Premise

It’s been sixteen years since the Clovennian Usurpation. It is a time of peace, they say. The war was short, and now the Aurellians are well on their way to becoming a civilized nation, they say. Many of those born with the Gift of magic find their arms covered in welts left by a Clovennian needle whose treatment dampens their powers. They are bound in order to maintain peace. The Aurellians are better off this way. Everyone is. And the treatments will end soon. At least, that’s what they say.

Anger is dangerous, but it hisses beneath the surface, ready to strike. Even now, with the new census looming, not all Aurellians have been treated. Some have chosen, for the purposes of moving more carefully through the newly-unrecognizable world, to hide their gifts until, one day soon, they’re ready to fight back.

The Clovennians insist that they believe in peace. The Unbound? They believe in freedom. Whose side will you take?

The Unbound is an original character supernatural GPSL. The game explores the tensions a colonized country and its colonizers in an upstairs-downstairs setting where magic is common, but “bound” by the colonizers.

Rules

Be Courteous
Please obey the unwritten rules of Good RP Etiquette. This means:
  • Don’t take control of another player’s character (aka godmodding)
  • Don’t make your character all-powerful, flawless, or inexplicably happy or sad all the time (à la Mary Sues or Gary Stus)
  • Don’t be upset if the plot doesn’t revolve around your characters (there’s enough plot for everyone!)
  • Don’t be passive-aggressive
  • Don’t only write porn
  • Do be open and inviting to the other players in the comm (try not to be cliquey)
  • Do your level best not to take in-character actions personally or otherwise cross the IC/OOC line.
  • Do recognize that your characters' IC actions will have IC consequences based on the gameworld.
If you behave in a consistently discourteous manner toward other players, we will issue you a warning. If you continue to be a jerk to other players, we will respectfully ask you to leave the game.
Communicate
Please keep an open line of communication with the mods. We are very receptive to questions, and we’d much prefer to be asked about a detail ahead of time than to have you worry about it. It is also crucial that all major plots must be cleared with the mods first! That means things like death, rape, major injury, pregnancy etc. The mods are easy to contact -- either hit up the dropbox or email: TheUnboundMods@gmail.com.

Communication is especially important if you’re going to duck out of the game for a little while (due to illness, work, life stuff etc.). If you think you’ll be gone for a week or more, please let us know so we can figure out how to best keep the game moving without your character.
Be Active
Because this is such a small GPSL, it is important that our players remain active. The common wisdom in a small game like this is that you get out of RP what you put into it, so if you’re more active in the game, you’re more likely to end up with a lot of cool plot!

There is a character cap of four and we ask that you be consistently active with two of your characters before picking up a third. We won’t be running formal activity checks, but if we notice that you’re not playing a character consistently, we may ask you about it.

Real life takes precedence over RP and you can take a hiatus at any time, although please don’t go on hiatus indefinitely. Give us a timeframe for when you will return and, if possible, come up with something they’re doing while you’re gone (or we can improvise). It’ll be easy to write characters out of the game for short period of time by saying something like “they were visiting Bellailes.”

All of that said, if you are inactive for four full weeks (aka one gameweek) without posting anything IC or reaching out to the mods OOC, we will assume you wish to drop and sweep your characters automatically.
Be Mature
By applying to this GPSL, you’re consenting to your character’s participation in conflict and potential violence. We’re eager to create an environment that balances levity with angst, but be aware that this game is built around themes of war, colonization, and eugenics. Player characters will never die or be irrevocably maimed without player consent, but please be aware that because of the nature of the game, characters may be damaged by community events or other played characters.
Read (and Follow) the Rules of the Gameworld
We ask that all new players read the in-game handbook before applying, so you'll be oriented to how the game world works. We recognize that this is A Lot of Information and you don’t have to pick it all up right away (we promise! We absolutely don't expect you to memorize everything; that's why the handbook is searchable by control + f), but please don’t start building a character before you have a sense of how the game world operates. Don't hesitate to ask the mods if anything is unclear, and don't worry about picking up all the in-game backstory -- our players in game are good about linking threads to backstory in scene if you need specific context.

FAQ

World Basics


What kind of game is this?
It’s an original character fantasy game with elements of magic, colonization, and upstairs/downstairs dynamics. Think of it like Downton Abbey, but with superpowers.
Do I have to have watched Downton Abbey to play?
Not at all! The game's time period is just inspired by it, and its upstairs/downstairs dynamics. Other influences we talked about in building the gameworld include Avatar: The Last Airbender and Star Trek: DS9, but none of those shows are directly related.
Where is the game set?
The game is set about 16 years after a brief war between a big, industrial country, Clovenne, and a smaller, more agrarian country, Aurelle. The game is set in Aurelle, in the small hamlet of Glynn, which is nestled between the Belmont and Rosier Estates. The estates are the primary locations for the game and the focus of our upstairs/downstairs dramas. The write up for the houses and the nearby village can be found on our Locations Section.
How is time measured?
For the sake of simplicity, Clovenne (and thus Aurelle, now) follows the traditional Gregorian calendar, and the year is 1926.
What’s the time period?
Aesthetically, culturally, and technologically, the time period shares equivalencies with late 1920s Europe. There’s limited technology (electricity, for example), but it’s only available to the upper classes. Limited technology exists, but is relatively new to Aurelle. For more on the technology, culture, and aesthetics of both countries, please visit the Culture & Religion Sections. It's not really a period game, though. The 1920s are a background, but it's really more of an aesthetic guide than a rigid historical setting. Keep in mind, too, that this is a fully alternate universe, so events in "our" world (World War I, for example) did not happen in this one.
But there was a war though. What happened?
In this game, "the war" generally refers to the Aurellian Civil War, that occurred in the summer of 1919, about seven years before the game's current setting. The Annexation (sometimes called the Usurpation) of Aurelle was a relatively bloodless affair, more of a quiet signing of papers than an armed conflict. The civil war that followed as short and mostly limited to Aurelle's capital city, and the casualties were mainly Aurellian. Please visit the game history section of the handbook for details, and make sure to read the Historical Timeline before applying to get a sense of how each culture was formed and the power dynamics between them. You can also check out the In-Game Timeline to get quick a sense of what's happened since gameplay began and what the current character and relationship dynamics are.
Who’s in charge now?
There is a state figurehead in Clovenne called The Archon, but the Archon is an NPC that will not an active role in this game (though proclamations from the Clovennian Senate may affect things in Aurelle from time to time). The action of the game mostly focuses on the day-to-day affairs of the two main houses, which are governed by Clovennian lords and staffed by (mostly) Aurellian underlings. There is also a town Marshal, Allen Bellamy that handles day-to-day law enforcement in Glynn.

Character Creation

 So it's a game with magic. Does that mean there are werewolves and vampires?
There are other species, but they’re limited to humans, gifted humans (i.e. humans with one or two specific abilities/powers), shifters (who can shift into one animal form), and protean shifters (who can shift into up to four animal forms). You can read more about the available species and their particular abilities on the species section.
Can my gifted human have any power I want?
Only the powers on the power list are available. However, if you have a pitch you want to make, you can hit us up. We might not say yes, but you can ask. Powers that would be conceivably subtle enough to hide thus could work for unbound Aurellian characters have been bolded.
Can my gifted human have two powers?
Maybe, if they complement each other. Please check with us first if you’re going to give your gifted human two powers.
Can a shifter also have a power from the power list?
No, magic manifests in only one way per person in this universe, so someone can be powered OR be a shifter, but not both.
Do I have to play someone with supernatural ability?
Not at all! Ordinary humans are common in both countries and you’re welcome to play one. Be aware, however, that although humans are not required to undergo Faidoux treatments like their powered counterparts, they may be treated snidely by Gifted Clovennians, regardless of their nationality.
What premades are available? Do I have to use a premade?
We don’t have premade characters, necessarily, but we do have titles you can use for inspiration, roles to fill in the houses and in town. Please visit the wanted characters page to see if you’d like to pick up any wanted roles and check out the archetypes page for a list of available titles (and feel free to pitch us your own!). Be advised that, to keep balance in the game, we do have certain roles or positions available only in a limited capacity.
Can I play a minor?
No. Because this game is designed to be dark, all played characters must be over the age of 18 (and preferably older).
So this is a game about colonization. Does racism exist? If I have a nonwhite PB, will they be treated differently?
Because this world is fictional, racism as we know it in the real world does not exist. In this gameworld, nationality matters, not skin color, and your level of cultural privilege is determined by what culture you come from. So you can have your PB be any race you want, but that character will be be treated differently depending on whether they're a colonizer (Clovennian) or one of the colonized (Aurellian).
What if I want my character to be half-Clovennian and half-Aurellian?
For the sake of simplicity, mixed-nationality characters are counted as part of the culture that they are raised in. If your character is half-Clovennian but raised in Aurelle, your character counts as Aurellian. If your character is half-Aurellian but raised in Clovenne, they count as Clovennian.
When I app a character, do they have to be new in town?
Not at all! Our players are very friendly and more than happy to establish backstory ties with new characters. If you're more comfortable apping a character who's not native to Glynn, that's fine, too. But don't hesitate to pick up a character who's been around a while. Do keep in mind, though, that Clovennian serving staff at Belmont Manor are likely to have been around for about a year (following Tucker's move to Glynn) and Clovennian staff at Rosier Manor are likely to have been around for just over two years (following Beau's arrival). Aurellians of all stripes can be natives to Glynn, or transplants from elsewhere in Aurelle.
If my character is Aurellian, do they have to believe in the Faith?
Despite the Usurpation, Aurelle is still functionally a theocracy, and the Aurellian Faith still plays a major role in the day-to-day lives of Aurellians. Though younger characters (about 25 and below) who have grown up with the loosening of caste laws might have slightly more progressive attitudes toward the caste system and adherence to the general governance of the Danuun Council and the Gael, the concept of a “secular” Aurellian doesn’t really exist. The Faith is ingrained in every level of Aurellian social norms, culture, and art, so a rejection of the Faith is tantamount to a rejection of the culture at large. Faithless characters do exist in game, but such attitudes were shaped either by an extended stay in Clovenne, or a transformative external experience in the character’s life. If you’d like to play an Aurellian with a particularly complex relationship to the Faith, you’re welcome to, but there will likely be social consequences for your character, you’ll need to carefully explain how and why the character made their choices in your application.
Why do I have to write about the limitations of my character’s powers?
If you choose to play an Aurellian, your character’s powers may be limited by a special serum called Faidoux, more commonly known by Aurellians as “Fade.” These treatments take the form of injections and they are given to Gifted or shifter Aurellians once every two weeks. The treatments are mandatory and have the particular effect of dampening the powers of shifters and gifted humans so that their abilities are more limited.

Aurellians whose powers have been dampened are called “bound”. If an Aurellian has powers subtle enough to escape the government’s notice and treatment, they are known as “unbound” and could face steep penalties (including jail time, fines, and even execution) if their power is discovered.

Faidoux Treatments & the Resistance

 Well that’s terrifying. Do the treatments do more than just dampen powers?
Yes. No one in game (even the Clovennians) knows this, but the Faidoux treatments are addictive. Any Aurellian who has been treated for any length of time will begin to grow dependent on the drug and experience withdrawal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, loss of balance, fatigue, and depression. Aurellians who are bound will also experience an injection-site reaction in the form of a nasty, raised welt on the arm in which that they receive their treatments. Update as of 9/1: The Aurellian resistance recently discovered that addictiveness of Faidoux and these properties are now known, but disputed in the (Clovennian-controlled) press. Opinions on whether the substance is addictive at all vary depend on who you talk to (and whether or not the person you're talking to is Aurellian or not). Though an andidote has thus far not been discovered, the Resistance did recently develop a poison out of Faidoux to dampen Clovennians' powers and mixed it with liquor some targeted bars and pleasure houses across Aurelle as a means of driving Clovennians out.
Will my character still be able to use their power on the treatments?
Yes! Faidoux treatments only dampen their powers. Your character will still be able to use their abilities, but we ask that you impose more restrictions or drawbacks on them, and weaken the scope of what your character’s powers can do. Shifters and protean shifts may be limited in how long and/or how effectively they can hold their shifted forms, and the dampening of powers will vary based on which one(s) you choose, but essentially the same rules apply -- powers will still exist, they’ll just be less effective (or more harmful to their user) than usual.
Can my character refuse to take the treatments?
Effectively, no. If your character is Aurellian and the government knows about their power, then they can’t refuse without grave consequences. Once a character is being treated, it’s nearly impossible to refuse without long-term imprisonment or desertion from Glynn (and thus the game), and they will experience withdrawal symptoms after a couple of days without their treatment.
Is anyone fighting back?
Yes! There is a resistance movement in game that will periodically stir up trouble. Resistants call themselves "Roans" after King Roan II, a famous Aurellian reformer. In Glynn, the Roan resistance cell consists of both bound and unbound Aurellians living and working in Glynn and meeting in secret. There's an NPC resistance leader in Aurelle's capital, codename "Swallowtail," who periodically sends down orders and encouragement.
Does my character have to be unbound to participate in the Resistance?
No, characters in the resistance can be bound or unbound.
Can I play a Clovennian character in the Resistance?
Though Clovennian characters sympathetic the Resistance are welcome, the Aurellian Resistance movement is both insular and untrusting, and thus not particularly welcoming on Clovennian members. If you would like a Clovennian character to develop a connection with the resistance cell in Glynn, this is more likely to be a long-term plot that will include buildup of trust with current resistance characters. Keep in mind, too, that it's possible for an Aurellian sympathizer to resist the Usurpation in other ways (such as keeping secrets, giving Aurellians important information, etc.) without formally being invited into the Roan resistance cell in Glynn.
What about the power enhancement section? What's up with that?
An untested, power-enhancing drug is now available to some characters in-game on a limited basis. Access to this pill, called Ellevra, is dependent mostly on your character's relationships in game (essentially, if your characteris Clovennian and upper class, and if they have a good relationship to Tucker Belmont, who has the supply). The drug may be more widely available if and when the Resistance manages to get their hands on it, but for now its use is quite limited. You can read more about Ellevra in the Clovennian Culuture section, under "Medication."

General Logistics

Are you incorporating the journals?
Yes. Though there’s no internet in this game, for the purposes of using our IJ resources we’re saying that each character has a magic journal that can send private messages to whomever you’d like. Though you are absolutely encouraged to use icons to show us your character’s facial expression, these expressions will not be seen by recipients of messages. Similarly, any texts that is stricken will be unreadable by recipients. You may use emojis in journal comments to signify small drawings or doodles made by the sender.

Characters can also send each other gifts or messages in person (i.e. leaving a present on someone’s doorstep or nailing a message to a tree in the forest). We don’t have a friend button in this game, however, so please send all IC communication through TheUnboundIC.
Does the game run in real time?
Nope. Because real-time games can be difficult to keep up with, one game-week is equivalent to four real-time weeks. The mods will post time-change updates every four weeks to remind people what week it is in-game and post game-wide plot information. (Don't worry, there's always enough to do in four weeks!) Sometimes time skips will be more than one week to give the game a sense of scale, but we’ll let people know when we’re about to jump more in advance, and you’re always welcome to post a backdated thread to cover some time we didn’t officially play out.

During the in-game week, you can post on any day you want, just make sure you clearly label what day the thread or communication is taking place on and tag the post with the appropriate time tag.
May (insert dramatic thing here) happen to my character?
Maybe! You must run all major-plot-sensitive or character-changing plots (death, rape, pregnancy, an unbound character becoming bound, etc.) by the mods first so we have a heads up, and any violent or intrusive act committed against another player’s character should be discussed with that other player to prevent godmodding.
How do I tag my threads?
Please tag all IC comm activity with the first and last name of all characters involved in the scene, plus the time tag.
Do I need to have Google Hangouts to join?
Not at all! As long as you provide us with an email address or dropbox for contact and plotting purposes, instant messaging is not required. The mods are available via Hangouts if you like, though, and we have a group chat going for the game wherein we can plot and also just generally be silly .
Are there activity requirements?
Because games (particularly small games) live and die by activity, we prefer that all players be active in at least one thread per character every game-week. Hiatuses are also totally fine (real life comes first!) but please let us know if you’re going to take a hiatus and give us a rough idea of when you’ll return. However, we'd like to stress that there are no formal activity checks in this game. Life is busy and we get it.
Is there a character cap?
Yes. Because we want to keep the game pretty small, we recommend that you play no more than 3 characters, with a hard cap at 4. We ask that you be consistently active with two characters before picking up a third.
Who are the mods?
Emily and Anastasia
I have a suggestion for a plot arc/character idea/OOC character building exercise!
Great! The mods love player input. Hit up the dropbox or email us!
What if I have a question that wasn't answered here?
That's what the mods are for! Hit up the dropbox. or email us at TheUnboundMods@gmail.com!
I’m sold! How do I join?
Fantastic! Make sure you read through the rest of the handbook first to get a sense of the culture and asethetic, then check out the wanted page and place a hold on a face, title and/or wanted line and fill out an application. We look forward to writing with you!

Species

There are a limited number of playable species. They are:

Humans

Your average Joes and Janes. Be aware that when playing a human in this game, a human’s lack of powers will be treated with varying levels of acceptance or contempt. Culturally, Aurellians treat humans just fine, but Clovennians may treat humans, even other Clovennian humans, more poorly than those with powers or shifting abilities. Though most people in the game are Gifted in some way (with a power or the ability to shift, because those things are fun to play with!) keep in mind that humans are the most common species in both cultures.

Gifted Humans

Gifted humans are born with one or two of the powers on the power list. A Gift or set of Gifts can manifest at any point in the character’s life, from infancy on, but typically appears at or before puberty. The character is allowed two powers if both are fairly small and the powers complement each other well (invisibility and phasing, for instance), but only one if it’s pretty powerful (element-based powers etc.). Gifted humans have the same lifespan and weaknesses as a regular human (whatever their gift is notwithstanding).

Gifted humans are more common than shifters in both cultures, but gifted humans are especially highly regarded in Clovene, particularly for those with two powers. In all echelons of Clovennian society (but especially the upper ones) marriages among Gifted humans are common.

Shifters

Shifters are much like gifted humans, except their gift is more specific. A shifter has one animal form they can change into at will (not based on the moon cycle, like werewolves). As with gifted humans, how and when a shifter develops their ability is up to you (but again, typically this talent manifests at or before puberty). Shifting is generally not painful but may be draining or disorienting if the shifter remains shifted for an extended amount of time.

Shifters have the same lifespan and weaknesses as human in their human forms, and the same strength and weaknesses as the animal they shift into in their animal form. The abilities of a shifter’s animal form do not carry through to their human form (so if a shifter’s animal form is a hawk, they will not experience enhanced vision, hearing etc. in their human form). They may, however, retain some idiosyncracies associated with their base form (a bird shifter may love heights, a bat shifter may feel more relaxed while upside-down, etc.)

Shifters will retain their clothing and small items they are carrying while in their shifted form, including small weapons. However, large objects (such as heavy armor) will be left behind when a character shifts.

Shifters, especially protean shifters are rarer than Gifted humans in both cultures, but this gift is far more revered in Aurelle, due to their culture’s connection to animals. Before the war, shifters with the ability to shift into one of the sacred animals were permitted to move up within their caste system because their gift is considered sacred. Shifting is less celebrated in Clovenne, though its rarity is of some interest.

Protean Shifters

Like regular shifters, protean shifters have one base (or “true”) form, but they may also develop up to three alternate forms. Development of multiple forms is difficult and requires a lot of concentration and practice. Shifting into alternate forms may be more draining than shifting into a base form, though it will become easier and less painful the longer that form is in the protean shifter’s repertoire. Alternate forms are also more uncomfortable than a protean shifter’s base form and they can typically hold alternate forms for shorter periods of time.

Learning alternate forms requires either intense study of or meditation on the form the protean shifter would like to acquire. They have some degree of choice over their alternate forms (not their base form), but this control is not minute -- a protean shifter may be trying to learn to shift into a wolf, but instead become some other kind of canine, and once a form is shifted into once, the pattern is set and cannot be changed. Forms in the same family as the protean shifter’s base form will be easier to acquire (a protean shifter whose base form is a sparrow will have an easier time learning to shift into a falcon, for example).

Protean shifters are extremely rare. In Clovenne, protean shifters are regarded almost as highly as double-gifted humans, in part because it’s common knowledge that multiple forms require intense study. In Aurelle, protean shifters are immediately promoted to priests, regardless of their original caste. Only a protean shifter who has mastered all four sacred animals forms can lead the Aurellian clergy.

Power List

Choose up to two powers from the list below. If you choose two powers, they should be relatively weak and fit together well (ex. phasing and invisibility, empathy and lie detection). Double-power combinations are subject to mod approval. Element based powers may not be augmented by a secondary power, and any element-based power is restricted to the purest form of that element only (so, if a character has hydrokinesis, that character can manipulate water, but not blood). Bolded powers are powers subtle enough that that could conceivably be possessed by an Unbound person, if they were sneaky about it, though we're open to other powers too (these are just general guidelines). Note that only available powers are listed here.

Astral Projection
The ability to create and control one's astral body for short lengths of time.
 Animal Communication
The ability to communicate with animals telepathically.
Chameleon
The ability to camouflage & blend into to one's current surroundings.
 Cloaking
The ability cause inanimate objects to disappear and appear.
 Dream Manipulation
The ability to see into and manipulate the dreams of others.
 Elasticity
The ability to stretch, deform, expand and contract one's body, as if one is elastic.
 Enhanced Hearing
The ability to hear with amazing clarity over great distances and decipher frequencies outside the range of normal human ears.
Enhanced Memory
The ability to quickly absorb and accurately retain great amounts of information.
 Enhanced Speed
The ability to move at a higher rate than normal.
 Enhanced Stamina
The ability to function at a higher level without requiring as much rest.
 Enhanced Strength
The ability to exert greater than normal physical force.
 Illusion
The ability to create intangible illusions.
 Lung Adaptation
The ability to adapt one's lungs to any environment.
 Painkilling
The ability to take away another person's physical pain, but not to heal their injuries.
 Pyrokinesis
The ability to manipulate fire with the power of the mind. Pyrokinetics are also resistant to heat.
 Sonar
The ability to know one's surroundings by hearing reflected sound waves.
 Telekinesis
The ability to move objects wih the mind.
 Teleportation
The ability to automatically transport oneself to other locations.
 Terrakinesis
The ability to manipulate and control (but not create) geologic materials.
 Wallcrawling
The ability to generate bonding hairs from one's limbs in order to climb walls and stick to ceilings.

Cultures

Clovenne

Language
Clovennian is the primary language of the game for both Clovennians and Aurellians after the formal implementation of Clovennian as the language of business and governance. The language is heavily French inspired and when making up names for Clovenne specifics places or people try to lean in this direction.

Euphemisms and Idioms
  • Kneeler: Highly derogatory slang for an Aurellian in reference to their religious tendencies and their perceived submissiveness. This is a fighting word.
  • Gone to Aurelle: Because Aurelle is associated with debauchery and homosexuality, Clovennians sometimes say that someone's "Gone to Aurelle" to indicate that someone might be gay.
  • Clovis' beard: (or: "Clove's beard", "for Clove's sake" etc.): -- mild swear similar to "good gracious"
  • Euphrasie's tits (can also be substituted for a similarly uncouth body part)" -- a moderate-to-intense swear depending on the bodypart selected
  • Plague it: a hearty swear, similar to "fuck it"
  • Good health: Phrase that Clovennians say after someone sneezes, the equivalent of "bless you"
  • Speak the fairie's name and bid him come: Similar to "speak of the devil and he shall appear," this is said when someone just mentioned in conversation appears to join this conversation
  • Carnivale Baby: A particularly rude insult insinuating that an individual is a bastard born as a result of a liaison on Carnivale night.
Climate
Clovenne is a small, mountainous country. The climate is similar to that of the French Alps and surrounding area. Snowy for a large part of the year with a brief, crisp spring and an even briefer summer. Because of this Clovennians are more likely to find Aurelle’s temperate climate too warm.
Communication: Journals, Phone and Mail
Very early models of rotary phones do exist in Clovenne, though there are really only a few in Aurelle, especially the two phones in the main houses. Otherwise, all communication occurs through journals, which are magically linked. Though you are absolutely encouraged to use icons to show us your character’s facial expression, these expressions will not be seen by recipients of messages. Similarly, any texts that is stricken will be unreadable by recipients. You may use emojis in journal comments to signify small drawings or doodles made by the sender.

The Clovennian government will sometimes make proclamations over the journals, too. Gifts, packages, and mail can be sent using the postal service (or hand delivery), but it might take a day or two reach its destination. They can be used to send public announcements or private messages visible to only a few people. Journal messages (including mail) should be posted in the main comm, TheUnboundIC.
Religion
Clovenne is a largely secular society that generally disdains the Aurellian faith and finds their reliance on it anywhere from quaint to horrifying. However, they do have a few cultural heroes of their own that they swear to in lieu of gods (ex. "Clovis' beard!". This is also sometimes shorted to just "Clove," as in "Clove's beard!" or "for Clove's sake!"). They are:
  • Clovis I: The first king of Clovenne, who unified the Clovennian tribes by getting them to all speak the same language. Though the monarchy ended centuries ago, he is still revered.
  • Euphrasie Caville: Organized Clovenne’s first formal nursing corps.
  • Gabriel Moreau: Discovered the vaccine that helped end the Influenza that decimated Clovenne’s population.
  • Loic Sauvage: Created a method to more efficiently distribute the Influenza vaccine.
  • Antoine Cambien: The archetypal reclusive inventor. Responsible for the invention of lightbulbs, gramophones, and various other technological wonders.
Holidays
A series of holidays are held by Clovennians:
  • January 10th, Queen's Day: A Clovennian state holiday marking the anniversary of the wedding of King Clovis to Queen Isabelle, the day is a celebration of romance and romantic love. Traditionally gifts of chocolate and small decorative crafts are exchanged between sweethearts.
  • April 14th, The Feast of Light: An ancient holiday that celebrates the slow return of sunlight to the land as spring finally begins to take hold. It is a private, domestic holiday that includes a traditional family dinner, usually including roast duck or goose. The eldest daughter of a household is expected to bake traditional saffron buns and make coffee and appears in a white dress and a crown of holly branches and white candles to deliver the treats after the feast. Small gifts are exchanged to members of the family. After the buns are eaten, candles are lit throughout the house and hymns are sung. Clovennian children have off school today.
  • June 13th, Unification Day: A day celebrating the annexation of Aurelle by Clovenne. This is celebrated with parties that attempt to celebrate the "friendship" and culture of both countries.
  • Carnivale: Held on the first Friday of July, it is one of the most anticipated days of the year. It is a night of costumed festivity, where Cloves gather at both public and private parties to celebrate and let loose, throwing off the confines of polite society for a little while. Masks become alibis for an evening and Cloves allow themselves to say and do things that they normally would not be able to any other day of the year. It is considered incredibly rude to bring up anything that happened on Carnivale after Carnivale, giving many the bravery they need to engage in the taboo.
Transportation
A diesel-electric train runs between Aurelle and Clovenne, which serves as the primary means of travel for Clovennians visiting Aurelle (or vice versa). The train originates in Belailles, Clovenne’s capital city. In town, Early-stage Model T cars do exist, but only for very special occasions and only for the (Clovennian) elite.
Food
Heavier dishes made with a significant amount of cream or butter. Stews & Roasts are common. This borrows heavily from the cuisine of Northern France, example dishes include: Cheese and Leek Tarts, Smoked Ox Tongue, Blood Sausage, Fondue, and Roasted Marrow. This is the style most Clovenne will be accustomed to and may have difficulty with (or be pleasantly surprised by) the local Aurellian cuisine. Hot Cocoa (both sweetened and unsweetened) is the drink of choice of most elite Clovennians and it has the same sort of esteem one might associate with Tea or Coffee.

Cocktails are very popular after dinner with the Clovennians and drinks like gimlets, martinis and sazeracs are frequently served at social gatherings. Sweeter drinks, such as chocolate martinis or toffeetinis, are considered feminine, whereas more savory drinks are considered manly.
Medicine
Clovenne is, in many ways, a country built by plague. With most of its cities being so densely populated in such small areas, illness moves quickly through the population. In response, Clovenne has developed some of the most sophisticated medical techniques in the world. While research and development is largely the domain of men, the practical work of being a nurse, doctor or surgeon falls largely to women.

Medicine is the one career field where women can gain a degree of respectable independence that might otherwise be denied to them. When considering the level of medical knowledge your Clovennian character might have, try to keep it around 1920s level of development. The only difference is the broad availability of reliable oral birth control and the relative newness of Penicillin and related antibiotics.

Drugs (both recreational and useful)

Laudanum: A very bitter tincture made from the opium poppy, typically eaten dissolved in honey. Laudanum is a commonly prescribed as a pain reliever, cough suppressant, and sleep aid. Incredibly addictive, can cause breathing issues along with general lethargy.

Vin Coca: A popular drink among the Clovennian elite, Vin Coca is the general name for any wine treated with Coca leaves. It is a powerful stimulant and leads to feelings of alertness and euphoria. Overindulgence can cause paranoia, insomnia, and acute psychosis alongside heart problems.

Ovidia: Ovidia is the name of a reliable, oral form of birth control. Available to many Clovennian women it is safe, reliable, and effective. Not everyone in Clovenne looks favorably upon it. Its use is considered particularly taboo when used by affianced or married childless women. Condoms are a Clovennian invention, but they are relatively primative and not as effective as female birth control.

Ellevra: Ellevra is a new largely untested drug in development from Belmont Pharmaceuticals. It enhances Gifts (including shifting), giving those who take it more control over their Gifts, and more power overall. The drug comes in pill form, and effects of one pill last between 24 and 48 hours. Reported side effects include lightheadedness, heart palpitations, and headaches, though further side effects could be discovered as use contiues. The drug is not yet available for general purchase, but has recently appeared in game through Tucker Belmont. For the moment, only upper class Cloves at Belmont manor have access to it, though its use could spread in the future. Its effects in conjunction with Faidoux are unknown.
Industry
Clovenne is heavily industrial and its primary resource is coal. Arable land is in short supply in Clovenne so traditional farming is a rarity.
Currency
Barter is far more common in Aurelle than in Clovenne, but since the war, most shops impose stricter rules regarding currency. A simple coin system featuring iron, silver, bronze and gold pieces is used for most transactions, and the coins bear the stern profile of Clovis I, the first Clovennian king
  • 1 iron piece = roughly US¢10
  • 10 iron pieces = 1 bronze piece (US$1)
  • 10 bronze pieces = 1 silver piece (US$10)
  • 10 silver pieces = 1 gold piece (US$100)
Social Classes
Clovenne takes great pride in the age and stability of its republican style government. Laws are passed through the Upper House (made up largely of wealthy and elite dynastic politicians) and Lower House (made up of regional representatives) of the Clovennian Senate. The Upper House consistently has more power and is largely considered to be the only one that matters. The figurehead of the Clovennian government is called The Archon and while he has relatively little power in the Senate, he has sole control over appointing seats to the Upper House and so is heavily courted for favor. The general structure of Clovennian society follows:
  1. The Archon and Members of the Upper House
  2. Dynastic Families and those related to members of the Upper House
  3. Representatives to the Lower House, Wealthy Merchants & Academics
  4. Skilled Laborers & Artisans
  5. Factory workers & unskilled laborers
  6. Indigents, orphans, etc.
Gender Politics
The fiction in Clovenne is that their society is a perfectly stable and equal one. This is not the case in practice. Social power rests largely in the hands of men who are expected to be heads of household and act as primary breadwinners of a family. Women are largely expected to remain at home and look after children. There are very narrow avenues by which a woman can gain relative freedom outside the home (for example becoming a Doctor or by being extraordinarily wealthy) but many professions including politics and most of the sciences are barred to them.

Marriage: The one power women hold is in their ability to select their spouses. While men are expected to do the courting, it is the woman who proposes marriage. Marriages are particularly encouraged among Gifted people, particularly those with two powers. Divorce is rare but becoming increasingly more common, typically divorces are only granted in the cases of abandonment, abuse, infidelity, or infertility.

Sexuality: Clovenne is a country of prudes. Sex is a taboo topic and many Cloves are uncomfortable with frank discussion of it. Clovenne at large does not look kindly upon same-sex attraction. It is viewed as a strange eccentricity at best and a degenerate perversion at worst. It is not against the law inside of the country but there are strong social mores against it that lead to most individuals keeping their attractions deeply private.
Education
Clovenne has a heavily structured educational system that mandates that all children go to a state-sponsored school called the Creche. Rigid and intense, Creche schools prize raw intelligence and test children regularly to measure their progress. Children who test poorly can be kicked out of school (or choose to leave) beginning in the 8th grade. Children who wash out tend to be funneled into trade schools.

Typically only the very driven or the very wealthy make it through all 13 years of the Creche. Graduating from the Creche is the equivalent of graduating with an undergraduate degree. Men who make it to graduation are expected to attend one of Clovenne’s prestigious (and cut-throat) academies. Women may not attend the academy, but those who pass through all of Creche are eligible to attend medical school. Academies are roughly equivalent to modern masters and doctorate programs.
Pets
Small, domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, and songbirds are popular among the upper classes in Clovenne. They provide companionship, but a well-behaved pet (particularly one that can do tricks) is seen as a reflection of the pet-owner’s mastery over nature. Cats are especially beloved by Clovennians as they are viewed as a very clean animal due to their grooming habits and their tendency to kill illness spreading rats.
Aesthetics
Art: Art Deco is the mood of Clovenne. The country takes great pride in its grand artistic accomplishments, though it tends to marginalize and ridicule its contemporary artists, as scientific discovery is far more celebrated. Designs tend to be sharp and dramatic. Erte and Tamara de Lempicka are good artists to keep in mind when imagining Clovenne’s design aesthetic.

Literature & Folklore: Clovenne's folklore includes a whole host of supernatural entities, chief among them being fairies. In the Clovennian tradition Fairies can either be helpful or harmful but are always amoral and never to be trusted. Clovennian fairytales are often cautionary, rewarding kindness and obedience in women and cleverness and politeness in men, and are typically rather dark. Since their rejection of religion and magic, Cloves tend to dismiss their own folklore to the realm of nursuries and school yards, though it has a much heavier influence on their psyches than many are willing to admit.

Clovenne is very proud of its long literary tradition, though nonfiction typically gets more respect than fiction works do. Their most celebrated novels are sweeping epics of dynasty and intrigue. Romance and tragedy go hand in hand in the Clovennian mind and its rare to find a romance story without at least a bittersweet ending. Modern Clovennian readers tend to enjoy gothic horror and mysteries and these are the most popular sellers.
Clovennian books & stories mentioned in game:
  • 1,000 Nights in Candala: A popular Clovennian travelogue by a socialite, Iphigenie Volente, that details the adventures of the author and her husband in a beautiful country across the sea.
  • Minette: A highly scandalous, wildly popular erotic novel based on the anonymous author's time at Creche and her quietly sexual relationship with an older female classmate. The novel is notable not only for its (very tame, oblique) portrayal of sex scenes, but also for the fact that the heroines are not overtly punished for their missteps, but rather just drift apart after Creche and both (eventually) marry respectable husbands.
  • Renauld & Juliette: A famous play that's basically Romeo & Juliet, with a Clovennian backdrop (two Clovennian aristocrats as rivals, fencing, romance, untimely death, etc.)
  • Psyché: A Clovennian fairytale loosely based of the myth of Psyche and Eros, featuring the forbidden love between a fairy prince and a mortal woman.
  • Cinderella: This tale exists in Clovenne, and ends with Cinderella marrying the prince and her wicked stepmother and sisters being forced to dance to death by Cinderella's fairy godmother.
  • The Clever Tailor: One of the only Clovennian fairytale in which a Clovennian mortal successfully outsmarts a fairy.
  • The Complete Adventures of Sylvestre Houle: The Clovennian analogue to Sherlock Holmes, the Great Detective who solves mysteries with his friend, Dr. Wadsworth.
  • In the Wake of the Plague: A popular historical text about the decade follwing Clovenne's Great Plague, particularly focusing on the pharmaceutical development and distribution of the vaccine.
  • Silence in the Southern March: A contemporary mystery novel by the popular (but often gristly) Clovennian novelist.
Music: Jazz and Swing are currently very popular with younger Clovennians, made accessible by the rising popularity of gramophones. When it comes to Clovennian popular music, the aesthetic ranges between the 1920s to the 1930s. We have a sample playlist here.

Dance: Dance is an important social activity among Clovennians, especially among single people looking to marry. Knowledge of standard ballroom dance is seen as a mark of refinement and poise, particularly in the upper classes. Swing is popular among young Clovennians, particularly in the city, but older Clovennians are suspicious of this style and see it as “too flirtatious.” We have a playlist of dance music for reference here.

Clothing: Sharply tailored, detailed, favoring darker colors. Likely to use geometric designs as opposed to more natural embellishments. More likely to implement metallics. Tend towards long sleeves and high collars due to the climate of their homeland. Fur stoles and coats are also quite common. Erte’s Fashion illustrations are a good starting point. Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli would also be excellent baselines for the style of Clovenne’s elite. For in-game reference, a popular Clovennian fashion designer Cristophe Vega recently designed a fashion line inspired by Aurelle.

Architecture: In Clovenne, taller is better. With little space to expand out, enterprising Clovennians simply went up. Homes tend to be tower-like and are closely stacked together. Skyscrapers in cities are very popular with even the very wealthy preferring to live in apartments and penthouses close to the heart of things. Lines tend to be sharp and extraordinarily dramatic.

Entertainment: Art, theater, sports (especially upper-class sports like fencing and riding) revues, and dances are all very popular forms of entertainment in Clovenne. Card playing and dominoes are also very prevalent social activities, particularly Glint, a partnered, trick-taking game similar to Bridge that is commonly played by the upper classes.

We have a mood board here for further reference.

Aurelle

Language
Aurellians speak their own language, which is heavily inspired by Irish and Welsh. Even before the Usurpation, Clovennian was the formal language of business and government, and Aurellians have been learning it from a young age for several decades. Post-Usurpation, Aurellians are discouraged from speaking their native tongue. All Aurellians in the game are able to read, write, and speak Clovennian but difficulties in translation and fluency are possible.

Euphemisms, Idioms, and Aurellian Words
  • Catcher/Demic/Septic: Highly derogatory slurs used for Clovennians based on their difficult history with flu epidemics and susceptibility to illness. These are fighting words.
  • Kerras: The name of a cold-hearted figure in the Braddon who sold his children into servitude for temporal power. A word for someone who is cruel, manipulative, and faithless. This is also derogatory slang for Clovennians, though they often don't have the cultural context to understand the insult.
  • Kyla: The name of a seductive Searu-caste bedmate who seduces a Robor into a relationship, only to break up with her after the Robor is stripped of her caste and rank in the clergy. Mention of Kyla's name carries similar connotations to the Biblical Jezebel.
  • Tomcat: Mild Aurellian insult meant to connote a dishonest, untrustworthy, or generally disreputable person. (Similar to how a Clovennian might use "snake." Because snakes are sacred in Aurellian culture, to compare someone to one is actually a compliment. Cats, on the other hand, are seen as untrustworthy.) In some circumstances, this insult may be coded slightly male, having similar connotations to "bastard."
  • Cat-clawed: Insult indicating untrustworthiness or unpleasantness, like "tomcat" but with a slightly more feminine implication, similar to "bitch."
  • Even cats like kittens: Even terrible people have someone they love. Also a way of saying that like cares for like.
  • Spirit: The Clovennian word for "spirit" sounds very similar to the Aurellian one for "penis" and Aurellians often use the word "spirit" slyly and may snicker when Clovennians use it.
  • Hireath: Aurellian word connoting not just homesickness, but longing for a place, time, or era that doesn't exist any longer. The vineyard that was once called Rosier Manor was once called Hireath when it was still an Aurellian property.
  • Ceregywn: Aurellian concept of love that transcends lifetimes, roughly translated to "true love" or "love-that-is-ordained-by-the-gods."
  • All I have, I freely give: Common Aurellian blessing, sometimes used to address the gods in prayer. More commonly, however, it is used as a quick prayer to bless an impending (or sometimes just completed) copulation.
  • The cat, having caught the bird, is transiently content. The cat, without the bird, goes hunting: Cats are already cast as suspicious figures in Aurelle, and this expression holds a similar warning to the fable of the scorpion and the frog, the underlying meaning being: "cats are gonna be cats, so watch out."
Climate
Aurelle has a very pleasant and temperate climate, comparable to that of the south of France. It is a country of vast, fertile valleys and rolling hill country. Winters are extremely mild.
Communication: Journals, Phone and Mail
Very early models of rotary phones do exist in Clovenne, though there are really only a few in Aurelle, especially the two phones in the main houses. Otherwise, all communication occurs through journals, which are magically linked. Though you are absolutely encouraged to use icons to show us your character’s facial expression, these expressions will not be seen by recipients of messages. Similarly, any texts that is stricken will be unreadable by recipients. You may use emojis in journal comments to signify small drawings or doodles made by the sender.

The Clovennian government will sometimes make proclamations over the journals, too. Gifts, packages, and mail can be sent using the postal service (or hand delivery), but it might take a day or two reach its destination. They can be used to send public announcements or private messages visible to only a few people. Journal messages (including mail) should be posted in the main comm, TheUnboundIC.
Religion
Please see the Religion section for this information!
Holidays
A series of holidays are celebrated by Aurellians:
  • December 21st, Galarrayn Turning: A festival celebrating the beginning of Winter. A public celebration is put on by the church, local dogs are celebrated as Galarrayn’s sacred animal by decorating them with flowers and colored chalk. fortune-telling with cards is very popular for Galarrayn turning.
  • March 21st, Canwyn Turning: A festival celebrating the beginning of Spring. A public celebration is put on by the church and flowers are used to decorate almost literally everything. Flower crowns are very common attire and flutes and pipes mimicking songbirds are a popular instrument to play on this day.
  • April 1st, Canwyn's Pluck: A convivial non-state holiday popular with children and the childlike. The primary celebration consists of pinning brightly colored feathers to the hair and shirt-backs of friends and family without their notice. Traditionally the pinning of a white feather to someone indicates that the pinner has a crush on the pinnee.
  • June 21st, Heuris Turning: A festival celebrating the beginning of Summer. Families often come together in the morning to clean up burial sites and the graves of loved ones, reminiscing and sharing stories. After dark, a massive bonfire is held. Used as a ritual of release, individuals use the bonfire to burn scraps of paper or symbols of the things they want to let go of.
Transportation
Horses and Carriages are still the most common form of long distance transportation in Aurelle. For short distances bicycles are widely available.
Food
Aurellian dishes tend to be simple and are often vegetable based. Soups with light broths and baked dishes are common. Sample foods could include: Baked Potatoes & Cauliflower, Endive & Hazelnut Salad, Nut Bread, Roast Duck with Ginger, Damson Cheese, and Rabbit Casserole. Herbal tea (iced or hot) is frequently the drink of choice for Aurellians, though floral wines and pale ales are very popular as well, especially during festivals. They may drink cocktails, especially in the more fashionable parts of Castyll, but generally liquor is viewed as a Clovennian indulgence and is associated with excess.
Medicine
Aurelle has medical technology equivalent to turn of the century Europe. They are far less advanced medically than Clovenne and rely more heavily on herbal remedies (willow bark instead of aspirin, skullcap for insomnia, etc.) than mass-produced medicine. Aurellian medical practice is more closely related to the ideas about balance within the body espoused by Eastern medicine than the more Western-influenced Clovennian kind. Most Aurellians don't trust Clovennian medicine at all, particularly since rumors began to spread that Faidoux is addictive. Recently, Aurellians have been refusing vaccinations for themselves and their children based on distrust of Clovennian pharmasueticals.
Drugs (both recreational and useful)
Sweetleaf: A tobacco-like herb that is smoked most often in pipes or as cigars. Provides a very mild sense of euphoria and relaxation. It’s moderately addictive and tends to stain teeth after many years of use. Sweetleaf is a major export for Aurelle. Users of sweetleaf are sometimes called sweethearts.

Pelydryn: A very fine powder made primarily from the dried, crushed cocoon shells of the Golden Lady butterfly. Strictly reserved for use by priests of the Ealdor caste, inhaling this powder causes brief but vivid hallucinations and intense euphoria. Hallucinations brought on by Pelydryn are referred to as "Golden Visions" and are recorded and interpreted by upper members of the clergy.

Moon Tea: Aurellian women have been drinking moon tea for centuries. A tea made from an infusion of White Pig Knot blossoms and Erslore leaves, moon tea is a fairly effective form of birth control. It can cause unpleasant cramps as a side-effect.

Cup of Blue: Blue Lotus flowers, when distilled into a violet-blue tea from which it gets its name, are very useful for treating nervous heart conditions. This has an additional (and honestly more well-known) benefit for men in that it can also be used as an aphrodisiac and treatment for sexual dysfunction.
Industry
Aurelle has very little in the way of hard industry, being a primarily agricultural nation. They do, however, produce some textiles, especially embroidered clothing and cloth dyed in bright colors which are made from Aurellian flowers.
Currency
Barter is far more common in Aurelle than in Clovenne, but since the war, most shops impose stricter rules regarding currency. A simple coin system featuring iron, silver, bronze and gold pieces is used for most transactions, and the coins bear the stern profile of Clovis I, the first Clovennian king
  • 1 iron piece = roughly US¢10
  • 10 iron pieces = 1 bronze piece (US$1)
  • 10 bronze pieces = 1 silver piece (US$10)
  • 10 silver pieces = 1 gold piece (US$100)
Social Classes
Aurelle maintains a Parliament that is heavily influenced by the religious structure of the Aurellian church. The Danuun Council functions as a legislative body alongside the secular parliament. The Gael of the church is highly respected and viewed as a symbolic head of state.

Aurelle’s society divides itself into castes. Castes inform the prestige and career choices available to an Aurellian. A person’s caste is determined by the caste of their lowest caste parent and moving up is nearly impossible, though one can choose to marry into a lower caste.

The only exception to this rule is that if an individual is born as a shifter whose natural form corresponds the to one of the sacred animals associated with the gods (Songbirds, Canines, Serpents, or Butterflies/moths), that individual is welcomed immediately into the church and the Ealdor caste. Protean shifters are especially highly regarded, and only a protean shifter who has mastered a form of all four of the sacred animals may become Gael.
  1. Ealdor (EL-dor): Priests, Scholars, and Politicians, the highest caste. Families in this caste enjoy a wide latitude of power and wealth within Aurelle, though they are also expected to be a good example to the lower castes in terms of faith and humility.
  2. Winnan (WIN-ahn): Artisans. Skilled craftsmen are highly valued and families are largely expected to carry on a single trade down through the generations. This includes carpenters, metal workers, tailors, jewelers, vintners, weavers, architects, and any other specialized craftsperson.
  3. Tilla (TIL-ah): Farmers and Laborers, the largest caste. Viewed as wholesome and simple, this group includes plumbers, construction workers, groundskeepers, servants, waitstaff and similar support or gross production-based roles.
  4. Searu (SEER-oo): Merchants. Broadly stereotyped as cunning and mercenary, Merchants are viewed as profiting off of the labor and skill of others. Artisans and farmers from the upper castes will produce their goods but often depend on the lower-caste merchants to sell those goods at market.
Since Clovenne has taken control of the country, they’ve formally abolished laws surrounding the maintenance of the castes. However old habits die hard and many Aurellians still maintain their ideas and prejudices around one’s caste. Caste laws were significantly loosened in 1910 (26 years ago) and formally abolished in 1920, when the Usurpation fully took hold. Older characters, especially those 30 and over, are more likely to obey caste laws than younger people, who grew up with looser laws.
Gender Politics
Men and Women in Aurelle enjoy a significant amount of equality. An individual’s career choices are far more limited by their caste than by their gender and no one bats an eye at a female blacksmith or a male florist.

Marriage Families in Aurelle tend to be very extended and typically live together in large family homes. Property moves matrilineally and typically when two people marry, the man moves to the family home of his new wife Women also tend to keep their own family names after they marry. Because of the social focus on the health of the community at large, arranged marriages are very common in the countryside, though they’ve begun to fall out of favor in the city. Divorces are not done in the Aurellian tradition and marriages are expected to last until death. Anullments are granted in two very specific circumstances. If a spouse has not been present or provided material support for longer than five years, an Aurellian can bring suit on the grounds of abandonment. If a spouse has been proven to have had an affair with a person outside of their caste, an immediate annulment can be granted by the church and suit brought for recompense (this does not include bedmates, who are considered to be providing a service.) Widows and widowers are allowed to remarry after the death of their spouse.

Sexuality: Aurelle has very relaxed views on the place of love and sexuality. Sex in general as seen as wholesome and natural, and is generally not associated with shame, though romantic relationships outside of one’s caste are strongly discouraged (though these taboos are significantly looser for younger generations, who grew up without castes). Same-sex attractions are viewed with broad acceptance with most people seeing sexuality as a sliding scale as opposed to hard, binary categories.

Sex work is legal and protected by law in Aurelle and prostitution is considered a legitimate profession, seen to be about as risky a career choice as acting or music. Typically it is viewed as a lower-caste (Tilla or Searu) profession though a member of any caste can visit one. Prostitutes in Aurelle go by the gender-neutral term "bedmate." There are many social codes (spoken and unspoken) around paying (or not paying) a bedmate a fair price for their work, and it is considered a grave taboo to seduce or otherwise pressure a bedmate into sex for which they don't receive fair compensation.
Education
Public schools are widely available in Aurelle though they tend to be separated by caste in terms of what and how they teach. Ealdor and Winnan families tend to hire private tutors or send their children to specialized academies alongside learning their trade at home.

Those in the Aurellian clergy receive the most schooling by far, and attend a separate divinity school to study the Aurellian sacred texts, learn the rituals associated The Faith, and receive moral instruction from upper members of the clergy. The two lower castes are sent to school typically just long enough to learn reading, writing, arithmetic, and history and then expected to learn the rest from their families.
Pets
Pets are not generally kept in Aurelle, due to the sacredness of so many animals. Although livestock and other useful animals are kept for practical purposes, the concept of keeping a domesticated animal is a relatively new concept for Aurellians. Cats, in particular, are seen as useful (as mousers) but untrustworthy -- many of the stories in Braddon feature them as tricksters. Sacred animals, especially dogs, are sometimes kept in the local temples.
Aesthetics
Art: Art Nouveau is the mood of Aurelle. Art is one of the few things that members of all classes are able to partake in. Designs tend to be colorful and suggestive of natural shapes. Alphonse Mucha and Charles Rennie Mackintosh are good artists to keep in mind when imagining Aurelle’s design aesthetic.

Literature & Folklore: The Braddon, the Aurellian holy book, is the biggest Aurellian literary influence, and much of its folklore is based on the gods (imagine Ovid's Metamorphoses or Homer's Oddessey and Illiad, but with better gender politics). Novels in Aurelle tend to be long epics that include several generations of protaganists from the same family, each of whom learns a particular lesson. As older protaganists die, they are somtimes reincarnated to help younger generations learn their own lessons. Newer literature is more likely to feature plots concerning the successful crossing of caste boundaries (usually a taboo punishable by any number of bad outcomes in a typical Aurellian plot). Both genders, in Aurellian stories, are well-represented as protaganists and as villains.
Aurellian books mentioned in game (besides the Braddon):
  • Lady of the Golden Lake: A definitive biography of Queen Caitrin, the founder of Aurelle.
  • And Canwyn Sighed: A meaty collection of (occasionally erotic) Aurellian love poems written by the famed Aurellian poet Aaran Bird under the name And Canwyn Sighed. The collection has since been translated into a (much tamer) Clovennian version called Between the Shadow and the Soul.
  • The Merry Tribulations of Liam and Gwendolyn: A comedic Aurellian play whose plot is a retelling a popular story of two young Ealdor lovers kept apart by their family’s rivalry and the antics of their lower caste servants as they scheme to get their masters together. Traditionally the play includes some level of improvisation and audience participation.
  • The Silver Shore: An Aurellian adventure novel about pirates and buried treasure (an analogue to Treasure Island) narrated by the daring and clever Lady Laoise. The Clovennian translation of the novel is widely popular, especially with Clovennian children.
  • The Tragical History of Owen Day: A popular Aurellian play about the secret, bastard son of an Ealdor and a Searu in which the titular Owen Day sees himself as an Ealdor despite being born Searu.

Music: The music of Aurelle is heavily inspired by Celtic music and folk ballads, which feature reels, jigs, airs performed on fiddle, tin whistle, harp, mandolin, guitar, and similar instruments.

Traditional music, especially sung, features heavily in their religious ceremonies and festivals and is usually performed in the Aurellians’ native tongue. We have a sample playlist of ballads here and a playlist to give a feel of religious music here. Clovennian music is also popular, especially closer to the city, where opera, ballets, and symphonies are common.

Dance: Dance is an important community activity for Aurellians, especially during festivals, celebrations, and social gatherings. Their dance style is based on contra dance, a form of folk dancing that features lines or square figurations. Waltzing and clogging are also popular. Festivals and religious services sometimes feature dances based on the movements of the sacred animals. We have a sample playlist of Aurellian dance music here.

Clothing: Bright colors and flowing silhouettes are the staple of Aurellian fashion. Birds and insects and flowers are common design motifs. Paul Poiret is a good starting point for Aurellian style. Torc necklaces are a common item of jewelry for devout Aurellians as a symbol of their faith.

Architecture: Aurelle is a country of wide open spaces. Most Aurellian homes and buildings tend to sprawl out instead of going up. Homes are typically very large, built to house several generations at once. Depending on caste, a family home may also be attached or adjacent to the family shop front or workshop. Homes are often built around a central garden courtyard which houses the family shrine and altar.

Entertainment: Plays, music sessions, and public dances are very popular social events in Aurelle. Sports like badminton and soccer are also commonly played by all castes of society. Board and card games are also popular, including card games such as Galarrayn's Chance, a betting game similar to poker, and Cats and Sparrows, a strategic board game that is, for all intents and purposes, the Aurellian equivalent of chess.

We have a mood board here for further reference.

Religion


The Aurellian religion, known in Aurelle simply as The Faith is based on core tenants of balance, nonviolence, sacrifice, and the acceptance of transience. Rather than an afterlife, practitioners of The Faith believe that one’s spirit-essence is reincarnated through many different lives. Good deeds, peaceful living, and adherence to the rituals and practices of The Faith result in reincarnation into a higher caste, or, ultimately, a sacred animal form. They believe that once a soul is sufficiently pure, it rejoins the spiritual makeup of the earth and sky.

Pantheon
The Faith has a pantheon of four gods, each associated with a different season and element. These gods are:
Canwyn (CAN-win): God of Spring, Air, Stars, East, Song, and Fertility. His sacred animals are Songbirds. Physical associations include: brown hair, blue eyes, round faces, full lips. His sacred colors are lilac, pink, and light green. Canwyn 1 begins on the spring equinox (March 21st)

Heuris (HAY-ris): Goddess of Summer, Fire, Sun, South, Dance, and Transience. Her sacred animals are Butterflies and moths, which are said to carry the souls of the dead. Physical associations include: red hair, green eyes, chubby cheeks, and dimples. Her sacred colors are gold, brown, and forest green. Heuris 1 begins on the summer solstice (June 21st)

Ceddon (SED-on): God of Autumn, Earth, Weather, West, Color, Plenty, and Libations. His sacred animals are Serpents. Physical associations include: black hair, brown eyes, high foreheads and cleft chins. His sacred colors are red, orange, and black. Ceddon 1 begins on the autumn equinox (September 21st)

Galarrayn (Gahl-ahr-AIN): Goddess of Winter, Water, Moon, North, Scripture, and Change. Her sacred animals are Canines. Physical associations include: blonde hair, gray eyes, thin faces, thin lips. Her sacred colors are blue, white, and gray. Galarrayn 1 begins on the winter solstice (December 21st)
Timekeeping

The Aurellian calendar is marked by “cycles” that correspond with a 91 day season (each named after their four gods) instead of by month. A Clovenne would write a date April 20th, 1920, but an Aurelian would write: 51 Canwyn 1920. The overall game keeps track of time using the normal Gregorian calendar (a practice instated by Clovenne in 1920), but Aurellian characters may wish to use the traditional date-keeping structure in their private journals and correspondences.

Symbols of the Faith

Torc Necklaces & Rings: All practitioners of The Faith wear a torc necklace as an outward symbol of their faith. The design and material value of these necklaces change depending on the practitioner's caste and rank in the church. Necklaces are generally bestowed when a practitioner turns thirteen and generally correspond with a ritual during which the young practitioner is asked to sacrifice a beloved item to seal their covenant to the gods.

Tattoos: Practitioners in the upper levels of the clergy may have tattoos of particular religious symbols, though such tattoos are seen as blasphemous if worn by members of lower castes. Traditionally, Robors possess a tattoo of the quarterfoil (representing the four gods) on their inner left wrist and Danus possess the quarterfoil and a tattoo of the five-fold (a symbol representing connection between the gods and their elements) on their inner right wrist.
Clergy
All members of the Aurellian clergy inhabit Ealdor, the top rank of Aurelle’s caste system. Though castes were abolished by Clovenne in 1920, members of the clergy are likely to be regarded highly. However, like any church, the clergy is divided into a hierarchy of its own:
Dea (Dee-uh): The rank of Dea is conferred on younger members of the clergy, usually students. There is a good deal of schooling associated with being a clergyperson (priests often double as scholars). Deas often assist elder clergy with rituals and day-to-day affairs (including grunt work; Deas are sometimes employed by elder clergy as secretaries and the like). They can offer townspeople moral counsel, but they do not lead their own parish.

Robor (RO-bore): The most common form of Aurellian priest, Robors are often the leaders of weekly religious services in their local areas. They provide moral counsel to the community, take admission, preside over marriages, births, funerals (which are really more like wakes in Aurelle). They are allowed occasional access to the hallucinogenic drugs that Danus use more regularly and they assist in the performing of major rituals. At their initiation, they receive a tattoo of some variant of the quarterfoil, traditionally on their inner left wrist.

Danu (DA-noo): Danus are high priests of the Aurellian religion, ranked similarly to cardinals in the Catholic church. They make up the church’s governing body, the Danuun Council. There is generally one Danu per town in Aurelle, and they act as the main religious leader there, presiding over sacred community events, including the solstice and equinox festivals that signify changes in the Aurellian calendar. Depending on the community, they may perform many of the duties carried out by Robors, and often provide leadership and guidance to young Robors their area. They are required to engage in the semi-regular use of hallucinogenic drugs imbibed for religious purposes and record, meditate, and reflect on the visions they cause.

They are often shifters whose base form corresponds with one of the sacred animals, though this is not always the case. At their initiation, Danu priests receive a tattoo of some variant of the five-fold on their inner right wrist. Formal Danuun council meetings, which used to take place four times a year, have been suspended to one meeting a year since the Clovenne usurpation.

Gael (Gale): The Gael is the head of the Aurellian church and the most influential of its members. The Gael is always a protean shifter whose base form is one of the sacred animals associated with the pantheon (butterfly/moth, songbird, snake, and canine) and the Gael can shift into any of the other three forms. Though not technically a political figure, the Gael is considered to be the moral center of the nation, and the religious council often consults with the political council. The Gael is always addressed as His (or Her) Transience.

If a protean shifter is born, no matter what their caste, they are immediately adopted into the Ealdor caste and sent to divinity school. When a Gael dies, a new one is democratically elected by the Danuun Council, though there are so few Protean shifters that the list of candidates is often very short. The current Gael is Her Transience, Gael Alwena Lark who, in 1919, encouraged the political council to allow Clovenne to take over the country against the advice of the Danuun Council.
Sacred Text
The Faith does not have a “Bible” so much as a very large canon of psalm-like poetry spread over twelve books. This oeuvre is called the Braddon, and it is intensely studied and interpreted by the religious clergy. Large sections of the Braddon are read from or recited at rituals and during religious services, and most upper-caste families own their own a complete set as a dual symbol of status and devotion. This part of the faith has been developed a lot in game, so we recommend that you look at the Braddon portion of the Religion setion for a general overview of what the text is like. There's also a handy reference document that summarizes the major parables, stories, and verses referenced thus far in-game.

Rituals

Prayer: Most practitioners of The Faith pray twice a day, in the morning (Sun Prayer) and the evening (Star Prayer). Typical prayer position involves kneeling, bowing one’s head, and holding one’s hands crossed over each other (like this) in front of one’s face.

Greeting: The traditional greeting ritual between practitioners is the name of the god associated with the current season followed by “peace.” So in spring, one would say “Canwyn’s peace” or “His peace.” During winter, one would say “Galarrayn’s peace” or “her peace.” These words may also be exchanged in parting.

Blessing: Before or during a blessing, clergy will often use their three middle fingers to touch a practitioner's forehead, mouth, between their eyes, and their heart, areas associated with the four gods.

Admission: All Robors and Danus are trained "taking admission" (or sometimes "hearing admission"), which is similar to the Catholic practice of hearing confession, but with one key difference. Since transience is one of the core tenants of the Faith, the practice of admission is less about confessing one's sins and more about letting go of one's guilt for having done wrong.

Danus and Robors hold specific "admission hours" for this purpose, and sit in a booth (similar to a confessional) for the duration of that time, and anyone -- practitioners of the Faith or not -- is welcome to give an admission during that time. Admissions usually include a brief conversation, a prayer, a blessing and, in lieu of penance, a mantra for the parishioner to repeat to aid in forgiveness. Face-to-face admissions may also be scheduled with a Danu or Robor and usually take place in their offices at the temple.

Services: A weekly community service is held at the temple on Sundays, led by a Robor who gives a reading or recitation from the Braddon and a brief homily interpreting it. Such services also feature music, dance, group prayer, the sharing of personal joys and concerns, and a community meal afterward. Including the meal, weekly services may take four or more hours.
In addition, each town houses one small community altar for each of the four gods, and at least one temple designed for community worship. Local Robors will often lead community prayers in the morning and evening for all who wish to participate, though most practitioners choose to engage in this ritual in private or among their families.
Turning Festivals: Four major festivals, called "Turning Festivals" are held each year on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes and the winter and summer solstices to the celebrate the changing of the season. Each festival is associated with a different god and involves a community-wide celebration associated with that god. The festival culminates in a ceremony involving ritualistic animal sacrifice to both the god of the old season and that god of the new. (Traditional greeting during Turning is "their peace.")

The Braddon

The Braddon is the Aurellian holy text. Much longer than a traditional Bible, it is more like the Norse Poetic Edda or stories epochs by Homer. It consists of several books of poems, each associated with one of the four Aurellian gods. The poetry is written in (loose) blank verse and its stories include many parables told by the gods or their acolytes.

Each book of the Braddon features at least one story -- a longer one, sometimes told over the course of the whole book -- featuring a pair of lovers who are bound through ceregwyn, a deep, binding love that transcends lifetimes. Over the course of each book, a pair of lovers are reincarnated into various forms -- sometimes both male, sometimes both female -- and must overcome a variety of obstacles and learn particular lessons in order to follow the will of the gods.

More than anything else, it is the lovers’ stories that warn followers of the Faith against pursuing serious relationships outside of one’s own caste, because it is only through strict adherence to the gods’ will (including caste boundaries) that happiness can be found. When the lovers choose to transcend their caste boundaries, their lives immediately become much harder, and they return, in their next lives, in lower castes and with more difficult obstacles as punishment. In one story where the lovers are reincarnated into different castes, the two lovers, despite each recognizing the other as her soulmate, choose to obey their parents and marry people appropriate to their caste (and chosen by their respective families). They live fruitful and happy lives, enjoy close friendship with each other, and are reincarnated into the highest caste in their next lifetime as a result.

There are also numerous volumes of Braddon apocrypha written by Danus, and occasionally Robors, and consisting largely of transcriptions of visions that various clergy have had while imbibing pelydryn, a drug which induces a strong high and hallucinations and his only available (legally, anyway, while castes were still enforced) to members Ealdor caste who were upper-level members of the clergy.

The transcription and interpretation of these hallucinations, known as “Golden Visions” among the clergy, was a practice set into motion by one of Aurelle’s last queens, Kayley the Shrewd, and there is some dispute over whether the pelydryn should be sanctioned wholly for religious use at all, since the transcription of these visions might have been the Queen’s idea, rather than the Gael’s. Either way, the apocrypha are not considered to be part of the Braddon’s “canon” and are not studied or widely read among laypeople. However, these transcriptions and kept in an underground vault in Casbryn, where the Aurellian clergy are trained, and scholars of all kinds uses these notes to gain greater insight into the Braddon as a whole.

For more on the Braddon, including a catalogue of verses referenced in game, check out the Braddon reference document.

Game History

We have two main references for game history, a historical timeline that outlines the major political events in Clovenne and Aurelle that shaped each country's history. (Note that our historical timeline is not concurrent with real world events such as the Spanish Flu, World War I, etc, because this is a fantasy universe.) We also have an in-game timeline that summarizes the important IC events that have happened between characters since the game started last year. We encourage new players to read through the both of these, though reading through the whole of the in-game timeline is not required and is designed to be a reference.

Historical Timeline

You can find the full Historical Timeline here. Its most important events include:
  • 1799 -- Clovenne's Great Plague, which wiped out nearly two-thirds of its population, killed its religion, and spurred them to become a fully secular, hypermedicalized society.
  • 1890 -- Aurelle's catastrophic crop failure/famine in 1890, during which Aurelle had to borrow a considerable amount of money from Clovenne to feed their populous.
  • 1910 -- The beginning of the CLovennian Usurpation, marked by a renegotiation of trade between Aurelle and Clovenne to help settle Aurelle's debt. Caste laws are loosened, key Aurellian politicans are bought out, and Aurelle officially switches to using the CLovennian method of timekeeping.
  • 1918 -- In a controversial decision narrowly supported by both the Aurellian Parliment and the Gael, the Aurellian Church gives up a lot of its property to Clovenne as a way to put a dent in their debts.
  • 1919 -- When the Aurellian government, backed by Gael Lark, agrees to submit and become a client state to Clovenne, a brief civil war ensues. The conflict occurs mainly in Aurelle's capital city, Castyll and lasts only a few months before being put down with the assistance of the Clovennian military. Resistants fighting against the government and the Gael call themselves the Roans, after an old Aurellian King. Their symbol is the rowan branch. The Roans move underground following the civil war to form the beginnings of the resistance.
  • 1920 -- The first Aurellian Census is implemented, requiring Gifted citizens to report their Gifts or Shifter status. Some suspicious Aurellians who have subtle Gifts or are shifters choose not to report.
  • 1923 -- Fearing another civil war, Clovenne mandates that all Gifted and Aurellians submit to Faidoux treatments twice a week to damping their Gifts and shifting abilities.
  • Summer 1925 -- To cut down on the problem of Aurellians skipping their treatments, Belmont Pharmaceuticals quietly adds an addictive component to Faidoux.
  • December 1925 -- Game Opens.
  • March 1926 -- A train bombing prohibits timely delivery of Faidoux, causing Bound Aurellians all across the country to experience symptoms of withdrawal until Faidoux is readministered. Officials in both governments deny that Faidoux is addictive, but rumors have already begun to spread.

In-Game Timeline

The in-game timeline is not required reading for new players, but we hope you'll find it to be a useful resource. It summarizes and links back to many of the game's key plot-related threads, as well as linking to threads that are relevant to the development of both cultures, and development of key relationships in game.

  • You can find Part One of the In-Game Timeline, Pre-Game - February 28, 1926 here.
  • You can find Part Two of the In-Game Timeline, March 1926 - Present here.

World Locations

Glynn

The Village of Glynn is in the heart of Aurellian wine country. Nestled between the Rosier and Belmont manors, the village supports the vineyard workers and tenant farmers employed by the respective estates. Glynn is a small, restful village, largely untouched by the troubles of the rest of the country. The shops and houses spiral out around a circular village green where markets and festivals are held.
  • Train travel from Belailles to Glynn can take anywhere from eight to ten hours depending on weather conditions.
  • Train travel from Glynn to Castyll runs at about four and a half hours.

Town Circle

Rather than having a traditional “town square,” the open, community-centric area of town is more of a circle. This space is used for outdoor markets, religious (and secular) festivals, and community entertainment. Locals can frequently be found playing ball sports like soccer here on the weekends. Once every two weeks, bound Aurellians are required to line up here for their Faidoux treatments.
Ceddon’s Bounty
The secular social center of Glynn, this tavern is one of the oldest buildings in Glynn. Built around a massive hearth it is cheery and warm year round. There is always ale, wine, and hearty food available for cheap and Glynn’s farmers and vineyard workers frequent Ceddon’s Bounty for conversation and relaxation. Live music and dancing often happen in the Tavern on Sundays. There are private dining rooms available should Clovennians or members of the Ealdor or Winnan caste choose to take dinner or a drink there. Named NPCs here include serving wenches named Molly and Bree.
Red Thrush Inn
Nestled conveniently next to Ceddon's, this Aurellian-run guest house is the last vestige of Glynn's once-prominent Thrush family. Though there is running water and some electricity in the building, guests usually must depend on old-fashioned gaslights and kerosene lamps. Even Clovennians tend to find its aesthetic charmingly rustic, and the staff is careful to treat its Clovennian guests (and the Aurellian members of the upper castes) particularly well.
Mariel's Tea Room
A cafe presided over by Mariel Babbage, a rather imposing widow and resident gossip. The shop is a popular place to take tea and hear about the recent goings-on in the village. The shop has wide windows and brightly wallpapered walls. Since the Clovennian Usurpation, it has begun selling hot cocoa and macarons in addition to its usual spread of tea, coffee, and pastries.
Gerrick's Alterations
Owned for generations by the Gerrick family, Gerrick’s Alterations is Glynn’s premier tailoring shop. The shop specializes in creating and repairing church vestments and clerical clothes but prides itself on its ability to create anything. Raegan Shrike is a seamstress here.
Heron's
A cramped little shop just off the village green, Heron’s is Glynn’s oldest bookshop. Selling all manner of books as well as stationary and art supplies, the shop is poorly organized but cheerful in its chaos. There is a bookbinding studio attached to the shop and the Heron family also owns the village’s only print shop.
The Temple
By far the biggest and most elaborate building in town, the temple is large enough to comfortably host the entire town’s population. The building features gorgeous stained glass representations of all the gods and their animal forms and the inside is wide, open, and multi-tiered. The doors to the temple are generally unlocked staffed by a stream of low-level clergy who keep vigil there to offer shelter, counsel (and sometimes food) to any who seek sanctuary there. More recently, however, the doors have been locked as a result of staff cuts and vandalism. Played clergy people in Glynn include the Robor, Bleddyn Cadoc and the Danu, Calvin Llewellyn
The Temple's Secondhand Store
The volunteer-run (and typically Searu-staffed) secondhand resale store is one of the Temple's income streams. Items at this store are donated from folks in the community and sold for a small profit. Niamh Goldwespe is the head shopkeeper here.
Small Altars
Four small altars, one for each of the gods, are publicly accessible for prayer and offerings at any time, day or night. These spaces are not entirely enclosed (think of bus stops), but they are dutifully maintained by the town’s clergy, including the collection of offerings. Vandalizing any of these spaces (or the temple) is not only crime but blasphemy.
Antoine's Blues Palace
Before the Clovennian Usurpation, this storefront tucked at the end of a narrow alley used to be a cheap dive bar frequent almost exclusively by the lower castes (Tilla and Searu). Its business suffered mightily since the Usurpation, however, and before long Antoine Valentine, an enterprising Clovennian, replaced it with Antoine’s Blues Palace, a shadowy nightclub/pleasure house. A patron may come to the Blues Palace to gamble, drink, or partake of less traditionally acceptable vices in the upstairs rooms, where pretty young Aurellians are happy to accommodate nearly any request. Drugs of all sorts are also available here, though you have to know who to ask. Ciara Bryne is a bedmate at Antoine's, and Henri Danoir and Seamus Llewellyn are bartenders there.
Infirmary
Glynn is too small to have a formal hospital, but two town doctors (one Clovennian and one Aurellian) and several nurses staff the infirmary building. Doctors often make house calls to either manor if they are required, but otherwise citizens of the town visit the infirmary if they are ill or have a broken bone. Doctor Viola Rosier is on staff here.
Willoway's Pharmacy
Anyone with an ache or pain will likely find themselves at Willoway’s, a friendly, intimate pharmacy with good chemists with extensive knowledge of plants and homeopathic medicine. Pharmacists can a provide patron with sweetleaf, though not Pelydryn, which is controlled exclusively by the church. Due to a new law, the pharmacy also stocks most modern Clovennian drugs, including laudanum and vin cocoa, though not Faidoux.
Canwyn’s Tooth
Bustling with life and energy, this little bakery provides the sweetest treats in Glynn and donates any leftover stock to the temple next door. In addition to bread, pastries, sandwiches and made-to-order treats, the bakery serves fresh coffee and tea in the morning, and wine in the afternoon. There are a few tables to sit at, though most prefer to enjoy their purchases outside, where there are more tables and benches for that purposes.
Godsbreath Flower Shop
This cheery, Aurellian-run flower shop generates most of its business during holidays and Turning festivals, but is open all year round. Staff her are skilled in putting together floral arrangements appropriate for all occaisions, Aurellian and Clovennian.
Records Office
Formerly the office of Glynn’s tiny guard force, the dank little building has been repurposed since the Clovennian Usurpation. Census documents for Glynn are held here along with the registration records for bound residents. The Records Office is headed by a Clovennian Envoy, currently Alexandre Tyrell. Allwyn Mercier is a clerk here.
Jail
The guards have been recently relocated from their former office to a smaller building complete with two narrow holding cells. Typically they are only ever occupied by the town drunk after a fight at the bar. Allen Bellamy is the town Marshal, whose office is located here.
Our Lady of Transience Primary and Secondary School

Because Glynn is so small, so is its public school. There are only four rooms in the building, but it is clean and well-staffed, though there are often not enough books for everyone.

Capitals

Belailles
Belailles, poetically referred to as the City of Wings and Spires, is the crown jewel of Clovenne. Nestled in the heart of one of the widest natural passes in the Clovennian mountains, it is frequently snow covered, with icicles forming along the flying buttresses of its oldest buildings, giving them the appearance of bearing crystal wings. Once a simple fortification, its centralized location quickly turned it into a hub of trade and commerce.

The city is a beautifully arranged cluster of towers and skyscrapers, tightly packed together along carefully planned roads. The streets receive little natural light but are constantly lit by intricately designed streetlamps. Residents of Belailles tend to view it as the center of the world though few who’ve visited the thriving metropolis can blame them. Anything worth having can be found in its thriving downtown shopping district from gourmet food to luxurious clothes and furniture. Belailles is the seat of the Clovennian government and the heart of the country’s culture and style.
Castyll
Colloquially known as The Pink City for its distinctive terracotta brickwork, Castyll is a small but cheerful city sandwiched between one of the largest Clovennian mountains and the valley of rolling Aurellian farmland beyond it. The seat of both Aurelle’s secular government and the head of its church, the city’s two largest buildings are the Capitol Building, where the business of government is conducted, and in the Cathedral of Queen Caitrin, where the Gael and the members of the Danuun Council meet once a season. The oldest building in Aurelle, the Cathedral was constructed by Aurelle’s first monarch and has remained a fixture in Castyll ever since. Many rural Aurellians also make pilgrimages to the Cathedral to pray, receiving blessings, and, sometimes, speak with the current Gael, who resides in well-furnished apartments not far from the Cathedral.

Though its roads are pleasantly narrow, the city is open and inviting, it sprawls outward instead of upward. Its architecture is soft-edged and decadently nature-inspired: Aurelle’s Art Nouveau sensibility dominates here. However, Clovennian style and trends had already begun to influence the Aurellian populace well before the Usurpation, and Clovennian art, music, dance, and entertainments are far more easily embraced in Castyll than elsewhere in Aurelle.

Rosier Manor

Rosier Manor sits atop a hill, overlooking the terraced vineyards that supply it with wealth and wine. Formerly the home of Glynn’s Danu, Calvin Llewellyn, the house and vineyard were relinquished by the church to the Clovennian government and then promptly sold to the family of Senator Pierre Rosier. The manor has been recently updated with electrical wiring and new plumbing but is otherwise still largely furnished in the Aurellian style. Rooms are airy and comfortable with massive windows giving the house plenty of natural light. The house is frequently filled with flowers cut from either the gardens or the conservatory and so bears a faint but constant perfume.

While not all of it remains, much of the religious iconography has been allowed to stay on the grounds. Lord Rosier's son Beau Rosier seems to find the altars and paintings artistically appealing and so has let them be. Servants are largely allowed to continue their religious and cultural practices as long as it doesn’t get in the way of their duties or inconvenience the Rosiers or their guests. Beau and his sister Viola prefer that the staff not speak Aurellian in earshot of them but don't expressly forbid its use in the house.

The Entrance Hall

The house opens onto a wide and brightly lit entrance hall. Panelled in beautifully polished oak and hung with delicate watercolor landscapes, the entrance hall is understated but inviting. A wide rug bearing a design of flowering grape vines runs the length of the hall leading up to the main staircase.

Formal Dining Room

The dining room is reserved for the Rosier family and residential or temporary guests. Upper-house residents traditionally dress up for meals, especially dinner. The table, comfortably seats eight, though it may be extended to include more if necessary. During meals, wine is poured by the butler, then food is served by footmen and those dining can take as much they wish. The room itself is decorated with seasonal flowers and colored glass lamps, throwing soft light over everything. The windows of the room look out over the vineyards and at dusk presents a very pretty picture of the surrounding countryside.

The Drawing Room

A more private room for socializing and entertaining. The room is decorated in a palette of pale purples and deep blues. A broad rug bears a repeating iris motif and the flower shows itself in the carved wooden arms and legs of the couches. A small upright piano is available to play. Guests frequently retire here after dinner to drink and play cards.

The Smoking Room

A small parlor down the hall from the drawing room, the smoking room is equipped with a large humidor stocked with a broad range of tobacco and sweetleaf cigars. The room is rather elegant, paneled in dark wood and furnished with comfortable couches upholstered in cool, dusky colors. When filled with smoke it gives the curious sense of being underwater. A large gramophone occupies a central table and most of the Rosier record collection can be found in the room. Beau frequently takes his after dinner drinks in this room.

The Ballroom

A large room equipped with a grand piano and a massive chandelier shaped to look like sprawling branches. The ballroom is done up in cheerful colors with beautifully carved sideboard tables and lounges along the walls. The parquet floor is carefully polished and bears an elaborate sunburst design radiating out from the center of the room.

The Library

The library is a circular room filled with specially made bookcases that follow the curve of the walls. It is absolutely stuffed with books of both Aurellian and Clovennian origin. The Clovennian books tend to be histories and well-respected works of literature while the Aurellian books seem to be leftovers from the previous owner, largely poetry and religiously themed texts. A large, tasteful mural of young lovers under a willow tree takes up a good portion the wall toward the back of the room and beneath it sits a large oak desk and matching rolling chair.

The Courtyard

The courtyard is taken up by a large tiled fountain filled with water lilies and golden carp. There are delicate looking patio chairs and a low table nearby. It is a popular place for guests to take breakfast.

The Chapel

Accessible only by a door off the courtyard, the chapel is a large, beautifully painted room with an elaborate altar to the gods at its center. The altar is surrounded by vases of seasonal flowers and trays of incense. A full set of the Barddon is stored in a stained glass cabinet to one side of the room next to an elaborately carved lectern. Two rows of benches with built-in kneelers are aligned before it. The chapel is always open to Aurellian servants for prayer in their off time.

The Gardens

The Rosier gardens are vast and lovingly tended. Filled with irises, peonies, and forsythia flowers alongside roses and daylilies the gardens are a riot of color and perfume. Decorative fountains can be found throughout alongside elegant birdfeeders. Small altars to the Aurellian gods can be found tucked into alcoves. Lachlan Kelly is the head gardener here.

The Conservatory

A vast glass conservatory off the courtyard bears delicate hothouse flowers and blooming citrus trees. A large workstation can be found in the back corner for cutting and transplanting. Beau’s botany projects are stored here.

The Gallery

The long hall between the drawing room and the guest suites is frequently called the gallery due to the sheer number of striking portraits and paintings on the walls. Carefully curated by Beau the paintings as a whole are a mix of Aurellian and Clovennian aesthetic, tied together more by palette and theme than by style.

The Guest Suites

The guest suites are cheery, well-decorated rooms and themed in such a way that they are often referred to after the flower that dominates their motif, such as The Camellia Room and The Foxglove Room. They all come with large beds, roomy armoires, and attached bathrooms.

The Master Bedroom

The master bedroom is dominated by a king sized bed, its head and footboard carved with the image of moths in flight. The walls are painted a dark royal blue and hung with paintings of the Clovennian mountains along with two small portraits of Beau’s sister and mother. A fireplace takes up part of one wall. On on the opposite side two whimsically carved armoires that match the bed stand on either side of the door leading to a full bathroom with a deep garden tub. The bedroom has a set of glass-paneled double doors that lead out onto a small balcony overlooking the gardens.

The Servant's Wing

Where the servants of the house live and sleep when they aren’t working. The rooms are small but neatly appointed with simple beds and brightly colored linens. Junior servants typically have to share bedrooms with a roommate but senior staff have their own (albeit tiny) rooms. There are two large communal bathrooms divided by sex for the staff. Down the hall from the servant’s rooms is a sitting room with a broad fireplace and wide couches where servants may gather to relax and socialize.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is in many ways the centerpiece of the servant’s wing, located roughly below the formal dining room. Though it’s been fitted with electric stoves, the room is big enough to accommodate both fire-based and electric cooking. There are several sprawling prep areas at which kitchen staff can often be found chopping and mincing, while sauces and soups bubble near-constantly on various burners. The kitchen is also where the below-stairs servants eat and spend some of their free time, and though the large wooden table isn’t nearly the size of the one in the formal dining room, it’s enough to comfortably accommodate the staff, who take their meals together there.

The Stables

The stables are home to several carriages and riding horses, who are well cared for by an attentive staff.

Belmont Manor

Handed over from the influential Aurellian Thrush family to Charles Belmont III in 1910, Belmont Manor is the oldest seat of Clovennian influence in Glynn, and its design shows as much. The main house has been entirely refurbished in the popular Clovennian Art-Deco-like style. The entire main house is newly-wired with electricity and, although candles and kerosene lamps still have a place downstairs, ornate lamps and chandeliers strike an imposing figure and create constant tension between light and shadow. And, generally, Charles' son Tucker Belmont prefers shadow -- natural light is limited where possible, the thick, luxurious curtains often drawn to keep it out. The prevailing color scheme features black, gold, and silver. Where they think he can’t hear, some Aurellian servants call the house’s aesthetic “dreary” or “lifeless.” Tucker appreciates this.

There is very little in the way of Aurellian religious iconography to be found in or around Belmont Manor, as much of it was cleaned out or taken down and replaced with corresponding (and “classier”) items of Clovennian origin and style. Aurellians are forbidden from speaking in their native tongue and public prayer or displays of the Aurellian Faith, especially while on the clock, are frowned upon (though doing so in the privacy of their own quarters is grudgingly accepted). Women are permitted to wear their torc necklaces, and men are heavily discouraged (though not explicitly forbidden) from wearing theirs, though Tuck, his cousin Blair Adler and the Clovennian servants find the practice feminizing and are liable to comment on it.

The Entrance Hall

Belmont’s entrance hall is about as imposing as its gothic exterior, featuring vaulted ceilings, sandstone pillars, and a huge, roaring fireplace directly in front, though the real light comes from a giant chandelier that one’s eye can’t help but catch right away.

Formal Dining Room

The elegant, formal dining room is reserved for Tucker’s family and residential or temporary guests. Upper-house residents traditionally dress up for meals, especially dinner. The table, with its pristine white cloth and ornate candelabras, comfortably seats ten, though it may be extended to include more if necessary. During meals, wine is poured by the butler, then food is served by footmen and those dining can take as much they wish. The room itself is lavishly decorated with oil paintings of famous Clovennian inventors and scientists, including members of the Belmont family.

The Drawing Room

Accessible by a wide door directly beside the formal dining room, this is a more intimate space for members of the upper house to gather before or after dinner to play cards, drink, smoke, and socialize. There is a small table and several comfortable chairs for playing cards, several couches and chaises lounge, a gramophone, and a gorgeous grand piano that Tucker keeps obsessively in tune.

The Sitting Room

A smaller space just off the drawing room that features some chairs, a loveseat, and a small fireplace and a mantle featuring various medical-related curios. A good space for private conversations.

The Great Hall

The central location at Belmont, filled with lush furniture and decorated with artwork, tapestry, and intricately patterned rugs covering the hardwood floors. This central space is surrounded by columns and opens onto a sweeping spiral staircase that leads upstairs to the upper-house bedrooms.

The Billiards Room

This room was once, rather obviously, an Aurellian chapel. A wide, open space in a central location just off the Great Hall, its stained glass, and east-facing rooms were perfect for morning prayer. Now, however, it serves as a smoking and entertainment room for Tucker and his (male) guests to blow off steam after dinner. It features include several couches, a card table, a gramophone, a humidor, a small, private bar stocked constantly with vin cocoa (among other libations), and, of course, a billiards table.

The Library

This is one of the only rooms in Belmont with an excess of natural light, largely because there are, in Tucker’s words, “so many goddamned windows.” Being that it’s a library, there are also, of course, many goddamned books, though the astute observer will recognize that not many of those books are Aurellian. The main shelves are filled with a variety of classic Clovennian literature, plus an entire section of science and medical texts and, near the few Aurellian books that survived Tucker’s great purge, a small section specifically devoted to Clovennian etiquette. The few Aurellian books that remain mostly feature animals, practical books such as manuals and how-to guides, and a small selection of Aurellian poetry.

The Laboratory

Though not traditional, Tucker insisted that the room next to his own bedroom be converted into his own personal laboratory. Despite his preference for darkness, the lab is one of the best-lit rooms in the house, featuring several different light switches with which Tucker may dim or increase the light. The lab itself is kept perpetually neat even when in use (which is always). The lab is kitted out with various medical and scientific equipment, including microscopes, Bunsen burners, vials of chemicals, obsessively clean glassware, a fume hood and even a hand and eyewash station. Neither servants nor upper-house guests, except for his friend Alexandre Tyrell are allowed in the lab without explicit permission, and the space is kept locked at all times that it isn’t occupied.

In addition, a large, free-standing safe rests in the corner of this room, in which a supply (and a reserve supply) of Faidoux is kept.

The Master Bedroom

Adjoining the laboratory, Tucker’s bedroom is one of the most luxurious rooms in the house. His four-poster, with its gold-tasseled, black canopy, is even larger than a king-sized bed, though he rarely spends the full night in it. Just under the canopy, a long, sturdy wire runs across the room, designed specifically to accommodate Tucker’s bat form. The room features a large fireplace, two elaborate mahogany wardrobes, and an arresting oil portrait of Tucker’s father, Charles Belmont III. The room has two bay windows, though the heavy purple curtains are nearly always drawn on Tucker’s orders. A full bathroom, including a clawfoot bathtub, is connected to the bedroom.

The Guest Suites

Each guest’s room is slightly smaller than Tucker’s, but they all come equipped with four-poster beds (usually queen-sized), fireplaces, attached bathrooms (though not always full ones). They are generally more colorful than Tucker’s preferred black-and-gold scheme, but the dominating colors are usually warmer -- purples and reds as opposed to greens and blues. Guests are welcome to bring their own artwork with which to decorate their rooms or choose from the Belmont’s private collection. Blair Adler, Lucia Adler, Alexandre Tyrell and Cecily Moreau are guests at Belmont.

The Servant’s Wing

Tucker’s overworked and light-starved staff live and sleep here when they aren’t working. The rooms are small and junior staff often share with a roommate. Double rooms feature single beds with drab, but functional linens while senior staff enjoy slightly larger rooms with double beds and a bit more space. The servants share two large communal bathrooms separated by sex. Servants are allowed to decorate their rooms as they wish and are free to engage in Faith-based rituals in the privacy of their rooms, away from Tucker’s prying eyes.

Down the hall from the servant’s rooms is a rather dreary sitting room with a broad fireplace and a couple of chairs and threadbare couches where servants may gather to relax and socialize. Servants are given four (usually non-consecutive) days off a month, and Tucker grudgingly releases the Aurellians for unpaid leave time to attend religious services on Sunday.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is in many ways the centerpiece of the servant’s wing, located roughly below the formal dining room. Though it’s been fitted with electric stoves, the room is big enough to accommodate both fire-based and electric cooking. There are several sprawling prep areas at which kitchen staff can often be found chopping and mincing, while sauces and soups bubble near-constantly on various burners. The kitchen is also where the below-stairs servants eat and spend some of their free time, and though the large wooden table isn’t nearly the size of the one in the formal dining room, it’s enough to comfortably accommodate the staff, who take their meals together there.

The Courtyard

Furnished with wrought-iron tables and surprisingly-comfortable weatherproof chairs, the courtyard is a lovely place to enjoy an outdoor drink, smoke, or stroll.

The Stables

The stables are home to several carriages and riding horses, who are well cared for by an attentive staff.

The Garage

The newest addition to the Belmont estate, this small but ornate building houses Tucker’s new Model T car.

The Gardens

Rigid and obsessively well-maintained, Tucker’s gardens are populated in the typical French style. The gardens feature a labyrinthine, maze-like structure of topiaries that are very pleasant to walk around and include a small pond filled with a variety of fish and ducks over which a gorgeous, ornate bridge extends. Tulips of every possible variety are maintained for as long as they are in season, and roses twine over the walkway. Despite the relatively limited color palette in the main house, the gardens burst with color and vibrancy, though that vibrancy is always carefully controlled. Teague Fox is the head gardener.

Apply

Below are links to character-building resources, such as the holds page, wanted page, application, and list of archetypes and positions availabile. When you are finished reading through the Handbook, please choose an archetype, face, and place a hold!

Archetypes

We use character archetypes to vary the character types we have in game. We have a list available here for reserve, but you're welcome to pitch us an archetype of your own. We just asked that you stick with character traits (i.e. The Romantic, The Cynic) rather than professions (The Doctor, The Lawman).

Roles & Wanted Characters

You can find a list of roles available at both manors and in town here, with wanted roles listed below the entry. Please consult the Roles and Wanted page before placing a hold, in order to enter with character ties! Make sure to contact the player via their dropbox or email (listed in each ad) before applying.

Cast Page

You can find a cast page with PBs, archteypes, and bios of characters currently in play here.

Taken PBs

You can find a list of taken PBs here. Italics indicate the PB is taken by an NPC or past character.

Holds

When you're ready, choose a face, archetype, Gift (if applicable) and wanted line or role (if applicable) and place a hold on the holds page.

Application

Please include the following information in your character journal, then post a link to the application page for review. (You're welcome to change the biosheet or whatever else you want, just be sure that this information is included somewhere on it.)

 Basics

Name:
Nicknames or Alias:
Nationality: (Aurellian or Clovennian)
Species: (Human, Gifted Human, Monoshifter or Protean Shifter)
Power Status: (Bound or Unbound, applies only to Aurellians. Bound means that your character is currently undergoing Faidoux treatments to suppress their powers. Unbound means that your character’s power(s) is subtle enough that their power(s) have not yet been discovered/treated.)
Title:
Wanted Role: (If applicable)
Political Affiliation:
Currently Living:

Age: (all characters must be 18+)
Sexuality:
Marital Status:
Height:
Build:
Tattoos or Significant Markings: (Remember, Faithful Aurellians are likely to wear a torc necklace, ring, or tattoo)
PB:

Powers and Abilities

Powers or Ability: (If you’re playing a gifted human, choose up to two powers on the power list. If you’re playing a shifter, specify which shifter form (forms if it’s a protean shifter) your character can take and its limitations below. Clovennians without a shifting ability or Gift will command slightly less social power than Gifted or shifter Clovennians. Aurellians without Gifts or shifting abilities are not treated differently, though a shifter who can take on one or more of the sacred forms will be elevated to the highest caste and command more social power.)
Extent of Powers or Abilities at normal range (i.e. without power enhancement or suppression due to Faidoux):
Extent of Powers or Abilities if powers are enhanced: (Clovennian or Unbound characters may be affected by power enhancement. What would be easier for your character (or which limitations would be scaled back) if your character’s powers were enhanced? Power enhancement for Bound characters results in powers temporarily functioning within their normal range.)
Inherent Limitations or Drawbacks of Abilities: (All powers must have built-in limitations or drawbacks, even in Unbound or native Clovenne characters)
Limitations Due to Faidoux: (If your character is Bound, describe how Faidoux dampens or limits your character’s powers or abilities. These limitations should disrupt and/or inconvenience your character in some way, not just institute a time limit. Weakening the strength of the powers is fine, but this should also be accompanied by some sort of concrete inconvenience.)

Personality

Strengths: (What is your character good at? Give us three or more positive personality traits and provide at least one sentence of elaboration for each one.)
Weaknesses: (What does your character struggle with? Give us three of your character’s struggles and provide at least one sentence of elaboration for each.)
General: (Please provide a general description of your character’s personality. Two paragraphs will do, but feel free to write more!)
Quirks:
Biggest Flaw: (Describe your character’s biggest personal weakness. This should be a character flaw.)
Greatest Fear: (This can be a physical phobia -- snakes, spiders, water, small spaces etc. -- or something psychological, like fear of death, failure, or loss.)

What is this character's long-term goal: (What is a goal central to this character's life plan? This can be as broad as "remove Clovennian influence from Glynn" or as specific as "get to the top of my particular profession.")
History

Birthdate:
Birthplace:
Family: (Family influence (NPC or not) can be as close or distant as you want, but keep in mind that generational dynamics are a major theme in the game as a whole.)
Social Class or Caste (if Aurellian):
Occupation:
Brief Summary: (At least or three paragraphs of general history. If your character is an Unbound Aurellian, please make sure to include an explanation of how the character avoided the Census/Faidoux treatments up to this point. If your character is Aurellian, make sure to include a couple of lines addressing how they feel about or interact with the the Faith. Since nearly all Aurellians are religious in some way, nonreligious characters should have some specific reasoning behind their lack of belief.)

OOC

Name or Alias:
Pronouns:
Age: (18+ only)
Email/Dropbox Link: (Please give us at least one way to contact you, whether email or a journal dropbox post! Gchat is optional.)
Timezone and Availability:
Would you like to participate in group chat? (The game has a just-for-fun/plotting/meming group chat via Google Hangouts. If accepted, please let us know if you'd like to participate, and give us your gmail if you'd like to.)
Pre-Application Checklist

Before you comment on the application page, make sure you can answer the following questions affirmatively. (You may delete this part of your application after reading through it.)

Have you read the Rules, FAQ Species Info, and Culture Info, and Historical Timeline in the Unbound Handbook?
Have you created a dropbox for your character?
Have you submitted join requests to and with your character journal and friended the mod journal, ?

Mod Contact

If you need to contact the mods for any reason, feel free to email us at TheUnboundMods@gmail.com or hit up our dropbox.

Examples

Examples of applications we've previously accepted can be found here and here!

IJ Cheat Sheet

If you're new to Insanejournal, or to journal roleplay in general, we've made a little cheat sheet of how to post to the comm, common HTML codes, basic terminology, and other useful info here!

Layout Credit

Layout by Tessisamess via Insanejournal