Society Midgard has many social castes, each with a different standing in society. While there was much infighting between the social strata before the Cullings, the sad state of current affairs has given the elitist classes incentive to fraternize with those who know how to handle a blade. Aristocrats The rich noble families and the King's extended family all comprise Midgard's aristocracy. While the bulk of them reside in and around Prontera, some of the more eccentric elite have made their homes in the smaller towns, preferring to be big fish in small ponds. They hold a great deal of contempt for the common classes, and the feeling is mutual. While combat was traditionally approached as a sport rather than a way of life, in the years after the Cullings, combat has become more of a necessity. Because of their immense wealth, and access to finer equipment, some of the world's most promising warriors have emerged from nobility. Merchants The affluent merchants often emerge from poor backgrounds, and thus do not receive the same recognition in society as the old families, even though many have comparable fortunes. Many reside in the port towns, but each city has its local magnates. The commoners often look up to merchants as providers, while the bluebloods see them as conniving social climbers. Mercantile families often have strong ties to combatants, relying on them to guard their precious goods and escort them on trade routes, though some more ambitious types take up a blade themselves. Combatants The fighting classes all fit into this caste (as do most players). Their backgrounds are mixed, and their occupations vary, as does their social standing, depending largely on the individual's actions, allegiances and lineage. Generally, they are either beloved protectors or feared oppressors in the eyes of the commoners, opportunities in the eyes of the merchants, and coarse ruffians by the aristocracy, though members of the King's Army and the Royal Holy Order of Equistis are often held in a higher regard. Clergy Midgard is a widely religious society, and men of God are held in the highest esteem by most of the aristocracy, though this esteem is tempered by distance; While they are often the first to tip their hats to a priest or priestess, they are the last people one would expect to see invited to a party. Commoners tend to hold the church in the same regard, but many of the less fortunate have chosen to blame God for their lot in life. Commoners On the bottom of the social pyramid lie the middle and lower classes, not necessarily destitute, but far from wealthy. They are the many, and that earns them a modicum of respect in many circles. While nobles look down on the common man, Merchants and Combatants find that they can be quite profitable. Wise merchants always have a line of low-cost goods to service the commoners, and there are always jobs for mercenaries or thugs in the streets. Outlaws These people live off the social map, and are not well-regarded by any social circle. While most are outcast and alone, there are known bands of organized criminals with their own ranks and social standings. The most well-known of these is the infamous Assassin Syndicate, a quasi-legal organization known for taking legal bounties, as well as illegal contract killings. Offworlders There are other lands outside the greater Midgard area, but very little is known about them. There are no major trade agreements or diplomatic endeavours into these worlds, with the sole exception of the Elven lands. Offworlders are regarded with great suspicion by all social castes. Unless these offworlders bring a great fortune with them, they almost always end up as lower-class commoners, the xenophobia around them preventing them from getting stable jobs or social status. Religion The mainstream religions are mostly common knowledge to the people of Midgard. However, some of the more obscure gods, including Elementalists, are known mainly by those who worship them, or have studied religion extensively. In the case of the Glass City, the religion is known only to its followers. Equistan Most of Midgard follows the Equistan religion. Equistis is described as the One True God, the male creator and destroyer. His antithesis is the malevolent Rego Regala, the Demon King. The Equistan church has a major influence on both the political and the social structure of the continent. Their tenets are strict and extremely conservative. While they preach the societal norms such as discouraging murder, theft and rape, there are also slightly more sinister tenets, such as declaring dissent of the crown a sin. For this reason, the Albertan branch of the religion has been officially dissolved, though no Albertan law prohibits individuals from worship. Equistan priests believe their faith to be the only true religion, and never miss an opportunity to inform the public of this. It is the duty of all Equistans to convert any nonbelievers, and some more radical practitioners find no sin in killing those that refuse to believe. In matters of sexuality, Equistans are highly puritanical. Sexual contact of any sort that is not a direct and immediate attempt at procreation is a sin, as is sexual contact between unwed couples, or members of the same sex. Divorce is a highly disputed topic, but the official view of the church is that marriage is a lifetime contract, extending to the afterlife, and those that renege on such a holy vow are doomed to spend their eternal afterlife in solitude. Equistan priests will not perform such sinful acts as divorce, but Pronteran Law has come to accept divorces performed by other religious officials or by a secular government official. Priests are strictly forbidden from having sexual relations of any form. According to Equistan scripture, the Royal bloodline was chosen by Equistis Himself. The King's decree is absolute, and is backed unquestioningly by the church. Justinian Justine is the goddess of courage, often prayed to by knights and crusaders on the battlefields. Often considered by most to be a 'foxhole religion,' only called upon by those in times of great strife, it has nonetheless become a grudgingly accepted faith among the Knight's Guild, and even the Royal Holy Order of Equistis (though the Equistan church remains adamant that Justine is not a true god, but merely a servant of Equistis). Since she is more of an idol than the focus of an organized religion, there are no strict tenets of faith, merely a strict adherence to the codes of honour and to the chains of command into which a follower has been sworn. Raftinian Raftina is the goddess of love and fertility. Her tenets emphasize a respect for all forms of life, flora and fauna alike. This includes societal norms also emphasized by Equistans, but where Equistans assimilate, Raftinians are taught to respect diversity, and even devout followers often delight in open religious debate with their Equistan neighbours. While Raftinians often engage in such discussions in good nature, many have learned that most Equistan priests have no sense of humour. Due to the relative scarcity of Raftinians, they lack an organized church structure, relying mainly on a shamanistic caste. All Raftinians recognize the spring festivals of fertility and the autumn festivals of harvest, though the celebrations vary depending on location. In matters of sexuality, Raftinians are almost the complete antithesis to Equistans. Sexual contact is encouraged, and ideals such as promiscuity, polygamy and bisexuality are considered the norm. Raftinians are solely responsible for the invention of birth control (which has made its way into the civilized world despite the protestations of the Equistan Church). Marriage and divorce are uncommon among Raftinians, and the Raftinian wedding ceremony is preceded by a mourning ceremony of the couple's friends and lovers, lamenting the end to the couple's promiscuity. Raftinians are the only faith to recognize same-sex marriages, though only unions fitting the Equistan ideals of marriage are recognized under the law. Raftinians are generally pacifists, only attacking on the defensive, as aggression is considered a great disrespect to the sanctity of life. Most Elves follow a more subdued equivalent of Raftinian faith. Elementalist The Elementalist faith is the modern incarnation of the indigenous faith of Midgard before the onset of Equistanism. The Elementalists worship the four basic elements of Water, Earth, Air and Fire using a pantheon of four gods. Schtoldark, the god of water, is often envisioned as a giant turtle which holds the world upon its shell. Thus the giant turtle's mundane cousins are revered and worshipped by his followers. In the desert town of Morroc, where water is scarce, even Equistans still fall back on the Old Ways, and pray to Schtoldark for rain. The soil that coats Schtoldark's shell, and in which the fabled Yggdrasil tree roots itself, is the only manifestation of the Water God, Grudiev. Superstitious farmers often pour sacramental wine on their feels after planting as an offering to the Earth God. Star Roe, the Goddess of Wind, is often depicted as a shape shifter. She takes many forms, and like the wind, she can be fickle, bringing about terrible storms or gentle breezes as her mood dictates. Moa Galt is the God of Fire, and arguably the god of rebirth. He is envisioned as a great phoenix, the undisputed father of the mythical race. Like Star Roe, he can be cruel as well as kind; forest fires, and crop-destroying grassland blazes are often regarded as signs of his anger. In modern society, Elementalism is considered more of a hedge faith or a set of superstitions rather than an organized religion. However, there are staunch followers of the Old Ways, who stand behind the tenets, as well as recognized and ordained priests. Aside from the societal norms dictated by most religions, Elementalists have a deep respect for the environment, as well as the creatures around them. They believe every living being has a spirit that must be honoured and revered. Though priests of the religion often devote themselves to a single elemental god, they recognize all four, and treat them with the reverence and humility befitting gods. Their wedding ceremonies are grudgingly recognized under Pronteran law, and though divorce is highly uncommon among followers of the Old Ways, it has been accepted as a necessary evil. The Order of the Glass City The Order is a cult as much as it is a secret society. The Dark Lord is the ultimate personification of the Order's goal; the man-who-became-a-god. The Order deifies him, despite his repeated attacks on humanity. They dismiss these as tests to weed out the weak from the strong. The Glass City is a moniker, referring to the shimmering seal that was once covering the city of Glast Heim. The Order of the Glass City’s origins can be traced back to the sealing of Glast Heim over a millennium ago. Noted scholars in the major cities of Midgard, a few of them born within the human city of Glast Heim, were dispatched to investigate the strange demonic activity within the city, and the subsequent sealing of the kingdom by the elves. Though the official political story was that a demon gate opened in Glast Heim, and its inhabitants were slain, the research team discovered the more grisly truth; that the citizens became demons themselves. This truth was hidden from the people at the time, to the point where the crown attempted to assassinate the entire research team. However, many survived, or passed on their findings before they died. Over time, the findings sank into obscurity, held close only by devout followers, who began to grow enamoured with the idea of humanity achieving the more perfect state of ageless demons. Above all else, The Order strives to benefit all humanity and prepare them for their eventual ascension. However, the weak and unworthy must first be weeded out. The tenets of The Order preach secrecy and loyalty, as well as respect for power in all forms. Followers always respect their betters, and all combat is considered a test of one's physical power. Though there is no shame in defeat, there is shame in achieving victory through underhanded means. In matters of intellectual and political struggle, the tenets are reversed, respecting those who display superior tactics and cunning without falling on the crutch of physical violence. The rules of engagement vary greatly depending on the opponent in question. Outwitting and poisoning a seasoned warrior would be considered dishonourable, as would challenging a government official to a duel and slaying him. Order members almost invariably adopt the Equistan faith as a cover, paying lip service to a god in whom they do not believe to maintain the secrecy of their society. Matters of sexuality and marriage are not addressed at all in their tenets, and are regarded merely as minor matters that can be handled however the individual likes. Sex and seduction are, however, accepted as legitimate tactics for manipulation and infiltration, and masters of the arts are respected by fellow members just as deeply as masters of the blade. Other Gods There are other gods within the history and mythology of Midgard that make frequent appearances, but lack any set church or base of followers. They are often regarded by most as mythological figures, or subjects in local superstitions. If they did have a base of followers or an organized set of tenets, they have been lost in time. Ango Moa is the god of illusion and mischief. He is often blamed for unfortunate coincidences and runs of bad luck. Thieves, Rogues and Assassins believe that he is the source of their powers, and the traditional orders have many superstitions intended to pay homage to him. Ge Ratmos is the traditional personification of death. While some regard him as a god in his own right, others consider him an agent of Equistis, collecting the dead and leading them to the afterlife. While rumours of a death-worshipping cult have always been present, there is no proof to substantiate such claims. The Wolf Gods are extremely prevalent in Midgard's mythological history, and references to them can even be found in historical documentation, particularly Lucied. With such repeated appearances, the fact that there is no organized religion revolving around them is strange, and most likely the result of Equistan efforts. While there is no recorded animosity among the three wolves, they are clearly working with separate agendas. Lucied, the Wolf God of Desire, is fickle and impulsive. He has been blamed in obscure texts for various world disasters, such as the demonic outbreak at Glast Heim, and the eventual destruction of its seal, though it is highly doubtful he is actually responsible for these events. Recently, there have been reported sightings of a giant wolf fitting Lucied's description in Midgard, but these have been mostly dismissed as panic-mongering in a time of great tension. Fenrir, the Wolf God of War, is often depicted as a hulking, brutish man-wolf. Scriptures indicate he assumed the form solely for the purpose of wielding weapons. This sets him apart from his siblings, who are almost always depicted as giant wolves. His bloodlust is legendary, and scriptures blame him for every great war, including the recent Demon Crusades. Guedauvan, the Wolf God of Spite, was always jealous of her brothers' great strength. While her original domain is largely a mystery, it is written that she only gained the title 'Goddess of Spite' after being consumed by the emotion herself. While no atrocities have been blamed on her, there are rumours that the Dark Lord Himself is in league with her. Since the actual existence of the Wolf Gods is largely doubted, such claims do not carry much weight. Elves The Elven people are humanity's closest sister species, but they differ from humans in many ways. Elves are generally taller than humans, with long, pointed ears and an unearthly beauty. While they possess more acute senses than humans, and are generally more agile, humans are physically stronger. Though the two species are considered by many to be intellectual equals, humans have proved themselves to be infinitely superior in the areas of guile and deceit, while the Elves have proven themselves to be better scholars and artists. Elves possess incredible longevity. While only fortunate humans survive past 80, most elves live to be well over 300. However, they mature as rapidly as humans, reaching puberty around the age of thirteen, at which point their ears manifest themselves. After puberty hits, however, their aging process slows to one-fourth that of humans. A 21 year old elf would look roughly fifteen, until they reach their full growth at approximately 40 years old. Elves are largely ageless, keeping their youth and beauty even into their later years, only displaying the signs of old age once they have aged past 250. The Elves reside in three kingdoms; Amatsu, Gonryun and Lou Yang, and are governed by a council of elders in Gonyryun. These elders are appointed in a meritocratic fashion, where the most qualified experts are assigned as ministers of their fields, and all carry equal weight when making decisions in the council. Races Both humans and elves have varied racial characteristics and skin colours depending on their places of origin. Both species originated off world, as Midgard was originally inhabited solely by Orcs, Goblins, and Kobolds. However, several hundred generations in a racially mixed environment has led to a largely homogenous set of characteristics. While some individuals carry definitive racial characteristics, these characteristics are not considered a big deal in this society. Racism is virtually unheard of in Midgard, but species or religious biases are not.