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In EFU: City of Rings, there are many organizations a character can join. Associations do not require an [[Applications|application]] to the DMs. However, to join a Faction, you must send in an application.
=The Sultan's Jannisarries=
[[File:Janissaries.png]]


In order to join ANY association, it is necessary to:
The IVth Legion of the Sultan's Janissaries has been given the dubious privilege of maintaining law and order in Ephia's Well. Called "the Misfortune" by their compeers in Baz'eel, they are dominated by an obsession with their perceived ill luck. Carrying charms and following their own superstitions, they prowl the Well looking for ne'er-do-wells... and "ensuring" they find a fair few each time. The day-to-day of a recruit in the Janissaries is similar to the dreary life of a town watchman: they ring the bell to open and close the market, sit and gaze vacantly over the bustle of the bazaar, patrol its walls for signs of attack, and arrest petty criminals.
  1) Be loyal to your association. If you wish to betray or leave your association, it is necessary to consult with a DM beforehand.
   
2) All associations that have uniforms that must be worn at ALL TIMES unless specified otherwise by DMs.
Unfortunately for them, they are also the Well's first line of defense against invasion, and many find themselves on the wrong end of a barbarian's axe, or dragged to Qa'im to suffer a fate worse than death. Those that survive such perils, and prove themselves worthy of laurels, can soon find themselves advancing into positions of command, and from there spring-boarding their way into the highest echelons of society.
3) Secure the approval of existing association members.
4) No application or DM approval is required.


=Associations=
'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any; characters of a Chaotic alignment may be uniquely challenged
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:'''  Martial and Cleric Only
<br/>'''Recommended Race:''' Any non-monstrous
<br/>'''Advancement:''' Application only


==Peerage Ward Associations==
=Cinquefoil Rose=
[[File:CinquefoilRose.png]]


"The Peerage? You can laugh at their moat of sewage...chuckle at their wobbly castles and titles to non-existent lands.... just watch yourself if you get too close, runner, for they can be a dangerous folk. Watch out for prickly lords with guardsmen as fanatic as they come. And above all else, just see you never get between them and some chipped royal tea saucer ... because that's when they'll really start to fight dirty."
'''''"We the swift remember to ye the dead, all the red blood that beats in our hearts."'''''
-- Codwick the Scribbler


According to legend, the Peerage was once the undisputed governing authority of all of Ring 99. The self-proclaimed nobles families of the Peerage claimed the right-of-rule on account of their purity of blood, deeds of rebellion against the Lizardfolk Master of many ages past, and above all else the blessing of the King.
The Cinquefoil Rose is a coalition of the forces that once fought tooth and nail to free Ephia's Well from Orentid occupation. Originally composed of refugees and heroes from far-away places, it now exists as a populist movement and formal alliance of the occupants of the Krak des Roses. Crucial to the citadel's defense, and bearing a never-quite-suppressed enmity for Baz'eel and her Janissaries, the Cinquefoil Rose blooms still in Ephia's Well... thorns and all.  


Times have changed, and the Peerage is now in much decline. The Guilds of the Ring have established their own Ward-Authority in Ticker Square and the Peers do not really control anything past their bridge.
United under Grandmaster Elizabetha d'Avergne, these three groups compose the coalition:


The Peerage itself has become a viper's nest of shifting allegiances, petty rivalries, constant one-upmanship, and intrigue between and among the different houses. The only thing that truly unites them is a shared language of tradition, superiority, and obsession with the royal markers of prestige.
==Balladeers of the Lost Hearth==
[[File:Balladeers.png]]


It is clear that the Peerage itself exists in a state of flux where strong, proactive retainers have an opportunity to leave an indelible mark upon both the success of their House as well as the future of the entire Ring itself.
The Balladeers of the Lost Hearth are the dwindling souls who still follow the noble ideals of the old Rose. Originally the squires, troubadours, servants and sons of the original Cinquefoil Rose they have banded together under the name "Balladeers" and do all they can to keep the legacy of their fallen forebears alive. At odds with the callous Banda Rossa, whom they must abide so the Rose is not lost forever, and with a rumored fondness toward "the Drink" and the nostalgic bliss it brings, they struggle to embody chivalry and poetic virtue in a broken world. They are forever seeking (or proclaiming themselves to be) a prophesied hero who shall claim "the Cup," the mystical relic whose waters might reinvigorate the arid sands.


There are four principal Houses that characters are able to join. While we recommend actually visiting the different estates in-game to get a sense of their differences, here is some basic information:
'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any; characters of an Evil alignment may be uniquely challenged
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:'''  No druids, wizards, sorcerers, or astrologians
<br/>'''Recommended Race:''' Any non-monstrous
<br/>'''Advancement:''' Application only


===House Orza===
==Banda Rossa==
[[File:Bandarossa.png]]


[[File:HouseOrza.jpg]]
The Banda Rossa are a mercenary company under exclusive contract with the Grandmaster of the Cinquefoil Rose. Although nominally independent, the groundswell of refugees, adventurers, and cupseekers feeding their ranks means they have become tightly coupled with the other members of the alliance, serving as the bulk of the military might of the Knights of the Cinquefoil Rose. This integration is at times a tense one, with many calling them allies of convenience at best. They yet seek gold and glory above all else... and their bloody reputation proceeds them.


The Orza are a relatively new power in the Ward. Grigori Orza proclaimed his ambitions for a lordly seat as a young man, then merely the captain of the Gutterknives - a band of brigands-turned-sellsword.  Wielding overwhelming military force as his primary tool, Orza first killed for the Lords until his prowess could not be denied - and then claimed his seat.  The Orza have recently claimed the fastness of the prestigious House Moonspear, in that lord's absence -- an unpopular move with their rival Houses.
'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any; characters of a Good alignment may be uniquely challenged
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:''' No druids, wizards, sorcerers, or astrologians
<br/>'''Recommended Race:''' Any non-monstrous
<br/>'''Advancement:''' Application only


Retainers of House Orza maintain its peerless martial tradition, and even in peacetime, they compose themselves as rough-shod soldiers on a long campaign.  The Orza represent a new way of thinking in the Peerage Ward, the idea that might and discipline triumph over ancient titles.
==Sisterhood of the Sibylline Vine==
[[File:Sibyllinesisterhood.png]]


:::'''Recommended Alignment:''' Lawful
The Sisters of the Sibylline Vine are a monastic community of mystics, seers, fanatics and scholars united by shared consumption of a sacred wine, called "the Drink" by laymen. This wine is said to grant them visions of things that have yet to pass. They are highly secretive, zealously safeguarding their strange rites and their knowledge of past and future, and rarely share their insights even with the other members of the alliance. Even so, they serve as the mystic foundation of the cause: their vision of a sacred chalice and "the Heroic Pilgrim" who shall find it has bound the Cinquefoil Rose together in the years after the fall of the Orentid dynasty.
:::'''Recommended Class:''' Fighter, Barbarian, Wizard
:::'''Recommended Race:''' Human


===House Glitt===
'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any Lawful; characters of a Chaotic alignment may be uniquely challenged
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:'''  Any non-martial
<br/>'''Recommended Race:''' Human strongly recommended. Non-monstrous possible.
<br/>'''Advancement:''' Application only


[[File:glitt.jpg]]
=Astronomers of Q'tolip=
[[File:Qtolipastronomers.png]]


By the efforts of Mairead Glitt and her loyalists, the Steward Skudge has been driven out from House Glitt. With the support of his family and leal retainers, Lord Bernard -- now struggling to maintain his sobriety -- has come to terms with the destitute poverty of the House. Aiming to do his father proud, the Lord Glitt now surrounds himself with what few souls in the Peerage Ward still remember the honour of the Old House.
The Astronomers of Q'tolip are the free-thinking, eccentric collection of scholars gathered under the banner of the enigmatic and brilliant visionary, Q'tolip. Seeking to master the cosmos through scholarship, they are constantly engaged in the quest for knowledge of yore, and indulge in the power that comes from such things. In more practical terms, they are the primary archaeologists and magical authority of Ephia's Well, and their maintenance of the Shade affords them influence that few other organizations can boast. Often, the quest for knowledge is hindered by the unlearned, and the Astronomers understand well that their search can only be strengthened by cultivating a safe environment for their studies to bear fruit.  


Still impoverished, but undaunted, the men and women in service to House Glitt are fiercely loyal, ferocious in their duties, and boisterous in their hall.  They have a reputation for being loutish, for speaking their minds, and for always honouring a debt to a friend.  They are much loathed by the formal, dignified Houses for their swiftness to anger, and their dissatisfaction with the often sinister scheming of the other Peers.
'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any Lawful; characters of a Chaotic alignment may be uniquely challenged
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:''' Wizards and Astrologians.  
<br/>'''Recommended Race:''' Any non-monstrous
<br/>'''Advancement:''' Application only


:::'''Recommended Alignment:''' Good
=Scribes of the Sublime Garden=
:::'''Recommended Class:''' Barbarian, Paladin, Ranger
[[File:Sublimescribes.png]]
:::'''Recommended Race:''' Human


===House Sunpurse===
The unceasingly busy bees of the Well, the commendable and highly stressed civil servants of the government. They are constantly collecting information, ensuring that letters arrive on time, and generally serving at the leisure of Ephia's legates. They are the workhorse of the minutiae of governance, and they are forever ensuring that taxes are paid, citizens are registered, and food is stored. Their duties and responsibilities are exhaustive. They, too, are exhausted. But the work is never done.


[[File:HouseSunpurse.jpg]]
'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any; characters who cannot handle stress well and have a fear of papercuts may face unique challenges.
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:'''  Any non-druid
<br/>'''Recommended Race:''' Any non-monstrous
<br/>'''Advancement:''' Undisclosed


The solemn and dutiful retainers of House Sunpurse have been a presence in the Ward since its founding.  The heirs of the House are afflicted by a curse of ill luck, and each has met his untimely demise before his 35th name day.  Currently, there is no living male heir to the house - Phelan Sunpurse has gone missing.  The Widow to the late Lord now exists in a state of perpetual mourning, locking herself away in the crypt-like basement.  
=The Sandstone College=
[[File:SandstoneCollege.png|Frameless|960px]]]


Retainers to House Sunpurse are generally phlegmatic, dutiful, and focused on the dusty histories of their prestigious House.  The ideal Sunpurse is demure, focused, and driven - measuring ambition with assured success.
The Sandstone College is an institution of higher education located in a rambling sandstone complex in a corner of Ephia’s Well. It was founded by a group of disaffected Ashfolk Academics from Baz’eel and has now begun to accept students. Admission requirements are very low, paying a modest tuition and passing an elementary exam is all that is necessary. It has begun to attract a widerange of slacking students from Baz’eel, the listless and uncertain, amateur
archaeologists, and others who wish to devote themselves to the noble cause of learning.


:::'''Recommended Alignment:''' Evil
Not being a member of the Accord, their agenda and place in the wider politics of Ephia’s Well has yet to be determined. It is known that the founding Ashfolk Academics have a very hostile attitude towards Q’tolip and his astronomers. Students of the Sandstone College should not expect to receive as many perks as other factions, but the obligations and duties are considerably more low key
:::'''Recommended Class:'''  Fighter, Rogue, Wizard
:::'''Recommended Race:''' Human


===House Velstra===
'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any;
 
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:''' Any; (13+ INT & Lore Investment required)
[[File:HouseVelstra.jpg]]
<br/>'''Recommended Race:''' Any non-monstrous
 
<br/>'''Advancement:''' Characters can eventually graduate and receive a degree and go on to pursue other things. Exceptional academics may be nominated for special prizes and positions.
House Velstra has endured the tenure of its reigning lord, Norbert Velstra, badly.  It is a House afflicted by constant scandal and extravagant excess.  Lord Norbert is infamous for siring many bastards, colloquially mocked as the "Winespills" -- it is a testament to Norbert's good humour that this now stands as their official surname.  Despite the aforementioned, the House maintains its position through shrewd and intelligent political angling; Norbert's network of uplifted bastards and loyal retainers comprise the most comprehensive information net in all Ring 99.
 
Retainers of House Velstra are perfectionists, cunning at their trade, and poetic in their execution.  They are artists, hedonists, and gourmands... but not lacking in restraint, when called for.  The ideal Velstra is a peerless socialite and a shrewd politician.
 
:::'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any
:::'''Recommended Class:''' Bard, Fighter, Wizard
:::'''Recommended Race:''' Human (Winespill bastards possible, check with a DM)
 
 
There are two principal Guilds you can join, and potentially other smaller ones that lack the wealth and power of their rivals. While we recommend actually visiting the different properties in-game to get a sense of their differences, here is some basic information:
 
==Petty Associations==
 
Though they do not rival the greatest Houses in terms of wealth or reach, there is a motley assortment of petty organizations who struggle and vie for power in the crowded City, some of which can be joined by players. These offer less support than the larger associations but may have their own unique opportunities and goals...
 
===The Blackjacks===
 
The King's Militia, most often called the "Blackjacks," are in theory the guards and soldiers of Ring 99. What they lack in pay, equipment and respect, they more than makeup for with incompetence and low corruption, leaving them ill-suited to handle even the petty crimes they're supposed to be policing.
 
:::'''Recommended Alignment:''' Neutral
:::'''Recommended Class:''' Fighter, Barbarian, Rogue
:::'''Recommended Race:''' Human
 
==Other==
 
===Secretive Druid Association===
 
It is well known that organized druidic circles have been hunted almost to extinction in the name of the King and his City, so little is known of the few that manage to avoid this fate. Rumours and old wives tales speak of changelings that lurk in the City of Rings, bringing terror to civilized society and orchestrating foul plots of fairytale evil, beastliness, and mischief.
 
:::'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any
:::'''Recommended Class:''' Druid
:::'''Recommended Race:''' Any
 
===The Recondite===
 
[[File:Recondite.png]]
 
The [[Races#Recondite|Recondite]] of Ring 98 toil in secret, under the mongrelwood. It is said they work in a system of mines, gathering the richest living stone to repair wounded city golems- a task believed impossible by the City at large. From a young age, they are taught to work until their hands bleed, and as they grow, they remain ever driven. Together, they are a unified and industrious force within the city, are driven together towards a singular and mysterious goal, and well hidden from the city at large. At once a people and an organization, the recondite have no true allies within the city, and life within this faction will be a harder experience, intended for more experienced players.
 
Changed by their connection to the city, the Recondite are afflicted with a crippling disease. Patches of their skin slowly turn to stone, and most of them end their lives as little more than hidden statues.
 
:::'''Recommended Alignment:''' Lawful
:::'''Recommended Class:''' Any
:::'''Recommended Race:''' Must be [[Races#Recondite|Recondite]]
 
 
__NOEDITSECTION__

Latest revision as of 16:27, 26 September 2024

The Sultan's Jannisarries

Janissaries.png

The IVth Legion of the Sultan's Janissaries has been given the dubious privilege of maintaining law and order in Ephia's Well. Called "the Misfortune" by their compeers in Baz'eel, they are dominated by an obsession with their perceived ill luck. Carrying charms and following their own superstitions, they prowl the Well looking for ne'er-do-wells... and "ensuring" they find a fair few each time. The day-to-day of a recruit in the Janissaries is similar to the dreary life of a town watchman: they ring the bell to open and close the market, sit and gaze vacantly over the bustle of the bazaar, patrol its walls for signs of attack, and arrest petty criminals.

Unfortunately for them, they are also the Well's first line of defense against invasion, and many find themselves on the wrong end of a barbarian's axe, or dragged to Qa'im to suffer a fate worse than death. Those that survive such perils, and prove themselves worthy of laurels, can soon find themselves advancing into positions of command, and from there spring-boarding their way into the highest echelons of society.

Recommended Alignment: Any; characters of a Chaotic alignment may be uniquely challenged
Recommended Classes: Martial and Cleric Only
Recommended Race: Any non-monstrous
Advancement: Application only

Cinquefoil Rose

CinquefoilRose.png

"We the swift remember to ye the dead, all the red blood that beats in our hearts."

The Cinquefoil Rose is a coalition of the forces that once fought tooth and nail to free Ephia's Well from Orentid occupation. Originally composed of refugees and heroes from far-away places, it now exists as a populist movement and formal alliance of the occupants of the Krak des Roses. Crucial to the citadel's defense, and bearing a never-quite-suppressed enmity for Baz'eel and her Janissaries, the Cinquefoil Rose blooms still in Ephia's Well... thorns and all.

United under Grandmaster Elizabetha d'Avergne, these three groups compose the coalition:

Balladeers of the Lost Hearth

Balladeers.png

The Balladeers of the Lost Hearth are the dwindling souls who still follow the noble ideals of the old Rose. Originally the squires, troubadours, servants and sons of the original Cinquefoil Rose they have banded together under the name "Balladeers" and do all they can to keep the legacy of their fallen forebears alive. At odds with the callous Banda Rossa, whom they must abide so the Rose is not lost forever, and with a rumored fondness toward "the Drink" and the nostalgic bliss it brings, they struggle to embody chivalry and poetic virtue in a broken world. They are forever seeking (or proclaiming themselves to be) a prophesied hero who shall claim "the Cup," the mystical relic whose waters might reinvigorate the arid sands.

Recommended Alignment: Any; characters of an Evil alignment may be uniquely challenged
Recommended Classes: No druids, wizards, sorcerers, or astrologians
Recommended Race: Any non-monstrous
Advancement: Application only

Banda Rossa

Bandarossa.png

The Banda Rossa are a mercenary company under exclusive contract with the Grandmaster of the Cinquefoil Rose. Although nominally independent, the groundswell of refugees, adventurers, and cupseekers feeding their ranks means they have become tightly coupled with the other members of the alliance, serving as the bulk of the military might of the Knights of the Cinquefoil Rose. This integration is at times a tense one, with many calling them allies of convenience at best. They yet seek gold and glory above all else... and their bloody reputation proceeds them.

Recommended Alignment: Any; characters of a Good alignment may be uniquely challenged
Recommended Classes: No druids, wizards, sorcerers, or astrologians
Recommended Race: Any non-monstrous
Advancement: Application only

Sisterhood of the Sibylline Vine

Sibyllinesisterhood.png

The Sisters of the Sibylline Vine are a monastic community of mystics, seers, fanatics and scholars united by shared consumption of a sacred wine, called "the Drink" by laymen. This wine is said to grant them visions of things that have yet to pass. They are highly secretive, zealously safeguarding their strange rites and their knowledge of past and future, and rarely share their insights even with the other members of the alliance. Even so, they serve as the mystic foundation of the cause: their vision of a sacred chalice and "the Heroic Pilgrim" who shall find it has bound the Cinquefoil Rose together in the years after the fall of the Orentid dynasty.

Recommended Alignment: Any Lawful; characters of a Chaotic alignment may be uniquely challenged
Recommended Classes: Any non-martial
Recommended Race: Human strongly recommended. Non-monstrous possible.
Advancement: Application only

Astronomers of Q'tolip

Qtolipastronomers.png

The Astronomers of Q'tolip are the free-thinking, eccentric collection of scholars gathered under the banner of the enigmatic and brilliant visionary, Q'tolip. Seeking to master the cosmos through scholarship, they are constantly engaged in the quest for knowledge of yore, and indulge in the power that comes from such things. In more practical terms, they are the primary archaeologists and magical authority of Ephia's Well, and their maintenance of the Shade affords them influence that few other organizations can boast. Often, the quest for knowledge is hindered by the unlearned, and the Astronomers understand well that their search can only be strengthened by cultivating a safe environment for their studies to bear fruit.

Recommended Alignment: Any Lawful; characters of a Chaotic alignment may be uniquely challenged
Recommended Classes: Wizards and Astrologians.
Recommended Race: Any non-monstrous
Advancement: Application only

Scribes of the Sublime Garden

Sublimescribes.png

The unceasingly busy bees of the Well, the commendable and highly stressed civil servants of the government. They are constantly collecting information, ensuring that letters arrive on time, and generally serving at the leisure of Ephia's legates. They are the workhorse of the minutiae of governance, and they are forever ensuring that taxes are paid, citizens are registered, and food is stored. Their duties and responsibilities are exhaustive. They, too, are exhausted. But the work is never done.

Recommended Alignment: Any; characters who cannot handle stress well and have a fear of papercuts may face unique challenges.
Recommended Classes: Any non-druid
Recommended Race: Any non-monstrous
Advancement: Undisclosed

The Sandstone College

Frameless]

The Sandstone College is an institution of higher education located in a rambling sandstone complex in a corner of Ephia’s Well. It was founded by a group of disaffected Ashfolk Academics from Baz’eel and has now begun to accept students. Admission requirements are very low, paying a modest tuition and passing an elementary exam is all that is necessary. It has begun to attract a widerange of slacking students from Baz’eel, the listless and uncertain, amateur archaeologists, and others who wish to devote themselves to the noble cause of learning.

Not being a member of the Accord, their agenda and place in the wider politics of Ephia’s Well has yet to be determined. It is known that the founding Ashfolk Academics have a very hostile attitude towards Q’tolip and his astronomers. Students of the Sandstone College should not expect to receive as many perks as other factions, but the obligations and duties are considerably more low key

Recommended Alignment: Any;
Recommended Classes: Any; (13+ INT & Lore Investment required)
Recommended Race: Any non-monstrous
Advancement: Characters can eventually graduate and receive a degree and go on to pursue other things. Exceptional academics may be nominated for special prizes and positions.

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