Revision as of 03:43, 24 January 2018 (view source) Roz (talk | contribs) ← Older edit		Revision as of 03:43, 24 January 2018 (view source) Roz (talk | contribs) (→‎Lieges and Vassals) Newer edit →
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	A: God no, let's keep it simple.		A: God no, let's keep it simple.
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		+	'''Q: A quick question on how citizens view their loyalty, in general.  Would the average citizen see their primary loyalty as being to the lord directly above them, their highlord, or the compact? Would individual citizens of a duchy/county/barony etc. also swear fealty to their high lord, or just to their duke/count/baron/etc? If a citizen's direct lord decided to rebel against their high lord and/or the compact, would citizens generally go with their lord, or generally remain loyal to the compact/high lord?'''
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		+	A: Always their direct lord. Oaths of fealty are made directly to an individual or individuals (godsworn swear to the crown and the gods), but a commoner vassal of a duke is sworn to the duke, who is then sworn to a highlord, who is sworn to the crown. It would be expected in cases of conflict to always side with their direct lord. This doesn't mean that conflicts exist or some might break that, particularly if their direct lord is egregiously in the wrong, but if a lord rebels against their highlord, it can usually be expected that all or a majority of their vassals will stand with them. Similarly the autonomy that a duke practices from a highlord is roughly equivalent to the autonomy practiced by a marquis to the duke.
	==Cross-Fealty Organizations==		==Cross-Fealty Organizations==

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Revision as of 03:43, 24 January 2018

This is an archive of responses that have been recorded by staff on the Theme Questions board. Unless indicated otherwise, these are direct quotations from the bboard.

Drugs

Q: Are there ways to get Haze and Dust into the city that aren't through the LB crime network, or should it basically assumed that if people are doing drugs they're coming in through the smugglers and lowlifes in my neighborhood?

A: Primarily lower boroughs, but not necessarily the criminal network down there- Arx is the busiest port in the world, and that's an awful lot of smuggling even outside of the criminal families. There's a good amount of land based trade with some contraband coming in from caravans passing through seawatch gate. The majority of illegal smuggling is just any trade with Abandoned, it is unlawful to trade to anyone that refuses to recognize the authority of the crown. Abandoned just happen to live in a lot of poppy fields to boot.

Q: Just how bad is it to be a Dusthead or a Hazer in modern Arx? Socially, what are the ramifications for users? If you get caught using, is it a major scandal? I mentally associate like ... Dust = coke, Haze = pot, just in terms of ramifications, but even that seems incomplete. How high can you get?

A: It's pretty frowned upon if someone doesn't have it under control. Treated with a similar amount of disdain as a prodigal. Would it get a noble kicked out of their family? Maybe not, but it's often treated with a bit more disapproval than someone being a drunk. The Inquisition doesn't tend to lock up users, since use alone is not a crime, just the smuggling aspect, and then it would mostly be about whoever they can extort for profits, really. The Iron Guard would treat someone pretty much the same as a drunk, probably ignore them unless they are a problem. As for how high, in extreme cases dust causes hallucinations. Dust is an opiate, and Haze more like pot.

Q: How addictive is Haze?

3) It's not really, as a pot analogue.

Q: Does it make sense to cut Dust with Haze and what would that do if you did it? How do these drugs interact? SHOULD SOMEONE STORYREQUEST AND FIND OUT?

A: Drugs, and there will likely be a lot more, probably have a lot of interactions but how they interact would be based on quality, quantity, type, etc. In general most likely better highs, but for specifics yeah storyrequest.

The Faith

Blessings

Q. What does it mean to bless a thing? Is there a system for it? I know a lot of the details may not be widely known until we discover it ICly, but what are the religiously understood effects of blessings?

My understanding is a full, godsworn knight of the Temple is as much priest as knight. I don't mean the men-at-arms, or the knights who receive their knighthood from houses but join the holy orders, but those knights who dedicate and are godsworn and knights. I've regularly played the 'priest' angle and sought to minister to people, but I might be off base in doing so. My question is thus: can godsworn knights 'bless' like lectors/priests can?

A. Blessings in the sense of godsworn members of the faith just blessing someone is common, and while there's a liturgy and very frequent phrases (picture each god or goddess having a stock set of a half dozen phrases essentially wishing someone well based on their sphere), they are just regular, every day phrases. Godsworn Templars like Preston could grant any of these blessings, there's not any doctrinal opposition to any member of the Faith doing so, though full ceremonial functions (like a marriage ceremony) would want someone with priestly training- which Templars or knights of solace can have, so it would depend whether they are considered invested (anyone over theology 2 could reasonably be so). There's no system currently for blessings since for these every day blessings there would be no mechanical effect at all- there's no magic behind it, it's no different than someone saying words. Currently, no action by any player could be considered reliable in having any divine, supernatural, primal or abyssal reactions- by its nature anything like that is capricious and unpredictable. Very specific rites to get the favor of the gods can be done, but they require enormous sacrifices in order to have a manifest effect, and this knowledge has been largely extinguished, but yeah a full magic system including divine providence will be Season 2, as it follows the storyarc of the game starting low magic/low fantasy and gradually transitioning to a high fantasy world.

Q: Is there a defined limit on what can be blessed within theme? Ex: Could a lantern be blessed by the shrine of Lagoma, or only the flame inside of it? Could you bless a field, or just that season's crop?

A: Anything appropriate to that god's sphere with a pretty wide interpretation. Really as long as it seems like it can be justified to the god.

Q: Do blessings have a generally accepted duration before they must be renewed? Does it vary? If so, are there any guidelines to be followed?

A: No apparent mechanical effects at all that anyone could be aware of. By church doctrine, items and places tend to be blessed every thirteen days ritually, or 13 months, or 13 seasons or 13 years depending on how ornate the rites are (like the sanctification of holy ground, for example, could be considered a blessing).

Q: Who can grant a blessing? Does it require a recognition, or is it simply anyone who can do the proper ritual? Do blessings from some people carry an expectation of being more meaningful, or are the blessed more egalitarian?

A: Godsworn with priestly training and investiture for any kind of ceremonial rites. Obviously any member of the faith can say, 'Lagoma bless you' or the like, and these are fairly common. Not that uncommon for disciples to see over harvest festivals or the like when seraphs aren't available.

Confession

Q: In IRL terms, there's this concept of the 'priest-penitent' privilege. That is, if a person seeks advice from a religious guide, what that person says and what that guide says is protected: on the one hand, legally (you can not compel the revelation of it), on the other hand, religiously (the church considers this privacy a sacred duty). The reason behind this privilege is basically... if you can't be truthful with your priest and ask their advice, how can you honestly be seek guidance from them to be righteous?

If a godsworn is approached for advice, if they are told a secret under the bond of secrecy, and if it does not directly lead to a threat against the life of another, is that the asking and advice considered by the religion of the Faith 'sealed'? Can the person asking expect their asking not be revealed, and would the Faith act negatively to its revelation?

I know PCs are... PCs. But I'm asking about the *religion*. Character A approaches a godsworn priest and confesses an act in the past, if that priest Character B tells someone... is there a) a consequence, and b) an understanding this is wrong?

Its been previously said that the scholars often accept 'confession's as black journals they do not reveal in a very similar sense to the catholic confessional, so the concept is in theme. But... these scholars only listen. The IRL purpose of the priest-penitent privilege is to protect people seeking advice. Counsel. Trusting their religious advisers so they can be spoken to truthfully.

As a godsworn this question is important to me. Is it assumed that if you go to your priest and talk to them its secret?

Of course I recognize an exception: if you go to a priest and say you will kill the king that's not protected. Existing lore has such an exception: black journals are only secret if you don't directly threaten the Great Archive. I don't expect a confessional to be secret if someone is saying anything like a threat to the life or safety of others.

A: It's protected more than you'd think. Even reporting killing the king would be absolutely prohibited, unless the death of the King would implicitly result in the destruction of the Great Archive or the worship of Vellichor. For confession, godsworn must safeguard the knowledge and counsel given, if it is presented in a religious setting of giving counsel of the Pantheon. In those circumstances, the oath to safeguard knowledge is paramount- and even vows to protect the Faith and Crown are secondary to it. If someone reported that the king would be assassinated, that godsworn person would be executed or forced to become a Silent Reflection, with their writing hand cut off and tongue out so they could never again reveal any secrets. A majority of Silent Reflections did not become that way because they attempted to take advantage of religious confidences for personal use, though that's the public implication- the majority of them becamse that because they conscience did not permit them to keep a potentially harmful secret, and they willingly betrayed their oath in order to save lives/stop the destruction of something vital, and willingly were excuted or became Silent Reflections as the penalty for obeying their conscience.

The only time it is ever permissable to reveal a confidence either in a black reflection or a similar confessional would be because the actions of the confessing party threatens the body of knowledge protected by Vellichor. Someone accused of breaking a confidence is always judged in secret by the Faith, and the only mitigating factor is ever did it threaten the body of knowledge protected by Vellichor- no other defense is permissible. A few extremely sympathetic individuals have 'escaped' after their trials and lived in exile, but that's about as far as the Faith has been willing to go.

Now mind you, someone just saying they murdered Bob is not a religious confession or confiding in a godsworn in a religious context. It has to be either for the purposes of a black journal, or in seeking religious guidance or instruction as to the will of the gods. Confessional situations have a great deal of ritual around them to make it very painfully clear to both parties involved, with the priest typically swearing it to secrecy before their talk and reiterating the punishments should he betray it.

Judgment

Q: 1) Does there exist any sort of ... idea of confidentiality between a godsworn and someone seeking guidance? I don't know the answer and sidestepped the question with careful RP of not asking details.

A: The Faith is extreme on this. The preservation of knowledge is one of their core beliefs due to Vellichor, and some would argue is the primary mission of the Faith. Trust in the ability for the Faith to safeguard knowledge must be absolute. Someone wishing confession of some kind would have it recorded in their own Black Journals while a godsworn hears it, and it could never, ever be repeated anywhere else. Violation of that would cover the same consequences as revealing a black journal- tongue out, writing hand cut off, lifelong service until death as a Silent Reflection or execution if they prefer. Most godsworn would stop someone and ask, "Are you wishing honest counsel of a man, or do you wish to record your thoughts for Vellichor and speak your conscience?" The former lets them talk freely and not as a representative of the gods. The latter is incredibly dangerous. Inversely, every member of the Compact should tell the difference between speaking informally for guidance, and the ritualized confession or counsel as a representative of Vellichor, which every godsworn may do (not just the Scholars of Vellichor). In practice, unless someone is making it clear that it is a confession or seeking religious counsel, it wouldn't be treated as the latter, but priests that have abused them have absolutely been executed or made into Silent Reflections.

Q 2) What happens if someone excommunicates dies? I... winged this hard. My thought: the Faith is the conduit to redemption and salvation. But men, even the Most Holy, are men. Yet. If you are excommunicated it is for some grave sin-- and if you have are excommunicated when you die, you obviously didn't repent. Therefore, the Sentinel will judge you with this sin as unrepentant. The implication was clear but not said out loud: chances of mercy, super low, but... the Sentinel is the god and the Sentinel judges. But if being excommunicated automatically exiles you to the mirror-abyss err he was off base theologically.

A: More forgiving than people would think. Family members can seek reconcilation of the dead, and for them to be effectively forgiven and offered funeral rites after their death. In the specific example of the highlords, they were specifically told they were to seek atonement. In Esera's case, she was seeking atonement upon her death, despite the argument, so most of the Faith would likely assume she would have reconciled and be willing to hear a petition from the family to have her forgiven post death. 'Would this person have atoned had they lived, so are they likely seeking atonement with the Sentinel now' is the deciding question typically debated by the Dominus, legates and archlectors in a review of post death excommunication. However, burying someone still considered excommunication without the permission of the Faith would be considered heretical.

Q: 3) The person I was RP'n with mourned a recent excommunicated person who died and felt guilt, and he made a few points: 1) Sentinel judges, mourning is fine, its what you feel. 2) You aren't guilty to feel for someone, even a bad someone, who has passed. Especially if you *acknowledge* they were bad and guilty. Mourning isn't a sin, its human. Finally, 3) Its never a sin to pray for someone. It might do absolutely nothing but to speak up, the Sentinel already knows whatever you'll say, but praying itself -- even for a sinner, even for one excommunicated -- isn't *bad*.

A: This is fine.

Mercies of Lagoma

Q: What is Arx's Mercy structure/hierarchy? Based on a convo with Apostate a while ago, Arx has a Mother Mercy who oversees everything, with the equiv of Voices that help facilitate things within and outside of the org. This isn't documented anywhere, though, so confirmation is requested.

A: The Mother Mercy (or Father Mercy) tends to make at least one voice for every hundred mercies in the city of Arx, called a Hand of Mercy, and then there are senior mercies called a Touch of Mercy. Touches are further divided into seniority, which is related to length of service, as our mercies themselves. Outside of Arx and regionally, some other branches of the Mercies of Lagoma instead designate seniority by number of lives saved, or number of Acts of Mercy (wounded or sick aided, even in part), which can become disproportionately large numbers as each mercy working in a field hospital could count every person there among their Acts. Some mercies coming to Arx from the farflung reaches of the different five kingdoms would bring these practices with them, even if they wouldn't really be officially recognized by the Arx Mother of Mercy or Hands of Mercy.

Q: What are the expectations of membership? It's a discipleship, so the Faith has only so much pull. What is it like inside the org itself, though? I know that no one can be ordered/commanded per se, but it strikes me as plausible that the leadership still expects reasonable requests to be honored.

A: Discipleship varies a great deal. The Scholars of Vellichor, Templars and Knights of Solace are three organizations so tightly wound to the Faith that discipleship in them for most is a primary occupation, even if they aren't godsworn. The Mercies are a halfway point between the very informal ones where no one does that as a primary occupation, and has Devoted Mercies (ones who service in the Mercies of Lagoma is their principle occupation, many who become godsworn) and Aiding Mercies (ones who offer what service they can as laity, but have other jobs/duties/responsibilities outside of the discipleship, and only donate what time they can). While most of the higher ranks are Devoted Mercies, it's not uncommon for the Mother Mercy to be a high born noblewoman or man that is not godsworn, and is technically an Aiding Mercy. This isn't seen as a mark against them, since securing donations and support for the Mercies of Lagoma as a whole would be one of their core responsibilities, as well as being able to speak to the Archlectors or Dominus as a peer- it just tends to default to someone very high born, like Sophie for example, out of necessity. Now for expectations, at least in Arx they need lengthy training in healing before they touch a patient without assistance, since the Mercies care a great deal in making certain no one is ever hurt by an untrained Mercy. This typically comes from acting as an attendant to a full Mercy as they heal, observing and helping. As mercies constantly working with the sick tend to become ill themselves, most new mercies are tending for the mercies themselves under their first patients supervision.

Q: What are the social/political repercussions, if any, for not adhering to those expectations? Can the chapter head revoke Mercy status for that chapter?

A: Improperly caring for the sick, resulting in higher mortality, can in extreme cases be considered unlawful killings if their neglect resulted in the death of those seeking aid. This has led to chapters being barred, and in a handful of cases when a regional Mother Mercy went full cult leader, resulted in Templars breaking up chapters by force of arms with whatever local lord usually deciding he no stake in this. In at least a few cases, this has resulted in a small brushfire war effectively between the Faith and a mercy chapter that was backed by a local lord (due to embezzling donations).

Q: What happens when a Mercy from another chapter relocates to Arx? Places like Arx and Blancbier are said to have the highest standards for being considered a Mercy. Is there an assessment test? (I assume PCs will pass because PCs are awesome but I still wonder about the process.)

A: PCs would be assumed to pass, unless they wrote it specifically into their background that they wouldn't. They would be expected to conform to Arx (and Blancbier) standards of service and would be tested, and Devoted Mercies in Arx that are mercies for their full occupation are typically paid a much higher wage in Arx than in the provinces, while Aiding Mercies are always unpaid (so the Mother/Father Mercy is by traditionally normally unpaid, but they tend to have full control over donations to the Mercies).

Q: Are non-local Mercies who relocated to Arx expected to fall in line with Arx's chapter hierarchy? If they opt-out, is their Mercy status recognized within Arx? Is there such a thing as an independent Mercy in an area that has an established chapter or are they expected to "join the union"?

A: Anyone opting-out of working with the Mercies of Lagoma in Arx, or with the chapter of a specific region, is asked not to call themselves a Mercy until they leave the region. The reason for this is simple- there's a great deal of charlatanism and con artists who happily claim to be Mercies to attempt to sell useless herbs for healing and the like, trying to take advantage of the good name for Mercies. For this reason, Mercies are also strongly discouraged from working alone without a representative of the Faith, or unless their status with the organization is well known, to prevent the charlantanism that would happen. A well known Mercy is fine with acting alone, but newer ones almost never are.

Q: What are the training guidelines in Arx for characters who seek to become Mercies? For those with no prior medical/apothecary background, I figure it would be 2-3 years IC study, presumably, which would take maybe 1 RL year.

A Probably until they can pass tests, which would just be medicine skill checks. But the usual baseline would be having a medicine of 3 would be considered appropriate for a Mercy. They are pretty well trained.

Relationships and Children

Q: I know that godsworn can not marry. But, is that like the IRL Catholic vow of celebacy? I know in theory we have great birthcontrol, but I was also told before that 'orphans' showed up and got Knight... support, in a manner that is not entirely unusual. Ie, its not entirely uncommon for godsworn bastards to show up. I'm not asking this about Preston's birth itself, I note: I don't know and don't ever expect to know his birthright. Him being an anonymous orphan is cool. But i'm wondering on the law of 'attachment' in the Faith.

Are relationships frowned upon? Are the godsworn SUPPOSED to be celebate? I note: "supposed" is important to the context of this question, not what is normal.

I have a theory that this is all about the Laws of Limerance and its that marriage creates a bond that conflicts the godsworn: an oath that binds them to another interest. And so my thoery is as long as there's not an *oath* made before the gods, that's what matters. Yes, godsworn shouldn't have children. (Yet it happens and is nudged under the rug) but the actual law is no marriage.

Is my theory totally wrong? Am I misinterpreting this?

A: All godsworn take an oath that they will set aside any bond that could come between their devotion to the gods and the crown. This is understood that they will avoid forming any relationship that come between them and that service, though strict celibacy is not required. However, if a godsworn member does have children, it's understood that they now have an obligation that they cannot in any way reconcile with being godsworn, and are required to leave the faith to care for the child. Individuals that want to become godsworn are only permitted to do so if they have no one dependent upon them- they cannot take the vows if they have young children, or if they have anyone they provide primary care for. It is also not uncommon for godsworn to be released from their vows if the family they set aside require them, and both the family and the godsworn member asks- but they would not be permitted to return until and unless the situation again changes. Godsworn that have children in secret, and do not give up their vows to care for them would definitely be forced out of the Faith- it would be a betrayal of their obligations. As part of the ritual when they are sworn, any potential godsworn is asked in the ceremony if they have any others that depend upon them, or any others that could come between them and the gods, and asked to take a vow to never permit that to occur.

Sins

Just to explore this topic for people! How do the variety of sins rank according to the gods? Oathbreaking, kinslaying, worshipping other gods (shamanism), etc? What are considered major sins? Is envy and pride, for example, considered sins? Complete with an info log:

[Info] Gian: So, in the hierarchy of sins, breaking an oath before Limerance is worse than kinslaying, right?
[Info] Hellfrog: I mean, maybe according to the gods. Probably not from a perspective of "am I going to prison forever"
[Info] Aislin: I feel like breaking the oath will get you seen as dishonorable and like, you might have concern for your soul. I feel like kinslaying, depending on the circumstances, might get you, you know... actually /executed/.
[Info] Gian: Well, so would any murder, though.
[Info] Hellfrog: Right, Aislin.
[Info] Gian: Any extra special stigma for killing famiky?
[Info] Calliope: Depends on your family, right?
[Info] Cristoph admits that I have been going on the assumption that lying is generally viewed as super bad, from a religion point of view. Given the quasi Zoroastrianism influence.
[Info] Hellfrog: Not legally.
[Info] Hellfrog: Socially? Sure.
[Info] Hellfrog: Lying, but more the breaking of your word, of your oath.
[Info] Gian: Cool. Just checking, thanks.
[Info] Cristoph nods. I figure that lies are sort of a mild version of that though, with actual oath breaking SUPER BAD above that?
[Info] Sylvie throws onto board for future preservation! :)
[Info] Sylvie: I don't think lying is considered a sin. Lyceum lies all the time (taken with a grain of salt, please), but doesn't oathbreak.
[Info] Sylvie: Or if it is-- I have been playing wrong.
[Info] Cristoph: Lyceum take on the faith is not the same as Oathlands take on the faith though neccessarily.
[Info] Sylvie: Yeah.
[Info] Orazio: Lying would seem to be an offence to the Sentinel, being that he's the god of Truth and all.
[Info] Hellfrog: lying is a sin, but lying is a sin in almost all religions, right? It's not the sort of sin that gets you kicked out of your faith or your tongue ripped out.
[Info] Cristoph has been working on the assumption that telling a lie, for a genuinely religious and orthodox person, is definitely the kind of thing you think 'Gah, I need to actually repent and make amends for this or else I endanger my soul a fair bit'.
[Info] Sylvie: idk, is lying a sin in all religions. I am horrible at religions.
[Info] Calliope was just thinking the same thing Sylvie.
[Info] Orazio: Yeah. Just because something's a sin doesn't mean there's a lot of a punishment that you're going to face secularly, and even talking to a priest might get you, "You should try and do better," not "Burn in the Abyss!"

Fealty

Lieges and Vassals

Q: These have obviously been called into question with recent in character events, but what are the actual obligations of a vassal noble to their liege in this setting? A lot of people seem to be working on the assumptions of absolute obedience but I have to imagine that is only one extreme of a very broad spectrum of relationships and 'contracts'.

There seems to be a 10 percent income tax as standard and there is obviously some kind of military obligation as well but how far does that go? Are the armed forces of a noble expected to be entirely at their liege's disposal? Or is a landed noble's obligation to provide X number of troops for a set period a year? A month? A season?

A: Taxes up to this point were automated, but Tehom recently added in a shown Tax percentage in bank payments rather than an auto deduction. That's consider a vassal's responsibility. As to military forces, it would be 'a reasonable percentage of their force that still accounts for the security of their holdings'. In practice, that's not less than twenty five percent for the full duration of any armed conflict, but the liege was wide latitude in forgiving that.

Q: I imagine things vary but is there a general standard and if things are nebulous is there a customary obligation? Additionally what are a liege lord's customary obligations if a vassal goes above and beyond these expectations? For example if a vassal is fielding more troops than their feudal contact specifies and brings them when banners are called, or remains in the field longer than is expected, does that generally mean their liege owes them a vague favour? Are they expected to start paying those soldier's wages to compensate their vassal if somebody turns up with a double sized army or fights for their liege all year?

A: Responsibility would solely be on the vassal to support it, though lieges and vassals have a wide latitude to debate what's reasonable.

Q: Also is scrutage a thing? To expand if, a vassal is unable or unwilling to send troops to their liege, is instead providing their overlord with money (to hire mercenaries or pay other nobles to up their contribution) an option, or indeed can a liege lord ask for money instead of troops? Or possibly is this kind of thing abstracted into the taxes already levied? Obviously those are options which could be personally discussed but are there in character assumptions of what is and is not acceptable?

A: Short answer, yes. These are very fluid- a vassal could make a reasonable offer to show their support, and a liege could accept it, and it is up to the two of them to determine what's reasonable. It would be extremely unusual for a liege to declare a vassal in disobedience- most lieges just are not powerful enough (unless they are a known tyrant, like Donrai was) to enforce their will uniformly and risk pissing off their other vassals. The most extreme step would be a liege, with the consent of the high lord of the kingdom and possibly the crown, to declare a vassal as outlaw (outside the law) and make them Abandoned. There's a number of Abandoned houses that fit that category, that live in such a defensible location that no one has ever bothered to try to conquer them or been successful at it.

Q: Weird array of taxes.

A: God no, let's keep it simple.

Q: A quick question on how citizens view their loyalty, in general. Would the average citizen see their primary loyalty as being to the lord directly above them, their highlord, or the compact? Would individual citizens of a duchy/county/barony etc. also swear fealty to their high lord, or just to their duke/count/baron/etc? If a citizen's direct lord decided to rebel against their high lord and/or the compact, would citizens generally go with their lord, or generally remain loyal to the compact/high lord?

A: Always their direct lord. Oaths of fealty are made directly to an individual or individuals (godsworn swear to the crown and the gods), but a commoner vassal of a duke is sworn to the duke, who is then sworn to a highlord, who is sworn to the crown. It would be expected in cases of conflict to always side with their direct lord. This doesn't mean that conflicts exist or some might break that, particularly if their direct lord is egregiously in the wrong, but if a lord rebels against their highlord, it can usually be expected that all or a majority of their vassals will stand with them. Similarly the autonomy that a duke practices from a highlord is roughly equivalent to the autonomy practiced by a marquis to the duke.

Cross-Fealty Organizations

Q: This has come up recently for Tobias. What's the history/policy of organizations not specifically bound to one Realm being allowed to set up shop? Let's go with my specific example: Tobias has been offered to setup a chapter house/outpost for the Crimson Blades in another Compact settlement under the Thrax Realm. Is there any law or policy that prevents me from simply negotiating with the Lord of the city and setting up that way?

A: Organizations inside Arx and outside of Arx are treated vastly different, due to the practice of complete regional autonomy granted to any lord within their demesne. If a sellsword captain wished to negotiate a contract with a lord, there needs to be no higher approval to do that, though a liege could look in askance if his vassal seems to be raising an army for no reason at all, and a few bloody and unnecessary wars have broken out when a liege demanded a vassal cease army building believing it to be a prelude to rebellion, and the very argument led to its own violence.

That said, one important thing that's very easy to forget is the lack of freedom of travel for armed groups. If someone was traveling from Arx to Farhaven in the North, there are a handful of roads considered own by the crown granting safe passage, between each major holding, but that is considered the right of individuals to travel, not for military units, which have to have the consent of every single demense in between point A and point B to cross peacefully, or be considered armed invaders. This makes army movement typically painfully slow, as say, troops coming from Tor to Pridehall have to be granted safe passage through dozens of domains, with every single independent lord free to place any demands from a tax on travellers to barring their entry at all under force of arms. Army moevents then are exceedingly complicated in Arvum, as there's many cases when some force is unwittingly technically trespassing by moving through land that a local barony hasn't surveyed in a generation, is held by shavs, but still technically owned.

This in turns means almost all negotiations are conducted in Arx, since it is painfully difficult to travel to independent holdings to have sellsword negotiations, and most sellsword companies have at least cordial relationships with most ducal powers and have routes specifically plotted through friendly lords willing to grant free and safe passage.

In Arx itself, every sellsword company has to be registered with the crown (typically meaning the Iron Guard), and is granted a charter, and are limited to no more than a hundred swords in the city at once, and in the streets they are subject to the same retainer laws as noble houses. They are, officially, considered crown servants as well as whoever they might be selling their swords to, and coutn against the armed retainer limits for both.

Honor Duels

Q: "Are there hard and fast rules in Arx for the specifics of Dueling? i.e. Does the challenged get to set the circumstances of the duel such as the weapons to be used, if armor is allowed, etc. Also, who must declare their champion first?"

A: It's traditional for the challenged party to pick the terms for any kind of honor duel and the particulars of the engagement, and then that would go back to the accusing party whether they want to withdraw the challenge or accusation. Similarly, if it's accusing someone of a crime, the challenged party is the one that decides if they want to settle trial by combat, they could just insist on a trial in their fealty or by a crown representative as the judge. The defender would declare their champion first typically, but that's just traditional politeness rather than a requirement. Politeness tends to be everything, since it's a matter of saving face after all as the point behind most duels.

Further, what should be remembered here is these are duels of honor to save public face. The population of Arx would be extremely unforgiving of someone trying to appear to honor it on the surface while trying set terms or conditions that would make it impossible. In other words, trying to arrange on a date that would be impossible would make someone look extremely bad, and so would trying to insist on conditions that would be humiliating for the participants involved. "We shall fight without armor to first blood" is appropriate, saying, "We will fight naked in an insult contest declaring how much we suck with each swing" would not be, and even proposing the latter would cause opprobrium. In short, honor duels are always dignified, since they are about defending the honor of those involved- never farcical.

The King's Own

Q: What are the King's Own?

A: The King's Own are the royal guard of the 'Crownbearer' of the day. At present that is King Alaric Grayson IV. They are famed to be among the best knights in all of Arvum and are reputed to have the greatest score of accomplishments across all military organizations across the continent. The knights therein typically hail from noble families, but it is not unheard of for some particularly talented commoner(s) who attain knighthood to be invited into the One Hundred by either the King/Queen or the Lord Commander.

Q: Where do the King's Own call home?

A: Crownguard Tower within Guardian Square of the Ward of the Crown. It is a formidable place that due to the Thraxian Treason of 713 AR, is almost as famous as the King's Own itself. It has a storied history and has been witness to many, many acts of heroism throughout known history. Their duties naturally extend to the palace, where they function as the main source of security(sometimes backed by the Iron Guard) for the palace and the royal occupant(s) within.

Q: Who do the King's Own owe their loyalty and allegiance?

A: The King or Queen of the time. The King's Own swear themselves in an oath of loyalty to only the Crownbearer. This does not mean that the King's Own are unable to have acquaintances, friends, contact their families which they (theoretically) give up, or even a lover or lovers. They must remain loyal solely to the Crown. Naturally the King's Own will report to others as a matter of professional courtesy, such as the Ministry of Defense or the Regent/Voice of the day. As much to cooperate with those beyond the king/queen as to limit the burden of their constant attentions being hefted onto the Crown. There is a chain of command, but the King's Own are very fluid among it, and if they feel an order poses some manner of risk to their liege, they may very well summarily ignore it. When it is all said and done however, the King's Own, the Lord Commander in particular, reports to one entity within Arx: The King or Queen.

Q: What happens if the Sovereign is in a coma? What do the King's Own do then?

A: They ensure the safety of the Crown. Historically this has been a fairly mundane role of babysitting a potato. There is currently an IC movement within the King's Own to grant them some forward momentum as far as becoming involved with matters beyond guarding an individual that doesn't get out much and is the Arx Staring Contest Champion for at least the past years. It is my belief that the King's Own has plenty of NPCs that are able and willing to protect the King At Rest. As a result the PCs should be more protagonist than background flavor. The King's Own are very professional, but they take their duties very seriously, so their becoming more proactive in matters related to the safety of the Crown is not beyond the realm of reason. It is something which I hope to bring to the forefront for the King's Own, that they are more than a static background piece and are the most loyal protectors of the Crown; sometimes protection means more than standing in one place and watching a spud grow.

Q: What are the legal boundaries the King's Own are restricted by/to, both within and beyond the palace?

A: Due to their reputation as the defenders of the Crown and being among the greatest knights across Arvum, their word alone often does carry with it some measure of weight. While they may not have full authority within the Ward of the Compact or the Ward of the Crown, they are at least regarded with respect and their opinion on a matter can carry some weight or generally influence the common citizenry. The King's Own largely have autonomy as far as their jurisdiction and power within and surrounding the palace is concerned. Were a scuffle to break out within the palace, the King's Own could toss that individual or individuals into the palace dungeons until one or all parties involved learn to 'use their words' or those same parties could be handed over to the Iron Guard. The palace, it's safety, and the king/queen that resides within it are the priority of the King's Own, so their word is often the first and last pertaining to it. Beyond the palace that same authority is often encapsulated when in the presence of the king/queen; for example if the King's Own order someone to step back at the Judgement Green, it's at that individual's own risk that one would ignore the order and attempt to come closer.

Q: Is becoming a knight of the King's Own a lifelong obligation?

A: Short answer? Yes. Long answer? The situations vary along a sliding scale of how dishonorable, if at all, it would appear to be. Have a love-child with a random lover and thus must request leave from the sworn vow in order to see to this newly birthed child? Clearly you hadn't taken your vow seriously and that is highly dishonorable. You've performed feats of valor and just don't have the energy to continue? It may not be dishonorable and would likely result in a dismissal from the vow, even if just a tiny bit reluctantly. You simply want out because you want out? No wise employer would maintain a bodyguard that doesn't want to protect them with their life. It is likely a highly dishonorable means of getting out of the King's Own, but just as likely not a foreign concept. As stated before the situations and reasoning are varied, with the level of their reception depending on the precise reasoning behind the knight's choice to request their leave.

The Lyceum

Succession/Conclaves

Good question recently in light of recent events. Was asked that if conclaves aren't voting, then how does the Lyceum really differ thematically from other great houses.

A: Okay so the whole, 'dictate terms when people are defeated' is actually very different from other great houses, in that it has an implicit understanding that civil wars won't usually result in the utter destruction of another city-state or the annihilation of another house. And that's a very very important concept, in that most wars of rebellion are usually by necessity fought to the utter extinguishing of any line in order to prevent future conflicts. Like the Tyde rebellion, it ends with a house attainted and destroyed and it lands absorbed. That doesn't happen in the Lyceum at all. City-states just don't change hands, but the recognition of where they stand is more malleable. It's a very important distinction since otherwise people would assume that in order to take the great house position one would have to wipe out velenosa utterly, and I think it is very very very very important to avoid that, and instead I -do- think there will be crippling wars that can put someone in a position where they would be effectively defenseless and have no choice but to surrender it, while if it happened to Grayson and its army was wiped out, it would be unthinkable for Bisland to go, 'well that sucks for you, we're now the great house'. That just wouldn't happen thematically, while in the Lyceum it very clearly would.

Shamanism

Dreamcatchers

Q: So. I was wondering if in any shaman traditions if they would have something similar to a dreamcatcher.

A: Sure, that's fine. The general rule is for anything specifically cultural and identifiable by name, you can have it, just not the name. A kusarigama could exist, but it's a chain and sickle, and referred to as a chain and a sickle. A dreamcatcher has another name. That's fine, it fits the Northlands.

Shav'arvani/The Abandoned

Q: What is the general Shav culture and life like? Is it equivilant to historical barbarian tribes like Gauls or Mongols? Or is it a post apocalyptic fight for daily survival? Further are there any vestiges of former cultures such as what we recently saw with the Shave of House Marin, or is that a unique case?

A: Shav/Abandoned culture is kind of a misnomer, as there's definitely no single unified one. There are thousands of different tribes of Abandoned and hundreds of different cultures, though there's some main strands.

There's Abandoned that were never, at any point, members of the Compact or parts of noble houses. These are mostly found in the Northlands, as in days before the Reckoning the Northlands were almost entirely barbarian raiders against the more developed southern lands, particularly against House Valardin. The Reckoning saw most of the tribes unite under Queen Valeria, but perhaps seventy percent of the tribes fell under demonic control during the Reckoning, and have the largest porportion of extremely barbaric and savage shav tribes. Most of the more extreme practices, like human sacrifice, ritualized cannibalism, demon worship and so on are found in Northlands shavs, though it's not even close to homogeneous. Abandoned tribes are vastly more likely to be fighting each other than raiding the Compact, and there's cases when dozen of tribes, clans and former houses ally against one another and have fairly significant wars that the Compact barely hears about.

Secondly, there's the former houses that were lost during the Reckoning. The term 'Abandoned' largely comes from them, as the vast majority of the nobles and their domains stood and fought against the demonic invasion rather than flee for the safety of Arx, attempting to defend their holdings. Most of the tribal identities come as bastardizations of their old house identities, and some stayed relatively intact a thousand years later. Keep in mind, during the re-conquest of Arvum after the Reckoning, many of the Abandoned were pushed off the same ancestral land they defended and given to other branches of the same family that did come to Arx, or other noble houses, so there's some thousand year old grudges over stolen land, or betrayal by family.

Then there's the other phases of societal collapse. The next several hundred years after the Reckoning were constant warfare and generations of trying to regain control over pats of Arvum, as essentially nothing was under significant Compact control -but- Arx, Sanctum, Farhaven, Maelstrom, Bastion and the Lycene city-states. Details about this are particularly vague, as all history was lost, but Arvum was just starting to come into parity between Abandoned and Compact control by the time of the Elven War, which was another genocidal conflict that saw humanity nearly wiped out, and virtually all holdings of man falling, save much of the same fortresses that withstood the Reckoning. And this, in turn, produced another wave of Abandoned houses that developed independent of the Compact for another 500 years. And then following that, the Crownbreaker wars a couple hundred years ago tore the Compact apart again, and saw another wave of collapse, and surge of Abandoned.

So in short, there have been at least three periods of effective collapse of civilization, and all of them have produced independent Abandoned houses, and all have their own cultures, traditions. Some are post apocalyptic fights for survival, some hundreds of miles away in isolation past hard land that hasn't been visited in centuries and completely forgotten, are probably pretty well developed. With millions of square miles, a lack of reliable maps, and dangerous exploration, there's a lot out there that the Compact is at best only dimly aware of.

Whispers

I got some questions via mail about Whisper theme and wanted to share the answers. I'm going to cross post on the "theme questions' board, so that non Whispers have the chance to read, as well!

1. How does taking Patrons work for Whispers? Specifically, common vs noble Whispers?

A: This depends on how you mean patron. If you mean patron as in 'client', as in someone patronized your business and had you host a party, then there is no difference. If you mean a patron as in the patron/protege prestige sharing relationship between nobles and commoners, simply: the Crown is the patron of all the Whispers. In their infinite Grayson generosity, they do not restrict whispers from working with whomever they choose and spreading their awesomeness around, but the crown is the only patron. That's because the Whispers are prestigious, themselves, and it wouldn't make sense for them to be 'protege' to like, a Count. Or a Baron. Even if they are personally from a commoner background. We're reworking prestige to be a more meaningful social stat, and we will set it up so orgs can patronize people, and then back this theme up with code.

2. Is it ok for a Whisper to sell vouchers for his or her time and skills?

A: Sure, that's fine. It's like getting a voucher for an hour of pilates or a therapist or something. Seems fine!

3. Is it unbecoming for a Whisper, a master of SOCIAL AWESOME, to challenge someone to a duel over an insult?

A: Here's the thing. Whispers are masters of diplomacy, /entertainment/, morale, information, etc. Noble duels over slights are a source of great entertainment to the common people, and so it's great if a Whisper is doing that. It's not declaring a blood feud, that WOULd be a little tacky for a Whisper. But a duel to first blood (or wound) over an insult? that's just good entertainment. It's not unbecoming at all to challenge duels over insults. it is the done thing, culturally.