Customs

Customs

Perhaps few things are more important to know than local law and customs. It keeps you out of gaols and lets you know the way of things, and there are many commonalities to the Seven Cities, traditional and historic standards and traditions.

Here are the big things to keep in mind.

Time

The Year

The Typical Year on Wyrlde starts on the day of the Spring Equinox. The Midyear is celebrated on the Summer Solstice. A year is 364 days long, divided into 13 months of 28 days each. Each month has four weeks. A week is 7 days and called a Watchnight.

That year has four seasons over much of the world, two in the tropics. These are marked by the solstices and equinoxes. The year is set by the moons and their passage through the firmament, not by the Sun, which startles many.

Seasons are 13 weeks long. Many transactions and common standards take place in a seasonal time frame, not a monthly one, so Months are generally deprecated in daily life and the Seasons are used instead.

There are 13 months, each consisting of 28 days, each year. The last day and the first day of each year are given to the New Year Festival, throughout the Bright Lands, often called the Empire.

The four solar events are celebrated broadly over a three-day period each, even in the Dread Lands and Hyborian lands. These are the High Holy Days. The celebrations are always the day before, the day of, and the day after.

There is usually an honoring of the patron deity of the area on these dates.

Not too coincidentally, an awful lot of people celebrate birthdays around the same times, often right around 10 months out from them.

There are an assortment of local festivals and events that can vary, but a few are common enough to be worth marking. These festivals happen pretty much everywhere.

This does exclude holidays particular to different Powers That Be, which are celebrated locally and can vary widely or link up to existing festivals.

High Holy Days & Festivals

Holiday	Dates	Purpose
Autumn Equinox	Vine 15th	The Day of Preparation for Storms and Challenges, Gratitude, Harvest Festival. High Holy Day.
Carnivale	Vine 14th to 15th	A Day for A Massive Party.
Children’s Festival	Blossom 21st	The Festival of Youth, of New Life, of Hope.
Closing	Misty 2nd	Preparing for Onset of the Worst of Winter.
Dreamer’s Day	Rest 7th	A Day to Celebrate Artistry and Artists, Crafts and Craftsmanship.
Fresh Festival	Meadow 14th	Spring Growth and Early Fruits.
Ghost Festival	Harvest 1st	A Festival of Grief, Remembrance, Loss, and Yearning for the Dead.
Heart Festival	Sunny 13th	Romance and Fertility Festival.
Hearth Festival	Meadow 1st	A Time to Recognize Parents and recall Home.
Heritage Day	Misty 15th	A Day to Reconnect with Family Bonds, renew Oaths.
Sojourn’s Day	Rainy 14th	Commemorating the Landing and the Bleak Journey.
Sorrows Day	Blossom 10th	Early Spring, honoring Fallen Soldiers and those Marching to War.
Spring Equinox	Rest 28th to Stir 1st	Spring Festival, usually to celebrate Belonging; New Year’s Festival. High Holy Day.
Summer Solstice	Sunny 8th	A Time to Relax and attend to Needed Personal Things. High Holy Day.
Self-Day	Rainy 1st	A Day for Self-Care and Reflection, Growth, and Passages.
Wind’s Day	Windy 18th	A Day to Honor the Faerie and the Powers.
Winter Solstice	Frosty 1st	Festival of Hearth and Home, Family and Bonds. High Holy Day.
Yule Festival	Snowy 13th to 15th	A Day to Recognize and Give Gifts to Those you Love.
Convocation	Stir 14th-28th	The annual meeting of the Rulers of each Realm.
Local Festivals	Varies	Assorted local festivals held in different realms according to local history.

There are typically one to two local monthly festivals that are celebrated in Villages and Towns that are specific to that region and area or realm, and are not listed here, these being the common and regularly engaged festivals across all the realms, including even those in Lemuria and Thule.

Daily Timekeeping

A Day starts at Dawn and ends at the close of Night. The days are solar based and tracked by its movement. The typical Day has about 12 Wyrlde hours of sunlight and 12 hours of night, with an hour on each side (two hours total in the morning and two total at night) being a bit of flexibility depending on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes and the Summer and Winter solstice points.

				Bit	1.4 seconds
Moment	7 seconds	5 Bits		Period	2 hours	5 Chimes		Round	7 seconds
Echo	14.4 seconds	10 Bits		Bell	4 Hours	10 Chimes		Minute	60 seconds
Ring	2.4 minutes	10 Echoes		Shift	8 hour	2 Bells		Hour	60 minutes
Chime	24 Minutes	10 Rings		Day	24 Hours	3 Shifts, 6 Bells

Time is tracked simply. As with much of the calendar, the basis of much of this is ancient edicts that no one wants to mess with, having agreed on common standards. Hours are not used much by most folks, they tend to think in terms of Chimes and Bells. A period is used to identify when it is time to take a break, though, which is considered a half bell.

A Shift is two Bells and constitutes the main working hours. Wyrlde’s employers like to make people work three bells, but the people tend to ignore that whenever possible and stick to just two.

Days

Days are broken up into Bells. The Bells are:

Dawn

Morning

Afternoon

Dusk

Evening

Night

Bells ring out once at the start of each Bell period. Each Bell is divided into ten sections called Chimes (when Chimes are rung), and those in turn are broken into ten further sections that are called Rings.

If you ask the time, most folks will respond with either the Bell or the Shift (Morning, After, and Night).

The clocks of Wyrlde are rare, expensive, and track time in Rings, Chimes, and Bells, with a small image dial indicating the Bell. The Sibolan clocks track only a single Bell of time, so there are six complete revolutions each day. Lyonian clocks mark Shifts, each divided into Chimes (20 total), with a third hand marking the Rings and a shaded section to show starting or closing Bell. They have further markings to break the time into smaller increments of what they call Echoes and Bits.

Days of the Week

Wyrlde hasn’t truly named the days of the week. Most would argue that there is no need to. Among the Scholars, however, particularly historians and astrologers, there is a developing convention of doing so using the following set up:

Rest Day (1)	Hearth Day (2)	Faith Day (3)	Field Day (4)
Hall Day (5)	Passage Day (6)	Veil Day (7)
Watchnight (Week)	7 Days	Holdnight	21 Days
Fortnight	14 Days	Month	28 Days

Dates

Dates on Wyrlde currently follow the reign of the New Empire. This was when the current House ascended to the throne of Sibola and held it against challengers.

Merchantry tend to prefer the format of the day, month, and year of the Empire: The 27^th day of Rest^, in the 299^th Year of the New Empire.

Nobility has a strong tendency to use a year, day, season format: The 299^th Year of the New Empire, in the spring Season, on the 27^th day of Rest.

Some who have come from elsewhere have noted that the calendar and time seems far too regular. When asked about it, Chicory rolls her eyes and says take it up with the gods. The Powers That Be look embarrassed and avoid the subject. Acacia says it is a sore spot, and that the Powers that Be made it that way on purpose – but it was an unintentional side effect of something else. Scholars are currently fairly certain that the reason for the regularity is the way that the Cosmos was cut off and reshaped and so re-ordered to be ore regular and ore uniform, and that vagaries are mostly due to the difference between the ways that the ancients did things and the ways we do them today.

Regardless, the motion of the Stars, the Planets beyond our own, the Sun, the Moons, the Planet, and the functions of time are so incredibly uniform that the core calendar in use is merely a renaming of several prior calendars stretching back to the time of the Bitter Road.

Calendar

The following month by month shows the phases of the moons (Coyola, Sina, Themis) and major events.

This Calendar page shows seasons. Green is Spring, Yellow is Summer, White is Autumn, Blue is Winter.

Stir								Fruit								Rainy
1	2	3	4	5	6	7		1	2	3	4	5	6	7		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14		8	9	10	11	12	13	14		8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21		15	16	17	18	19	20	21		15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28		22	23	24	25	26	27	28		22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Blossom								Harvest								Misty
1	2	3	4	5	6	7		1	2	3	4	5	6	7		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14		8	9	10	11	12	13	14		8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21		15	16	17	18	19	20	21		15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28		22	23	24	25	26	27	28		22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Meadow								Vine								Frosty
1	2	3	4	5	6	7		1	2	3	4	5	6	7		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14		8	9	10	11	12	13	14		8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21		15	16	17	18	19	20	21		15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28		22	23	24	25	26	27	28		22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Sunny								Windy								Snowy
1	2	3	4	5	6	7		1	2	3	4	5	6	7		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14		8	9	10	11	12	13	14		8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21		15	16	17	18	19	20	21		15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28		22	23	24	25	26	27	28		22	23	24	25	26	27	28
There are no leap days or extra calendar days. In a sense of Earth, the Wyrlde Calendar starts in roughly mid-March.								Rest								Thus, Rest is a month when people do anything but Rest, as they are busy planting the Spring crops.
								1	2	3	4	5	6	7
								8	9	10	11	12	13	14
								15	16	17	18	19	20	21
								22	23	24	25	26	27	28

Measurements

Wyrlde’s measurements grew out of the post-Bitter Road era and were “a significant mess” by the time of the third Emperor, who declared certain standards and unified all of the chief measures through a set of fixed adamantine objects named Grains, Drams, Seeds, and Tips. They reside today in the Imperial Palace on Zefir, rumored to be stored in a sealed block of crystalline material. Copies of them are used in many places, alongside far more common tools developed from them for measuring. What follows are some of the common measurements used for four common needs: Weight, Volume, Length, and Area.

Certain measures are uncommon, and used often in special circumstances or are merely adaptations based on need. The one exception is the Coinweight, which is fixed and genuinely used everywhere. Beyond that, any measure where the portion is not standard (a multiple of 5, for example) is a Customary use, such as Feet, Miles, Vials, Sups, Flasks, and Cups, or Feet.

Length / Distance

US		Unit		US		Unit		US		Unit
1.61mm	(1.61 mm)	1 Seed		24 in	3 Hands	1 Pace		6190 ft	3 Furlongs	1 Mile
.3 in	5 Seeds	1 Tip		9.9 ft	3 Yards	1 Perch		1.95 mi	5 Furlongs	1 Line
1.58 in	5 Tips	1 Link		16.5 ft	5 Yards	1 Fathom		9.77 mi	5 Lines	1 League
8 in	5 Links	1 Hand		82.5 ft	5 Fathoms	1 Chain		48.85 mi	5 Leagues	1 Stadian
11.06 in	7 Tips	1 Foot		412.7 ft	5 Chains	1 Rod		244.25 mi	5 Stadians	1 Station
3.3 ft	5 Hands	1 Yard		2,063.3 ft	5 Rods	1 Furlong		1,221.25 mi	5 Stations	1 Journey

Note that Feet, Paces, Perches and Miles are all customary units used less formally. Height is usually measured in hands, rounded up.

Area

125 sq mm	5 Seeds	1 Palm		4.2 Sq Ft	5 Qebish	1 Scroll		0.3 Acres	5 Barens	1 Hall
625 sq mm	5 Palms	1 Furrow		21 sq ft	5 Scrolls	1 Spot		1.5 Acres	5 Halls	1 Acre
4.8 sq in	5 Furrows	1 Qibit		105.1 sq ft	5 Spots	1 Space		7.5 Acres	5 Acres	1 Field
24 sq in	5 Qibit	1 Qashit		525.6 sq ft	5 Spaces	1 Room		37.7 acres	5 Fields	1 Stead
1.2 sq ft	7 Qashit	1 Koof		2628.sq ft	5 Rooms	1 Baren		188.5 Acres	5 Steads	1 Vill

A Koof is a Customary measure. Qebish are equal to five Qashits but are not often used.

Weight

0.5 G	0.5 Grams	1 Seed		11 Oz	5 Pebels	1 Ergot		86.1 Lb.	5 Stones	1 Heft
2.5 G	5 Seed	1 Grain		21.6 oz	35 Coins	1 Ingot		430.6 Lb.	5 Hefts	1 Mark
17.5 G / .61 Oz	7 Seeds	1 Coin		15.4 oz	7 Pebels	1 Pound		2152.9 lb.	5 Marks	1 Ton
12.5 G	5 Grains	1 Dram		3.4 lb.	5 Ergots	1 Skrupel		5.4 Tons	5 Tons	1 Heave
2.2 Oz	5 Drams	1 Pebel		17.2 lb.	5 Skrupels	1 Stone		26.9 Tons	5 Heaves	1 Manist

Note that Ingots and Pounds are customary weights.

Volume

Trade requires variable measures for dry goods and liquid goods, but they generally stay within a set range and are not too different from each other. They do not, however, mesh well with other systems.

Apothecary

.1 ml		Seed		150 ml	30 Spoons	Gill
0.5 ml	5 Seeds	Clust		200 ml	40 Spoons	Flask
0.3 ml	3 Seeds	Pinch		250 ml	50 spoons	Cup
1 ml	10 Seeds	Dram		500 ml	2 Cups	Pint
5 ml	5 drams	Spoon		625 ml	125 Spoons	Jar
15 ml	3 Spoons	Scoop		750 ml	3 Cups	Bottle
25 ml	5 Spoons	Vial		1000 ml	4 Cups	Quart
50 ml	10 Spoons	Sup		2500 ml	2 ½ Quarts	Flagon
75 ml	15 Spoons	Phial		5000 ml	5 Quarts	Gallon
100 ml	20 Spoons	Shot		10,000 ml	2 Gallons	Jug

Shipping

500 ml	2 Cups	Pint		33,000 ml	3 1/3 Gallons	Pack
625 ml	125 Spoons	Jar		50,000 ml	10 Gallons	Bushel
750 ml	3 Cups	Bottle		75,000 ml	15 Gallons	Vat
1000 ml	4 Cups	Quart		150,000 ml	30 gallons	Barrel
2500 ml	2 ½ Quarts	Flagon		250,000 ml	50 Gallons	Butt
5000 ml	5 Quarts	Gallon/ Crom		350,000 ml	70 Gallons	Shead
10,000 ml	2 Gallons	Jug		500,000 ml	100 Gallons	Drum
25,000 ml	2 ½ Gallons	Crock		1,000,000 ml	2 Drums	Crate

Dry Goods

15,000 ml	15 Quarts	Bag		66,000 ml	2 Packs	Block
20,000 ml	20 Quarts	Chest		132,000 ml	2 Blocks	Trunk
25,000 ml	25 Quarts	Sack		264,000 ml	2 Trunks	Bale
33,000 ml	33 Quarts	Pack		1,056,000 ml	4 Bales	Crate

A Crate contains 37.29 cubic feet and is roughly 1 Yard Square.

A container’s interior is 2 Yards wide, 2 Yards High, and 6 Yards long (roughly 7 by 16.5 feet), able to hold 10 Crates.

A Crom is a raw ore weight measure for metals equal to 3 stones.

Temperature

Most folks use a nine-point basis for how warm or cold it is in common terms. Thermometers are still a fairly new thing on Wyrlde, mostly used in Lyonese, and have heavy limits on higher temperatures.

Apothecaries and Alchemists have a slightly more involved system that uses freezing and boiling water as the basis.

Equiv (°F)	Temp (°W)	Common Term		Equiv (°F)	Temp (°W)	Common Term
-60	-6	Mountain Summer		141 – 150	10	Scorching
-50	-5	Fatally Cold		151 – 160	11
-40	-4	Deadly Cold		161 – 170	12
-30	-3	Frigid		171 – 180	13
-20	-2	Freezing		181 – 190	14
-10	-1			191 – 200	15	Tearight
0 – 30	0	Frosty		201 – 210	16
31 – 40	1	Cold		211 – 220	17	Boiling
41 – 50	2	Cool		221 – 250	18
51 – 80	3	Comfortable		251 – 500	19
81 – 90	4	Warm		501 – 1000	20
91 – 100	5	Hot		1001 – 2000	21	Fire
101 – 110	6			2001 – 3000	22	Forest Fire
111 – 120	7			3001 – 4000	23
121 – 130	8	Blistering		4001 – 5000	24
131 – 140	9	Deadly Hot		5001 – 7000	25	Lyonian Furnace

Symbolism

Flags of Wyrlde

Perhaps the most important core symbol of general use is the Flag of the Realm. Flags of the Realms denote what realm the folks encountered are from. From those flags comes an entire field known as Vexiladry, which is concerned with the flags of the houses and troupes and assorted other elements – everything has a flag on Wyrlde, from a merchant who has only ever sold from a single stall to the personal flags of the retainers of a noble.

Heralds are responsible in each realm for keeping it all straight, and any claim or use for such must be approved. Even the Adventurer’s Guild has flag for all the assorted Troupes, or parties of adventurers, that form for common benefit.

Flag Parts

All flags on Wyrlde follow a fairly simple design, initially created to identify units and groups on the battlefields of the God’s War. Flags can be hung horizontally or vertically, and they have to be designed to do so, so they are always purpose crafted. The shape is a banner, flat on one end and pointed on the other, usually twice as long as they are high.

Flags have four areas of fill, and the colors always have meaning and symbolism of some sort for each area, with two areas typically being the same color since they are a single field.

The square portion, upper or to the left of the flag, is the “simple” version of a flag – emblazoned on tabards or a shield or similar things. The purpose area, to the left or below, is always pointed, and is going to be the same color as the primary Field.

In this area, a symbol of purpose is usually set, commonly one of four basic forms for Exploration, War, Patrols, and Peace. A General may have their personal symbol set there to mark their area in a battle, for example.

Within the square area of the Field there is a Medallion. The Medallion is a circle, indicating that they have self-autonomy to a degree. Within the Medallion is the Allegiance. Within the Empire, this is a triangle, and is always supposed to be pointing up, though Aztlan has differing ideas about that. Within the Allegiance is a symbol for the Realm itself of some sort – indicating that they also have allegiance to themselves.

The flags are known to change over time. The current flags of the assorted realms are shown in the image.

The flags are Sibola, Aztlan, Dorado, Qivira, Lyonese, Akadia, Durango, The Sea Realms, Hyboria, Kahokia, Antilia, Lemuria, Thule, and Bermuda. Duat has no flag, though one time after a raid, a group of them marched around with a pole, using a dirty diaper as a flag. Duatians make no sense.

Ancient Symbols

One of the things that we were left with after the God’s War was a host of symbols. Some of them we have no clue what they mean, or even what they were used for. Others, we have taken for our own purposes. A few of the coon symbols are used throughout this work – the Flags, the Arenas, other places.

Color	Example	Symbolic Meaning
Aqua	#08E1F8
Azure	#F0FFFF
Beige	#F5F5DC
Black	#000000
Blue	#0000FF
Brown	#917527
Chartreuse	#7FFF00	New Life, Birth
Coral	#FF7F50
Crimson	#AB461D
Cyan	#00FFFF
Dark Blue	#00008B
Dark Green	#228B22
Fuchsia	#FF33CC
Gray	#808080
Green	#008000	Life
Hall Blue	#191970
High Blue	#4169E1
High Green	#8FBC8F
High Lavender	#DDA0DD	Youthful Love
High Orange	#FF8C00
High Violet	#DA70D6
Indigo	#4B0082
Ivory	#FFFFF0
Lavender	#E6E6FA
Linen	#FAF0E6
Low Blue	#B0E0E6
Low Green	#00FF00
Low Orange	#FF4500	Great Danger
Magenta	#FF00FF
Maroon	#800000	Blood
Olive	#808000
Orange	#FFA500
Peach	#FFEFD5
Pink	#FFC0CB
Purple	#800080
Red	#FF0000	Death
Rose	#FFE4E1
Salmon	#FA8072
Sea Blue	#000080	Long Voyage
Sea Green	#2E8B57
Sienna	#A0522D
Sky	#87CEEB	Freedom
Slate	#708090
Tan	#D2B48C
Teal	#008080
Turquoise	#40E0D0
Violet	#EE82EE
Wheat	#F5DEB3
White	#FFFFFF
Yellow	#FFFF00	Innocence, Youth

There are hundreds of them. Here are just a few of the symbols we don’t understand that one can commonly encounter.

IN some smaller settlements that have been around a while, these symbols have acquired a somewhat mystical quality to them, perhaps supernatural in nature, as we move ever further away from the days of the Ancients and their wonders.

They left them to us as a tool of great value, but even the Powers don’t describe them any longer, despite many of them being used as those Power’s symbols.

Symbolic Numbers

Symbolism is a scary word in a place where omens, portents, and bodes are all very real things (as those who adventure here will learn). Some symbolism is unavoidable, however.

The numbers 3, 5, and 7 are considered very positive and powerful numbers, while 4, 6 and 8 are considered bad. The numbers 25 and 125 have significant meaning and import as well.

1, 2, 9 and 10 all have significance, but are not considered particularly bad or good in and of themselves.

8, in particular, is seen as an unlucky number.

Symbolic Colors

There are 50 colors that can be achieved through assorted dyes and pigments, all of them named, and many have significant symbolic meaning. Some of these draw from the rumors of the Gates, others draw from the colors associated with certain planes (The Mortal is called Pearlescent), still others have some historic or noble association.

Some examples of common folklore include the equivalence of Red to death and Orange to infernal aspects. Funerals are often attended with red streamers and clothing. Red hair is considered to be a mark of “risky life”. This continues through the 12 metals, which are colors named after certain metals that share that color.

Material	Description	Coloring	Symbolism
Bluegleam	Metallic Blue	#B0C4DE
Bronze	Metallic Brown	#B8860B
Copper	Metallic Orange	#F0AB66
Daengeld	Metallic Red	#B22222
Galawn	Metallic Violet	#D8BFD8
Gold	Metallic Yellow	#DAA520
Greenschine	Metallic Green	#66CDAA
Iron	Metallic Black	#696969
Orikal	Metallic Indigo	#B892A5
Silver	Metallic Gray	#D3D3D3
Tealiron	Metallic Teal	#6DC5C9
Whiteshine	Metallic White	#F5F5F5

In terms of broader symbolism, each Power has three colors associated with them, and this carries over into the Houses, the Guilds, Heraldry, and more, always in groups of three. The formal order of these colors is key, as well. The first color is always the chief color. The second and third are used as complementary or accessory and accent colors.

Starting about 50 years ago, each city began to select two particular colors that it is associated with, more a fashion statement than anything intentional, but it has served well to mark the nobility, as they use it extensively in their dress.

It is difficult in this format to provide the appropriate luster and polish of the particular colors, or the metallic nature of them; however, these are the base metallic colors.

Astrology

There are 15 general astrological signs on Wyrlde, each sign being 24 days in length, plus a 16^th one for the Equinox or Solstice being “days without a sign”. First, it should be noted that as a form of divination, it can be useful – and the specialized tools and knowledge for such are confined to the Towers of Akadia or the Temples of the Clerics. These signs are named after constellations – patterns among the stars known usually only to a few. The stars were literally placed in the sky by the Powers That Be – The Hosts, The Old Ones, and dear Chicory and friends. Some did not go willingly and are said to be screaming within their fiery prisons as immortal moments in the sky.

Unsigned

The unsigned, also called The Veiled, are those who are born on a solstice or equinox. They are said to be unseen by fate and free of destiny. A surprising number of adventurers are Unsigned. For all of them, they are considered to have the star sign of The Veil.

In Qivira, they are more likely to use the signs for their calendars than the traditional calendar cited earlier.

Sign	Element	Comments	Flower	Gemstone
The Hall	Air	The space of Politics and Leadership	Daisy	Amethyst
The Heroine	Frost	Hala, her sword drawn, her hound beside her.	Lily	Sunstone
The Sword	Spirit	The Black Blade of Stars, slayer of gods.	Honeysuckle	Sapphire
The Field	Earth	The Farm, people shaping the land	Larkspur	Citrine
The Dancer	Water	Viola, my namesake, in pose.	Violet	Emerald
The Fox	Earth	Wily and cunning, swift, and sure footed	Aster	Topaz
The Shield	Thunder	Shavan’s Shield, raised on his fall.	Marigold	Ruby
The Passage	Smoke	The space between healing & health, battle & blood; life & death.	Daffodil	Beryl
The Hero	Sand	Vortigern, who led all along the Bitter Road until slain.	Holly	Opal
The Bear	Water	Powerful, strong, unyielding, persistent	Chrysanthemum	Aquamarine
The Axe	Stone	Stoneblood’s great Axe, preserved. He is, too.	Sweet pea	Peridot
The Hearth	Fire	Home and Family, the key of Kinship.	Primrose	Agate
The Herald	Lightning	Freya Firefrost, Herald of the Bright Host.	Cosmo	Lapis
The Wolf	Fire	Feral, sharp minded, dangerous, savage	Snowdrop	Amber
The Spear	Sun	Acheron’s Spear, which pierced the heavens and became stuck.	Hawthorn	Starstone
The Veil	The Unsigned	Mystery and secrets, knowledge and ignorance, thresholds	Carnation	Garnet

Flowers

Flowers in Wyrlde have both a meaning and a purpose, a value, a way of expressing their power. Flowers are of particular importance to Spirits of the World. Each flower has multiple meanings, solving it is based on the number of them in each bouquet or use. Flowers are also used in rituals, as well as by Witches and Runewrights for effects. Not all flowers have a meaning or value, even if they are commonly seen. Herbs and Spices also have certain meanings and purposes to them.

Flower sellers are often found tending to gardens in glass walled buildings they call Teriums, exceptionally large buildings with dozens of boxes, sometimes partitioned in the larger cities. Scores of folks will travel through a city selling them from handcarts, but they are rare in villages unless the village itself is something like Aztlan’s Flowerton, where the entire town is engaged in the growing and selling of flowers (which are a big business in Aztlan).

Flowers are, for some reason, not linked to the same kinds of meanings as colors alone. While specific flowers in singles and groups have meanings, there are also general meanings:

Red flowers

• Passion, Love, Affection, Courage, Respect, Desire, Cheer.

Pink flowers

• Grace, Joy, Innocence, Trust, Good Fortune, Good Health, Femininity, Playfulness.

Yellow flowers

• Cheer, Joy, Lightheartedness, Happiness, Friendship.

White flowers

• Purity, Humility, Innocence, Weddings, Births, Death, Mourning.

Flower	Primary	Secondary	Tertiary	Quaternary
Acanthus	Seduction	Artifice	Deception	Dishonesty
Aloe	Affection	Grief	Healing	Curative
Amaryllis	Pride	Shy	Achievement	Epiphany
Anemone	Forsaken	Sincere	Illness	Anticipation
Angelica	Inspiration	Kindness	Sweetness	Nostalgia
Apple Blossom	Preference	Patience	Modesty	Austerity
Aster	Love	Daintiness	Remembrance	Trust
Azalea	Temperance	Fragility	Caution	Fragility
Baby’s Breath	innocence	Purity	beginnings	Birth
Bachelor’s Button	Blessedness	Celibacy	Fortunate	Wealth
Bay Tree	Glory	Fate	Hope	Victory
Begonia	Beware	Whimsy	Risk	reward
Black-Eyed Susan	Justice	Encouragement	Motivation	Restraint
Bluebell	Humility	Gratitude	Loyalty	Constancy
Borage	Bluntness	Directness	Courage	Abruptness
Butterfly Weed	Freedom	Vivacity	Enthusiasm	Independence
Calla Lily	Beauty	Magnificence	Aristocracy	Nobility
Camellia, Pink	Longing	Falling	Surrender	Melancholy
Camellia, Red	Passion	Reason
Camellia, White	Adorability	Waiting	Excellence
Candytuft	Indifference	Capriciousness
Carnation	Fascination	Women’s Love	Mother’s Love
Carnation, Pink	Unforgettability	Fascination	Fantasy
Carnation, Red	Yearning	Longing	Deep Love
Carnation, Striped	Refusal	Disdain	Rejection
Carnation, White	Innocence	Pure Love	Sweet Love
Carnation, Yellow	Whimsy	Disappointment	Unreliable
Chrysanthemum, Red	Declaration	Joy	Optimism
Chrysanthemum, White	Truth	Righteousness	Fidelity
Chrysanthemum, Yellow	Slight	Neglect	Depth
Clover, White	Thoughtful	Luck	Industriousness
Columbine	Foolishness	Folly	Deception	Faithlessness
Columbine, particolored	Anxious	Trembling	Resolution
Crocus, Spring	Cheerfulness	Youthful	Gladness
Cyclamen	Resignation	Diffidence	Goodbye
Daffodil	Misfortune	Regard	Unequalled Love	Chivalry
Dahlia	Good Taste	Dignity	Elegance
Daisy	Innocence	Loyalty	Secrecy	Faith
Dandelion	Adversity	Strength	Adaptability	Perseverance
Delphinium	Levity	Generosity	Ardent Feelings
Edelweiss	Courage	Devotion
Fern	Magic	Fascination	Secret Bonds	Shelter
Forget-Me-Not	Memory	Recollection	Remembrance	Nostalgia
Freesia	Youth	Immaturity	Trust	Friendship
Gardenia	Loveliness	Secret Love	Reverence
Geranium	Folly	Foolhardy	Gentility	Luck
Gladiolus	Vanguard	Integrity	Strength	Victory
Goldenrod	Encouragement	Good Fortune
Heather	Solitude	Admiration	Protection
Hibiscus	Delicate	Gentleness	Rarity
Holly	Defense	Domestic Joy
Hollyhock	Ambition
Honeysuckle	Devotion	Generosity	bonding
Hyacinth, Blue	Constancy	Gamesmanship	Jealousy
Hyacinth, Purple	Sorrow	Good News	Loyalty	Forgiveness
Hyacinth, White	Loveliness	Prayer	Eloquence
Hydrangea	Heartlessness	Gratitude	Sentiment	Sincerity
Hyssop	Sacrifice	Cleanliness
Iris	Faith	Trust	Wisdom	Hope
Ivy	Affection	Friendship	Fidelity
Jasmine, White	Amiability	Friendly
Jasmine, Yellow	Grace	Elegance		Valor
Larkspur	Open Hearted	Levity	Whimsy
Lavender	Distrust	Faithful	Maturity	happiness
Lilac	Joy Of Youth	First Love	Humility
Lily, Orange	Hatred	Danger	Sacrifice	Revenge
Lily, Red (Spider)	Loss	Abandonment	Reincarnation	Necromancy
Lily, Tiger	Wealth	Pride	Aspiration
Lily, White	Virginity	Purity	Celestial
Lily, Yellow	Happiness	Contentment	Joyfulness
Lily-Of-The-Valley	Sweetness	Humility	Happiness	Returning
Lotus Flower	Purity	Enlightenment	Recovery	Rebirth
Magnolia	Nobility	Nature	Perseverance
Marigold	Grief	Healing	Despair	Restoration
Morning Glory	Affection	Promise	Jealousy
Myrtle	Good Luck	Romance	Marriage
Nasturtium	Patriotism	Conquest	Victory
Pansy	Thoughtfulness	Caring	Remembrance
Peony	Bashful	Shame	Bravery	Honor
Pine	Humility	Piety	Philosophy
Poppy	Consolation	Oblivion	Sleepiness	Forgetfulness
Rhododendron	Danger	Beware		Necromancy
Rose, Coral	Friendship	Modesty	Sympathy	Empathy
Rose, Dark Crimson	Mourning	Silence	Grace	Gentleness
Rose, Lavender	Love At First Sight	Thoughtfulness	Possessiveness
Rose, Orange	Desire	Enthusiasm	Passion
Rose, Pink	Happiness	Trust	Confidence
Rose, Red	Love	Passion	Caring	Devotion
Rose, White	Innocence	Celestial	Worthiness	Purity
Rose, Yellow	Jealousy	Infidelity	Childhood
Rue	Grace	Clear Vision	Regret	Repentance
Snapdragon	Deception	Graciousness
Sorrel	Affection
Southernwood	Constancy	Jest
Sunflower, Dwarf	Adoration	Radiance	Respect	Longevity
Sunflower, Tall	Haughtiness	Hope	Happiness	Loyalty
Sweet Pea	Pleasure	Gratitude	Farewell
Sweet William	Gallantry	Humility
Tansy	Hostility	Intent	Violence
Tulip, Red	Passion	Declaration	Trust
Tulip, Yellow	Beauty	Fame	Charity
Valerian	Readiness	Valor	heroism
Violet	Watchfulness	Modesty	Faithfulness	Devotion
Willow	Sadness	Learning	Grace	Honesty
Wisteria	Sensitivity	Personal Growth	Knowledge	Welcome
Yarrow	Everlasting	Healing	Inspiration
Zinnia	Absence	Affection	Loyalty	Openness

Trees

Trees have deeply variable symbolism but can still prove very important. The following list of trees does not give symbolic meaning, as each of the types mentioned has at least five different varieties within it, and some have as many as twenty-five different types.

Acacia	Arbor	Ash	Aspen	Bamboo
Banyan	Beech	Berry	Birch	Blackwood
Boab	Cedar	Cherry	Chestnut	Citrel (Citrus)
Cork	Cotton	Cypress	Dogerel	Elm
Eucalyptus	Fig	Fir	Flower	Gum
Hawthorn	Hickory	Holly	Ironwood	Juniper
Kapok	Larch	Laurel	Linden	Magnolia
Mahogony	Maple	Mesquite	Neem	Nut
Oak	Olivate	Palm	Pelto	Pine
Plane	Poplar	Ragleaf	Sequoia	Spruce
Sycamore	Thornwood	Walnut	Willow	Yew

Herbs & Spices

Herbs and Spices have particular uses as well – some of which even apply to cooking. These are generally thought to explain why some food is good for you and other food is only just good.

Herb / Spice	Uses	Symbolism	Association	Origin
Allspice
Angelica
Anise
Basil		Good Wishes, Illusion	Delusion,	Alakazoola
Bay Leaf		Longing, Desire	Love
Bergamot	Aromatic	Restfulness. Relaxation	Tea Additive
Black Cumin
Black Mustard
Black Pepper
Borage	Cooling,	Softness, Courage	Forgetfulness
Brown Mustard
Burnet
Calamint	Heartiness		Dispel Sorrow
Caraway	Upset Stomach	Steadiness
Cardamom
Carob	Antiseptic, Astringent, Dye		Cleanliness, Falsity
Cassia
Catnip
Cayenne Pepper
Celery Seed
Chervil	Warm Stomach, cure hicups
Chicory
Chili Pepper
Chamomile		Patience
Chives		Usefulness	Evil Bane
Cicely
Cilantro
Cinnamon
Clove
Coriander Leaf
Coriander Seed		Hidden Worth
Costmary
Cumin
Curry
Dill		Dismiss Evil	Hagbane
Fennel	Aids Digestion	Flattery,
Fenugreek
Garlic	Antiseptic, Antibiotic, Stimulant, Expectorant		Healing
Ginger
Grains Of Paradise
Green Peppercorn
Holy Basil
Horehound
Horseradish
Hyssop
Lavender		Devotion, Dedication
Lemon Balm		Sympathy
Lemon Grass
Lemon Verbena
Licorice
Lovage		Alertness
Mace
Marjoram		Joy, Happiness	Revival, Restoration
Mint		Virtue
Nutmeg
Oregano	Scorpion and Spider bites	Substance, Authenticity
Brown Onion
Green Onion
Red Onion
Paprika
Parsley		Festivity, Frivolity	Death
Peppermint	Stimulant, Carmative, Antispasmodic.		Bees, Tea Additive
Poppy Seed			Painlessness
Red Peppercorn
Rosemary		Remembrance	Memory, Knowledge
Rue
Saffron
Sage		Wisdom, Long Life	Spiritbane
Sassafras
Savory		Interest, Attraction	Pleasure
Sesame
Shallot
Sorrel
Spearmint	Stimulant, Carmative, Antispasmodic.	Sentimentality, Nostalgia	Bees, Tea Additive
Star Anise
Tarragon	Lasting Interest	Endurance, Vitality
Thyme	Aromatic	Strength, Cleanliness	Courage
Turmeric
Vanilla
Wasabi
White Mustard
White Peppercorn

Food occupies a great part of the whole of Wyrlde, having a tendency to inspire battle, drive romance, foment rebellion, bring people together, and more. To say that it is important probably understates the value of food.

And then you have the Grendels.

Other Plants

Plant	Uses	Symbolism	Poison	Origin
Aconite	Diuretic, Causes sweating	Death, Flight	X
Wormwood	Pest Control,		X
Bluebell		Grief, Mourning, Loss
Eyebright	Astringent, eye lotion	Mirth, Joy
Flax	Oil, Fabric, Laxative
Mistletoe	Curative	Snakes, Healing	X
Mullberry		Love, Regret
Myrtle		Purity, Fertility
Rue		Antidote
Amaranth		Undying
Yarrow	Coagulant, Fevers	Blood, Healing, Life
Vervain		Abjuration
Poppy		Ease, Enchantment	X
Belladonna		Necromancy	X
Henbane		Sleep, Painless, Death	X
Alchemy Rose		Transmutation
Willow Bark	Tea, reduces swelling, pain
Fern		Evocation
Anemone		Elemental
Datura		Imbuing
Blackthorn		Ingraining
Artemisia		Divination
Veronica		Illusion

Gemstones

There are 30 recognized gemstones on Wyrlde. Each has a particular meaning, and it is said that Runewrights and Witches are particularly attracted to the powers they hold, for the gemstones are all linked to some kind of power in and of themselves.

Gemstone	Purposes
Agate	Strengthening	Confidence	Courage	Prosperity	Nourishing
Amber	Warmth	Health	Wellbeing	Recovery	Rest
Amethyst	Countercharm	Clarity	Intuition	Perception	Truth
Apatite	Awareness	Perception	Clarity	Knowledge	Sanity
Aquamarine	Relaxation	Peace	Calm	Balance	Healing
Aventurine	Wealth	Prosperity	Good Luck	Empathy	Alteration
Beryl	Demonbane	Clarity	Sincerity	Truth	Youth
Carnelian	Creativity	Ambition	Passion	Sexual Energy	Enchanting
Citrine	Brightness	Energy	Obfuscation	Secrecy	Illusion
Diamond	Commitment	Love	Strength	Spirituality	Perfection
Ebony	Knowledge	Intuition	Defense	Death	Necromancy
Garnet	Vitality	Determination	Optimism	Discipline	Stability
Jade	Wisdom	Peace	Clarity	Soothing	Balance
Jasper	Guidance	Adaptability	Independence	Travel	Animals
Lapis	Charisma	Self-Discipline	Individuality	Nobility	Divination
Larimar	Energy	Clear Speech	Confidence	Dexterity	Conjuration
Malakite	Protection	Hope	Honor	Strength	Stone
Moonstone	Beauty	Sensuality	Safe Travel	Intuition	Friendship
Obsidian	Peace with Past	Spirit	Acceptance	Protection	Transmutation
Onyx	Objectiveness	Patience	Determination	Meditation	Spirituality
Opal	Sympathy	Compassion	Confidence	Kindness	Smoke
Pearl	Love	Innocence	Faith	Integrity	Inhibition
Peridot	Faith	Blessing	Abundance	True Purpose	Joy
Quartz	Clarity	Comfort	Peace	Positivity	Healing
Ruby	Constitution	Power	Endurance	Defense	Inspiration
Sapphire	Energy	Dreams	Concentration	Sand	Clairvoyance
Starstone	Harmony	Truth	Honesty	Sun	Divinity
Sunstone	Generosity	Motivating	Creativity	Alertness	Compassion
Topaz	Focus	Frost	Preservation	Immortality	Success
Tourmaline	Magic	Power	Femininity	Nature	Elementals
Turquoise	Protection	Banishing	Security	Water	Abjuration

The Arenas

You may have noticed that throughout the works there is some reference made to the Arenas. An Arena is a loose concept, a broader understanding of things. Clerics and Witches and Shamans may know them more intimately, but most people see the world as a way of serving or operating in one of the five arenas, which are often represented by icons because they are associated with good luck.

The Hearth
	The Hearth represents the arena of Home and the Family, the crafts and arts of the household and the simple life.
The Field
	This is the arena of the farmstead, the growing and raising and herding and care of animals and crops.
The Hall
	This is the arena of politics and leadership.
The Passage
	This is the arena of life and death, the space of healing and health, the space of battle and blood.
The Veil
	This is the space of mystery and secrets, of liminal things and the planar realms, of knowledge, truth, deceit, and ignorance.

Recreation

Most cities have at least two theaters, and most towns have at least one, with villages a more hit or miss proposition easily solved through a portable stage. Beyond the traditional performing arts, however, there are many other forms of entertainment and diversion, but none so utterly captivating as The Grand Games.

Dance

No general discussion of recreation in world would be complete without noting the power of dance. Social dance is common among the peoples, be they Foe or Shadow or Bright, and they are extremely popular regardless of the instruments available. There is a tradition of makeshift percussion use that is preserved by Bards, and all dances can be done with nothing more than a good beat and some sort of point where there is a change.

Dances typically symbolize three things, all of them telling a story: Victory, Fighting, and Romance. The formal dances of entertainers, including those who somehow seem to float across the stages on their toes, all derive from these core ideas, though they may take it into very complex and involved dances that are very popular among nobles, accompanied by choirs or singers.

Traditional

The Kotril is perhaps the most traditional dance throughout the lands, and some variation on it is danced by all persons. There are three kinds of other traditional dances, and may be danced in triplets or quads, with separation by gender a common feature of the starts.

The forms are based on the starting positions: a square, two lines, or a circle. Lines involve no touching, and movements of forward and back, arms behind backs, and separated by gender among the different lines, moving forward and back towards the others.

Circle dances always require touching, and involve moving left or right, rotating and spinning the circles and the participants around the two. Circles may be organized by height, gender, or some other aspect decided on and historic (Therian will dance by sect, as an example).

The square start dances are stomping and clapping dances, with the dance setting the beat and tempo for the musicians, and slowly increasing in speed and tempo from a 2/2 start. The squares will expand and contract, challenging each other.

In some cases, squares and circles will start out entirely of one gender or group, and then will begin a move towards each other about a third of the way through the dance, intermingling and forming up the circles and squares with mixed groups, but otherwise following the same pattern.

Regional

Each region has a series of regional dances that they engage in, and it can include such patterns as the sword dance of the Kahokians or the Comedies of the Qivira, performed as social activities as well as performances. One of the best known of the forms is the swordancers of the secret societies, who combine sound, speed, motion, dance, elegance, beauty, and even magic into their displays both for show and for actual combat.

Courtly

Courtly entertainment featured around Dancing comes in three broad types: Balls, Masquerades, and Debuts. Debuts are a fixed affair, and held at all different stations, and feature dancing as a major portion of the festivities.

Balls

Balls are very formal affairs, with wealth, prestige, and influence all on display. Balls have three five to them: The Entrances, The Procession, The Feast, The Performance, and The Dances. The Entrances is an elaborately staged affair, having persons arriving in order of the least senior or lowest ranked, slowly working up in often long lines to the final entrance of the Host, who would outrank all for the Ball save the Emperor or Princessa. Ball season is always during the summer months, when the evenings are cooler, and take place from Dusk on, sometimes carrying through the entire next day. The Procession goes on in a large gathering room where light snacks called Ordurves and liqueurs are served, often something special and always a point of pride for those hosting. It begins the moment the first guest is announced and continues until the Host arrives. The host then invites all those attending to the Feast, which can be all manner of set up, but is focused on feeding and providing guests with a good meal. They may stand, they may sit, the food may be laid out or it may be brought to them individually; the particulars vary from Ball to ball and are determined in part by the ability to provide for the guests invited. Most Nobility do not have a large space, and the Palace is only known to hold three balls during the summer. This also adds to the sense of exclusivity and honor afforded attendees. The feast is followed The performance, which is when some group is brought in to entertain guests, allowing them to watch or walk around and generally mingle. Those performers often include Dancers, who will perform either solo or couple dances.

The final portion of a Ball is the Dance itself. Here the attendees will begin to pair off with partners, and begin the courtly dances according to the music played. There are five courtly dances, and the involve two to five people moving together in a group that will slowly traverse the entirety of the ballroom floor, completing steps and movements, sometimes synchronously, though in one case asynchronously around a predefined pattern. A Typical dance is either 5 or 10 minutes in length, and there is a pattern of two dances each chime, then a pause, then two more dances, and this can go on until a predetermined time and the guests begin to leave according to the same fixed entrance protocol, but in order of highest rank to lowest. This means that the lower ranking folks are there the longest, and as many of them are typically younger, they do not seem to mind.

Masquerades

Masquerades are an informal version of a ball, with one of the key elements being that one should not know who one is (though of course most people can tell). Domino masks are often worn by the older crowd, but full-face masks are most common, decorated in wild patterns and strange style. With the masks goes the sometimes overly daring, always extremely fashionable, and frequently flamboyant dress that is worn. Masquerades are held in Winter, and only in the cities.

Masquerades do not have an Entrance – it defeats the purpose of “secret” – but they do have invitations, and so there is always a line to follow that process in. There are then two rooms plus a garden that is often used. The first room is the Commingling, and proffers food, drinks, and a chance to talk. The other room is The Dance, and typically there will be two or four sections for that often with one section having performers who will continuously demonstrate the dances that the guests are doing in the other section(s). At the end of the Masquerade, the final hour is taken up by The Reveal, where people will come forward and declare the identity of different people, winning a small prize if they are successful, or being unmasked themselves as a penalty. Each person can only Reveal one other.

There are entire small industries that have grown around the Masquerades.

Dances

In all events, on entering the festivities people will be given a Dance Card, which lays out the order of the dances and what the dances are for that evening. Food is often prepared to enable more vigorous dancing.

Of the five common dances, the one considered most enjoyable is also one of the oldest dances known: the Kotril

The Kotril places dancers in groups of eight, often divided by gender, arranged in two lines that face each other. The music is a likely, up-tempo selection, often eight or sixteen measures in 2/4 time. From that starting position, each side will take two steps forward, one step back, in time to the music, and cross to the other side where they will turn and begin the cycle anew. After third such crossing, when the participants are beside each other, a Caller will announce one of eight different movements and the dancers will respond to the calls and perform the movements. From that point, it becomes a square of movement, with partners breaking apart and coming together, interspersed with dancing with others, and the dance will move swiftly through several different movements, until at last the partner will be returned to each other and finish the dance before moving back to their start, finishing the dance with a final change over.

The Kotril is danced throughout the lands and is said to be the dance that celebrated the end of the Bitter Road. However, it is also present in much the same form among all the peoples, including the Foe, and there is even an undersea version danced by the Tritons.

The second dance is the Gambol, played in a moderate tempo 4/4, starting on a downbeat, with dancers formed in two concentric circles, the taller on the outside, the shorter on the inside, facing each other. It follows many of the same patterns and movements of the Kotril, but they are done only with the one partner, and while holding hands. It is bad form to lose touch.

The third dance is the Sedukta, which is an energetic dance that features jumps, stamping of the feet and violent movement, accompanied by music with syncopated rhythms, danced between partners in a direct line, moving back and forth, in such that participating couples are passing each other as they move across the floor. It has many movements, and the start is couples staggered on either side of the long portion of the ballroom, facing inward, then turning to each other and beginning the movements. It is customary for the flower of following partner’s choice to be presented by the leading when they ask. It is also a set structure that the lead is the one that always asks, and if accepted then that person becomes the follow. Sedukta is one of the most popular dances for show, as well, and some entertainers do little more than perform this for nobles and the general population. It is an extremely vigorous and deeply moving dance, representing in many ways a seduction of the parties, on both sides.

The fourth dance is the stately, ¾ time, slow tempo Mineta, done by two couples who start with one leg out behind them, one leg into a center square formed by them, and all hands touching at the center above their heads. It then breaks up in a stately fashion with the square trading partners at set times, and following a series of steps that varies only when the leaders and the followers come together, at which point they mimic each other exactly without touching – but the rest of the time, there is always at least one point of contact. There are four basic steps, three twirls, and at the end of the dance it closes with bows and curtseys.

The fifth courtly dance is the Slide. It is done in staggered lines, arranged across the narrow of the floor, with the tallest in a back row, medium in a middle, and shortest in a front. A series of two forward, one back, a hop or skip, a slide forward with a lift of the off leg, three forward, two back, a hop, a slide forward a slide forward with the opposite leg, then four forward and two back a hop with a twirl, and so forth with the two lines passing and crossing each other until the reach the opposite side where they turn and begin the journey back. The slide is done in 5/8 time, and is considered somewhat scandalous because of the leg lift, which can reveal too much of the women’s legs, and perhaps a bit more of the men’s hind ends. One of the underlying goals is not to tip and touch others.

Debuts

There is a unique form of celebration that occurs for young women who are of Merchantry or higher status in society at large, called a Debut. These are formal occasions that present the young women to society as a whole and indicate that they are considered eligible for marriage.

One notable exception to this is Aztlan, where it is the young men who are debuted, and the only other serious exception within the empire is Dorado, where all young adults are debuted at different celebrations.

These Debuts are always held the fifth day of the season following their 15^th birthday in Aztlan, Sibola, Durango, Qivira, Lyonese, and Akadia, 16 in Dorado, 18 in Antilia, and are not done in other realms. While the nature of each differs, the general event involves a gathering of all the eligible children of that age together for a formal event. This event lasts roughly six hours, and the primary purpose of it is to identify and find a mate. For this reason, the 5^th of each season, following the solstice or equinox festival, is a Debut date.

Debuts are usually highly competitive events, as the individual young women are essentially showing their fitness for marriage and are essential for those who do not apprentice. In Dorado, they have two, simultaneously, where they begin separate and end with a large dance and attempted matchings between boys and girls.

Performance

While Painters and sculptors can have their work patronized and shown to those their owners consider worthy of seeing them, music, stagecraft, and traveling performance plays an enormous amount of import in the daily life of people, with the possible exception of Sibola, where Plays and Lays regarding the House of Usher are often fraught to perform.

Most people will be the most familiar with traveling shows, created by small bands that travel together to put up and put on performances of songs, plays, orations, and other elements, often drawn from the most recent winners of the Grand Games or some other diversion.

The single most common form of entertainment is a Bard, who is often found among a group and who will spread news, knowledge, and good feelings wherever they roam.

Surkus

These traveling shows are called Surkuses, and a typical Surkus has five to as many as 30 performers, called Troupers, that may be a part of it. They will have additional inducement – fortune telling, displays of strength and skill such as juggling, knife throwing, and weight lifting, and more.

Theater

Most Towns and all cities will have one of more Theaters, ranging from the open air of the smaller towns in a half circle around a semi-permanent stage, to a small gazebo or other covered, raised and railed platform within a space or clearing.

In cities, theaters can be vast buildings – some even use the places for the grand Games to stage such things.

Musicians, orchestras, plays, and more are all performed here, for the amusement and entertainment of the people.

Card Games

There are several card games that are known (gofis and oldenmad being the most popular children’s games) among the world. Each is slightly different and what makes for even more interest is that they may be played with any of the decks that are used.

Size and Shape

All cards have rounded corners, usually made of a very thick paper or a very light wood or coated metal. Cards are 5 fingers tall and 3 fingers wide.

Decoration

Back: Cards typically have complex designs on the back of each card, that are the same across all cards. Backs are printed first and meant to make them all the same.

Fields: Most cards designs have a standard, simple field on the face, with many using the field for some artistic effort that makes the cards worth something. Typical inexpensive decks have blank fields. Commissioned decks will have elaborate designs. Across the field will be the suit symbol, and there will always be at least one row of small dots, or pips. The pips denote the value of the card, always from zero to 9, that usually run down the left and right edges of each card, though some older decks actually spread them out across the field. The current fashion is to have them in an ornate border that runs around the card.

Decks

There are seven commonly used decks. One is familiar to anyone who came from elsewhere called an Ancient (52 cards, four suits, Ace to King). Another is the strange and peculiar TÆROE deck, which is used in divination and also as a set of trump cards in certain games played among the nobility. The other five are assorted decks created for a variety of reasons.

The Imperial Deck is the one mandated as the de facto deck. It has ties and links to many of the world’s aspects, with each suit being a representation of a particular realm. Each Suit has nine Court cards, ten pip cards, and one Rascal card, which is a wild card that can shift an entire game. It is an immense deck of 134 cards, as a result, and is used in professional gambling and sponsored events.

The Elemental Deck is somewhat different. Pip cards are 0 to 5, there are 6 court cards per suit (12 cards total), for 60 cards per deck. It is used in several small group cluster games, where the goal of play is to collect clusters with as many court cards as possible. This deck does not feature any representations of people. There is a “secret suit” to this deck called Song, which brings the total up to 72 cards and acts as a master trump suit.

The Field Deck is also lacking any representation of people, but are often some of the most beautiful of the cards, as they are intended to reflect the natural world. Five suits, four court cards each, pip cards are 0 to 5, so 10 cards per suit, 60 cards total. It is plant themed and considered a mark of honor to design one that is loved.

The Hearth Deck, also called a home deck or a workman’s deck, has four suits, five Court cards, full pip cards (15 cards per suit), with each Envoy card being a double suit card, and having a complement. This 60-card deck is the most commonly used one. Faces usually have a blank field. All games can and have been played with a hearth deck.

The Passage Deck is used in games of two to four players and is typically found among combat units or military teams. It is also a common gift among those who spent many cold nights on watch. The Passage deck has three suits, each with six court cards and full pips (16 cards per suit), for 48 cards total. Passage decks are used in a peculiar game that places emphasis on protecting your Kings.

Court Cards: All decks have a set of Court cards, that comprise the cards past 9. Each of the decks has a different set of Court, and it is said that some decks are extremely magical, fashioned to consist entirely of Court cards. Court Cards are variable according to the deck in use, and a list of them is below.

Passage Deck	Hearth Deck	Field Deck	Elemental Deck	Imperial Deck
Shield	Cup	Leaf	Rock	Crown
Baton	Bell	Rose	Water	Star
Sword	Tile	Daisy	Wind	Flower
	Heart	Clover	Candle	Dagger
		Acorn	Spark	Cloud
			(Song)	Coin
				Cactus

Passage	Hearth	Field	Elemental	Imperial
King	King	Lion	Queen	Emperor
Viceroy	Queen	Bear	Deputy	King
Marshal	Heir	Wolf	Guardian	Queen
Captain	Marshal	Deer	Heir	Viceroy
Sergeant	Envoy		Knave	Marshal
Corporal			Envoy	Heir
				Envoy
				Merchant
				Knave
				Rascal

Games

While there are many games played with cards, some have risen to the point of such great popularity and enjoyment that they are the de facto standards.

For Children:

Gofis and Oldenmad are popular children’s games also played by adults. Chicory says that the actual names are Go Fish and Old Maiden, and while one makes some sense, the other is bizarre. How can a maiden be old?

Chimesong

Cards are cut for dealer. Each player gets 10 cards, remainder is set for Draw. Dealer plays first, dropping lowest card. Another player either drops lowest higher card or draws. Hand plays until one person runs out of cards.

Points awarded by either number of court cards taken or number of hands won. A game has no end. Gambling happens based on an agreed-on value to either points or hands. Often played to kill time.

Pahka

The game in favor on the riverboats. The massive Imperial deck is used for this normally, but smaller groups of players can and have used smaller decks. On the riverboats, a common table will use two decks.

On riverboats, the House is dealer. Dealers cannot bet. The goal is to have the highest ranked or Point hand, and bets are made throughout the process. Points are equal to the card face, with court cards always counting for 11, the Rascal stealing 10 points from the hand. Ranking is based on rarity of the hand, and the highest ranks are for sequential cards of the same suit with a full straight of six Court cards all of the same suit the highest Ranked in Straight Games and six cards of the same rank across different suits being the highest in Court Games.

Rascals always steal 10 points, and do not count towards the Court, being Rascals.

Cards are dealt deftwise (to the right) face down, one at a time. Dealer card is dealt face up. Players then bet against each other and the showing card of the dealer. A second card is dealt like the first, and betting commences. A card is dealt to all players face up, called their hole card, and the dealer’s card is face down. Betting then goes around, and no one can pass or drop. A fourth and fifth card are dealt, betting after each, face down. The last round is two cards, one face up, one face down, for a total of seven cards for each, with five cards in each hand unseen and two cards seen, except the dealer who has two cards unseen and five seen. The dealer cannot look at those facedown cards.

At any point except the third card, a player can pass their bet to the next person (only going around once) but if they pass, they must match highest existing bet. If they drop, they are out of that hand (sometimes called folding) and forfeit any existing bets.

Once all bets are done, Show happens starting to the left of the dealer (daftwise) and going around, with dealer showing left. The highest hand wins the pool, including the dealer.

The tension, excitement, release cycle can be extremely attractive to many people, and folks have been known to make themselves broke.

There are variants to Pahka, but they are rarely played for money.

Chasen

Chasen is played with the Passage deck. Dealer is determined by lowest card in the cut.

Each player bids for a King to set the pot. The remaining Kings are removed and set as the initial play onto which the draw card is lain, the deck is shuffled, and each player is dealt 9 cards, and the remainder are set for a Draw.

The top draw card is turned, and play passes daftwise (to the left), with dealer last. The goal is to go under the pip card that is shown. Not being able to go under means a draw. Court cards require going over the court card shown. Not being able to means a draw. Playing a King means a loss.

If the Draw is emptied, then all but the top card are collected, shuffled, and reset as the draw. Play continues until only one player remains with a king – but it does not need to be the king they started with. The winner collects the pot.

This game is very old, and many will speak to historical games, as the play goes quick, but has strategy built throughout. It is a military game at its core, with the goal of using up your troops while protecting your leadership, and calling up reserves, and is said to reflect the turn of battle on the field.

Tile Games

Kress

Where I came from, we played a game called Chess. Kress is very much like chess. It is played on a board that has a large, square, central area from which just two narrow areas one segment narrower than the board. The board is divided into a grid of equal size, 12 spaces to a side, 144 spaces in total, with the protrusions having two rows that are ten spaces wide and two spaces deep.

Each side is color coded, and up to four people can play at once. The most common colors are Black, Blue, Brown, and Red. Starting is always determined by the color chosen: Red first, Brown second, Black third, Blue last. The tiles, themselves are two sided, and each player receives 20 tiles.

Tiles are round, marked with a symbol on one side and a different symbol on the other. One face of the tiles is always a white, the other is always a light yellow, with the symbols being emblazoned in the colors for each side.

Each side gets one Crown, one Queen, two Bishops, four Knights, and two Towers. These are the Hearth pieces. Each side also has Field pieces: two Squires, two Merchants, and six Pawns. The Hearth order is always T/K/B/K/Q/C/K/B/K/T. The Field order can be any.

The Crown can move one space. The Queen can move anywhere as long as she is not blocked. Bishops move diagonally. Knights move in a peculiar L pattern of two forward and one to the side. Towers can only move in a straight direction. Squires can move to any square within two of them. Merchants can move to any square within three of them, but not the ones immediately attached to them. Pawns can move one space in any direction.

Crowns are defeated by any Pawn or Queen; they defeat any other piece. Queens are defeated by any Merchant, Knight, or Bishop, they defeat any other piece. The rank of the others determines their defeat or success, with highest first: Bishop, Knight, Squire, Merchant, Pawn. On a defeat, the victor can choose to Hold, or Turn. On a hold, they claim the piece. On a turn, they gain what is on the yellow side. However, if a Turn piece reveals an Envoy, the defeated player gets an additional turn immediately.

A game board will have 144 tiles. The white side will be marked according to the Sides, the obverse will be marked with a random assortment, but always include five Envoys, who never appear on the white side. Yellow sides have two additional pieces, Corsair and Envoy. There are always five Corsairs and Five Envoys. Corsairs can defeat anything but a Knight or a Merchant. Envoys can defeat any piece but a Merchant or a Bishop. The rest of the yellow side pieces are going to be Knights, Merchants, or Pawns. 14 of them will be Knights, 15 will be Merchants, 5 will be Flowers, which halt that piece, as they cannot move, defeat, or be defeated. The rest will be Pawns (100). Each bag will have 2 of each of the Hearth for each color and two each of the Field for each color. The rest of the white faces will be pawns. The markings on the yellow are random within the following limits: no yellow may duplicate its white, no Crown may have a yellow other than a Pawn or a Flower, no yellow/white may duplicate another yellow/white except for Pawns, no Crown may be on yellow, and no white Knight may be a yellow Flower. The making of the tiles is almost always a secret among those who do – and none of them do their tiles in the same way except as per above rules.

Play continues until only one player remains or until only one Crown is left on the board. Notably, there is no checkmate, though there can be a draw, even if it is rare. Kress boards fold up into small boxes that hold the bag with the tiles.

Domoes

These are small tiles that I once called dominoes and got looked at funny for doing so. It became even more humorous for me because they were playing a game of dominoes. They play both the Block and the Draw forms, with two to four players. One big difference is that no tiles here are double six, and no tiles have a six-pip section. They only go to five, because six is an unlucky number.

Dice Games

Dice games use small cubes marked with pips to represent 0 to 5. Again, six is considered an unlucky number.

Hilo

Each player bets on the number of the next roll of a single die. They can choose to also bet the number will be Low (0, 1, or 2) or High (3, 4, or 5). After bets, one person rolls. That person cannot bet, and usually serves as the Hole. Winnings are divided by both exact number sharing half, and high/low sharing half. Some variations do not allow a high low, but this mostly in poor places and with unskilled players. After each roll, the Hole moves to the right.

Kasina Hilo

In gambling houses, they roll multiple dice, with each die getting a bet – and the Hole winning whenever the total of the rolled dice is 6. This variant is called Kasina.

Bidbet

Two dice are used here, with the Hole allowed to bet alongside everyone on the first die, but not on the second die which is done in a second roll. The Hole passes to the right after every second roll.

Sevenses

In this game, two, four, or six dice are used, in three colors. Bets are placed on the Hole rolling one, two, or three Sevens on matching dice. One can also bet on how many sevens will be rolled, including none. The Hole gets to roll Seven Times, then it passes to the right.

Grand Games

Where people go, so too goes the need for competitive sport. On Wyrlde, there are a few different kinds of Grand Games, and each is very much a part of everyday life.

500 years ago, the Black Emperor ordered that there be built a grand and great Stadium in Sibola and granted to his eight Dukes the right to found and train and prepare Vanguards. And from that humble beginning arose The Grand Games, the Spectacles, the Show of Shows, the one thing that has overwhelmed all other entertainments in the Empire – and even beyond, for even Antilia has built a Stadium.

A Stadium is a vast, oval building that typically rises five, seven, or even nine stories high. Made of vast blocks of stone, they can vary in decoration and manner, but are set up so that one can enter from twenty-five marked points at the ground level and make one’s way up the many ramps to the different levels. The levels are important, for the wealthiest have large terraces on the third level, regardless of the height, and the first level is reserved for the assorted participants in these shocking and stunningly varied games. All the other levels are set for those who can afford seating, which is typically in a small are called a box, with four seats to each space, and beyond that they are packed tight. In the very tall ones, the seating is little more than a bench that surrounds the entire thing, for those who are the poorest but still want to partake in the viewing.

There are other places, as well – smaller, fashioned of wood more often, typically around 3 stories tall, with the nobility and participants all crammed into the same first level. While the vast City Stadiums can hold as many 30,000 people (nearly half to a third of a city!), these smaller ones can hold perhaps one to two thousand.

All of them share a few traits in common though – originally as part of an Imperial decree (that was immediately flouted by Aztlan), but today more a formalized aspect because of complaints from the guilds. First is the size of them. A Stadium is oval in shape, 500 feet wide and 700 feet long. Within it lies what on the surface appears to be an Arena that is also oval, 300 feet wide and 500 feet long. The Arena is surrounded by a seven-foot-high wall, beyond which is a seven foot wide, double that deep trench, above which rises the seating are, with the first ring of seats also having stairs that descend at 25 points that do not match the entrances, being slightly rotated. The “stands”, or seating area, is divided into 25 sections as well, and within each section are either marked boxes or general seating, depending on the level.

Beneath the arena, which in its most basic form appears to be little more than polished stone tiles, lies the warren of rooms, passages, chambers, secrets, ways, means, and places to turn this massive place into all manner of possible environments, and a small army of people to not only make it all work, but to do it on time in sequence. It is said that the art of clockworking began here, and that some of the amazing clockworks one can buy of grand games are derived from the massive wheels and cogs and levers and what not that allow the entire are to be changed. Sand can be moved out to cover the floor, grass can be raised, the whole thing can be flooded, and more.

Situated about halfway along the length of the Arena are two large entrances, typically about 25 feet high and 25 feet wide. These massive openings are sealed by immense doors that can open in sections as needed, from something the size of a person up to something the size of a great ship.

The top of each Stadium is ringed with long poles that are connected to a vast ring, and within the ring is a grid of triangles arranged to support both ropes and pulleys and chains and other items, but also that supports a series of narrow walkways that cross and provide further capabilities beneath the grid. Above, the grid supports large sheets of waterproofed canvas, which also hangs over the seating areas, though less rigidly, Water from rain is always collected, however – it provides the best source for the aquatic spectaculars and is stored in cisterns beneath the building. Vast fires and other features exist, including ritual spaces for the workers who help to shape the events that are possibly the most important entertainment in all of Wyrlde.

Lighting is made possible through carefully placed movable mirrors that right upper walls, above the heads of the highest level of spectators. These are manned and moved throughout the day for lighting effects and to ensure that the whole of the Arena is well lit. The larger boxes and nobility patios all have additional lighting as well.

Stadiums are laid out along a compass line, and at one end of the stadium, slightly overhanging the very edge of the Arena, is the Imperial Box, though really it is just called that because of the one in Sibola. It is a small pavilion, able to seat about thirty or so, but is the place for the ruler of the area to sit and enjoy the entertainment.

While the Stadiums themselves are incredibly structures, based on very ancient designs, they are themselves only one of the many wonders that surround the Grand Games.

Grand Games are held in every city and town, and some villages that have built one, every 10th and 24^th of the month. They are held even if there is a local festival – they just end up becoming combined, and the truth is most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. The night of the 9^th and the morning of the 11^th (and the same for the 23^rd and 25^th) there is a festival like atmosphere, with betting, celebrations, parties, vendors selling food and banners – it is an experience in and of itself, and the Circle of Lanterns is known to run some very interesting deals. Entire lives are planned around these games.

Each Stadium has five to nine, and traditionally eight, though one is always considered lower and an upstart and unworthy, official Campuses, and these are where the peculiar arts of entertainment are taught apprenticed, built up, and sometimes even housed. In the earliest years, these campuses included a barracks, a training field, and tutors, all derived and supported by the Dukes. These days, while nobility is still involved in many cases, they are often owned, run, and operated by patrons or well-connected merchants.

For the poor, enrollment in a Campus offers a trade, regular food, housing of sorts and a fighting chance of fame and fortune. If they are not able to work as Vanguards, they may find trade and new skills as one of the hundreds who supported the games, which happen with little failure on a schedule and persist enough that one can make a very respectable living.

The Grand Games are advertised well beforehand, on billboards that gave the planned main events for the games, the Curator of the Stadium, the participating Campuses and their most famous or infamous members, date, and the number of paired Vanguards to be used. The cost for a seat can vary from 2 Bits for a bench seat at the top where one might get a nosebleed or neck cramp looking down, to a full crown if you can get a noble to give up their box.

Other highlighted features could include details of featured beasts to be shown or slain, executions, music and any luxuries to be provided for the spectators, such as an awning against the sun, water sprinklers, food, drink, sweets and occasionally “door prizes”. For enthusiasts and gamblers, a more detailed program was distributed on the day before, showing the names, types and match records of Vanguard pairs, and their order of appearance.

There is absolutely no question that the Vanguards are the stars of the show when it comes to the Grand Games. Skilled, trained, fierce, cunning, creative, and known to be able to cleave through entire forces almost singlehanded, there are few who would say that they do not deserve it, for while they are best known for their martial prowess, their true skill is still and always a gift for showmanship.

They are not, however, the only thing that happens at the Grand Games, for they are a constant, ongoing competition that ultimately ends in the weeklong Imperial Games held in Sibola on every anniversary of the Emperor’s ascension. This is currently Meadow 15^th. A Grand Cycle, where the competitors vie to move forward in rankings, is two years, and so after an average of two dozen Games, their particular aspect of performance is honed to a fine edge. This can be important, especially for many of the more unusual side events.

Where I came from originally, I remember some odd things, though they are often vague and seem quite strange. But among them are county fairs, carnivals, circuses, sport contests, and craft shows. The Grand Games are a lot like all those things thrown together at once. With brutal contests of assorted types added in.

Entry

Anyone can enter the games, but everyone must pay a fee of 1 Shilling per event entered into. One need not be a member of a Campus, and one can enter as a team – so long as each member of the team is paid for. Entrants must specify which events they are entering and are walked to the areas for them to await, where they are typically attended by rather burly and experienced guards who have an additional role in ensuring that they do not suddenly change their minds.

Once entered, one must complete one’s event, though standing doesn’t matter.

Events

The Grand Games start early, with announcements just before the Morning Bell and lasting until the Night Bell is rung. For some events, multiple activities will be going on at once, and for others the audience applause combined with judges is what determines a win. In events that happen around the Stadium, craftsfolk might be showing off their finest work, artisans may be competing within a given theme, and bards may be practicing or performing. I one was asked to judge the work of confectioners who had been asked to craft bouquets of flowers from little more than pure sugar and I will forever be in awe of what I saw.

At the Morning Bell’s last peal, a procession enters the arena, led by Heralds who bear the standards that signify the Sponsoring Noble and the Stadium Lord. They are followed by a small band of trumpeters playing a fanfare. Next is a group of scribes to record the outcome, and a group of Glitterati who carry the assorted wreaths, circlets, and bouquets used to honor victors. The Apprentices then enter as a retinue who carry the arms and armor to be used, and the section chiefs and Games designers as well as other folks. After them come the many assorted performers who will have a scant Chime to prove themselves, and finally they come, last no but least: The Vanguard.

This is a quick procession, marching quickly around the Arena in a single circuit before the Arena floor begins its transformation. While this happens, there is likely to be a troupe of burlesque musicians and tumblers, perhaps including a well-trained animal doing something silly in a peculiar costume, and they may even do a sort of mock version of the proceedings about to happen. These troupes will appear throughout the day, providing distraction as the Arena configures. Within the stands themselves, vendors will travel selling and providing food and drinks, baubles, flowers, and more to the spectators. As the Arena nears completion, the performers will vanish, and the Stadium Lord will announce the first event.

In a given day, there are going to be 10 Arena based events. There are 25 different kinds of events that can be held, and within each is a variety of ways in which it can be held, and Stadium Lords are often hired based on how creative they can be. Some will combine two different kinds of events, for example.

A Stadium Lord’s role is to ensure that their games are entertaining, that they are exciting, that there is something that will become memorable about them, and to please their Sponsor, typically a noble, in doing all of those things well. Public sentiment is usually a major deciding factor, and more than a few stadium Lords have been removed or penalized for a bad games.

There are five broad groupings: Blood Sports, Entertainments, Physical Prowess, Skilled Competitions, and Team Events. Events are accompanied by music, played as interludes, or building to a “frenzied crescendo” during combats to heighten the suspense during a Vanguard’s appeal; blows may be accompanied by trumpet-blasts and drum strikes, staggers accompanied by violin arpeggios. The whole is very much a production, even if the stakes and risks are very real – and those who can appeal to the crowd will find their efforts and rewards improved.

The possible kinds of events, and their subtypes in some cases, are described below.

Blood Sports

Blood Sports are the combat and martial arts battles of the Grand Games. These are the highlight of the day, and are as inventive, varied and novel as the Stadium can afford. Before the Blood Sports begin, a whole fanciful production is done to make a show of the Stadium Lord checking all the weapons to be used in the next event. It ends with the naming of the bouts. It should be noted that Blood Sports can involve several different efforts. From solo matches to outright campus grudge matches.

Battle Arts

In this format, entrants are given two sticks, one stick for offense, one for defense, and told to essentially beat the crap out of each other.

Beast Hunts

The entertainments often began with beast hunts. Meganimals and Beasts, abominations, aberrations, constructs, and horrors are all among the favorite spectacles, the brave Vanguards fighting them and taking them down.

Challenges

These are often featured matches, frequently between famous Vanguards, but always one on one. Challenge match terms are agreed to beforehand by the challengers and can (and are pressured to) include death.

Daftdeft

A free-for-all hand to hand fight that mixes boxing, kicking, and wrestling. There are only three rules: don’t bite (nobody likes a biter), don’t go for genitals, and don’t gouge out your opponent’s eyes. Everything else is fair game. Except in rare cases where a judge might intervene, the fights lasted until one person surrenders or dies.

Mage craft

Mage craft against mage craft. Note that this can include Swordmage Duels. It always features two, though each bout may be a part of a larger series. Only elemental and Force magics are allowed, and there is a ritual protective shield raised over them to safeguard.

Specialty Vanguard Events

Most Vanguard Events pair off either teams belong to a Campus, or Solos, in an assortment of possible formats. The Vanguards may hold informal warm-up matches, using blunted or dummy weapons – some Vanguard, however, may use blunted weapons throughout.

Armored Glove Boxing	Blindfolded	Blunt & Spiked	Heavy Armored	Jousting/Mounted
Knife Fighting	Lasso & Spear	Light Armored	Medium Armored	Net & Trident
Spear/Polearms	Unarmored	Comedic Bouts

Entertainments

Entertainments are set in between the other events and feature an assortment of things meant to get the crowd excited or to entertain and have them judge the efforts of competitors.

Executions

Executions are rare, and so they tend to get a particular degree of prominence. They are exactly as it says: an execution. Often the condemned will be armed and allowed to defend themselves, in order to provide a show, but the end result is always predetermined – even if they win, they will merely be returned in 14 days’ time to face it again, and they will not be given medical care.

Vanguards have been involved in these as executioners, though most of the crowd, and the Vanguards themselves, prefer the “dignity” of an even contest.

Oration & Debate

Oration is a skill and typically two persons will be given a time to speak – sometimes four, with a concomitant reduction in time, as they take turns, and they are adjudged by both a panel of Scholars and by the audience applause. Usually done mid-day when people are hungry.

Performance

Performances by solo artists, troupes, and more, of almost any sort, so long as it can set up, be taken down, and done within the passage of a single Chime.

Seascapes

For this, they fill the arena with water, add a bunch of boats and recreate famous naval battles. These are often extremely bloody, often featuring prisoners sentenced to die if there are enough, or those desperate for a chance to get into a Campus or even make their way solo and become a Vanguard (even Apprentices), are set to fight one another with very high mortality rates, unlike many other competitions.

Landscapes

Reenactment of famous battles done on dry land, just like above.

Physical Prowess

These are contests held in three groupings: Men, Women, and Enby. The goal is to be the best in their group, and then the final rounds of each are done among the three winners. It is often startling to many how often a woman wins.

Acrobatics

Gymnastics & Acrobatics on a specially designed course, with requirements for certain kinds of movements.

Fitness

A competition that requires swimming running, and exercise while bearing a 75 pound pack.

Obstacle Course

An Obstacle Course that must be completed by the entrants in the time allotted – and these are very dangerous and sometimes deadly courses in the Imperial Games.

Racing

Running. Sometimes hurdles are added, sometimes the Arena is set to alter, and sometimes the contestants are armed.

Tossing

Weightlifting and Throwing (lift it and throw it). The infamous Toss of Brillan Mastagar, a dwarf who hurled a 12 foot pole an astonishing 30 feet is still talked about eighty years later. A subvariant is hammer tossing.

Skilled Competitions

These competitions involve demonstrating skill and are all entrants welcome.

Archery

Archery.

Axe Throwing

Throwing Axes at a target

Charioteering

Chariot Racing.

Hurling

Hurling weights for distance and accuracy.

Knife Throwing

Throwing Knives and darts at a target.

Team Events

There are five Events that are specifically only for teams. The same Campuses often sponsor these teams, and that quite grueling.

Battleball

Battleball involves a hard, round ball about eight inches in diameter that must be delivered into a “Safe zone” from the middle of the field, which spans the length of the arena. The teams are made up of 9 persons on each team, and the only rule is that no one can be hurt so bad they cannot continue or the team forfeits.

It is a shocking brutal game.

Bloodshot

This is the game of those who are prepared to die. It is played pretty much like Burnshot, save that hips, elbows, and heads can be used as well (just no hands), and the ball is usually a semisoft, sawdust filled ball wrapped in twine and covered with leather. However, the game is played with all players having to carry two knives.

Burnshot

The objective here is to get the metal, six inch diameter ball through a hole on the opposing team’s side that measures 2 feet square and sits seven feet off the ground. Behind the whole is a chute that returns the ball to the field. Two or four teams play this on a field that is 100 feet long and 100 feet wide, and often there are two bouts going at once. Teams are made up of five people, and they have to get the ball through that space only with their feet. The ball is filled with burning coals, and the game lasts exactly one Chime.

Ropewar

Essentially one big game of tug-of-war, played over a huge fire or mud pit. As you may have guessed, the losers either showed their cowardice by letting go, or became intimately acquainted with a roaring fire pit. The gambling on this one is huge, and it is said the penalty for allowing gaming to influence one’s actions is death. Each side is allowed up to 25 players on each end of the heavy, thick rope. Both sides must be equal in both number and weight, and there are five weight categories. In the Imperial Games, the pit is said to be filled with acid. Not true. But the little fish in it may make it seem that way.

Watersports

A game where a team competes with another to strike a target and score a point in the other teams territory. In six foot deep water, and the ball cannot touch the water or the team in control loses a point. This is one of the few games longer than a chime – it is typical for it to be set for two chimes.

Prizes

Victors always receive Prizes, split most often with any sponsor they may have. Some of the most common prizes are feasts, weapons, items of value, items of desire, and of course, wealth. In the Imperial Games, these prizes can consist of significant sums of money – one year the grand Prize was ten Crowns, though usually they will be something less.

Prize money and gambling are at the heart of all the games, for they are what support the efforts of a Vanguard, a Campus, and patrons. Gambling is done on everything, both formally and informally, organized, and friendly.

The Vanguards

Spectators prefer to watch highly skilled, well-matched Vanguard with complementary fighting styles; these are also the costliest to train and to hire.

A general melee of several, lower-skilled Vanguards is far less costly, but also less popular. Even among the Vanguard, match winners might have to fight a new, well-rested opponent, either by prearrangement; or a “substitute” Vanguard who fought at the whim of the Stadium Lord as an unadvertised, unexpected “extra”. This yields two combats for the cost of three Vanguards, rather than four; such contests are prolonged, and in some cases, bloodier.

At the opposite level of the profession, a Vanguard reluctant to confront his opponent might be whipped, or goaded with hot irons, until he engages through sheer desperation. Combats between experienced, well-trained Vanguards demonstrate a considerable degree of stagecraft. Among the cognoscenti, bravado and skill in combat are esteemed over mere hacking and bloodshed; some Vanguards make their careers and reputation from bloodless victories.

Trained Vanguards are expected to observe professional rules of combat. Most matches employ a senior referee and an assistant to caution or separate opponents at some crucial point in the match. Referees are usually retired Vanguards whose decisions, judgement and discretion are, for the most part, respected; they can stop bouts entirely, or pause them to allow the combatants rest, refreshment and a rub-down. A Vanguard who refuses mercy is dispatched by their opponent. To die well, a Vanguard should never ask for mercy, nor cry out. A “good death” redeemed the Vanguard from the dishonorable weakness and passivity of defeat and provided a noble example to those who watched: A match is won by the Vanguard who overcomes his opponent or kills him outright.

Victors receive an award from the Stadium Lord. An outstanding fighter might receive a crown and money from an appreciative crowd but for anyone originally condemned the greatest reward was manumission, symbolized by the gift of a wooden training sword from the Stadium Lord. This is rare, but does happen, particularly if a given condemned somehow survives seven matches – it is considered an Ordeal and judgement of the Powers That Be.

A Vanguard can acknowledge defeat by raising a finger, in appeal to the referee to stop the combat and refer to the Stadium Lord, whose decision usually rests on the crowd’s response. In the earliest Grand Games, death was considered a righteous penalty for defeat; later, those who fought well might be granted remission at the whim of the crowd or the Stadium Lord.

The contract between Stadium Lord and the Campuses may include compensation for unexpected deaths; this can be some fifty times higher than the lease price of the Vanguard.

The night before the Games, the Vanguards are given a banquet and opportunity to order their personal and private affairs; it is sometimes called a “last meal” to acknowledge the truth of a Vanguard: for some, these games will be deadly.

Campuses

Vanguard Schools.

Campuses are headed by their familia Vanguardia, which after signing on have lawful power over life and death of every family member – that is, all the members of the Campus. Socially, new Vanguard are on the same level as pimps and butchers and as despised as price gougers. No such stigma was attached to a Campus owner of good family, high status, and independent means. Campuses will rent out Vanguards for private functions of various sorts, and there is a reason that Vanguards are often very handsome, very beautiful, or very appealing. In some cases, this kind of activity can make up for the entirety of a training program for them.

Volunteers require a magistrate’s permission to join a Campus as an Apprentice. If this is granted, the Campus’ physician assesses their suitability. Their contract stipulates how often they are to perform, their fighting style and earnings. A bankrupt or debtor accepted as an Apprentice can negotiate with his Familia Vanguardia for the partial or complete payment of his debt.

All prospective Vanguards, whether volunteer or condemned, are bound to service by a sacred oath. Apprentices train under teachers of fighting styles, probably retired Vanguards. They can ascend through a hierarchy in the same way as any other profession, with Grand Master Vanguards being a very rare thing indeed. Lethal weapons are prohibited in the schools – weighted, blunt wooden versions are used. Fighting styles are learned through constant rehearsal as choreographed “sequences. An elegant, economical style is preferred. Training includes preparation for a stoic, unflinching death. Vanguards are typically accommodated in cells, arranged in barrack formation around a central practice arena. Discipline can be extreme, even lethal. Successful training requires intense commitment.

Those condemned are branded or marked with a tattoo on the left side of the neck. Condemned are usually sent to a given Campus under a contract, and at least one (in Durango) is almost exclusively made up of condemned persons.