Black Rose

Faction name: Black Rose
Faction type: Faction
Status: Defunct
 
Former townships: Makou City

Formed many years ago by one named Amanar, the Black Rose had evolved from a ruthless band of outlaws caring only about power, into a more lawful society. The lands were still controlled by outlaws, but one could have come across others such as law abiding citizens and followers of major churches.

Black Rose was different from others in that they were not a tight-knit family. They were a community no different from Westbridge and ZoZo. It was uncommon to see citizens battling other citizens, but one would never see a citizen battling higher ranking Roses in fear of exile.

After the assassination of Amanar, a dual leadership of Zeros and Turiya replaced the head of the then Black Rose cult. It was Turiya who then pushed forth and changed the direction of the Black Rose. Zeros was then conveniently murdered by a member of the Church of Strife and was exiled from the Black Rose after resurrection. This left Turiya as dictator. In retrospect, both the murder as the assassination might have been in the hands of Turiya, which sealed the fate of the Black Rose, sending its down onto its path of extinction.

Rules
The rules show that this faction was one of exclusion, which preferred to keep knowledge secret, in an attempt to be superior over others. The rules listed here are adapted to be readable.

• Membership in the Cult of the Black Rose was limited to 10. There was no limit to members of the Faction.
• One was not allowed to reveal the secrets of the Black Rose to any non-member. In practice, this meant they expected restring of equipment so no one could recognize it.
• One was not allowed to shirk from a fight. Being outnumbered meant you should not run or hide. This did not mean 'stand and die', but it was expected that one would at least make the effort to put up a good fight.
• Leadership issues would be settled in combat.
• Losing a fight (outside of the arena) meant a loss in status. Members would become initiates, initiates were banished. The exception to this rule was the leader. Should the leader be killed then he or she could choose exile.
• Black Rose members were allowed to spar with each other, but never in the arena. Initiates were fair game: it was up to them to prove themselves against us as well as others.
• Rules were decided by the leaders and reviewed on a regular basis.

Merchants of Sembia

Faction name: Merchants of Sembia
Faction type: Faction
Status: Defunct
 
Former townships: Old Thalos, Sembia

"Honor Through Wealth"

Originally hailing from the east,  the Merchants of Sembia  were a  group of  people, banded together by one common goal: money. Members were honorable merchants who had an unquenchable thirst and drive for  trading and above all else, a larger bank account.

Apostles of the Crypt

Faction name: Apostles of the Crypt
Faction type: Faction
Status: Defunct
 
Former townships: Crypts of the Undead

Originally founded as a subdivision of the Vectorian Empire, the Apostles of the Crypt were the clandestine  assassin squad of Kefka's. Prior to the war with the Tripower, Lord Kefka used them to help murder Ganon Vector. As an undead experiment, the assassin's of the Apostles were highly effective during the in-fighting.

Once Kefka was defeated by the might of the Tripower, the Apostles went into hiding. During the years since the war, a select few of them rose to the top and built up secret political and economic connections. The higher ups of the Apostles were hidden within several governments and businesses posing as the figure heads for noble families, all the while manipulating behind the scenes. They said to have manipulated the petty lives of the living in order to attain their goals.

Just because they preferred to use means other than brute force,  did not mean they were weak. Immortal lifespans gave them many deadly skills that they employed when necessary. Being an Apostle of the Crypt required secrecy, skill, and intelligence.

The Jihad

Faction name: The Jihad
Faction type: Faction
Status: Defunct
 
Former townships: Jenova
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Ao sent the RoK before, in an attempt to fully destroy the Apprentice. Each time it was sent, it was beaten back... and sent again generations later. It is for this reason that Jihad believed Ao to be evil, and needed to be destroyed. The Jenovese (Jihad) believed that by destroying the RoK in its current incarnation, it was only leaving the problem to future generations. Jihad sought a long-term solution.

In the time before time, Ao took on a pupil, the Apprentice. Ao gave unto his Apprentice a world to build life. And build life he did. When the time came to inspect his pupil's work, Ao discovered his Apprentice had created a world far superior to his own. In jealousy, Ao sought to destroy this new world. The Apprentice opposed him and was murdered alongside his creations. The Great Realms would not see life again until the mortals Nisstyre and Teron stumbled upon it millennia later.

In his final moments, the Apprentice prophesied his own return: when next Ao destroyed the Great Realms, the Apprentice would be resurrected to reclaim his throne, as well as Ao's throne for his treachery.  In making this prophecy, the Apprentice vested his final lifeforce into the RoK, thus making it a dead god. By worshipping the RoK, many Jenovese hoped to sustain and strengthen that ailing force. They also believed that by doing so, they left an imprint of their soul upon the Apprentice's memory- and would be Reborn after the RoK struck and Ao would be defeated.

It should be noted that not all of the Jenovese worshiped the RoK, or sought its fall. The common citizens of Jenova often played no role in their government's schemes. Also, Jihad's five Divisions varied slightly in their beliefs.  Lastly, there was the fanatical group which called itself Dissonance. This group of Cyricists believed the Prophecy was a prophecy of Cyric ascending to Elder Godhood *as* the Apprentice.

The five Divisions of Jihad were:

• (HoF) Harbingers of Faith
• (WoR) Warriors of Ragnarok
• (JNP) Jihad Naval Patrol
• (JRO) Jenovese Reconnaissance Order
• (JRS) Jihad Research Syndicate

Pax Faerunis

Faction name: Pax Faerunis
Faction type: Faction
Status: Defunct
 
Former townships: Westbridge
Alignment: Neutral Good

The Pax Faerunis ('The Peace of Faerun') started as an alliance between the Church of Celestia, The Harpers, and the Church of Mysteries. This ancient pact eventually included the Church of Justice and, eventually, the Seraphic Templars as well. They governed over Westbridge after winning the election by a landslide. In addition to actively working to keep Westbridge free from evil, The Pax Faerunis had also set its sights on The Rok, the meteor which threatened to strike. Their purpose was to bring peace and freedom to whatever lands they controlled. Assorted members of four clans came together to use their unique talents to combat whatever force threatened peaceful people.

The Church of Mysteries worshiped Mystra, Goddess of Magic - seeking out new and old magic alike, protecting and preserving it. The Church of Celestia were peace-loving worshippers if Celestia, looking out into the Heavens for inspiration. The Church of Justice - worshippers of Tyr, The Even Handed - meted out impartial justice. And finally, The Harpers, always moved behind the scenes, to maintain the balance of power in the Realms.

As The Rok - that Bringer of Death to All - came ever closer, members of these organizations made their longstanding alliance into a political entity - no longer neutral, not longer pacifist.

The Mystrans opened their secret libraries and magical storehouses to their allies by preparing 'The Archive' - the largest collection of magical knowledge the Realms had seen.

The Celestians, once content to gaze at the stars, turned their eyes to The Rok, flaming over the Realms - promising destruction. With the help of the other allies, they were contructing 'The Celestial Focus' - a telescope that would peer into the heart of The Rok itself.

The Tyrrans had contributed their administrative, and governing skills, to help the Mystrans and Celestians raise the funds necessary to complete their tasks. Their honor, and fairness kept their city politically stable, and kept hope alive that a solution will be found. All citizens could look upon their 'Temple of The High Court' and knew that they were ruled justly.

And finally, The Harpers sent their agents out into the Realms, infiltrating the other governments and factions of the land - watching, waiting - sending much needed information back to their home city.

Nytek Corporation

Faction name: NyTek Research
Faction type: Faction
Status: Defunct
 
Former townships: Torregiano

The annals of history mentioned little about NyTek. It is rumoured they once served as a research organization regarding the four swords of Ragnarok.

According to the Apostles of Sune, Nytek was a small, secretive organization dedicated to research and study. Specifically, Nytek was responsible for many advances in the fields of Makou Energy, as well as airship design and manufacture. Nytek corporation was extremely wealthy, and had virtually limitless cash flow. The TriPower and Nytek joined forces at one point to create an alliance of unparalleled power. Nytek offices were in Torregiano, as well as at the mysterious Tenhauser gate.

Flame

Faction name: Flame
Faction type: Faction
Status: Defunct
 
Former townships: Polaris

Devoted to the God of Fire, Kossuth, Flame was his mortal agents within the realms. With the rise of the Church of Istishia the influence of Kossuth was threatened, as was the intention of the members of the Church of Istishia.  From this threat FLAME was born. Atandella and Elbryan stepped up and gathered all of those that would follow them in the fight against the water loving church. With Istishia under control, Flame broadened itself by setting out to help the people of Polaris. Their mission was to relieve them of the constant chill they were forced to live with every day

Some of their tasks were:

• To exalt and preach the truths of Lord Kossuth's benign nature in the face of Istishian lies and deceit.
• To spread the welcoming influence of His blessings to those that were in need.
• To preserve the Fire Lord's good name in the face of all difficulties.
• To defeat the Church of Istishia's goals to plunge the realms into elemental imbalance.
• To make it known that any of like heart and mind were welcome within the Fire Ranks in their most holy of missions.

Emirc Dezinagro Syndicate

Faction name: Emirc Dezinagro Syndicate
Faction type: Faction
Status: Defunct
 
Former townships: The Underdark, Darrowmere, and Meznoberranzan

The Syndicate was a group of individuals whose goals were self preservation and the enrichment of its members by any means necessary. It was a self sustaining organization that renounced all forms of government and relied solely on the bond of its citizens to provide a safe haven for people of all takes who shared the same common goals. The diversity of people within the Syndicate was easily noted, even in its leadership. Everyone from renowned crimelords to distinguished merchants had found their place as part of the Syndicate, and called the lands of the Syndicate home.

In order to ensure each citizen could attain the common goals of the Syndicate, its leaders performed the following tasks:

1. Ensure all lands in which the Syndicate resided remained free of any rule and that those lands served their purpose in acting as safe havens from any form of government.

2. Ensure all citizens had a means of attaining the common goals by granting support in the effects of financial, mercantile, arcane, brute force, and safety.

3. Ensure any and all threats to the Syndicate as a whole or to any single citizen were dealt with accordingly and in a timely manner.

In return, the citizens of the Syndicate agreed to unite in times of need and when called upon by the leaders to fend off threats to any citizen or to the lands in which the Syndicate resided. This unity allowed renowned crimebosses, The Rejected of Society, and anarchists to find a safe haven from the law of former lands in which they resided. On top of that, it was a feasible way to filter themselves into society as merchants or traders, if they wished, without being questioned. Merchants, politicians, and nobles of the realm were attracted to the Syndicate because their trade deals, supplies, and trade routes were guaranteed to be safe along with the fact that there was no taxation, government restrictions, or regulations imposed on them.

Church of Istishia

Faction name: Church of Istishia
Faction type: Faction
Status: Defunct

Former township: New Thalos

Istishia, Elemental Lord of Water, had a varied and scattered following around the Realms. Folk of all walk of life came together to revere the God-King of the Undines and furthered His goals. Because of their diversity, Istishians were most often found in a number of cults, though time had seen the occasional rise and fall of a unified church. They could be identified by their devotion to their God and by their symbol, a cresting wave.

Perceiving that the balance has been shattered due to the influence of Kossuth, the Fire Lord, the Istishians believed that the natural balance of power had shifted and skewed the way of the Realms. His following, known as the Flame, had grown strong and altered the very nature of things. Their work, while good in intention, caused disruption and had to be stopped before things spiraled out of control. Heeding the call of their God, the members of the Church of Istishia pooled their strength to wear down the Flame and return things to the way they were before. Like the tide ebbing and flowing, so they believed the balance would be returned so that the Realms might live peacefully once again.

Istishia's church was varied and chaotic since she took no interest in its structure. As a result it was a collection of cults with each faction coming up with its own ethics, codes, morals, and teachings. Istishia's symbol varied greatly from faction to faction, but was generally a wave of water. It was believed that if Istishia's following (or any of the other Elementals) were to somehow become unified she could become a very powerful force in the Realms. Something the other gods disliked.

Priests of Istishia can be of any alignment. They dressed in whatever their faction deemed appropriate for the representation of their god. This was usually flowing robes and capes in deep blues, greens, and purples. They tended to use light armor and shields, and used tridents, spears, javelins, nets, and bludgeoning weapons.

Tripower Kingdom

Faction name: Tripower Kingdom
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Government
Patron: Nisstyre

In the name of the king, the senate and the people: we are the Tripower.

• We are government and you are free to follow your own religion, as long as it does not undermine the Kingdom. We offer sanctuary within our lands for your ceremonies, but we are not concerned with your deity. You are free to worship any God, Goddess or tree you so desire.


• We accept and welcome any alignment as a succesful government needs people of all pursuasions. Good, neutral or evil, we pass no judgement on your lifestyle choices.


•  We take care of our own. All for one, and one for all. Even the dark side of the Tripower will stand to aid any of their fellow citizens in need.


•  We are scientists, inventors, artists, writers, musicians, magicians, soldiers, politicians, citizens and above all, sworn enemies of all things Vector.


•  We have no aggression towards anyone other than Vector. Nevertheless, we will fight to the end to defend what is ours, should the need arise. Furthermore, as with all governments, we cannot be responsible for what our fringe members might happen to do.


•  We welcome all, and invite anyone who harbours a grudge against Vector and anything they may have done to you or someone you know.

The Hoard

Faction name: The Hoard
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Neutral
Patron: Gond

"Power can be taken, but not given. The process of the taking is empowerment in itself."

In the wake of the Great Fall of Cruoris, amidst the surge of apostates and the disaffected, the realms saw chaos. From within that chaos, we saw opportunity. And from that opportunity came the Hoard. Bound only in loyalty to each other, beholden to no gods, the Hoard lay beyond reach of any government.

Steadily working behind the scenes, we have amassed fortunes of money, knowledge, and influence. Uniting scholars and soldiers, merchants, even individuals from darker walks of life. The Hoard has expanded its bounds to envelop many of the facets of daily life in the realms. Dealing in economic affairs, financially backing politicians, even providing the finest protection of cargo or escorts. Our presence can be felt in every facet of the daily life within the realms, if one is looking in the right place.

Sometimes our methods may come into question, but it is not control we seek, merely the profit where control is found lacking. It is not our place to take a side. Such an action could cost our organization
not just money, but damage that which we value most. The integrity of our commitments, regardless of who bid the highest. We are usurers of the highest quality, an impartial hand guided simply by the flow of wealth.

Radiant Heart

Faction name: Radiant Heart
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Good
Patron: Fenmarel

The nemesis of both the Long Death and the Maelstrom, these noble beings are committed to upholding honour and ridding the realms of injustice, chaos and evil. These are experienced fighters who are willing to sacrifice their life to rid the realms of evil and they can be almost fanatical in their zeal. They are an exclusive bunch and are treated by the good with respect and reverance.

They are often the ones frightened citizens come to asking for help from the forces of evil that haunt them.  The members of the Radiant Heart are to be trusted and looked up to, youngsters start at an early age training to join this venerable group.

Order of the Long Death

Faction name: Order of the Long Death
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Evil
Patron:Vaprak

Death is the only thing guiding this group. Be it a quick death or a slow prolonged death, it's all about the dying. Rumor has it a small cult in the Long Death is trained to prolong death as long as possible while inflicting as much pain as possible to learn what they can. Pain, torture, suffering, blood, horror, decay, stench, rotting corpses and the complete defiling of dead bodies - this is the Long Death.

Maelstrom

Faction name: Maelstrom
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Evil
Patron: ---
 
Chaos. One word sums up all that is Maelstrom. They may be NPK but their nature is one of chaos, anarchy and lawless bliss.  They despise the rules of all the governments and are sworn enemies with the Order of the Radiant Heart. They see no value in structure, only the instant gratification that comes from the onslaught of chaos and the residue that remains.

All anarchists and fans of chaos are welcomed here, the structure is loose and clan members have no love or loyalty for each other past the desire to bring chaos to all those who fight for order.

Keepers of Balance

Faction name: Keepers of Balance
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Neutral
Patron: Sune

From the burning ashes of chaos, life must prevail, endure, and renew. Toril, left to its own ends by the absence of the Gods, has found itself deeply at odds. Crusaders for right war on one side - pushing for good at any cost, while Death rampages on the other - willing to go to any means for suffering and torment.  Governments have banded together in opposition of one another, and many without affiliation are left in the ruins. Political ambitions and extreme polarization has filled the vacuum left in the wake of the Black Churchs war on the world. Until now.

The Keepers of Balance are a group of  individuals seeking to counter the extreme polarization of the world through balance. The chasm left when opposing  forces move apart so violently always leaves a void of disarray in  its wake. Balance is the  understanding that  while each and every position has an opposing side, each side is necessary in order to define the other. Good would not exist without evil, nor evil without good; tolerance is required to evoke this depth of understanding.

Members have  the freedom to pursue any focus within the clan - be it balance between magic and technology, balance between good and evil, balance between riches and poverty, balance between knowledge and ignorance - as long as there is an imbalance in the world of any kind, our members can seek to correct it. Those committed to filling the space between polarities and espousing the ideals of tolerance are welcomed into our halls.

Through the spreading of balance and tolerance, we seek to end the age of chaos  that has  gripped Toril.  Though  balance and  tolerance, we strive to bring into order to what is in disarray.  Through balance is the truth, and through truth, balance.

Joybringers

Faction name: Joybringers
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Good
Patron: Lliira

Lliira is a patron, this is not a church of Lliira worhshippers, there is a cult for that. This chuch is about joy and joy comes in all forms from all or no deities. Joy - the common bond.

'Each day is another movement in the Elysian Rigadoon, the joyful dance of a life lived in rapture and without care or frustration. The joybringers seek joy by working to bestow it upon others in their celebrations, songs, and poetry. Festivals are thrown for all. We gather into celebrations the lost, the lonely, the exiled and outlaw, the shunned, and even our foes. We let people follow their own desires, and in return we never fail to follow our own with a smile on our lips and a rhythm in our step.'

Fear

Faction name: Fear
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Evil
Patron: Bane

Little is known about this mysterious organization as its patron is Bane, Lord of Darkness, has a small but loyal following. However, Bane is all about fear, coercion, sacrifice, demented plots and vile intrigues. Knowing that, the tone is set.

Black Church

Faction name: Black Church
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Evil
Patron: Malar

Jenova - The Mother. Ragnarok - The Father. Sephiroth - The Son.

Members of the Black Church are followers of Sephiroth. They would lay down their lives for the Lord and believe themselves to be infused  with Jenova cells, rendering them special. Their only concern is to serve the "High Priest of the Apprentice, charged with the task of completing the Apprentice's resurrection." They are secretive, devout and have definite plans for the lands beyond the Deva Kingdom. Nothing matters for these beings beyond the long-term goal of seeing the Apprentice returned to the lands at the hand of Sephiroth. However many deaths or disease or famines must occur are merely a means to an end. They feel no love or compassion for those outside their ranks and their entire being truly resides around the One True Son - Sephiroth.

Sentinels of Ehlonna

Faction name: Sentinels of Ehlonna
Faction type: Cult
Status: Defunct

Under the threat of Jihad's destructive plans against nature, sages, rangers and other nature orientated people from various races and places banded together under the flag of the goddess Ehlonna in the year 1270. Never before did the nature orientated classes band together at such a scale. Within a year the Sentinels had risen to great power, and their great hall could be found just southwest of the western gate of Westbridge. However, as the threat waned, Sentinel leadership disintegrated and the cult fell victim on an ideological struggle. A final coup supported by the goddess herself backfired and the Sentinels ceased to be. The great hall of the former sentinels was sold. And although the building still stands today, it serves as a Hoard outpost.

Bedlam

Faction name: Bedlam
Faction type: Cult
Status: Defunct

According to Relic
An old anti-governmental cult that opposed the Tripower Kingdom and Vectorian Empire. It was interested in the downfall of governments and instating people's governments. It was mostly centered around gang and pirate oriented activities, led by Relic. Bedlam was closely tied to Shadow Thieves, and became almost a direct branch of the clan. A lot of Shadow Thieves "contracts" that dealt with Bedlam's main focus were taken care of by the cult itself.

The phrase "Ashes to ashes and dust to dust" played an important role in cult code. Often with the leader stating "Ashes to ashes", and the return of any Bedlam member would be "Dust to dust". The Bedlam organization was rich enough to have owned at least one airship. (Bedlam One)

According to The Jihad
Bedlam was a group of Cyricists and other maniacal Jenovese that did not believe The Truth. Rather, as the traditional histories claimed, they believed that The Apprentice was indeed insane, and that his world was indeed filled with anguish and strife. Bedlam's aim, like Jihad's, was to find ways of resurrecting The Apprentice- for very different reasons. They believed that when The Apprentice was resurrected, he would fill the world with strife, and Cyric would rise from his throne to assume his true form- as The Apprentice. They believed that Cyric was, in fact, already The Apprentice, and that The Prophecy was a prophecy of Cyric's ascension into Elder Godhood.

Bedlam pursues many paths to achieve their goals. One was to sometimes subvert the efforts of other Jenovese in order to prevent the fall of the RoK- which they believed caused far more strife still aloft in the sky than if it were to fall. Another, is their effort to gather the Four Elemental Swords of Ragnarok and to take them to the Temple of Light- and to use the powerful wish thereby gained to resurrect The Apprentice without the fall of the Rok.

Most, though not all, members of Bedlam did not pursue any interest in the other five Divisions of Jihad- instead, preferring to act independently as an unofficial sixth Division. The actions of Bedlam were not sanctioned by the Jenovese. In fact, when a member of Bedlam was discovered, that member was sent into exile, if not slain outright. Most Jenovese considered Bedlam a fanatical group beyond redemption.

Apostles of Sune

Faction name: Apostles of Sun
Faction type: Clan
Status: Defunct

Alignment: Chaotic good

The Apostles were drawn together by their shared respect and absolute devotion to the Goddess Sune. It was their calling to spread, to all corners of the Realms, the love and beauty the Radiant One had shown them. They were a family encompassing all walks of life, a church devoted to and following only her. Being of an independent nature, they believed in the rightfulness of destiny. While they sought to guide those who might have strayed to the ways of evil and corruption, they knew they had to be allowed to follow their own paths. All had to follow their hearts to achieve happiness and beauty in the fullness of time. They sought to spread love and beauty throughout the realms by example, rather than through preaching or sanctimonious judgment.They would help whosoever they felt deserving of assistance, as they each chose their paths to intersect with those around them as they pleased. They would not, however, aid persons of evil intent, be at the beck and call of others of good intention, or fall under the sway of corruption. Each Apostle had a voice in what influenced the church rules and decisions. No one being was more important than any other in the church. Those who chose to dedicate themselves to Sune's beauty, love, and light were encouraged to join this family and aid the realms in achieving its destiny.

Airship Ports

Eastern Great Realms

• Port Torregiano, located in the city of Torregiano.
  Port Torregiano is one of the more famous locations for airships, built in the Tripower's capital city of Torregiano, this is the home of airships. The massive port was built in the northwest part of the city, and contains all the facilities an airship pilot needs.  The port supports construction, repairs, weapons, ammo, locksmiths, temporary parking and long term parking, private hangars and much more. The port is regulated by the Tripower Empire, and owned by the Judge Corperation.

• Port Vector, located in the city of Vector
  Port Vector is not a public facility, owned, ran and guarded by the Vectorian Nation, they attempted to make a port the size of the Tripower's, but failed. The port supports construction, weapons and ammo, but they could not afford anything else.

• Airship Park, located in the city of Westbridge
  Airship Park is located in Westbridge along the Westbridge River in the heart of the city. This is not really a port, but more of a fueling station and parking zone for city residence. Phil's Bar is a popular hang out for pilots fueling their ships.

Central Great Realms

• Port Heifong III, located in the City of Heifong, section III
  Heifong is a massive city located in the center of the continent. It is home to five pirate guilds, who took five smaller cities and expanded them during the Airship Boom. The guilds split them into five sections. The Heifong III Faction rules over the Eastern Port, entrance from airships traveling from the eastern side of the Great Realms. Their port is located in the southern end of the city, and has construction and some facilities. Airships are allowed to travel the streets, and the city is equiped for airships. Heifong is also home of the black market.


• Port Heifong I, located in the city of Heifong, section I
  Located on the western side of the city is Heifong I, the gateway and stopping area for all airships traveling from the western side of the Great Realms. Their facilities match Heifong III.  (Nothing else planned at this time).

Western Great Realms

• Port Figaro, located in the city of Figaro
  Figaro is the largest city in the world, Torregiano coming in second. The city is located on the western coast past the worlds largest desert. The city is massive, made up of highways setup totally for airship travel. This is the home for the western world's trade. Their port boasts everything the Tripower's port has.

Airships

Airships were the combined creation of the Nytek Corperation and the Makou Technology Group, two front businesses of the Tripower Empire.  The year was 1253 (Currently 1269 or real life 2002) when airships were introduced to the world.  Before then, travel across the Great Realms was rough and long, since most nations stood far apart.  But the airship allowed people to move faster and make shorter journeys to foreign lands.  The trade businesses soaked this up, and in 3 short years, almost all major trading businesses owned a fleet. The Trade World boomed, and the Tripower became the Number 1 traders in the world, a title that was held by the Vectorian Nation until 1256.

The world of the air soon formed different groups, which was classified by the empires in record books.  The massive increase of airship popularity was known as "The Airship Boom".

Traders
Airships and crews who flew cargo around the world to different couriers and trade posts.  Their airships are slow and bulky, weighted down by cargo and big to hold more cargo.

Private
Privatly owned airships usually owned by the rich, until the Tripower started to produce the single seater airships. These airships ranged from medium to large, and were the more faster airships in the sky. Varies owners from private businesses, clans and empires.

Authority
The law enforcement of the skies. Most empires started some type of law enforcement agency for their skies during the airship boom. These ships were fast and heavily armed, equiped with air sirens to pull
other ships over for certain law breakage.  Their main goal was to keep the pirates away from the traders.

Pirates
Like the earlier "pirates" of the olden day, who sailed the seas attacking trade ships, a semi-different group of pirates appeared. Mostly made up of wizards, thieves and mercenaries, the pirates took to the sky attacking trade ships to steal the cargo, and sell on the black market. They formed guilds, who in turn formed smaller groups, and setup terroritories. Their ships are fast and armed. Their natural enemy, the Authority.

Outlaws
An outlaw, who is a person who follows their own laws and rules also took airships into the skies, mainly to travel between empires.  Their ships varied in size, speed and weapons, mainly pre-owned airships purchased cheaper than new.  Most purchased whatever they could find.  An enemy to both pirates and authority ships.

These are the five groups classified by the empires of the world, of those who fly in the air with airships.

Heifong Empire

Heifong is located in the center of the Great Realms, surrounded by impassable mountains on all sides.  Before the airship boom, only five small cities dotted the valley, ruled by small factions. The main support of the valley region was farming. When the airships came, the pirates came, and Heifong became the main stomping ground of the pirates. After awhile, the pirates guild began to fight over the area, and the biggest one. Made up of five different guilds, these pirates who held no name settled into the valley, and took over the 5 small cities. Farming died down, and the black market moved in. As airships boomed, the 5 small cities grew until their walls touched each other. And when that happened, the city of Heifong was founded, and split into five sections, given to each guild.

                   +---+
                   | 2 |
               +---+---+---+
<--- TO FIGARO | 1 | 5 | 3 | TO TORREGIANO --->
               +---+---+---+
                   | 4 |
                   +---+

This is how the city is split up into different sections.  The Guilds only go by the name of their city section.  The 5th Guild, located in the center is the supreme guild, ruling over the other 4. The 1st Guild is the gateway and stopping ground for airships traveling in from the Western Realms. The 3rd Guild is the gateway and stopping ground for airships traveling from the Eastern Realms. The black market is located in the 5th Section, under the watchful eye of the 5th Guild.

Vectorian Empire

Faction name: Vectorian Empire
Faction type: Clan
Status: Active

Alignment: Evil
Patron: Kord 

Throughout a line of possibly shady activities the Empire is currently under the control of Kefka Palazzo. An insane but possibly brilliant man. Rumored to have taken power through assassination. Emperor Kefka is mostly withdrawn and handles his leadership duties mostly through his Generals and Officials.

Currently the Vectorian Empire is split between its military sector and its government sector. The government are your "Elected" officials that may range from mayor of a city or township to sheriff of a small town within the nation. The military is the strong arm of the Empire, keeping its country "safe" and its borders under control.

Festivals

Midwinter
Nobles and monarchs greet the halfway point of winter with a feast they call the High Festival of Winter. Traditionally it is the preferred day to make or renew alliances. For common folk, this day represents the halfway point of winter, which they call the Deadwinter Day, and is not favored by them.

Greengrass
The official beginning of Spring is a day of peace and rejoicing. Even if snow still covers the ground, clerics, nobles, and wealthy folk make a point of bringing out flowers grown in special rooms within temples and castles. They distribute the flowers among the people, who wear them or cast them upon the ground as bright offerings to the deities who summon the Summer.

Midsummer
Midsummer night is a time of feasting and music and love. It is a common time for meeting neighbors and having gatherings, and a popular day for weddings. Good weather is expected and bad weather is taken as an omen of ill fortune ahead.

Highharvestide
This holiday of feasting to celebrate the autumn harvest also marks a time of journeys. Traditionally, travelers leave this day, after feasting and before rain freezes into snow.

The Feast of the Moon
The Feast of the Moon celebrates ancestors and the honored dead. Stories of ancestor's exploits mix with the legends of deities until it's hard to tell one from the other.

Shieldmeet
Once every four years, another day is added to the year (in the manner of February 29 in the Gregorian calendar). This day is part of no month and follows Midsummer Night. This very special day is a day of open council between nobles and people, a day for making and renewing pacts, oaths, and agreements. It is also a day for tournaments, tests, and trials for those wishing to advance in fame (or infamy).

Countries of Cruoris

The continent of Cruoris is divided into multiple countries and several territories.  In early history most of these countries were formed solely by single races, but over time and mixture of the races these traditions of old have all but faded away for most.

There are two major types of governments found in Cruoris, kingdoms and empires. Both follow the same general ideas, such as both are ruled by a single family with the power of rulership passed down through the generations, or until the people uprise and murder the bloodline.

Kingdoms are ruled by kings who make judgements on matters of their country with the opinions of an advisory counsel elected by the people. Empires are ruled by emperors who do not need to have an advisory counsel, though they may choose to create one of their own people.

City-states are considered small countries, unlike kingdoms and empires, which are made up of multiple large settlements. A City-state typically is the rule over a single town and or hamlets with little land. These types of governments are found mostly in territories, though there are some exceptions (i.e.Makou City).

Below is a short list of the major governments:

• Deva Empire: the black market empire, major ore producers.
• Figaro Kingdom: kingdom of the brothers, creators of clock tech.
• Heifong Empire: The pirate empire, central trading point.
• Tripower Kingdom: The people's kingdom, creators of makou tech.
• Vector Empire: The trade empire, creators of steam tech.