Table of Contents

Cultural Groups

Regional Customs

Flora and Fauna

Military Factions

Criminal Factions

Important NPCs

Cultural Groups

The Ribbinynh

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Dominant Religion: Charonian Pantheon, with Emphasis on Salina
Preferred Colors: Bright colors— vibrant blues, reds, purples— with embroidery and patterns inspired by the Crescent Isles
Main Art Focus: Instrument Craft, Song, Dance, Poetry, Textiles & Fabrics
Way of Recording Events: Oral, Poetry, Song, Story

General Appearance: Entities who seem to have evolved from frogs and toads over the years; the entirety of the Ribbinynh sport a wide variety of frames, colors, and textures greatly resembling their origin creatures. While some Ribbinynh may be short and stout, others are tall and lithe; some Ribbinynh may have smooth skin, while others may have textured. The Ribbinynh truly come in as much diversity as any frog and toad would; with their colors ranging from pastel greens to woody browns and vibrant blues and oranges. The Ribbinynh stand between three to four feet tall on average; and their eyes tend to be, or appear, black in tone more often than not— with rare exceptions throughout. Ribbinynh often wear a variety of natural hats— ranging from flowers, to acorn caps, to literal snails— and prefer fashions that seem similar, but slightly different, to that of Crescent Isle.

Preferred Weapons: Throwing Knives, Bladed Fans, Spears, Javelins, Shield

Hidden within the canopy of the Lantern Light Woods of Moonglade lies the home of the Ribbinynh— a group of frog and toad entities whose everyday consists of perfecting their arts, living their highly commutative lives, and protecting their little grotto of peace within the Woods. The home of the Ribbinynh is a treasure trove of the arts; song, dance, poetry, and the like are practiced here regularly; a lifestyle which often produces unique trends that ripple from travelers of the Moonglade out to the world of the arts.

Oral history, mythology, and poetry produced in the past by Ribbinynh of old once told of a small civilization off the coast of the Crescent Isles who boarded the back of a great sea turtle to escape when the war between the gods moved onto the coasts. The Ribbinynh once called the great turtle “Uminohashi” and revered it as a god; but as the Ribbinynh began to adapt to Charon’s pantheon and culture, the name “Salina” began to meld into their translations of poems, tales, and songs of the past; until most Ribbinynh of the present find Uminohashi and Salina interchangeable names— gods who they consider to be the very same.

Now, most Ribbinynh believe that Uminohashi was Salina who took pity on their ill situation and brought them to safer lands in the form of a great sea turtle before returning to her war. Salina and Uminohashi, the great sea turtle, can be found interchangeably throughout much of Ribbinynh culture as a result of this belief: with Salina often taking the form of a sea turtle in jewelries, paintings, poetry, and song. With their history steeped in the Crescent Isle of the past, the influence of the Isle can indeed be seen throughout the Ribbinynh’s home: in their architecture, in their language, in their cuisine, in their fashion, and most notably, in their arts and music.

Upon setting foot in the home of the Ribbinynh, one will be graced with the visage of what appears to be multiple islands — each with massive, gargantuan swaths of trees which will be layered with both the homes of the Ribbinynh, as well as Lantern Flowers, from top to bottom. Gnarled and twisted vines, with bioluminescent moss and mushrooms growing from their widths, serve as bridges across ravines of water, swirling into a whirlpool beneath the flow of layered pools and waterfalls that flow all around the islands. Shallow and isolated pools within their communities may be used for rice paddies, moss gardening, fish husbandry, and hatching nurseries.

The Ribbinynh have an intriguing sense of arrangement; they like to use as much space as they can without harming too much of the earth— choosing to live alongside the nature that naturally grows within Moonglade. Upon the first island upon entry to the Ribbinynh’s home, individuals will find a massive and gargantuan Lantern Wood used as a community center— its interior has been partially hollowed out for use as a marketplace; its massive branches are utilized as hanging community gardens; and the space between its roots hold multiple utility and leisure architectures— ranging from taverns to clubs.

With their immediate island serving as a community locale, the rest of the waterfall speckled islands seem to be more focused on locale and family; with nurseries found on one of each island, where multiple Ribbinynh can be found guarding and monitoring the health of Ribbinynh eggs as they hatch; separate pools can be found for tadpoles of Ribbinynh, who often are taught the arts, combat, and education they will need before becoming fully grown Ribbinynh. As a result of this, many Ribbinynh are not fully aware of who their biological parents are— they are all family, and have all pitched in to help one another grow and thrive.

By the time a Ribbinynh leaves their nursing pools, they will be considered an adult: free to roam, find their home, and find their passions amongst the rest of the Ribbinynh; most often with aide of the community, itself. From the outside, this can seem like a complicated process: but it has long worked for the Ribbinynh.

The Ribbinynh people believe in living a life full of joy and passion— resulting in their great love of the arts. Many Ribbinynh have come and gone, causing ripples in the timeline of Charon’s artistic evolution. Calligraphy, poetry, dance, and jewelry are some favorite art forms of the community— and many festivals are thrown simply to celebrate life, art, and story— as well as draw in tourists to support their rather strong tourist-reliant economy. The Ribbinynh do delight in festivals, and strongly encourage tourism— where the Ribbinynh are happy to introduce, perform, and share their culture with the outsiders who come to visit.

One of their most popular festivals comes in the form of the “Blooming Lantern Wood Festival”, a month-long festival dedicated to the coming of the spring season: the festival features the admiration and appreciation of the great Lantern Wood which serves as the centerpiece to their home. The bioluminescent flowers which begin to bloom from it after the first warm spell during the spring make the community home of the Ribbinynh a popular locale during the night in spring seasons— a hotspot for marriage ceremonies— and many Ribbinynh love to use the opportunity of the festivals to introduce tourists to other aspects of their arts and culture.

While the Ribbinynh are extremely peaceful, welcoming, and friendly within their community— they do not lack ferocious warriors in times of need or protection. These warriors can often be picked out from the locale by their incredibly tall flower hats which sets them apart from the community at large. These flower hats, often ranging from bright blues, to vibrant pinks, are used to draw attention to themselves— and work as a hierarchy within the Ribbinynh’s small militia. Those with the tallest flower hats tend to be the strongest, fastest, and brightest amongst the entirety of the Ribbinynh’s warriors.

The Ribbinynh’s combat abilities are unrivaled, unique, and incredibly strange to most outsiders: techniques and tactics often feature a Ribbinynh, usually the Ribbinynh with the tallest flower hat, who will draw attention to itself while the others leap about, disorienting their target, and peppering them with attacks. Ribbinynh weapons are often ranged— slings, javelins, spears, and bows and arrows are most often used in addition to their great dexterity— while captains of the Ribbinynhs are often armed with iron bladed fans which may double as a shield while they distract an opponent. This incredibly odd form of gymnastics, dance, and combat have earned the Ribbinynh militia the fond title of “Frog Dancers”.

Other types of natural hats can be found amongst the Ribbinynh, often declaring their status or point of focus within the community: farmers may wear large acorn caps , dancers may use butterflies or moths, while bards may use flowering lily pads or feathers. One of the most unique natural hats among the Ribbinynh can be found with the alchemists and druids: which takes form in a snail local to the Moonglade— which the Ribbinynh call the Hanakara. This snail is used as a popular familiar due to their abilities to produce a natural, alchemical reagent in their slime; as well as housing natural ecosystems on their swirled shells, which Ribbinynh can harmlessly harness for alchemic, druidic, or ritual purposes.

Many Ribbinynh are not proficient in the arcane; so much so, that the birth of a mana-wielding Ribbinynh is often met with surprise, uncertainty, and sometimes hostility. Many mana-wielding Ribbinynh will have trouble finding their place amongst their home: if not simply due to the fact that so many Ribbinynh simply do not understand the arcane, or how to teach wielders to wield it. Many mana-wielding Ribbinynh will be encouraged to leave home to find teachers in the arcane, or learn to weave their magic into an art from some of the few mana-wielding teachers who have returned to the large community of Ribbinynh after their pilgrimage.

The Huiue

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Dominant Religion: Lunala
Preferred Colors: White, Gray, Black
Main Art Focus: Painting, Weaving
Way of Recording Events: Oral
General Appearance: The Huiue are populated by moon elves… most with incredibly pale skin of shades of purple and blue. Elders almost resemble bleached bone, as if all the colors have been drained out of them. It is easy to tell an older Huiue from a younger one based on whether they have been drained of all the sun’s colors or not.
Primary Weapons: Sickles, Improvised Weapons, Farmer’s Tools, Dark Domain Magic

The Huiue were born amongst the peaceful plots of land and the calm forests that populate Moonglade. They were farmers, herders, simple folk that owned and worked the land. The origins of this culture can be traced all the way back to the Rune Wars… while elven families clashed with one another in a power struggle for the throne, no one was more hurt than the common people who could not defend themselves during the war. Scorched earth tactics ravaged the farms and resources, and the ruling people of Eclipse City pushed their people harder to produce necessary resources to fund the war. They hoarded food and crops in the capitol, leaving small communities to starve.

It was during this time that the Huiue was formed. A coalition of farmers, worn thin and low on resources, prayed to the moon for answers on how to take care of their people. The moon responded - beneath their very feet, the crops began to glow with the gentle light of the moon. The wind swayed, and the light carried them all the way to the forest… as if telling them that safety was to be found in the embrace of the dark. They heeded the call, taking their families and leaving their lives behind to build a new one.

Their decision was met with no small amount of turbulence.

The Huiue peoples were condemned by the governance of Eclipse City, who branded them as traitors to the country for neglecting to serve their duty in the war against the Sun Elves. But the Huiue viewed things differently. As they built their own society in the thick of the Shadewood, where they put down roots and began constructing homes, plots of land, and shrines, the elders came to the conclusion that their sign from the moon brought with it a greater purpose. They believed that these missives had come from the being known as Lunala herself, and her words held the true answer to their problems.

Where Sun and Moon elves clashed for the throne, the Huiue came to the conclusion that ending this war fell upon the common people, in their own devotion to the moon. They were certain that their worship would feed the moon’s power, which would in turn give her the ability to overthrow the sun once and for all. By their worship, they would bring about a peaceful resolution to the war.

Nowadays, the Huiue are no longer considered traitors, though their way of life is not well understood by the people of Eclipse City; nor do they care to explain themselves or their way of life to those who will not understand. The Huiue generally keep their distance from the capitol city, preferring to stick to their settlement within the Shadewood or travel from village to village.

The Huiue are nocturnal - they rise with the setting of the sun, and sleep during the heat of the day. It is the lack of light in their upbringing that makes them pale with age. The young elves are generally characterized by the shade of their skin, and the fact that they wear darker colors. As they grow older, they wear lighter attire, until the twilight of their life is marked by pure white. This draining of color is seen as an honor, as if they have given so much of themselves to feed the eternal darkness that it has left their soul entirely.

They consider themselves guardians and shepherds rather than outright combatants. Their people are farmers who tend to the land; their primary home is within the Shadewood, where homebound members grow plants that thrive in a nocturnal environment. This tends to mean fungus rather than traditional crops.

Huiue who are born under the light under the full moon are considered to be blessed by Lunala’s gifts; they are raised as acolytes, guardians of the night. These rare members generally possess an abundant amount of dark domain magic. These members are generally marked by darker attire and facial tattoos - these acolytes make it their mission to return their magic to the moon, and over their centuries of existence, they cast as much magic as they can until they have exhausted all the font of natural arcane energy in their core. An acolyte who can still cast spells upon their death is considered an acolyte who has not achieved their purpose.

A handful of elders are in charge of ruling the Huiue. Their decisions are made by achieving unanimous vote, which generally means that they rarely make any decisions at all. That suits them just fine. They have all the time in the world to reach whatever conclusion they want. The Huiue are a patient people, after all. Though Charon has found peace, they know in their heart of hearts that their long millenia of devotion to Lunala will pay off. That all their prayer, magic, darkness, and worship will one day vanquish Solaria’s people and bring about the eternal and everlasting moon.

Regional Customs

Interment of the Dead

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Thanks to its temperate climate, nutrient-rich soil, and ample land, Moonglade is an agriculturally rich region with the vast majority of the population living in rural communities. These conditions mean there are few limiting factors that have shaped traditions of dealing with the dead. Traditional burials are very common as are cemeteries and graveyards. There are, however, some traditions that are unique to the region. 

Grave Groves
It is common for those living in Moonglade to have close connections with the land, seasons, and the raising of plants. These connections extend into beliefs that it is proper for a body to return to nature. While most towns will bury their dead in wooden caskets and plant gardens or trees above them, there are those that take the process a step further by practicing the nurturing of a grave grove.

Grave groves tend to be managed by family units or whole communities. When a child is born, they are given a seed pod from a type of tree unique to Moonglade which they carry with them and protect. This seed pod remains dormant throughout the person's life. When they grow old and die, it is customary to ensure they are buried with their seed pod as it will sprout and grow into a tree while being nurtured off of the decomposing corpse.

Ideally, the body is returned home where it can be planted in the familial or community grove. Though, should a body not be returned home, the seed pod will grow even if the body is not properly buried. This leads to cases of trees being discovered with skeletal remains tangled in their roots, suggesting the individual died unexpectedly or suddenly. 

Stone Circles
The Grave Groves are encircled with an array of stones for protection, each selected from a nearby body of water and numbering exactly nine, the sacred number of the wheel-shaped constellation known as the Crossroads. The Crossroads, or Vairë (The Web) in the old elvish tongue, are meant to represent the transition point death between life and death, that all roads-- and lives-- intersect and diverge at equal points. The placement of these stones ensures safe passage to the afterlife for the deceased and allows them to watch over the loved ones they left behind.

Blood Moon Rituals
An archaic and very rare practice of interment of the dead is known as the Blood Moon Ritual. Though it is practiced exclusively by moon elves, it is outlawed in Eclipse City and Moonglade on the whole. However, outside of the region's capital, the practice is much more generously tolerated.

Following the sacred traditions of Lunala's devotees, the ritual takes place under the light of a full moon and involves the close family and friends of the recently deceased taking turns carving pieces of flesh. Removing parts of the body bit by bit until nothing remains is meant to symbolize the individual being scattered under sacred moonlight.

At this point, the funeral attendants each slice their index finger with a clean, moon-blessed blade, staining the surface where the deceased lay with their blood to symbolically replace the blood of the dead with that of the living.

The final act of remembrance is to travel away from the family home and bury the parts of the deceased in unlikely places. A popular choice is the graves or houses of the enemies that the deceased had in life. As part of the loss of the throne thousands of years ago, the Crown outlawed this practice, as sun elves were disproportionately affected by the third part of the ritual.

Each member is allowed one small piece, such as a lock of hair, a tooth, or a finger, to make into trinkets by which to remember the deceased. These are considered priceless family heirlooms and are passed down from parent to child for generations. They are said to bring good luck and protection in times of great need.

Honoring the Dead

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Grove Graves stand as a permanent, living monument to the deceased. While the graves themselves provide a means of memorialization and honor, the people of Moonglade have still more traditions that serve to connect the living with their deceased loved ones.

Greenskeeping
This practice involves the upkeep of the Grave Groves, ensuring that the trees - and therefore their ancestors - are healthy and well-maintained, building a personal connection and responsibility between the deceased and those who survived them. While this happens on a basis as regular as often as surviving family members wish to partake, there is a tradition to gather and greenskeep as a family on the first full moon of the harvest season. Trees are pruned and manicured, cracks in the bark treated, and fertilizer is added to the roots after cleaning away any deadfalls or other detritus.

The completion of Greenskeeping involves a picnic feast under the sprawling canopies of the dearly departed. Seed pods that may have fallen are selected by loved ones as their own future Grave Grove marker and trees that bear fruit can made into wines or cordials to share during the next year's ceremonial picnic.

Lantern Light Ceremonies
During the first new moon following the deceased's passing, friends and family gather in an elaborate ceremony to honor their lives, and properly bid them farewell. Attendants construct small lanterns made of Lantern Lights to surround small boats. Well-wishes and farewells are written on the petals dedicated towards their loved ones, promising to remember them. A small candle is placed in the basin, and the construct is set adrift on the nearest body of water; if there is none, then they are instead constructed from paper to catch more warm air from the candle so they can fly upwards and into the night sky. The entire ceremony, from picking the flowers to building the boats, is conducted at night and in complete silence.

Star Bottling
In situations where there is no body to bury, such as if a loved one was lost at sea or across the continent, there is a means of honoring the lost and, one could hope, preventing their body from rising as a Restless. Based on the belief that the stars connect us all, those who honor the dead in this way must find pieces of fallen stars-- meteorites-- to place within vials, mingled with a piece of the deceased's belongings. Words of comfort and apology are spoken over the vials, and the contents are crushed into stardust. This dust is then either scattered over Moonglade over a complete cycle of the moon to return them to the earth,  are kept in a place of honor upon the family mantle, or, are placed in the family Grave Grove to rest with their loved ones.

Necromancy

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Necromancy within Moonglade is more apt to be described as a very poorly kept secret. The magic that infuses the land is quite strong here, with a rumored wellspring somewhere deep within the jungles. Culturally, the historical worship of Lunala, particularly by ancestral moon elves, provides a precedent for customs and rites involving the undead and the worship thereof.

Some practices involved speaking with the dead in their Grave Groves, using an heirloom piece of a deceased family member as a guide, or by casting the pieces as a form of divination. More still, during solar and total lunar eclipses, will actively summon the spirits of their departed loved ones, and invite them to possess the leader of the family to dispense advice and fortune from beyond the grave. Such practices were banned when the sun elves took the throne in Sol City, as they are in direct conflict with the values and worship of Solaria, though they do still occur in private.

Beyond the average household, however, is a different story. The dead that are not cremated or properly interred have a habit of walking freely, animated by the consistent ambient magic that permeates Moonglade's lands. These free-walking deceased are known as The Restless and are seen as creatures to be pitied, for no one performed their last rites. A necromancer scarcely needs to do anything to produce a walking corpse, save to ensure that they are bound to their instruction. Though family members would be deeply upset to find their loved ones' remains being utilized by necromancers, the excuse has historically been made when such accusations of grave robbing went before the courts that the deceased's loved ones did not care for them enough to provide them with a tree so they could properly return to the land. The most recent matter with regard to such is currently pending appeal.

While there are plenty of The Restless and unattended corpses for necromancers to choose from, they certainly must act quickly; the warm, humid climate is not the most ideal for preservation unless one is lucky enough to find a body entombed within quicksand or in the bogs that make up the border with the Marsh Flats. Further, taking a corpse from a Grave Grove is highly discouraged; the spirits are usually wholly uncooperative and the loved ones of the deceased are known to be singularly vengeful.

Flora and Fauna

Characaps

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Location: Found in the Moonglade, within the Moonveil Forest

A strange mushroom that grows from the side of trees in a perfect crescent formation, nearly a perfect alabaster until you reach the edges, where a powder blue lines it. They're very pretty, but extraordinarily difficult to find and extremely fragile, requiring a delicate hand and particular tools to harvest without the whole mushroom crumbling on the spot. They absorb the moon's light, their potency shifting with the phases of the moon-- they glow all nights but on a new moon. Even I find them frustrating to obtain.

The capabilities of the Characap are not physical, but rather mental; when carefully turned into powder, Characaps are useful in forming tranquilizing medication. When distilled or used in tandem with other components, the powder is good to form simpler sleeping medication or soothing capsules-- it is overall best for sleep, calmness, and clarity. It is important to remember the moon's phases when mixing medicine with Characap powder, though, for its potency is ever-shifting.

Toxicity: Dependent-- the moon phase is important to note, and... one had best be wary of its tranquilizing capabilities. Otherwise, not lethal. Just proceed with caution.

Additional Notes: They are a pain in the ass to harvest. One of the few components even I don't mind ordering a shipment of rather than fetching myself.

Lantern Lights

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Location: Found in the Moonglade, namely in the titular Lantern Light Wood (how aptly named)

Lantern Lights are a plant of great renown for good reason; they are unfathomably beautiful. They are the product of a type of pale pink flower that grows in the trees of the woods– the flowers are of substantial size, have around six petals, and close during the daylight or in moments of particularly bright light. When they open, they show off the glowing rose gold bulb blooming at the center, which produces a very bright light source.

These bulbs have a lot of uses– they’re edible to a variety of creatures, they’re useful in illuminating home spaces (as well as the entire Wood), and they have quite a bit of use in potions. They’re a bit difficult to make use of for medicine, but when processed in a particular way, they’re prized for light resistance potions, for potions that can provide a controlled source of light, so on, so forth. They’re a component in my own Pride of Solaria Elixir, in fact– they have a great deal of natural magic energy, so they’re very prized for their potency as an alchemical component. Shame about those Slaads, though…

Toxicity: They aren’t necessarily toxic, but they have very little nutritional value for most species– some find them valuable as snacks, but most won’t gain anything from eating them, and I doubt they taste very good to mammalian taste buds, at least. They might make you sick, but they won’t kill you.

Additional Notes: As with most plants from the Moonglade, Lantern Lights are heavily prized for their value in magical elixirs due to the raw concentration of arcane power found within them. They’re phenomenal decorations, too– really, they’re just fantastic for a lot of things, a real multipurpose plant. Obtaining them can just be a hassle.

Pekoe Pods

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Location: Found in the Moonglade, growing from a certain tree in the Eclipse Jungle

A large pod that sprouts from the branches of a specific tree that grows in the Eclipse Jungle. The pods are usually a golden-orange color and vaguely glow, and have a bit of a heart shape, for lack of a better expression. When unripe, they're usually, interestingly, a pale blue. When you crack them open, they produce a random tea blend, oddly enough-- and yes, it is completely random. I've seen everything from orange blossom to raspberry to mint. It's strange.

The medicinal properties are entirely random, and are limited entirely to the tea they produce; I suppose if tea is beneficial to you in some way, then that counts as a form of medicine. Such as lavender or mint aiding in sleep, or... so on, so forth. I don't know, this is a very odd plant, but it's a nice one.

Toxicity: No inherent toxicity; the one risk comes with personal allergy. I would advise avoiding these pods if you have concerns about them producing a blend with a component you're allergic to.

Additional Notes: I don't believe this plant to have any specific medical qualities-- Yet. I do find it incredibly fascinating, though, and I am determined to figure out how it works. Because it puzzles me. God does it puzzle me.

Military Factions

Dial Fractum

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A militia group that operates within Moonglade, comprised primarily of peasants and individuals from smaller, more insular communities. Advertising their services as a "neighborhood watch" of a sort, their primary goal is to rid the world of "monstrous, arcane evil", primarily in the form of monsters and aberrations that invade from the Marsh Flats to the South, but have been known to include "witches" and other individuals or creatures capable of magical ability. Those of the Dial Fractum do not believe that the Crown nor the royalty in Eclipse City is doing enough to stop ritual sacrifices and sacking of villages by murderous creatures and mages who would seek power from the blood of the unwilling. Thus, the Dial Fractum has chosen to take the law into their own hands.

Patrol units are comprised of 7-10 members at any given time, though their "patrol" is often self-directed and inconsistent. The group has long operated under several different monikers over the years, the most recent being the Golden Company. Due to their lack of directive leadership, while members of the group have been selectively beneficial in ridding communities of true threats to their way of life, in their zealous, misguided urge to protect their communities, have also committed heinous crimes against people and creatures who were innocent of what they were being accused of and executed for.

Recent months have seen a rise in activity and recruitment to the cause, especially following the rash of natural disasters currently plaguing Charon. There are whispers that someone who is actually capable and organized has stepped in to properly guide the group. They have gone so far as to write a manifesto, called the "Quotidian Edict", a manifesto calling for the restriction and expulsion of arcane led institutions and individuals, especially those in power.

Free Companies of the Silver Moon

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The aftermath of the Elven Wars and the unification of the various military orders into the Legions of the Black Sun saw a rise in small mercenary companies that are tied to various Moonglade nobility either sponsored or as owner-operators. The one commonality that you can find across the entirety of these mercenary groups is the symbol of a silver crescent moon that can be found on their banners and gear to represent their association to the Free Companies of the Silver Moon.

The Condottiere is the given title to the individual who represents the whole of the Free Companies though does not speak for each individual company. Their role is to act as a diplomat, adviser, and neutral mediator between the companies themselves and between the companies and prospective employers. The current Condottiere is a middle-aged man by the name of Alvin Contessoria, the recently retired leader of the Contessoria family mercenaries.

Due to the nature of the mercenary companies, there is no record of the total military force the companies represent, but multiple estimates would put them in the range of 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers. Equipment and tactics are as varied as the number of companies themselves, an employer has a choice between a wide array of specialist companies or their pick of comprehensive coverage, a Free Company for any potential scenario.

Criminal Factions

The Lunar Rebels

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Based in Eclipse City, but holding major factions and outposts throughout Moonglade and in most major cities, the Lunar Rebels’ primary goal is to weaken the Crown’s hold on the people of Charon, especially Moonglade itself.

The crest of the rebels resembles an upside down crescent moon, dangling like a guillotine blade over a blackened sun.

The network uses bioluminescent mycelium as a form of quick communication, alerting members with silent, encoded chains of flashes for meetings, assignments, or incoming Crown raids. The mycelium hub branches through Nana Withers, her own practice of terra and aeromancy providing a means of spreading the spores all over Moonglade, and easily grow anywhere, including on clothing, hair, on stone, or in flesh. The group also makes good use of trade routes of the Dowager, and as a result, can use their mycelium connections almost anywhere in Charon.

The network has grown since Scern’s imprisonment. With the recent revelations of the long-time deaths of the gods fostering an anti-Sun Elf push, and the natural disasters that followed in the immediate wake, there has been an outcry of dissension against the Crown. The group has been more open lately to collaboration from other networks, but is still largely criticized for its Moon Elf centric stance. It is surmised that counterintelligence measures are being taken even against these other anti-crown organizations in order to attain a tactical advantage against any group that might have other designs on Moonglade or its people. To what end is currently not known, but the pervading theory is the ambition of the Lunar Rebels themselves.

Mirroring the current state of Moon Elf culture, members of the Lunar Rebels are experiencing a schism. There are not an insignificant number of Lunar Rebels that would prefer to focus on helping individuals over ensuring the enemy’s destruction, a desire that is currently mocked unless it is phrased as a means to win over more people to the side of the rebels. More so, there is concern that the leaders do not care enough about peoples other than Moon Elves, and fear that any meaningful implementation of the Moon Elf agenda will result in more of the same policies that are already being faced under the current holders of the throne.

Some of the more fanatical members, believing that whatever vestige of Lunala remains has preserved Nana Withers shell of a body, have taken to referring to her as a prophet of the Moon Goddess, declaring ‘That which is dead may never die’. There is concern among more moderate members that the Lunar Rebels are in danger of becoming a death cult, if something is not done soon.

Important NPCs

Maylin Nimia, Princess of Eclipse City

Moonglade, Moon Elf, Female

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Appearance

Description	Personality
Princess of Eclipse City, Maylin rules over Moonglade, teaching and guiding her people and all that call the region home. After her father's passing, she took the seat of power, choosing to continue her fathers agreement and ruling under the crown. She has been very vocal about change and progress, and her allegiance has been brought into question.	Maylin is a very strong, brave and independent woman. She loves her people, her land and is tired of watching them suffer. She is very vocal about her stance on the current crown. While being a great politician, she is also a master swordswoman, adept in combat.

Saveriel Yalathanil-Wang

Moonglade, Sun Elf, Female

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Appearance

Description

Personality

Born and raised in the Crescent Isles, Savariel has a deep love and fondness for Moonglade and her people. She serves as the Chief of Customs of Moonglade, a title inherited from her late wife over a century ago. Her main offices reside in Eclipse City, though she has been known to make surprise inspections from time to time in other locales throughout Moonglade to ensure her strict procedures are being followed. Her skin, lined with her considerable age, is the pale-gold of her Sun Elf heritage, and prefers to wear her silver hair in an officious bun. Her style of clothing most resembles where she grew up, wearing modestly crafted  hanbok while she takes on the world in her custom-made wheelchair.

Savariel is a charming, opinionated elderly woman who thoroughly enjoys the arts. Despite her advanced years, she remains fastidious, bright and full of vivacious spirit, always quick with a joke and surprisingly bawdy if within the right company. She is unfalteringly polite and sweet as anyone's beloved grandmother, frequently offering little bonbons to anyone her junior (which is to say, nearly everyone). Known as a moderate who leans a little towards Mooglade's independence more so than the Crown would like, Savariel is deeply proud of her land and her job, and does not suffer people who would interfere with it.

An elderly Sun Elf woman who entered an at the time unprecedented union with a Moon Elf. As the youngest daughter of her family, Sun Elven nobility that held a minor title in the Crescent Isles, she was married off to a lesser noble of the Moon Elves, Morthil Yalathanil, a Crown employed Customs Official for imports and exports through Eclipse City. Despite only knowing her bride a few scant hours prior to their ceremony, the couple had a very long and happy marriage indeed… until Morthil was killed in an unfortunate and tragic accident in the harbor a hundred and fifty years ago, along with twenty four others.

In her wife’s stead, Saveriel has taken over the role of Chief of Customs, a task she set about with vigor and aplomb, maneuvering about Moonglade in her custom made wheelchair to see to it personally that all her rules are followed to the letter. She has made it a clear and personal goal to encourage Moonglade’s self-sufficiency, importing little and exporting their excess to other lands, a tactic that has only seen to further the isolation between Moonglade and Sol City and is heavily criticized in other cities.

While Saveriel is a vivacious and robust woman with a mirthful buoyancy that belies her age, it has been reported that the Dowager is of ill-health of late, with rumors of her retirement imminent. Taking one look at her as she goes about her tasks would seem to refute this point, but she is certainly an older woman who must have better things to do than chase down those who flout the red-tape of customs.

Merek Delgado, Proprietor of The Purple Lantern

Moonglade, Moon Elf, Non-Binary

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Appearance

Description

Personality

The owner and proprietor of The Purple Lantern Tavern and Inn, Marek is a mysterious, strange individual who looks as though they would be more at home in the midst of conducting a ritual sacrifice than as an innkeeper. Surprising perhaps no one, they run the inn and tavern almost entirely themself, and can be found behind the counter round the clock. It is unknown as to whether or not they sleep.

Despite their peculiar style of dress and their intimidating way of speaking wherein everything sounds like a threat, Merek is known to provide exemplary service, impeccable high-end meals, and sage advise to those deep in their cups who are in need of it. Known by locals for their compassion to those in need, The Purple Lantern is a staple for any who need a place to rest during their visit to the area.

Constanza Nimia, Duchess of Moonglade

Eclipse City, Moon Elf, Female

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Appearance

Description

Personality

Younger half-sister of Princess Maylin, Duchess Constanza is a force to be reckoned with. She far preferred the studies of blade and combat to that of statecraft and etiquette, and despite the best efforts of her parents and advisors, has been something of a hellion. While considerably younger than her elder sibling, something she is often chastised for when found swinging from the chandelier, Constanza is nonetheless a beloved member of Moonglade royalty. While she is not being officially courted, it is rumored that she her pick of suitors from across Charon, though she seems to be in no hurry to settle down.

Outspoken and brash, Constanza is not one to let anyone push her around. Since the passing of their father some years ago, Constanza has been what her governess has fondly called 'unwieldy'. She frequently challenges individuals to duels of honor (and has been on a winning streak for the past twenty-odd years); she has been known to race horses with the common folk, and; she has been known to insult dignitaries unprompted, something that has led to sanctions against Moonglade in the past. Duchess Constanza has no current plans to apologize.

Magus Bastian Nimia

Eclipse City, Moon Elf, Male

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Appearance

Description

Personality

The son of Maylin's Uncle, Bastian has multiple sets of arms and is known to be an effective spell-caster, utilizing his extra limbs to weave complex spells simultaneously. Princess Maylin created the Magus title for her beloved cousin, who has had little else to do but care for his ailing father, and found himself languishing. It is not known how he came by his extra arms, a fact that he and the royal family are especially tight-lipped about, but it is known that before he went to Sol City in his youth, he only had two arms. He has been known to explore fringe religions, and has a high regard of Mother Moon.

A man of many anxieties, Bastien would prefer peace over war. Unfortunately, his specific talent for dark and destructive magic takes him away from his books and his studies... and his social life. There are rumors that the young Magus has a paramour in Sol City, but any investigation into this by outside sources has thus far been thoroughly quashed.

Dante Thiago, Baron of Stargazer Village

Stargazer Village, Moon Elf, Male

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Appearance

Description

Personality

Husband of Dulce Solarian, Baron Dante is a man who comes from a noble peerage that has roots within the Marrowvine lineage, a closer relation than the Nimia cousins he has been more closely affiliated with. There is some question as to why he remains within Moonglade as opposed to his closer relatives in the Pale City, but it is clear the man has no especial love for any place besides Moonglade. He was introduced to his spouse not long after her former betrothed was exiled. Also considered an 'inconvenience' by his family, though they were promised to one another, Dante and Dulce's marriage has been amicable, if not a happy one.

Built with a quiet intensity, Dante is a watchful and careful man who embodies the adage of 'speak softly and carry a big stick'. Despite his slender elven frame, he is known to wield two-handed great axe with remarkable ease. His constituents consider him with ambivalence; could be better, but could be much, much worse. It helps that whatever promise Dante has given to his people or any one who requires his solemn word, that he always follows through.

Ser Vincere

Pale City, Moon Elf - Sun Elf, Genderfluid

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Appearance

Description

Personality

The unfortunate truth of Ser Vincere is that they are the product of a torrid affair between a Nimia Baron and a Solarian Marquesse. Being wholly un-liked by the Solarian's and causing a significant problem with the Marquesse's husband, a private exchange was conducted and young Vincere was remanded to their father's care, where they are raised by the Baron and his husband. Determined to make something of themself that was more than their bloodline, Vincere is now Knight of Galavance, doing their fathers proud and trying to make Moonglade a better place.

Their name is synonymous with scandal, something that Vincere fiercely ignores. Having risen to the ranks of knighthood on their own merit, Ser Vincere is a steadfast individual who takes their vows as a Knight of Galavance very seriously. They do not hold others to their incredibly high standard, often giving those who would question the wisdom of this the answer "With people as with the weather, expect the worst and hope for the best. My fathers raised me well."

Dulce Solarian-Nimia, Scion of Stargazer Village

Stargazer Village, Sun Elf, Non-binary

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Appearance

Description

Personality

Formerly engaged to Eldacar, the exiled Solarian prince, Dulce was sent to Moonglade to reign over a small, unoccupied barony and be married off to a cousin of the Nimia and Marrowvine lines. Initially, their arranged marriage to Eldacar was meant to be a unifying factor for the two royal families; while a Solarian cousin through title granted to their mother by marriage, Dulce is actually the eldest of the Nimia family heirs, the eldest child of Princess Maylin's eldest Uncle. The marriage was engineered for peace. After having their world turned upside down by the exile of their betrothed, a time during which Dulce lost their left arm, the Solarian's found themselves scrambling for a better deal. They found that in Vicente, and Dulce considers herself deeply lucky, all things considered. Unofficially, the numerous ties the various royal families in Charon have led to rumors of Scion Dulce being a spymaster. Of course, these rumors have neither been confirmed nor denied... though there is much speculation as to how they lost their arm.

Gregarious and light-hearted, Dulce is a well mannered and graceful individual. They frequently host dinner parties for dignitaries and visiting nobles from all over Charon; if you cannot get audience with Princess Maylin herself, then Scion Dulce's house is by far the next best thing. Their house boasts a beautiful library that is open to the public in Stargazer's so that people may come and read of the vast amount of knowledge that Dulce has collected over the years.

Bebe Emilio Nimia-Solarian
Eclipse City, Sun Elf - Moon Elf, Male

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Appearance

Description	Personality
All of six-months old and the pride and joy of his parents eyes, Emilio is the child of Dulce and Dante, and a wonderful blend of his parent's finest qualities. Though he has little sway over political matters at the moment, the marvelous blend of his lineage has turned heads in Capitol Landing.	Deeply curious and intent on exploring everything by placing it in his mouth. He has mastered the art of crawling, and he is expected to gain bipedal supremacy in a matter of weeks. At the moment his favorite hobbies include throwing things indiscriminately on the floor.

Alvin Contessoria
Human, Male, Moonglade

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Appearance

Description

Personality

A dignified middle-aged man with a penchant to dress in flamboyantly colorful fashion, Alvin Contessoria is the current Condottiere of the Free Companies of the Silver Moon. A position he was appointed to when the previous Condottiere ended up dying from sepsis while on campaign with the Knights of Tegrid in the Marsh Flats. Alvin’s days are usually spent going over various contracts and proposals presented to the Free Companies of the Silver Moon and holding meetings with various government officials from across Charon.

Alvin is both mildly gruff and mild-mannered, preferring to meet the world with a gaze that suggested he had too much to do, which is true, and not enough time, which is also true. Between retirement and dealing with the endless myriad of functionaries has led to a quiet blase attitude towards the words, ‘Important, Immediate, and Do you know who I am/represent’. A man who has seen enough of the world through the lens of the battlefield has very little tolerance for the peacocks of the political realm.

Sylvar Olaeoris
Moonglade, Moon Elf, Male

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Appearance

Description

Personality

One of the many elders ruling the Huiue; though none are as old as him. Sylvar has long since outlived the life expectancy of elvenkind, reaching nearly one thousand years of age. It is for this reason that he is often lauded as the pinnacle of wisdom, and his word is respected more than others. Or at least, it was. Nowadays, Sylvar is rather bored in his old age, and often purposefully makes odd decisions just to sow a little discord and have fun.

Considered wise by some, and eccentric by many, Sylvar has lived far too long to take himself seriously anymore. Once upon a time he might have been as haughty as one might expect of him, but that time has long since passed. Now he enjoys nothing more than speaking in cryptic riddles and generally being a nuisance. Underneath what some might perceive as a waning sanity, though, there are none as serious as bringing about the everlasting night than Sylvar Olaeoris.

Cellica Mirial
Moonglade, Moon Elf, Female

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Appearance

Description

Personality

Cellica is a young, but rather powerful acolyte of the moon. She was born with a wellspring of dark magic which has set her apart from her peers. While this has earned her much respect amongst the Huiue, to her it is a death sentence; it means that she will spend her centuries feeding power to Lunala, and will never reach the respected status of a burnt-out elder. She has become, in a sense, an unwilling sacrifice to Lunala. A candle who will never stop burning.

Generally, a quiet and serious person. Those who do not know her would attribute her demeanor to a quiet sense of pride, and she has been regarded with much envy from Huiue who were not blessed with the same magic as her. Few know the true burden she carries around with her. She often confides in Elder Olaeoris, who appears to support her, though whether he has her best interests in mind is yet to be seen.

The Desolate Knight
Moonglade, Fae, Gender-Neutral

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Appearance

Description	Personality
A derelict suit of armor deep in a sacred glen of King's Valley. They are covered in the autumnal branches and leaves, wearing vestments that seem to be eternally withering. They bear a thick sylvan accent, and have an otherworldliness about them that extends to their form, part decayed armor, part ancient tree. The branches that sprout from their head, on closer inspection, are actually antlers.	The Desolate Knight does not remember who they once were before awakening in King's Valley only a few short days ago. They are curious, brave, and dependable. Those who pay attention sense that there is a deep sorrow about them, a loss and grief they do not have a name for. Maybe, you can help them...?

Notable Locations

Starfield Observatory

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Starfield is well known to be one of the best places on Charon where those who can first make sense of the changes to Charon's sky one can look upon the stars, providing an unobstructed nighttime view for the Southern parts of Charon. Located on the opposite shore to its sister observatory in Dragon's Cradle, the two observatories share a healthy, competitive rivalry for who can make sense of the changes to Charon's sky first. Currently led by Professor Yakov Vasilievich, it was built shortly after the time of the collapse and remains one of the oldest existing buildings from that time period that still stands today.

The purpose of the Starfield observatory is to attempt to see up into the heavens and glean what we can from our new and changing sky. Currently, the primary focus is on how fast and how quickly the celestial objects above Charon appear to be moving. This location also boasts the strongest lenses to date, rivaled only by the instruments in the sister observatory. 

The two observatories together help to complete a bigger picture of Charon, though the science and Formulae Arcanum behind these methods are still slowly catching up to the new challenges presented by the current upheaval across Charon.

The Elevator

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Location
Floating above Moonglade, though it is capable of moving on an angle

Description
The Elevator is a large magically floating Island, capable of both ascent and descent, hence the name. The island, once part of Moonglade, has a dense forest that surrounds the prison that sits upon it. Despite its elevation, there are rivers with flowing water that cascade down from the island, as the clouds are magically harnessed to provide frequent rains.

History
The Elevator was established fairly recently in Charon’s timeline. An idea spawned from the notes of a traveling author who’d found themselves among some rocky formations high in the clouds in Dragon's Cradle. They wrote that it seemed to be like chunks of earth split from the land below and simply floated up and away into the heavens. The work received critical acclaim, so much so that a government official took an interest in this author’s account of the phenomena. In a rare instance of life imitating art, the idea of the Prison in the Sky was formed.

Construction began on one of Charon’s many islands large enough to hold the large fortress-like prison upon it roughly thirty years ago. In the bowels of the prison lies a chamber used to channel and amplify magic. Utilizing the magic of the Sky Domain, the island was successfully made to float into the clouds. Mages particularly gifted in the Sky Domain are stationed on the island, and assigned with the task of keeping the prison afloat.

Today, the prison houses criminals of both good breeding and other elite; that is to say, those who could afford to buy their way onto the island. As far as prisons go, it is a paradise, where inmates are allowed to freely roam, conduct correspondence with those on the ground, and receive visitors. Because of this, some critics wonder if this is a prison at all, or if it is simply a temporary reprieve for those convicted of crimes to escape the ire of society and the scrutiny of the public.

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