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The Larian Glossary
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Aug. 1st, 2005 @ 11:11 am 
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I have felt it necessary to put forth a glossary of sorts in order to help newcomers to the world of Laria better adapt to life here. This Glossary will be updated time and again as I feel neccessary, so please do feel free to check back as often as needed.
Arlantus - The great human empire which grew from the old capital of the Golden Age Select Empire. Ruled from the capital of Arlantus Castle and the surrounding cities, Arlantus spread its influence through a mix of human ingenuity, dwarven gold, and military might. Though the imperial family was executed in the chaotic aftermath of the Great War, Arlantus as a nation remains a force under the guidance of the Guardlord, who once led the armies of the nation in war. Though very weak, Arlantus is slowly struggling back to power, reuniting the scattered remnants of humanity and attempting to reestablish contact with the dwarves.
Alteus League, The - The Alteus League is, with the possible exception of the upper echelons of the Wind Guild’s leadership, the most secretive society in Laria. Run by a council of some of the oldest and most powerful politicians, warriors, and mages in the world, the League has connections that spread from the Elven capital of Sylan to the Guardlord’s personal retainers. Their ultimate motives are shrouded in mystery, their actions cloaked in intrigue. Few, if any, outside of their number know anything of their existence, and they use this to their advantage. It is also believed that the League is in possession of what is perhaps the most complete recorded history of Laria, a document dating back to five years before the beginning of the Great War. Whether even they know what went on between then and the Ending is unknown.
Bordertowns, The - A collection of several dozen tiny-to-small settlements on the western border of Arlantus, stretching from just south of Fellowship’s southern rivers to just shy of the Troll-controlled plateaus of Granorak. These towns represent the foremost edge of humanity’s strength, and are filled with some of the toughest, meanest survivors in the world of Laria. Scraping an existence from blighted land under a cold, pale sun, the Bordertown inhabitants nonetheless remain resolutely stationary, forsaking the relative safety of the eastern cities for their beloved independence. However, recent Fallen raids have led them to once more seek the protection of Arlantus, for only the empire’s trained soldiers have any chance of stemming the growing tide of mutant raiders.
Central Lands, The - The Central lands, once a fertile semi-nation of river valleys and light forests, were the site of the final battle of the Great War. There, three armies met at the Gorge of Three Kings, and there, three powerful Select mages cast the Spell of Obliteration as one, resulting in a magical cataclysm of hitherto unseen proportions. The destruction of the Central Lands left a black mark on the heart of Laria and stained her skies with soot and ash for a generation, killing crops and thousands worldwide. Now, warped by the black energies unleashed by the three spells, the Central Lands are home to only the mutant renegades of the Fallen Nation and the unburied corpses of over 300,000 men, elves, and orcs.
Fallen, The - The Fallen, residents of the Central Lands and founder of the Fallen Empire, are a rag-tag, yet surprisingly populous, group of mutated yet hardy survivors who have made the blackened, blasted lands of central Laria their home. They scrape a meager existence from dead earth beneath a slate sky, their twisted bodies freezing and half-starved. They were once Elves, Orcs, Men, Dwarves, and Trolls, but now, each is a new sort of creature, horribly deformed. Some are in constant physical agony, while others have found their mutated bodies to be stronger, more resilient than ever before. The society they have founded is based largely around large, powerful aristocratic households owning much of the barely arable land, with countless swarms of peasants reporting to these households for work and shelter. The households themselves send members to represent them in the governing council, the Atten, which answers only to the Emperor himself, Elman. His deputies are the four Lords, one in each corner of his empire, and there, they rule with iron fists over the households and peasants much as he does over the entire empire.
Fallen Empire, The - The recently founded kingdom of the mutants of the Central Lands, the Fallen Empire represents the only true civilization present in the massive area devastated by the Ending. Led by the ageless Emperor, Elman, the Empire has quickly grown in size in complexity, offering a lifestyle slightly more comfortable than slow death to the hideous residents of the Central Lands. Four great fortresses have been raised, one on each border of the Empire, led by powerful general-kings who are more or less autonomous. However, with their strength growing by leaps and bounds everyday as more and more pitiful villages of mutants join the Empire, the Fallen have begun to turn hungry, discolored eyes to the healthy lands to the west and east, and they see naught but weakness in those who live there.
Fellowship - Fellowship was founded roughly one month after the end of the Great War by several disparate parties of survivors of the final conflict, all of whom were mercifully unmutated. Realizing the folly of continued warfare, representatives of Elves, Men, Orcs, and even Dwarves joined together to build what soon became a thriving metropolis, far north of the other kingdoms of the world. Its influence has spread rapidly in the vacuum left by the three great Empires.
Fewbranch Stick - The main shaft of a tiny tree found to grow in many parts of Laria. The trees have been found to nearly always grow to virtually the same height, and rarely sprout more than three or four thickly-dressed limbs. The limbs are easily snapped off, and the tree, when stripped of its meager bark, proves to be too weak and thin for construction. However, given their uniform length and universal presence, they have become the standard length of measurement in Laria, averaging roughly 15 American inches.
Laertes Council, The - The Laertes Council holds claim as the oldest human-founded organization in the world, though its membership includes all the races of Laria. The Council was once founded to be an independent group of the most powerful mages in the land whose purpose was the protection of Laria as a whole from forces who would destabilize it. However, over the centuries, their interests became more and more internal as they sought to increase their own power and scholarship, allowing the events leading to the Great War to go unnoticed. Some even go so far as to say that their numbers were compromised by one or more groups who may have had something to do with the beginning of the war, and perhaps who even used the Council’s influence to push things forward. Those members who have survived the recent persecution of mages and the aftermath of the war, as well as the few new members who have been added since the Ending, have dedicated themselves to the reconstruction of Laria and to the task of solving the mystery of the Great War and the Ending. Though forced to work in secret by the worldwide hatred of wizards, their power has only been slightly diminished by recent events, allowing them to influence things around them a great deal more than most would believe possible.
Maori Ingot - The Maori ore of the eastern mountains and southern lowlands is a powerful metal for construction and weapon making, for, when combined with several other ores in an alloy, it proves nearly unbreakable after cooling. It is well suited for blades and armor equally, but only when combined with these other ores. Otherwise, Maori is an exceedingly heavy metal prone to breaking and easily melted. Its superb malleability have allowed Larians to easily shape it into a unique shape known as a Maori ingot. The ingot’s size and shape are standardized in most parts of the world, and given Maori ore’s unusual purity when mined, its weight is also roughly standard. A single ingot weighs somewhere in the area of 3.5 to 4 American pounds, or 60 ounces.
Newstar Clan, The - So named for a brightly shining star in the southern sky first sighted mere hours after the Ending, the Newstar Clan represents the only concerted effort at centralized government left within Orcish lands. With most of the old clans shattered by the deaths of most of their chieftains and champions, the Newstar faction has been able to rise to power with considerable speed for Orcish government. Though most of their lands are still in a state of civil war and barbaric cannibalism, the area surrounding the old capital of Bal’truz Nagat has stabilized to the point where the Newstar chieftain, known only as Roguk the Mighty, has begun reconstruction efforts. Largely free of Fallen raids, the Orcish lands are in fine shape for recolonization by this new kingdom, and many Orcs believe that their old Troll allies may be reaching a point where they can once again pose a threat to the enemies of the Black Tide.
Orcs - The Orcs are one of the five elder races of Laria, and perhaps one of the most powerful. Organized into large, powerful familial clans with strong ties of loyalty and blood, the Orcs have rarely had true centralized government in their long history, as the clans more often fight each other for the limited desert resources of their southern homeland than they join together to face northern foes such as humans and elves. Though the racial hatred between the aforementioned three races is high indeed, the greatest tensions rise with the dwarves, who commonly find themselves competing with Orcs for control of their southernmost mines and quarries. The Orcs are a powerfully built race well-suited to this constant state of warfare. Their bodies are huge and muscular, and wrapped in ebony black hides as thick as most human armor. They live a hard life in the desert, and are strengthened greatly by it. Their aggressive natures are kept in check only by their powerful sense of honor, a feeling much diminished by the destruction of most of the great clans, though the Newstar Clan now seeks to increase its own honor through battle.
Vaimenia - The ancient kingdom of the Elves of Laria, Vaimenia has existed in its present state since the beginning of time. Great tree cities spread throughout most of the western forests and mountains, but fewer elves than ever before walk their sylvan paths. The war devastated the relatively small elven population, and the desecration of the Central Lands by Fallen mutagens has weakened the elves’ through their strong bond to the land itself. Furthermore, the old royal line lies in disrepute, while a new line struggles to assert itself over the nation. The elves, as a whole, have sworn to avoid contact with the outside world until they are able to regain their shattered strength, if even then. However, recent Fallen incursions deep into their eastern borders may shake their isolationist resolve.
Wind Guild, The - A collection of bandit cutthroats, crime lords, pickpockets, assassins, spies, and thugs, the Wind Guild is the single largest crime network in Laria, led by the all-powerful Rastain Lancast. Its ranks include many smaller guilds, most operated so secretly that only their highest ranking members even know of the Wind Guild’s control over them. It has infiltrated nearly every center of government on Laria, and actively seeks a place in the remaining few. The Wind Guild is subtly operated overall, and few can do more than guess at its existence, but it yet remains, large and powerful, controlling nearly every road in the war-torn world. Also perhaps the wealthiest organization in Laria, the Guild’s members are perhaps the best paid non-royalty in the land.
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| From: | (Anonymous) |
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| Date: |
August 18th, 2005 01:54 am (UTC) |
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(Link) |
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I love you......
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