[Gillar's Office] Talk to Me

[Gillar]

I recently received some questions via PM regarding the Isur. I figured this would be a good place to post the questions and answers as that is one of the main things I am including in my office thread. So without further ado, here is the first part of the questions/answers involving the Isur and the Mountain Kingdom of Sultros. Sultros Clan Leadership and royal figures. Only clan that seems to be able to be King of the Isur. Yet what type of lifestyle and goals do they hold? The Sultros clan leads the Council of Five with the position of King. Many legendary heroes and leaders from history come from the Sultros clan. Known also for being the premiere engineers of the Kingdom, their lifestyle is heavily influenced by this. Children spend the days studying architecture, drafting and engineering while also studying various aspects of leadership; history, speechcraft, politics, etc. When they are not in school, they are working in the forges. Because the Sultros clan is responsible for things such as aqueducts, lifts and reinforced tunnels that make up the various Isur citadels, those who are not in leadership positions spend much of their time pursuing these areas of construction. There isn't such a thing as being poor in the Kingdom, especially in the Sultros city. Everyone has a home and all the necessities of life. Though they work long days either in the forges or on one of countless construction projects, they make time for family; even if its gathering everyone together to work on special projects. Ongoing clan goals are to maintain the Kingdom and continue to rebuild it toward its former glory before the Valterrian. Unlike other clans, the Sultros see this as a gradual process that encompasses many areas. One of their primary goals is to restore the Council of Ten. As a part of that, they often lead expeditions made up of isur from different clans in search of historical isur settlements, outposts and even to the Old Kingdom city of Izurith. Their hopes are to find survivors of any clan but especially the lost clans. Day-to-day individual goals of course vary with each person but often center around their jobs and/or families. Vizerian Clan: They seem to be the type that would do anything for any god or goddess so that leaves me to believe the members hold many low level god marks even the younger children type. Yet is this idea true? They also seem to have lost artifacts that they hide from all even themselves yet who has the final say on to use them or open them? The clan leader, the leader of the Coglias clan or the King? The Vizerian Clan is primarily devoted to Izurdin among all other gods or goddesses. That said, many do hold low level marks from others but most never get more than one with some getting two. Vizerian clan members are the ones most likely to have the third mark from Izurdin compared to the other clans. This isn't to say they are the only ones, just that their are more of them in this clan than the others. Common low level marks include those from Avalis, Eyris and Semele although they aren't exclusive. None would dare openly display marks from the darker gods such as Rhysol or Vayt or any of the other dark gods as such a thing is seen by the clan as blasphemous toward Izurdin. The artifacts that they brought from the old city are buried in a hidden vault somewhere in the new kingdom. Only a handful of Vizerian members know of its existence though the location remains hidden from all. I can't reveal the identity of the one who safeguards the vault as it is the core of a potential adventure I have in mind when Sultros finally opens for players. Suffice to say that the vault does not play a significant role in the lives of the general public. As for opening the vault and gaining access to the contents, again, that is something for the future adventure. Coglias clan: They are the overall fighters yet can anyone help fight and defend the city in times of need and train with them or is it just them? Is it taboo to go to other clans to learn and teach or is it all more inner clan only type thing? The Coglias clan makes up the backbone of the whole of the Isurian military yet they are not the sole members. All five clans and all five citadels maintain their own military however they all include members of the Coglias clan among their ranks. They train fighters from all clans in the ways of combat and it is considered an honor, even by the rather secretive and strict Pitrius clan, to train under a Coglias warrior. It is not taboo to learn and teach between clans. In fact, the Church of Izurdin, operated and maintained by the Vizerian clan, is located in the city of Sultros; all are welcome and those seeking religious teaching and training travel from the other clan cities to the Church. Izurdin's Hammer, the primary defenders of the Kingdom, are led by members of Coglias clan although they accept the most skilled warriors from across the kingdom, regardless of clan. The Sentinels of the Silver Tower are made up of isur from across the Kingdom. The Sentinels are students of the Silver Tower located in the Pitrius clan city. The Tower, maintained and operated by clan Pitrius, accepts isur from all clans although they give preferential entry to Pitrius applicants. Terras Clan: Overall female it seems with 95% type female yet what happens when a male is born? Nothing special or something of talk? Can a person of the clan work and make there own type of guild work so to speak that holds there own mark or will it just be the clan? In the Terras clan, the rare few males that are born are treated as equals to the females. Terras males are highly sought after by Terras females for mates because it is believed their offspring would be of a purer bloodline. In truth, these offspring are always female and such offspring bring great honor and prestige to that family. Those extremely rare males that mate with and/or marry outside of the clan, lose their status as clan members and must take on the name of their mate's clan. Offspring of these males also lose status as members of Terras clan. Males marrying into the clan are considered clan members by marriage association only. However, they are not treated as inferior. Males perform alongside females in almost every aspect of life yet females hold positions of leadership in politics and business. They share leadership in a family yet as far as the family's ties to business and politics are concerned, responsibility falls on the female. An individual, male or female, can perform their own work and claim it as their own or as belonging to their family. In fact, most isur, regardless of clan, who craft above average works, often name them for themselves, their family and their clan in that order. Pitrius Clan: The magic clan clearly but any magic they don't learn? They don't like outsiders but it is heard of that they take them in at times but how do they act with each other? Which type of magic do they use or is it more up to the person themselves? The Pitrius clan delves in pretty much any type of magic although some more than others. Alchemy, Glyphing, Magecraft, Malediction, Leeching, Auristics and Voiding are the primary disciplines with the others taught to a lesser degree. Unlike Sahova, there aren't quite as many masters at the Silver Tower. Most of the instructors are L3 in their primary disciplines with a handful holding L4 including the Master of the Tower. They do indeed frown on outsiders but do accept those they view as having natural talent in various areas. These individuals must work hard to prove themselves in the eyes of their instructors and peers. With each other, Sentinels of the Silver Tower as well as "normal" members of clan Pitrius, interact with one-another in a way that says, what can this person do for me? What do I get out of the deal? Can this person be of some use to me now or at a later date? One's superior, especially at the Tower, is to be feared and/or respected. They are to be obeyed and disobedience is strictly dealt with. Of course subterfuge, underhandedness, dishonesty and betrayal is commonplace and frowned upon if one is caught while praise, power and influence is given to those who excel at it. Magic used varies with the individual however some families within the clan may show an aptitude for one discipline over another. Note that the Silver Tower also offers training and apprenticeship in non-magical disciplines such as Poisons, Interrogation, Intelligence, Philtering as well as expecting all students to maintain their physical conditioning through strenuous workouts. Izurdin is a large part of everyone's lives but does the god roam in the city or is it more of a type that they follow him and he leaves them alone? I guess what I am asking is how he feels towards them and if he is around them. Would he ever really give them a bad gnosis mark and if he would what would they need to do? While he is the main god do they follow any other type of god and any that they would not follow? It is said that Izurdin roamed the Kingdom in the flesh during its early years and blessed the builders of the citadels and the cities for only through his personal intervention could the Kingdom have come so far in such a short amount of time. In more recent times however, Izurdin watches his children from a distance as he doesn't want to interfere; choosing instead for the isur to rely on their own strength and patience to persevere. He does love his children though and while offering his blessings to all races who seek his guidance or exemplify his chosen domains, his attention falls more upon the isur than any others. Izurdin does not usually give bad gnosis marks as it takes quite a bit of active effort to anger him. While few mortals are capable of such a feat, those who actively oppose industry, physical strength or who do not strive to maintain patience, may succeed at doing it. Isur are least likely to receive negative marks but those rare few who do would have to atone in a way specifically tailored to the individual. Izurdin is the primary isurian god and the only one that any isur would openly claim three marks or more from. As with the Vizerian clan, many isur from all clans carry marks from Avalis, Eyris and Semele with some claiming marks from Myri, Cheva, Kihala, Gnora, Rak'keli, Wysar and even Ivak. Some of the Coglias clan, especially the elders, give respect to the dead God of War, Ruros. Many members of clan Pitrius, while not open about it, are rumored to carry marks from Vaht, Nikali, Akajia, Sagallius, Siku with the faintest of whispers claiming a few bare marks of Rhysol and Uldr. Clan Pitrius is the only one who would consider positive marks from any of the dark gods due to their interest in the forbidden, buried and lost.

[Stitch]

Sounds like a plan to me, sir. The Welcome Home and it's children are also open for your plotting, if that is something you might have interest doing. Nothing is off limits, here. <3

[Gillar]

Part 2 of Q/A on the Isur, Sultros and Izurdin. Money, what type do they use? If Miza how do they get it? If barter how does it work? I know the write up says Miza yet I want to know more of how it works in the system and how they get it other then export which is down the list. The Isur do indeed use the Miza as their standard of currency. Their adoption of the Miza came about through trading with outsiders via the various trading outposts the isur operate through the Kalea region. While they are self-sufficient, the isur are of course vain as well. Having imported items from the outside world is important to them. Since the Miza is the primary form of currency and the isur worship the god of industry, it is only good business to adopt it. The acquisition of mizas came about through their trade encounters. At first, outsiders had little in the way of goods to trade for the highly sought after and quite valuable isurian crafts (little in the eyes of the isur), thus trade was slight. When the miza was brought to isurian trading posts and word spread that it was the currency adopted by most of the remaining civilized areas of the land, the isur saw an opportunity. They began taking mizas for their goods and in turn used the mizas to purchase items from outsiders as the isur got a far better deal than trading their crafts for those they saw as inferior coming from outsiders. Mizas are thus widely used in trade with outsiders while within the Kingdom itself, whatever an isur can't make themselves, they trade what they can make to get it. Mizas are also used within the Kingdom but it is more a barter and trade system. How does housing work for them? Beneath each clan's mountain citadel lies a vast cavern with dozens of branching tunnels with some linking to smaller caverns. In the central cavern lies the clan city. If you think of the stereotypical dwarven architecture; formidable stone structures and powerful sculptures with an overall "heavy" feeling and mix it with the stereotypical elven architecture of delicate arches, sculptures and an overall "light" feeling, you have the isur city. It mixes thick, heavy, powerful structures with delicate, flowing accents. All buildings, homes included, are intended to look better than the surrounding ones which leads to a truly magnificent sight. Isur families are often quite large so the homes accommodate this. Every home is like a small estate although the idea of trees and grass is unknown underground. Instead, an isur home is surrounded by sculptures, statues and all manner of unique architecture specific to the individuals that make up that family. The cities themselves look like massive, singular pieces of architecture made up of countless smaller parts. Around the wall of the main cavern, set on various ledges, are the homes of some of the more influential; they look down upon the others as they feel their station in life warrants. Do they see any outsiders? Outsiders (non-isur) are almost never allowed into the cities themselves. Most contact with outsiders takes place at the outposts. The citadels however do allow outsiders to enter as well though only established merchants in the region are allowed inside. The Isur are VERY leery of outsiders. When the Kingdom finally opens for play, more outsiders may be allowed into the cities. If they do do they take any in the home? There are few if any outsiders who can claim they have seen the isurian cities beneath the citadels. The extremely rare few who have, are normally only allowed in specific areas such as the homes of clan leaders and are watched at all times either up close or from a distance. Do they own pets? Isur indeed own pets. The ones they keep however are usually subterranean type unless the isur is one who prefers living in the citadel. Spiders, bats, various reptiles including lizards and snakes are all common. What do they use for lights or is the night vision helpful for that? The night vision is a useful tool for this however there are dim lights throughout the cities and even the grand tunnels that connect each city to one another. The lights are usually made from luminescent mosses held in finely crafted figures melded into the walls of buildings, tunnels and caverns. They have an innate sense of direction which allows them to keep their bearings underground. How good is the night vision? The night vision allows near perfect sight (black and white) in total darkness for a distance of up to a few yards. The vision combined with their sense of direction creates a very useful ability to navigate total (natural) darkness. The innate crafting skill, does it work on any craft like skill and what does it mean? Do they have a more understanding and skill with crafts without being told or can they just learn it faster with fewer mistakes? Can one see something and see the flaws and can see how to work on it? The isur are trained from an EXTREMELY early age to work a forge and shape metal. That said, they are creative by nature. Any type of craft, smithing, sewing, sculpting, painting, tends to come easier to an isur. Where humans experience skill and talent in specific areas of crafting and lag in others, an isur displays such skill and talent with everything they do. For example, even if an isur has never sculpted before, they would display a natural talent for it their first time doing it. So in essence, they learn faster with fewer mistakes. I know pc's are going to try this so going to ask. Crime. Does it even have a term for them? If crime is around how is it dealt with? Why would they have any crime? Crime is indeed a part of isurian life however it is more common in clan Pitrius where such things are actually praised (as long as one isn't caught). The isur are stubborn and have long memories. It doesn't take much for one isur to insult another which can lead to feuds that last for generations. Since the Valterrian and the founding of the New Kingdom, crime was never really an issue as the isur remained pretty unified. The growing contact with outsiders however has reintroduced the concept of crime and thus theft and murder, while uncommon, do happen. Isur on isur crime is dealt with depending on the severity of the offense as well as the frequency. Bringing a bad name to the family is always a possible punishment which depending on the family and the clan, could result in harsh repercussions. Punishments for thefts commonly involve the offender having a symbol engraved in their arm telling all who see it that the person has committed a crime against a fellow isur. Repeated thefts could also involve the invoking of Izurdin upon the thief thus bringing about a negative gnosis mark. Murder among isur (unique for within the Pitrius clan) is dealt with either by soiling of the individual and family name along with banishment and potential negative gnosis marks and could even mean the forced removal of the murder's metallic arm accompanied by banishment. The physical feature that brings the most attention and the one the Isur are most known for is their arm. From birth, one of the Isur’s arms; left for males, right for females, begins to take on a greater density than the rest of their body. Is the left or right arm more dense then the other? Why is it so dense? Fingernails, do they have a hard time cutting them or do they use them for combat? The specific arm depends on whether the isur is male or female. The left arm of males,, right for females, is more dense because they become as hard as stone with the texture of slick metal. It is the blood of Izurdin that causes this to happen. They are very difficult to cut; nearly impossible, and most isur who enter combat will use their arms as shields. Can they use the other arm to craft things? They can use their other arm to craft things normally however only their "special" arm can be used to mold metal and carve stone as if they were clay. They age slowly and develop at the half the human rate for the bodies but what of the mind? They don't seem to slowly learn at anything. Their minds and bodies both develop in tune. A 20 year old isur for example has the mentality roughly comparable to a 10 year old human. They don't really learn any slower or faster than humans of the comparable age. Marriage, how does it work? Dating is it just like humans? What is seen as a good mate? Most Isur find suitable mates in their adolescence and males must work hard to impress females. In a society made up of beautiful people of great strength and skill, this can be difficult. This is where the males display their ability in a variety of ways depending on the female’s interests. If a female is looking for physical might in a husband, they may expect some display of such in order to be impressed. If crafting skill is what is sought, then the male will be required to produce a grand work to impress his potential mate. Isur mate for life; once married they will stay with their spouse until death. Dating is similar to that of humans although both male and female will often go above and beyond to impress the other. You say they export tools, weapons, armor and gadgets outside the city. Where do they go? What do they give people? I doubt they would give master crafted items to a normal person... The items they export are transported to the various trading posts located in the foothills and a handful of posts further out near the regional borders. From there they are traded and/or purchased by outsider merchants and some of the more civilized barbarian tribes. Since even the simplest of tools crafted by an isur are of excellent quality, they are of great use to the tribesmen. Weapons and armor too are available as items such as wagons, saddles, and numerous other types of wares. Usually the items traded and sold are not Izentor items however it is possible to find Level 1 items from time to time. I see you talk of trading with the outside work between trading post yet you don't go much in detail hence the question above. Or am I just over thinking it? At the time the Isur were written-up, Mizahar hadn't opened yet so I left it intentionally vague so to be able to develop it more later; thus the usefulness of the Q/A in my office The outsiders seem to value the crafted items as rare and such but the Isur sees them as common works? So it is just the common works they see? The isur will take pride in anything they create. Even the most common of items are of importance because an isur made them. However everything else pales in comparison to an Izentor item as far as an isur is concerned. Izentor infuses a sliver of the isur's essence into the item thus making it a part of them. Lady Terras, what is she like? While I am still in the process of developing the different clan leaders, I can say that Lady Terras is exceptionally independent, a master blacksmith and near blindingly beautiful. While not actively looking down on males, she does not see them as equal to females, especially the females of Terras. How does finding a job work? Is it given by the clan or is it something the person has to do? What if they don't like what they are doing? Can they change it? All isur are introduced to the forges from an early age although they are not required to enter any specific trade, not as a general rule. Some families embrace specific trades and raise their children to take up that trade as adults. Since any isur can pretty much excel at any trade, there is a danger of having too many of one type of artisan over another. Because of this, certain guilds exist, carpenters, sculptors, blacksmiths, weaponsmiths, etc. They determine how many of any one type of artisan is employed in a particular city. They also determine how many and who gets stationed at various outposts (who and how many artisans, not soldiers or administration as that is handled by a different group). While individual choice is honored to some extent, skill, guild seniority and in some cases, who you know, can play just as big if not bigger role. It is possible to change one's profession but only at the permission of the guilds involved. Do the clans have ranks other then just the one leader? Who helps them? This is another element I am still developing. The clan leader does have a council that attends them and that have their own individual roles. Council members oversee things like health, sanitation, city guard, the military, etc. Why would a Isur leave the clan? Leave the city? Is it a crime to leave? It is not a crime to leave as many isur travel from one city to another within the Kingdom. Also, many travel to and from the trading outposts. However, for one to leave the Kingdom requires permission of some ruling body within the clan such as a guild, the church, the Silver Tower, or other entity with power and influence within the clan itself. An isur may leave the Kingdom either temporarily or permanently for a variety of reasons. Some of the more scholarly type may leave on a quest for greater knowledge while the more industrial type may leave to spread their creativity and talent elsewhere. Especially religious isur may wish to spread the will of Izurdin to outsiders as well. It is considered bad-form to leave without permission and can often lead toward being denied entry to the city if they were to come back. Honor they clan. The skin, it is dense so would that mean they can't mark it be it with tattoos or scars? Their skin, while dense, can still be cut (save for their special arm). Tattoos and scars are possible although most isur would accent scars with tattoos in order to make them look more appealing. If they bled what color would it be? Isur, while believing they are the children of Izurdin, are in fact humans who ages ago were blessed by the god with their strength, creativity and mystical arms. They still bleed red. Broken bones how long would it take to heal? While broken bones are more rare among isur as compared to humans, it would take roughly the same amount of time to heal. What do they do when someone dies? What if they were a clan leader? What if they were just a child? Isur tradition requires that their dead receive the greatest of honor and respect. This is clear in their burials which are almost always attended by large crowds of friends and family. The deceased is buried in the family tomb often with some of their greatest creations entombed with them. The tombs are located in the citadel of the clan the deceased was a part of. One the anniversary of one’s death, family members will celebrate their loved one’s life by dedicating some creation or great deed to that person. If a child dies, the family buries them with items created in memory of the child. If a clan leader dies, the funeral is attended by the entire clan. What are the schools like? Large building with smaller rooms or just large rooms? Teacher for 100 students or something a bit more smaller and hands on? What can they learn in school and can they learn more then the bare things? How do they pass or fail? It depends on the school and are almost always based on an apprenticeship. Skilled craftsman, and there are a lot of them, take apprentices and train them in a specific trade; definitely hands-on. The first thing all children learn is how to work a forge and create simple tools. From there, they enter education programs designed by the various guilds. A carpentry student will learn not only carpentry but also basic skills such as reading and writing and mathematics as they are used in carpentry. The skilled craftsman who takes an apprentice teaches them everything. Each guild employs a number of craftsman who in turn take on anywhere from one to five apprentices, occasionally a few more.

[John Vicari]

Wow thanks for answering both parts Gillar. I know I asked a lot of things and I will send you the CS in a day or so.

[Cassandra Coven]

Hi Gillar. I wanted to know if those marked with Vexation instinctively know they have to kill or hurt someone in order relieve the pain they're going through or do they have to discover this on their own? Also, how well known are Krysus' marks? Would people seeing them on someone in the street know that person is marked by the goddess?

Now something Ravok related...
Would it be possible to murder some random stranger, say a homeless bum, in the streets of Ravok at night without gettign caught? How tight is the security in the city? How about dumping the body in the canal, are there side canals that are less used by the boatmen than others?

That's all for now. Thanks!

[Gillar]

I want to start off by saying that contrary to popular belief, I am still alive. Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Aside from that, the month of August and early September saw the beginning of the busy season at work which breaks down to four, 11-12 hour days with an occasional fifth day added in. On top of that, we are going through a rather extensive home remodeling that includes ripping up carpet and laying down new wood floors, having the house resided (I get home between 4 am and 5:30 am and the contractor starts punching nails at 8 am thus little to no quality sleep), painting, plumbing replacement and so on. This has left me exhausted, pissed off and thus spending what free time I get vegging and not wanting to think much while also keeping me from Mizahar. All that said, I know I have left many of you hanging and for that I can only say I am truly sorry. I will attempt to answer all of my PMs as quickly and concisely as possible but if I miss something and you feel you can post it openly, please post here in my office as an extra flag to me to get back to you. For those of you who have threads waiting for me, sometimes for quite some time, I will get to those asap and I assure you that I will more than make up for the lapse in focus and time spent on said threads in posts and experience/rewards. My apologies, request for understanding, and thanks to everyone. Gillar (Matt)

[Xenova Prillar]

We or at least I figured it was something of that order...I have patience as it always pays off with your threads...look forward to continuing when you are ready

[Cassandra Coven]

Understandable, G. I can wait till you're good and ready, no rush.

[Eanos]

Could I put this thread up for you review? It's a flashback to Sultros. I've tried to be vague about places and things, but let me know if there are any issues and I'm very happy to edit as necessary. Thanks!

http://www.mizahar.com/forums/topic4946.html

[Eanos]

Could I add another flashback thread for your review? It's just a short thread intended to lay the foundation for his later studies of magecraft.

http://www.mizahar.com/forums/topic5009.html

Thanks!