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=Factions=
=The Sultan's Jannisarries=
[[File: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.


==Peerage Ward Factions==
'''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


The Five Houses of the Peerage
=Cinquefoil Rose=
[[File:CinquefoilRose.png]]


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


"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."
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.  
-- 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 purity of blood, deeds of rebellion against the Lizardfolk Master of many ages past, and above all else the blessing of the King.
United under Grandmaster Elizabetha d'Avergne, these three groups compose the coalition:


Time 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.
==Balladeers of the Lost Hearth==
[[File:Balladeers.png]]


The Peerage itself has become a viper's nest of shifting allegiances, petty rivalries, constant one-upsmanship, 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.
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.


While the Peerage technically has a Lord's Council that governs affairs, it has not formally met for a long time and ward's only genuinely unifying figure would be the supposed "Royal" Archivist, that staid and grim figure who seems to be only interested in keeping an accounting of which house stands where in the local hierarchy.
'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any; characters of an Evil alignment may be uniquely challenged
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:'''  No druids
<br/>'''Recommended Race:''' Any non-monstrous
<br/>'''Advancement:''' Application only


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


In order to join a House, it is necessary to:
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.
* 1) Be a human
* 2) Secure the approval of the existing members of the House
* 3) Pay an admission fee to cover the cost of your equipment (typically around 1k GP)
* 4) Swear to serve faithfully. Note: If you wish to portray either a treacherous member of the House or someone who will not be primarily focused on the House, it is necessary to consult with a DM before hand.
* 5) No application or DM approval is required.


There are five principle 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 a Good alignment may be uniquely challenged
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:'''  No druids
<br/>'''Recommended Race:''' Any non-monstrous
<br/>'''Advancement:''' Application only


===House Orza===
==Sisterhood of the Sibylline Vine==
[[File:Sibyllinesisterhood.png]]


Rumored to be little more than an upjumped gang of streets bandits, House Orza came to prominence after the once greatly respected House Moonspear left the Prestige, supposedly to go meet with the King. Lord Orza swiftly moved into the abandoned Moonspear Castle, claiming it for his own, and has rapidly solidified his position as one of the most powerful Houses - largely through force of arms.
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.


The Orza represent a new way of thinking in the Peerage Ward, the idea that might and discipline triumph over ancient titles.
'''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


It retainers tend to be aggressive, competent, violent, and ambitious.
=Astronomers of Q'tolip=
[[File:Qtolipastronomers.png]]


===House Nephezar===
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.


It is said that the blood of angels runs through the bloodline of ancient House Nephezar, and it is certainly true that the scions of Nephezar seem able to manifest all manner of extraordinary talents and abilities. The House cleaves close to old notions of the purity of bloodlines and its retainers believe that the blood of Nephezar is the purest of all.
'''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


Its retainers tend to be proud, familiar with the arcane, and aggressive in promoting the interests of the House which they believe must claim its place as the pre-eminent house of the Peerage.
=Scribes of the Sublime Garden=
[[File:Sublimescribes.png]]


===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.


One of the oldest Houses of the Peerage, House Sunpurse is much diminished from what it was once. Many whisper of the curse that runs through the bloodline of its Lords that inevitably lead them to a premature end. The latest lord, an eight year old boy named Phelan, has been missing for a long time. Lady Oreana, Phelan's mother and the widow of the late Lord Desmond, is said to be a tragically grief-stricken figure that refuses to meet with any of the suitors that crowd her door.
'''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


Its retainers tend to be austere, formal, traditionalist, scholarly and devoted to the Sunpurse family.
=The Sandstone College=
[[File:SandstoneCollege.png|Frameless|960px]]]


===House Velstra===
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.


House Velstra, led by the ageing and obese patriarch Norbert Velstra, is the most decadent and scandal-ridden House in the Peerage Ward. Members of the house have a distinctive pale parchment-hued skin and copper-red hair.
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


House Velstra is mocked and reviled outside of the Peerage. Persistent rumours about Norbert’s sexual profligacy (a revolving door of official matriarchs, having a very large number of children, siring bastards, keeping concubines and catamites, and wilder rumours) and the House’s many excesses (such as holding an “endless feast” over many years, investing its wealth in vanity projects, and acting as the patron of socialites, oddball artists, and eccentric scholars) have given House Velstra a reputation of permanent scandal in Ring 99. Despite its reputation, House Velstra remains one of the more powerful houses in the Peerage.
'''Recommended Alignment:''' Any;
 
<br/>'''Recommended Classes:'''  Any; (13+ INT & Lore Investment required)
Its retainers (many of whom are the illegitimate children of Lord Norbert, styling the surname "Winespill" as a mark of this heritage) tend to be socially adept, sybaritic, and cunning. Note: DM Permission is required to play a "Winespill."
<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 Glitt===
 
No House has fallen quite so far and so fast as poor House Glitt. While once House Glitt was a paragon of the best of the conservative traditions of the Peerage, the House has been led to ruin by its current drunken Lord, the ignominious Bernard Glitt. Lord Glitt has thrown open the doors to the Hall and named a number of old drinking buddies and local tramps as his men-at-arms.
 
While some of the House's retainers wish to restore honor and virtue to the old House, most appear to be the true dregs of society. Nonetheless, there does seem to be a certain spirit about the place and the House's buffoonish retainers (drunk as they may seem) do seem to usually come to demonstrate an intense affection and loyalty for the Glitt name.
==Other Factions==

Latest revision as of 10:29, 4 November 2023

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
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
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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