A-Z for World Nirdday: Z is for Zork, a time travelling offworld agent

Z is for Zork, the name of a lonely offworld agent, sent to investigate the moral state of Nirdday. According to legend, the Zork was accompanied by a Gwelm (pronounce gh-Wo-lem), a violent, tightly harnessed undead warrior. The Gwelm was invisible most of the time, and sent both to protect the Zork, and to make sure that the Zork would not stray from his mission. Both the Zork and the Gwelms originate in Nopalgaard, a protected place in the far future on a world mostly destroyed by Chaos. Using a telempathic artefact, the last bastion of the Priestesses of Nopalgaard sent out trained volunteers into the past, hoping to find the true source of the Chaos, hoping to retroactively defeat it before it could grow. Nopalgaard, coincidentally, is also one of the more arcane names of the original garden city of the Northerners, the punishing Elves involved in the Celestial Wars.

A-Z for World Nirdday: Y is for Yaddrin, the Mirror World

Y is for Yaddrin, Nirdday's mirror world. Yaddrin years are counted forward, not backward. On Yaddrin mirror images exist of nearly every person and place one can find on Nirdday, and travellers between the worlds may be confused at first to see the difference. However, people on Yaddrin are typically more mild mannered, opposite in demeanor or ethics, more chaotic, or just less determined than those of Nirdday. Some may call those on Yaddrin “good” and those on Nirdday “evil”, but that would be simplifying the reality too much. The worlds of Nirdday and Yaddrin are much alike, but also different – with different choices of the same people having led to different, if similar histories.

Until the end of the last war active magickal gates accessing Yaddrin have been known to the Ahnenerbe division of the ImperiMor army. Some believe that Godking Castor and his henchmen have fled to Yaddrin through the gate of Lorenzo, to escape either justice or an oncoming apocalypse. After their disappearance the knowledge of traversing the worlds was either lost, or travel has been blocked, as some sages believe. Much as is the case with time travel. It is however possible that individuals from Yaddrin have stranded on Nirdday, and vice versa – now locked out from their own world and at the same time mistaken for their doubles.

Art: thankfully borrowed screen shot from the excellent old series Star Trek episode Mirror Mirror. Worth seeing to understand the concept of mirror worlds.

A-Z for World Nirdday: X is for the legendary XIV Legion

 X is for XIV Legion, the ImperiMor legion that fought at Cardabajo (pronounce: kar-da-Bagh-o) at the end of the 7^th Celestial War. Complemented by hundreds of dragons and riders of the Kalath princes (pronounce ka-La-ghh) they long held at bay the enemy forces of the Jubre Legions that spawned from the windgates at Lago Madrid (pronounce La-gho ma-Dreem). Despite overwhelming opposing force, and despite a loss of over ten thousand, the legion held crucial ground and ultimately secured that the Armistice of Arrival could be effected. After the battle, a small contingent of the Legion returned from the Elder Temples, and they were said to carry a dark but mighty secret that would secure the ImperiMor supremacy from then on. Whether this legend is true or not, the refreshed XIV Legion carried on its reputation in the following centuries, winning many battles, and finally becoming protector of the Isle of Samaris.

Art: wikipedia

A-Z for World Nirdday: W is for the Wall, the Magick Shield between North and South

W is for Wall, the magick Wall of Power, also called Ley. It stretches from the East of Nirdday all to the west, separating the North and South. The wall is a shimmering shade of silver, over ten meters high, and one can vaguely see through. Sometimes, especially at dawn and dusk one can see huge shadows of skeletal giants shining through – possibly creatures captured in the wall force field. It is impossible to fly over the wall, and coming too close to it is known to cause madness or death. As word of speech, people with crazy or dangerous plans are said to “have left their head in the wall”.

The AceceRex of Samaris first built the Wall, together with the Elder Elves, in order to stop the ever returning wars between North and South. However, to make trade and movement of individuals possible, five major gateways (sometimes named Hellgates) were kept open. These gateways lay at Brugghes, Vaal, Samaris, Loz Azlon and PortaMornanore. Vaal was completely destroyed and closed, while at Brugghes the Wall collapsed and an effective gateway of a hundred miles wide was created on sea and land. Smaller gateways sometimes open, but usually at inaccessible places, and only with full moon for example. Apart from the greater Wall separating North and South, other Walls of Power exist shielding eastern ImperiMor, and eastern Ferdan. 

Art: modified image of Great Wall of China - original photo by Bill Price III at wiki.

A-Z for World Nirdday: V is for Vaal, the Lost City

V is for Vaal, the lost capital of the North-western Empire. It must have lain somewhere in Ferdan, not far from where the magick wall now is, but no one seems t o know for sure. Vaals power and riches were unsurpassed, as all gold and doomstone of the Empire were held in its temples. Also, it was the seat of the western Dragon High Priestess, or the Veknaa, the female equivalent of the Pope. With the demise and destruction of Vaal, also the power of the Priestesses dwindled. After its last destruction in 883 with the massacre of the Valley of Vaal, only decades ago, the lands of Vaal were so poisoned that no life was possible, and its location was lost.

Art: changed image of lost city Vardzia, wiki commons

A-Z for World Nirdday: U is for Saint Ursula, Protectress of the Soul

U is for Saint Ursula, and her 11,000 virgins. Saint Ursula – her name meaning Little Bear, as in the constellation - lived before Arrival, and perhaps before the second Celestial War, in a far away Kingdom sometimes believed to be Anglia. She may have been a Princess, or as others believe, a Dragon High Priestess – like these still exist in ImperiMor. When the King asked her hand, she at first refused, and said she first wished to consult the Seat of the High Priests, commonly believed to be Avignon. She took sail in many ships, together with her 11,000 virgins, each with six handmaidens, making for 77,000 travellers in all. When she returned, she met the King of the Huns, who also wanted her hand. She again refused, and the Hun took vengeance and massacred Ursula and her 11,000 virgins. When the graves of thousands of slain women were found at Colonia (Koln), it was assumed that this must have been Ursula and her women. Ursula is a very important Saint, and protectress of women and children, as well as protectress of the soul as it travels between incarnations.

Ursula convents are found in many places - even inhospitable ones guarding doomstone mines.

A-Z for World Nirdday: T is for Time Travellers

T is for Time Travellers. Although travel through time from Nirdday seems impossible, certainly since the last War of Destruction, known time travellers exist. At least four groups may be distinguished. The first are the so called Guardians, or Lords of Time. Whether these truly exist is unknown, but most sovereigns both hold them in high regard and fear them. It is believed that the Queen of Anglia, the Council of Brugghes and the Elves of Goldar are all advised by them. The second group originates from Section VII, the secret service of the ImperiMor army. Possibly to counter the powers of the Lords of Time, possibly just to stay ahead of other enemies, they researched ways of travelling through time. One of the ways they researched brought them in contact with the Aurorians, a group of vampyres and vampyre hunters who travel between worlds and through time. Section VII may have learned many secrets from them, before they were officially disbanded a few decades ago. The fourth group is the most natural of time travellers, the Celestial Dragon. Unfortunately, all celestial dragons have probably been killed in the first Celestial Wars.

Art: altered image from CERN

A-Z for World Nirdday: S is for Southport on Samaris

S is for Southport, on the Isle of Samaris. It is the central haven of Nirdday, and the last regular port before the Hellgate of Northport, the central hole in the magick Wall that separates North and South Nirdday. In the past, before the last Celestial Wars, Samaris was entirely covered by city sprawl, gardens, fortresses and palaces – for over 10,000 square miles. But after the Northern surprise attack that started the 6^th Celestial War, with rains of fire lasting for weeks, only a small fraction of the buildings and populace survived. In the years that followed, much of the old city was buried, either under new buildings, or mostly under ruinous mountains and wild natural growth. Now, huge complexes and hidden pockets underground provide shelter for vermin, outlaws, vile creatures and horrible undead, an Undercity which perhaps spans the entire island. Naturally, the current populace of the isle, concentrated around the four main ports, tries to keep the underearth as locked down as possible – but still the lure of the unknown is great, and many a young man has tried to venture down in search of lost treasure and artefacts. Southport itself is one of the larger cities of the world, with many old buildings and some of the most bizarre markets in Nirdday, including ones for slaves. The city is guarded by a large standing army of ImperiMor soldiers, under command of the White Lord and his council.

A-Z for World Nirdday: R is for Reincarnation Forever

R is for Reincarnation, an important part of most religions on Nirdday, including the Crosstian one (Crosstian resembles the Christian religion of Earth, but is different in several aspects). Most Crosstian prophets remembered their former lives, some of these former lives also of a prophet. It is presumed that all people reincarnate constantly, sometimes splitting their soul into different bodies at the same time. Only those who were imprisoned in soul prisons, or those few who reached the Sky of Joconda are believed to be free of this everlasting cycle. One can reincarnate in any class or human-like race, and only seldomly into the body of animals – if at all. Most people do not remember former lives, but it is not commonly thought as odd if people do. Remembering may be seen as a gift or a curse, but it always seems to strengthen those who experience it. One may feel more one with the rest of humanity, knowing that you always were, and again will be. Knowing that you could have been anyone else, in anyone's position also increases empathy and a sense of responsibility for others.

However, there is also a dark side to the general acceptance of reincarnation as a fact. Those who committed crimes in former lives are sometimes hunted in their current ones, even if they are now repentant people. The Witchmasters of Toledo for example long hunted the Fourhundred souls they held responsible along with the punished Fourty, for the eruption of the last Celestial War. In ImperiMor high nobility tries to cheat the normal reincarnation cycle by letting their bodies be prepared in Heaven (see entry H) beforehand. Or else they aim to be reborn with a temple-virgin or Silver Dragon Priestess of Juno Moneta, thus securing a high born next life. As a side result there are constant feuds, not only between families, but also between soul groups spanning over different lives.

Art: wikicommons

A-Z for World Nirdday: Q is for the Queene Elizabeth of Faerie

Q is for Queen Elysabeth Ysold Galadrien, the Queen Lady of Anglia, Grand Mistress of Londinium, Protectress of the New Overseas Territories, eldest of the Ancient Elves. Her beauty is both wonderful and unsurpassed (although tastes may differ if one looks at her portraits), and all who behold her love her – and despair at the same time. Her dweomer of empathy is so strong, that her entire Faerie Courte rides the waves of her emotions. Although she has many lovers, she is not married, choosing to be second to none. Her throne is at the Tower of Londinium, she commands the greatest fleet of the North (mostly pirates and buccaneers), and protects the powers of the great banks and moneylenders of The City.

A-Z for World Nirdday: Peter von Amiens

P is for Peter von Amiens, inspiring and driven leader of the Kinder des Lichts (Children of the Light), a paramilitary, Crosstian religious organisation. Despite his Keo roots, von Amiens is a strong proponent of a strong Gross Ferdan, and many common folk believe that his leadership would bring new prosperity to the declining nation. According to his own writings, he has been contacted by an Angel after he was wounded on the front in the last War of Destruction. Gathered around him are prestigious old military men and war heroes, but also more shady characters and foreign businessmen. The Kinder des Lichts have become a force to be reckoned with, protecting the countryside, but also dispatching thugs who bully all those who disagree with them, particularly foreigner workers from the east and demi-human races. Von Amiens is a gifted speaker, who knows how to influence crowds. Therefor many established nobles see him either as someone who may save Ferdan or a dangerous man who will cause the next civil war.

A-Z for World Nirdday: O is for Opus Dei

O is for Opus Dei, a Crosstian secret police, and personal inquisition of the Pope. It was first installed by Pope Alexander, who tried to build a counterweight to the mighty Castellan Inquisition and the Witchmasters. The headquarters of Opus Dei (“the work of God”) is just down the road from the papal palaces in Avignon, in an unassuming old convent building. However, the organisation may be one of the most effective in whole Nirdday, with agents operating everywhere. The head of the service is Inquisitor General Nicolas, one of the eldest elves, and his main force consists of dark skinned halfelves all designated with the name “Peter” and a roman numeral. All are efficient as thieves and warriors, operating for the shady side of the Church. Foreign agents are typically either travelling priests, or adventurers, who use the name of a saint as their code names when making contact. 

One agent later made famous in the Chronicles of the Children of Lilith, was code named Dismas (after the Thief crucified next to Iesu). He was actually an adventurer, master thief, and Keolandish nobleman. His co-traveller Litho de Genoa in all probability was not an Opus Dei agent, but a Paladyn from Cluny.

A-Z for World Nirdday: N is for Northerners, the Punishing Elves

N is for Northerners, the Northern Elves who fought the South in the first four Celestial Wars. It is said that the kings and queens of Goldar, and in fact all kings and queens of the world are descendants of these Northeners. Their powers of magick were legendary, and their enchanted creatures and sun chariots both beautiful and terrible to behold. However, some scholars say that the punishing expeditions of the Northeners were unnecessarily cruel, and unheeded for. The Southerners, who arrived early on Nirdday and had their main settlements near Cardabajo at Lago Madrid (pronounce: kar-da-Bagh-o, La-gho ma-Dreem), were probably not aware that the Northeners had not been destroyed in the Long Journey. The Southerners, sometimes named Ancient Dragons but in actuality resembling Elves or Angels, believed that they were now all alone. It was only reasonable that they would rebuild the old empire in the South, and thus it was no act of rebellion against their Lord.

Art: modified image of Gustave Dore (or one of his many students working in his  Ateliers)

A-Z for World Nirdday: M is for Messianist Movement

M is for the Movement, a Messianistic, very loosely organised group of individuals all involved with the ideal of changing the face of Nirdday. The movement started shortly after arrival, with the “Unknown Messiahs”, a group of inspired individuals claiming to remember many former lives. Although the Movement's tenets are freedom, liberty, beauty, fulfillment and a serfdom-free life for both Elves and the much shorter living humans, splinters of the Movement turned violent. When in 1036 the Murder of Kings was committed with soulgrinder bombs in the city of Bridges, the Movement was blamed, and consequently banned as an illegal organisation. People of the Movement, and idealists with similar ideas were prosecuted, hunted and condemned. Even now, now it is widely agreed upon that the Murder of Kings was most likely perpetrated by conspiring nobility and elements of Section V – and not by the Movement at all - the Movement itself still conjures an image of terrorism, bloodshed and violence.

Art by Raphael.

A-Z for World Nirdday: L is for Louise von Basel

L is for Louise von Basel, the adopted daughter of Philips von Basel. Together with her also adopted brother Matthias von Basel she inherited the largest share of the doomstone mines, and she is now regarded as the most important of the Lords of Five. Against all expectation she did not turn her legacy into a grand fortune, owning the most profitable mines in the world, but instead she decided to close them down, thus causing an instant famine of doomstone used in weapon production. Her rationale is that the doomstone is an absolute life threat to the populace, causing vampyrism and insanity. But with the doomstone production halted, the doomstone certificates used widely in financial speculation also lost their value, and this aggravated the financial crisis in Ferdan. Now Louise von Basel travels the world, trying to solve the web of debts that strangles both her Emperor, and virtually all nobles of Ferdan. She is regarded as a hero by the common folk, but she has many enemies too, saying that her red hair will soon turn doomstone green – as she tries to keep all doomstone for herself.

Art by me

A-Z for World Nirdday: K is for Kaiser

K is for Kaiser, the title of the Emperor of Gross Ferdan. It may also be spelled Caesar (and is pronounced as in Keyser Soze). Current Kaiser Ferdinand took over the position from his uncle Karl V at the end of the last War of Destruction. Unfortunately he not only inherited the most powerful army and empire of the west, he also inherited the biggest debts of any state so far. These debts, together with the war reparations to be paid to the Royaume de Keo, ImperiMor, Danemark, Brugghes and Anglia proved to be so crippling to his position that he has found little room to maneuver politically. Also, his country falls further and further into disrepair, and as silver and gold flow out of the country, Ferdinand has a hard time to avert impending civil war. He is desperate for heroes and champions to help him out.

Art by Tiziano (Titian)

A-Z for World Nirdday: J is for Jubre

J is for Jubre (pronounce as Goobere, with the G guttural like Germans would say it). Jubre is a word feared, and its meaning not well known to most people. It is like a curse, which may come upon you if you call it to attention. For those in the know, Jubre is the name of a regime of fear and destruction that once ruled Nirdday before Arrival, and it is seen as the true cause of the Celestial Wars. However, it may also refer to a thick black substance found under the earth, and a state of panic and fear – a raging madness that destroys everything in its path. A sickness or plague of the soul, which may also manifest as ghostlike horrors and images of soulsucking demons. Additionally, in elfish Jubre is related to the words for blindness and what can best be translated as “the hunger of eyeless sharks”.

A-Z for World Nirdday: I is for ImperiMor

I is for ImperiMor, the Dark Empire of the East. Once its master city Capital, seat of the Godking, was master city of the entire world Nirdday. Long the Empire stretched across the world, spanning the whole North. But now only a fraction of the Old Empire is left, the seats of power splintered all over the world. Avignon and Samaris were left to the South, and Vaal was completely lost. Only ImperiMor tries to retain the old ways, the Dragon priestesses, the Dragon riders, the priests of Death named Acheron, and the secret rites of Juno Moneta, the Goddess of Money and Protection of the Soul. ImperiMor remains the most powerful nation, belligerent as ever, with many legions of trained soldiers sent all over the world – to aid in conflicts in the way they see fit. This is not always well received, however, as when former Godking Castor came to the aid of Ferdan, sparking the fourth War of Destruction.

Art: William Turner - Ovid banished from Rome, 1838

A-Z for World Nirdday: H is for Heaven

H is for Heaven, not only the name where those good of faith are supposed to go after death, nor only the name of the celestial sky from whence our peoples once came. Heaven is also the name of the secret places where a select few are reborn. Institutes of sanity and mystic wisdom, and places of rest, perhaps to end a life, certainly to start a new one. In viscous baths of organic fluid new bodies are grown to adulthood, with skin baby-soft and near devoid of body hair. Until the old body dies, these new bodies await to receive the soul that had to leave. Naturally, only the very rich and powerful secure a place in Heaven. And even then, after the shock of waking in a new body in a reincarnation bath, it may take some time before they may remember their former life.

Art note: reworked image based on cc image by Gareth & Rebekkah, crocodile baths - if that is what they really were, because we just don't know, I guess. Who knows, did the Egyptians also have reincarnation baths ;-)

A-Z for World Nirdday: G is for Goldar

G is for Goldar, the Twin Cities across the Ice Wastes, on the crossing of the Magick Walls. These cities are of the Eldest of Elves, those who steward the world of Nirdday since long before Arrival. The domes of the twin palaces of gold and silver protect the legendary twin trees named life and wisdom. Each tree has its own queen, and they share one king. The extremely slim and tall elves of Goldar with their extended pointy ears and their eternal lifespans are dwindling in number however. No elfin lady has borne a childe since Arrival, and few elfin men have fathered a halfbreed since. What has caused this curse is unknown, but perhaps it explains why this once so powerful race now more and more hides itself behind the high magick walls, inside their cities full of mystical lusts, magick delights and abundant servants.

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1846, of Constantinople - but it gives a nice impression of what Goldar would look like.