Z is for Zodiac

Given the large number of visitors from the physical heavens, it's little wonder then that much attention is paid to the stars and planets, with many fields of lore and magic associated with them. One such field, astrology, attempts to divine future events by observing the movements of the planets through the twelve constellations of the zodiac. These constellations are (in order):

• Sun
• Moon
• Star
• Jester
• Rogue
• Cataphract
• Throne
• Flames
• Key
• Skull
• Euryale
• Ruin

There is also a thirteenth "constellation," known as "the Void," occupying an area in the sky where there are in fact no stars whatsoever. Ancient legends claim that, in primordial ages, the gods warred against demons and so great was their struggle that the light of some stars was extinguished forever.

Each constellation, including the Void, is associated with one of the calendar's 28-day months. Once, astrologers believed that under born in a particular month fell under the influence of the stars making up the constellation associated with it, but that belief fell out of disfavor long ago and is accepted by only the most superstitious. Of course, some astrologers instead theorize that it is not the stars of one's birth month that matter but those of nine other "greater constellations" whose locations in the heavens envelope several of the "lesser" thirteen. This theory has not found widespread acceptance, but many, in their zeal to find an explanation for the path of their lives other than their own decisions, have embraced it as the truth.

Y is for Yethlyreom

Called "the City of the Necromancers," Yethlyreom is a city-state that rose to power in the wake of Thule's imperial collapse. Originally a pilgrimage site dedicated to Donn, god of the dead, Yethlyreom was swamped with migrants, refugees, and other displaced persons seeking safety and stability, causing its population to swell beyond what its walls -- or its government -- could comfortably handle. The clerics of Donn attempted to make the best of the situation by instituting taxes and fees designed to eject the lowest orders from inside the walls of the city. The clerics' plan worked and soon a sizable shanty town grow up around Yethlyreom, inhabited by those unable to pay the levies.

Events took a turn for the worse when an army of bandits made of former Thulian legionaries appeared in the countryside, bound for Yethlyreom. Those outside the walls begged to be allowed inside to protect themselves, but the clerics of Donn did not hear their pleas. It was then that a magic-user by the name of Bion appeared, along with a small band of comrades and apprentices. These magicians promised to protect not just Yethlyreom but also the shanty town outside it and did so -- by calling up an army of the dead. Skeletons, zombies, and other types of undead were brought forth from the vast necropolises surrounding Yethlyreom. Under the command of the necromancers, these creatures drove off the bandits and saved the city.

It was then that Bion and his companions, at the head of an army of both undead and peasants, stormed the walls of Yethlyreom and cast down the clerics of Donn, claiming the city for themselves. Under Bion, all clerics of any sort were banished from inside the city's walls -- an ironic turnabout considering recent history. Necromancy was practiced openly and anyone, regardless of social status, who demonstrated the ability to work magic would be taught to do so in return for service to the city-state. Since that time, Yethlyreom has grown powerful and influential, rivaling even Adamas. It is now one of the major power centers of the post-Thulian world.

X is for Xaranes

Apologies to Virgil Finlay

In addition to the Octad revered by the Great Church, there have always been "interloper" deities also given homage in Thulian society. One of the most successful was, of course, Turms Termax, but the role Turms played in Thulian religious is unusual. More typical is Xaranes, better known as "the Iron God."

Xaranes first appeared in Thulian history not long after the foundation of the Thulian Empire. Originally, his cult was small and obscure, limited primarily to hardened demon hunters. It is through these demon hunters that the cult infiltrated the faith of Typhon, becoming a secret society within the much larger religion. Xaranes -- called the Iron God, because his strange armor and his implacable determination to destroy demons -- offered an alternative to the stiff-necked, rule-bound, and frankly cruel doctrine of Typhon. He also taught mysterious doctrines about "the Makers" and "the Great Maker," who had supposedly sent him into the world to battle against "the seeds of evil." Such doctrines tied into existing Thulian beliefs about Anyastos, an aloof ninth deity reputed to be the source of all Divinity.

Needless to say, the church of Typhon persecuted followers of Xaranes and did its best to root out cells of the cult within its midst. The Typhonists gained unexpected allies in the servants of Donn, god of the dead, when it was revealed that the Iron God's followers had infiltrated that religion as well, for Xaranes took a great interest in the proper disposition of the dead, a task he claimed that Donn's worshipers had neglected. Together, the clerics of Typhon and Donn drove the Iron God's cult further underground, so much so that, by the time of the Thulian Empire's fall, it was all but extinct. Since the opening of Dwimmermount, though, Xaranes has once again reappeared and there are stories of a small but influential cell of his cult springing up in the very stronghold of Typhon -- the city-state of Adamas.

W is for Warrior Traditions

While, to the uninitiated, one fighting man appears little different than another, the fact of the matter is that, even within a single culture, there are usually multiple "warrior traditions," each reflective of a unique martial philosophy. Take, for example, the Thulians.

• Bear-shirts: The bear-shirts were an ancient warrior tradition among the Hyperborean peoples, with the Thulians being perhaps their greatest exemplars. Bear-shirts were frenzied warriors dedicated to the god Mavors. They clothed themselves in bear skins -- hence their name -- and eschewed any other form of protection, believing that Mavors protected them, in addition to granting them superhuman strength and ferocity in battle. The Thulian emperor maintained a company of these warriors as his personal guard and was often inducted their brotherhood. The tradition declined after the rise of the cult of Turms Termax, which viewed it as an unseemly vestige of the Empire's barbarian past. Since the fall of the Empire, the tradition has been revived, with the Despot of Adamas employing bear-shirts in imitation of the Thulian emperor -- a practice the city-state's neighbors consider ominous.
• Cataphracts: With the growth of the Thulian Empire came new warrior traditions, one of which was that of the cataphracts. Heavily armored, mounted soldiers, the cataphracts were the elite of the Empire's cavalry forces, striking terror into the hearts of enemies across the continent with their skill and tactics. Though the emperor wished to employ cataphracts more widely, the expense of both their training and their upkeep prevented this from becoming a reality. After the collapse of the Empire, the cataphract tradition survived, although it came to be even more strongly associated with elite soldiers, typically being reserved to those of high birth and/or material wealth. 

These are but two Thulian warrior traditions. Many others existed during the Empire, most of which survived its fall and continue to be practiced by fighting men of many regions. Likewise, cultures other than the Thulians have their own traditions, such as the two-weapon style favored in the West or the lightly-armored duelists of the South. And then there are non-humans like elves, dwarves, and goblins, all of whom have their own traditions as well. These and many other traditions ensure that there are as many different ways of fighting as there are fighting men. 

V is for Vampire

Of all the types of undead, it is the vampire that is probably the most terrifying. Part of it the terror it generates is simple revulsion at the vampire's physical form -- an emaciated, almost rodent-like mockery of the human countenance -- but there is more to it than that, as there are many monsters whose appearance is as hideous, if not moreso, than that of the vampire. Equally terrifying is the vampire's mockery of both mortality and  immortality, its cruel reminder that all existence depends upon sucking the life out of other beings.

There are three known ways to become a vampire. The first is to voluntarily seek out this undead state through the use of Chaotic rituals. Comparatively few vampires are created this way any longer. The second is to be drained of one's life by a vampire and then chosen by the creature to be one of his thralls. This is the most common way that vampires are created in the present age. The third is is a variation on the first, in that Chaotic rituals are employed but the vampire is forcibly created against the wishes of the person affected by those rituals. And, just like the first method, this one is quite rare at present, as the rituals needed are possessed only by a few secretive cults.

Like liches, vampires frequently become leaders among the undead, cowing lesser types into their service. After the fall of the Thulian Empire, a number of vampires associated with the cult of Turms Termax took advantage of the ensuing disorder to establish themselves as warlords in several locations, most notably the military base then known as Fort Adamantas. Over time, most of these vampire lords were overthrown, but some survived, either fleeing into hiding or continuing to rule from their strongholds. With the opening of Dwimmermount, there are stories of yet more Termaxian vampires appearing in the world -- which does not bode well for the future.

U is for The Undead

Despite folk tales about ghosts, wraiths, and spectres, there is no evidence that these legendary spirits of the dead actually exist. Consequently, when sages speak of "the undead," they mean corporeal beings whose bodies continue to exist and, in some cases, house a human intelligence long after they ceased any sort of biological functioning. Undeath is thus the only reliable form of immortality, though it carries with it the stench of Chaos, for demons are said to have first taught men the methods of creating -- and joining -- the ranks of the undead.

Because of their demonic pedigree, all human religions consider the undead their special foes, which is why traveling clerics are taught magical rituals for banishing or "turning" these foul creatures. Experienced clerics, infused with the power of Law, can even learn to destroy undead utterly, reducing their bodily vessels to dust and sending the human souls encased within to final judgment before the gods. This is why most undead hide themselves far from civilization, in areas where Law holds little sway.

While many intelligent undead choose their state by recourse to various evil rituals, not all do. Some become so as a result of transferring their Chaotic taint to their victims, who rise as undead of the same sort as their destroyer. These unfortunate individuals find their minds as well as their bodies twisted by the curse of undeath, becoming little different than those who sought to become undead in order to escape death. Precisely why this happens -- and why the gods allow it -- is a mystery that has baffled theologians and scholars alike since time immemorial.

T is for Tyche

Tyche is the goddess of fortune, prosperity, and destiny revered by the Thulian Great Church, but her cult was well known for centuries beforehand. Called by her followers "Lady Luck" or simply "the Lady," Tyche is one of the more unusual deities venerated by the Thulian Empire. Although her patronage of prosperity and even destiny might be said to support the civilization of Man, the same cannot be said of fortune -- at least unequivocally. Tyche is a whimsical and occasionally capricious mistress; beseeching her aid is no guarantee of good fortune, only that the Lady will provide an unexpected outcome.

True devotees of Tyche accept this reality and, indeed, see it as instructive. For there are no certainties in life and to assume otherwise is a recipe for, at best, regular disappointment and, at worst, madness and despair. Consequently, Tyche worshipers see themselves as offering a counterbalance to Man's tendency to view himself as divinely gifted and, therefore, destined for victory in all his endeavors. Some servants of the Lady enjoy this role greatly, which does little to endear their faith to others, particularly the temples of other gods, some of whom see Tyche as tainted by Chaos and even whisper that Lady Luck is not a true deity at all.

Intriguingly, the church of Tyche evinces little interest in dispelling such notions. Some of its clerics even suggest, if only implicitly, that there is some truth to these charges. Though described in feminine terms and depicted as a woman in art, there are no myths or legends associated with Tyche's activities in the material world. She is not associated with any historical events or personages and her followers are adamant about the fact that her influence over mortal affairs is never direct. A few devotees come close to stating outright that "Tyche" is not a divine being at all but rather the personification of a concept, a notion that does nothing to undermine their faith in the slightest. Unsurprisingly, other temples are not so broad-minded and fear that ideas such as this encourage skepticism and even atheism -- two of the demons' greatest tools in spreading Chaos among Men.

S is for Spells

The term "spell" refers to a magical formula, whether written or mental, that enables a spellcaster to alter reality in accordance with the parameters of that formula. In its written form, a spell is expressed by a complex, non-representational cipher that is completely unintelligible to anyone whose mind has not been prepared to do so. Such preparation is a significant part of a spellcaster's apprenticeship, with years spent in exercises intended to open the mind to the non-physical "impressions" of spells. These impressions are the mental form of a spell and translating them between their written and mental forms is another important part of a spellcatser's apprenticeship.

Though commonly spoken of as existing in the "memory" of the spellcaster before they are activated, this isn't quite accurate. Rather, a spell exists in the mind as an "image" or "symbol" that corresponds to a known effect in the real world. Becoming a spellcaster is, in part, learning the ability to associate these symbols with specific effects and do so in such a way as to bring them about outside the mind. This process is difficult and mentally taxing and, initially, most spellcasters are unable to retain a small number of minor symbols in their minds at once. It is only with time and experience that they expand their minds sufficiently to be able to retain more -- and more potent -- symbols.

The discovery of the correspondences between these mental symbols and non-mental effects occurred in the distant past, likely in the time of the mysterious Ancients. So obscure are these correspondences that, even after untold millennia of research, the number of spells has not expanded much beyond the 100 or so spells that are taught in magical academies today. This has led some to suggest that all possible correspondences have already been discovered, an opinion some sages scoff at, for both history and legend speak of spells whose effects are unlike any seen in the present era.

R is for Raise Dead

Restoring the dead to life is almost certainly one of the most impressive miracles any cleric might work. It is also one of the rarest of all such miracles, for only a handful of clerics in the world are capable of it. Even then, there are a couple of impediments to raise dead that make it much less useful than folklore and rumor would suggest.

First, there is a hard limit on how long Men -- and only Men, for the gods seem to favor no other race in this regard -- may be dead before raise dead proves ineffective. Theologians and metaphysicians disagree on the reasons for this limit, but they both agree that, after 30 days, no cleric, regardless of his power, can restore life to the deceased. Second, the deceased's own ability to withstand adversity comes into play, with some Men being constitutionally less able to survive the magical rigors raise dead demands of their bodies. Thus, this spell often has no effect on the aged or infirm, particularly the former, for raise dead can do nothing to restore life to those who died simply of old age. As the saying goes, "Even the gods bow to the authority of Time." Third, those whom raise dead does restore are often shattered by the experience, both physically and spiritually. They are weaker of body and prone to gloominess; some even claim that they can see the souls of the recently dead abroad in the world.

As noted above, raise dead is only effective on Men. Dwarves, being artificial constructs of living stone, may be returned to life by a magic-user using a stone to flesh spell. Elves, despite their immortality, cannot be returned to life by any known means; should their bodies die, they are truly dead. Goblins are also unaffected by raise dead, but their culture believes in metempsychosis and expects goblin souls to return to the material world in another form. They look upon the use of raise dead as further evidence of Man's cowardice and immaturity.

Q is for Quintessence

"Quintessence" is the name given to azoth in its pure, gaseous form. In this form, it suffuses the space between the worlds and stars, transmitting both energy and light. Sages say that quintessence is the most sublime of all the elements, being the very stuff of magic from which the gods wrought the cosmos.

Though a gas, quintessence behaves like a liquid, which is why old texts speak of "sailing the Quintessential Sea." With the right sort of vessel and the means to launch it into the Astral Plane, it is indeed possible to sail through quintessence to other worlds and, theoretically, even the stars themselves. Of course, no one has done this well before the fall of the Thulian Empire, but the knowledge still exists; all that is lacking is the will to pursue it.

Long ago, for reasons none can explain, quintessence rained down on some worlds and satellites, becoming liquid azoth. Areon once had the largest deposits of azoth of all known worlds, but they were squandered by the Eld, who used it up in their quest for cosmic domination. It was, at least in part, the lust for more azoth that led the Red Elves to conquer other worlds, a lust that survived even the loss of their empire. Even now, they covet other worlds' azoth and dream of the day when they might claim it for themselves. Meanwhile, magicians and alchemists alike seek out azoth for their own purposes, knowing well that even a minute amount of it can be used to work wonders.

P is for Planes of Existence

No one except sages speaks of "planes of existence," but few deny that there are "worlds," "realms," or "spaces" beyond the material world. The nature and number of these other worlds is, as with so many things, debated by pedants, but the most commonly acknowledge planes of existence are the following:

• The four Elemental Planes: These realms are completely inhospitable to non-elemental life without the aid of powerful magic, which is why so little is known about them. Nevertheless, magicians and druids alike attest to their existence, as do powerful elemental beings summoned from them.
• The Astral Plane: This space exists between the material and other worlds, such as Areon and Kythirea. Suffused with ether, it can be traversed either by magic or by means of flying vessels, though the craft of constructing them is now rare. The Astral Plane is also home to numerous creatures, both malevolent and benign.
• The Ethereal Plane: Also called the Dreamlands or the Ghostlands, the Ethereal Plane exists between the spaces of material things and is accessible through magic. Some mystics claim that the Ethereal Plane is also accessible in sleep, while others, whose theological opinions are decidedly heterodox, state that the spirits of the dead are somehow "trapped" within the Ethereal Plane. There may be creatures native to this plane, but evidence of their existence is scanty.
• The Abyss: Also called the Great Void, the Abyss is said to exist outside -- outside where depends on the cosmological model one accepts for the cosmos. Regardless, the Abyss is the abode of demons and, as such, is wholly inimical to Man. Naturally occurring portals to the Abyss are a common source of the Chaotic radiation that is slowly corrupting the material world and its inhabitants.

In addition, many of the gods are said to have extra-planar realms that serve as their abodes and the abodes of the honored dead who serve them in the afterlife.

O is for Ogres

Everything's Better with Christopher Walken

An old saw states that "Men are the most frightening of all monsters." In the case of ogres, that's literally true.

Though most people think of ogres merely as hulking brutes, few realize -- or are willing to admit -- that these foul creatures are in fact the Chaos-tainted spawn of mankind. There are lots of legends and folk tales to explain the origin of ogres, just as there are competing scholarly theories about the same. Despite their differences, all such explanations agree on one thing: ogres were first born of Men and continue to do so, sometimes strenuous efforts to prevent this notwithstanding.

At birth, ogres look like normal, albeit slightly large, human babies. However, they mature at a prodigious rate, reaching the height of an adult Man by age five or six, a growth that continues for years more, with fully-grown ogres typically standing between 7 and 10 feet tall. As they mature, ogres lose their human-like teeth and acquire a set of razor-sharp replacements intended to aid them in their wholly carnivorous diet. At the same time, most ogres also grow in both strength and girth, becoming monstrous beings most people associate with the term "ogre."

Almost from birth, ogres display an evil cunning geared toward self-preservation. Many ogres will slay and consume their human parents within a couple of years of their birth, lest their true nature be discovered. These "orphan" ogres then escape to the wilds, where they may encounter others of their kind or lead a solitary existence, preying on weaker creatures in the vicinity.

About 1 in 50 ogres is an ogre mage, gifted from birth with sorcerous powers and, if anything, an even more evil cunning than other ogres. These ogres grow quickly but never achieve a size greater than that of ordinary Men. And though they are possessed of razor-sharp teeth -- and appetites to go with them -- they can use their native ability to polymorph self to hide their true appearance from their parents and anyone else who might grow too curious about these fast-maturing children. Ogre magi thus often remain ensconced in human society, acting in secret. Others seek out their "normal" brethren and rule over them as kings.

Ogres breed true, but the offspring of such unions are always ogres, even if both parents are ogre magi. New ogre magi come only from Men or from the pairing of an ogre mage and a human being, regardless of which parent is an ogre mage and which is a human being. Such monstrous pairings are not guaranteed to produce an ogre mage; more typical offspring are ordinary human babies that display a Chaos-touched tendency for cruelty and malevolence. Many a human settlement has been brought low by an ogre mage seeking an heir of his own kind and producing only a brood of evil Men instead.

Addendum: Before anyone asks, this version of ogres is not inspired by RuneQuest's own, except perhaps ex post facto. It's actually based on the fact that, as a child, I had always heard the word "ogre" used in conjunction with Bluebeard and it utterly baffled me why anyone didn't know, by looking at him, that this guy was a wife-killer and baby-eater. Thus was born my conception of ogres.

N is for Necrofacture

Even though magic-users whose specialty is dealing with the dead are called "necromancers," their primary focus is not on divination through or communication with departed souls but rather the creation of undead beings. Because the undead are creatures of Chaos and widely believed to have been brought into being by demons, necromancers are not well regarded, even when their intentions serve Lawful ends. Outside of the city-state of Yethlyreom, the willful creation of undead, called "necrofacture" by sages, is a generally a capital offense, with execution carried out in a number of unpleasant ways. The priesthood of Typhon in particular views necrofacture with distaste, seeing as aiding Chaos in its eternal war against Law.

It's worth noting that necrofacture is possible because, tall tales to the contrary, there are no incorporeal undead. All undead beings are corpses infused with Chaotic energy so as to animate them and, in some cases, give them an evil intelligence. Without a body, there can be no undead. Stories of ghosts, wraiths, spectres, and similar beings are just that -- stories; they do not exist so far as anyone knows and, even if they did, necrofacture has no power to create them. Most stories of incorporeal undead are based on the misapprehension that beings of living Chaos known as shadows are in fact the spirits of the evil dead.

The principles of necrofacture were first widely developed by the Eld but it was the Thulian Empire under the rule of the cult of Turms Termax that perfected this demonic art. Using corpses, magic, and alchemy, Thulian necromancers learned to create not just skeletons and zombies but also more powerful beings such as wights, mummies, and even vampires. And of course the Termaxians pioneered the processes by which liches and similar undead come into being. Thanks to the strong censures against it, necromancy has not advanced much since the fall of Thule, but, with the recent opening of Dwimmermount, there's no telling what sort of knowledge might be found within, ushering in a new age of experimentation into this dark art ...

M is for Magical Materials

Numbered among the precious materials are several whose value far exceeds that of gold, silver, or platinum. These rare materials are coveted for their usefulness in the creation and maintenance of spells and magical effects. In the days when travel between worlds was more commonplace, many of these materials too were more common. Now, though, they are among the most prized and sought after in the cosmos.

• Adamant: A dull metal with the hardness of diamond, adamant is strangely easy to work and makes superb armor.
  
• Azoth: This silvery-black metal is a liquid in all but the coldest temperatures where, paradoxically, it becomes the gas known as ether (or quintessence), which suffuses the empty space between the worlds. Azoth cannot be worked like other metals; instead it is used as a tempering agent for other materials, including, it is said, Man himself.
  
• Moonsilver: As its name suggests, moonsilver is found only on the Moon. A very soft metal, it is used primarily in the crafting of magical protection devices, such as rings and amulets.
• Orichalcum: Looking like bronze, orichalcum can be found on many worlds, including, it is said, Kythirea. It is difficult to work but stores magical energy quite well, making it an ideal arcane battery. The Ancients supposedly powered their wondrous devices with orichalcum.
  
• Sungold: Also called truegold, sungold is occasionally found inside meteorites that fall to earth. It is powerfully aligned with Law and, despite its similarity to gold, is in fact a very hard metal, useful in the crafting of weapons against Chaos.

The list above is far from exhaustive, but, in the years since the fall of Thule and the cult of Turms Termax, knowledge of other magical materials has largely been lost, but there is some hope that, with the opening of Dwimmermount, some of that lost knowledge might be reclaimed.

L is for Law

Among the philosophies of Men, none is more widespread -- or debated -- than that of Law. For many, if not most, Law is little more than a shorthand term for "civilization" and the order that supports it. It is the opposite of Chaos, which is likewise understood merely as disorder and the inevitable outcome of failing to defend civilization against the Men and monsters who would destroy it. A minority, mostly clerics and those strongly devoted to a god or gods, take Law very seriously, aligning their lives with it in such a way as to work magic. This magic is different than that of magicians, which has a touch -- or more -- of Chaos about it, for clerical magic exists to strengthen and defend civilization rather than to bend reality to one's will.

For an even smaller minority, though, Law has nothing to do with the gods, as they see it as existing before and beyond the gods. To these few, Law is the cosmic principle upon which everything, even the gods, depend. There are even some who believe that Law is a god itself, though one as far above other gods as the gods are above Men. According to this understanding, Law is the true identity of Anyastos, as revered in the Thulian Great Church and is the true source of all things. Intriguingly, the dwarven concept of "the Great Maker" bears some similarities to this interpretation of Law, for it was the Great Maker who brought into being the cosmos by laying down the axioms under which it would operate.

The mysterious paladins are are so strongly associated with Law that they are popularly called "the paladins of Law," despite clerical disapproval of this epithet. Paladins lead simple lives in accordance with Law, whose dictates, they say, are written into the very fabric of all beings and can easily be learned by those willing to seek them out. They see Law as inseparable from Goodness and view the teachings of most god-faiths on the meaning of Law to be, at best, lacking and, at worst, actually contrary to the true nature of Law, at least as they understand it. Needless to say, paladins find few friends among clerics of any faith, though some (particularly those of Typhon) consider paladins every bit as much as threat as they do demons and other agents of Chaos.

K is for Kythirea

Kythirea occupies the third orbit in the heavens and is commonly referred to as "the Green Planet" for its coloration. The name is also apt for another reason largely unknown to any but sages learned about other worlds, for Kythirea is covered in lush jungles and other similarly plant-filled environments. In this respect, it is the mirror image of dying Areon, for Kythirea teems with life of all sorts.

In the past, travel to Kythirea by means of magical portals was far more common than it is today. Indeed, it is surmised that many plants and animals found elsewhere were originally native to the Green Planet, transplanted by sorcerers and scholars who found them useful. And of course the Eld also journeyed to Kythirea, though, lacking large supplies of azoth, it proved a less useful than originally hoped. The Red Elves did, however, warp some of Kythirea's native life to their own purposes, the most widespread example of which are the lizard men, which can now be found on many worlds.

At present, Kythirea is mostly cut off from the wider cosmos, as it has far less to offer the greedy and acquisitive than does Areon. Even so, there are tales of hidden wealth on the Green Planet -- ruined cities built by the Ancients or by reptilian inhabitants who rose to power eons before the Eld ever step foot here. Likewise, Kythirea's plants are reputed to have magical and medicinal uses, including, some say, the extension of Men's lives beyond their usual allotment. There is no proof of any of these legends and likely won't be for some time, since functioning portals to Kythirea are rare and, unlike Areon, there is, at present anyway, no pressing need to visit it.

J is for the Jeweled Path

While the worship of a god or gods is commonplace among Men -- and, indeed, is unique to them -- not all Men are followers of a deity. Some Men instead guide their lives according to some philosophy, creed, or ideal, such as the well-known devotion of paladins to Law. In a similar vein, the monastic ascetics of Aranoon are devoted to a system of thought they call the Jeweled Path. The teachings of the Path bear some resemblance to those taught by Turms Termax, focused as they are in harmonizing one's body and mind accord with the secrets of the cosmos to achieve mastery. Indeed, the resemblance is so close that some charge that the Emerald Tablet of Turms is in fact derived from earlier books by the sages of the Jeweled Path -- a charge that has only become more popular in the years since the fall of the Thulian Empire and the widespread condemnation of Termaxianism.

Of course, the similarities are largely superficial. Where Turms understood "mastery" to mean the transcendence of mortality, the Path teaches that the acceptance of one's mortality is one of the keys -- or "jewels," in the philosophy's jargon -- to inner harmony. Only when one understands that to be a Man is to die can one achieve the insight needed to become all that being a Man entails, including powers and abilities that some might deem "magical." To outsiders, it is the mystical abilities of Jeweled Path ascetics that are their most noteworthy feature, a fact that simultaneously amuses and annoys adherents of this ancient creed.

In the former lands of the Thulian Empire, the Jeweled Path remains largely unknown, except to scholars of western lands. Comparatively few of its devotees can be found even in the largest cities and settlements of the east and those who can be are typically solitary individuals traveling the world for their own purposes rather than as representatives of the great monasteries that supposedly exist in their homelands. There are, however, stories that, since the opening of Dwimmermount once more, several ascetics of the Jeweled Path have been seen in Adamas, seeking a property on which to establish a school in which to teach their esoteric philosophy. Like so many stories in Adamas these days, it's almost certainly untrue in its specifics, though, just as certainly, there's probably a grain of truth in it as well.

I is for Immortality

Men are mortal; this is an indisputable fact. This has not stopped many Men throughout history of seeking perpetual life, either through magic or other means. So far as anyone knows, only one Man has ever succeeded in achieving immortality -- Turms Termax -- and the truth of even this claim is doubted by many. For if, as the story goes, Turms found an alchemical means of transcending his mortal flesh, why, then, did he not share this secret with his closest followers, many of whom instead turned to undeath as an alternative means of immortality?

Admittedly, this hasn't stopped many from trying to discover the Termaxian method and recreate it, but, to date, there have been no successes, which only further strengthens the notion that the legends about Turms are just that -- legends. Other supposed means of achieving immortality include:

• A gift of the gods to their most devoted followers, though such a reward is usually taken to be granted in an otherworldly realm removed from the material world and is thus of little interest to those who seek to persist in the here and now.
• Lost magical spells from the days of the Ancients that grant the ability to warp all reality, including the aging process.
• The transference of one's soul into a vessel that is incorporated into an automaton, golem, or other artificial body.
• The seizure of the elven "secret" to immortality, based on the notion that unending life is not natural to elves but rather a process of some sort that they undergo while very young.

The only tried and true path to immortality, though, is the aforementioned undeath. There are many different specific ways to this end, from the involved formulae that lead to lichdom to the prolonged cannibalism that turns one into a ghoul. In general, such methods are viewed with distaste, given the widespread belief that the undead are the spawn of demons and agents of Chaos, but for many, fearful of death and unable to uncover other means, if they even exist, decide that continued existence as a rotting corpse is preferable to the possibility of permanent extinction.

H is for Hyperboreans

The name "Hyperboreans" is a general one applied to all the barbarian tribes and nations of the Northlands, of which the Thulians are the most well-known. Hyperboreans are renowned for their bravery in battle, their distrust of magic, and their piety. Indeed, by southern standards, Hyperboreans are considered puritanical and superstitious, living their lives according to the principles of their religions with a rigor that sets them apart from most Men. The Northlands are thus dotted with temples and pilgrimage sites, as well as roadside shrines devoted all manner of deities, both influential and petty.

Hyperboreans possess a remarkably free society compared to other lands, with all adults capable of fighting given a voice in assemblies and other decision-making bodies. Hyperborean chieftains and kings are sometimes called "weak," because they give weight to the counsel of their subjects. Slavery is unknown among the Northmen and is in fact judged a peculiarly "southern" vice. It was this cultural trait that was at least partly responsible for spurring the Thulians on to overthrow the Eldritch Empire and replace it with a more humane regime -- at least initially.

Magic-users are rare among the Hyperboreans. Whether this is because of the Northmen's fear and suspicion of magic or it was this rarity that is the origin of the fear and suspicion is a matter of some debate among scholars. Regardless of the truth, one will find few magicians in the North, though, as one might expect, clerics are quite common. Since the latter days of the Thulian Empire, when the cult of Turms Termax rose to prominence, the distrust of magic has, if anything, only become more pronounced among the Hyperboreans. Magic-users are therefore advised to hide their status when traveling among these barbarians.

H is for Tomorrow

Today has been one of those unproductive days where I did nothing and don't feel bad about it, so I'll post my next A to Z entry tomorrow sometime instead today, as originally planned.