These Markers are hidden throughout the Realms; each one is appointed a guardian by the gods, or that Realm's Ether. There are four usually spread in a variety of hard-to-find places, protected with both the guardian's power and any spells he or she may have placed upon the sacred place their Marker resides in.

One of these Markers has been destroyed by the constant earthquakes, but it is currently unknown which one. Portals have begun to suffer due to the instability and lack of all four Markers.

Felnova Constellations ^{click on the link above to learn about this Realm's constellations!}

A Realm that many scholars claim arrogantly to be the most ‘normal’, Felnova’s Realm stars are most often a bluish white and are in comparable numbers to most other Realms. The god of the cosmos, Lyfe, sometimes plays with the stars to confuse his scholars, but for the most part the stars - and constellations - do not move often.

Felnova’s sun and moon are, very simply, called the Sun and Moon. Neither change and both can be very easily charted, making it supremely easy for scholars who wish to study the cosmos to watch and record. The moon's surface is completely smooth, like polished marble, unlike the moons of other Realms. Solar dragons have been known in the past to take energy from Felnova’s sun the easiest of the Realms with a single sun, and it’s been theorized that the celestial energies of the sun, moon, and stars are amplified by Lyfe’s presence alone.

The space that surrounds Felnova within the Sphere is both filled with stars and highly nebulous; the energy that drifts inside the Veil is colorful, though borders more on blues and purples than anything. Felnova’s planet is surrounded by a potent atmosphere that is quite strong magically, and is said to give the land the restorative properties that it has.

This Realm's day/night cycle is split into eight distinct timezones, named for a notable city or landmark in that zone to differentiate from others in common speech. These timezones are split into eight sections due to time of day to avoid using numbered hours. They are as follows: dawn, midmorning, noon, afternoon, dusk, night, midnight, and predawn. Read more about the timezones on the time page and the current conditions thread.

Felnova's Sun and Moon traverse the sky in an orderly fashion, making it easy to track the passage of time, and to navigate by sun and moon. As such, the beginnings and endings of seasons are easily predicted, as are the typical weather patterns associated with said seasons, disregarding divine intervention.

As Felnova is the home to the Felnovian Five - a pantheon of greater gods - and to both Time and Lyfe, it is the most prone of all to have its day and night cycles temporarily altered by one of the gods. However, this is still a very rare occurrence, and has only been recorded a few times in the last several centuries.

By and large, Felnova lacks any trade goods unique to the realm, instead focusing on goods produced by its people. However, cosmopolitan as it is, Vystriana has long been a trade hub for merchants bringing in goods from across the Realms. While foreign merchants pay dues for the right to trade, these dues are carefully balanced to provide the crown with revenue while not being prohibitively expensive.

As diverse as the peoples of Felnova are, their craftsmanship is equally varied and serve as the base upon which Felnovian trade is established. Bones and scales from dragons enhanced by elven or dwarven craftsmen, various trinkets made by lions and wolves, furs, leather, and game from Icemark, feather-adorned trinkets and decor crafted by avians, and exotic furs and similar goods crafted from deathcats hunted down and killed by drow hunters. There are also rumors that a few deathcats have returned the favor, and provided leather and ornately decorated skulls crafted from drow...

The currency of the Allied Realms is called the jaden. They come in four denominations: the bronze coin, the silver coin, the gold coin, and the platinum coin. Each coin has a name, and these names have been shortened over time from their original labels; aelu was once aeslue, argel was once argentlue, aurle was once aurumlue, and ailu was once aithlu. These are known to have been crafted from the name of the coin's metal and the elven word for 'moon'.

BRONZE: AELU (1j)

SILVER: ARGEL (25j)

GOLD: AURLE (50j)

PLATINUM: AILU (100j)

The conversion rate for jaden to USD is 1 jaden = 20 cents.

Average prices for common objects are listed below:

The average amount of pay for a small job (guards, on-contract builders, shoemakers, etc) is 600 to 1000 per month plus whatever other jobs they may take (bread-making, masonry, something not on a salary) which is paid for per-job and varies greatly.

Felnova is a conglomerate of various languages, accents, and dialects that is often considered to be a mixing pot of multiple Realms and their races. However, while accents are varied across the board, there exist a handful of local commonalities in a handful of countries. Others, however, may be too mixed to find any one accent more prevalent than others. Inborn accents here are more common than any other Realm.

Vystriana is the most densely populated, by the greatest variety of species, in all of Felnova's myriad countries. Most have very mixed accents, as its peoples hail from many regions in other worlds. However, those in and around central Vystriana - especially nearest its capital - have developed dialects that most closely match Jes're'en Millirandian (Earthrealm British) in sound. To the south, in the Song Forest, Evylonian accents are common among the elves, while everywhere else has a mixture of various others with no real grouping.

In the sky-continent of Stro'enna, floating high above the rest of the Realm, accents that most closely resemble Noctisian (Earthrealm Ukrainian) and Earthrealm East Indian are common, where others are very mixed. The Noctisian accents, however, are fading - and may disappear over time.

Lastly, where Alubria's humanoid population has no noticeable norm, many of the gryphons and roc'a speak with accents similar to several Millirandian counterparts. Earthrealm Irish, Scottish, and British accents are very common among the winged races, with Earthrealm French and Spanish - coming from elven influences - run a close second.

The rest of Felnova's countries are too varied, and have no accent commonality to note.

Primarily, worship of the Five is common; the Faith of the Fiv'ean is the largest of the faiths, and the most widespread. However, other religions exist beneath this one, such as worship of lesser gods and deities connected to certain species or regions, or lesser-known faiths branching from the main. Others are much rarer, but may still be found. Beyond all, Felnova has a great number of religions, and only the most prominent here are listed.

Faith of the Fiv'ean

Felnova is taken by their solid belief in the Felnovian Five. As the gods have often shown themselves to those mortals below, most - if not all - believe wholeheartedly that such gods are real, and many worship them steadfastly. The dragons are most adamant in their faith, and though their worship doesn't usually attain fanatical heights, they speak of the gods with a reverence rarely heard.

Of these gods, Time is their leader - but the drow hold Scylla over all, where dwarves worship Balion, and those of Yorije find Lyfe to be the leader of their own branching religion. There are a scattering of temples dedicated to all of the Five - one for each god and goddess - scattered across Felnova, led by a priest or priestess, that serve as beacons of the faith. Many faithful make pilgrimages to these temples, and they are welcome to all individuals of any race who hold the Five in their hearts.

Faith of the Curuyen'n

A limited few in Felnova - and some other Realms - worship not the Five or Ten, but their counterparts the Dark Five. This religion is led by the high priests of Noamuth, paired with the high priests of Dhath, who always rule jointly over their secret temples. Rituals to worship the Dark Five include many things of a dark nature, often violent or explicit, and it is commonly held that those that do not involve themselves in such pursuits are not fully dedicated to their god or goddess.

Lunarism

While the dragons of Yorije believe in the Five, they hold Saoyan (Lyfe) to the highest esteem (previously it was Zacyn, once called Kyoyan). The Calypso is both monarch and spiritual leader, being "pairbonded" to the god in a formal ceremony before they take on leadership of the kingdom. This Calypso never pairbonds with anyone else due to this, and never bears children.

Where the Families are patriarchal, the faith is largely matriarchal. Most priests, clerics, Seekers and others involved in the religion are female and while male priests are not banned, it is not encouraged and is considered highly unusual. Much of what Lunarism focuses around is not only worship of Saoyan (Lyfe) but also the sun, moon,and stars of their Realm. Seekers and priestesses also keep an eye out for the telltale Black Egg that will host the next Calypso when the current one is ailing.

The religion's name is properly pronounced 'Lunari-ism', and pronouncing it as it's spelled will be met with supreme disappointment by any Yorijian who overhears.

Order of Fraemyth

A relatively new religion, it was created and maintained by the Faction of Hope and holds that the greater gods are not truly deities, but are simply tyrannical dragons who hold their power over other, weaker races. They dedicate their faith to a being they call the One God, a humanoid deity resembling an ethereal knight in full armor.

Unbeknownst to the religion's members, 'fraemyth' is a butchering of the Draconic - originally fae'n'amuth, which means 'faith and hope'.

Children of the Wolf

The Children of the Wolf are those who worship the demigod Cirrus, which includes the majority of Felnova's wolf packs. Cirrus grants young wolves their spirit companions, and has even sired offspring with mortal wolves that carry on the legacy of his influence through the packs to this day. While this religion has no true ranks, it does have Speakers - clerics who lead the faith with the blessing of their god.

Lion's Roar

A very limited religion based in the lions of Vystrian prides, as well as other assorted feline races such as deathcats and athyra. Though there are no temples to Nebrielas, god of lions, their faith is kept through oral traditions of storytelling and legends. The fact that Nebrielas is a true god after his disappearance for hundreds of years still has many devotees reeling, as they cope with the knowledge that his sons and daughters walk among them.

Rahkriism

A unique and intricate faith focused around the gryphon goddess/god, Rahirra and Zakrii. Ritualistic and found almost explicitly in Alubria, it is led by the high priests of Rahkriism with small temples in almost any Flight or city in that region. The colors these priests wear - either paint and dye on their feathers or themed jewelry - depend on what incarnation of the god or goddess is currently reigning. For Rahirra, they wear deep reds, oranges, and yellows. For Zakrii, they wear blues, silvers, and blacks.

Linathism

Linathism is not widespread, as one might expect; however, it is defined as the worship of the spirit goddess Linath by the avians of Stroen'na. There are no great temples or high priests, and the religion is fairly simple. Feathers are symbolic in Linathism, and a stray feather that is found with an unknown origin is said to be a sign from Linath of her favor and good luck.

The Realm of Beauty is split into six distinct countries. The largest and most powerful of these countries is Vystriana, run by the royal dragons descended from Kazule. As a pure monarchy, the king and/or queen rule at the head of a specially selected Council, a circle of trusted leaders and advisers who help run the country and keep things flowing smoothly.

Alubria lacks any firm central government. Instead, various Flights, Clans, and groups of gryphons, roc'a, and avians govern their respective territories as they see fit. Meetings of various leaders have occasionally take place, with representatives from many species present on Alubria attending, but these meetings are rare, and historically devolve into infighting as the oligarchy degrades over time.

Khankirae is a unique land, home to many refugees from distant lands who seek sanctuary within its borders. The closest thing to a real monarch Khankirae has is the Veldryn's White One, who rules over the capitol city of Hamon. However, the White One has traditionally had little to do with the running of the country, only occasionally attending meetings between the other city rulers and prominent leaders in the land to discuss events that impact the entire country.

The Myrlands have been traditionally ruled by the Myr pack, the foremost group of Vystrian wolves in the land, though this region is now contested between both the Myr and its rival, the Vehn pack. The two large packs govern their respective - and sometimes loosely-defined - territories, but many of the smaller packs are largely left to their own devices so long as they don't blatantly defy the Vehn or Myr (whomever holds power over the land each smaller pack lives in at any given time). On rare occasions, primarily when the entire Myrlands face disaster, wolf pack alphas can be called to gather for a meeting.

Nimravus is home to many deathcats and are consistently ruled by their large prides. Aggressively isolationist, they have largely been left alone by other races. With the recent death of the ruler of the reigning Eofelis Pride, Nimravus has been thrown into disarray, with each pride left to rule over its own territory without oversight, making the country even more dangerous than before.

Stroen'na is jointly ruled by two royal families who hold absolute power over their kingdom. Representatives from various noble families of avians, as well as delegates from some of the more prestigious flights of Stroen'na's other native species, form the Grand Assembly, responsible for bringing various issues to the attention of the ruling monarchs. However, the Assembly cannot overrule any royal decisions.

Yorije, home of the elusive Yorijian Dragons, is ruled by the Queen, who always takes on the name Calypso when she ascends to the throne, leaving her old name and Family behind. She presides over the Yorijian Court, which is made up of the Patriarchs of the Five Families (although the Firewaters have long been exiled) and the leader of the Black Guard, who oversee the safety of the queen and the kingdom. The Court is a hotbed of political intrigue and wondrous rituals.

Alubria's Politics

While the and of Alubria largely lacks any true ruling government, it is a conglomerate of various species who - more or less - work together for the common goal of protection of its peoples. Populated primarily by Flights of gryphons, Clans of roc'a, and a scattered few cities and towns filled with avians, the leaders of each largely ignore one another until the need arises that they meet. In times of war, Alubria forms a loose oligarchy with the heads of its various cities, sharing information with one another and forming plans that are meant to better the entirety of Alubria. However, these oligarchies do not last long - and may even break apart before their tasks are done.

Aside from the temporary governmental alliances that form these oligarchies, Alubria's cities, city-states, towns, and villages are all self-governing. Civil wars on Alubrian soil are commonplace, though are generally quite brief and do not often spread beyond limited locales.

Khankirae's Politics

Unlike its sister countries, Khankirae is more a region of freedom unrestricted by any prevailing government, without even the oligarchy of Alubria's common leaders. The denizens of Khankirae fiercely defend their right to absolute freedom, and rebuff any and all attempts to colonize their land by other surrounding countries. The only authority they (grudgingly) accept - and only in times of Realmwide war - is the Vystrian monarchy, if only for the fact that the royals are tied directly to the Realm's balance.

The closest thing that Khankirae has to a monarch is the leader of the veldryn; the immortal White One. However, he holds no true governmental power, reigning over his species and the city of Hamon alone. His importance to the region at large is his wisdom, and other local leaders may come to him for advice and guidance, so long as they respect his independence.

Myrland's Politics

The Myrlands is known as the nation of the wolves. Historically, the entire territory has been governed by a single, massive pack - that of the Myr, for which the land is named. However, these lands have since been split between the Myr pack and the Vehn pack, who fight for dominance as their very early ancestors once did. The Vehn reigns over the northern lands, while the larger Myr controls the middle and southern portions almost completely. Smaller packs are allowed to stake out territories beneath them, though any in the Myrlands must answer to whatever large pack controls the lands surrounding them at any given time.

Both large packs have similar hierarchies, and smaller groups of Vystrian wolves tend to follow this. All packs are led by an alpha, alphess, or a pair that is both (mated or not). These alphas control whatever part of the region they currently command, with nearly unlimited power. However, their position is unlike most monarchies in that it is not often passed from parent to offspring - alphas are decided in a mixture of what wolf is strongest and most capable of leading, and who is most accepted by the pack at large. Should an alpha become tyrannical, it is not uncommon for a pack to gather its strength and chase them out.

Nimravus Politics

A ferocious, violent place, Nimravus is traditionally ruled by the deathcats that populate its shores. Staunchly isolationist, they rarely accept visitors to their lands and many who dare to trespass are taken as slaves. The continent’s slave trade is the only kind of economy found in the nation and one of the few reasons one would willingly venture over. Slavers regularly come to trade with the deathcats, though this in and of itself is a precarious proposition. A healthy slave trade and the brutality of the deathcats keep most other races safely away from the country.

The deathcats of Nimravus are split into several prides that maintain their own, distinct territories and are loosely ruled by the reigning Eofelis pride, the closest thing the region has to a monarch. However, the recent death of the ruler of the Eofelis has thrown the region into utter chaos. The Prides have begun all-out assaults on each other and large, territorial disputes are increasingly common. Already naturally unstable, the home of the deathcats has become even more dangerous than it already was before.

Current Capital: Midgar. Nation: Stroen’na.

A rich and prosperous nation, Stroen’na is jointly ruled by a pair of royal families, with the monarch being largely ceremonial and having little responsibility. Each of the ruling families enjoys an unprecedented amount of power and can essentially do as they please in the kingdom; however, to date the families have been kindred stewards of the country and no King has ruled unjustly. This is the reason that, even though the common citizen has no power, many are content with the way things are and the diarchy has remained stable since it’s inception. Power is passed down by blood and birthright and unless they marry into a royal family or are granted lesser lordship, the average avian has little to no say in the affairs of their kingdom.

Although they have complete power over the kingdom, the families do not govern alone. Delegates from the lesser noble families, representatives from some flights of the kingdom’s other native species, and occasionally guest members from notable allies form the Grand Assembly. The Assembly meets twice a year or as needed and is responsible for bringing any issues within the kingdom to the attention of the ruling monarchs. However, their job is largely advisory and the Assembly cannot over rule any decisions issued by the royal families or the monarch. Membership in the Assembly still commands respect, though, as many members are the leaders of cities and flights and keep the region running smoothly.

Monarch: the king or queen of stroen'na. largely ceremonial and usually comes from one of the ruling families. position is passed down by birthright, with the eldest child having the strongest claim.
Leader of the Royal Ceis Family: head of the country's oldest and most prosperous royal family. usually the eldest child of the previous leader, but does not have to always be the case.
Leader of the Royal Lundair Family: head of the country's younger but more scholarly royal family. usually the eldest child of the previous leader, but does not have to always be the case.
Grand Assembly Members: members of the grand assembly, usually lesser nobles, city leaders, or flight leaders. act solely as advisers to the monarch and ruling families.

Vystriana's Politics

Current Capital: Albronel. Nation: Vystriana.

The oldest of Felnova's countries, though not the largest, Vystriana is a mixing pot of races, both humanoid and not. Its cities and towns are filled with an assortment of species, from elves and humans to kamine and equus. However, the most populous race is also that which leads the country itself - dragonkind, in all of its various forms.

Vystriana is a monarchy led by the royals who trace their lineage back to Lord Kazule, the First Dragon, currently through the Skystriker line. Unique to Felnova, these Vystrian royals are directly responsible for maintaining the Balance of the Realm through their connection to the throne. As long as a living royal is king or queen, or a living royal has passed their tie to the Balance to an acceptable steward, it will be maintained in the absence of outside influence. This is thought to be due to Felnova's rather rushed creation - the gods used the royalbloods as a catalyst to stabilize Felnova's Core, and thus a royalblood (or his/her chosen) must be present to keep the Core in its stable form.

Customarily, Vystriana is led by a king or queen from the royal dragon lineage. While this royal does not have to be full dragon - he or she may be a hybrid - pureblooded dragons are the most common in the royal line. This king or queen may take a mate - either as royal consort without other rank, or elevated to the position of king/queen should the reigning monarch wish it, and any children born from such a pair are often trained to be future kings or queens themselves. However, since draconic royals hold power normal dragons do not, offspring are quite rare, may lose control of their abilities and harm themselves or others, and are easy targets as young for the country's enemies.

Other than the reigning king or queen, Vystriana has a Council who takes control of certain facets of the country's government. These ranks and their responsibilities are described in more detail below, but include the Grand General, Court Archmage, Wild Dragon/Spymaster, Champion, and Treasurer. There may also be a senechal - who runs the day to day operations of the capital, and an official Steward (different from the senechal) who has been selected to rule in a king or queen's stead. All of the members of the Council serve as advisors to the king or queen, as well as the maintenance of their particular jobs. Most kings or queens will gather their Council for any large undertaking or decisions, though the Council itself cannot veto a king or queen's decision, and lacks the power to stop any king or queen falling short of physical restraint.

King/Queen: supreme ruler of the independent country of Vystriana; specifically dragon or dragon hybrid. the king or queen that is royalblooded - descended from Kazule - inherits near-ultimate political power, while their chosen mate (if elevated to the title of king or queen) may share in this power similarly.
Grand General: leading general who presides over lesser generals. though not formally in any one Order anymore, is always elevated to his or her station from the Order of the Talon.
Court Archmage: unaffiliated with the Order of Mages. leading archmagus (though often higher in magical rank, though their title does not change) of Vystriana, sometimes a Knight of the Beryl. usually trains those of the mage or sorcerer class in magical ability, and makes key decisions when dealing with something of a dangerously magical nature.
Wild Dragon/Spymaster: almost always a dragon, though this is not as important to hold to as in years past. conducts patrols and operations on their own, reporting back to the king or queen as a trusted adviser. also controls a legion of spies and dictates their actions, sorts their intelligence, and monitors their progress. specializes in outside affairs.
Champion: a high-ranking knight of any Order, usually chosen by the Grand General and Wild Dragon both. may assist both general and spymaster at any time, and specializes in internal affairs. runs the system of couriers and messengers throughout the kingdom.
Treasurer: keeps track of Vystriana's jaden, especially that of the Queen and her Council. tracks financial progress, organizes taxes and tax collecting, manages the funds of the entire nation.
Steward: a generally temporary, though very important, role; serves as a replacement for the king or queen royalblood, and upholds the balance in their stead. however, as they are not a royal themselves, they will eventually lose control of the balance unless they pass it to another Steward or return it to a royal. this degradation generally happens over fifty or so years for a dragon, and less for other races. should a Steward need to reign for very long periods of time, this is often passed from parent to child or other close and trusted relation.
Senechal: sometimes referred to as the chancellor. a trusted advisor who runs a variety of governmental tasks behind the scenes, usually involving the capital and its surrounding lands. unrelated to the official Steward.
Ambassadors: trusted officials who establish and maintain diplomatic ties with other countries.
Nobles: an assortment of nobility (including but not limited to dukes, earls, counts, viscounts, barons, etc) who have sworn loyalty to their king or queen, and govern small territories, cities, or estates. top nobility forms a council to which the king or queen may seek advice from or delegate tasks to.

Yorije’s Politics

Current Capital: The Spire. Nation: Yorije.

Home to the elusive Yorijian dragons, the Yorijian Court consists of five royal Families and their monarch, the Calypso. The country has been divided between these Families and most maintain a well-established territory with each having a single capital city. Each of the five Families is led by a single Patriarch who normally rules by birthright, although each family has their own way of selecting leaders when the elder dies. The proud family of the Pearls holds the most political power in the region followed by the Starwhals, Whitesharks, and Kingfishers. The Firewaters were formally banished from the Yorijian Court over five thousand years ago for reasons none can remember and currently live in exile, holding no power on the governing council though their seat has been maintained largely for ceremonial reasons. As a result of their exile, their culture has evolved separately from the rest of the country and their society is as much a mystery as the infamous Black Guard to the disciplined, ritualistic worship of Saoyan the rest of Yorije lives under.

Center of nearly all of Yorije’s rituals and intrigue is their Queen, the Calypso, and her reigning seat from the Spire. Each new Queen takes the name of Calypso when she ascends, forsaking her old name and Family in the process and becoming the keeper of all Yorije. She is the unquestioned leader of the kingdom and her rule over the Families is absolute, though each Calypso has had their own unique style of leadership. While she is the spiritual leader of the country, when it comes to more secular matters she is largely reliant on the advice of the Yorijian Council. Though no family has ever risen up against the Calypso’s rule, her failure to secure the Patriarch’s approval has led to near disastrous consequences in the country’s past and some Patriarchs consider these transgressions to be the highest of insults. The Calypso and the Spire are guarded by the enigmatic Black Guard, which is headed by a Captain and a pair of Deputies. They ensure the safety of the Queen and thus the kingdom, protecting her from any threat from inside or outside Yorije’s borders.

Calypso: queen of the Yorijian dragons, and overall leader of the Yorijian Council. serves not only as the country's leader, but also mediator between the Families, governess of rituals, and overseer of the surrounding ocean itself. specifically female.
Patriarch of the Pearl Family: leader of the Pearl family. specifically male.
Patriarch of the Starwhal Family: leader of the Starwhal family. specifically male.
Patriarch of the Kingfisher Family: leader of the Kingfisher family. specifically male.
Patriarch of the Whiteshark Family: leader of the Whiteshark family. specifically male..
Patriarch of the Firewater Family: leader of the Firewater family. specifically male.
Captain of the Black Guard: leader of the Black Guard; acts as a general in service to the Calypso in times of war. specifically female.

The Vystrian Knighthood is divided into a series of Orders based on skill, ranked appropriately underneath both the Council and their Order Leaders. Each knight is sorted into these Orders after passing both the Test and being knighted, from the Sword on.

The Vystrian hierarchy is structured around a singular royal house; that of Kazule's descendants, currently led by Queen Verridith. Her knightly Orders are rumored to be some of the best in all of Felnova, and are held to an incredible standard. An oath is said by all who are sworn into duty, called the Code of the Ten, and is the chivalric code that all the various Orders abide by. It is taught, word for word, to all of their members from page up til knight, and is often remembered long after one has left an Order, due to its constant use.

Hierarchy

Individual knights may rank as follows. These rankings are true to every Order, and are unchanging within them:

Led by the General and split into various divisions according to their skills, the Orders of the Vystrian Knighthood are as thus:

Orders

The Order of the Talon, often considered the elite of Vystriana's forces, hold the advanced ranks of the various Knighthoods, promoted after long service or incredible feats of skill. Knights in this Order are held to the highest standard, and are Queen Verridith's first offense and last defense, controlling most of her Wings and headlining many of her companies.

Talon knights are usually independent, strong soldiers capable both of working alone or in groups - they are very good leaders and often are skilled in the art of planning and strategy. They are loyal, protective, and held in the highest honor.

Knights of the Talon are separated by the following divisions when in a group. These do not, however, include flying ranks; they are covered further on.

The Order of the Raven is a specialized group of knights that are considered Vystriana's most versatile asset. Composed of mostly small squads, or pairs of individual knights, the Ravens are often kept out of large-scale patrols and battles, unless the needs of the Order deem it so.

Unlike the other Orders, the Ravens are a direct service to the noble folk of Vystriana, and are lent out as mercenaries to do tasks for those of lesser royal blood, under direction of the queen. The skills of the Raven are also used in stealth, reconnaissance and various undercover missions; one is often assigned to a small scouting patrol, or sent as a spy.

Raven knights are strong-willed and are able, like Talons, to operate both alone and in groups. They make strong leaders and exceptional strategists, and are quite capable of difficult tasks or seemingly-impossible missions. Many are very decent trackers, hunters, and marksmen.

Knights of the Raven are separated by the following divisions when in a large group. These do not, however, include flying ranks; they are covered further on.

Battalion leadership is left strictly to the Knights of the Talon.

The Order of the Beryl are one of the Knighthood's strongest Orders, and valued above all for their skill in magic and magecraft. Trained jointly by both the Order of the Sword and the Order of Mages, Beryl prospects are few and far between, as they must possess the intricate mind of a mage, while having the strength and skill of a warrior.

Beryl knights are usually not as physically strong as the other Orders, but their magic makes up for it ten- and twenty-fold. Most are trained in the art of healing and light magic, while others go on to master one or more elements. Still others can learn enchantments and curses, where more focus on defensive shield spells and solidifying the use of arcane energy. A select few are trained as summoners, and can be the most powerful soldiers on a battlefield.

Due to their nature, Beryl knights receive more training than any Order, and are usually enveloped in a state of constant study. They are kept under tight watch, and are never sent as far as a Raven or a Talon; their value is too high, and their kind too rare, to risk sending far abroad.

Knights of the Beryl are separated by the following divisions when in a large group. These do not, however, include flying ranks; they are covered further on.

Battalion leadership is left strictly to the Knights of the Talon.

The Order of the Lion is one known and honored for its worth as protectors, warriors and estimable paladins. They are the elite guards of Vystriana's biggest cities, and can be found in nearly every one of the queen's armies. They are the backbone of the Knighthood, and the largest Order.

Knights of the Lion work best in groups, and are skilled in melee combat, usually trained with the sword, spear and bow. They are efficient workers and dedicated soldiers, loyal to a fault, and unfaltering in the face of the enemy.

Generally, members of the Lion are credited with being fierce and steadfast companions, fearless and noble in battle, with a strong sense of justice and mercy. They are negotiators, and will find solutions to problems other Orders have trouble with. Very versatile, and dependable in any situation.

Knights of the Lion are separated by the following divisions when in a large group. These do not, however, include flying ranks.

Battalion leadership is left strictly to the Knights of the Talon.

The Order of the Sword is often considered the training Order; comprised of both veteran knights and those newly Tested, the stepping stone from squirehood into one of the other Orders. The Sword is known for its optimistic fire, and new ideas and new blood. Often considered one of the most versatile Orders due to holding the roots to the others.

Knights of the Sword are trained in the ways of the other Orders, and learn how to operate on their own. They are usually accompanied by a veteran of the Sword, or the knight they had been assigned to as a squire, anywhere from one to four months.

From this point, they are evaluated to decide what Order they would most fit in; most enter the Lion or the Raven, as there are very few that reach the potential of the Beryl. Talons are chosen from veteran ranks out of all three Orders.

Knights of the Sword are separated by the following divisions when in a large group. These do not, however, include flying ranks; they are covered further on.

Battalion leadership is left strictly to the Knights of the Talon.

Military Structure

There are five active generals at all times, with five assigned units/wings that they preside over. These generals may accompany these on patrols. All answer to the leading General, and above them, Verridith. Five-hundred troops lay in reserve.

Notes on dragon and flying-creature wing formation:
A wing consists of six dragons or other creatures; one wingleader, a wingsecond, two flankriders and two outriders.

Notes on the sending of patrols:
One magic user is assigned to each patrol that goes farther than Hidden Lake, on horseback or dragonback. Usually a Knight of the Beryl, or one of the mage-class. One wing or unit (group of six ground troops or cavalry, most often includes at least one knight) to each patrol, five patrols a day spread across Vystriana.

Notes on the distribution and division of knights:
Many knights of the Order of the Lion are directly involved with the military, and few venture outside of its armies. However, those of the Raven freely roam, and those of the Beryl often make small quests to further gain more knowledge of their magical abilities. Some will travel to one of the mage Towers, and learn directly from the mages themselves. Those of the Sword do not leave Albronel often, and only leave in accompaniment with one of the Lion or a higher class. Talons are free to do as they please.