The Zinn'Sunn Player Resource Thread

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The City of Zinn'Sunn’s Starting Character Guide Contents Introduction Basic Zinn'Sunn Knowledge Getting Started Character Concepts Contacting GMs and AGMs & who they are. Starting Packages First Posts (Gates, Hovels, and Socials) First Residences In Zinn'Sunn Employment & Training Continuing The Creativity… Introduction Welcome to Zinn'Sunn, the cultural center of the Kemite people. We are a city of fifty thousand, so naturally there numerous activities, organizations, and professions available to PCs. This guide is just a quick no-nonsense way to help new players choosing Zinn'Sunn (ZS) as their starting city and to really get busy playing without a lot of fuss. In the following pages, you will read about character development, how I would like you to initally post, and how I can help you if you need it. This guide will take you step-by-step through a few processes to help you create a character you’re excited about. I really want the player who is brand new to Aelyria to be able to read this guide and say ‘Okay, I know how to start now!’ I will cover a few quick tips now, and then have a FAQ at the bottom. [/color] Basic Zinn'Sunn Knowledge First, you should read up on some basic facts about Zinn'Sunn. The city itself is located in a Located fertile valley along the River Laroo in Lylles Kingdom of Lauryl, which is in the western part of Aelyria. Zinn'Sunn was founded by Kemites, a race of olive and golden skinned people with predominantly black and dark brown hair and black or brown eyes. Their entire society is minimalistic, with a culture heavily steeped in honor and ritual. Zinn'Sunn is the birthplace of Song, and home of some of the most incredible Zinn'ka artists anywhere. Zinn'ka is a hand to hand marital arts that can be learned in numerous forms. There are very stylized forms of training available in Zinn'Sunn ranging from the Bladesingers and Bonedrummer song-warriors to the mysterious and somewhat mythic Darui’Torek warriors. Ikos, a unique form of arcana which is considered forbidden in most of the Empire, has also found a foothold of acceptance here in Zinn'Sunn. Zinn'Sunn is not for the casual player, but rather designed for those that love intense deeply meaningful roleplay. The city is heavily steeped in ritualistic traditions and understated high Kemite culture. Every day living is symbolic and meaningful within this cultural center. And as Game Master of Zinn'Sunn I fully intend to carry on these traditions and introduce new ones to more carefully flush out the city and its really interesting denizens. Related Links: The Zinn'Sunn Link Map, City Profile and Information The Zinn'Sunn City Map Getting Started First and foremost, a great many documents have been compiled and posted on Aelyria to help you get started. You will need to read those along with this document to really get a firm grasp of how to start playing. That includes the players handbook and the rules of Aelyria. The rules will help you a great deal in picking names, and all sorts of miscellaneous items. A list of them is located below this section in the related links. Other useful guides are included in the Compendium. You can easily reach it by clicking on the Lore button up at the top of any Aelyria page. That button will bring you to a page that lists player races, NPC races, the bestiary, trade skills, religion, arms and warfare, the military, geography… almost anything imaginable. Because others have done that work, we won’t get into that here. But, of course, it deserves a big mention if you need additional information on ANYTHING. Now, let’s move onto the good stuff! You’ve decided you want to start a new character in Zinn'Sunn. Congratulations! You’re more than welcome to, and I’d love to have you. Consider this your welcome matt. But, what’s next? Why, character concepts are, of course. Related Links: Aelyria’s Player’s Handbook Community Conduct Guidelines Quickstart Guide Character Naming Policy Character Concepts Well, first, we’d like you to think on what you like to roleplay. Do you enjoy the big grunting warrior types? Perhaps delicate elf maidens is more your type? Is magic your thing? Maybe you want something vastly different, way outside the norm. All of that is encouraged here, and VERY POSSIBLE. However, everyone gets to work for it! Working for it is half the fun. We keep the game balanced by starting all characters out on the same equal footing. No favoritism. You get starting goods, coins, and a lot of creative freedom to write write write! In Zinn'Sunn, I want to encourage the story! I want storytellers here, weaving tales and bringing others into the fold. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to Private Message (PM) me anytime. A link is provided in my signature below. Now, once you have a grasp on what you want to play, pick a race (we have all the standards and some more unusual ones), pick a sex, and think on the concept. Remember, Dracons and Orcs aren't allowed within Zinn'Sunn. Everyone else is fair game, however most citizens are Kemite. On your header line at the top of this page, you can click on the CPU which takes you to a page where you can click on 'edit your profile'. Deciding on your race is as easy as filling out the field in your profile. Go ahead and add in your sex at that time in its field as well. Then go through, and fill out the physical description stuff, the age stuff (here’s a nifty age chart for those who have no idea what age a half-elf matures at, or how old an old dracon is), and any miscellaneous thing you see a field for. Don’t worry about items, money, skills… any of that right now. Remember, as long as you haven’t started posting (especially posts that describe your race) you can change those fields anytime, no questions asked. Related Links: 100 Questions To Get To Know Your PC Race Age Comparison Chart Contacting GMs and AGMs (Who are they?) GM’s are Game Masters who are in charge of the city or province and make sure everything happens smoothly. They moderate threads, keep track of NPCs, and award experience points. The xGM’s in Zinn'Sunn are very approachable and willing to discuss anything, no matter how trivial you might think your question is. The assistant game masters (AGM) are responsible for adventures, development, and aiding the load on the Game Masters. So... who are they? GM Gossamer [GM Office] House of the Rising Sunn Likes: Development & Organization, Adventures, Weird Subculture, Culture, Arcana, Festivals, Romance, The Underworld, Martial Arts, and Newbies. Dislikes: Politics, Outright War, Silly Stuff (I'm no good at pun/slapstick humor), and PC's that won't give GM's anything to work with. :P Currently Zinn'Sunn has no AGMs. I'm always interested finding one or two though. So please feel free to check out the application here. AGM Application Starting Packages Now, for getting to the heart of it; The starting package. Each player on Aelyria starts with a hovel (roughly worth 1000 gcs), basic clothing and toiletries, a cheap dagger, one heirloom item that can’t be sold but has roleplay value (Mom’s locket, Dad’s sword, etc), an Imperial Visa, and 500 gold crowns (gcs). That’s it. Everyone starts out the same! If you’re happy with that, move on. If you want a little bit of customization for your character, read on. Now, in Zinn'Sunn, I encourage diversity, so as a GM I don’t mind mixing and matching. I want to keep everyone starting out with roughly 1500 gcs worth of stuff, but hey if you’re an adolescent you don’t need the house right? You live with your parents. Conversely if you are a full time student of Song that boards, same thing. So what we want you to do is really think hard on your character, their values, what motivates them, and create a background story for them. Trust me, it will help you roleplay. So, for example, say your background stated that you and your family came from the countryside and loved to keep bees for extra coin from the honey they sold… odds are your character would know how to keep bees. Thus, you could ask a GM to cash in some of your starting stuff for a skill called ‘basic beekeeping’ in lue of part of your hovel money, and some change back. Basic skills are considered worth 800 gcs. So, you could loose the hovel, gain the basic skill, and get 200 extra gold crowns to start out. Conversely if you want to start out with a nifty (non-magical) sword, you can cash in some of your starting coin for it. Since your total package is worth 1500 and some change, you can never start out with more than one basic, and never with an intermediate level skill. If this all seems confusing, don’t worry. A GM can clear it up for you if you have a good idea of what sort of skill or equipment you want to start out with, and what you wouldn’t mind cashing in to do it. Three Examples: Basic Fighter Skill:Basic Longsword (800 gc) Heirloom: Father's longsword Basic Essentials (change of clothing, toiletries, food for a cycle) cheap dagger Imperial Visa 700 Crowns Bard Package Skill: Basic Harp (800gc) Special Item: Lap Harp (200 gc) Family Heirloom: Harp pendant (can't be sold) Basic Essentials (change of clothing, toiletries, food for a cycle) cheap dagger Imperial Visa 500 gold crowns Basic Underworld Skill: Basic Dagger Throwing (800) Job: Works For an underworld Clan (300) Home: Clan's Headquarters (300) Special Item: Set of nice Throwing Daggers 200 gold crowns Starting Packages Guide First Posts So you’ve created your character, filled out your profile, thought up a background, and are itching to post… what do you do? The next step is easy enough. There are In Character (IC) things to post, and Out Of Character (OOC) things to post. The first and most important action is to post in the OOC thread called Zinn'Sunn's Character Repository. Your post lets me as a GM’s know (if you haven’t PM’d me already) that your here, and what your motivations or needs are. That’s why the title says ‘Mandatory’. I really need this information. Next, you want to start your IC postings. Be sure to always TIMESTAMP your threads. If you’re not sure what Timestamping is, read the guide listed below in the related links. Now, back to first posts. You can do any number of things. All characters entering and leaving Zinn'Sunn are expected to post at the gate posts. If you grew up in Zinn'Sun as part of your background, don’t worry about posting at the city gates. Gate posts, house posts, and shopping or social posts are popular ones. Here are a few ideas. Post your entry into Zinn'Sunn via The Shisa Gates of Zinn'Sunn Start a Hovel Thread ie. [Location] Yinua’s Place the Dragon District (open) Go Shopping ie. Post in the armory and buy a new Katana Start an Open Thread about wandering around ie. Lost In A New City (open) Now a note on posting threads and how to either make sure other players know they are welcome to join, or let them know you’d rather it be private or simply a training thread. If you want to post in a certain place, but the place’s location is rather cluttered (Ie The Wolfmoon Tavern) simply preface your title with the location name itself. Ie. [The Wolfmoon Tavern] Having A Quiet Drink (open). Next, you need to leave some indication of how accessible you want the story to be for other players. We do this by following our threads up with additional tags. If you want people to join, follow it with (open). If you want to keep it private or just for a specific character, indicate that with a (private) or (private- john please). Also, you can flag them with (PM to Join) so folks have to ask permission to join. Or, you can mark them (Invite Only). People can also indicate in the title follow up brackets if they need a moderator (Private- Goss please). This is only polite to do if you have asked the moderator beforehand to moderate it, and sent them a link in their private message box. Related Links: The Shisa Gates of Zinn'Sunn Timestamping Guide Timestamping History The Zinn'Sunn Character Repository (Mandatory) First Homes in Zinn'Sunn (aka The Hovel) There are two choices for homes in Zinn'Sunn. First is the all-important Hovel. The hovel is a small 500 sq ft home thats just barely adequate for a PC's needs. It's small, has no indoor plumbing, and has really nothing to recommend it other than the fact that it is shelter. In Zinn'Sunn, this hovel actually equates to ground-floor home with a tile roof, a hearth for cooking, and a space that might or might not be open (studio) or divided into two rooms (one for sleeping, one for living). That will be up for the player to decide. These hovels are called 'Lorkas' in the Kemite language. In the Lorkas, furnishings are minimalistic and floors are wood or tile. There will be a pump and a privy somewhere in the back, but no stable nor real yard to speak of. The second choice for new players is more entertaining. This is the group home or complex. Often within these rp infested apartments or boarding houses, one can meet folks living in their same group settings. Below is the list of common housing starting points, and their descriptions. Not all of them are realmcrafted at this time, but we will be making it a priority to do so. Common Housing Coming soon... Employment & Training Within Zinn'Sunn, there are tons and tons of opportunities. Do you want to be wicked and join the underworld? It’s encouraged! Do you want to join a convent and work on your PC’s spiritual life? It’s just fine, and we can definitely do that. There are a number of training opportunities, and unlimited job types accessible within this Kemite City. If you look around and don’t find anything close to what you’re looking for, PM a GM and we can set it up. I wrote a complete guide to deal with debunking employment, what people get paid etc so feel free to read it. It should clear a great deal of issues up. Related Link: The Zinn'Sunn Training Guide The Zinn'Sunn Employment Guide Continuing The Creativity… Never hesitate to bring your own ideas. Never hesitate to submit new locations, businesses, etc to Zinn'Sunn’s atmosphere. We can only be so creative on our own, so your PC’s needs will help shape the way the city looks in the future to come. Your creativity doesn’t have to be limited to locations either. You can work on groups, factions, guilds, even gangs. Never hesitate to open a dialog with a GM about it. There are templates in the Lauryl Realmcraft section for creating new NPCs, Organizations, and Locations. Realmcraft is a place where folks with new ideas can post those completely worked up ideas and have others comment on them before a GM submits them as fact into the main game. Feel free to look it over, and realmcraft to your hearts desire. In closing, we volunteer to help with this game for your pleasure, and for our own joys at storytelling with other people who love roleplay in the same way we do. Don’t hesitate to join the community, contribute, and become a vocal positive impact on the city itself. Your input is valuable and necessary to keep the city growing, changing, and to ward off stagnation. Related Links: Realmcrafting for Zinn'Sunn

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The Zinn'Sunn Training Guide Index Introduction What Can I Train? How much, how many, how often? Experience Point Awards - What are they? Moderation - Whats this self moderation, peer moderation, xGM moderation business? Thread Length and Duration Procedure For Getting Started Noting The Location of a Training Thread Noting When A Training Thread Is A Training Thread Signing Off On threads The Nomenclature Pathways And Limitations In Conclusion Introduction Training is a very serious business in Zinn'Sunn as it is throughout Aelyria. There are certain steps PCs need to follow to go about getting training. Some training requires moderation, some only permission to get started, and others you can just dive in and only need a moderator for 'sign off' approval and awards of XP once the training is done. This guide will help you figure out what my requirements are for Zinn'Sunn, and how we do things in this city. If you have any questions at all please feel free to PM me. What can I train? The truth is that you can train almost anything you want too. This means if you can think up a skill and can realistically write about, and get my permission to do so, your off and running. Most people train in a weapon and then either pick a form of arcana or some sort of tradeskill and launch into their PC's careers. There is a list of trade skills with well-fleshed out formats for training in the Compendium under the Trade Skill section. The same holds true for weapons and arms. All you need to do is click on the Lore button at the top of this page, then click on the relative forum (Arms, Weapons, Trade Skills) and look around to see whats available. Common things such as swords, hunting, disguise, jewelcrafting, glassblowing, horseback riding are located in these areas and are laid out according to what one would learn at what level. This acts as a format guide for everyone's training. However, if you can't find a guide for what your PC wants to do... (Underwater Basic Weaving, Sheep farming, etc) if you can look up enough on the web and at the local library about it, your sure welcome to train in it. Its also helpful to write up a skill for it to put into the Compendium once you learn enough about your topic. It helps for other PCs coming down the line later. There are only a couple of rules on Aelyria about training. First and foremost, you can only have two training threads going on at one time. In terms of activity threads where your practicing a skill, working on a project, or simply having a good old fashioned bar fight… the number of threads you can have going at any one time is unlimited. These are threads that GMs and AGMs will award no more than 1 xp point at a time for. In terms of training threads, there are limits on what you can do simultaneously. Here's the restrictions: Only two training/level up threads ongoing at once. You must complete one level of training before you begin a higher level or use that level. You can only have one training/level up thread going of level 4 or 5 at one time. If you are a hedge wizard (a person who specializes in two spheres), you can have two arcana threads going at once as long as they are in different spheres. Experience Points Awards - What are they? Zinn'Sunn is focused primarily on the roleplay. We emphasis storytelling far more than we emphasis experience points (xp) being awarded. However, as a policy we do award experience points (xp) because they are important for your characters progression in various skills. You can, conceivably, get experience points (xp) for everything your char does that’s not social. If your brawling in a bar, you might get brawling xp, while if your flirting with the barmaid for 30 posts, your probably not going to receive xp for that (though I’ve seen it happen… flirting is as much a skill as rhetoric). With every training thread that you run, you will receive 2 experience points at its completion. With every adventure thread a char will usually receive 1 xp. However, in adventure threads, it’s not uncommon to receive numerous single xp points in multiple things. For example, a char might use his sword (1 xp in longsword ) and have a religious experience ( 1 xp in religious lore of –insert religion here-) all in the same adventure during numerous posts. Below is a breakdown of both Skill XP and Arcana XP. Types of XP awards: Experience: 1 Point for skill use in a thread (requires GM approval) Level up threads : 2 points (requires GM approval) Job Thread: 1 or 2 Points per season (requires GM approval) Intensive Experience: 2 Point (requires GM approval) Experience points are cumulative. You start with ZERO points, train in basic for 2 xp, then use it in a thread for another 1 xp. That gives you a total of 3 xp, which gives you enough experience to start a level up thread to Intermediate/Apprentice. Once you have completed your Intermediate training thread (2 xp), your total would be 5 xp. You need, at that point, another 5 xp to start your next level-up or training thread… ie.. Advanced/Adept. The only exceptions to this rule are Intensive Experience threads. These threads are situations which involve significant risk to a character or shows creative development of the character as well as skill usage. The number of XP per level is as the chart below shows. XP Needed Per Level Level To Be Achieved Experience Points Needed 1 2 2 5 3 12 4 22 5 37 There are no limits on xp points a char can obtain over the course of their time at Aelyria. There is however a limit on how much they can train and at what times. Mainly those limits (besides the fact you can only have two going at once, which we already mentioned) involve the time that it takes to complete a thread. Moderation - Whats this self moderation, peer moderation, xGM moderation business? Moderators are just another way to say 'storyteller'. A storyteller is the person that guides the thread, helping the others involved tell the story. There are several types of moderation. GMs or Game Masters can run the tale. In that case, anything they want to do to the PCs involved is fair game as long as its justified. Peer moderators are those folks that volunteer to tell someone else's story (Be it a training thread or anything else). Peers need special GM permission to do this, especially if they are giving out rewards (all rewards need to be GM approved) or using dangerous NPCs that they need permission to. Self-moderators are those folks that just write for themselves. Self Moderators love to tell stories.. and much like the Peer moderators, they need to ask GM permission to self-moderate something and to give any rewards out. It's highly frowned upon to give oneself a reward as a self-moderator. However, there are hard and fast rules on what ranks and levels you can self moderate or peer moderate for. The upper ranks get tricky, lengthy and difficult and thus are normally reserved for GM moderation only. Moderating Threads Stage 1 – Stage 3 : self-mod, peer-mod or xGM can Moderate Stage 4 - Stage 5: GM Only Most cities have a 'Moderation Exchange Center' to get people together who want to either find a moderator for their threads or want to moderate someone elses. Zinn'Sunn is no exception. The Zinn'Sunn Moderator Exchange Thread Length & Duration This process varies a great deal. As a rule of thumb, we like to see 10-15 posts (depending on size… if they are short quick posts, your threads must be a great deal longer) for basic threads. Intermediate threads are longer (usually double), and even higher threads even longer. There is no hard fast rule to length. We simply want to see quality quality quality. Also, when your talking about Fluid Time (FT), each training session needs to keep FT in mind, and one must realize that they seriously need to not post an upper level training thread so that it takes place all in one day. The higher in stages or ranks one goes, the more fluid time it takes to finish that rank. Length Of Actual FT Passage For Training - When am I done and can use these new skills? Arms Time Arcana Time Trade Time Basic One Cycle Initiate One Cycle Apprentice One Cycle Professional One Month Apprentice One Month Journeyman One Month Elite Two Months Adept Three Months Master Two Months Master Three Months Master Six Months Sage Three Months Grandmaster Six Months Archmage Twelve Months Authority Six Months In terms of training, you must fully complete your training skill in order to be able to use the skills taught within that thread. Meaning, you can swing your sword in a bandit attack if your still working on your basic longsword, but the moderator will not consider you having basic longsword until your basic long sword thread is complete and given a xGM stamp of approval. In the case of Arcana, you must completely learn the spell in thread and complete the training thread before you are allowed to use spells learned in training threads. If you use the spell, and have not completed the training level the spell was part of, you run the risk of having serious back-fires/death/maiming/GMs yelling at you. If your training thread is abandoned and never completed, YOU DO NOT KNOW THE SPELL. All Fluid time must be lined up appropriately, meaning you cannot use the spell at an earlier date than you learned it in fluid time. Procedure For Getting Started First, decide what you want to learn. Then check to see if it has a writeup in the compendium (lore button). If it does, you are good to go. If not, do some research and get your T's crossed and I's doted. Once thats done, find a peer moderator or decide to self moderate if you can't get myself to moderate the thread for you... aka if I'm too busy. Next, send me a PM letting me know your starting, and who's moderating. I will let you know its okay to get going on it, and then you can begin. Once you finish posting the thread, PM me back, I will look it over, and award your XP. There is no time length to posting. You can post all in one day (so long as it covers the right amount of FT for its level) or take an entire year. The game is played at your own pace. Feel free to pick that pace and decide for yourself whats right. Noting The Location of A Training Thread Please note, within your thread at the top near the timestamp or within the threads’ title, the location of your thread. For example: (Title of thread ) [The Wolfmoon Tavern] Looking For A New Song This title notes the scene is the crown and inn tavern (its also nice to cut and paste in a quote the description of the location if you aren’t using the main location’s thread) Indicates what’s going on in the thread (probably violence in this case) Or alternatively… (Title of thread) Looking For A New Song Then in the first posting of the thread you put the TS at the top. Then directly beneath that put [Location: Crown And Inn Tavern] Noting When A Training Thread Is A Training Thread Please note when a thread is a training thread by putting a box code on the right hand side of the thread at the very top listing what level and what skill or arcana is being attempted. Here's the code for it. [box=right] [b]Training[/b]: Level Skillname [/box] And here's your example beginning post with training thread notation listed at the top right. TS: Sometime in Optia, Summer, Era II, XIV (pf) It was a dark and stormy night, well suited for learning the ways of the forest and survival out in the elements... Signing Off On Threads Once your done with your training, send me a PM and I will look over your thread and approve it. Approval consists of a post at the end of your thread that looks something like this. I always use blue because I think it looks nifty. Apprentice Survival Approved! +2 XP Great Job! The Nomenclature There are three types of training: Arcana, Trade Skills and Weapons. Each rank or level in each of the three types has a different 'title'. Some of these titles overlap. Hence, its good to know about this chart for clearing up confusion. Rank Titles Level Arms Arcana Trade 1 Basic Initiate Apprentice 2 Professional Apprentice Journeyman 3 Elite Adept Master 4 Master Master Sage 5 Grandmaster Archmage Authority What do these levels mean? Its simple really. They are justifications of what a PC knows and what those skills can do for that PC and those he or she cares to use them on. Listed are practical explanations of each level: * Level 0: You know nothing, but can pick up the tools of the trade, be it weapon, needle or hammer, and try things without guidance. May or may not succeed in doing anything useful, depending on transferable concepts from other skills. * Level 1: Preparatory learning, the acquisition of essential and useful techniques and knowledge. A newly trained but inexperienced soldier, a student at the end of his university education. * Level 2: Competent, useful & money making. Workmanlike. The tavern/restaurant chef, the average soldier who has field experience, the coachman, the average arms master (who might have ancillary skills such as education, compared to the soldier.) A cocktail waitress, a teacher, a groom, a valet. An experienced apprentice or an average master blacksmith. * Level 3: An outstanding man in his field, a cut above the rest. The veteran and talented soldier, the successful and rich con-man, the horse trainer who might be called a horse whisperer, the Olympic athlete. * Level 4: Masterful and once in a lifetime, cutting edge of progress in the field, does everything seemingly effortlessly. What you see in the movies! * Level 5: Legendary, craft changing attitudes and innovations. The embodiment of that particular skill. Your basket weaving powers are unmatched, they make people pay you a fortune to own a piece, and people wear your special weaves as armor! Pathways and Limitations And finally, in order to cut down on those uber godly PCs with too many skills and players with too much time on their hands... Aelyria has rules in regards to how much training a single PC can have. Those rules are simple. A PC must pick a pathway and stick to it. Those You can follow one of the following skill pathways. Yes, one. Not all, not a combination of your own making. You can follow just ONE of the following below: (5/4),3/3/2(infinite); in this skill path, a very hard working person might maintain several career skills, and be at the peak of their game regarding their main skill, which will constantly oscillate between level 4 and level 5. This is known as a focused path, and is the basic template of maximum achievable levels. 4/4/3/3/2 (infinite); in this skill path, the character has spread his skills more evenly, and is not aiming so constantly high with his first skill. This is known as a broad path. (3/3), 3/3/3/2 (infinite); in this skill path, the character is very similar to the focused path, in that he has chosen to focus on arcana, but attends to two schools of arcana (hedgemagery), the combined might of which is the equivalent to a level 5 skill. This is known as the path of hedgemagery and is *only* applicable to arcana. In Conclusion I hope this helps everyone see how Zinn'Sunn is run within the contexts of the game rules. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to PM me or review the players handbook. Within the players handbook is a section called The Skills Primer. It's located here. I've used a lot of the charts from that writeup to add to this one to try and eliminate some of the confusion. Hopefully I've helped.

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Originally posted in the Compendium, written by Sidhe. The Kemite Contribution "The Kemite People, guided by honor and tradition, have accomplished much in the face of adversity. Having been driven from their coastal homes by the enslaught of the Xet horde, those brave humans who escaped certain slavery managed to find their way to a fertile valley along the River Laroo. Therein they founded a great city that would house and protect the culture and civilization of the Kemites, so that the many deaths from their homeland would not be in vain. The city of Zinn'Sunn rose to become a regional power in the heart of what we know today to be Lauryl Province. At its height, the city-state was a veritable empire of commerce, trade, agriculture, art, literature and culture. Before the Aelyrian Kingdom had even begun its expansion, Zinn'Sunn cuisine was renowned throughout the human world. A rich language that speaks of discipline is only the first stage of attonement, for the Kemites also developed Zinn'ka, the unarmed combat. With a deep, spiritual culture and a society based upon strong virtues and norms, the Kemites joined the Empire on their own terms, and not brute conquest." - Prof. Niferra Iulia Li, "Kemite History 101", University of Aelyria. The Kemites believe that they are the direct descendants of Aslan (Torek in their tongue) and a woman from one of the early human tribes, believed to be the Archaxetanians. The Kemite legends state that the woman, Keme, was a warrioress that fell in love with Aslan. To make up for the fact he could never return her love, he fathered a new human tribe that would always bear her name. The Kemites believe that they are the first tribe of humans to break off from the Archaxetanians. In reference to the legend of Aslan and the warrioress Keme, there is constant debate among both Historians and Theologists as to its validity. It should be noted that the Historians who argue the point are all members of the Church of the Faith. The members of both professions argue that it is much more likely that Orod created the Kemites when he created all other Humans, stating that Aslan is not of a creative mindset and that Keme was most probably the first of the Kemites to come into existence, hence the eponymous name of this subculture of Humanity. They also state that the Kemites most likely created this legend because it is more amenable to their militant mindsets and ways of life. Many Kemites have argued that this tradition is true, but invariably their voices have also been stifled, as they are by far the minority in the intellectual communities. The Kemites were a coastal people that originally inhabited a portion of the lands now controlled by the Xet Alliance. They originally lived in small but beautiful and prosperous seaside villages. Eventually they spread inland, establishing farming villages. The villages in time turned into cities and the Kemites established their historic empire. According to recently written Kemite histories, a race of insect-like creatures, now known as the Xet, came down upon them with an overpowering force. In these relatively new documents it states that these creatures attacked the Kemites, driving them out of their cities, and decimating most of the population, though the Kemites fought valiantly against them. It is said that those Kemites that were able to escape fled to what is now known as the Aelyrian Empire and established the city-state of Zinn'Sunn in modern Lauryl province, while the Xet forced the remaining Kemites into slavery. It has come to light that this is in fact a false history, created to mask what the Kemites regard as a personal dishonour to their race, for an older history states that the Kemites were once unwittingly loyal to what is now known as the Xet Alliance. Physical Appearance Kemite Humans have pale yellow or olive colored skin. Dark black is the usual hair color, though shades of brown are not unheard of, and their hair is almost always straight. The usual eye color is a brown so dark it looks almost black, but other shades of brown and hazel are occasionally seen. They vary in their body build as all humans do, but a very lean and lithe body is the norm. Height ranges from five to six feet, but most, especially women, fall within the lower range. The Kemites are fast and agile, but they are not as strong as other humans and races. This is believed to be in part because of their dietary habits and their training regimes. It is a Kemite tradition to get a tattoo on the neck or chest of an animal or creature they identify with, but it is not a strict custom. Language The Kemish language is not considered to be incredibly complex. In fact it has been stated that the language is much simpler than Charismean. Many who have heard the language have noted that when vocalized Kemish is often a series of very loud and quickly spoken words making the language seem very harsh when, in reality, it is not. Many of the Kemites have suggested that the reason their language is so simple has to do with battle effectiveness. As many a general and tactician could attest, a simple form of communication is best during any military conflict as it helps to avoid confusion. Organization The Kemite lands did not constitute of an empire; rather, their society was clan-based. Marriages outside the clans were not only permitted, they were necessary to avoid interbreeding. Individual clans warred against each other and often clans joined together to remove a particular clan from power. A Clan Lord ruled each clan, and the position was not purely hereditary. Each Clan Lord was selected through a “Trial by Swords” wherein all eligible men and women fought in a competition (not to the death). The winner of the competition became the Clan Lord. Today, Kemite society is still warrior-based, though ultimate allegiance is granted to the Aelyrian Empire and not to the Clan Lord, whom is still selected through the Trial by Swords. Only three clans remain: Draeg R’tol (Clan Dragon), Qishk R’tol (Clan Gryphon), and Vhali R’tol (Clan Minotaur). Climate/Terrain In the now Xet infested lands, the Kemites lived primarily along the coast and preferred warm to moderate temperatures, but the Kemites are adaptable like all other humans. Even today, both extreme heat and extreme cold are conditions to be avoided unless absolutely necessary and the Kemites, for the most part, no longer live near the ocean. They are known to have some mountain top habitations, which are usually temples or secluded martial arts training centers, and often the two are combined. The highest concentration of Kemites is of course in Zinn’Sunn, the city that was originally founded by them. Kemites have also been found in higher concentrations in the city of Arakmat due to the large Aslan worshipping population there, and Mystique as a result of the strong alliance the two cities have fostered. Religion Almost all Kemites follow Aslan as their chosen god, although through patronage to the crown of Aelyria they respect all of the Aetherian gods. A select few of the Kemites have been known to secretly worship one of the Aeternians, but if they are found out they are ostracized or punished for their crime by death. The former is more common, as loss of honour is considered worse among the Kemites than death. Religion is an important aspect of Kemite society, and is not taken lightly. Though the Kemites as a whole are very religious and honour bound people it has been noted that in their beliefs they are not entirely unified. Each of the three different clans has a different interpretation on what it means to be a true Aslanite. Every one of them also has a different view on honour. As with many other groups in history and the present day, Kemites find themselves fractured because of religious disagreements. Combat The most common weapons among Kemite culture are tantos, katanas, yaris, and wakizashi. The modern day katana did not originate with the Kemites, but rather with the Elves, who refined the predecessor of the Katana. Occasionally a Kemite warrior will use a long or short bow, but the swords are more usual. The lighter swords allow them to use their speed and agility to its full extent. Most Kemite warriors will commit themselves to one weapon, to allow themselves to train up to the master level. The Kemites have been renowned as excellent martial artists, cited as creating the unarmed art of Zinn’ka. The Darui’Torek, which roughly translates into “Aslan’s Warriors,” were the elite Kemite warriors. Strict and difficult training was required for admittance, though not all that completed the training were allowed to join. A final test of battling against one of the existing Darui’Torek was requisite; the trainee had to win. The Darui’Torek served the entire Kemite population and lost their own clan identity. The Darui’Torek not only protected all Kemites, they settled disputes and in effect became the ruling party of the Kemites. The Darui’Torek still exist in the modern Aelyrian Empire, though not in the same capacity. For most young Kemite warriors, becoming a member of their race's elite force was a childhood dream, if not one that accompanied them into adulthood. Racial Prejudices A century after the founding of Zinn’Sunn, the Orcs unleashed a violent attack upon the Kemites, from which their deep hatred for Orcs spawned. The Orcish horde stole all that they could and destroyed the Kemite's arts and other aspects of their culture, as well as killing women and children and taking the Kemites as slaves. The Darui’Torek and other Kemite warriors ambushed the Orcs as they left through the gates of the city. Very few Orcs survived the attack, but approximately half of the Kemite warriors involved died as well. Kemites also have a deeply rooted fear of Dracons, but it stems from fear of the Dracons’ innate abilities rather than from the Dracons themselves. On more than one occasion, Dracons disguised as Kemites were found within the ranks of the Darui’Torek, the most sacred Kemite society, and were killed for their deception. Honesty is an important Kemite value, and taken very seriously. Consequently, the actions of the few have been made into the racial stereotype that Dracons are not to be trusted. As a result of their worship of Aslan, Kemites have deep respect for the Dorins. They believe them to be honourable, disciplined warriors and unwavering in their faith. Elves also hold particular favour among Kemites, specifically for their help in the refinement of the Katana and various other weapons of Kemite origin. Special Abilities or Weaknesses The Kemites, like all other humans, can master any ability with enough practice and training. The Kemites have a practiced chant, “'Torek Aldaine qor'u cha ae runak foray ae qilkaru!” which in Common Aelyrian translates into “Honored Aslan give me strength to defeat this evil that I face!” It is rumored among the Kemites that when a Kemite chants this phrase they receive divine aid, but this has never been proven. Kemites are excellent swordsmen and martial-artists. Many spend their whole lives honing a particular skill to utter perfection. Some Kemites have the aptitude for the arcane arts, and their preferred sphere is Mysticism; however, occasionally the other spheres are studied. The concept of Honour is valued and comes to play in all of their martial arts and swordsmanship. Kemites have a large intolerance for cold weather and are wary when it comes to drug use due to historical issues of dependency. The Kemite are a proud people, who seek a balance of the mind, body, and spirit. This demand of perfection has led some Kemites to insanity, in a few infrequent cases it has been determined to be the cause of religious conversion, such as the situation with the Aeternian worshipping Kemites.