• CULTURE AND HISTORY •

The world

First a few small keep-in-minds about the world as a whole:

• Reptiles and birds don't exist. Instead bats are the most common aerial creatures together with species from the more alien animal type sludgelings.

• On the whole, one could consider the world closer to the renaissance than the middle ages technology-wise. For example, gunpowder has not been discovered in this part of the world, so Lenorian ships use ballista technology instead.

• Two titanic structures rotate around the planet and are fully visible during both night and day. No ordinary person know exactly what these things are, and they appeared in the sky during an apocalyptic day. Most agree that some divine or cosmic force must be involved however. [ Text about the event ]

The nation Lenori

The game takes place in the small nation Lenori, a wild and still rather untamed region filled with deep forests, craggy ravines, dizzying waterfalls and pillar mountains. It is here that the Lenorians, also called the Seafarers (mostly by the Serans and the Javenians) have built their humble nation. Generations have defied the harsh wilderness and slowly their villages and towns have spread, connected by winding roads and bridges through canyons and forests. Great mechanical towers and cranes rise among the trees and hills to create bridges and elevators – a testament to the Lenorians tenacity and inventiveness.

They are not a people that back down from a challenge, but they are certainly a restless people. The same force that have driven them to travel and create colonies beyond the seas also gives rise to constant uprisings and small-scale revolutions. The nation was formed though a rebellion against the ruling class, and ever since there has existed a deeply-rooted mistrust against social superiority and hierarchy. Those that hold any kind of power in Lenori know that very little stands in the way of them getting deposed (even though they might not have done anything terribly wrong). You'd think that this would result in quite a chaos – but somehow the Lenorians still make it work through stubborn co-operation.

To be more specific, the larp takes place in the Duchy of Kern, which used to be one of the richer Duchies in the nation. But a recent war (more details below) that spread both destruction and disease weakened it heavily – especially the port city Kern Avanna, which is situated close to the Blind Wolf's Tavern. What used to be one of the largest and richest cities in Lenori was struck hard by war and plague, and is now but a shadow of its former self. Many wonder if it's possible to regain the influence that the Duchy once had, and glance at the neighbor nation in the south – Norn – which could provide lucrative trade if it wasn't for the fact that a dire civil war was raging.

The war against the Rakkhari

Close to ten years ago – year 381 – Lenori was invaded by a hitherto unknown people from the south, the Rakkhari. A first invasion broke through age old mountain passes that had been sealed up and cut deep into Lenori. Together with Seran reinforcements the Lenorians were able to repel the invaders and pushed them back beyond the southern mountains. The defensive forces were outmaneuvered however, and ended up being forced into a mountain pass in Norn – which had already fallen to the Rakkhari after one of its most powerful families betrayed the nation in exchange for ruling the nation under Rakkhari occupation.

The path was now free for the invading Rakkhari forces and this time they ventured deep into Lenori. Despite reinforcement from the Seran Silver Army more and more of its territory fell to the invaders, as the Rakkhari unleashed a sorcerous plauge which wreaked havoc on civilians and soldiers alike. The war raged on for years, and if it wasn't for the fact that the Rakkhari forces weren't used to fighting in a rough and craggy terrain like Lenori's it would have been over much faster. In the late stages of the war Lenori's eastern neighbor, Javenna, decided to get involved. Their army of sorcerors were something the Rakkhari were wholly unprepared for, and suddenly the invaders found themselves waging a two-front war which was complicated further by the fact that all their resource transport had to come through occupied Norn, rarely without losses. The situation became untenable for the invading forces. And when the Rakkhari leader suddenly passed away, forcing a shift in power, the end of the war became a fact. The Rakkhari withdrew from Lenori, though the plague they unleashed was still raging and it would take a long time to rebuild all that was lost.

The subsequent war between the Rakkhari Commonwealth and Javenna

Though peace had been settled between north and south, it was not to last for long. The fact that the Rakkhari oppose all worship of Gods now had come into contact with the Javenians, who in turn completely submit to their mad Divines, meant that a new and all the more serious conflict had been kindled. A few years passed in peace before Javenna declared war by wiping out the Rakkhari capital in one single attack.

A lone warrior from the Javenesian Oblivion Battalion ventured out on a long pilgrimage from Javenna, all the way to the heart of the Rakkhari Commonwealth. In a disastrous explosion that shook the very weave of reality the warrior eradicated the entire city. Had it not been for an intervention by a power from beyond, the entire Rakkhari leadership would have been wiped out at the same time. But the Javenian attack had not been as successful as they had hoped. The war between Javenna and the Rakkhari commonwealth had begun, and rages on to this day. They year is now 390 and life goes on. For better and worse.

The civil war in Norn

After peace was settled between the Rakkhari Commonwealth and the northern nations in the year 386 it didn't take long before the Rakkhari occupation of Norn started losing power. During the years after the war, the rebel families managed to build their strength and wage secret battles against the traitor family that holds the crown of Norn and the Rakkhari occupants. And when Javenna attacked the Rakkhari capital everything changed overnight. In just a few days almost the entire Rakkhari occupational force was withdrawn and the traitor family's power was extremely weakened. And thus, the civil war erupted in Norn. The hope of overthrowing the traitors proved far more difficult than the rebels had hoped however, and several years later no clear victor stands, only families and alliances that grow weaker by the day. By now, the only ones who can stand against the traitors who hold the crown is the family Irmograf, after most other families have either been weakened too much to fight or simply bent the knee to the traitors. Only time will tell what Norn's fate holds.

Lenori has refused to get involved in the civil war – partially because of the nation's complicated history with Norn, and partially because of a reluctance to suffer even more losses. There have been illegal smuggling operations however, where weapons, equipment, javenesian objects and other things have been transported into Norn, but one by one these have been stomped out.

The cultures

Relationer mellan folkslagen

The Lenorians are in the most complicated situation of all. Their small nation has suffered a lot in recent years and is becoming more and more of a game piece in the larger nations' political gambles. Most would consider the Serans as strong allies after having fought together against the Rakkhari – though some would say that the Serans intended to claim Lenori for themselves following rumors that the Serans and the Rakkhari wanted to form an alliance. Some say that the strict Seran formality hides treachery whereas others say that the notherners simply need to learn how to relax a bit more (Lenorians do not quite understand, for example, why Serans abstain from alcohol).

The relationship to the Javenians is more complicated however – it is very possible that the war against the Rakkhari would have ended in disaster if the Javenians hadn't intervened, but they are a strange and rather unreliable people. Most see them as fascinating, but also kinda frightening. The increasing Javenian influence in eastern Lenori is something that worries a lot of people, especially as rumor has it that the easterners have started converting people to their faith.

The Norni have always been something of a hostile nobility in Lenorian history – a nation of high Lords and Ladies which the brave workers liberated themselves from. Though some say that the time has come to mend old wounds and join forces against common enemies others are more skeptical and willing to believe that Norn simply would try to assume rule over Lenori again.

The Rakkhari people are seen as enemies by most, though more and more and becoming aware of the nuances and differences that exist between the provinces that make up the great nation in the south.

The Serans find themselves in a complicated situation of a different kind. The recent war led to inner political turmoil (which, granted, is not too uncommon in Serdanos) and even if the battles never crossed the Seran border the losses were still severe. Lenori is seen more and more as a political battlefield – a way to fight against the Javenians' ever increasing influence. The relationship with the theocracy in the east have been difficult ever since the two nations separated from the mother nation Navaria. Even if there has never been any open armed conflict the two nations do not have a friendly relationship. In Serdanos, the Javenians are seen as lust-crazed fools with far more power than they have sense – a danger to the world and sensible living.

The Lenorians are mostly seen as somewhat uncouth and not entirely house trained, but most would agree that the alliance with the Seafarers is invaluable (especially considering the Lenorians' colonies and resources). They might make an unlikely pair, but the Seran sense for sciencetific method and the Lenorian's rather chaotic inventiveness makes for a formidable pairing.

Though the Lenorians are still rather hostile towards the Rakkari, the Seran view of the great nation in the south has changed a lot in short time – especially since their war against the Javenians began. Through diplomatic contacts the two nations have realized that they have far more in common than they have reason to fight, though exactly what this will result in remains to be seen.

Norn is still something of a question mark to Serans. There has been very limited contact between the two nations, but most hope that the final victor in the civil war could be turned into an ally.

The Javenians' position is the strongest of the neighboring nations in the north, even though most Javenians aren't anywhere near politically aware enough to realize it. While the Serans view them as something close to enemies, the Javenians see their western neighbors as big bores that take themselves far too seriously. Most think that the Serans will see reason sooner or later and join the great Javenian nation – they can't let their somber brothers and sisters stay lost forever, after all. But if there must be battle before this happens, then so be it.

When it comes to the Lenorians, most Javenians look down on them in a friendly manner – kind of like you would do with a very smart dog. They're not much to look at, but they can still be quite fun! This is starting to change a bit after the Javenian church started converting Lenorians to their faith however, and many envision Lenori as being part of the Javenna one day.

Javenians know basically nothing about Norn or it's people – other than that apparently they are fighting each other, and apparently have fought the Rakkhari in the past.

Few things make a Javenian swallow their careless smile as quickly as the word Rakkhari. The nation in the south has been declared a mortal enemy, something that must be eradicated for Javenna's well-being. And no sane Javenian would ever go against the will of the church.

The Norni have been cut off from the northern nations for hundreds of years and have been too busy with their own battles to really build strong bonds. For generations, Lenori has been seen asa rebel nation, brothers and sisters who turned their anger on the hand that fed them with the aid of superhuman forces. They are but lost family members, who do not know what is best for them. Many hope that the Lenorians will aid in the fight against the Rakkhari-allied traitors that hold the throne, but the northern neighbors continued silence is starting to feed a bitter resentment.

The Serans are a bit of an enigma to the Norni – it is known that they fought against the Rakkhari and perhaps could make a difference in the civil war. But so far, there are no proper diplomatic ties and most of what is known is vague rumors.

The Javenians seem just as strange, and of even more interest. For some time, the rebel families of Norn were bolstered by Javenian potions and trinkets, but after this smuggling operation was cut off their position has weakened considerably. Many odd things have been said about the people in the east, but they are still viewed as a potentially extremely valuable ally. Though the mental image the Norni have of the Javenians is probably far different from reality...

The Mountainborn are seen by most as harmless and many like to visit their camps during travel as they usually are welcoming to strangers. The Serans and the Javenians generally look down upon them however, since they are living a far more primitive and “dirty” life. The Norni don't quite understand them.

The Riverfolk haven't been encountered by many so far, so most have yet to form some sort of opinion about them. Even though the rumors about them seem positive, many are hesitant to believe them – especially those that feel that there's been a bit too much outside influence trying to take over in Lenori in recent times. Especially the Serans feel like they have better things to do than to seek them out.

The Navarians are a people who have become nearly mythical in Lenori in quite a short time. Tavern rumors tell of a hermit nation that recently allied with Serdanos, and how people have met traveling monks who preach about their lost Goddess Queen. These strange wanderers travel in old ceremonial garb, their skin almost completely white and their eyes black as night. It's difficult to say what is true and what is not – but it certainly fires up the imagination.

The Ormázi get varying treatment in Lenori – some are lucky and are approached with compassion, whereas others are less fortunate and have to toil and beg for every lidas. Serans usually keep their distance however, as Ormázi slaves are used for very specific purposes in the north. Javenians and Norni have not had much to do with them, at least not yet.

The Rakkhari have largely been generalized, and are therefore despised equally. Especially in Lenori there is a lot of resentment left after the war. There is a growing awareness about how some of the provinces do not fully support the Rakkhari wars however, which has softened these attitudes. (One can assume that those that visit the Blind Wolf belong to those who have been enlightened). The Serans keep their polite and formal tone, but as Javenna's influence grows it seems all the more reasonable to cultivate bonds to the peoples in the south. Javenna, in turn, are fully aware that their nation is fighting a full-scale war against the peoples in the south – though the common Javenian is honestly not geopolitically aware enough not to try and charm every person they come across. The Norni have defended themselves against the Rakkhari for too many generations to even consider forgiveness anymore. Even though they are fully aware of the differences between the Rakkhari provinces, they all bolstered the army that tore Norn to pieces.

Sorcerors

A few words about sorcerors and their place in the world. The ability to learn the arts of sorcery are inherited by blood, meaning that those that do not inherently have the trait cannot learn to wield sorcery. This means that some types of sorcery are far more common among some cultures, whereas others completely lack the trait.

Among the Lenorians sorcerors have enjoyed an elevated position in society, though most have a distrust for them as they mostly kept to their secret little gatherings. During the Rakkhari war a great many of them disappeared however – some fled into the Sorcerors' Forest which remains sealed to this day, others were executed by Rakkhari sorceror hunters, and still others fled to the colonies. There are far fewer of them around these days in Lenori, which means that especially life sorcerors are very sought after. Though ordinary people still don't trust them fully.

In Seran culture sorcerors have a much higher position and usually hold important positions in their respective families. Oftentimes they are advisers, scientists, interrogators or similar. The few enchanment sorcerors that exist have some of the most respected positions in the country.

Concerning Javenna, the situation is vastly different as every Javenian (except a few unfortunate souls) are born with sorcery. The type of sorcery you wield decides your place in society and therefor a great part of your life. These powers are a part of every-day life – to the point that Javenna could neither function or survive without them. There are, however, what is called true sorcerors whose powers are far more potent than the common Javenian's. These individuals naturally gravitate towards the topmost layers of society.

Sorcerors do not exist in Norn, but people are well aware of them and are keen to somehow gain access to their powers and secrets. However, there is a deeply rooted tradition dealing with occultism in the form of curses. Though many consider it pure superstition these days, one can't deny that some families have had an almost unnatural run of bad luck through the ages...

Faiths

In Lenori the most common faith used to be a form of divine worship led by wise men and women. This faith taught that the land, the sea and the wind all had their own divines – one compassionate and one malicious. The challenges you met in life were messengers from the divines that you had to face, either to prove that one wasn't getting too complacent or that one was courageous enough to deal with hardship. But during the Rakkhari war these wise men and women were captured and taken to the south by the invading army. Exactly what became of them has never been revealed and in their absence this faith has started to waver. Some Lenorians have instead looked to the Serans traditions (with varying degrees of success), whereas others simply ignore that which they have no direct experience of. Some have even started praying or giving offerings to the strange supernatural creatures that have awoken in recent years.

The Serans do not have any particular faith in Gods or divines, instead they follow an eclectic mix of astronomy and astrology – half science and half mysticism. It is not a tradition filled with dogma, but one led by stargazing oracles called Dragomen. At important life events these oracles are the ones that lead the ceremonies, give wise advice and interpret the messages from the stars. How seriously one takes these divinations varies from person to person, but every Seran (who hasn't completely adopted Lenrian culture) keeps it in the back of their head at the very least.

Javenna is at its heart a theocracy and each and every citizen is expected to bow to the churches commands. The other peoples know extremely little about the Javenian faith, which worships nine Gods and one Supreme, each more insane than the other. Most choose to worship one of these God above the others, depending on what one values and desires most in life.

For a long time, Norn followed old traditions around creatures and divines from the sea, but this faith has become more and more forgotten with time. Instead, dark traditions around curses and protection against these started to take hold. Though most don't know what is true and what is not, most agree that it is better to be safe than to be sorry. After the Rakkhari war, there was a resurgence of an old faith, however: a teaching that humanity was never destined to stay in one place too long and that such stagnation was to invite certain destruction. Instead, the creator of humanity called upon the people to always travel eastwards towards the darn and a better world. After years of decline and war many are starting to give up hope in the nation altogether, instead wanting to abandon it all to find a new way of life away from the bloodspattered nation that now seems to be held together only by lust for revenge.