Exotic realm cultures

[songqu88@gmail.com]

What are your opinions on Nothoi (the secession from Bara'Khur, which basically means children with questionable parentages)? I think it is some "free state" that has Greek influences.

[Vellos]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Iro's ruler (you) also the founder of the faith? Pretty easy to mix the both of them when it's the same person that leads both.

Wrong on every count.

I was not Qyrvaggism's founder; at least not in the technical sense. Another player clicked the button. We were trying to be the first game religion: Path of the Dragon beat us by a few hours I think. However, Qyrvaggism is now, I am almost 100% sure, officially the oldest surviving religion. One of my characters was an early prophet, yes, but that was not while another of my characters was King of Irombrozia. Originally, Marc Keithson was King of Irombrozia, and Amekal was the Prophet of Qyrvaggism. Later on Hireshmont became king, after a few in-betweens, including Baiko Hyral, but it wasn't long into Hireshmont's reign that Amekal passed away. Before he died though, I appointed a successor, Sendan Falcore, who is not my character. Then, later on, Hireshmont was replaced as king by Anselm Recena, who was followed eventually by Scurtingbord Sworde.

Marc, Baiko, and Hireshmont were all very pro-church, though my character Amekal often harassed his cousin Hireshmont about his failures to be a properly warlike Qyrvaggian king. Then once Amekal was replaced by Sendan, a Riombaran (albeit one sympathetic to Irombrozia), dynamics changed. Sendan obviously couldn't condemn the governing power of Qyrvaggism's holiest sites, but he also had to claim spiritual leadership. The end result was... pretty bland. Qyrvaggism started to die well before that, and Sendan's early days saw a resurgence... it was a long decline. There was a brief revival under Anselm, but it didn't last very long, largely because there was a multi-swarm that tore Irombrozia apart.

Scurtingbord was pro-church, but also had no great aversions to surrender. So Iro surrendered to Rio, and it has been constant decline in Qyrvaggism since then.

When daimons conquered Irombro and Bolkenia and destroyed our holy sites, I considered launching a sort of "Jewish diaspora" type feel to it, since the temple in Irombro and Bolkenia is kind of a huge deal for Qyrvaggians. But what with the drama around the Meridian Republic, I never really got around to it. My current character in Rio doesn't really fit with all that yet in RP terms, so we'll see.

[Chenier]

Wrong on every count.

I was not Qyrvaggism's founder; at least not in the technical sense. Another player clicked the button. We were trying to be the first game religion: Path of the Dragon beat us by a few hours I think. However, Qyrvaggism is now, I am almost 100% sure, officially the oldest surviving religion.

Then this line from the wiki leads to confusion:

Hireshmont Vellos- First prophet, converted Baiko, 1st missionary Primus, was excommunicated for heresy, forgiven and allowed to return

Edit: As does every other Qyrvaggism page I stumble upon... They all say Hireshmont Vellos was the first prophet, and imply that this means he was the founder. They even go on to detail how it all stems from his visions from back on the East Continent...

[Vellos]

Ah, yes. He was the first "Prophet of Qyrvaggism," but that was before religion started IG. And that was really only for a fairly short period of time. You will note he was later excommunicated. The highest position he held in the church after that was during Anselm Recena's reign, when he was Missionary Primus.

It is a bit confusing, I guess, but "Beluaterran Qyrvaggism" never had Hireshmont Vellos in a position of enormous ecclesiastical power.

Bethany Darkwaggler was the lord of Bolkenia, and actually founded the religion. Amekal was quickly made its liturgical head.

Hence:
"Bethany- A grand priest and great preacher who converted many, helped define many doctrinal points, legal founder"

It is confusing, however. I'm not very sure how to clarify it, though.

[Chenier]

Ah, yes. He was the first "Prophet of Qyrvaggism," but that was before religion started IG. And that was really only for a fairly short period of time. You will note he was later excommunicated. The highest position he held in the church after that was during Anselm Recena's reign, when he was Missionary Primus.

It is a bit confusing, I guess, but "Beluaterran Qyrvaggism" never had Hireshmont Vellos in a position of enormous ecclesiastical power.

Bethany Darkwaggler was the lord of Bolkenia, and actually founded the religion. Amekal was quickly made its liturgical head.

Hence:
"Bethany- A grand priest and great preacher who converted many, helped define many doctrinal points, legal founder"

It is confusing, however. I'm not very sure how to clarify it, though.

To  me, this mostly says that it mattered little that another pressed the link.

[Madmonk77]

Strange nobody mentioned the Elves of Sirion on East Continent.

Those are the only "magical" or out of this world beings on the whole BM that Tom approves.

Usually they are categorized as "Tree Lovers" or "Tree Huggers" (I love the second one) even thou I'm part of Sirion I play descendants of Oligarch (supposedly half orcs and orcs), just love the dilemma of helping those who are by nature my race enemies.

Who remembers something about Oligarch? they where orcs right?

[Thunthorn]

Real life age of Vikings was about 800 AD to 1050 AD...

[songqu88@gmail.com]

Strange nobody mentioned the Elves of Sirion on East Continent.

Those are the only "magical" or out of this world beings on the whole BM that Tom approves.

Usually they are categorized as "Tree Lovers" or "Tree Huggers" (I love the second one) even thou I'm part of Sirion I play descendants of Oligarch (supposedly half orcs and orcs), just love the dilemma of helping those who are by nature my race enemies.

Who remembers something about Oligarch? they where orcs right?

I think for that case, it's not so much "exotic" as "fantastic".

[De-Legro]

Strange nobody mentioned the Elves of Sirion on East Continent.

Those are the only "magical" or out of this world beings on the whole BM that Tom approves.

Usually they are categorized as "Tree Lovers" or "Tree Huggers" (I love the second one) even thou I'm part of Sirion I play descendants of Oligarch (supposedly half orcs and orcs), just love the dilemma of helping those who are by nature my race enemies.

Who remembers something about Oligarch? they where orcs right?

Actually the Evles are the only non human race that Tom allows, and even they are only allowd by a grandfather clause. My understanding was this clause was supposed to see the elves die out as the old existing elf characters retired, but there has been much debate about this. As far as other races go, they just don't exist anymore.

[songqu88@gmail.com]

There was recently some sort of clarification that characters created in Sirion can be elves, and can only have that status so long as they remain in Sirion. But for the final say, ask Tom. 

[^ban^]

Come to think of it, the undead utterly failed at destroying any realms.

You can't fail something that isn't one of your goals.

Usually they are categorized as "Tree Lovers" or "Tree Huggers" (I love the second one) even thou I'm part of Sirion I play descendants of Oligarch (supposedly half orcs and orcs), just love the dilemma of helping those who are by nature my race enemies.

Who remembers something about Oligarch? they where orcs right?

Members of Oligarch were called orcs by Sirionite elves as an insult without any reflection on their actual race. Orcs as a race have not existed (to my knowledge) in BM at all, though it is possible they were once around in early '03.

There was recently some sort of clarification that characters created in Sirion can be elves, and can only have that status so long as they remain in Sirion. But for the final say, ask Tom. 

See the OOC note on the "Elves" page of the wiki. That was all the clarification I was able to glean from Tom on the subject at the time.

[loren]

Members of Oligarch were called orcs by Sirionite elves as an insult without any reflection on their actual race. Orcs as a race have not existed (to my knowledge) in BM at all, though it is possible they were once around in early '03.

It was more an epitaph, though strictly speaking they were a 'race' in the sense that they looked different.  But just like the 'elves' they're all human.  Personally I always loved the 'orcs' versus 'elves' bit.  Speaking as the first Orc King after the reboot of course.

[Anaris]

It was more an epitaph,

...you mean epithet?

[loren]

...you mean epithet?

  erm yes!

[The Arch Saxon]

There are a lot of unique realms in Battlemaster, though more of them go unnoticed than they should do.

Firstly I would mention Thulsoma, though it seems most don't actually know the culture, judging by conversations I've had, when they mostly assume the realm has a Saxon culture, which, ironically it is far removed from. Thulsoma is more of a mish mash of concepts, the devout religious extremism, the complicated belief in honour, combat, loyalty, the Anglo Saxon virtues, it even has quite a few Asian influences and cultural ideals. I still have much of the stuff to put up on the wiki, largely in regards to vast annals of roleplays I have saved on my laptop, all the Saxon Stormland/Anglo Saxon Chronicle stuff, and a lot more of the religious stuff.

Secondly, I would have to mention Averoth, which I notice hasn't been mentioned yet, they have a very interesting realm concept as being a Free State, and what truly makes them a Free State, and what they expect of their nobility, and their stance on things like religion, war, trade and government systems such as monarchies. Averoth is very underrated for this, which is somewhat understandable as its not been a major player for its entire existence, and now it is set to get far more interesting, there is a massive culture clash between the Saxons, and the Averothian's, as we disagree entirely on concepts of religion, honour, virtue, war, trade, soldiering, loyalty, just about everything really. Sextus and Haruka are a strange "couple" as well, they contrast each other well (Sextus being another unique character, that is really under represented) but both absolute rulers of their own Strongholds and realms, with a great deal of loyalty from their followers. Averoth and Thulsoma were confederated, and I always toyed with the idea of Haruka and Sextus doing a pseudo sort of King/Queen thing, with opposing strongholds on either side of the Stormland's. Me and Sextus, did have a wide variety of hilarious and fun Roleplays planned, though most we never actually did.

For a third realm, I have to mention Norland, it may not have been the most unique (As many say its just a copy of Makar) but the realm has always had a vibrant player base and roleplays, I've been in the realm since 2004, till it was destroyed, and it always had some manner of hilarious Roleplays, and it shall always go down as one of my all time favourite realms.

Some people have mentioned Arcachon, and I would agree, but I feel Arcachon has become much more of a "regular" realm, than one with a distinct culture and realm concept, particularly of recent years we have slowly gravitated towards the common sort of realm you find in the game. That said, we have a very well developed religion and Clan culture. Some people also mentioned Nothoi I think, well the realm is some what unique, but we really have not got much in the way of culture or Roleplay sorted. That said, it's quite amusing that Nothoi is the ancient Greek plural for Bastard, and our ruler is called the Diadochi, which means successor.