sort of being should have been birthed from so many prayers, if not a very powerful one.

And yet this being has never manifested its power upon the mortal realm. For this reason folk have taken to also referring to the Creator as the Silent god. His worshipers claim that to manifest would be to interfere with the freedom and life he gave them, that the supreme being only acts upon the world in small ways, but never enough to interfere with balance or to be noticed. To them that is the mark of the lesser gods, the ones who interfere with the lives of "the good folk of the land", an opinion that has led to conflict with the other religions before.

The Creator is worshiped across racial lines, almost all the Grey Elves and humans of the Western Twin worship the supreme being, and many of the minor races have taken to following the faith as well, the little fish flocking together as it were.

Much more importantly one must remember that this minor faith would have languished in obscurity were it not for one monumental event in the lives of Ras, the Cyrian crusade. The Unifier who arose to defend the land from the invaders was a follower of the faith, the legends even speak of how her guardian angel carried her away when the Cyrians tried to burn her at the stake.

The defeat of the Cyrians and the restoration of the City of Spires thrust the small faith into the spotlight, as they managed to gather many more souls to their banner as a result of associating with the Unifier. This is why the largest temple in the city is the temple of the Unifier, sitting above the tomb of the one who unified the land and restored peace all those centuries ago, it is the only temple that is placed within the central Spire, next to the Court of Archons and Archon's Palace, a privilege not even the Temple of Ilu can claim to have.

And so as he does not manifest, his priesthood can not call upon powers or divine intervention like the others. Instead they must focus on being scholars, learning medicine, philosophy and the natural sciences, to stand their ground in a world where other priests are much stronger than they are. Their paladins likewise can not call upon divine powers, and so the entire faith is far more pacifistic than most, many say as a result of them lacking the power to fight, while the worshipers themselves decry such claims, for as the Creator above, they shall refrain from harming freedom and life, the two great gifts he gave to all creatures.

In this climate of intrigue, many could make use of a group not directly guided by their deity, and the cult of Creation could soon find itself serving a master not even they know of. Nevertheless, these folk do their best to stand in the face of adversity, for the one thing they can rely on more than others is faith, and faith may just see them through these trying times.

Legend and Divinity

Within the Confederation of New Ras, no figure sparks quite so much adoration and controversy as the Unifier, the person who brought the disparate states of the land together into a single entity before dying shortly thereafter. Wreathed in mystery, the large oral tradition that has arisen does not help to distinguish myth from reality, only serving to further muddy the waters in regards to the events that lead up to the unification of the island.

There are however things which are known about the Unifier, and the War that gave her the epithet, that may prove useful in separating myth from reality about the mortal the Rasians consider divine. Beyond the accounts of eyewitnesses(or at least the few who are still alive today), the greatest source for this period are the Tellings of the Unification of the Isles, the oldest transcription of oral accounts of the time. Yet even this source is flawed, for the Tellings are more epic prose than proper history.

Born into what few lands the Old Human Empire, a faded shell of its former glory, managed to keep under its control, the Unifier's journey began, at least according to the Tellings, when a divine apparition, a messenger of the great Creator, appeared before her, and told her to "Relieve the Thousand Sorrows of the Land". Spurned by her faith and love for the folk of the land, she accepted, and though she was but a commoner, she devoted herself to the task with the vigour of a king.

At the time the king of Val Cyrion, a man both wicked and insane, hounded by a lust for blood, led a great fleet across the sea to the islands, killing innocent folk and spreading villainy wherever they went. So great was the Sorrow they caused, that the land itself wept, and winter came to the green meadows of the land.

But the race of men was not unified, and the other races just the same, for the lofty ones had yet to taste the fury of the Cyrians, while the minor ones squabbled or were too weak to face so powerful a foe. Yet it is from this final group that the Unifier drew her support. She traveled the land, healing the sick and righting wrongs, and the further she went, the greater her following grew.

To her side she gathered many of the disenfranchised, the commoners of the land, the water elves who lost their homes, the Wanderers who saw many of their caravans annihilated, the beastfolk who saw the furthest extremes of hatred, beyond even how the locals had treated them. Even the savage folk of the land, the kobolds, the orcs, and many others, came to her banner, such was her kindness.

And so as time passed, and the motley army grew stronger and their victories lined up, great concern grew upon the face of the wicked king. But treachery was known to him and his folk, cruelty their second nature, and so for the kind soul that would stand in their way they set a trap, one into which the Unifier would walk willingly even if she knew it was one.

As they had predicted, so it came to be, and the villains began to torture the Unifier, for their pleasure as much as for the weakening of the people's hearts, for they sought to force her to swear fealty to their vile sovereign, and to forsake all that she had fought for and loved. In the face of torture the Unifier did not falter, and soon enough the mad ruler ordered her burned at the stake, for daring to oppose his "greatness".

Such was her goodness, that the flames dared not burn her, for even they would not harm one so benevolent. This further enraged the wicked king, and he ordered his men to kill her with sword and axe and spear uncaring. Yet fate had something else in store, and the heavens shone with the radiance of a thousand suns, scorching the vile folk, before the messenger descended again, taking the Unifier into his hands, and flying her to safety.

Reunited with her army, the Unifier lead them to the City of Spires, for there they would make their final stand, they would defeat the Cyrians or perish. Together with the human settlers of the ruins and the marshfolk, the united army of the island made its final stand, and at this battle they valiantly defeated the malign foe, forcing them back towards their evil homeland.

The Unifier's work was still not done though, for as while she had removed the largest thorn, a thousand others still pierced the land, and so long as the other states and races squabbled amongst one another, there would be no peace. Now bathed in divine light, she visited each of the leaders in turn, and what could they do but accept her request? Kneeling before her, they each swore fealty in turn, and the Confederation was born.

Much about this account is clearly oversimplified and romanticised, but from it and others like it we can draw several facts that help determine what can be known about the Unifier and her conquest. Firstly, she was indeed a citizen of the Old Empire, albeit a lowly one, hence why she would later adopt the empire's administration into the Confederation. Secondly, she managed to unify the minor races of the land, previously irrelevant, and molded them into a strong force that still has great sway in the Confederation. Thirdly, some sort of divine intervention rescued her after her capture by the Cyrians, leading to the witch hunt that would ensue, for to them it was a sign of her demon worship. Lastly the final battle that would decide the fate of her nascent movement was fought at the City of Spires, wherein she lead an alliance of her banners with the local tribes towards the victory that would solidify her place in history. As for how exactly she enforced unification upon the more powerful groups, that remains a mystery, for those who saw how that still live remain silent about it.

City at the Center of the World

Certainly the greatest city in the Confederation, the City of Spires is, for all intents and purposes the center of the Rasian world. The largest and most populated city not only of humans in the isles but the other races that inhabit the confederation as well, it has the distinction of having out-shined even the greatest of dwarf holds or elven halls. Settled by the followers of the Unifier after their victory over the armies of Val Cyrion, the massive city still sees migrations of people even centuries after it was first resettled. It is the closest thing the Confederation has to a capital and is in many ways the spiritual and cultural capital of the land.

Sitting atop lake Izinlaz, through which the river Galadad flows, the city is strategically placed on a very important intersection, as the river flows from the southwest, from its source in the ruins of Ithilond, all the way to the northwest, where it enters the sea at the high elf capital of Anothond. Not only does it connect this great city with the wealthiest dwarf hold of Limulbuland, it also provides the majority of the arable land in the region, and the central position of the City of Spires allows it to exert great control over it. Electrum, silver and gold flow down the river towards the city, at times further towards Anothond itself, all to satiate the nobility who thirst for it, while jewellery and elven wine flow upwards.

In addition one must mention the Great Bronze road, the massive thoroughfare connecting the City of Spires with the large port city of Vindûr, and thus the western peninsula. The road is named after the commodity that defined it, for the arcanists and mages of the City of Spires use bronze as a conduit for their magic while the priesthoods use it in their rituals, and so the road serves to satiate the city's ravenous hunger for this particular alloy. In turn magical and religious goods and rarities flow down the road to be scattered across the many states in turn, along with the goods attained from trade along the Galadad. All the major roads on the Western Twin lead either to the Great Bronze Road or to the City of Spires directly. Of special note is the Road of Bones, connecting to the realm of the Summer Archon, down which carvings made from all types of ivory flow, along with a special kind of incense native to the realm.

Beyond that the city is surrounded by vast plains that stretch south and southeast upon which the nomadic Wanderers travel. Now tied intrinsically to the city, they spread information and goods where the road and river do not, their population boom leading to many caravans migrating to the western peninsula, thus spreading the influence of both their race and the city to which they are tied. The plains also serve as grazing grounds for herders and as a hideout for marauders and bandits, folk attracted to raiding the river and road that have made the city so wealthy, and a constant thorn in the side of its ruler.

To the northwest of the city the ground turns hilly and densely forested in places, before turning into mountains that stretch into the realm of the Summer Archon and the Realm of Anothond. The hills were granted to the beastfolk for settling by the Unifier, a gift for their service, a home of their own. The forests themselves are inhabited by wild fey and wood elves, a diaspora that formed as a result of the settling of the city. The lakes that dot the edge of the mountains pour into the river Galadad and have also been settled by the Unifier, by River and Lake Elves this time, who served as healers in her army and were displaced during the war from their homes.

The place where the river Galadad pours into Izinlaz was once a swamp, inhabited by lizardmen lead by the "Marsh King". Yet after the drainage of the swamps and assimilation of the beastfolk into human culture, almost all traces of what once was have disappeared. The only notable indications are the name of the settlement, Marshtown, now inhabited by "civilized" lizardmen, and that the descendant of the Marsh King still bears that title, though now along with that of Archon. Marshtown serves as the great warehouse for goods coming in from further upstream and from the Great Bronze Road. It is also the place where the majority of the caravans go before dispersing and reforming again. In many ways it is the gateway to the city itself. The members of the old tribe that once inhabited the swamp have now become the aristocrats of the city, many of them putting themselves above the majority of not just visitors, but also nobility within the city. After all, they are among the oldest "nobles" of the city, the others should know their place.

The city proper is reached by either boat or by way of the Great Bridge, the endpoint of the Great Bronze Road. Seemingly of circular shape, the city is far larger than it seems, for a large section of it is in fact underwater. The river Galadad only formed Izinlaz after its course changed shape during the formation of the Twins, and so the city, already large, is in fact mostly submerged into the lake. The "Wheel" as the dry section of the city is called, is divided into several sections, all leading towards the Palace and Temple of the Unifier located within the main Spire in the center of the city. By means magical and scientific the rulers of the city have created canals above the ground, connecting them to the lake proper and allowing for both easier travel and transportation within the confines of the city, yet creating a risk for the city bellow, as water has, at times, gotten through.

The Palatial district composes a full third of the city, indicating just how large the noble population is, more so than in any other city on the Isles or Peninsulae. Not just the nobility but the wealthiest merchants live in this section of the city, if the gold roof shingles did not already point towards that. It is the oldest known inhabited part of the city, inhabited even before the arrival of the Unifier by a tribe of humans, a group that would, much like the lizardmen of Marshtown, eventually form the basis for the city's aristocracy. Noble born folk from all the races have come to this place hoping to make a name for themselves, and the noble population is ever growing within the city, along with the intrigue and conflicts that inevitably follow. Near where the Palatial District borders with the Crafts District, one can find the Grand Hippodrome, the largest circus in the city and one place where noble and commoner will always meet, for in the Grand Hippodrome all sorts of performances occur, from chariot races and plays, to animal circuses and gladiatorial bouts. Next to it is the "Temple of the Muses", the great amphitheater of the city as well as the home of the largest university dedicated to the performing arts within the city. It is much more favoured by the nobility, though it is also frequented by commoners.

The Sacred District, the second third of the Wheel, is where all the temples and schools, both mundane and magical, are. Only the Cult of the Creator is allowed a presence within the main Spire, as they watch over the Unifier's tomb, and so the other temples have, along with the schools of magic, staked their claim to the city. The two largest temples are the Divine temple of Order and Chaos, a mostly dilapidated structure with a gutted priesthood, and the Temple of Ilu, the structure held by the most influential priesthood, and notable for perhaps being the only temple in the city to be rejected by its own deity, as he disdains power and politics. Beyond that the other important temples are to the main pantheon, divided among the Elemental, Sidereal, Celestial, Chthonic, Arboreal and Younger gods, forming a wheel within the wheel around the two main temples. The magic schools and universities dot the district far more chaotically than the carefully planned temples, rising and falling within generations at times The most influential schools occupy the space closest to the main spire, and are usually much more prominent. Further back towards the walls of the city and contained within the Sacred District is the Garden District, a sacred grove under the dominion of the spirit healers. It holds a special place within the city, as only members of the minor races may enter this place. Many believe the most powerful warding spells of the city draw their power from this location, and the folk who inhabit it.

The Crafts District is the final third of the Wheel, and it is the most densely packed of the districts, a place constantly suffering under the threat of epidemics, fires and crime were it not for the work of the city guard and the temple healers. It is the home of all the guilds of the city as well as the College of Arcanists, and so it is the place where all the processed goods and magical artifacts of the city are made. Smoke billows from the many workshops of the city and the sections of the Crafts District rise ever upwards, houses being built upon houses, and massive wooden scaffolds separating levels of the district from one another. The deeper sections of the district are completely engulfed in shadow, only illuminated by the lights of the forges and furnaces that work day and night to produce for the people. The Market District is contained within the Crafts District, and though one can find shops all throughout, some people working directly out of their workshops, the majority of merchants set up shop within the Market District proper. A giant colonnade leading from the Temple of the Unifier towards the walls forms this district, ending in another wheel within the wheel, the Main Market of the city itself. Herein goods from everywhere the traders go can be found.

The Undercity is the last section of the wheel, in fact being the majority of the original city, built over by the settlers and left in eternal shadow, it forms the catacombs and the living space for not just the city's dead, but the kobolds and other subterranean races that prefer the darkness as well. As they had no city of their own like the other races, the Unifier gifted the passages bellow the city to the kobolds. "Wherever the light of the Creator's sun does not fall, thou shalt reign." This has led to the City of Spires in essence becoming their racial capital, and many tribes migrate towards it, hoping for a new life free from oppression under the protection of their Lady. Though they are the rulers of this place, and their High Chief is the Archon of the Undercity, they are not the only inhabitants of this place. Dwarves and Dark Elves have placed the majority of their homes within this section, albeit on opposite ends, and strangely enough under the "watchful eye" of the "Dragon Archon", the Undercity is the only place where one could say peace between the two exists. It is also the place where the "Honoured Dead" of the city are interred, and to be gifted the honour of being buried within the city is something only a small privileged few have, for not even the nobility are guaranteed this right. Bellow the Temple of the Unifier is her tomb, the place of her interment, and further bellow that are the tombs of the city's Hallowed Guardians. Those warriors who have so dedicated themselves to the city that they have given their bodies to its defense even in death. Further bellow are unexplored sections of the Undercity, as well as sections where the lake has broken through. The Drowned City bellow the lake is avoided by most. Not even the drowned or naga settle this place, preferring the edges of the lake and the river itself for settling.

Not just the existence of the Confederation but all future hopes of peace depend on the City of Spires. It is the place where all folk meet, for better or for worse, and it is the closest thing the many states have to a unifying factor, the economic and cultural ties to the place drawing them further into the intrigue and politics of the capital and a shared existence in equal measure. It is a living thing, the center of their world. And if it falls, so too do they.

To take what was never meant to leave

The elves have a saying, "Do not take from the land what was never meant to leave."

This is meant to urge caution. In your quest to see your will done, consider what the price of your wish may be, and where the satiation of your desire shall lead you. And it is a lesson they learned in blood and pain. For their people were of nírnaeth, the sorrow of the undying, the pain of the living world around them. And it was the source of their immortality, that which defined them.

A great many could not handle the Sorrow, and so, they sought a way to separate themselves from it. Unfortunately, they succeeded. By untangling their very souls from the song of creation and connecting to magic itself, they would retain their immortality while separating from the nírnaeth, and the sorrow would trouble them no longer.

This is how the first schism of their race came about, as well as the birth of their empire. With their ties to magic and the lack of sorrow, they held the entirety of their blessed island, forcing the dwarves from their holds and establishing a dominion of many ages. They built many shining palaces across the island, the greatest of which was Ithilond, the city of the Moon, which sat upon a powerful nexus dedicated to the lunar sidereals.

Such was the raw power that poured from it that they grew mighty, and arrogant in turn. Their folk grew avaricious and drew more and more power from the nexus, causing ripples in the fabric and song of creation. In their pride they disturbed Creation, and caused much suffering to their kin still tied to the nírnaeth, and the world in turn. The further they went, the more they abandoned their love for the mortal realm and in their acts they saw the path to divinity, an existence beyond this one. Thus they began to plan for a ritual that would so immerse them and the land in the magic of the nexus, that they would at long last reach godhood.

Their kin, the Grey ones as they called them, for they donned such robes in sorrow for the acts of their brethren, saw the pain their actions caused, the damage they inflicted upon all that was and the damage they had yet to inflict. They looked to the future and saw only ashes, and they knew they had to act.

So began the War of Kin, where brother faced brother and sword clashed with spell. The Grey Host fought against the most powerful mages their kin could muster, mages who could shape reality itself around them. But the Grey had something they lacked, the nírnaeth.

For their tie to Creation gave them the might of aeons, and their bladesong turned back the sorcery arrayed before them. Yet for every step they took, the Grey Host bled, and as they bled, the power of their sorrow and wrath grew in turn, and the land lost a little more of the glory of old.

They pushed back against the mages, bit by bit, until at long last the battle reached Ithilond itself, and blood was spilled upon the streets of the greatest city of the elven folk. Still the ritual neared completion, even as the fighting reached the nexus. What followed was the greatest disaster to have struck the lands that would later be renamed New Ras.

The ritual worked, at least partially. The massive excess of energy consumed all life within the great lunar temple, and shattered the land itself, splitting the island the elves inhabited and changing the very shape of the landscape. Isles sunk into the sea and new ones were raised from the seabed. The land bridge separating the inner sea the island sat upon from the ocean was shattered, in its place what would become the Broken Bow Archipelago.

The Grey Host had won the War of Kin, but at a great cost. The price for their kith's arrogance was the idyllic home they lived upon, and the wound upon the land is still here to this day, for their island split into the Twin Islands, and one can still trace the scar of their pride on all maps of the area, showing right where the island had been split in twain.

Much changed after that. The dwarves began to slowly reclaim their holds in the archipelago. Those elves tied to magic who saw the price of their leader's arrogance saw the gravity of their error, and split into many groups, each tying themselves off to an element or a type of living which they found to be the true path.

The Grey Elves were gutted, and their numbers would never recover, and decline to this day. Many felt their lives were a small price to pay for the safety of Creation, and so they still sing their songs to this day, of glory lost and melancholy gained. But never of regret, for they knew well the adage of taking from the land what was never meant to leave.

The Dying God

What is hatred? What is pain? To many they are concepts they've tasted, partaken in, for good or for ill. They are the inevitable consequence of life and living. The bad that goes with the good. And yet to the being known as the Dying God, what you would call pain and misery are not even drops in the ocean. And your hate? It is a weak thing, barely an ember, for few have ever been deemed worthy by this ancient deity.

In the old tales, long ago, before Creation even, there was the Firstborn. The eldest of the gods, it played no part in the making of the universe, and yet it was a part of Creation, even as it was separate from it. Gazing upon what the "lesser beings" made, it saw all that was before it as its own dominion, for who should rule if not the eldest? A being of the Void, it was alone, and so it sought to dominate, to fill the emptiness that sat within.

And yet, with the first spark of life, this being came to see what it was a god of above all else. It was the god of all that lived, and all that died, and yet without the power to command either. As beings passed through the cycle it felt their pain as if it was its own. It felt the pain of death. Constantly during every waking moment of its existence, it would feel nothing but the passing of the many living souls into the next live. What breaks mortals may break gods as well, and so madness consumed the being, and a hatred like no other for the beings that caused it so much pain in turn.

For as long as it was it would gear itself towards two things, the constant refinement of its hate for Creation, and its inexorable will to end it. It is a being that lives only to taste oblivion, consumed by madness and rage and attracting followers of just such a caliber. In Ras the cult is ever hunted, and yet it never dies, for the whispers of the Eldest are always there, and as the Cycle moves, Creation provides for him ever more followers filled with resentment or stupidity, if not both.

But alas, many of his cults die as quickly as they are born, for they are too weak to bear his power for too long, as it consumes them inevitably, in one way or another. He hates them just as well as he hates the rest of Creation, and in his eternal campaign they are just as expendable. So one should take heed of wise words and good deeds. Beware the Dying God, the enemy of existence itself. Protect yourself from overindulging in your hate, as that fire is ever consuming. He should know, that's why he encourages it.

On Death and Undeath

Necromancy holds a very strange position within the society of the confederation. Halfway between the mystical and scientific, its legal practitioners are half mages and half priests, and the practice itself is treated as something that connects the present with the past and grants the ancestors the ability to act upon the mortal realm just as the living can on one hand, while at the same time being viewed as the greatest desecration of the sanctity of the cycle of life and death. To truly understand the nuances of this kind of magic and its effects, one must analyse how it is classified, where it is used, and the manner in which it is used.

The first thing that should be understood is that necromancy being legal does not mean it lacks for regulation, for as with all schools, it finds a place not only within the legal framework of the different kingdoms, princedoms, holds etc, but its own complex structure within the thought of those who contemplate it and practice it. In this way necromancy is divided in the confederation into dark, light and primeval, in accordance with its purpose and methods, though one should note that this division is almost purely academic. A light necromancer can do both primeval and dark necromancy should they choose to, and perhaps only the primeval necromancers can in some way be differentiated, at least in terms of what they can and can not do.

Primeval necromancy is the original form of the practice, and it involves communion with the dead, nothing more and nothing less. It is also the reason for the blurred line between science and religious practice in the confederation, since, after all, ancestor worship is almost as old as any other faith, and ones who could actually commune with the dead were in most cases shamans or priests serving the needs of the people and relaying messages between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Many still remain who perform this practice, especially in more far off, separated areas, and their power extends to ritual and communion, but not the actual act of binding the spirits of the dead.

Dark necromancy is the natural progression of this, the act of binding the dead, no matter their opinion, to one's service, the usage of their souls and/or the puppeteering of their earthly remains to serve ones purposes whether benign or malign(though usually the latter). As is normal such arts rarely call upon the dead willingly and as a result require strong bindings to keep the spirit leashed, leading to the bound spirits acting as little more than drones in service to their summoner. For this reason one usually calls the practitioners of this form of necromancy Binders, a rather self explanatory title for those familiar with the classification. Such practitioners usually care for quantity over quality, as the act of forcefully binding a spirit takes much power out of it(though to assume that an undead puppet is weak or that the necromancer hadn't strengthened it is a mistake many often make), and as such many Binders rely on using as many bodies and spirits as possible, their inability to perfectly control such vast numbers becoming evident in the slow speed and rigid movements of their puppets. Binders are almost entirely illegal within the confederation, with scant few exceptions such as the usage of forceful binding to enforce punishment upon one for a grievous crime, or the usage of this magic in times of desperation and war when sanctioned. A slippery slope to be certain, dark necromancy will never become an accepted practice in society as it is now, and its very existence is what pulls the practice of necromancy down, for good or for ill.

Light necromancy, conversely, is the binding of willing spirits of the dead to the mortal realm, whether within a vessel they will use or one which allows their spirit to wander freely. As such the dividing line between it and dark necromancy is the willingness of the spirit to be summoned and bound. For this reason those who practice necromancy as such are referred to as Callers, for they only make the call, the spirits are the ones who answer, at their own discretion. This allows for much more powerful magic, as a willing spirit is an autonomous creature, one that doesn't require as much energy poured into it, and can also work with the summoner to strengthen itself, and yet the lack of willing participants is the great limitation of necromancers. They can perform primeval necromancy to commune with spirits, but to find one willing to manifest without causing harm is the great flaw inherent in their acts. Callers have inherited the priestly role from the old primeval necromancers in turn as well, and for this reason the priesthoods of the dead far and wide can usually account for a Caller within their rank, but just as importantly the capital has them hold a distinct place of honour within its hierarchy.

And this is where one gets to perhaps most famous privilege and duty of Callers within the society of Ras, as they find themselves granted special permission to inhabit the catacombs beneath the Central Spire in the capital city. Only those of great distinction and importance are buried in the Undercity, and these men and women are trusted with their care and veneration. Yet this is not all they do, for there is one more service they perform, and it is one that may also be found, albeit in not so great a number, outside the capital, for they are the chaplains of the Vigilants, the undead garrison of the City of Spires. Warriors and servants who have proven themselves supremely, and desire to devote themselves to the city and Unifier even in death may opt to request that they join the Vigilants. If their bodies and souls pass the rigorous testing and are deemed to not be "irreparable" or "corrupt", then upon their death their bodies are picked clean of flesh and organs, are ritually preserved, and their bones are ritually sanctified before being carved and enhanced magically. After a long period of sanctification, purification and magical enhancement, the spirit is called to inhabit the body and is put to "rest" in the catacombs of the city until the city or people find themselves in so great a peril as to need to call upon the most revered champions of old again.

And yet to paint it in this manner is to provide a rather black and white description of how it is viewed in each particular society. The dwarves who worship their ancestors for instance do not allow anything beyond primeval necromancy, and even that is stringently regulated. The immortal elves have little need for these practices, though it is not impossible to find Callers among their numbers, ingrained into the priesthoods as they are. The Wanderers employ a tradition of calling to ancestors and binding them before releasing them after each ones passing, but rarely do they have active practice for longer than that in their society. The Summer and Winter believe in communing with the dead just as with the spirits of nature, but are fundamentally opposed to the act of binding, as it "keeps them from the weave" as it were. To the beastfolk their societies still battle with acceptance and have not developed far beyond primal shamanism, so they do not see much beyond that. Humans by far are the most numerous practitioners, though again the usage of such magic varies from place to place for them, and Callers themselves are mainly a group for the island dwelling humans of the Twins, and even then are mainly kept within the priesthoods. This is of course without mentioning the practice of Binding, which has found a home for itself in the far north of the Hellgate, away from prying eyes and regulations, much as many other forbidden things have.

What is clear from all that is seen here is that necromancy within Ras carries an almost mystical property with it. It is a school of magic that leans upon religion and has religion lean upon it in turn at times. This has lead to a much greater acceptance than it would in most other places, and the debate of how far one should be capable of going when it comes to spirits, both those of the departed and others, is one that is alive and well. So in the end only the question remains, how far should one go, and if one does go too far, how will they find a way back?

Imliel

There is no more pitiful a loss than that caused by vanity, and no greater vanity in the lands of the confederation than that tied to the Grieving star, the Imliel. Its story began deep bellow the ground, when the dwarves found it as they dug further and further into the stone. They named it Imli, star, for unlike all the other gems and jewels they had dug up, this one kept the light it captured, shining a pale, warm glow, and if the stories are to be believed, it filled the soul of the one who held it with a warmth unlike any other, it gave them peace.

So great was this prize that the High King would set the gem in his crown for all to see. And all did see it, and envy grew within their hearts. First the clan that found it and gifted it demanded its return, causing much scandal as to ask for the return of a gift is a great offense to the one who received it. It escalated further before erupting into a small war, the clan having lost many men before being forced into exile. This was not limited to the one clan however, and many conflicts arose within the realm beneath the mountain as a result, yet all of these are miniscule in comparison to what followed.

For when the elves were sundered and some chose to settle bellow the earth, the dwarves now had folk with whom they were to share their subterranean home. In the beginning despite tensions the peace held, that is until the king of the dark elves set eyes upon the gem. Under the hospitality of the high king's house, when asked for a boon he demanded the gem, sparking an argument that would end in tragedy. Weapons were drawn and by the end of it there were two vacant thrones beneath the mountains. So began the War beneath the Mountain, a conflict whose embers still spark to this day. Many an infiltrator lost their life after trying to steal the Imli, which by then was known as the Imliel, for the elves called it El in their tongue, star.

Even so, despite all this bloodshed, the story had one final twist, and it came in the form of Genin the dwarfprince, son of the last dwarven High King. At the end of the Cyrian crusade the Unifier arrived beneath the mountains and enforced the Great Peace, and there they met Genin, heir to the Mountain throne and dwarf most peculiar, for he lacked the avarice so attributed to his people. Some say he fell in love, others still that he went to fulfill an oath of honour, but the tale ends the same, for when he heard of the Unifier's death, he stole the Imliel and traveled towards the City of Spires, intend on laying it in the Unifier's grave.

Alas, Genin never reached his intended destination, for the dwarf prince was found dead, without the treasure he carried, on the Great Bronze Road. His father died of grief and the throne found itself vacant, a situation it is still in to this day, for the many clans have yet to agree about who should inherit the throne. So the tale of the Imliel ended as it began, in grief.

Or rather one should say, that it ended for now, because many still seek it, and the thief who stole it. The dwarves desire it above all others, and the clans all hope to individually find it, for the one who brings back the great star will surely become the next High King. The dark elves seek it as they have previously sought it, for now the jewel is not protected by the Great Peace, and at long last they may take the gem that cost their first ruler his life. The City of Spires still seeks the gem, to place it within the tomb of the Unifier, as Genin the Good intended. And all of this without mentioning the many treasure hunters, all seeking the vast wealth that is sure to follow one who acquires this greatest of gems. The story of the Grieving star remains one of want, as it was when first it was pried from the earth where perhaps it should have stayed.

Speak softly

Language was always the biggest barrier and issue in the Confederacy when it came to the many different races. From apathy to simple isolationism, many saw little need in communication with one another. Folk so languished in their isolation and stagnancy that it remains to this day the greatest threat, the opening of trade being the only thing that pulls people more and more from their closed off societies and into the wider world.

There were always groups connecting the many isolated folk, for even the highest eyrie and lowest pit was still a part of the same world, and with a few exceptions all had to be a part of it even slightly, whether they wanted to or not. This is where the Wanderers and Sea Elves came in. The former connected people by land, the latter, as their name suggests, by sea. With the humans in between all the groups serving as the main trading hub, these two former groups were the main source of unity for many an age, sharing stories of far lands unseen by many eyes along with goods both rare and much desired.

The caravan routes and sea elf colonies were all connected, as if by an invisible string, and with one step one could, in a way, gaze upon a distant land through the eyes of those who saw it, as these places flourished and gave the world, even in the darkest of ages, a flicker of hope, a sign that people are not alone in this world, and that they never would be.

So the sea elven dialect, and the tribal dialects of the Wanderers, arose as a sort of local lingua franca for their areas, a primitive trade speak everyone could learn that would allow them to not only communicate with the merchants as they peddled their wares, but with the person at the other end of the route should they ever meet. These two languages became, in a way, the greatest connection between the many disparate nations, yet in truth, they were never solid enough to go beyond commerce and the elites who participated in them. What need does a noble have for such things, let alone one belonging to the upper echelons of the isolationist races and nations? Yet more was necessary for a true unifying connection.

This came, rather unexpectedly, in the form of Saint Atalo, a theologian and mystic from before the great unification who, during his stay at the Monastery of Divine Permutation, developed a language unlike any other, a language that would be later referred to as Rasian common or, rather simply, and strangely, as Wordspeak. To call his endeavour insane would be an understatement, as this monk, on his lonesome, forged a tongue with the usage of the most widely known wanderer dialect(the language proper being known as Songspeak), the Sea Elf dialect, all with the usage of human vernacular and a modified dwarven script, simplified and expanded to include letters exclusive to the three languages.

The tongue itself was originally meant to be used for liturgical services, a single unifying tongue for Creator worship, though it never caught on, local dialects mostly still being used when it came to worship across the confederation. It would only be much later that the clergy of all faiths would start using this strange tongue in communication with one another and their flock. How do you spread your faith to one who does not speak your tongue after all? So more than just his humble faith accepted this tongue, and its purpose would soon expand not just beyond his wildest expectations, but beyond what he ever could have imagined.

Most would wonder why saint Atalo chose dwarven, and yet one can find much logic in his decision, the elven script was not only far too flowing, with it taking far too long for one to master it, it also wasn't unified. Five different scripts have evolved from the old elven script, each different in its own way, with only the language and its dialects staying mostly the same. The humans meanwhile have no single language, and the usage of the vernacular came as a result of its proximity to the other races, as it not only made abundant use of loan words, but created plenty all on its own. As the closest thing to a "middle language", it's usage seemed most necessary to bridge the gap between the elven and wanderer languages. The latter of these had its own share of problems, from the language proper having the most vowels out of any languages, to parts of it being completely melodic. It was far too difficult to master as such, and in simplifying it, the barrier that had kept it confined only to the merchants who had to know it faded away.

So the language itself, now in its proper form, uses the expanded dwarven alphabet, which was not only easy to learn but as the dwarves became the third race to connect all people post unification, became far more widespread along with the original script from which it hailed. The wide amount of elven words was combined with the many intonations of the Songspeak allowed it to be both expressive for its true masters and simple to use for those who merely needed it for the most basic of tasks. Human Vernacular then gave it the final touch, not only bridging it to the many other languages but further expanding and enriching the vocabulary while providing for it the same simplicity dwarven script did in turn.

This language truly came to shine post unification, and the canonisation of Atalo Wordgiver followed soon after, the saint having gone on a pilgrimage soon after the completion of his magnum opus, disappearing into the annals of history. It not only became the language of merchants, but of the budding new bureaucracy as well as the nobility of the capital, not to mention, as stated before, the many different priesthoods. As time passed it became the language of the City of Spires, radiating outwards before becoming the lingua franca proper in not only the Confederation but the trade colonies that existed in its periphery. The secondary language of the common folk, next to their local one, it has split into a few mutually intelligible dialects each influenced by the local tongue it accompanies. While some of the more haughty folk still decry and shun it, the newer generations more readily accept this means of communication over isolation, and as more and more folk come to accept it, the world grows both bigger and smaller. This tongue, made by a humble monk gives the confederation more life than its Unifier ever did. Faith, language and commerce, three irrevocably intertwined pillars, the middle of which holds them all together. And in this tongue one sees not just what is, but what could be.

For each plea an eager ear

The world was never lacking in something to believe in, and if there is one thing that has had the largest effect on the people within the archipelago and peninsulas, it is the myriad of gods worshipped by its people. A large group to say the least, while one could spend a great deal of time describing each and every deity, from the small forest spirits, to the great gods worshipped in imposing temples, perhaps it would be better to explain the division of these deities in accordance to their "Houses", or as it would be better to explain, their roles. While all gods have multiple duties that may overlap with other classifications as they were, they generally have a single defining element above others that easily places them within a certain group. Each group shall be given an examples to further help with understanding how they function.

_____________________________________________

Primordial gods

Gods nearly or as old as creation, at least in the eyes of their followers, these beings are ancient creatures or even forces all on their own, powerful and in many ways unknowable. To worship them is to seek an understanding of the universe or to subject one's self to a being so vast what it would consider morality is on an entirely different level from it.

Primordial Order and Chaos, for instance, are worshipped as twin forces. Chaos from which all sprang and Order which spun the thread of Creation from it. Rather than deities, these things are worshipped as the two natural extremes of being, blending into one another so that one may truly see the universe fully. The worship of Balance as a force would fall into this category as well, as a belief that all is a part of some great balance or that everything eventually balances out with something else.

An example of a specific being bearing the signifier would be the Dying God, a deity of the Void that is said to be older than Creation itself, or the gods of the primordial elements, who are, as opposed to their elemental counterparts, only associated with the ancient elements of creation at the beginning of time, whose work in Creation can be, in its own way, considered done.

_____________________________________________

Elemental gods

The gods of the many elements, be they earth, air, fire, water, darkness, light or some other basic element, these elemental beings personify not the element they are associated with, for each is a different thing in the eyes of the beholder. Rather the eye of the beholder defines them, and so as they are worshipped, it is the image of what they are associated with that defines them to a single culture. This can especially lead to people having varyingly different and opposing views on what exactly something is, and what it is that defines a deity.

A good example would be the goddess of water Lenaine. She has a healing and nurturing aspect, all while having a destructive aspect, in accordance with how one can look at water. Such a being can be seen either as fickle or utterly contradictory, and it is this trait that defines them even more so than the other deities.

_____________________________________________

Gods of the Upper House

Otherwise known as Celestial gods, these are the gods associated with the Sky and the many sections of it. Be they the Sidereal Gods of the many stars, associated both with individual stars, constellations, or just stars in generals, the gods of the Sun and Moon, or the Weather Gods associated with everything from Rain to Storms, these lofty beings are among the most worshipped, for while they may not be a part of the land, in a way they have the greatest influence upon it.

Sehuel the Radiant, god of the Sun's Light, is often prayed to, not only to break through the clouds and grace folk with his blinding beauty, but to also be gentle in his light when he shines for too long, as his twin Mehuel is when he guides folk in the darkest of nights.

_____________________________________________

Gods of the Lower House

Chthonic deities associated with the underworld, these are the gods who rule deep bellow and to whom most of the dead go to when they pass. Be they conductor, judge, guard or ruler, their duties are vital in the constant passage of souls and their movement from here to there.

While Ekatia is Queen of the Underworld, and ruler of the land bellow, it is the Judges who decide where each and every soul is to go after they have passed away. Just so a god exists to guard the entrance and one exists to guide the dead towards it.

One must also mention the most common type of deity belonging to this group, that being Ancestor Gods. Veneration of the Dead is very prevalent in the region and as such it is not uncommon for one who has passed away to be raised up into the status of deity and worshipped by their descendants. Many ancestors are worshipped together as a group, and this allows their spirits to, at times, have an effect on the world, though not nearly as great as proper gods in their own right.

_____________________________________________

Gods of the Middle House

These being the deities of Nature and associated with the natural world in between all of the many realms. Be they gods of the forest, animals, vegetation or simply fertility, wherever one finds a village one is almost certain to find at least one person who worships them, making them most likely the most worshipped group of gods outside of cities.

Doru, goddess of the wood, is often called upon by those who harvest her forests for resources in gratitude, in hopes of avoiding the wrath of the forest. Just the same one also evokes Kern, wild god of animals, to offer respect to the Cycle his charges participate in, for the very same reasons. Either nurturing to a fault or stern in their practice of the laws of nature, these beings should not be trifled with, not just because of their wrath, but because of their absolute necessity.

_____________________________________________

Younger Gods

Also known as the Gods of the City or in some cases Gods of Civilisation, these are beings worshipped not for the force of nature they represent, but rather for their association with Abstracts and the things that define life for those above the natural world. Gods of the abstracts of Time, Fate, Justice or Love are grouped together with gods of Crafts and Professions. Together they define the advancement of life from primordial and savage beginnings onto more advanced pursuits, complementing the Cycle with their work. These beings are further divided into the Gods of the People, those of crafts, professions and the more easily defined concepts attributed to civilisation, and the gods of the Abstract as theologians call them, covering the above mentioned abstracts and all things that would fall under such a definition.

Arta the Huntress is prayed to in preparation for the hunt just as the Smith god Hagni is prayed to before one sets about doing their desired craft. For these deities, dedication towards the action itself is of the utmost importance. The Warrior is glorified by War, the Doctor by Healing.

The most important Abstract god would be Ilu, god of Memories, Laments and Civilisation. The Youngest of the Gods and King of the Gods by strange design, is venerated not only by spreading civilisation but in carrying the past with you as you move forward without letting it weigh you down. He is prayed to ease the burdens of regret and to evoke better times that men may be inspired.

These gods are the most like the mortals they are worshipped by, and one must wonder how good a thing that is. From those without tangible morals to those with many human faults, within these deities one finds something that is difficult to find elsewhere, kinship with a being that is by far your greater.