• Information • The House of Gawyne

[Alistair]

History

The House of Gawyne

"They call me the half-God. But I am still half man, and still wholly defective." - Warren Gawyne, Lord-Engineer and Philosopher King

Could one's reasons for survival ever be considered shallow? For Warren Gawyne, a Mortalborn of Aeva, death in the Sheoran Blight was never among the list of possibilities -- he would be protected, whether by fate or his Immortal parentage. Of that he was certain. So why, then, tag along with the Sheoran refugees as they flooded like sheep to an isle still yet unknown?

Sheor was a land of great, outstretched lengths. From grassy fields to windy hilltops, arid mountains and the deserts below, and even the beginnings of frosted tundra to the far north... it was a land of many people, places and creatures alike. And Warren, a man who lived utterly long, explored much of these lands. In a deep desert ravine never before explored - or so he thought - he found a great tome within the sunken sands. This book, unknown to him, was a Compendium of Immortal Wisdom, a book of a Chronologer - one of Ralaith's blessed. In it was compiled information so vast, as to seek the stars; secrets unknown to man, perhaps even to Divine. It spoke of the way to acquire divinity, even for men as plainly blooded as the ichor drawn from a leech.

Warren delved into this tome for many years, seeking to understand its encoded descriptions . . . wondering of the validity of its claims. For the purpose of uncovering their validity, probabilities were carefully laid out... and opportunities were clung to.

The idea in particular, expressed in the Compendium, was that immortality was not exclusive to the Immortals. That worship fueled the power of their Domains, but not only theirs - that heroes, legends, ancestors could all attain something akin to Godhood. Knowing this, Warren eagerly joined the repertoir of the other six, offering them his power along with technological innovation great for his time. He utilized his domain of Invention to the point of withering himself into old age, offering the other houses six powerful artifacts through which they would carry out their will.

Warren then retired to the cold north, as all the others fulfilled their destinies. He was given Lordship over Gawyne - named after him - in Arc 184. As they slew and domesticated Jacadons, crafted culture around them, identity along the lines of names... and whispers. And he was so often confided in - giving his legal advice, in fact creating many of the laws and legal structures that now exist, through the fundamentals of his own philosophical beliefs around liberty and justice. Ramblings of an older, greener time, when he still had much passion for the world. But for others, these ideas were foundational, and revolutionary. Courts of justice, representatives of the people. Infallible laws. Rynmere is, perhaps, a bulwark of relative peace and modernity today because of his legacy.

But to him, all of these things were trifling. Warren wanted one thing beyond all else - eternal veneration, and as the other Six laid old and frail, he discovered that the claims made in the old tome were true... and so the structures of the Faith of Rynlism were founded in Arc 216, worshiping the Seven, a death cult forged to ensure that the founders of the Kingdom would all live on. Warren's final invention was the Great Temple of Gawyne that same arc, forged to last for time immemorial . . . and then he passed on, and rose again, the 'God' he'd wanted to be.

Though perhaps a hollow, cynical history to bear, those from Gawyne have always kept Warren's lessons deep within their heart. His philosophy, his skepticism, his pragmatic nature. They have ruled the world of philosophy and law for the longest time, and have built upon his foundations a house of technology and innovation unparalleled by the rest. To look upon Gawyne now is almost to witness a treasure unknown; cities built on foundations of iron, copper automatons roaming the roads, in service to the Lords and Ladies of the House. True civilization, they say, will begin in the frosted heart of Gawyne.

[Alistair]

House Gawyne

Perhaps the most humble noble house, the people of Gawyne's line are historians, philosophers, engineers, and mathematicians. They enjoy studying the stars and have been called 'the fortunetellers of the north'. House Gawyne are most akin to House Endor, and the two usually form strong alliances that see them to power sooner or later.

Key:
♚ = King
♛ = Queen
♔ = Duke/Duchess
☗ = Count/Countess
✤ = Baron/Baroness

Capital:
Dunwich

Counties:
The Boreal
The Ashen Prairie
The Seminary

Baronies:
Wayrest
Calahan
Dunkyle

♔ Jason Gawyne (70, Duke of Gawyne, mortal born male)
m. Hope Gawyne (nee Serf, 68, Duchess of Gawyne, aukari female)
☗ Fredrick Gawyne (44, first in line, mixed blood male)
m. Jade Gawyne (nee Tide, 45, mixed blood female)
- Hunter Gawyne (inactive, 26, mixed blood male)
- Caius Gawyne (inactive, 23, mixed blood male)
- Ivy Gawyne (heiress, 20, mixed blood female)
- Robert Gawyne (19, deceased mixed blood male)
- ________ Gawyne (17, mixed blood)
- ________ Gawyne (15, mixed blood)
✤ Ryan Gawyne (41, mixed blood male)
m. Sonnet Gawyne (nee Venora, 48, human female)
- Cassian Gawyne (inactive, 21, mixed blood male)
- ________ Gawyne (mixed blood)
- ________ Gawyne (mixed blood)
- ________ Gawyne (mixed blood)
✤ Snow Gawyne (39, mixed blood female)
m. Jenson Gawyne (nee Pact, 42, human male)
- ________ Gawyne (mixed blood)
- ________ Gawyne (mixed blood)
- ________ Gawyne (mixed blood)
- ________ Gawyne (mixed blood)

Gawyne and Rynmere

Current Relationships
Andaris | Good
Venora | Excellent
Warrick | Good
Burhan | Good
Krome | Poor
Endor | Excellent

Philosophers, poets, and masters of mathematics, House Gawyne are known for their high level of intelligence and underground history keeping archives. They are honest, humble, and somewhat naïve, taking most people or situations at face value. Though they are not quite as confined as House Endor, they do tend to prefer their own company and seldom attend regional get-togethers. Generally, they have had a long-lasted rivalry with House Krome, both acting as rival hegemons to the power and influence of Northern Rynmere - particularly of late as the southern realms have quarreled, providing an opportunity for both to acquire more distinctive rights.

[Alistair]

Realm

Summation of Territories

Dunwich - Ducal Capital
Dunwich. Often called the Northern Heart, and the birthplace of Rynlism, it is here where all roads within Northern Rynmere lead - to the Kingdom's second most populous city, and the core of the institutional structure of power for one of the most historically significant families of Rynmere. Dunwich is a city truly domineered by its House, perhaps more than any other major or capital holding. With the tireless agents of the House lurking from the common man's peripheral, and with one of Rynmere's most entrenched Rynlist monoliths backing them, the influence of the family can be seen from every corner of the city.

Dunwich is, despite its commerce and considerable impact on surrounding dominions, a city built on commercial isolation. The localities of Dunwich are manned largely by private foundations and Gawyne-born Merchant collectives, who control the flow of their own commodities and lock out much of the cultural and trade influences of wealthier Duchies such as Venora and Andaris. As a result, Dunwich is far from monolithic with the remainder of the Kingdom, not deigning to wear every article of Venoran fashion or to follow the latest linguistic trends set by Andaris' streets. Instead, everything in the city is typically rather unique to the city. The wealthier citizens tend to wear copper and bronze ornaments on their attire, as well as long leather robes closely fitted to the form... almost like a thin veil of leather armor, adorned with regal sashes of copper wire.

Calahan South End, Barony
Calahan is the agricultural heart of Gawyne, on the south end of the Duchy. As the land of the fairest weather and the most favorable climate, it carries the second highest population after Dunwich, slightly edging over the Boreal in sheer number. Calahan acts as the doorway to Gawyne with the rest of the Kingdom, with its river ports the first stop by many traders - particularly the nearby Burhan - into the Duchy's holdings. For this reason, much of Calahan's economy is fueled by trade routes to Dunwich, and of late the Barony has seen a rise in its shipping, manufacturing and sailing industries, lending it quick growth... as well as a conflict between the native population, and opportunistic outsiders.

Wayrest - East End, Barony
Wayrest is a Barony on the east end of Gawyne, bordering Krome. It's renowned for its several small colleges of philosophy and poetry, and is renowned for crafting much of the literary tropes and allegories typically depicted in Rynmere's great works of literature. True to form, it is also home to the greatest college of Common Literature in Rynmere, directly beneath the University of Andaris' wing. Wayrest is seen as the home of Northern Idalos' enlightenment philosophy, though lately it has become a source of great controversy in Rynmere, as many of its scholars have fed into anti-noble revolutionary sentiments... including ideas that have funded the latest acts of anti-noble terrorism.

Dunkyle - North End, Barony
Dunkyle is a northern Barony of Gawyne, situated along the coastline of the Duchy. As a cold and unforgiving region of the Kingdom, Dunkyle is fairly isolated, and as a result has -- over time -- formed a unique culture and dialect of Common. Dunkyle is known for its fishing villages and lighthouses, many of which serving as community centers. With a cold and frigid climate, the region is only offset by its quaint small towns and familial environment. Dunkyle has a significant Lotharro population, most of which lives inland in forest towns, typically operating the lumber, hunting and mining industries. The coastline - where most of the people reside - is focused heavily on the sea, with much of the Duchy's economy predicated on fishing, whaling and even - occasionally - pirating foreign vessels en route to other domains.

Umbridge - North End, Barony
Umbridge is the northernmost Barony of Gawyne, nestled tightly in the shadow of Warren's Peak. Rumor has it that an entrance to the Labyrinth underneath Rynmere, the Labyrinth that Warren Gawyne disappeared into arcs ago, is somewhere in the caves under and behind the estate, Warren's End. The landscape is breathtaking and wild, perhaps some of the most untamed in all of Gawyne. The hardiest of folk live here. Warren's End estate is home to one of the most exquisite libraries of all of Gawyne, meticulous records of the history of Rynmere and other secrets are kept here in its cold stone halls. Being at the foot of Warren's Peak means that Umbridge is a very cold Barony: the hot cycle is fleeting and the cold cycle is frigid and harsh. Very little grows here, but what does has a short season and the inhabitants are forced to be hardy folk, importing much of their food from elsewhere in Rynmere. Umbridge is a feral place, full of natural dangers from the landscape as well as the wildlife, if not the weather itself. It's isolated for much of the cold cycle—impossible to visit except for the most skilled of travelers in Zi'da and Cylus until the great thaw in Ashan.

Counties

Counties are positions offered to nobles of exemplary service to their Houses, and it is not an inherited title, but granted, with the Duke or Duchess retaining the position for themselves until offered to another. These positions are not commonly offered, serving as stations of incredible might; Counts and Countesses will typically rule over hundreds of thousands of people, or even millions in the case of the more populous Duchies, such as Venora, Warrick and Andaris. There are typically three Counties per Duchy, and they comprise of many Baronies. One Barony - which the Count or Countess rules directly - serves as the seat of the County, and the reigning Count will rule from within that locality, directly. Ducal Capitals are not within the border of the Counties, and serve as a sole untouched center for the Duke or Duchess' rule.

Counts and Countesses are expected to be utterly loyal to the Duke and/or Duchess. It is the Counts and Countesses that are treated as the Duke's generals and advisers during times of conflict, and they are expected to provide a suitably large supply of soldiers to the ducal army, including their personal retinues. Gawyne's Counties will be listed here.

The Boreal - The Northern County
The Boreal is the largest County in Gawyne, encompassing much of the north, and nearly half of the Duchy in sheer size. Being the northernmost County in all of Rynmere, the Boreal is known to be quite cold, mostly occupied with dense woodlands and temperate tundra. The coastline is mostly occupied by fishermen and whalers, with the Boreal interior feeding the majority of the men into Gawyne's ducal army. Known as the 'Spine of Gawyne', the Boreal is a County quite nationally renowned for its strong, hardy people. Quite predictably, it is the County with the highest population of Lotharro in the Kingdom. The Boreal is seated in Dunkyle, at least at present, in a castle known for its proximity to a large lighthouse that gleams upon much of the Kingdom's northern trade.

The Ashen Prairie - The Western and Southern County
The Ashen Prairie is the agricultural heart of Gawyne, as well as a region known for its urbanizing population, high influx of immigrants from other Duchies, and consistently improving trade dominion. It is - quite unsurprisingly - the most populous county in the Duchy, and is growing at a higher rate than the others, too. Most of the County is situated around wetlands, riverbanks and wholesome woods, though much of the terrain has been shifted of late to support a more urban environment. The County is seated just outside of Calahan, in a proximal town in the woods, some comparing it to a lodge for the Duchy's wealthy elite. The Prairie is known for its business, but also for its great, vast wilderness... and is often visited by nobles from other Duchies, who are drawn to its legendary forests and animal reserves, as well as the northern frost-mounted peaks.

The Seminary - The Eastern County
The Seminary is a place of knowledge, with Wayrest - the county seat - only a small example of the breadth of the County's academic structures. The Seminary is quite literally a series of proto-college towns, where the most rigorous minds of Rynmere go to acquire certifications in highly sought after fields. Logistics, Mathematics, Alchemy, skills relating to Architecture, Engineering, and all manner of things. Unlike the University of Andaris, however, the Seminary is far from affordable -- making it the home to the largest number of wealthy denizens of any County, and therefore an extremely gentrified location within the Kingdom.

Despite this, the Seminary has been known to be a seat of true philosophy in ages past, with thinkers that are still spoken of today -- even in overseas nations. Philosophies mirroring stoicism, epicureanism, skepticism, pragmatism and cynicism have all arisen here, and fundamentally changed the views of the nations they've touched. The Seminary is regarded as a monument to Rynmere's culture, and is littered in literal monuments as well, from the days of the nation's founding where temples to Sheoran gods were still built, and verses around magic and a mortal's higher purpose were engraved into stone obelisks.

More to come via player submissions.

[Alistair]

Significance

The Obligations of the Just

Responsibilities and Duties
The Gawyne are typically expected to return to their roots during most major events, administering religious ceremonies with the aide of their most devout Monks, as well as offering philosophical notions that feed into the jargon of prosperity and the authority of the Crown. They are commonly viewed as the authority on knowledge and wisdom, almost like Seers called down from the North to speak fundamental truths to their countrymen.

The Gawyne invest much of their excess wealth into the education of the Kingdom. They have funded the University of Andaris in part for a long time, largely in the humanities. They also provide subsidies to colleges all around the Kingdom, and though these donations often act as investments with specified returns, they have been generally indispensable to developing the Kingdom's educational structure. The Gawynes are - quite literally - cited as the primary reason for Rynmere's absurdly high literacy rates, largely due to their endeavors to fund smaller educational boards throughout the rural and suburban areas of the Kingdom.

At home, however, their presentation is much different. They do not weigh much into the stereotypes of old, and now focus much more on mathematics and innovation, beginning to find the schools of philosophy and concept-based thought droll and unproductive. Their society has shifted much since the beginning of Jason Gawyne's reign, to be much more invested in the hard sciences.


Resources
The Duchy - The Gawynes have, perhaps, more control over their Duchy than any other Great Family. This is largely due to the religious and academic structures that they essentially own, as well as the automatons that act much like spies and enforcers of their will. However, Gawyne does carry the misfortune of being a Northern House, and therefore having access to a much lower population, as well as a less suitable climate. For this reason, they are not exceptionally wealthy, nor do they possess the largest army. The Gawynes do, however, have the highest common development per person - their people live higher standard lives on the average, are typically more educated, and are even known to be more healthy than most other Duchies. As a result of this, the sheer productivity of the Duchy does lend them a great base of nels, their economy valuable enough to easily paint them as one of the richer Houses - if only they did not need to upkeep so many colleges, and pay for the protection of so many mercenaries, and expend so many resources for the bright hope of further innovation. Still, largely due to their climate, they are well-defended and well-placed to continue thriving, even though they may not be the most exceptional in written form.

The Faith - More than any other House, the Gawyne are intertwined with the Faith. Though the highest religious authority of Rynlism may reside in Andaris, most of the bureaucratic structure of Rynlism is based in Gawyne. This means that - technically - though the ducal family may not be the richest, the sheer tithes collected by the Faith place the Duchy itself as one of the wealthiest, as well as being among the most developed. Though the Gawynes cannot control the actions of the Church of Rynlism, it is certain that their order of Monks, Crusaders, Priors, Heirophants and Postulants would defend the Duchy if need be, in order to protect their own influence.

The North - The Gawynes hold much of the northern coastline, and with it a great deal of lumber from their dense woodlands, as well as fish and whale oil from the ocean. Ironically, the North is a source of a great deal of physical goods and imports, additionally including pelts, meats, salt, and ivory from some of the local beasts. For this reason, Gawyne is highly self-sufficient.


Religious Significance
The Duchy itself, at the heart of Rynlism, is highly devout . . . and carries one of the most active of all Ancestor Shades, Warren Gawyne. Known to many as the Father, or historically the Half-God, Warren is a being that presents wisdom to many of his followers in the form of questions, and riddles. Despite his pragmatic and calculating nature in life, the station of an Ancestor-God suits him, and he wears his spectral form well. Warren is generally known to act much like a kindly old man, patient with those he manifests to, even when they display doubt or other negative emotions.

He is cunning, and deeply committed to the success of his lineage, going so far as to guide his kin away from dark paths or other directions he believes may lead to their eventual decline. It is said that most of all, he whispers to the Duke, Jason... and guides his hand. Many people in Rynmere, particularly those who follow the Heretical Scripture of the Seven Vices, fear Warren for what they rightly call his amoral nature, and his deviance of thought. But the frothing masses continue to follow his example, one of the most revered of all Ancestors.

Familial Artefact
The familial artefact of House Gawyne, kept obscured from the public and even the Duke's inner circle, is the Architect's Globule. It is this artefact, crafted by Warren with the direct aide of Aeva, that manufactures Gawyne's Actuaries and Vault Guardians. The power of the Architect's Globule is, essentially, to bind faithful ghosts into a permanent position of servitude - at great, or trifling cost, depending on the perspective. To impart an object with true intellect, the Globule must have all necessary components gathered around; the fresh blood of a Gawyne (only a few drops), a mechanical form for it to enter, and a willing specter once possessed by a mortal. Typically, as there are a multitude of levels at which ghosts operate, the procurer must understand what sort of specter has offered itself to meet the Globule, before placing the body as offering.

The process of acquiring an apparition willing to surrender itself to a crafted form is, fundamentally, incredibly difficult. Even with the religious piety of the people of Rynmere, few follow the tenets of Rynlism so strictly as to offer their spectral forms in death. Typically, most of those who offer themselves to the Globule are those who have been touched by the eminence of Warren Gawyne, acting as subjects to the much greater Ancestor Shades. They are usually Monks, Crusaders and other devout of the Rynlist Faith, typically presiding within Gawyne in life and wishing to ensure its growth and success even thereafter.

Even still, the process is rare. But once a wraith has been found, it will inhabit the body provided, with the Gawyne offering his or her blood to the Globule so as to initiate its effects. The Globule permanently binds that ghost to the body of the automaton. Once bound, the Globule additionally has a further effect; it channels Warren's influence upon the loyal ghost, captivating the specter with a sense of warmth and bare contentedness. The shade will become satisfied in the menial day-to-day tasks of an automaton, and will no longer deteriorate in its sanity.

This artefact is one that the Gawyne have kept protected above even the lives of their own House members. It is defended by many, many Vault Guardians at any given time, and is considered to be the key to the House's future. Unlike the other artefacts with a limited and specific purpose, the Globule's abilities are seen to have yet to be fully practiced, and discovered.

Creating an Automaton
What sort of automaton is created, depends on the power of the shade at hand. An Actuary is populated by an Echo (Tier 1), while a Vault Guardian is inhabited by a Phantom (Tier 2). The Actuaries therefore retain more memories of their previous lives, meaning they are capable of almost perfectly performing day-to-day tasks and acting as general servants and laborers for the Gawynes. Vault Guardians, with few memories and a weak identity, will typically be driven by primitive instinct and therefore often fulfill the position of warriors, especially given their heightened power.

It is said that the Gawynes have tried for centuries to find a way to enhance the effect of the Globule, binding more powerful specters to mechanical forms. Until now, despite many attempts and even with the aide of their Ancestral Shade, they have been unable to successfully bind such entities.

[Alistair]

Leadership

The Duke(ssa) of the Dunwich Vault

The current leadership of Gawyne is... unique, and somewhat controversial. Their leader, the pragmatic and cold (often seen as terrifying) Jason Gawyne is somewhat well loved, as far as his subjects go. With the recent influx of workers into the Duchy, Jason's firm hand and aura of power has invoked a sense of ducal nationalism in many natives to the Duchy, though it cannot be said enough how particular his circumstances are. Firstly, Jason Gawyne is a Mortalborn. He's not the first imperious Mortalborn to lead House Gawyne - no, he is in fact the second, after the legendary Warren. The second odd detail of Jason is that most people don't know his parentage - which would make him a bastard by some standards, though Ryn nobility tends to take exception for Mortalborn in this front. Before he was born, his mother claimed immaculate conception by Warren's will, and thereafter his heritage was simply accepted.

The few who know him well, though, know that his parent is the most forlorn Ziell, an Immortal that some might speculate to have a vested interest in the High Nobility of the Kingdom. Despite this fact, there have been no cases of interference of Jason's reign by his father, or at least that is what is commonly believed. The man remains fairly youthful in appearance, looking to be around his early thirties. Given his youth and in many ways his vanity, Jason has sported many bastards across the Duchy, numbering in the dozens. He continues to take on mistresses and other concubines, to the displeasure of his wife -- who he has considered dispatching of on many occasions.

His wife is perhaps the second oddity in Gawyne's rulership. As an Aukari, her presence within the Kingdom is generally frowned upon. However, as people tend to do with the nobility, her origin has mostly been either forgotten or excused... save for by many anti-noble factions, who continuously sight the heretical nature of Jason's status as a Mortalborn, and his wife as an Aukari. As of yet, however, their reigns have been largely peaceful, and productive for the economy of the Duchy.

[Alistair]

Innovation in Gawyne

Vault Guardians

Much of what Rynmere knows of engineering - though similarly adolescent in their understanding as the rest of Idalos - comes from the heart of Dunwich, Gawyne's capital city. Dunwich has grown much in the last two arcs, once the bleak tomb of Duke Warren, the city now boasts the second largest population of any city in Rynmere - and is soon to pass Andaris, as the current trends go. A citadel of mechanical knowledge and a heart of deeper meaning for those of academic minds, Dunwich has produced many great architects, chemists, and inventors of inexorably different cloths. Most significantly, they have contributed much of the schools of philosophical thought into Rynmere's public and academic sphere, and - of course - they've famously invented... automatons. At least, the Northern Idalos variant.

The Gawyne automaton is a scientific marvel, similarly to that of the Quacian puppets and the inorganic subjects of Raskalarn, though with a less significant individual impact to entities such as Puppets. The Gawyne Actuaries - their automatons - tend to be small, of equal mass to the common man, with much of their strength focused into the joints of their elbows and knees in order to properly lift and drag objects. Actuaries are almost always simple laborers, following pre-designated routes through the city of Dunwich, clearly marked as separate sections of the common roads. They are nearly all owned by House Gawyne and are leased to key businesses, and to tamper with or damage one in any way is a considerable offense. Actuaries are incredibly rare, with only a few being made each arc. In total, there are likely around a thousand of them throughout all of the Duchy of Gawyne, but as they operate day-in and day-out as laborers without tiring or demanding proper pay, their sheer volume of productivity is considerable and has helped to make their city incredibly wealthy.

In terms of appearance, they're typically unspectacular, around six feet in height with somewhat thin tubes for arms and legs, connected by very durable joints. They're usually copper-bronze in color, and wear thick helmets in order to protect their heads from falling objects and the many hazards of their typical work environments.

Beyond the regular Actuaries, which are already of an exceptionally rare commodity, there are also Vault Guardians. These automatons are numbered considerably fewer, and act as protectors for key monuments to Gawyne society, and occasionally as soldiers in inter-ducal conflicts. Vault Guardians are nearly eight feet in height, and are of a completely different cloth to the Actuaries. Guardians are considered elite soldiers, are quite powerful (easily capable of dispatching the average warrior), and tend to wield a variety of weapons, from crossbows to dual-swords, spears and nearly always long blades that extend from the wrists, elbow joints, and even the heels of the Guardians. They're typically highly flexible, and fight with similar alacrity to that of a trained assassin - but with naturally armored, powerful forms.

Vault Guardians were supposedly invented by a member of House Gawyne, Victor, nearly a century past. Initially, they were posted to the palace of the ducal family in order to defend Warren's final analects, but have since grown in number and now act much as wardens across the many key points of the city.

Being that Actuaries cannot speak, they are trained in gestures to communicate to their masters; a salute for yes, a long shake of the head for no, et cetera. Vault Guardians can speak, somewhat, but tend to communicate to one another in confusing and almost religious verses that generally don't make sense to others, save for their architects. Both types understand commands, but Guardians are much more keen on routines, and do not enjoy being over-burdened with the commands of their masters. They are possible to train, however, much like animals... through yes, the Animal Training skill. Actuaries on the other hand are almost universally compliant; cheery workers that will always heed the will of a true Gawyne, or whoever they're leased to.

Deep Dive Into Automatons
Though the automatons don't speak, they are operated by ghosts. This means they are highly intelligent - around the same level of intelligence as a common human, and are fully aware of their surroundings and environment. For this reason, they have been known by commoners to understand verbal cues and body language, and have often predicted attempts to dismantle them or deface their bodies by those disloyal to the nobility. Actuaries are known to be more life-like than Vault Guardians, who seem to be of a fragmented, almost animal intelligence. Regardless, people outside of the close inner circle do not know of the true nature of the automatons. Most believe them to be a scientific marvel.

Actuaries are generally capable of any form of labor their master requires of them, and can pick up an understanding on this labor within a cycle, to a somewhat competent degree. They are designed with dexterous hands and can therefore perform more precision-based tasks decently well, but any attempts to turn them into doctors or surgeons has led to a plethora of accidents, as it seems their minds almost can't retain such information. As a result, they are mostly kept to mechanical and simple tasks, such as hauling cargo and working the fields. Generally, as well, things that were familiar to them in life might be especially easy.

Guardians are viewed as being somewhat stupid. They are not very compliant or responsive, and as stated before, they tend to run on a somewhat instinctual intelligence. They're generally placated as being warriors and guarding specific spaces, and prefer to be around at least one other Guardian, as it seems to help ensure their sanity. Even given the influence of the Globule, Guardians have been known to go mad in the past, typically culminating in a violent outburst that results in the death of any nearby life forms. These Guardians are always hunted by Knights of the Duchy, so as to contain a potential outbreak of madness within their Order.

Actuaries and Guardians - Tier 1 and Tier 2 ghosts respectively - are capable of using any abilities from their tier as long as it does not contradict the lore. For example, being that they are both permanently bound to their forms, they cannot use Possession. If you are confused, please consult your city moderator to see what other restrictions they might have.

If you have any intention on becoming an Actuary or Guardian, and are a ghost player, please - also - consult your city moderator. Typically mod permission is all that's required, though the collaboration of a Gawyne PC is especially preferred.

Credit: Alistair

[Alistair]

Dunwich

Dunwich. Often called the Northern Heart, and the birthplace of Rynlism, it is here where all roads within Northern Rynmere lead - to the Kingdom's second most populous city, and the core of the institutional structure of power for one of the most historically significant families of Rynmere. Dunwich is a city truly domineered by its House, perhaps more than any other major or capital holding. With the tireless agents of the House lurking from the common man's peripheral, and with one of Rynmere's most entrenched Rynlist monoliths backing them, the influence of the family can be seen from every corner of the city.

Dunwich is, despite its commerce and considerable impact on surrounding dominions, a city built on commercial isolation. The localities of Dunwich are manned largely by private foundations and Gawyne-born Merchant collectives, who control the flow of their own commodities and lock out much of the cultural and trade influences of wealthier Duchies such as Venora and Andaris. As a result, Dunwich is far from monolithic with the remainder of the Kingdom, not deigning to wear every article of Venoran fashion or to follow the latest linguistic trends set by Andaris' streets. Instead, everything in the city is typically rather unique to the city. The wealthier citizens tend to wear copper and bronze ornaments on their attire, as well as long leather robes closely fitted to the form... almost like a thin veil of leather armor, adorned with regal sashes of copper wire.

The people of the city are typically cold - an unfamiliar thing to the friendly populace of the Kingdom, who tend to develop large and welcoming local communities. Instead, Dunwich's populace is known for its callous demeanor, in a place where being local means everything, and yet nothing. The people of the city tend to hold few social relationships, and instead wisp to the edges of the city's agora and nightly establishments to acquire much needed social interaction. By daylight, many of the people of Dunwich are enrolled in schools of philosophy and deeper thought, many of which double as businesses as their concepts are published to the wider world. Architects serve as the largest single job classification for the wealthier residents of the city, with the lower-class residents serving as their laborers, constructionist peons for greater urban projects.

Despite being so great a bastion of production and thought, Dunwich is mired in great misfortune. Many of the citizenry of the city die at a fairly young age due to outbreak of disease, a result of the dense urban infrastructure of the holding, as well as the inhospitable northern climate. As a result, they are often replaced by ambitious commoners from other realms, feeding into the derelict communities of the city. Aside from this, there's also an immeasurable gap between the wealthy and the impoverished of Dunwich, at a rate not seen in many other cities throughout all of the Kingdom.

The crown jewel of the city is the palace of House Gawyne - also known as the Dunwich Vault, where Warren's many secrets are stored. The Dunwich Vault is a tall tower from which the family reigns, stretching around two hundred feet into the sky from a large, grounded base structure. Most of House Gawyne resides there, within the stone corridors of the palace, as well as many of their courtiers, valets and handmaidens alike.

Credit: Alistair

[Alistair]

Umbridge

Location: Northern Gawyne
Baron/Baroness: Baron Frederick and Baroness Jade Gawyne
Appeal: Close to Warren's Peak. Wild and untamed. Rumors of an entrance to the Labyrinth. An amazing library. Great quarries.
Drawback: Small. Isolated. Frigid. Mountainous. Unpopulated. Feral. Lack of sufficient agriculture.

Umbridge is the northernmost Barony of Gawyne, nestled tightly in the shadow of Warren's Peak. Rumor has it that an entrance to the Labyrinth underneath Rynmere, the Labyrinth that Warren Gawyne disappeared into arcs ago, is somewhere in the caves under and behind the estate, Warren's End. The landscape is breathtaking and wild, perhaps some of the most untamed in all of Gawyne. The hardiest of folk live here. Warren's End estate is home to one of the most exquisite libraries of all of Gawyne, meticulous records of the history of Rynmere and other secrets are kept here in its cold stone halls. Being at the foot of Warren's Peak means that Umbridge is a very cold Barony: the hot cycle is fleeting and the cold cycle is frigid and harsh. Very little grows here, but what does has a short season and the inhabitants are forced to be hardy folk, importing much of their food from elsewhere in Rynmere. Umbridge is a feral place, full of natural dangers from the landscape as well as the wildlife, if not the weather itself. It's isolated for much of the cold cycle—impossible to visit except for the most skilled of travelers in Zi'da and Cylus until the great thaw in Ashan.

Umbridge is a large Barony of mostly uninhabited, harsh land: swaths of rocky landscape with rolling hills and thin forests of thick evergreens. Clearly untamed, the villages and towns that dot the landscape are full of warm-hearted, strong people who know how to keep their hearths stoked with flame and can hold their own in a fight against both the frigid weather and the hungry wildlife. The Barony is known for its pines and cedars, its quarries of various building stones, and its warriors: what little forces Gawyne contributes to the Rynmere military largely hail from Umbridge. Carpenters, stonemasons, and builders from Umbridge are priced throughout Gawyne and Rynmere for their skill and knowledge, and just as miners from Endor are a welcome workforce, Umbridge-born craftsman are a welcome addition to any mining team.

The population of Umbridge is very low compared to the rest of Gawyne, which is already a sparse Dutchy, but those who live there love the land, endure the winter with warm stories and loud song, and tend to learn how to use a weapon early in life. Homes are made of stone and wood with thatched roofs, often built into the ground for warmth, and farms are scraggly, tough collections of the hardiest vegetables. While wild game is a huge part of the diet of Umbridge people, cattle and sheep, a few tough goats, and other animals are also kept. Horses are shaggy and strong, like their masters, and almost every home has a dog or two for hunting.

The cold cycle is long here—roughly two thirds of the arc is cold and snowy, with a short, gorgeous hot cycle that begins with the Thawing in mid-Ashan. The hearth and fire are a central part of Umbridge (and Gawyne) culture, perhaps because staying warm is a life or death situation in Zi'da and Cylus. Umbridge people are just as warm as their hearths, looking out for each other and toiling alongside each other in their painfully short growing season. Travel is nearly impossible from the end of Vhalar until the Thawing, and though the most experienced of travelers can make it in and out of the Barony, coaches and mounts cannot. Vhalar is icy, but still traversable, with Ymiden and Saun being the golden time of travel, trade, and activity in all of the Barony.

The largest village is nestled up against the Barony Estate of Warren's End, and generally shares the name. Warren's End is built into a cliffside, half the estate literally inside the mountain itself, one of the many foothill-sized rocky outcroppings that are under the shadow of Warren's Peak. Warren's End is a quiet, restful place, known for it's library, education, historians, scribes, and bookbinders. It's known for it's foolish explorers, too, curious folk from all over Rynmere who come to try to find the secrets underneath the island, for rumors abound that the entrance to the Labyrinth that Warren Gawyne himself entered is somewhere in the mountain the Estate is built into. No one's telling, that's for sure.

Umbridge-Specific Holidays

Cylus 15 - The Vigil: Cylus is the coldest, bitterest, deadliest season in Umbridge. It's dark, snowy, and the temperatures are literally fatal in the mountains. Mid-Cylus is a time of quiet contemplation for all Umbridge locals. Some even go outside to do so—though it depends on the weather. Prayers, songs, and candlelight meditations are an important aspect of this somewhat understated holiday, a day focused on hope for the sun's rising in just a few more trials.

Ashan 62 - The Thawing: By mid-Ashan, the snows are beginning to melt and the great thaw begins. Rivers swell and northern Gawyne people get outside to begin preparing for their short growing season. The Thawing is a time of celebration across all of Umbridge, and local people break out the best of their preserved foods and best crafted beers for a Barony-wide party with bonfires and outdoor meals.

Ymiden 27 - Trial of Vows: Ymiden is a popular season for marriage in Umbridge, given that it's warm and the landscape is verdant green. The Trial of Vows is a particularly popular holiday for weddings, and often there are several at a time in any given town or village, creating a huge celebration of life and love for trials at a time.

Saun 40 - The Hearthlighting: When the suns set on the last day of Saun, Umbridge residents know that the cold cycle will come crashing on them. All across the Barony, candles and hearths are lit brightly, burning long past sunset as locals stock their pantries and make their last preparations for the coming snow that hits hard usually within the first few days of Vhalar. This is a time of giving: neighbors exchange practical gifts of preserved foods, woven blankets, warm coats, firewood, or other winter-boosting supplies.

Vhalar - First Snow: By the first quarter of Vhalar, travel is no longer possible outside of Umbridge. While there is no official day or title for this event, across all of Umbridge, the first snowfall is celebrated with a wild-game heavy feast, drinking, and tale-telling. The stories of First Snow are usually genealogical in nature, families telling of their history and celebrating their generations of survival in the harsh landscape of northern Gawyne.

Vhalar 31 - Last Harvest: Once the snows come, little grows in Umbridge. The Last Harvest is celebrated with the baking and giving of bread and other pastries, exchanged between neighbors and friends. These are the last gifts of the harvest and a given with the hope and prayer for a well-fed winter and a good harvest in the next arc.

Zi'da 93 - Last Light: By the end of Zi'da, it is more dark than light across northern Gawyne, the shadows of the mountains long and the sun retreating. On the last day, before the darkness of Cylus, Umbridge Gawyne light torches and candles and lanterns and watch the sun set, often with songs and prayers for peace and warmth during the coldest season of the arc. Gifts are sometimes given between lovers and the betrothed—promises made for when the warmth returns after the Rebirth Cycle.

Warren's End

Literally carved into a cliffside in the mountains from which grow Warren's Peak, the Estate of Warren's End is an impressive structure. Isolated, well-protected, and carefully constructed, the Estate is both a fortress and a residence, a place of refuge during the worst of the winter and a place of learning. Great halls and roaring hearths are an important part of Gawyne life, and Warren's End is no exception. Half of the Estate is literally inside the mountain, with the exterior half made of well-carved, carefully crafted pale stonework as a contrast to the dark cliffside. A small garden surrounds the rocky wall, and green grass grows in the painfully short hot cycle of mid-Ymiden to Saun.

Fortifications are present and the Hearth Guard of Gawyne are in a healthy presence, their barracks and main training ground in the village that spreads out sparsely beyond the walls of the Estate.

Warren's End is well-known for its library, the most exquisite in all of Gawyne (and rumored to rival both libraries combined in Andaris proper), Baron Frederick Gawyne a meticulous record-keeper himself and the Estate a place of learning and education for many Gawyne residents who wish to pursue knowledge. It is also known as a place of peace—any who seek refuge within Warren's End will find it at Frederick and Jade's hearth. The Estate is sparsely decorated, mostly with trophies of great hunts, beautiful tapestries woven by womenfolk to tell the Gawyne history, and a few paintings of family and of the harsh but beautiful landscape of Umbridge itself.

Location NPCs

Moderator's Note: Players are free to control NPCs in this location without moderation. However, keep in mind that these are NPCs involved in major events / plots and therefore they can only be used in a 'surface' manner. If in doubt, please check with a Ryn mod.

Elias Nolein

Race: Human
Age: 54
Title: Captain of the Hearth Guard
Skills: Blades: Saber (80), Ranged Combat: Shortbow (75), Shielded Combat: Buckler (60), Leadership (50), Field Craft (50), Tactics (50), Teaching (50), Unarmed Combat (50), Mount (35) Etiquette (35)

Elias is a perfect hardy example of an Umbridge local. He's a mountain of a man and even at 54, is still going strong as Captain of the Umbridge Hearth Guard, personal protectors of the Barony, the Baron's family, and the estate. In addition to heading the barracks stationed in Warren's End, Elias enjoys teaching his skills and was the combat tutor to the Gawyne children.

Kyla Poretta

Race: Mixed blood
Age: 34
Title: Stable Mistress
Skills: Animal Husbandry (75), Mount: Horse (70), Animal Training (60), Field Craft (45), Leather Working (35), Storytelling (35), Medicine (30), Surgery (30), Singing (20), Resistance (20)

Kyla keeps the animals of Warren's End: the hardy Gawyne horses, the sheep, the fowl, and the cattle. She makes sure that as many animals as possible survive the winter. She enjoys drinking and singing and telling stories, can stitch up a gash in a pinch, and is somewhat of an entertainer when not busy with her duties.

Corinth Ward

Race: Mixed Blood
Age: 42
Title: Keeper of the House
Skills: Etiquette (80), Politics (60), Caregiving (60), Intelligence (50), Leadership (60), Discipline (40), Running (30),

Corinth is the epitome of a butler, only he actually has a sense of humor, isn't above chasing children around the estate, and seems to enjoy every aspect of his job taking care of his Baron, Baronness, and their family. He commands a small crew of maids and housekeepers with flair and pleasure, keeping a gregarious household.

Niall Vathor

Race: Human
Age: 25
Title: Coachman
Skills: Cartography (30), Navigation (80), Fieldcraft (70), Mount (70), Strength (30), Gambling (30), Whips (50), Smithing (20)

Niall is just a young local horseman, friend of Kyla, who demonstrated his skill driving a coach and caring for the animals. He took over for the last Coachman four arcs ago when he retired. Always ready with a joke or a prank, he brings a bit of a wild ride to his trips and is somewhat of a friend to the Baron's children, though perhaps only one of them would admit it.

Ra'yei

Race: Mixed blood
Age: 38
Title: Head Cook
Skills: Baking (80), Cooking (80), Butchering (40), Agriculture (50), Vinting (30), Brewing (30), Medicine (40)

Ra'yei must deal with the limited Gawyne produce, the abundance of game, and the rarity of imports this far north. She's a creative cook, always coming up with hardy meals to fuel her household no matter what the season, she is an accomplished preserver, butcher, and a hobbiest at brewing delicious alcoholic beverages in the chilled caves of Warren's End. Her love of cheese knows no bounds.

Credit: Caius Gawyne

Castle is Predjama Castle in Slovenia.

[Pegasus]

"They call me the half-God. But I am still half man, and still wholly defective." - Warren Gawyne, Lord-Engineer and Philosopher King

Engineer? King? King of...?

Could one's reasons for survival ever be considered shallow? For Warren Gawyne, a Mortalborn of Aeva, death in the Sheoran Blight was never among the list of possibilities -- he would be protected, whether by fate or his Immortal parentage. Of that he was certain. So why, then, tag along with the Sheoran refugees as they flooded like sheep to an isle still yet unknown?

It's established in play that the Immortal who is the parent is Ziell. It can't be Aeva, as it goes against existing information.

Sheor was a land of great, outstretched lengths. From grassy fields to windy hilltops, arid mountains and the deserts below, and even the beginnings of frosted tundra to the far north... it was a land of many people, places and creatures alike. And Warren, a man who lived utterly long, explored much of these lands. In a deep desert ravine never before explored - or so he thought - he found a great tome within the sunken sands. This book, unknown to him, was a Compendium of Immortal Wisdom, a book of a Chronologer - one of Ralaith's blessed. In it was compiled information so vast, as to seek the stars; secrets unknown to man, perhaps even to Divine. It spoke of the way to acquire divinity, even for men as plainly blooded as the ichor drawn from a leech.

Very purple prose-y. Make it more factual.
Compendium needs writing up and submitting.

Warren delved into this tome for many years, seeking to understand its encoded descriptions . . . wondering of the validity of its claims. For the purpose of uncovering their validity, probabilities were carefully laid out... and opportunities were clung to.

Stick to facts. He studied the tome for many years.

The idea in particular, expressed in the Compendium, was that immortality was not exclusive to the Immortals. That worship fueled the power of their Domains, but not only theirs - that heroes, legends, ancestors could all attain something akin to Godhood. Knowing this, Warren eagerly joined the repertoir of the other six, offering them his power along with technological innovation great for his time. He utilized his domain of Invention to the point of withering himself into old age, offering the other houses six powerful artifacts through which they would carry out their will.

repertoir = repertoire
I don't think you mean repertoire, anyhow?
This makes no sense to me. He's Mortalborn - he can become Immortal - and even if the lure of Immortalhood was enough for him - why did going and hanging around with the rest of them help that?

Warren then retired to the cold north, as all the others fulfilled their destinies. He was given Lordship over Gawyne - named after him - in Arc 184.

Wait - what happened in between? He went with them - but what happened then? What part did he play in the founding? In the subsequent successes and tragedies? He is in Lore as Andaris' guide - there's no guiding thus far.

As they slew and domesticated Jacadons, crafted culture around them, identity along the lines of names... and whispers. And he was so often confided in - giving his legal advice, in fact creating many of the laws and legal structures that now exist, through the fundamentals of his own philosophical beliefs around liberty and justice. Ramblings of an older, greener time, when he still had much passion for the world. But for others, these ideas were foundational, and revolutionary. Courts of justice, representatives of the people. Infallible laws. Rynmere is, perhaps, a bulwark of relative peace and modernity today because of his legacy.

this doesn't make sense. He retired to the ass-end of nowhere and the others got on and did stuff - but he created the entire legal system etc?

But to him, all of these things were trifling. Warren wanted one thing beyond all else - eternal veneration, and as the other Six laid old and frail, he discovered that the claims made in the old tome were true... and so the structures of the Faith of Rynlism were founded in Arc 216, worshiping the Seven, a death cult forged to ensure that the founders of the Kingdom would all live on.

According to the timeline, Verne Andaris had been dead for 14 years at this point, and it was 16 years before the walls of Andaris were built.

Warren's final invention was the Great Temple of Gawyne that same arc, forged to last for time immemorial . . . and then he passed on, and rose again, the 'God' he'd wanted to be.

Need to sort that timeline out.

Though perhaps a hollow, cynical history to bear, those from Gawyne have always kept Warren's lessons deep within their heart. His philosophy, his skepticism, his pragmatic nature. They have ruled the world of philosophy and law for the longest time, and have built upon his foundations a house of technology and innovation unparalleled by the rest. To look upon Gawyne now is almost to witness a treasure unknown; cities built on foundations of iron, copper automatons roaming the roads, in service to the Lords and Ladies of the House. True civilization, they say, will begin in the frosted heart of Gawyne.

Automatons roaming the roads? Are you having a giraffe? Noooooo.
Gawyne has never been played this way, as far as I know it. Since Ziell is the Immortal, not Aeva, this is going to need a complete rework, I think.

I would, again, urge that you get the timelines and facts sorted. We're trying to minimise / negate contradictions - the lack of cohesion here is creating more.