MMCL AUC - A familiar, yet different world

[Corneel]

It's been over two millennia since the Eternal City was founded. Now it's but a shadow of its former self, no longer at the centre of an empire. Still, however deformed and diminished, the legacy of the Roman Empire lives on.

To the north lie the vast extents of a new empire, a Holy Romish Empire, stretching from the Pyrenees mountains to the Baltic shores and from the Germanic Sea to the Pannonian Plains. Though ruled by the descendants of Germanic warrior-kings, it's founded on the faith of the Gods of Rome. Much divided, it is still our best hope for a continuation of the traditions of Rome.

To the east, in the lands of the Hellenes, lies Constantinople, once a worthy successor to Rome, but now capital of a realm that can only just call itself Empire. Its patriarchs might consider themselves the true guardians of the Romish faith, but their influence reaches barely father than that of the so-called Emperors that host them.

To the south and south-east lie lands that once were subject to the glory of Rome, now subject to the deviant doctrines of the so-called "Law-Giver", but whose Caliphs pretend to be successors to the Emperors of Rome.

To the west lies the Iberian peninsula, home of the mighty Berenguer Kings of Catalonia and Sicily and the Spanish League who reconquered so many lands for the Romish Faith.

And then there are the lands beyond: the Haldan Domains of Britannia and the Icy North, the Tartary Steppes, the mysterious continent of Aethiopia and Westernesse, land of the Elves, beyond the Atlantic Ocean.


Notes:
1. In my native language, Dutch, a difference is made between "Rooms" and "Romeins" which doesn't exist in English (or German, or French). "Rooms" refers to the religion of Rome - in our world catholicism - as in "Rooms-Katholiek", Roman-Catholic, or yes indeed, het "Heilige Roomse Rijk", the "Holy Roman Empire", while "Romeins" is used as the adjective for either the city of Rome, or the (secular) Roman empire(s). I like this distinction between "Rooms" and "Romeins" and therefore I use "Romish" as an alternative to "Roman" to signify "following and/or appartaining to the religion of Rome".
2. This is an introductory post. I'll add to this when and if I can. Still, it's very much a draft thing so don't feel bad about posting and breaking up the flow.

[Corneel]

The Gods of Rome

Dei Consentes, or the Twelve

Note: It should be noted that the current Dei Consentes are different from the classical Dei Consentes (who are now known as Dei Consentes antiqui).

Sol Invictus, the Unconquered Sun, Emperor of Gods & God of Empire, Ruler of the Heavens, Supreme Judge, Lord of Law, Smiter of Mages
Spheres of Influence: Sun, Heavens, Order, Civilization, Rulership, Legal Authority (Imperium), Law, Anti-Magic

Sol Invictus, the Sun God, is seen as the leader of the Romish pantheon and the patron of order and civilization. As such he has assumed many aspects of Jupiter, who is now considered an aspect of Sol. All followers of the Roman religion make at least some token worship, but he’s most popular with the upper classes and people in a position of authority.

Since magic, and especially arcane magic is seen as a threat to ordered civilization, Sol is also concerned with protection against magic and the fight against its abuse.

His main symbol is the Eagle of the Roman Empire, though the solar cross and Greek cross are also used. All of these symbols are used by the peasantry to ward of the nefarious influences of sorcerors and witches.
His colors are gold and (imperial) purple.

Vesta, Maiden and Mother, Goddes of Home and the Hearth, Mistress of the Cooking Fire, Gentle Flame, Protector of the Family
Spheres of Influence: Home & Hearth, Family, Married Life, Tradition, Hospitality, “Homely” Crafts (especially in textiles), Cooking

If Sol Invictus stands for the Roman heritage in its official and imperial forms, then Vesta represents the more informal traditions of home and family, of hospitality and the hearth. Of the Twelve, she is easily the deity that has kept the most Roman character. As most everyone has a home, however humble it might be, the worship of Vesta is widespread.

In view of her spheres of influence, it won’t come as a surprise that Vesta has few adventuring clerics. She might even be considered the deity most inimical towards the adventuring lifestyle. Most famous among her clergy are the Vestal Virgins: women, often from important families, devoted to the goddess from a young age, that take vows of chastity and live secluded in her temples. While they have some unique responsibilities among the clergy, a.o. keeping the Holy Hearth lit at all times, they are not Vesta’s only clergy, and in fact are a rather small, if important, minority.

Her symbol is the hearth, often simplified to a triangle pointed upwards, and her colours are orange and brown.

Neptunus, King of the Sea, Lord of Waves and Wind, the Divine Source, Landshaker and Wavemaker, the Moody One, Thunderer, Rainbringer, Horselord
Spheres of Influence: Water, Sea, Naval Travel, Wind, Weather (especially Rain), Marine Animals, Horses, Earthquakes

Neptunus is first of all known as the God of the sea, and thus mainly worshipped by those who depend on the sea and in coastal settlements. But he finds also worshippers further inland, along major waterways in the first place, but as a God of water & weather (and thus rain), most people especially among the rural population find reason to worship him at some time in their life.

For reasons that are unclear, for they lie in the far past, Neptunus is also associated with horses.

As symbols of Neptunus, wavy patterns, the trident, or stylised dolphins are used. His colours are shades of blue, gray and turquoise, basically any colour that can be associated with waters and the sea.

Sachmis, the Mauler, the Lion-Headed Goddess of Courage and Fortitude, Queen of the Battlefield, Divine Lioness, Renderer of the Unfaithful
Spheres of Influence: War, Combat, Courage, Valor, Chivalry

Sachmis, of Egyptian origin, has over the centuries become the most popular deity of war and valor in the Empire, and is especially revered on its fringes. She has a savage aspect, as her nickname of Mauler attests, but her savagery is in service of the protection of civilization. She’s seen as the patron of Knights and Chivalry. As fits with her origins, she’s often depicted as a lionheaded woman.

It will be no surprise that her main symbol is the Lion, that adorns many coats of arms in the Romish world. Other symbols are the sword and the Latin cross that emulates its shape. Her colours are the red of blood on pristine white.

Serapis, Lord of Death and Time, Master of Fortune, the Chronicler, the Seer of Visions, Oracle of the Gods & God of the Oracles
Spheres of Influence: Death, Necromancy, Darkness, Night, Sleep, Dreams, Visions, Prophecy, Fate, Oracles, Divination, Time, Chronicling, Historiography, Recording, (hidden) Riches

Serapis was already of syncretic Hellenic-Egyptian origin when the Romans started worshipping him. In the course of the centuries people kept on adding aspects, perhaps to keep his worship palatable despite his central aspect as God of death. As such he as adopted aspects of Isis, especially as far as History and similar Knowledge is concerned.

Contrary to what might be expected, the Cult of Serapis does not look favorable on the creation of undead, even if it sometimes has recourse to the practice.

His symbols are as manifold as his domains: the raven and the crow, the lich owl, the ten-spoked wheel and the six-pointed star. He has no colours, but black and gray.

Isis, The Kind Mistress, Guardian of Knowledge, Great Lady of Magic, Healer of Body and Soul, Patroness of the Arts
Spheres of Influence: (Controlled) Magic, Knowledge, Reason, Science, Medicine, High-skill Crafts, Physical Arts (painting, sculpture,…), Education, Research, Exploration, Renewal/Rebirth

Of the oriental deities, Isis has always been one of the more popular in the Roman Empire. Even if her association with magic made her suspect in the eyes of some, her association with learning and knowledge remained a positive, especially combined with her association with medicine and healing.

She's also seen as the patron goddess of certain arts, especially plastic arts (sculpture, architecture, ...)

Her symbols are as manifold as her domains: principally the knot of Isis, but also snakes and snake derived symbols, the cross of life, the keys of knowledge and the full moon. Her colors are black, white and (cobalt) blue.

Mercurius, the Many-Skilled, Searcher of Coins, the Trickster, Guardian of Luck, Lord of the Crossroads, the Flashing One
Spheres of Influence: Financial Gain, Commerce, Eloquence (and thus Poetry), Diplomacy, Negociation, Messages/Communication, Curiosity, Skill, Adventuring, Travel, Boundaries, Luck, Trickery and Thieves

Patron of merchants, thieves, diplomats, heralds, travelers, anyone who’s in need of luck, many Bards, some Rangers & Rogues. He's especially popular in Gaul where he's has assumed most of the functions of Celtic Lugus, and the main centre of his worship is Lion, still called Lugdunum in Latin.

Like his skills, his symbols are many: the winged staff, the cockerel, the horned circle with cross, the Pegasus, doves and pigeons. His colors are creamy white and sky blue principally but any pastel colours will do.

Ceres, Corn-Mother, Fruitbearer, Protector of the Plebs, Mistress of the People
Spheres of Influence: Plebs, Peasants, Agriculture, Fertility, Plants, Herbalism, Health and Life

Patron of farmers, peasants, some Druids. Patron goddess of (land) fertility and agriculture. Unassuming, but in terms of actual followers probably the most powerful goddess of them all. Alas, power is not just decided by number of followers, but also quality and frequency of sacrifices.

Her main symbol is the sheaf of wheat or a stylised ear of grain. Her colours are vivid green, corn yellow and russet.

Silvanus, Lord of the Wilds, Shepherds’ Friend, Priapus
Spheres of Influence: (Wild) Nature, Forests, Animal Life, Livestock, Shepherds, Survival, Male Vigor and Fertility

Silvanus is generally seen as the protector of wild places and as somewhat inimical to civilization. Nevertheless, since on the one hand there is still a lot of wilderness in Roman lands, and on the other his other attributes (especially male fertility) are not easily dismissed, he found a place among the twelve.

His symbol is the Shepherd's Staff, oakleaves and acorns. His colours are deep green and dark Brown.

Diana, the Huntress, Diana of the Wood, Mistress of the Animals, Daughter of the Moon
Spheres of Influence: Moon, Hunt, Wild Animals, Woods, Hills, Survival, Lower class & Slaves, Freedom, Chastity, Child Birth

Diana is the goddess of the Hunt and skill with bows and spears, but also of the moon, virginity and protection against the difficulties of childbirth. With Ceres she's also considered as one of the protectors of the lower class, especially freed slaves. And even non-freed slaves offer sacrifices in her name, in the hope once being freed.

Her main symbol is the Crescent Moon and derived from this the Bow and Arrow, but also Deer and Antlers. Her colours are forest green, moon silver and plebeian russet.

Vulcanus, God-Smith, Lord of the Forge, the Artificer, Stone-Melter, Father of Dwarves
Spheres of Influence: Earth, Vulcanoes, Fire, Smithing, Weapons, Craftmanship, Engineering, Strength

Vulcanus is the god of craftmanship, especially smithing and people working with fire like bakers and cooks, but also of elemental earth and fire.

His symbols are hammer and anvil and his colors are greyish brown, reddish brown and lava red.

Venus, Goddess of Love, Lust and Fornication, Lady of Roses, Protector of the Vines, Bringer of the Rush, Divine Seductress
Spheres of Influence: Love, Lust, Passion, Sex, Weddings, Wine & Alcohol, Feasts, Performing Arts, Beauty, Flowers, Gardens

Venus is the goddess of love, lust, and passion. But she is also the patron of the performing arts (acting, singing,...) and viticulture, or any process that produces alcoholic beverages.

Her symbols are mainly flowers and shells. Her colours are pink, pastelly whites, rosy-red, burgundy and baby-blue.

[Corneel]

Glossary

Aedes:(major) shrine, chapel

An aedes is a stand-alone structure or building that houses a statue, an effigy or other symbolic representation of a deity and often also an altar. It’s usually a single-room building of modest proportions (no more than 30 feet in diameter and usually half that with a height of 10 feet) or a similar sized structure (e.g. a stone circle).

Aedes can be dedicated to one of the Twelve or a lesser deity of the retinue (cohors) of one of the Twelve, but not minor divine beings. Blood sacrifices cannot be validly performed in an aedes and are even considered sacrilege and/or heresy. Other offerings are allowed.

Aedes dedicated to the Twelve are ubiquitous and a town or city that doesn’t have a temple for one of the Twelve, will have at least one aedes dedicated to that deity. Aedes dedicated to lesser deities are less frequent, but towns or cities that have a special bond with such a deity will certainly have an aedes dedicated to them, often within the fanum of the temple of the deity to whose retinue (cohors) they belong.

Alemanian/Saxon: aide; Franconian: eide; Gaulish: éde; Other: ede.

Aedicula: (minor) shrine, chapel (within other building)

An aedicula is a small shrine that’s part of another religious building, usually a temple, church or delubrum. It usually takes the form of a niche within the building’s wall in which a small statue, effigy or other symbolic representation of the deity is placed.
Aediculae are limited in the same way as aedes in terms of what deities they can be dedicated to and the type of offerings.

Aedituus/-a: person in charge of an aedes.
An aedituus(-a) is usually a (low-level) cleric, but can be an adept.

Augur: ranking priest, soothsayer
Any divine caster who is capable of casting Augury and/or similar higher level spells (Divination, Commune) is given the honorary title of Augur. Augures who are clerics are considered to be ranking clerics and can use Consecrate to create a temporary templum.

Basilica Beata: basilica, (large) church
A basilica beata or church is a building dedicated to the worship of all of the Twelve (and sometimes part of their retenue). A church has an aedicula for each of the Twelve and sometimes some of the lesser deities too. Often the aediculae of one, two or three deities are more prominent than the others, depending on the proclivities of the church and/or the populace. Churches are rather large buildings, capable of hosting a minimum of a hundred people and often more, large cities might even have churches that can host thousands.

Churches are usually found in more populous settlements (villages seldom have churches, small towns only if no larger towns are relatively close, large towns and larger settlements usually have a church).

Basilica Cathedralis: Cathedrals
A church is considered a cathedral when it serves as the base church for a bishop (pontifex).

Calator: religious servant, assistant
Calatores are non-spell casters that assist the clergy in their daily tasks. This can be as basic as running errands, or as intricate as copying manuscripts or doing the bookkeeping. They are either experts or commoners. In principle they do not live within the fanum and are not considered part of the clergy.

Cohors: retinue
The Twelve are not the only gods or divinities that are worshipped within Franco-Roman religion. However any divinity thus accepted will be understood to be subordinate to or an aspect of one the Twelve and thus belong to their retinue. Most often they share a major aspect but sometimes the retinue to which a lesser deity belongs has other reasons (e.g. Mars belonging to the retinue of Sol Invictus rather than Sachmis’s).

Cultus: cult
A cult is the whole of rituals, ceremonies and general worship dedicated to one of the gods (normally the Twelve). So by “the cult of Vesta” we understand the act of worshipping and offering to Vesta, as well as the whole of traditions, rituals and people involved in it. As such, cult doesn’t have the negative connotations the word may have in English.

Delubrum: shrine, chapel (to several deities), small church
A delubrum is a stand-alone building that houses several aedicula. It’s usually a single-room building of modest proportions (no more than 30 feet in diameter and usually half that with a height of 10 feet), most often round or square in shape. It’s typical for small settlements that can’t afford an aedes (or temple) for each of the Twelve, though one can also find them in larger settlements in the poorer quarters. Delubra in villages or small towns offen serve similar roles as a basilica beata in larger towns.

Devotio: Vow of Sacrifice
When a person swears a Vow of Sacrifice he promises to undertake a task (which must be related to the areas of interest of the deity in whose name the Vow is taken) and succeed or die trying. Taking a Vow of Sacrifice requires a minor blood sacrifice. If the person dies, his death will be considered as an ultimate blood sacrifice for the deity in whose name the Vow is taken. If he succeeds, he’s required to give a major blood sacrifice in thanks for the success. If the person does not honor his Vow, either by abandoning the task or by not giving a major blood sacrifice in thanks for the success, he’ll suffer the same consequences of not following a Geas/Quest. While under the Vow, any action that contributes considerably to the completion of the task receives a +1 morale bonus.

Fanum: consecrated ground; temple complex.
In its largest sense, a fanum is any tract of land that’s considered to be sacred, belonging to the divine. In a more narrow sense, it’s a delimited area around a temple or church, or the temple or church grounds. Small areas are called fanulum.
In the larger sense, fana include:
- Graveyards or cemeteries (dedicated to Serapis)
- The immediate area around an aedes or delubrum (up to 20 feet from the center of the building). This area is always left open, even when not explicitly delimited.
- Sacred woods or groves (often dedicated to Silvanus or Diana).
- The ground on which a freestanding sacellum stands (no more than one foot radius - fanulum).
Some fana count as being under the permanent effect of a Consecrate spell (with some even having the double bonus due to “permanent fixture dedicated to deity”), but never fanula.

Fas: religiously legitimate
Any action that is not against religious prescriptions can be considered as being fas.

Feria: festival, holiday
A feria is a "free day", that is, a day in which no work is done. No court sessions are held, nor is any public business conducted. Employees are entitled to a day off, and even serfs and slaves are not obliged to work. However commercial activities are allowed and these holidays are often the occasion for holding a market.

While these days are codified into a system of legal public holidays, the feriae publicae, each one of them has a religious motive and is dedicated to one or more Gods. Minor variations in the feriae publicae exist between regions (and sometimes even between cities and towns). The feriae can distinguished in:
- Feriae stativae, "stationary, fixed", holidays which recur on the same date each year;
- Feriae conceptivae, recurring holidays for which the date depends on some other factor, e.g. the agrarian cycle or the lunar cycle;
- Feriae imperativae, one-off holidays ordered to mark a special occasion, either by secular or religious authorities but always in the honor of one or more of the gods.

Flamen: high priest (of a deity)
Main priest in charge of a temple. The flamen also oversees the activities of the relevant cult in the surroundings. Sometimes a flamen is designated to oversee the activities of a cult in a larger region where there is no temple of the relevant deity present. A flamen is always a cleric of a specific deity.

Heteropraxis: wrongful (religious) practice, ritual error
It is always possible to make errors of ritual or committing acts which are nefas without intending to or meaning harm. Such errors can be expiated by means of a minor blood sacrifice.

It should be noted that the things that could be considered heteropraxis for priests and clerics are more numerous than for common believers.

Heterodoxis: heresy
Promulgating ideas that go against or willfully acting against the teachings and rituals of the different cults or the Roman religion as a whole is considered heresy. This includes the worship of pagan deities by followers of the Roman religion.

Hostia: offering, sacrifice
An animal offered in sacrifice before entreprising something (in the hope of success or getting guidance), to reinforce the strength of the deity in question, in compensation for minor acts of heteropraxis or to expiate the family of a recently deceased person. The offering of a hostia is a minor blood sacrifice. Hostiae are therefore usually smaller animals (poultry, suckling piglets, lambs and goat kids, pigeons, rabbits, …). A hostia can be replaced by the offering of its value in coin in certain cases.

Indigitamentum: list of divine names
For each of the Twelve exists a list with the principal (Latin) name of that deity, their alternate names and epithets, the lesser deities and divinities belonging to their retinue, and the alternate names and epithets of those.

Lares: Minor Deities
Lares is a generic term for minor deities. They include the Penates, but also lesser gods of crossroads, sources and streams, and so on.

Lectisternium: ceremonial meal for deity
The lectisternium is a ceremonial meal offered to deities represented by clothed statues or figures. It is a form of offering or sacrifice (though not a blood sacrifice, even if meat was part of the meal).

Libatio: libation
Libation is one of the simplest religious offerings, regularly performed in daily life. At home, someone who is about to drink wine will pour the first few drops onto the household altar. The drink offering might also be poured on the ground (when on a journey for instance) or at a public altar. Milk and honey, beer, water, and oil are also used.

Lucus: sacred grove
In religious usage, a lucus is a grove or small wooded area considered sacred to a divinity. Entrance might be severely restricted and even punishable by death. A lucus is a type of fanum (in the large sense). Luci are usually dedicated to Silvanus, Diana or their following.

Nefas: religiously illegitimate
Any action that is against religious prescriptions can be considered as being nefas.

Nemus: planted wood, arboretum, area of planted trees
While not sacred by and of themselfes, areas of planted trees or orchards often are part of temple complexes.

Penates: Household Deities
The Penates are minior deities, protectors of the hearth and food stores.

Piaculum: expiatory sacrifice, the animal sacrificed in expiatory sacrifice
An expiatory sacrifice has to be offered for major acts of heteropraxis and acts of heresy that have been forgiven by the religious authorities. It is a major blood sacrifice and most often an (adult) pig is used.
The recipient of an Atonement spell must offer a piaculum as part of the spell.

Pontifex: bishop
Bishops, or pontifices, are the major leaders in the Roman religion. They are responsible for overseeing and coordinating the religious activities of the individual cults and general organisation of the religion in a defined area (usually several provinces as defined on the map).
Apart from simple pontifices there exist a few other special pontifices:
- Pontifex magnus: archbishop, a bishop who is also elector of the HRE.
- Pontifex maximus: bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Church.
- Pontifex et princeps: princebishop, a bishop who is also a secular prince (note that all archbishops are also princebishops).
Bishops are usually generic clerics but might be clerics of a specific deity if that deity is especially dominant in the region they oversee. The pontifex maximus is always a cleric of Sol Invictus.

Popa: priest, pope
Popa is a generic designation for a member of the clergy who doesn’t have a specific rank or function. They can be adepts or, more rarely, clerics.

Sacellum: wayshrine, chapel
Any structure, statue, effigy dedicated to a deity or divinity. This can go from a simple solar cross carved out of stone at the side of the road to an elaborate aedes. In a more narrow sense it’s any structure, statue or effigy dedicated to a deity or divinity that isn’t an aedes, aedicula, basilica, delubrum or templum (including household altars).

Sacerdos: priest
This term is used to designate any member of the clergy, without regard of rank or dedication to one or all of the gods.

Sacrificium: sacrifice, offering
The act of dedicating something to the gods for their disposal. The offer of sacrifice is fundamental to Roman religion. We can distinguish several types of offerings an sacrifices:
- Libation: see above.
- Minor offering: anything of some value left at any sacellum (in the large sense). Many sacella have moneyboxes for this simple purpose.
- Major offering: different from the preceding in that the value is at least 1 gp and requires intercession by a priest.
- Lectisternium: see above
- Great offering: as major offering but value at least 10 gp and must be held at an aedes, aedicula or temple.
- Grand offering: as major offering but value at least 20 gp and must be held at an altar.
- Burnt offering: as any of the above but the item in question is burned
- Blood sacrifice: the killing of a living being (animal) in front of an altar. Minor blood sacrifices are of small animals (poultry, suckling piglets, lambs and goat kids, pigeons, rabbits, …), major blood sacrifices are of medium animals (adult pigs, goats, and sheep, calves, …), greater blood sacifices are of large animals (bulls, oxen, horses,…), ultimate blood sacrifices are of humans. However only voluntary sacrifice is accepted in this last case, and ultimate blood sacrifices are extremely rare.
Blood sacrifice can only take place in a templum.

Tabernaculum: tabernacle, holiest of holies, sacrificial place
The part of the temple where is located the place for blood sacrifice.

Templum: temple, the main building of a temple complex; a place for blood sacrifice
A temple is always dedicated to one, and only one, of the Twelve. Minor shrines (aediculae) to lesser deities of the retinue (cohors) of the deity to whom the temple is dedicated can be included in the building.
The shape, general architecture and outfitting of a temple varies from deity to deity, but all are sizeable buildings, often consisting of several rooms. They also include at least a statue or other symbolic representation of the deity and an altar with a place for blood sacrifice (tabernacle).
Temples are normally the only place where blood sacrifices can be made, but a temporary templum can be created by a flamen or other ranking cleric with the spell Consecrate purely for the purpose of performing a blood sacrifice.
Any temple counts as being under the permanent effect of a Consecrate spell (with double bonus due to “permanent fixture dedicated to deity”) and a Hallow spell (the variable spell effect depends on the deity and does not need to be renewed every year).
Temples are normally found in towns and larger settlements. Temples to each of the Twelve can be found in or near any important settlement (large city or metropolis). However, temples of the more nature or rural oriented deities can be found in smaller settlements or even in the wild.
Galloroman: temple; Germanic: tempel; Iberian: templo; Italo-Lombard: tempio.

Victima: offering, sacrifice
The victima is the animal offering in a sacrifice, or very rarely a human. The victim is subject to an examination (probatio victimae) by a lower-rank priest to determine whether it meets the criteria for a particular offering. With some exceptions, male deities receive castrated animals. Goddesses are usually offered female victims. Colour is also a criterion: white for the upper deities, dark for chthonic, red for Vulcanus. A sacred fiction of sacrifice is that the victim has to consent, usually by a nod of the head perhaps induced by the victimarius holding the halter (in case of humans this is not a fiction – effective consent is required). Fear, panic, and agitation in the animal are bad omens.
Victima is a more generic term than hostia.

Victimarius (-a): sacrifial assistant
The victimarius is an assistant at a sacrifice who handles the animal. Using a rope, he leads the animal that is to serve as the victim to the altar. The victimarius severs the animal's carotid with a ritual knife (culter). The victimarius is usually an adept.

[Synvallius]

Did Christianity ever come into being in this world, or is the timeline set before Christ?

[Corneel]

Arcane Magic and the Beyond.

Taints
Whereas Divine magic is reserved for those who are blessed by the Gods or Nature, arcane magic can only be practised by those who are tainted by influences from beyond our world. As of yet the following sources of such taints have been identified. These same sources have been identified as the source of Demons that can be conjured through the magics of the Twisted Tongue.

These taints manifest themselves in many ways and the stronger the taint the more manifestations there are and the more obvious they are.

General minor manifestations include unnatural eye or hair colors (like golden irises or blood red hair). Apart from setting apart the person as tainted, minor manifestations don't have a strong impact on a person's life. And with a little effort they can be hidden or explained away.
Major manifestations will usually have a noticeable impact on a person's life or be more noticeable and less easily/hidden or explained away. Great manifestations will be clearly deform the person in some way and/or have a serious impact on a person's life.

Alacritas Ceraunia - the Thunderous Ardor
Associated with lightning but also fighting spirit, recklessness and berserkers. The pagans of the North associate it with Asgard, the world of the gods of war and fighting.

Demons conjured of this world most often take some humanoid form, usually of warriors in antiquated armor.

Examples of manifestations:
Minor: golden irises, strength bonus if goaded,
Major: berserker rage (will easily lose control in combat or when taunted), hair that constantly knispers with static electricity, attracts lightning (but suffers less damage)
Great: permanent feelings of anger (will have negative consequences for social skills/attributes/abilities/interactions and tasks that require some concentration or calm), battle lust (cannot resist an opportunity to start a fight, cannot resist a provocation to fight)

Caligo Frigida - the Chilling Mist
Associated with cold and the spirits of the dead. The pagans of the North associate it with Niflheim, the world of spirits and Hel.

Demons conjured of this world take the form of spectres, wraiths or phantoms, immaterial spirits that suck the lifeforce out of people.

Examples of manifestations:
Minor: pale or greyish skin, white hair
Major: semitranslucent skin, person is chill to the touch, the smell of the grave surrounds him, can't speak louder than a whisper, frail
Great: person takes on a cadavernous appearance (penalties on physical abilities/attributes and a hit on anything social)

Caminus Avarus - the Greedy Forge
Associated with craftmanship, avarice and material wealth. The pagans of the North associate it with Nidavellir, the Dark Dwelling of the Dwerrows.

Demons conjured of this world usually take the form of small wizened humanoid creatures that look like badly aged children.

Examples of manifestations:
Minor: golden irises, greyish skin
Major: strongly wrinkled skin, greediness, hunched posture, person cannot refuse the offer of a deal (can still negociate)
Great: person becomes obsessed with gaining wealth to the exclusion of anything not needed for daily survival, humpback (with penalties on anything physical, but also social).

Crepusculum Fadanum - the Fairy Twilight
Associated with the in-between, dawn and dusk, the world of the fey, of trickery and deceit. The pagans of the North associate it with Alfheim, the world of the Fey.

Demons conjured of this world are the Fey.

Examples of manifestations:
Minor: purple irises, bright green irises, pointy ears
Major: frail, forgettable face, smell of woods surrounds the person, light kleptomania,
Great: fairy wings, compulsive liar, compulsive trickster


Desidia Beata - the Blissful Indolence
Associated with content, luxurous indolence, mindless happiness and laziness. The pagans of the North associate it with Vanaheim, the world of the gods of fertility.

Demons conjured of this world usually take humanoid forms that might be pleasing to the eye of the conjurer.

Examples of manifestations:
Minor: golden irises, bright green irises, a bit slow (minor penalty on initiative)
Major: unnatural beauty, selfabsorbation/inattention, poor reflexes, poor reaction
Great: sloth (decreased speed, reaction, inititiative, etc.), gratification: person becomes obsessed with gratifying their desires to the exclusion of anything not needed for daily survival

Fax Austera - the Bitter Flame
Associated with fire, hatefulness and the desire for revenge and destruction. The pagans of the North associate it with Musplheim, world of the Fire Giants.

Demons conjured of this world take a humanoid form, often of dark basalt with fiery orange hairs and beards. In the South they are called Ifrit.

Examples of manifestations:
Minor: orange irises, orange haire, dark greyish skin
Major: berserker rage, skin somewhat hot to the touch, skin hearless and smooth as polished stone
Great: permanent feelings of rage (see Alacritas Ceraunia), skin hot as boiling water, destructiveness (pronounced tendency to break things that don't belong to the person when handling them, combined with a desire of wanting to take things from people).

Lustrum Ferum - the Savage Wilds
Associated with wild nature. Were-creatures, especially the more savage ones like werewolves, are thought to be infused with the taint of this world.

Demons conjured of this world most often take on bestial forms, usually a mixture of existing animal shapes.

Examples of manifestations:
Minor: yellow irises, strong monobrow, somewhat elongated canines
Major: extensive body hair, claws, horns, berserker rage, somewhat animalistic facial features, craving for raw flesh
Great: animalistic body parts, permanent feelings of rage (see Alacritas Ceraunia), animalistic mind (penalty on intellectual abilities/attributes/skills and some social ones)


Moles Lutea - the Clayish Lump
This is the world of many forms and deformity, of material chaos. It's associated with trolls and giants and the pagans of the North associate it with Jotunheim, realm of the primordial giants.

Demons conjured of this world can take on any form, but they usually appear in some humanoid form that constantly shifts.

Examples of manifestations:
Minor: mismatched eyes, fingers of irregular length (e.g. middlefinger shorter than index & ringfinger)
Major: relatively minor physical deformities: hands or feet of visibly different sizes, extra or missing fingers, facial features that are not exactly at the right place
Great: facial features that constantly move slightly, cut and regrow: cut body parts regrow, but never exactly as they were (and body parts are more easily cut off)

Ululatus Delirus - the Mad Howling
Associated with delirium and madness. Those who are tainted with the Mad Howling are often insane.

Demons conjured of this world can take on any form, but especially a form that might drive the conjurer to insanity.

Examples of manifestations:
Manifestations of the Mad Howling always take the form of mental problems and disabilities, going from mild phobias or slightly obsessive behaviour to severe personality disorders. However, such mental problems are more often than not a natural phenomenon, and as such this taint is the most difficult to clearly identify. It requires in fact magic to determine whether a mental problems are the result of a taint by the Mad Howling.

Umbra Sanguinea - the Crimson Shadow
Associated with shadows, darkness and dark desires, and the desire for blood. It's the taint that makes vampires and the pagans of the North associate it with Svartalfheim.

Demons conjured of this world take the form of dark feyish creatures, like the redcap.

Examples of manifestations:
Minor: red irises, somewhat elongated canines, pale skin
Major: thirst for blood/desire to drink blood, lovebites (tendency to bite lovers when making love), unnatural palor, claws, sharp hard facial features
Great: need for blood/obsessive compulsion with drinking blood

Note: Other sources might exist, the Beyond is not known for its adherence to rules and anything the DM can think of as a source of magic and demons can be added. However in no case a taint should have mainly positive associations. The Worlds Beyond should be scary and dangerous.

Schools of Magic.

Anima Vaga - the Path of Wander-Soul
This path of magic is mainly concerned with the magics of farseeing, moving from place to place and other dimensional applications.

Congelatus Osseus - the Path of the Bone-Chill
Necromancy. This path is mainly concerned with the revival of the remains of once living beings and similar sinister exploits. It is considered as one of the Dark Magics.

Ens Cardiacum - the Path of the Heart-Being
The magic of healing and physical reinforcement.

Fatum Spiritualis - the Path of the Fate-Spirit
The magic of fate, magic and divination. The supreme form of magic.

Lacertus Defendentus - the Path of the Ward-Arm
Protective magic and anti-magic magic.

Lingua Torta - the Path of the Twisted Tongue
Summoning and conjuring magic. It is considered as one of the Dark Magics.

Lumen Oculatum - the Path of the Eye-Light
Illusion and other senses magic.

Manus Fingentus - the Path of the Mold-Hand
Transformation, transsubstantation and other transforming magics.

Mens Curva - the Path of the Mind-Bend
Manipulation of the mind.

Pugnus Potens - the Path of the Force-Fist
Violent magics, especially concerning flame, lightning and cold.

Sanguis Tenebrosus - the Path of the Dark-Blood
Magic of physical affinity and manipulation of the taint. It is considered as one of the Dark Magics.

Tabes Carnaria - the Path of the Flesh-Rot
The Magic of degradation and corruption. It is considered as one of the Dark Magics.

[Corneel]

Did Christianity ever come into being in this world, or is the timeline set before Christ?

There was this brief infatuation with some Middle Eastern Austere Skygod amongst the plebs for some time around M AUC, but it didn't take. Too Gnomish.

[ReturnOfTheKing]

So, this is post-Roman Empire Earth as a D&D setting? (Said, you know, Captain Obvious )

[Corneel]

So, this is post-Roman Empire Earth as a D&D setting? (Said, you know, Captain Obvious )

Not necessarily (or even ideally) D&D but definitely Fantasy. Some D&D terminology crept in there but I'd like it to be more system independent. E.g. the difference between arcane and divine magic is purely the source of power, not the type of powers (arcane has access to healing magics for instance). On the other hand no magic-user, arcane or divine, has unlimited access to all of the schools of magic mentioned.

For the rest: AUC = Ab Urbe Condita, MMCL = 2150, so equivalent to somewhere around the early 15th century CE/AD (certainly in terms of non-magical technology - late medieval, early renaissance).

[jqavins]

Notes:
1. In my native language, Dutch, a difference is made between "Rooms" and "Romeins" which doesn't exist in English (or German, or French). "Rooms" refers to the religion of Rome - in our world catholicism - as in "Rooms-Katholiek", Roman-Catholic, or yes indeed, het "Heilige Roomse Rijk", the "Holy Roman Empire", while "Romeins" is used as the adjective for either the city of Rome, or the (secular) Roman empire(s). I like this distinction between "Rooms" and "Romeins" and therefore I use "Romish" as an alternative to "Roman" to signify "following and/or appartaining to the religion of Rome".

The lesson in Dutch is interesting but, and this is to your credit, the meaning of "Romish" was clear without it.

In view of her spheres of influence, it won’t come as a surprise that Vesta has few adventuring clerics. She might even be considered the deity most inimical towards the adventuring lifestyle.

It's in my nature, when I see a statement like that, to find or create an exception. Vesta is "inimical toward the adventuring lifestyle," is she? Well, let's see what I can do with that. (Yes, I realize you never said there are no adventurers devoted to her, so this isn't really an exception, but just one of the few.)

I am a simple man of modest means. I'm a farmer, and I give my daily prayers and offerings to Ceres, and also to Vestia for my home and family. When these monsters began to attack our homes, farms, and villages, like all of you, my friends, I was sure that there is a sorcerer behind them. Though I am no warrior, I have strong a arm and, I hope, a stout heart, and I must protect what is mine. I swore a Devotio to Sol Invictus for success in this quest and pray to him every day for strength and guidance. But it is to Vestia that I pray with every breath that she may keep my family safe, that I might still have a home to return to when this is done.

[Corneel]

It's in my nature, when I see a statement like that, to find or create an exception. Vesta is "inimical toward the adventuring lifestyle," is she? Well, let's see what I can do with that. (Yes, I realize you never said there are no adventurers devoted to her, so this isn't really an exception, but just one of the few.)

I am a simple man of modest means. I'm a farmer, and I give my daily prayers and offerings to Ceres, and also to Vestia for my home and family. When these monsters began to attack our homes, farms, and villages, like all of you, my friends, I was sure that there is a sorcerer behind them. Though I am no warrior, I have strong a arm and, I hope, a stout heart, and I must protect what is mine. I swore a Devotio to Sol Invictus for success in this quest and pray to him every day for strength and guidance. But it is to Vestia that I pray with every breath that she may keep my family safe, that I might still have a home to return to when this is done.

That's perfectly acceptable, and I would not even consider it an exception. What this worthy man is doing is not really taking up the adventuring life. It's not going out in the world looking for fame, fortune or exciting things to do, without a care for what will be the next place you're gonna call home. This man is dedicated to his home and while he goes out in the world on a quest, it's a quest in which his home and its protection are central. Vestia can get behind that, and in small ways make it easier for him to find some hospitality on his journey.

Also, I updated the descriptions of the deities with Spheres of Influence, and the description of the taints with examples of manifestations of the different taints.

[Corneel]

Races and Cultures
(incomplete)

The dominant race, at least for most of the world, are humans. With the (probable) exception of Westernesse (Terra Occidentalis/Transatlantica), humans rule the world. Other races might have their small niches and a small realm here or there or some barbarian wilds where they are in the majority, but humans rule the larger realms and empires.

This dominance, combined with the spread of Humans all over the world also means that Humans show the largest variety in cultures. However, while other races in general have a more limited geographical spread, subpopulations are often more isolated which can give rise to strongly differentiated cultures in non-human races. Still, with more limited population, cultural variation, while deep, is not broad (in other words: non-human races will have fewer but often more distinct cultures than humans).

Elves
Elves most probably dominate the continent(s) that lie beyond the Atlantic Ocean.

Little is known about the Elves and their culture. What we know about them is indirect, from inferences and discussions with Elves that come to trade in the ports of Lusitania and Kanuni lands South of it, or via the stories told by Norse Sailors to Frankish traders about their Vinland colonies. This is what we know:
- there is more than one Elven race, but we mostly see only one race, the darkhaired, paleskinned Sea Elves because they are the ones in charge of sea travel and trade.
- they come to our lands to refresh their stock of human slaves, indeed if the horror stories of the Norse are true, humans in Elven lands are treated worse than chattel slaves in Human lands.
- the Elves revere no gods, but they have mystics, not much better than witches, who serve their spiritual needs
- the Elves can use arcane magic without being tainted, or much more likely, being an Elf is like being tainted.
- Elves are comparable to humans in size and bulk, but their facial features are much more angular and their ears are pointed. This gives them in the eyes of most humans a predatory yet somehow charming look.

Humans
As this world is a variant of our own world, it will come as no surprise that humans come with the same variety as is observable in our own world. The following cultural spheres can be distinguished:

The Romish cultural sphere
At the center of this gameworld (though not the center of the world as such) stands the Romish cultural sphere. The most simple definition of this sphere would be: those humans that above all take to heart the heritage of the Roman Empire and the Roman gods. The Romish sphere is characterised by a strong adherence to the Romish religion and a mostly feudal society, highly wary of arcane magic.

Within the Romish cultural sphere one can distinguish the following cultures:
- Carpathian (Dacian): on the border between the Eastern and Western Romish cults, somewhat backward and highly superstitious, the principalities of the Carpathian Mountains and their surroundings are a mixture of western feudalism, eastern despotism and native superstition. While magic is even more feared here than elsewhere in the Romish world, there is no strong presence of the orders that combat magic and heresy.
- Hellene: the remnants of the Eastern Roman Empire and surrounding territories, while Romish in religion they do not recognise the supremacy of the Pontifex Maximus of Rome. Less feudal and more despotic.
- Iberian: the culture of Iberian peninsula is not that different from the rest of the Romish world, but it is characterised by a strong concentration of power at the level of the individual monarchs, with limited power for the nobility and clergy.
- Imperial: the culture of the Holy Romish Empire, strongly feudal and highly suspicious of magic. Power is widely distributed vertically as well as horizontally. Within the Empire a distinction exists between the Northern Germanic cultures (Frankish, Saxon and Alemanian) and the Southern, Romanic cultures (Walloon, Occitan, Lombard and Italian).
- Middle Europe: Mainly the kingdoms of the Poles and of the Magyars and their dependencies and the lands of the Teutonic Order of the Sword, these realms, while large, have only recently converted. These realms are caught between the zeal of the newly converted and the important presence of non-romish minorities.
- Other minor cultures (e.g. Sicilian, Slavonian).

The Haldan Cultural Sphere
To the north of the Romish lands lie the lands where above all nature is worshipped. These are the lands that in reaction to the expansionism of the Romish Frankish Emperors have adapted the Druidic faith promulgated by the prophet and bard Halda. Constituent cultures are the Brythons of Bryneich, Cymru and Breizh, the Gael of Eire and Alba, the Norse of Scandinavia and the North Sea Islands, the Anglians of Eastern Brittania, the miscellaneous tribes of Finland, Estland and the lands beyond and Lithuania.

Overall, these lands are technologically more backward than the Romish lands, but tend to be less suspicious of arcane magic and more willing to allow its use. Indeed the Dukes and Duchesses of Brittany (Breizh) are well known for their arcane capabilities and their warm welcome for those that are persecuted in the Empire for their taint, unless of course, they pose a real danger to the Duchy.

The Allani Cultural Sphere
Inheritor of the ancient cultures of the Middle-East converted to the Way of the Lawgiver (or Kanunism), the Allani cultures are a mixture of ancient civilization and newfound faith, mixing decadent sophistication with religious fervour. Despite this religious fervour, the Allani culture is remarkably tolerant of arcane magic and even revers it to a certain extent.

It should be noted that Kanunism has branched and divided into a number of closely related but conflicting faiths and as a result the Allani can only barely be considered as a unified cultural sphere.
Constituent cultures are the Mazdaist Persians and their affiliates, the Muftist Mesopotamians, Syrians & Egyptians, the austere Yemenites, the Allani of the Maghrebine cities and the Andalusians of Gharnatah and Mursiyah.

The Desert Peoples
Almost entirely converted to the Way of the Lawgiver, the faith of the peoples of the deserts of Northern Aethiopia and Arabia is more simple, austere and less tolerant of arcane magic than that of the Allani. The faith of the Desert People fluctuates between the highly austere Najdan faith of the Bedouin tribes of Arabia to the folksy and superstitious ways of Marabutism known in the Great Aethiopian Desert.

Aethiopia
Little is really known about the continent of Aethiopia beyond the Great Desert. Rumors abound of kingdoms where gold is as available as iron, of realms where men are eaten alive, and of matriarchies where women march on the backs of men.

But one thing is certain: beyond the coasts of Mauretania, the most western Kanuni Kingdom, lie lands and cities ruled by a darkskinned people, the Bagambaya, skilled with boats and honed in trade. From time to time they sail up to the ports of Lusitania, Galicia and even Guiana to ply their trade.

The Lusitanians, who pretend to have rounded the entire continent of Aethiopia and arrived in the southern ports of Arabia, say that these Bagambaya are but one people of several, that dominate the coasts of the continent.

Other peoples - Asia and beyond
To the east of the Romish world lies the vast continent of Asia. Here live the peoples of steppes: Tartars, Turks and Mongols. Once they formed the largest empire ever known by mankind, now they are divided into numerous khaganates which war amongst themselves.
The western and southern peoples are largely converted to the Way of the Lawgiver, but on the steppes the lore of the Lawgiver is strongly mixed with the shamanistic traditions of the Tartars and Turks.

Between the people of steppes, Allanic Persia and the Romish borderlands lie the lands of the Rùs. A slavic people that first was ruled by Haldan (and probable Svea) overlords who united them in a single empire, the Slav Rùs assimilated their Norse lords, then its emperors adopted the Romish faith, and finally the empire broke apart in numerous principalities. Now a distinction is made between the Northern Rùs, who tend towards the Haldan faith, the Kievan Rùs who are the Romish heart of the Rùs and finally the Eastern Rùs who are divided between Romish and Kanuni faiths but are strongly influenced by the steppe culture of the Tartars.

Beyond all these realms lie the manifold Kingdoms of Transindusia, the Empire of Cathay, the mysterious realms of the far Eastern Isles and the continent of the Deadly Monsters.

Westernesse
There might be humans in the lands beyond the Atlantic ocean. In fact, if the main subject of trade of the Elvish ships that arrive in the ports of Lisboa and Ishbiliya can be extrapolated, there must be quite a human population in Westernesse. But by the same extrapolation, we must assume that they are slaves to the Elves, because that is how they are taken from our continent.

The Small Races
The grouping together of these races is not entirely scientific, but it is a cultural artifact. Whatever the justification of this grouping, the different races comprised do tend to get along better than each one of them gets along with humans.

Dwarves
Dwarves stand between 4 and 5 feet tall, give and take an inch or two. At the same time they are stout, with broad shoulders, and densely muscled. This means that despite their shorter stature, the average Dwarf is about as strong as the average human. Their skin is pale and somewhat greyish, while hair color can vary wildly. Dwarves are native to the temperate and subarctic mountains of the Eurasian continent.

Apart from these (rather minor) physical differences, Dwarves differ from humans in many other ways:
- Dwarves have a more robust physionomy and get a +2 bonus against poisons and diseases.
- Dwarves are less susceptible to magical taints, however when they have a taint, 9 times out of 10 it's Caminus Avarus.
- Dwarves are biologically/psychologically predisposed to consider the wellbeing of their clan before their own wellbeing. Or to put it in other words: dwarves are biologically predisposed to anarcho-syndicalism. This also means that they have some difficulty to understand ambition, individual greed, treason of family etc. Dwarves act as if the unit of life is the clan, not the individual. This doesn't mean that they are suicidal (after all the death of a clan member weakens the clan) but it does mean that they are not very attached to their own life if the survival or greater need of the clan would require the death of the Dwarf.
- Dwarves are not very religious, though to avoid problems with the Romish humans amongst which they live, they acknowledge the Roman gods and have adopted Vulcanus in a way as a patron god. Normal Dwarven religion consists of revering their ancestors and so the Dwarves in Roman lands have decided that Vulcanus might be the Ur-Father of the Dwarven race. It is a conceit and no-one is really fooled, but it works enough to let the Dwarves be members of Romish society.
- Dwarves are eminently practical, and lack fantasy. They are quite literal in their language and have great difficulties with similes, sarcasm, irony and similar types of expressions.

Because of their practical mindset and capacity for concentration, Dwarves tend to be rather good craftsman and artisans. However they excel more at execution than at innovation in these domains. If possible they'll delegate tasks of agriculture to other peoples, mainly humans but also halflings, but they do make good goat herders and (to a lesser extent) shepherds. Goats play an important role in dwarven economy and culture and they are even mocked for it, with people insinuating a very close relationship between dwarves and goats.

Dwarves mainly live in mountain villages and towns. The following Dwarven cultures can be differentiated:
- Alpine Dwarves: The Dwarven clans of the Alps are an important part of the coalition that keeps the Helvetian Confederacy independent. Relentless warriors, armed with pike and crossbow, they helped obtain the independence of the Confederacy. But it has led to a backlash against Dwarves in the remainder of the Habsburg lands.
- Carpathian Dwarves: The clans of the Carpathians are tightly knit and engaged in an eternal internecine warfare with neighbouring clans. They are also far more tolerant of magic taints, indeed they actively breed to reinforce any taint that might exist.
- Caucasian Dwarves: Extremely clannish. As their homelands are very poor they don't hesitate to hire themselves out as mercenaries. However, it's almost impossible to hire more than one company of Caucasian Dwarves, since Dwarves of different clans will tend to turn on each other rather than attacking the enemy.
- Norse Dwarves: The Dwarven clans of the Scandinavian Mountains are relatively small and more secluded than those on the continent. Fact is that on the one hand the Norse distrust Dwarves far more than Imperials do, and on the other hand Norse Dwarves have a greater tendency towards arcane magic.
- Pyrenees Dwarves: No Dwarves are prouder of their heritage than the Pyrenees Dwarves. They are less reluctant than other Dwarves to take up a role in the ruling and politics of the realms they are part of. Indeed, quite a few noble families of the realms of the Pyrenees are in fact Dwarven clans, not to forget the most important of them: the Kings of Navarra.

We have no information about Dwarves in the mountains of Asia. But it is almost inevitable that there are Dwarves living in the Highlands that are supposed to lie between the Transindusian kingdoms and Cathay.

Occasionally, a small dwarven clan might move into human lands (usually sending first some scouts before the clan moves). These moves are either towards mountainous lands beyond the traditional Dwarven lands (Appenines, Bohemia, ...) or cities that are large enough to support a whole clan of artisans.

Gnomes
Gnomes stand around four feet on average (with a variaton of half a feet, a feet at most). They are much more slender than dwarves and as such on average quite a bit less strong than both dwarves and humans. They also tend to be myopic, in comparison with humans, and while they have a very good eye for details up close, they have difficulties distinguishing details at a distance. Gnomes also tend to have a fine motor control of their hands and fingers and thus be very adapt at tasks that require some dexterity. They are brown-skinned varying from a light tan to deep nut-brown with lighter colors more frequent in northern lands, and while young gnomes have dark brown or black hair, their hair will start to turn gray and/or white after adolescence.

It is not known where gnomes originated but they are now present in most of continental Europe but also in Norther Aethiopia, Asia Minor and the Allani lands, perhaps even beyond. Gnomes are mostly present in human cities where they are especially engaged in such professions that require some manual dexterity, some learning or intelligence or attention to detail. For example: copyist, scribe, watchmaker, jeweler, apothecary, surgeon, barber, tailor, cobbler,...

Gnomes have a problem, at least as far as their acceptance in Romish culture is concerned. In fact they have several problems:
- though the number of Gnomes that are strongly tainted by the worlds beyond is similar to that of humans, there is a much larger number of faintly tainted individuals. Indeed, it is estimated that around one in three gnomes might have some kind of magical taint.
- Gnomes revere an entity they call the Lawgiver. The texts that their early followers have composed combined with later commentaries form a web of interlocked religious texts that are hard to interpret or decipher for anyone that isn't trained in it. But in any case their rejection of the Roman gods combined with their proclivity for (minor) magic makes them dangerous in the eyes of many. It's only the fact that gnomes are not human that allows the acceptance of gnomish religion in much of the Romish world.
On the other hand, if a gnome would ever convert to a faith that doesn't include the Lawgiver, he will be utterly ostracized by the gnomish community: gnomes won't talk to them and they'll even be erased from population records and family trees. Their faith is strongly linked to their identity as gnomes and in some ways a gnome that converts is not considered a gnome anymore.
In general gnomes are somewhat better accepted in Kanuni lands. It is not know whether the Lawgiver of the Gnomes and the Lawgiver of the Kanuni faith is the same, but many choose to believe so, and that they just gave different sets of texts to follow to different races. Not all believe so though and the Desert Peoples are highly distrustful of gnomes and more extremist factions see them as heretics and abominations to be exterminated.
No gnomes live in Haldan lands, gnomes are seen there as akin to svartálfar or trow and thus distrusted if not actually hated.

Because of their faith gnomes have a great respect for the written word and make an effort to have all of them learn to read and write, illiteracy is almost unheard of among gnomes. Over the centuries this has evolved in a culture that values knowledge and learning, enough that this earns them some respect from the Cult of Isis who in Romish lands mitigate some of the distrust that gnomes are confronted with.

Halflings
Halflings stand around three and a half feet tall, give or take half a foot. While most halflings are lithe, some are bit more stout, but this is usually the result of a sedentary and luxurious lifestyle. Indeed, while Halflings overall are rather lithe, they tend to pack on the pounds when trapped in a lifestyle rich in food. Halflings have good eye to hand coordination and are in general pretty agile, quick to avoid anything that's thrown at them, but rather weak because of their small stature and size. They tend to have brown or black hair, seldom dark blond, and their skin is tan or lightly brown.

[Corneel]

Been working on maps lately so just adding this. The Holy Romish Empire (Imperium Romanum Sanctum) is the amalgam of grey-green (noble), purplish (clerical) and grey-bluish (republics/city states) lands that dominates the middle of the map. Names are in Latin, the language of science and culture in the Western Romish world.

Spoiler: Large Map

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