Ilethera and Dreamers

Ilethera are named after the woman thought to have created them and Dreamers—or Xypnima Óneiro—are named such by their connection to Fos and Skiá. They are considered two separate beings but they share many similarities.

Ilethera can both be born and appear in the world as infants; the first few were the latter, then as they grew and had children the former became possible. Anyone with an ancestor that was an Ilethera has the potential of being one themselves, but it’s not possible for a child to be an Ilethera if their parents don’t possess the blood for it. Goblins and fairies, unless possessing human blood, cannot be an Ilethera.

When considering the abilities they have, they are often separated into four groups:

-a fairy-like or even stronger connection to magic (can be both in general or specific. Someone falls into this category with powerful magic overall, whereas another might due to an ability that correlates to a magical practice such as healing)

-a physical abnormality (the presence of wings or horns, for instance. These seem to be the rarest simply because they’re often killed because of it)

-a mental ability (often having to do with being more capable of assessing others’ moods or more perceptive to other minor details)

-the power to somewhat control Fos or Skiá (very limited and, in most cases, only amounts to repelling/attracting Skiá, though some connected to Skiá may be able to control one or two of them. This works similar to domesticating a wild animal; they may be “trained,” but it isn’t a guarantee of their control)

Most Iletheras have the same ability, if not very similar to, the one of their Ilethera ancestor; while it’s uncommon, it’s possible for them to have completely different abilities.

They seem to be magnets for misfortune, the toys and prey of Darkness; most, though, can still live fulfilling and relatively long lives. All Ilethera are immune to Black Magic and its effects on a person, even if the most noticeable example is their inability to experience Illusion magic.

Dreamers can only come into the world as infants or toddlers and never have birth parents. They’re naturally tied to Skiá, though never a Fos, but can have a companion of one or both. With the right kind of training, they can hypothetically control Skiá to an extent possible to almost seem to become one themselves; it’s considered possible, but not yet achieved, for a dreamer to learn to manipulate dreams. Like Ilethera, they’re immune to the negative effects of Black Magic and can’t experience Illusion magic. They tend to be slow learners and most struggle to keep up academically with their age mates. They do, however, excel in physical and magical combat; it’s worth noting that they may get violent urges if they’re particularly close to Skiá, especially if their powers are left untamed.

Skiá can sense and are naturally drawn towards them without proper prevention; Fos can sense them, though only interact if one of them is tied to the dreamer; humans, goblins, and fairies all have a chance of experiencing “odd” feelings around dreamers, though only Ilethera connected to Fos or Skiá can exactly piece together why.

Fos and Skiá

Also known as “lights” or “dreams” and “shadows” or “nightmares.” Fos were created by Danai to protect the light, whereas Skiá were created by Eldrianna to spread darkness.

The work of Fos is one that is often overlooked compared to the dark forces they fight against. They all appear as children and can turn into a certain type of animal; this animal is signified by some piece of clothing or accessory (feathers or fur, for example). The animal they can turn into is determined at their creation and cannot change. Most are small birds or other prey (deer, rabbits) though hunters (foxes, large birds) are not unheard of, but they always match the species found in the general location they’re meant to work in.

They’re sent to specific locations to help guide the light in that area. Each generally has a different purpose, but it falls into one of three categories:

-Fysikós (physical or permanent desires; keeping mortals from the dangers of Ilethera, protecting magic users in anti-magic areas)

-Schedón Fysikí (fulfilling dreams or thought-to-be-impossible acts; creating the chance for a second first impression and a clean slate)

-Myaló (intangible or things of the mind; simply protecting a single person, revealing hidden truths)

They’re similar to candles in the sense that their light can be overwhelmed by darkness until they flicker out. It takes a bit of Danai’s power to create them, meaning there is only a set number of them, though this exact number is uncertain. Iztali was the last Fos created before Danai had no more power to create them.

Skiá are much more noticeable. They’re most common in Seothia since there is a lack of magic to combat them, but appear in Qizar and Idkor as well. As far as anyone knows there’s no way to tell how many of them exist in the world, though slowly ways are being found to keep them at bay. Eldrianna uses nothing to create them, simply manipulating shadows. They have different forms depending on how attached they are to the world, named similarly to the abilities of the Fos. The types are:

Fysikós- tangible creatures, the most dangerous but least common type. They often gather in groups and are relatively easy to separate from a crowd due to most of them having red eyes and a vaguely translucent appearance.

Schedón Fysikí- has limited capabilities of interacting with the world and the type most commonly seen, though still rather rare to be encountered by large groups. Appears as a black human-like silhouette with red eyes. Preys on those alone and unprepared; you’ll know they’re coming when the shadows start moving.

Myaló- only capable of appearing in dreams and the most common example, though they’re hard to distinguish if only experienced once or twice. Never seen, they take the form of a person’s nightmares and slowly drain their energy. Capable of killing their victims if left unchecked.

Skiá can, to a degree, be quelled through means of magic; most Light magic or powerful Dark magic has been shown to hinder them. It should be noted, though, that they can deflect or absorb most other types of magic. They have one known way of being controlled without the power of a Fos or dreamer: the Nightmare’s Heart. The crystal traps Skiá inside and weakens their powers when around it. Unfortunately, after a small fragment of it was retrieved for Natheniel’s feather necklace, its whereabouts are uncertain… and not even the Skiá nor their master can figure out where it is. This led to a desperate chase between the two groups to secure the rest of the crystal. Eventually, though, Seothia no longer had the spare manpower to track it; not even the feather necklace can be found again, giving a bleak prediction to what happened to anything else the Skiá might have found.

Spirits

The dead who, in one way or another, chose to return to the living realm tied to another person. Qizar and Idkor don’t draw any special attention to them—at least not unless it warrants it—but Seothia is known to praise them to a near unhealthy degree. Most people who are born with a spirit are usually related either by blood or common situations, though it’s possible for them to have no connection to each other at all. It’s possible to acquire a spirit after birth (often a lost loved one), though it’s significantly rarer and usually makes the person a saint—a term in Seothia used to describe someone with multiple spirits. Most places in Seothia also require children to be tested for spirits, but most people in Qizar and Idkor could go their whole lives without knowing if they have one.

There are three types of connections to spirits. Weak connections is simply a voice in the person’s head, sometimes accessible through dreams but most commonly presented subconsciously. Strong connections can be heard as a clearer voice in the person’s mind, more evident as the person regularly dreams about talking to the spirit and the things the spirit experienced. Powerful connections appear as apparitions, seemingly real to the person yet holding no tangibility, that are speculated not to appear as often in dreams due to appearing in the person’s waking hours instead; these are the rarest, though sometimes an explanation for imaginary friends that share similarities to people in the past.

It’s common knowledge that a connection to a spirit means the person gains something, though few actually acknowledge all they gain. In most cases of being born with one and not necessarily acquiring one afterwards, they adopt a piece of the spirit’s personality. In the most used example, someone with the spirit of a good person is going to be good themself; someone with the spirit of a killer will, in turn, be more likely to draw blood. It’s usually something that someone only realizes if they’re looking for it or it proves to be particularly dangerous. Spirits acquired at any time can also carry fears relating to their death that influences the person who has them; if the spirit died in a fire, for instance, the person usually develops pyrophobia. No matter when they were acquired, it’s safe to assume that they’ll gain some likes and dislikes similar to the spirit they have. There are no recorded instances of drastic personality changes due to a spirit, however.

Being a saint is something often considered after their death; most people, unless given an extremely good reason, don’t check for spirits any more than once in their lifetime. It still holds importance after a person’s death in the sense that it’s a symbol of sorts—there are false stories that people who are family of saints are more likely to become saints themselves. This is especially true in Seothia where spirits themselves are something to be worshiped, often extending to those who have them. The Lysha determine saints through studying that person’s life and trying to pinpoint if there was ever a change in their thinking and what amounted to it. It is, though, largely subjective. Many rightful saints have been dismissed and several who had just seen a change of heart have been exalted… not considering the fact only those with money bring up the possibility.

Saints are not exactly what they’re believed to be, however. There are often conflicts between spirits and the effects of that and several other factors on the saint’s health are usually ignored.

Types of Magic and Black Magic

There are four categories of magic, each possessing two subdivisions. The base principles need to be learned before moving on to a subdivision, and most specialize in only one or two areas of magic. Three, though arguably four, types of magic are considered Mávri Mageía.

Water magic is what most magic users start learning, at least until the fundamentals of magic are understood; it’s considered the easiest and safest to start out with. At its base, it’s controlling and moving water. Its two subdivisions are Life and Death. Life magic involves healing and the regeneration of plants; though difficult to master, many families make sure at least one person can do it. Death magic involves necromancy (talking to and, temporarily, raising the dead) and powerful fatal curses; it is Mávri Mageía.

Fire magic, at its base, is controlling fire and temperature. Many bakers and blacksmiths learn this, though normally only if they have the natural talent for it. Its two subdivisions are Light and Dark. Light magic involves truth spells and creating pure light; judges and some priests tend to learn it. Dark magic involves a version of voodoo (controlling someone to do the user’s will) and creating pure darkness; it is Mávri Mageía.

Wind magic, at its base, is controlling the wind and some aspects of the weather. Used to help bring predictability to farmers, though sometimes the forces of nature prove to be too strong to be controlled. Its subdivisions are Travel and Freeze. Travel magic involves quicker movement, halving the time it takes to travel long distances; spelling messenger birds is a simple spell that anyone with a fragment of magic can use. Freeze magic involves stopping time or an object for a few seconds, though the practice itself has been lost since the end of Qizar’s legends.

Earth magic is the hardest to master in all aspects and generally restricted to a handful of magic users for extensive use. At its base, it is to move rocks. Its subdivisions are Truth and Illusion. Truth magic involves seeing the future and protection spells; while the protection spells are usually harmless, the future seeing is known to corrupt the mind of the caster, thus giving it the title of Mávri Mageía. Illusion magic involves creating false imagery or sounds (objects enchanted to “show” past events or people, sometimes referred to as “projections,” are made using this type of magic); it is not inherently harmful but the continuous use has been known to produce effects similar to Mávri Mageía, so it is debatably considered one.

Magic generally tires out the user. The exact amount of time it takes for the body to start showing warning signs varies from what they’re doing and who they are. The warning signs, in level of severity, are as follows: fatigue, nosebleeds (often the first that’s recognized, it also warns of internal bleeding), and death. Mávri Mageía, along with showing these same effects, also deteriorate the mind and body of the user; many who extensively use it have gone insane, faced severe disabilities, or both.

Alchemy and Enchantment

Ancient practices of the children of Fleyw Bresh. Both refer to infusing magic into an object; depending on the spell infused, it could help increase acoustics in an area or project illusions. They make up the majority of artifacts across the world.

Modern practice has taken a scientific turn, finding ways to improve the life of mortals. It is, technically, the same thing magic can do and it can’t do anything more than the spell put into it. Its practicality and usefulness rise from the fact that it doesn’t impact the user in the same way as magic does (producing results for the same amount of time, but without needing someone actively using magic to do it). It has the capabilities of helping those who had lost their magic as well.

There are various different ways to perform it, depending on the teacher and alchemist in question. Generally, though, these ways have little to do with the quality. While enchanted objects have the capability of theoretically lasting forever, it’s hard to guarantee that and the enchantment is only as good as the object is; if the object wears down over time, so will the enchantment, and very few retain their enchantments after being broken.

Due to conflicting interpretations of the Commandments, goblins and fairies frown upon the practice. They often go to great lengths to avoid anyone with a background in alchemy and anything that might be enchanted. It does, though, have the upside of giving businesses that could prove to be enchantment-free more than a few loyal customers.

Correlation Between Magic, Species, and Place of Birth

Natural magic refers to the amount of magic a person is capable of using without any previous training; the more natural magic they have, the easier magic is to learn and the more powerful it is without needing to put more effort in.

Seothian humans are known to possess little to no natural magic, aside from a select few; the children of Fleyw Bresh almost always possess notable magic; goblins possess stronger magic than the Fleyw Bresh; fairies might as well be masters from birth. But there are always exceptions.

The Ley Lines are the hypothetical connections to magic, where Vaso walked along the earth parallel to what is now known as the Anysia Caverns. Magic overflows where they pool; Seothia has only a handful of these spots, modern-day Qizar is mostly covered in them, and Idkor completely covered in them. A mortal born near or within these Ley Lines, despite species, tend to have a better chance of developing natural magical abilities. Continual, generational exposure to the Ley Lines is known to stick with the family for a few more generations, no matter if they move out of the vicinity of the Ley Lines or not; the same goes for those without exposure to the Ley Lines.

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This is how children of Fleyw Bresh that had moved to Seothia a few generations prior will likely still have a child with natural magical abilities; the same goes for how a human with a Seothian background may neutralize the magic of the goblin or fairy parent. The only place this truly seems to matter, as the latter case is still extremely rare, is in Seothia: someone can only take the title of magister if they don’t have any traceable blood to a child of Fleyw Bresh.

Note: there are similarities between Ilethera with strong magic and regular humans with strong magic, but they are not completely the same. Ilethera still have the distinguishing feature of being immune to Mávri Mageía. Regular humans with exceptionally strong magic are also almost always children of Fleyw Bresh—meaning they likely have a more trackable history of it, which may not necessarily be the case for an Ilethera.

Strings of Magic, Spirits, and Life

Managed by Maho, Ilathri, and Nillae to control each individual’s magic, spirits, and life. Legend says that a thicker string means being stronger in that regard; their magic might be more powerful, they may have one or more spirits, or in general be very resilient and healthy.

The Managers of the Strings may cut or weaken (“broken” until repaired over time) strings, but not all cases are directly due to them or Vriuh’s will. Cutting or weakening any string will lead to illness, but cutting has chances of (though not always) causing severe disabilities; perhaps the most prevalent example is Queen Philomena of Qizar, who was blinded after losing her magic.

Weakening the String of Magic will temporarily limit or prohibit a person’s ability to use magic. Cutting it will result in the complete loss of magic. Most Seothians can lose their String of Magic without experiencing side effects and some might not even notice it. Qizar and Idkor have created a concoction meant to cut a String of Magic, used in both nations for possibly-dangerous convicts, and in Idkor has the added use of for condemning the exiled.

Weakening the String of Spirits can temporarily prohibit a person’s ability to communicate with their spirit. Cutting it will result in the complete loss of spirits they may have and the inability to adopt new ones. Many people can lose their String of Spirits without realizing it is anything different than a normal illness, given not everyone even possesses a spirit. Generally, the closer a person is to their spirit, the more harmful it will be; for saints and those with a powerful connection to a spirit, even weakening the string could be fatal.

Weakening the String of Life is the most contributed cause for someone going into a coma or a gradual, irreversible death. Cutting it will result in immediate death.

Phoenixes, Manticores, and Dragons

Creatures well-known to the world, though how common they are is another story.

Phoenixes are spawns of the Phoenix King; born from Ekambar’s punishment of having his soul split to pieces and eternally subject to countless lives and deaths. Some Seothians have taken to mean them as a sign of immortality, but many still hold on to the belief of their misfortune.

Manticores are the children of Vaso; a gift to him by Orestis close to the beginning of Qizar’s mythology. They are beings of untold wisdom, letting those worthy of their knowledge find them in their mountainous homes. Hunted to extinction in Seothia, though plenty still reside in Qizar’s northern mountains.

Dragons are children of Faidon; a gift to him by Orestis close to the beginning of Qizar’s mythology. They are creatures of strength, and originally came in two forms: Great Dragons and Lesser Dragons. Great Dragons have disappeared from the world entirely, while Lesser Dragons have been hunted to extinction in Seothia and now only reside in Qizar’s southern mountains.

Sirens, Angels, and Messengers

Creatures that are mostly considered to be a part of myth, though a quick search will confirm they’re more commonplace than some would like to believe.

Sirens are the daughters of Daphni, born from her fury. Most lure unsuspecting men and women to their deaths by song, though others have been known to be kind to mortals; that doesn’t mean, though, that they are free of the instincts that distinguish them. Magical persecution has led them to stay away from the water around Seothia, but Idkor’s waters are full of them and plenty of big bodies of water host them in Qizar.

Angels are creatures that were created for more specific purposes than the gods; most were simply created by Orestis, though a select few were ascended mortals. They don’t appear in the mortal realm physically, but it’s safe to assume they always have a hand in the workings of the world.

Messengers are mortals that were given the role of serving a specific god. Some have been around for centuries while others only a couple of decades. Either way, their only job is to do the will of their god—who is, unless told to cooperate with others, the only person they listen to. They can be seen all over the world, doing their work in discreet and obvious ways, though few realize who they really are and the connections they possess.

Lysha

A Seothian organization, stationed in Levi Asari, that deals with spirits. Their jobs include determining if someone has a spirit and who it is, providing support for those with spirits, and even the removal of spirits. They’ve been an integral part of Seothian society since the first kings, though over the years their means have changed from questionable techniques to definitive magic.

Since Lucas’s reign and the growing interest in possessing a spirit of an important ancestor, they’ve gone from a group of wanderers to the organization they’re seen as today. Each rank has a specific role to fulfill, though some are clearly more important than others.

The three who stand as the face of the Lysha—though they themselves rarely get involved in work—are the Ram, the Vulture, and the Bat. These titles currently belong to Tyche, Dusek, and Atka respectively. The titles are only passed down when the bearer of it either dies or retires and is usually a hand-picked selection from the Lysha; if the person chosen proves to be unfit or there isn’t a person chosen at all, the other two decide a candidate.

The ones doing the work are the Hyacinths, Chrysanthemums, and Lilies. The Hyacinths handle determining if someone has a spirit and who it is; the Chrysanthemums handle nearly all cases of determining a saint (when that person dies and the possibility is brought up—if the person is still living, it is usually discovered by a Hyacinth); the Lilies provide support for those with spirits, gaining the informal title of “spirit therapists.” Only a handful of Hyacinths stay in Levi Asari, the others often dispatched to check someone in a different territory for spirits. Chrysanthemums, when there are no cases of saints to determine, often take care of Hyacinths’ duties in Levi Asari. Few Lilies outside of those in training remain in Levi Asari, eventually sent out to someone the Lysha deemed needed them.

Then there’s the ones that nothing would be done without: the Candles and Hourglasses. The Candles send out and keep track of the traveling Hyacinths, often in charge of making sure they have the materials they need. The Hourglasses set up appointments for visits in Levi Asari, along with taking care of most of the back-end work like finances.

Adidell

A Seothian organization with roots in the northern territories, though slowly seeping throughout the kingdom. They push for the advances of technology while hoping to put an end to magic.

Their foundation comes from the Saint-King’s rebellion; most had been noble houses that agreed with the previous king but, to avoid conflict, agreed to Lucas’s terms. At first, they were nothing more than a silent group that collected to share their complaints. Then through these meetings, a goal was born, rules were set, and they began their journey of “reclaiming the glory” of Old Seothia.

What most people will see is a nameless group of eccentric nobles intent on understanding the ways of the world. This is mostly true; Adidell’s major long-term goals means learning ways of improving quality of life without the use of magic. They’ve worked to understand the laws of their world and use it to their advantage. Few think their work is anything more than myth, however, to the point they ignore the good and the harm that could be done with what they’ve created.

The reasons for such advancements are to fuel another one of their goals—the eradication of magic. Their plans, at least, state that by showing that they don’t need to rely on magic in order to maintain their way of life, more people would be willing to see the dangers magic possesses. Magic, in their eyes, is a volatile thing that will destroy the user and everything around them if used; somewhat truthful, though largely exaggerated. Along with their other technology, Adidell is also using their knowledge to create ways to fight magic directly. One of these is the Homunculus, a creature made with the intention of being completely immune to magic… and strong enough to take down whoever fought against it.

No one outside of the organization can claim to know its name nor many of the means they use to fulfill their goals. Even if there are some who would wish to proclaim the dangers to someone outside, they’re all kept quiet with a single threat: their lives could always be much, much worse…

White Ravens

An organization that can be found all over Qizar. Their goals are quite simple, and perhaps not as bad as the church might mark them up to be.

They simply desire the perseverance of truth; taking pieces from scriptures aside from the Commandments, they’ve decided that what Qizar is today was never what it was supposed to be. They hope to correct this by doing what they believe is right—proclaim the flawed reasoning of Orestis and bring the gods to a more mortal level rather than exalting them. Their plans, at least those declared by most prominent members, usually don’t hold a threat to anything but the church’s hold on the nation; those that get in the way of those plans, however, may face… unfortunate circumstances.

They find themselves anywhere they would be hosted. While trying their best to be discreet, the church knows of their goals and brands them as heretics. Anyone supporting or thought to be supporting them are often put to death without a second thought. They have friends in many high places, however, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re able to slip through the cracks… though whether or not that’s a good thing depends on who you’re asking.

Talmi-Amitael Pact

A charm handed out in Qizar to soldiers, mercenaries, and anyone else who may make a living off of killing others. It has a practical and a symbolic meaning attached to it and its origins are as old as the nation itself.

Its practical use is that of a mark of “overlooked implication.” In simple terms, if the owner of this pin kills someone of importance, in the eyes of the law they’re first seen as simply someone doing their job. If the owner can, in fact, confirm that they had no intention of doing evil and were deceived, then they are completely excused from any punishment. If the owner accepted because they knew of the evil it would cause, then the pin loses its value and they’re tried as any other criminal. This is especially important for mercenaries, who have a habit of accepting whatever job pays the highest, in territories where feuds between lords are frequent. It’s unlikely for mercenaries of other kingdoms or simply even regions would be able to recognize important nobles of the area. For this reason, it’s steadily been introduced in all the regions of Seothia under one name or another. Most regions, no matter the kingdom, take into account and honor this.

Its symbolic meaning is something only those from Qizar would understand. The name itself suggests a deal between Talmi, the Angel of Love, and Amitael, the Angel of War; that the owner, though they often kill others, is doing it because they have to, not because they desire bloodshed. It’s also supposed to be held during prayer as a way of asking for Orestis’s forgiveness for such a grave sin. By their beliefs, its presence alone is enough for forgiveness.

Someone can get one just by going to their region’s bishop’s cathedral, asking a designated member of the clergy, then waiting a few days. All of them also allow the person to stay there until it’s ready, if they don’t live nearby. They’re instructed to keep it with them every time they work, though many wear it as an unofficial brand no matter the occasion.

The design of the charm sometimes varies depending on when it was acquired and where. Generally, though, one thing stays consistent: it’s a depiction of some sort of weapon and a blossoming tree branch, usually forming an X shape. Seothian Talmi-Amitael Pacts are usually just documents and records for legal purposes; something ready to come up were the mercenary ever implicated in someone’s assassination.

Gods’ Commandments

Also simply referred to as the Commandments by a large majority of people, it is the book that Qizarn belief is crafted from. Even Seothian scholars claim its historical accuracy—if not simply because so few records can be found of those times.

It is composed of twelve books, in translations from the modern tongue referred to as “Odes” dedicated to each of their gods. All of these books contain the origins for Qizarn myths, though most would conclude there’s no correlation between the contents of the myth and the Ode it is put in. The exception of this is the Ode of the Creator, the first book, which describes Orestis’s creation of the world, Eldrianna’s Fall, the introduction of angels, and a handful of promises from Orestis to his followers.

There are a handful of interpretations of the true teachings of the Commandments, largely based on what a certain group chooses to draw more significance from. While often ranging in small ways, like those residing in Érimos tou Thanátou believing in small fragments of gods guiding them from day to day life instead of overall guidance, some make bigger differences. The most notable of these would be between the children of Fleyw Bresh and the goblins and fairies; the children of Fleyw Bresh believe the gods desire to be worshiped in ways of song and dance (their other traditions centered around this fact) whereas the goblins and fairies believe it to be a more solemn affair. They have, though, come to an agreement that there is no “better” interpretation and ultimately leave it to the individual. The only thing they see as wrong is those who deny common truths, in which case they are always branded as heretics and often killed.

Hierarchy of Seothian Nobility

Nobility within Seothia is often, if not always, closely associated with lineage, reputation, and wealth—though the latter two fluctuates greatly between individuals. The easiest way for a family to enter nobility would be to marry into or found to be a part of a much more prolific house—which also doesn’t always work. Aside from that, houses may be exalted by the manner of high achievements made by its members, though very few in history have reached the renown required for it. Losing status is much easier, caused by anything from losing land or money (for a variety of reasons) to having no suitable heirs.

The ranking of nobility, from lowest to highest, is as follows:

-Baron/Baroness. Nobles who own little to no land outside of their family’s estate and facilities; they have no non-relatives to take care of, though some have staff. While some can and do have plenty of wealth and reputation, their presence in political affairs are often minimal.

-Viscount/Viscountess. Nobles who own a moderate amount of land outside of their family’s estate and facilities; all have more than one town under their care and several have at least two but no more than five. Though not usually well-known outside of their regions, they’re usually rather prolific within, and their voices are valued due to being close to the people.

-Count/Countess. Nobles who own a significant amount of land outside of their family’s estate and facilities; they act as the overseers of an average of five viscounts and their lands. They are often considered the defenders of those towns—providing most of the law enforcement, guards, and resources needed to keep the citizens safe. They are often the ones that present in higher courts on behalf of the viscounts.

-Overseers. The eight noble families that oversee a region, excluding Mikkel territory (overseen by the king/queen directly); they are considered to have control over the counts and their territories. They are thought to be the longest-living houses in Seothia, originating after the Saint-King’s Rebellion and still growing in influence today. They are closely related to the royal court and often have powerful voices there.

-Council. The ten nobles serving in the court and their families, not defined by how much land they own, but rather their residence; all reside within Lelishara, or at least have a permanent residence there. They are the leading factor in Seothia’s political scene, often contributing to many of the big decisions that are made… even if they are currently woefully short of ten members.

-King/Queen. The current ruling body of Seothia, by law having complete control over any land in the kingdom. Their word is absolute in most cases, even if few have acted on that power. They (or, occasionally, a child or sibling) directly control the Mikkel territory, taking the role of the Overseer in that regard.

Hierarchy of the Qizarn Church

It’s worth noting that Qizar, despite appearances, is not a theocracy; there is a distinction between the church and the state. However, given the church’s undeniable presence in the lives of the people, they are often depended on to carry out higher orders and provide for the welfare of the people. For almost anyone of reputable background and a desire to spread Orestis’s word, it takes only dedication to climb the ranks.

The ranks within the church, from lowest to highest, are as follows:

-Nuns/Clergy. They take care of the basic needs of the church and its people; they make sure all things are in working order and are often included in distributing, but not acquiring, resources to the people. They are not teachers of the Commandments—rather, they are simply servants of Orestis, doing the small but crucial jobs.

-Pastors. They are traveling teachers of the Commandments, often filling in the spaces of both the clergy and priests when they need to; they’re considered different from either, though in actuality are quite similar to both. Most of their time is spent in smaller villages that either don’t have a church or do not have a priest of their own.

-Priests. Individuals who own the churches that they preach in; they’re in charge of everything that goes on there as well as act as teachers of the Commandments. Most towns with churches have one of these leading them and those that don’t usually try to find someone to take on the role. They serve until retirement or death, after which their role is given to someone they believe will help fulfill Orestis’s will.

-Bishops. The overseers of Qizar’s four regions, excluding the Andrea Province. They’re considered powerful forces in Orestis’s plans, though very few teach the Commandments themselves. Most are instead focused on managing the affairs and resources of their region, reporting anything of interest to the queen.

While they are considered separate from the church as far as services and duties go, queens and their advisors are often included in these lists. Queens are revered similarly to religious teachers, but more so as ruling bodies with associations to Holy Queen Norah; their advisors are thought to have a clear sight of Orestis’s hopes for the nation. They are thought to be Orestis’s chosen to further his great plans—after all, they wouldn’t be leading if they weren’t.