GLOSSARY

Old Imperial (Language): The language spoken by the Iron Empire of ancient antiquity and antiquity. This is Classical Latin in the real world. The dialect spoken and written by the people in this setting is Medieval Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin.

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Ancient Tulsican (Language): The language spoken by the Tulsican Empire of ancient antiquity. This is Ancient Greek in the real world.

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Highdonian Common (Language): The universal language spoken by most of the civilized world. This is modern English. (Or whatever language is spoken by the GM and players of the TTRPG).

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Beauçais (Language): The language spoken by the people of Beaugencie. This is French or Middle French in the real world.

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Albish (Language): The language spoken by the people of Albany. This is Middle English (1150-1500) in the real world.

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Diutisc (Language): The language spoken by the people of the Holy Imperial Gottesreich. Hochdiutisc is spoken by the people from the south, Niederdiutisc is spoken by those from the North, and Savodiutisc is spoken by those from the Grand County of Savobourg. This is High German, Low German and Swiss German in real life.

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Mankind: The collective human species, encompassing all people regardless of race, gender, or culture. It is a broad term to describe humanity as a whole, including but not limited to: Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and Gnomes, Mosquitans, Blemmyae, Crawmen, etc

 

Humanity: see: Mankind. The collective human species. It is a broad term to describe humanity as a whole, encompassing all sentient, humanoid, and non-wretched races such as Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and Gnomes

 

Man: (Plural: Men) When used in the context of Humanity or Mankind, such as in the phrase The Persistence of Man, refers to the collective human species as a whole, regardless of gender or culture. It typically refers to only Humans, but can also be used to refer to the other races of Men.

 

Wretched: A broad term to describe the inherently evil races of humanity. All of humanity is sinful by default, but these creatures are seen as irredeemably so. Where humans, elves or dwarves may seek forgiveness or feel remorse for ill deeds, these beings typically feel no remorse for what they do. They are inherently evil, and only in very rare cases act with benevolence or for the good of others. Wretched beings include, but are not limited to, Blemmyae, Mosquitans, and Crawmen.

 

Oddegar: The world. Like the name Earth but is also used in conjunction with Earth. Oddegar is also the name of the Game System.

 

Middegar: The middle continent (from the perspective of those who live there). Middegar is where most of the setting takes place, in an area known as Highdonia.

 

Highdonia: The southern region of the continent of Middegar, in which most of the setting takes place. Highdonia is described as the Heart of Humanity. 

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Renavia: A region in Highdonia known as The Cradle of Kingdoms. This region was once ruled by the Iron Empire in Ancient Antiquity, but has since become several powerful nations, such as The Kingdom of Chauncey and the Holy Imperial Gottesreich.

 

Aelith: A mythical continent to the far west full of magic and mystery. This is the continent which the elves are from, but that fact has been lost to time and is known as just legend and folklore.

 

Cindregaard: A mythical continent to the far east. Very little is known of his place, whether it exists or not, it is believed this is the continent where Dragons are from.

 

Dragon (True): True dragons are all dead, slain by the combined effort of Humanity, the angels and the gods in the Dragon Wars of ancient antiquity. These were large intelligent scaled lizards with wings. They could speak and were capable of great malice.

 

Dragon (Lesser): Now that all the true dragons are slain, lesser dragons are simply just known as dragons. It has been so long since the dragon wars (over 2000 years) that most people think that true dragons are just myths and folklore. Lesser dragons are basically any scaled creature that's not a fish. From common lizards to massive snakes and sea monsters. If it has scales and is malevolent in nature, it is called a dragon.

 

Squee: A feathered chicken-like reptile which walks on two legs. They are the size of chickens, have beaks and feathery bodies, but also scales. They cannot fly, and are very agile and fast. Squees are native to southern Highdonia in regions like the Kingdom of Valeria. 

 

AM and AD: The abbreviations for the eras in which this setting takes place. AM stands for Anno Mortem Draconum - Before the Death of Dragons, and is equivalent to BC or BCE in our world. AD stands for Anno Divinorum - The Era of the Gods, and is equivalent to AD or CE in our world. The current date for this setting changes based on who you ask. For example, the Kingdom of Chauncey’s calendar says it's AD 1396, but the Gottesreich says it’s AD 1522.

 

Ancient Antiquity: A period characterized by bronze weaponry and equipment, a time when the gods had a significant and physical role in the lives of men, and meddled in their affairs often. This period is agreed to have begun in 1000 AM and ended on 0 AD, the year the dragons were defeated.

 

Antiquity: The period just after Ancient Antiquity, characterized by iron weaponry and equipment, and the might of the Iron Empire. This period bleeds into Ancient Antiquity, starting at 27 AM with the birth of the Iron Empire and ending in 532 AD with its downfall. 

 

Angel: An extinct being made of pure love and holiness. Angels appear as androgynous, beautiful beings with wings, who loved humanity with all their hearts and served the gods. They were charged with the task of ringing holy hand bells to release the souls of those recently passed, and to guide them by hand to purgatory. It is believed there was at least one angel for every human. All the angels are dead now, hunted to extinction by Ignil and his army of hell.

 

Hippocras: An alcoholic beverage made of wine mixed with spices, sometimes spelled Hipocras or Hypocras. The spices are strained through a conical cloth filter bag known as a manicum hippianum, or hippiatic sleeve, a device invented by the ancient Tulsican philosopher Hippias in the days of ancient antiquity. The drink is consumed for its taste, but is also medicinal in nature. The hot, dry spices mixed with the cold, wet wine create the perfect medicinal beverage to balance the humors.

 

Didas: Sometimes spelled Dydas. This is the principle holy text of the Church of the Divine Diurnity, containing the religious doctrine central to the faith. The name stems from the Ancient Tulsican root διδάσκω (didasko), meaning “to teach” or “to instruct.” 

 

Diurnity / Divine Diurnity: Derived from the Ancient Tulsican prefix “di-” (δί-), meaning “two” or “double,” and Diurnal, meaning “of the day.” This is the deity of the Church of the Divine Diurnity, a monotheistic god which is said to be the twin goddesses Sol (Soleil) and Luna combined. They are one in the same, but also different in their own unique ways, like two sides of the same coin. They are referred to as the Divine Diurnity, the Diurnity, or often simply as “Soleil.”

 

Bell: A hollow metallic object, often brass, bronze or copper-alloy, that produces a resonant sound when struck. All bells possess the divine ability to unbind a person's soul from their body after they die. For most bells, it takes multiple tolls or rings to completely unbind the soul, because they are made by man, not by the gods. 

 

Bell (Angelic): Often known as Holy Hand Bells, Angelic Bells, or Holy Bells. A bell made by the divine which was used by angels in Ancient Antiquity and Antiquity to release the souls of the dead so that they may guide them to purgatory. These bells are 100% efficient, and unbind a soul with a single ring. 

 

Bell (Celestial): A celestial bell refers to two types of bells. The first is a bell housed in the belfry of heaven, which is said to release all souls from purgatory and signal their final judgement, where they are deemed worthy or not to enter heaven. This is the true celestial bell, and has not been rung since the death of the dragons in 0 AD. The second definition of a celestial bell is the man-made versions, crafted by melting down Angelic Bells and casting them into massive, mighty bells which are 100% efficient in releasing the souls of the dead. Only 3 of these bells are known to exist, and 2 of them are lost to time. 

 

Bell Bringers (Movement): Sometimes known as Bell Bearers, this is a movement characterized by its service to mankind in the form of ringing bells to release the souls of the dead. There is no structure to this movement, and anyone who rings bells for the purpose of releasing souls is known as a bell bringer, whether they are members of the faction or not. It is common knowledge that bells release the souls of the dead, whether or not people believe it. For this reason, anyone who rings bells for a living or does so in any capacity could be called a Bell Bringer.

 

Bell Bringers (Faction): Sometimes known as Bell Bearers. A faction of devout followers of Saint Octavius, characterized by their dogmatic belief in the bells and their power. This faction sends missionaries all over the world so that they may perform the divine service of final rites to the recently passed. They are an organisation sustained by donations and acts of charity, and are dedicated to public service for little or no monetary gain. Saint Octavius is believed to be the first human to ever touch an angelic bell. In legend, it is said that the Archangel Aelithiel gave their holy hand bell to Octavius in person, instructing him to spread the word of the angels' defeat, and to take up the torch of responsibility in releasing the souls of the dead. Octavius founded the Bell Bringers and is recognized as a saint in most religions. 

 

Bell Clerics: A sub-faction of the Bell Bringers. These clerics are highly trained individuals who are taught holy spells specialized in healing or helping allies and dispatching the undead. Bell Clerics are sent on assignments to areas of special interest to the bell bringers. These assignments are mostly to quell ancient undead which are found in ancient ruins and dungeons, or to seek and recover Angelic Bells, which are still found in large numbers scattered across the countryside or in ancient ruins. Bell Clerics are more directed to the fighting of ancient undead, mostly skeletons, while the Gravewalkers are specialized in fighting contemporary undead. Bell Clerics are sometimes known for their bearing swords, which are massive and impractical weapons used mostly for ceremony and for the casting of spells, but also sometimes in melee combat.

 

Bearing Sword: Sometimes known as a Bearing Blade, or Bell Bearing Blade. These are massively oversized swords which are not typically practical for melee combat. These swords are characterized by a unique marble-like pattern in the blade, made of steel and gold or brass, and often have a little hand-bell set into a hollow ring pommel. These weapons are used as catalysts for casting spells by some Bell Clerics specialized in their use, and sometimes as melee weapons against undead.

 

Ignil: Also known as Igniel. A being which is the physical manifestation of hate, malice and treason. He is the lord of hell, and commands a mighty host of demons who have waged war on Heaven in the past and eradicated the angels. They were eventually cast down by the gods after all the angels were slain, banished to a realm of eternal suffering known as hell or hades. 

 

Aelithiel: An archangel and general of the angelic host who was slain with the rest of the angels. He is said to have been the first to pass the torch of responsibility to humanity by giving his holy hand bell to Saint Octavius before his death.

 

Hell: Known by many names and interpretations by the different cultures, religions, regions and nations of this setting. This is a place of eternal damnation, where the souls of those who were wicked in life go to be punished for their deeds. The Lord of Hell is Ignil, and it is populated by demons, who take pleasure in their duty to torment the souls trapped there.

 

Heaven: Also known as Oddegand but has many other names and interpretations by the different cultures, religions, regions and nations of this setting. This is a place of eternal paradise, where the souls of those who tried their best to overcome the inherent sinful and wicked nature of mankind and act righteously in life. The Lord of Heaven is different based on which religion one follows, but is universally known as a place which people desire to go to after death.

 

Purgatory: Known by many names and interpretations. This is a realm between the land of the living and heaven or hell. Purgatory is where all souls go to serve penance for the sins they committed in life which went unforgiven. The purpose of purgatory is to “purge” the soul of sin so it is made fit for final judgement and assignment to either heaven or hell. The Lord of Purgatory is the god/goddess known as Death, who has replaced angels in the task of ferrying the souls of the dead to purgatory.

 

Panopleism: Panopleism is the equal worship of all the gods. A panopleist believes that all the gods are equals, and will commonly choose one or two which they adore the most and dedicate their worship to them. Panopleism is the primary religion of the Kingdom of Valeria, and is commonly seen as the first religion, founded in Ancient Antiquity when the gods first made their presence known to humanity. 

 

Preceptarianism: The monotheistic belief that the panopleist god Odis is the chief and primary deity, and that all other gods are saints. Odis is known simply as GOD in this belief, the name Odis being seen as archaic or old-fashioned. This belief puts more emphasis on the direct worship of GOD, and believes that the saints should not receive petitionary prayers.

 

Diurnism: The monotheistic belief that the panopleist gods Sol and Luna are one deity known as the Divine Diurnity, or simply as Soleil. There is a heavy emphasis on saints and icons, believing that one should pray to a patron saint who will petition Soleil on their behalf. Saints are seen as intermediaries, or the ears of Soleil.

 

Weasel-Waist (Armour Silhouette): A silhouette created by the wearing of clothing or armour which gives the trunk of the body a smooth waisted silhouette like that of a weasel. This is often seen on earlier clothing and armour of the 14th century.

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Wasp-Waist (Armour Silhouette): A silhouette created by the wearing of clothing or armour which gives the trunk of the body an hourglass silhouette, like the abdomen of a wasp. This is often seen on later clothing armour of the 14th century and into the 15th and 16th.

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Mail: Also spelled “Maille” or erroneously known as “Chainmail.” It is a type of armor made of interlinked metal rings designed to protect the wearer primarily from slashing and cutting attacks. It is widely used throughout the world as a primary defence, or as a secondary defence to plate or textile armour. Its flexibility makes it particularly versatile for covering the gaps left by plate armour, specifically in areas which flex and bend a lot, like the neck, armpits, elbows, groin and knees. Mail in this setting is typically a European 4-in-1 pattern of either dome or wedge riveted, flat or round circular rings of 6mm or 8mm inner diameter. It is never butted, or made of aluminium or galvanized.

 

Plate (Armour): A type of rigid protection for the body, limbs or head made of metal. In this setting it is most often made of steel, or sometimes iron. Plate armours’ strength primarily comes from compound curves and complex glancing surfaces, not from just the fact that it is metal. For this reason, plate armour in this setting (as it was in real life) is tailored closely to the body and is held on by the use of sturdy laces known as points. Plate armour can be made flexible with the combination of multiple pieces held together by rivets, textile or leather. This is seen most often in the tonlet (protection for the lower half of the torso and hips), or on protection for the shoulders, knees and elbows. Plate armour has a "wasp-waist" silhouette.

 

Brigandine: A type of body armour which is constructed with many small overlapping plates riveted to a textile outer covering. They most often close in the front, allowing a person to wear or remove them easily without the help of someone else. Brigandines can be identified by their “wasp-waist” silhouette, meaning the waist is very closely fitted and tight around the midsection. 

 

Coat of Plates: A type of body armour which is constructed with many large overlapping plates riveted to a textile outer covering. Coats of Plates can be identified by their “weasel waist silhouette and most often have very large plates covering the chest, which appear like a breastplate cut in half.

 

Covered Breastplate/Cuirass: Also known as Corrzine or Corrazina. A type of body armour which is constructed with many overlapping plates and a solid 1 or 2-piece breastplate. The breastplate is globose, and the armour often closes in the back or the sides, allowing for it to be made of one single piece like a standard breastplate would. Corazzinas have a wasp waist silhouette. 

 

Gambeson: A sturdy quilted textile garment worn by itself or over mail. It is not worn under armour, and is an independent form of textile armour worn as the outermost layer. They may come in many shapes and sizes, and have many colours.

 

Arming Garment: A stout textile garment typically made of sturdy linen, and sometimes quilted. To the untrained eye, these garments may appear to look like Gambesons, but they are more closely fitted and are not excessively padded. Arming garments are designed to hold armour to the body with points, not to pad blows. 

 

Jupon: A quilted textile garment worn over armour. Its primary purpose is not to pad blows or catch arrows, though that may be a benefit. Jupons are simply a fashion item which is used to cover plate armour in areas where covering plate armour is normal and fashionable. They appear to look like gambesons, but the difference is that they are worn over plate armour and sometimes under breastplates or cuirasses. A jupon can typically hide an entire cuirass and arm harness beneath it. They come in long-sleeved, short-sleeved or sleeveless varieties. Jupons are immensely popular in Beaugencie.

 

Coat Armour: Similar to a jupon, Coat Armour is worn over armour, but is not quilted and is often only made of 1 or 2 layers of textile. These garments are most often used to display the arms and heraldry of the wearer. Coat armour is immensely popular in places like Albany, where it is commonly sleeveless and worn over a cuirass.

 

Plaque Belt: Also known as a knightly girdle or knightly belt, these are highly decorative belts which are worn over armour as a status symbol. Sometimes they are used for sword and/or dagger suspension, but sometimes their use is purely aesthetic. Plaque belts can be as simple as a leather belt with fixtures and mounts made of precious metals, or as complex as solid gold interlocking plates of metal worn as a belt around  the tonlet.

 

Tonlet / Paunce of Plates: Erroneously known as a fauld by most people. Plate defence for the lower torso and hips, often constructed of hooped metal rings known as lames, which are connected in a telescoping fashion by rivets, textile or leather. Tonlets allow the lower abdomen to flex and bend like normal while allowing it to remain protected by plate. They telescope and collapse in on themselves when the wearer sits or bends. Tonlets are often permanently fixed to a breastplate to form a cuirass, but not always.

 

Cuirass: A type of solid torso protection, often made of plate, which covers the chest, abdomen and hips. It may or may not encase the back as well. A cuirass consists of two parts. A breastplate and a tonlet or paunce of plates. Cuirasses are always wasp-waisted and fitted tightly around the midsection.

 

Breastplate: A type of solid torso protection, most often made of metal. Breastplates are globose in shape, protruding forward of the chest and ribs to leave a gap between the metal and the body. Breastplates always terminate at the natural waist, which is the narrowest part of the torso and located just above the bellybutton, beneath the ribcage. Breastplates in this setting never go lower than the natural waist, and are never shapeless tubes which cover the entire trunk of the torso like modern LARP or costume armour.

 

Gorget: Though it may also refer to a throat defence made of mail, a gorget is a place defence for the throat, often articulated to allow full movement and rotation of the head. The primary role of a gorget is to protect the throat, not the upper chest or collarbone. 

 

Mail Collar: Also known as a Standard, Pisane, or Mail Gorget. This is an overwhelmingly popular piece of armour which is comfortable, relatively cheap and weighs virtually nothing. It protects the throat, tightly hugging around the neck while allowing for full mobility of the head due to mail’s flexible nature. These are often made with 5mm or 6mm rings in either a 4-in-1 or 6-in-1 weave for maximum protection. Mail collars commonly feature a leather or textile edge around the top, keeping the neck from chafing against the mail. 

 

Mail Shirt: Often known as a hauberk or haubergeon, these are “shirts” made completely of mail. The neck hole is often wide to allow the head to fit through, and are often covered up by a mail collar, which is the primary defence of the throat. Mail shirts vary in length and size, and are most often tailored to the wearer to reduce excess weight and bagginess. 

 

Points: Plural for Point, a length of sturdy waxed cordage which is affixed to an arming garment and serves the purpose of securing armour to the body. Points are often tipped with metal aglets, which aid in feeding the cord through holes and add decoration to the point. Points are often natural coloured, but may be dyed. Common dye colours are red, blue, green, black and yellow. Points are also used to affix doublets or wams (shirts) to the hose (pants).

 

Hose: Hose or Hosen are this setting’s version of pants. They are either separate or joined tubes of textile, most commonly linen or wool, which are tailored to fit tightly around the leg. They often either have full feet like a sock, or a stirrup which fits under the arch of the foot to keep them secure and to prevent it from riding up the calf. Separate hose come in two pieces, like very long socks which reach up to the hips and are secured by points to the braies (underpants). Joined hose are sewn together by a piece of extra fabric which covers the buttocks. Joined hose also have a piece of fabric which ties up around the groin known as a codpiece.

 

Codpiece: An article of textile clothing found on joined hose (pants). It serves to cover the crotch, hiding the braies (underpants) from view. Think of it like the front zipper of a pair of pants. The genitals do not actually go inside the codpiece, it simple just covers them. Codpieces are mostly just triangular flaps of fabric, but can get very complex and ornate. The most outrageous of these are found in the southern regions of the Gottesreich, where codpieces are specifically shaped to resemble a phallus and can vary in length from a few inches to an entire forearm. It is in these gaudy codpieces that some people may store a hidden wine bag or coin purse. 

 

Liripipe Hood: A textile hood made most commonly from colourful wool lined with linen, and decorated with “dags” (decorative cutouts which come in various shapes and sizes) around the bottom hem. The liripipe is the long tail at the crown of the hood, which dangles down in various lengths behind the back, most commonly to the back of the knees or thighs. This liripipe is most commonly tucked into the belt at the back to prevent it from dangling and swinging around. Sometimes people may store coins or other items in the liripipe. 

 

Spaulders: Sometimes spelled “spaudlers.” These are plate defences for the shoulders, constructed with multiple lames to allow for full mobility and flexibility of the arms. They are attached by points to the shoulders of the arming garment, and are most often separate pieces put on after an arm harness, but can also be permanently attached to the arm harness. Spaulders are small, form-fitting and compact, leaving significant gaps in the armpits which are reinforced by other pieces of armour.

 

Besagews: A round, rectangular, or oval shaped disc of metal which is designed to cover the gap of an armpit left open by the wearing of Spaulders or other small shoulder defences. These are often fixed to the body or Spaulders with leather straps or points.

 

Pauldrons: Large plate shoulder defences most often worn by those mounted on horseback These offer a great deal of protection for the shoulders, upper arms, armpits and back at the cost of mobility and range of motion for the arm. Pauldrons are often asymmetrical, more heavily armoured on the left side, as it is the side which receives the most amount of blows. The right side is often smaller and sometimes features a cutout for the accommodation of couching a lance under the arm. Pauldrons in this setting are never oversized hunks of metal which appear to float off the shoulders like those seen in modern fantasy illustrations or Space Marines from Warhammer 40k.

 

Lance: The ubiquitous primary weapon for war of most mounted Knights and Men-at-Arms. It is a long, tapered wooden pole with a metal tip known as a coronel. A lance is the most devastating weapon on the battlefield, and is the only hand-held non-firearm capable of punching through plate torso armour under the right conditions. 

 

Lance Stop: Also known as a Lance Rest or Arrêt de Lance. This is a hook-like protrusion fixed temporarily or permanently to breastplates on the right side. It allows the user to rest their Lance on it as its couched under the arm, allowing for greater control of the weapon and less strain on the user. It's primary purpose, however, is to reduce the backwards recoil of the Lance upon hitting its target, allowing for greater impact and more devastating hits. 

 

Grapper: A circular disc affixed to a Lance to prevent it from slipping back under the user’s arm when the Lance hits its target. Often paired with a Lance rest to deliver devastatingly powerful impacts on target.

 

Latten: Thin sheets of brass, bronze or copper-alloy which are primarily used for decorative purposes. This is easily seen on armour with bands of decorated yellow metal riveted to the steel. Latten decorations on armour not only serve to elevate the status of the wearer, but they can also nullify or amplify the effects of magic based on the type of metal used. In this case, copper-alloy would have a nullifying effect on magic. 

 

Landsknecht: (Plural: Landsknechte) A type of mercenary foot soldier primarily from Soderlingen in the Holy Imperial Gottesreich. They are characterized by their gaudy fashion typically adorned with slashes and vibrant colours, as well as their skill in pikes, halberds, firearms and zweihänders. The landsknechte are organized into Free Companies and will fight for the highest bidder, even against their own countrymen. The fashion style of the Landsknechte has become ubiquitous in the Gottesreich, as well as parts of Castegleón and Valeria. To be considered a “true” Landsknecht, one must be from Soderlingen or southern Lidesbach, otherwise they're just a sparkling mercenary.

 

Katzbalger: Meaning “cat gutter” or “cat skinner,” a Katzbalger is a type of one-handed sword famously used in the Gottesreich. It features a distinct S-shaped or figure-8 shaped guard, and the blade sometimes features a rounded or flat point. They often have multiple fullers in the blade, and feature fish-tail pommels, a type of pommel which is known to be distinctly from the Gottesreich. These weapons are issued to troops of the Imperial Army, and worn by many more from private purchases. 

 

Zweihänder: Also called a Montante or Spadone in Castegleón and Valeria. A nimble, 2-handed greatsword characterized by two perpendicular protrusions on the blade close to the guard. The guard and grip are typically very large in proportion to the blade, which tends to be rather narrow and long. These weapons range from 6-8 feet in length, and are most typically employed in various situations by highly specialized Landsknecht units known as Doppelsöldner, or “double-pay men,” due to the nature of their work. Out of the context of Landsknechte, these weapons are also employed by some fighting people who are trained in their use, mostly bodyguards.

 

Doppelsöldner: Meaning “double-pay men,” doppelsöldner are Landsknecht mercenaries who either volunteer to fight on the front line of a unit and to be the first to clash with the enemy, taking on the extra risk and danger in exchange for double pay. Typical doppelsöldner are specialized troops armed with ranged weaponry such as firearms or sometimes crossbows, but the term also extends to Landsknechte who are trained in the use of the Zweihänder. 

 

Humorism: The belief that the body’s health is regulated by the proper balance of four fluids known as humors. These humors are created by various organs in the body and transferred throughout by the arteries, veins, capillaries and vessels within. The four humors are Blood (Sanguis), Black Bile (Atribilis), Yellow Bile (Choler) and Phlegm. In order for someone to be healthy, these humors must be equally balanced. Too much or too little of one will negatively affect one’s health, mood, strength or disposition depending on which humor is imbalanced.

 

Humors: see: Humorism. There are four humors in the body, each having hot or cold and wet or dry temperaments. The humors are Blood (Sanguis) which is hot and wet, Black Bile (Atribilis) which is cold and dry, Yellow Bile (Choler) which is hot and dry, and Phlegm which is cold and wet. Each of these humors are produced in the body by different organs, and transported throughout by various arteries, veins, capillaries and vessels. Too much or too little of a certain humor will negatively affect a person’s health, mood, strength or disposition. Maintaining a healthy body means maintaining balanced humors. This is achieved through a balanced diet, exercise and religious practice. The four humors apply to the four seasons as well, based on the temperament they align with. For example, Phlegm is associated with winter because it is cold and wet. 

 

Temperaments: There are four temperaments associated with the four humors. These are hot and cold, wet and dry. These temperaments are also associated with the four seasons. Spring is hot and wet, summer is hot and dry, autumn is cold and dry, and winter is cold and wet.

 

Runker: A classification of polearm exclusively manufactured by the weaponsmiths in the lowlands of the Runk River, especially in Runkford. Typically a polearm, runkers are not characterized by shape or the way it's used, but by the placement of a hook on the reverse side of the weapon. A halberd with a hook on the reverse side, for example, is called a runker. A sword with a hook on the back edge of the blade is a runker. These are not to be confused with billhooks, which get their name for the hooked bill. On a billhook, the blade itself is the hook, not whatever protrusions may happen to be on the reverse side. If a billhook has a hook on the back edge of the blade, it is a runker. 

 

The Runk: A river which defines the border between central and western Renavia, separating the Kingdom of Chauncey from the Holy Imperial Gottesreich. The lowlands to the north, where the river spills into the sea, are collectively known as the Runklands or simply as the lowlands. Due to its central location, the Runk River plays a massive role in the local economy, and in times of war, is a massive natural obstacle. 

 

The Cesse: A river in western Renavia which runs through the northern region of Albany and the southern region of Beaugencie, the two of which combined make the Kingdom of Chauncey. The Cesse is known as a rather dirty river, as it flows through several swamps and mires before spilling into the ocean to the north. This makes the water a muddy brown colour, and its name is the source of the prefix cess in words like cesspit or cesspool.

 

The Alb: A river in western Renavia from which the country of Albany gets its name. This river flows north and spills into the sea at the eastern foot of the Strickland peninsula.

 

Pontignac: The seat of the Pontignac Papacy, from which the leader of the Diurnist faith conducts his affairs. This city is located on the coast in southern Beaugencie and houses the only Celstial Bell not lost to time in the great belfry of Notré Divinité Cathedral.

 

Common: Used in words and phrases like commoners, the common folk, or common soldiers. Commoners are a social class of people which make up for the majority of most populations. These are not mud-eating illiterate masses who never bathe, but it is true that many cannot read and even more cannot write. The common people are the working class, be them tradesmen, farmers, millers, miners or workers of just about every occupation requiring manual labour.

 

Layman: see: Common. plural: Laymen or Layity. A layman is any man or woman who falls under the definition of common or working class but is also not a member of the clergy. 

 

Clergy: Those who dedicate their lives to a religious institution. These include but are not limited to: monks, priests, abbots, priors, bishops, cardinals and the pope. The lower rungs of the clergy are typically made up of commoners, while he upper echelons are typically the youngest sons of nobility who have no prospect of inheritance. While it is possible on paper for a common man to become pope, it is virtually impossible in practice. The clergy dedicate their lives to the service of the church and their communities. Clergy make up around 4-6% of the population of most countries.

 

Monk (Cenobitical): The vast majority of monks are cenobites, meaning they live a communal form of monasticism. They typically live together in a monastery under a strict set of rules, and share in communal worship, meals, and work. The emphasis of cenobitical life is the focus on community, discipline and mutual support as they seek to serve the church together. Despite this, most monasteries are eremtical in nature, secluding and distancing themselves from the secular world. All monks strive to be in the world, but not of the world. Monks perform masses and pray all liturgical hours of the day, fulfilling a concept known as intercession. 

 

Monk (Eremitical): Eremites practice a solitary form of monasticism, often living in very small groups or alone as hermits in solitude as they dedicate themselves to prayer, contemplation and asceticism. They seek a direct and personal relationship with their deity in a solitary environment which is free from the distractions of the world. 

 

Intercession: To intercede on behalf of the dead by praying for their souls, so that the process of being purged of sin in purgatory may be quicker and less painful. Intercession is a way for the living to ease the suffering of the dead in purgatory by thinking of and remembering them in their prayers.

 

Chantry: A chapel, altar or endowment specifically dedicated to the performing of masses and the saying of prayers for the soul of a deceased person, intended to help speed the process of being purged of sin in Purgatory. Anyone may leave money or donations to a chantry for themselves or on behalf of a loved one, so that the chantry may hold masses and prayers in their name after they die. For nobility, it is common for 1000 masses to be held in the first month after one's death, but up to 10,000 have been known to be completed in the case of certain affluent individuals such as kings. Chantries are a form of intercession.

 

Chantry Chapel: Also known as a Collegiate Church. Chantry Chapels are a church or parish commissioned by a wealthy family for the sole purpose of acting as a permanent chantry for the souls of the bloodline. Commissioning the construction of a chantry chapel is seen as a great act of charity to the church and in return, the church is dedicated to the names of those who built it, so that every prayer or mass held within is dedicated to their souls after they die. Most chantry chapels will have an associated mausoleum, where members of the family will be buried together after they die. Chantry chapels are a form of intercession.

 

Funerary Monuments: These take the form of knightly effigies or brasses depicting those recently deceased. The most common high-end form of this practice is funerary monuments carved of alabaster stone in the likeness of the person who commissioned it. These monuments are typical for military men, and depict them laying on their backs wearing full armour, often praying or holding the hand of their spouse. The purpose of these is to remind churchgoers to pray for the souls of those depicted in the funerary monuments. Brasses are cheaper funerary monuments and are simple engravings of the knight in armour on a brass plaque mounted to the wall of a church rather than a full 3D statue. Funerary monuments are a form of intercession.

 

Indulgence: (plural: indulgences). An indulgence is a papal pardon for a sin committed, written by the Divine Diurnity through their most direct contact with the world, the Pope. It is given in exchange for alms, a sum of money over and above one's usual tithe.

 

Alms: A donation of money of items of value which is above and beyond one's weekly tithe. 

 

Tithe: An obligatory donation of money or items of value which is typically 10% of what one makes in a week. Most tithes are filtered back into the local community through the service of the church, and help pay for the upkeep of the local religious establishments.

 

Pardoner: A wayfaring member of the clergy who offers indulgences in exchange for alms. Pardoners typically carry a reliquary shrine as an act of penance for their own sins.

 

Reliquary Shrine: A box, often lavishly and ornately decorated, which contains a holy relic. These come in the form of shrines or wayshrines. Shrines are fixed in one location and often belong to local churches or parishes, while wayshrines are portable and move from one location to the next. 

 

Holy Relic: A holy relic is an object, thing or item which is said to have great religious significance. They are typically associated with saints, or with pivotal events in the history of the faith. Some examples of common holy relics include the bones of saints, Lance heads which are known to have slain dragons, and the weapons or devices which are known to have caused the death and martyrdom of saints.