Encyclopaedia Elyden update #25 - miscellaneous

It's been a while since I had a miscellaneous encyclopaedia update that's not directly related to maps, so thought I'd post some stuff I've recently added. I've commissioned my first landscape are specifically for Elyden and hope to have it posted with a related map over the next weeks while I work on the gigantic Inner Sea map, which is taking ages - LOTS of labels to get done on that one! 

Please let me know what you think and let me  know if there's any mistakes or typos as these entries are heading straight to the Encyclopaedia at the end of the month :)  

You can keep up with these entries by looking for the  'Encyclopaedia Entries' tag.  

If you have any queries about any of the following entries, please don't hesitate to ask :)

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GAUTER GRABRES: (B. 87 - D. 149 RM) Korachani general who between 122 RM and the day of his death led the Anthropeidos Crsades. Following his death and the massacre of his armies in 149 RM the crusades were abandoned. 

GRABRES’ MONUMENT: marble pillar monument outside the city of Khadon in Korachan, dedicated to general Gauter Grabres who led the Anthropeidos Crusades between 122 - 149 RM, where he was killed in action by a halfblood shaper.

STAFF OF THE FLAME-KIN: Stone-like staff used by azer champions, and believed to have been constructed by the Scion Menilek. Ancient accounts describe it as a powerful Fir. artefact, amplifying the abilities of its wielder so as to make them nigh-on unstoppable. Today it is inert, on display in the Museum of Ancient Artefacts, in Tethra, Parthis.

MUSEUM OF ANCIENT ARTEFACTS: large museum in Tethra. Though many unique and interesting artefacts and relics are on display, its archives and vaults are ville with more esoteric items that are not for laymen’s eyes. 

VALAMER, THE HALF-FACE: (B. 3893) Varran surgeon who spent many years as a field-surgeon attached to Imperial armies in Rhamia, fighting Ahrishen. He was wounded by shrapnel in 3996 RM, his face horrifically disfigured. After this he spent years studying how to mask his wounds, and helped pioneer the field of plastic surgery. He found in the Great War and was involved in the siege of Ahrishen.

SCOTOMA: Fir. active region in Meniscea, along the border between the regions of Ahopah and Imelkot. Prolonged exposure to the region can result in loss of sight, and even shorter sojourns there can leave travellers with permanently damaged sight, including black flashes and blind-spots.

RACHANAEL’S BLOOM: flo. succulent famed for its slow-blooming black pungent fleshy flower, with five to seven petals, with seven being the rarest. Examples with seven petals are prized by botanists and the elite for their beauty, and there is a lucrative trade around both the growing of such speciemns as well as their acquisition from the wild. The cactus is native to highland regions of S Llachatul, where rainfall is uncommon, and was once abundant in the N-face of the Chacthornys Mtns. See Vol II: Classification and Taxonomy of Life: Flora.

VITTIVAS: major cave-system in the N - W of Azazem, accessible through 2 known vertical shafts, the largest of which is over 350-ft. deep.

It is famed throughout the Korachani empire for its illustrious library of metal books, which was discovered by explorers in c. 960 RM and taken to the Imperial Library in Aglaia, where the specimens remain to this day.

The cave is also renowned for its varied ecosystem, including the nocturnal cimmerian bird, which never leaves the caves.

METAL LIBRARY OF VITTIVAS: hewn chambers deep within the cave-system of Vittivas in the N - W of Azazem. Discovered by explorers in c. 960 RM, the library is famed for its trove of metallic books, after which the so-called library was named. Despite the damp conditions of the cave and the clear, though disputed, age of the books, they are untarnished and in perfect condition, though the text that is etched on their surface is unique, with no other known examples, and remains a mystery to scholars.  The books were taken to the Imperial Library in Agaia, where they remain to this day.

IMPERIAL LIBRARY: large library in Agaia, Azazem. The library is known as the resting place of the so-called Metal Library of Vittivas.

ESSEVERA: 1. Large coastal plains in c Llachatul dominating the W coastline of the Sea of Aphotis.  Once an Almagesti territory that was heavily exploited for its major umbra reserves, the region is today contested between Almagest and various independent militant forces and Patrician Houses. 

At the centre of this region are the cities of Essevera, which is the centre of all umbra mining in the region and serves as a hub of its processing and refining; and Mehothati, where processed umbra is pumped ready for redistribution, either by further pipelines or shipping. Around them are dozens of different umbra fields, dominated by siphon engines and extraction facilities, each owned by different factions that are constantly seeking to increase their territories.

The cities of Essevera and Mehothati have often changed hands, resulting in a period of chaos, after which manufacture of the umbra settles down back to normalcy in which the politicking and open gang war between factions begins once more.

The region itself is a wasteland of pumps, manufactories, pipelines and softsuit-clad gangs roaming the oppressive landscape, with no other resources and little flo. and fau. of note,and it is avoided by all but the most opportunistic and greedy.   

2. Major city in the above region, and hub of most umbral extraction facilities there, with dozens of pipelines leading to it, where raw umbra is processed and refined, before being pumped to the city of Mehothati, where it is piped farther south or pumped onto vessels for more distant distribution. The city is well-defended and it known for its mounted softsuit-clad private forces that guard the pipeline from sabotage and patrol the wastes against the threat of attack (Pop. c. 410,000). 

MEHOTHATI: city in the contested region of Essevera, W of the Sea of Aphotis. Once an Almagest colony, it is now the centre of the lucrative umbra processing industry in the Esseveran umbra fields. Situated at the mouth of the r. Barra, it is home to a large harbour where umbra ships dock to fill their reservoirs before travelling south. It is also the hub of a large umbra pipe network that takes processed umbra from the manufactory city of Essevera and pumps it S to major cities in the region (Pop. c. 40,000). 

BARRA: r. flowing E for 400-miles from the E-face of the Black Mountains, before meeting its source, the Sea of Aphotis. For the most part its waters are tainted by the industry and Atr. taint of the area, though the city of Mehothati, at its delta, has water treatment facilities that makes it drinkable, though fails to remove all impurities.

MYTHOCLAST: policing force in Parthis and its colonies and suzerain states. The mytholcasts ensure that the secular tenets of Parthis are upheld.

BIMARIA: strait off the E-coast of Sammaea, linking the Sea of Lethe in the W with the Sea of Erenea in the E. It is bordered by the Porphyri peninsula to the N and the Uhbatauri headland to the S and is famed for the radically differing levels of its sea bed, with the N - W being shallow, and noted for its many small isls. and reefs; and the S - E being much deeper. The shallow N - W portion acts as a dam of sorts between the Sea of Erenea to the E and the Sea of Lethea to the W, effectively stopping the waters of the Lethea from mixing with those of the Erenea, containing its amnesiac traits to its relatively concealed basin.   

ZELATOR: title within the Church of the Machine bestowed upon highest-ranking monk in a monastery. The Zelator is in charge of all monks within the monastery. The female equivalent is Zelatrix.

ZELATRIX: title within the Church of the Machine bestowed upon highest-ranking sister in a monastery. The Zelator is in charge of all monks within the monastery. The female equivalent is Zelator.

CHERMADIA: also’ City of the Stone’. Independent mining-city in the c S - W of Sammaea, E of the Talentari Mtns. The city is situated on a gigantic free-standing rock that is believed to have once been a meteorite. Were it not for the valuable iron ore deposits beneath the stone the city would never have been founded, as there are few other resources in the region and it survives only through deep wells that are accessed through pumps that work round the clock to provide the populace of the city with enough water to survive (Pop. c. 37,400). 

HALATIA: 1. expansive salt-stone mines in the E of Parthis, in a rocky region of the c S of the Zohelethi Basin. The mines have been continuously used since c. 2780 RM, and are expansive and sprawling, stretching for miles from the main entrance, around which a large city is situated.

2. city and centre of the above salt-stone mines, in the c S of the Zohelethi Basin in the E of Parthis. The city is only partially located above ground, where a large market and stone-working yard are found. The majority of the city is located underground, where large mechanical pumps circulate air and fresh water for the inhabitants.

Much of the city is made from disused portions of old mines, some of which date back to c. 2780 RM and are expansive. The largest such chamber, used now as a square and market, is over half-a-mile long and many-tiered, with rooms, business and apartments carved from the stone (Pop. c. 200,000).

GIBEL: also ‘the Waning City’. City in the c E of Sammaea, some 150-miles S - W of the Sea of Lethea, on the edge of the Hollow Desert of Farrosh. The city is a major manufacturer of umbra, with a great number of siphon engines and purification plants dominating its skyline, that pump the processed umbra to major cities around the Lethea. 

The city’s nickname comes from the expanding dreamscape of Farrosh, commonly known as the Hollow Desert, which is slowly consuming the periphery of the city and is causing its people to lose their memories. The city was a major metropolis when it was noticed that the expanding dreamscape would eventually reach the city, but the umbra trade was so lucrative that measures were not taken until it was too late. 

As people in Gibel age, they are increasingly suffering from amnesia, a direct side-effect of the city’s proximity to Farrosh. Even younger people are suffering from this effect and in some cases children are born without the ability to form memories, preventing them from learning, leaving them in a vegetative state. Such individuals are usually killed once it’s learnt that they are unable to advance beyond the level of infants, if even that. As a result the city has a very large cemetery dedicated to its many euthanised infants (Pop. c. 60,000).

HOLLOW DESERT, the: also known as Farrosh, this dreamscape is situated some 200-miles S - W of the Sea of Lethea. The dreamscape was first recorded by Korachani explorers in c. 2945 RM, when it was little more than 60-square-miles in size, though has steadily been expanding since then, increasing to some 8,000-square-miles by c. 3800 RM, leaving nothing but an unnatural nothingness in its centre that is difficult to describe and leaves those observing it unsettled and unhinged.

Ancient texts and passages from the Mythologia Elyden have led contemporary scholars to believe that a slumbering scion is buried beneath the epicentre of the Hollow Desert, whose body is soaked in the waters of Lethea, explaining the nothingness of the dreamscape above - the scion is dreaming, but the amnestic waters have rendered its thoughts to nothingness, which is reflected in the shape of the dreamscape. 

DREAMSTONE: rare ore found in dreamscapes that are sensitive to the emanations and manifestations that are common in such regions, and are said to store dreams. It is unknown how such ores came to be, but it is possible that they were first created by the Demiurges themselves in the First ages of shaping and given as gifts to their children. 

Shapers who are able to manipulate dreams and travel to dreamscapes are able to sense the dreams and emotions stored in these stones, anc can tap into them as a source of power for their shaping, conjuring any dream-creatures from within for a short period of time. 

Dreamstones are one of the most common fake reproducion sold in Elyden, with nobility paying handsome pries for them, without realising that they are fakes. These reproductions are a threat to the real dreamstone market, particularly the city of Dormiveglia in Hoamm, which is noted for its dreamstone mines.

DORMIVEGLIA: small city in Hoamm, built atop an artificial geometric hollow in which are mined  dreamstones in great quantities. 

The city is wealthy, and is the heart of much of Hoammi economy. It is well-guarded and serves as the headquarters of House Verend, which is responsible for the mining and trade of dreamstones across the Inner Sea (Pop. c. 18,300). 

VEREND: Patrician House based in the city of Dormiveglia. The House is responsible for the mining of dreamstones,which are worked and sold as jewelry to the nobility of the Inner Sea and beyond. Unworked stones are sold to oneiromancers, who value the dreams the stones are said to contain. The House values oneiromancers and family members who display an affinity for that sphere of shaping are given the best education the House can afford, and such individuals often rise to positions of power within the House.

MINASTERIA OF ANNALS: one of the smaller Korachani governmental departments, based in the capital in Khadon, though with an influence in all major cities across the High-empire. The Minasteria is responsible of-record keeping, and maintains the vast libraries and repositories of knowledge, particularly the Imperial Archives in Khadon, where its headquarters are located. 

Members are often augmented with dactylid orthoses and iron mantles designed to aid in their vigilant duties of the Korachani archives and libraries.  

IMPERIAL ARCHIVES: major repository of knowledge beneath the Bastion of Steel in Khadon, Korachan. The structure is sprawling, with miles of corridors and repositories and much of it is subterranean, stretching beyond the borders of the city above, with links to private vaults from across the city, many of which are unknown or forgotten to the Minasteria. Its deepest darkest reaches are said to link with the sewers of Khadon as well as deeper natural caverns, and scribes, driven mad by their work, have been lost ot the dark, never heard of again.

The Archives are the headquarters of the Minasteria of Annals, and contain all recorded imperial knowledge, with details ranging from census data, histories, mil. records, almanacs stretching back to the founding of the empire, ancient teachings, philosophical studies, poetry, scientific treatises, and much much more. The Archives maintain an archaic organizational system, and curators are constantly patrolling the corridors and towering shelves in an endless circuit, organising records as needed. It is a thankless task, without end.

The positions of archivist and curator are hereditary, and generations have lived and died in the archives, with individuals rarely leaving the damp confines, outside of missions on behalf of the Minasteria. Rivalries and open hostilities exist between different families, which often proscribe to different tenets on how lore should be categorised and on what is deemed worthy of restoration and what should be discarded. 

RETTEN ONARAH: mesochthon said to inhabit the Atramental Rictus in Kharkharadontis. It is said to be responsible for the majority of the Atr. effects in the region. It is mentioned in plagi legends of the region, and is regarded as a foul dei. by Kharkharadontis nomads. See Vol IV: the Mesochthons.

ATRAMENTAL RICTUS: grotesque labyrinthine pit in the c N - W of Kharkharadontis, said to lead to the Pismire chamber in the Prison Carceri. It is believed to be the final resting place of the mesochthon Retten Onarah, whose influence is said to be responsible for the gruesomeness of the region. It is a tar-like realm, where the rocks are soft and prolonged contact will leave anything stuck to them and eventually absorbed. 

The Atramental Rictus is dominated by foul vermin that have been tainted by the Atr. and amongst them are infamous cestoids - worm-like creatures with debased humanoid instincts that set them apart from the other inhabitants of the region.

It is one of the most blighted documented regions in Elyden and was studied only once, in a Korachani expedition in 3331 RM, and relatively little is known of it due to its relative proximity to the Black Fountain, which prohibits any long-term research there. 

CESTOID: foul worm-like beings that inhabit and ‘rule’ the tainted region known as the Atramental Rictus in the c N - W of Kharkharadontis. The cestoids take the form of large flat-worms, around 5 - 8 ft. long, with gaping mouths and spindly arms that end in serrated bifurcated digits, comparably to the forefinger and thumb of most mortals. Little is known of them, and our only extant knowledge comes from a single Korachani-led expedition into the Atramental Rictus that took place in 3331 RM, which documented them and their ‘city’ at a distance. It is unknown if they can truly be considered to be mortals, or if they have any discernible culture.

VERMICULA: the only known cestoid city, in the W ridge of the Atramental Rictus. Discovered by a Korachaniexpedition in 3331 RM, the city, if such it can be called, is made up of marrow-like structures of a strangle lattice-like quality in which many cestoids were gathered (Pop. unknown).

PORCELAIN LEGION: in antiquity, common name given to lhaus armies composed of porcelain-like creants and golems. Famed for their impeccable defence of the lhaus enclaves, they remained a powerful presence in the N of Sammaea till the end of the Fourth Age, by which time the lhaus were in decline and the Porcelain Legion was dwindling in size and strength. Today the Porcelain Legion is largely unknown, though scattered examples have been discovered in the hinterlands of Andiluth, Trakia, Khalhat and the Daened Sulrach.

GIGANRI MOTH: fau. named for its size, this moth has a wingspan of around 1-ft. Its larvae are prized for their taste and level of sustenance they provide and farmed and eaten in much of N -W Sammaea, where they are most abundant. See Vol II: Classification and Taxonomy of Life: ?

EMPYREAN SPECTRE: also ‘ethereal’, ‘astral spectre’, ‘sidereal phantasm’, ‘outsider’, ‘space wraith’, amongst others. Little-known and mysterious inhabitants of the Sea of Chaos before the Shaping created the Fir. and Atr. Timeless, formless and unknowable, they exist in parallel to and separate from the Material plane, and are only seen by accident or by those who somehow stumble upon them. They are utterly alien, and so difficult is it for the mortal mind to comprehend them that those looking upon them have been known to go insane, degenerating into babbling wrecks.   

CAIRN HILLS: region in the c E of Ahrishen noted for its hundreds of dense small hillocks, that are remnants of an ancient culture that possibly dates back to the middle of the Fourth Age. Over the years, some of the mounds have been destroyed or intentionally broken into, and some have revealed the buried bodies of ancient warriors, clad in rusted armour and weapons. Nothing is known of these people.

PARTHISAN CURATORS: government org. in Parthis recruited from the best candidates from various offices and institutions, including the mil. They operate independently in foreign territories as agents and spies. They are genetically-enhanced, and many have grafted organs and other enhancements to aid in their solitary work. It is not uncommon for them to live to 200-years or more, thanks to their improvements.

HELDIRETH THE HALF-HAND: (B. 3969 RM) notorious Korachani archshaper known for his mastery of the Atr. and for his withered hand. Born the son of a wealthy merchant house, he could have had the arm replaced with an orthosis or operated on, but refused, stating that it served to remind him that he was so much more than just the mortal vessel that housed him. He was active during the time of the Great War and was a respected archshaper attached to the imperial armies involved in the offensive in Ahrishen and, later, Saua. 

KRIUS, BETRAYER OF OF THE HORSE GATE: (B. 3973 - D. 4008) Haréshki nobleman and diplomat, from Palus. His loyalty was bought by Korachani agents, his family given land in Rhamia prior to the Great War. He was stationed in Saua as part of a political delegation and helped influence other diplomats in the months leading up to the siege of Saua. Hie actions were responsible for weakening the defences around the Horse Gate and its surrounding walls, allowing Korachani troops to filter through. He was eventually slain by Sauan troops in the ensuing battle.

MOONCALF: folk tale common in parts of Llachatul. Stories usually take on an eerie form and are told by travellers at night to scare each other. The mooncalf is a pale creature with stilt-like legs that wanders in wooded or otherwise dense terrain, remaining in the shadows as it follows lone travellers, taking them back to its home, the Ivory Moon, where they in turn become mooncalves. 

It is thought that this is a corrupted form Possibly a common telling of the empyrean spectre. See Vol II: Legends and Folk Tales from around Elyden. 

MIHATEGHAH: expansive tar pits in the c S of Vaalk, 3-miles S - E of the city of Ember. The tar pits are thought to date back to the early Fourth Age, if not earlier and fossil evidence suggests that the pits were frequented by mortals as well as wild flo. and fau. over the years. 

The pits are known for their natural bitumen, which was extensively mined in the late Fourth Age and sporadically in the Fifth Age. The ruins of a settlement are found close to the pits, and are likely attributed to various different cultures over the years, the most recent of which was in c. 1000 RM, where bitumen was mined by the Korachani empire here. 

AETONIA: also ‘the Eternal City’. City in the N - W of Sammaea, to the S - W of Sepahaunat. It has existed continuously for millennia, as far back as formal records or legends of the area permit, waxing and waning variably over time, at times being a metropolis, at other little more than a caravanserai. Today, it is a small settlement, surrounded by the crumbled ruins of what was before, housing a large caravanserai, market where wayfarers can trade, and is noted for its expansive library, with recovered tomes from its myriad histories, rescued from the ruins, housed in a subterranean vaulted treasury (Pop. c. 1,000). 

ICHOR WELLSPRING: rare supranatural feature, common in both hemispheres in relation to the Nullambit, common in regions of Fir. and Atr. taint. The wellsprings result in a thick sticky pungent substance oozing from the earth, with no discernable source. The ichor may be used as a resource in areas where it is recorded close to civilisation, including poisons, healing salves, and as an ingredient in various technarcane processes.

MOUNT ZIGGURAT: grey ziggurat in he far N of Kharkhadaontis, close to the border with the Umbra Solare. It is large, around 380-ft. to a side, and 80-ft. High, though is greatly weathered today, half-buried in the duststone sands of the region. 

It is thought to have been constructed by plagi following their abandonment by the Demiurge Rachanael, where they turned to the worship of a different, unknown, divinity. 

ST. CELICIA: (B. 2821 - D. 2911) Ahrisheni flagellant who was canonized by the Church of the Machine in 3013 RM and is now a patron to flagellants and self-mutilators across the three sects of the Church of the Machine around the Inner Sea. 

TULUIN AND MARCUS: scholars and agriculturalists who originated the yearbook and imperial directory, later known as Tuluin’s Almanack, in 2894 RM.

TULUIN’S ALMANACK: popular almanack published yearly in the Korachani empire since 2894 RM. First published by the scholars Tuluin and Marchus, it was taken over by a specific branch of the Minasteria of Tithes, which is responsible of the quadrennial census. 

It consists of articles, lists and tables that are of use to a wide range of vocations, including agriculturists, craftsmen, scholars and so-on. It is a yearbook that contains detailed calendars, including times for sunrise and sunset, tidal and meteorological information. It also contains a directory of the Korachani empire, with population demographics, economical information, and details on archpatricians and governors based on region and city.

It is the most widespread volume in the Korachani empire, outside of rel. publications and the Encyclopaedia Elyden.

CULLING STONE: ancient sacrificial stone in the S - E wilderness of Karakhas. It dates back to the mid fourth age, and was where worshippers of Khar’illae sacrificed their enemies to the Scion.

CLONE: also ‘Umbran’. Artificially-born creature created through use of technarcana, made by various ntns. and orgs. across Elyden, most notably the Korachani empire and Parthis. By far the most common clones were the Steel Legionnaires the Imperial army, though various other varieties of haemonculi and haghouers, which are considered clones, have existed throughout the ages. 

A clone’s purpose in life is paramount to its design both before and during gestation, and its body and mind are meticulously engineered by locumni and other technologists to maximise relevant strengths and minimise (where possible) weaknesses. For instance, clones intended foruse in battle were designed primarily as warriors, so had powerful and tough bodies, and simple minds intended to accept and carry out orders with minimal problems.

The one common trait with most clones is that they degrade quickly. While they may be strong, their bodies generally age at an alarmingly fast rate, giving rise to all manner of biological complications and deformities. They are born adults, their bodies having undergone an accelerated growth in artificial vat-like wombs, fed with amniotic fluids and Atr. substances as they gestate. The degradation usually happens between 7 – 12 years after the clone is born, and euthanasia is the most common form of action once symptons begin (Steel Legionnaires are a notable exception to this, and they are known to live for centuries, if they do not perish in battle first). 

It is not unheard of for the elite and wealthy (royalty, archpatricians, archshapers, etc) to have clones of themselves made. These are kept for emergencies, and are used for organ and blood donations if needed. Such clones are kept in stasis in vats until needed, and are a lucrative, if niche, business across the Inner Sea. This means that some of Elyden’s most powerful aristocracy are extremely old.

MINASTERIA OF ROADS: major minasteria within the Korachani empire that is entrusted with the maintenance of roads and trade networks, as well as protecting those travelling such roads. It is also entrusted with the issuing of passports for the purposes of travel. 

PASSPORT: a travel document issued by a ruling government confirming the identity of the holder for travel purposes. Travel between ntns. in Elyden is a complex matter, and attitudes and laws differ greatly between different governing bodies and across borders.

The most recognised forms of passport from around the Inner Sea region are detailed below:

1. In the Korachani empire, temporary passports are issued against payment upon request and are valid for a set amount of time. There are two types of passport - those for use within the empire and those for use outside its borders. The latter requires a heliograph in addition to the normal requirement of a signature, and also bears the seal of the Minasteria of Roads.

Passports are available to any who can pay for them (which precludes most work-slaves), though the Church of the Machine issues traveling seals that are used by those undertaking the Shadow March.

2. In the Reformed Empire of Sarastro passports are yearly tax receipts that take the form of bronze disks around 6” in diameter. Each disk is embossed with the individual’s details and a date, set to 1 year after the individual’s last tax payments. The disk is used as a travel document. As only citizens pay taxes, this precludes a large part of the population from travelling openly.

Non-citizens needing to travel must either seek out temporary passes which are granted by the government or the Reformed Church of the Machine, based on the purpose of travel; or will do so illicitly, at the risk of punishment.  

3. Travel within the Republic of Parthis is open, with no passports needed to travel within its vassal states and territories, though travel outside its borders requires a state-issued passport, which takes the form of a metal tablet etched with the individual’s particulars and printed with a heliograph. Passports are issued by the government in Tethra against a cost.

4. Almagest issues a state passport that is required for travelling between territories, both within and without the Republic, though different grades of passport are issued based on other needs. This passport takes the form of a leather-backed booklet with all the holder’s details, including a heliograph in the case of passports need for travel outside of Almagest.

Almagest also makes use of a second passport that is needed to enter the City of Almagest. A state passport can be used to gain entry into the City of Almagest, though the opposite is not the case. City passports do not require a heliograph of the holder and are considerably cheaper than state passports, though they do not last as long, normally only being valid for 2-months.

NAGA: large snake-like being with slender clawed forearms, no legs, and an anthropomorphised face. Some varieties are also known to have skin that secretes a toxin, which is used to paralyse their prey when they constrict them.

Nagas are barbaric creatures with little in the form of culture. They are cunning hunters that live in lush tropical regions, such as Waelmigh, the Wold rainforest, and the S of Meniscea. They make use of simple tools, making crude clubs, shortbows and bolases that they use hunt prey. See Vol II: Classification and Taxonomy of Life: Asicthai - True Mortals.

TORASZMA: (B. 2684 RM - 2722 RM) famed Korachani composer, born in Khadon to imperial clerks. His AScension of the Archpotentate in G Minor is considered one of the most powerful pieces of music ever written, earning him a place in the imperial annals as a cultural hero. His tomb in the countryside outside Khadon is topped by a 100-ft high marble eidolon that is visited by patrons of the arts to this day. He was canonised in 2913 RM, becoming a patron saint of music. 

ST. TORASZMA: (B. 2684 RM - 2722 RM) Korachani composer who was canonised in 2913 RM, later becoming a patron saint of music and composers. 

DANSE OF THE BLACK DEATH: popular piece of organ music opera within the Korachani empire penned by the famed composer Toraszma in 2718 RM.

ASCENSION OF THE ARCHPOTENTATE IN G MINOR: incredibly popular concert by the Korachani composer Toraszma, written between 2720 -2721 RM. It was his last major composition before his death by aepathy in 2722 RM.

EYE OF TETHYSIA, the: 4029 carat diamond discovered in 3534 RM in the wilderness of Isuras. The discovered prompted the construction of a massive open-cast diamond mine there, and though it has yielded many superlative examples, none have surpassed that first chance discovery. Coveted by kings and emperors, it is has been in the possession of the God-King of Tethysia since that time. 

BEZOAR: lumpy mass found in the stomachs of animals. Though largely worthless they are sometimes used in the creation of jewellery. In some cases the bezoars of certain fau. may be valuable, particularly in the case of those found in dreamscapes or in regions that are Atr. or Fir. active.