The Nightly Travellers

"We had followed them into the valley, and found there an obstacle course of sorts, made of Areal thresholds. Apparently they train to leave, make, and enter them as a sport - it's no wonder we were never able to catch them."
— Rastann, guard

There are orders aside the speakers that look for wisdom and truth. The Nightly Travellers believe it can be found in the Area, and live almost exclusively there. As the nature of the Area makes reconnaissance nearly impossible, nobody knows what they are doing there, where they camp or live, and where they will come out. Also, since paths are shorter in the Area, they can travel vast distances very quickly, and have thus always eluded capture.

"I will take your daughter with me. She shall learn to weave, spin, and dye the mountainsides and shallow seas."
— Night Traveller Hmakinga

The Nightly Travellers are not the friendly helpers they claim they are. They steal children, to raise them in the Area. People staying within the Area for long often become strange and incomprehensible, and nobody knows what this upbringing does to the children.
When Nightly Travellers leave the Area, they create astonishing, intricate Areal relics of strange effects, and rulers become worried when they are sighted.


Artists' notes
There are a whole lot of other, friendlier orders with altruistic goals, but describing the freakish, strange orders with intransparent agendas is fun. The others will get their time as well, of course. Meeting a Nightly Traveller is like the opening scene of an urban fantasy novel, when you see a modern mage do something incredible with casual ease.

Ghabnah and Turachgekhan

The speakers have entirely opposite (but to the voiceless, indistinguishable) plans how to achieve understanding of the world. Wizards believe that the world will make sense only as a whole, while mages seek to understand each detail first, then assemble them all. Both ways have been codified early in history by the greatest thinkers of their time, who are today's idols of their respective beliefs, Ghabnah and Turachgekhan.

Ghabnah, who is thought to have been a beja mage, wrote the first magical tome collecting the spells strung together from the words of power. This First Book of Magic, or Ghabnah's Book, also contains the principles mages should follow. It is constantly being revised and modernized, and there are different interpretations of her thoughts.

"Look at any one thing and find that it is made of parts. Learn their workings - learn every thing's workings, and you may finally understand the world's workings as well."
— Ghabnah

Wizards follow the teachings of Turachgekhan, a rhu'khach sage, who said that the world is wondrous and whole, and can be only understood if one dares to broaden one's mind to encompass it. Today, wizards are acknowledged as skilled holistic thinkers. Each spell is invented at the time it is cast and has widespread effects.

"Look at how marvelous the world is intertwined, and everything inseparable from everything else. We know the Great Spirit is at the foundation of it all, but we only know this, we do not grasp it - and when we finally do, I believe it will be most grand."
— Turachgekhan

Neither Ghabnah nor Turachgekhan said anything about hating on the other half of the human supernaturals. Some very optimistic philosophers even believe in unification of both schools. The fact however remains that in six millenia, no-one has learned both the way of the mages and wizards.


Artists' notes
There had to be idols among the speakers, and the most important idols would of course be the founders of their way of life. There's much to say about speakers, spells, and the philosophies. It's sometimes thought that maybe spells are "poisonous", because it's only after casting their first spell that speakers are set in one way.

The Eastwesterners

"A few years ago, some wise guy thought if he murdered an Eastwesterner, there would be an open spot for him. It speaks for their skill that the fool survived his stunt. I think they made him a listener as punishment, but that won't improve his chances either."
— Adjila, Gamahanian

The Eastwesterners are the famed defenders of the great city Gamahan. They defend the city first and foremost, while they also have less known objectives. Their honour is legendary, as is their strength; their main weapons are the five-man-bow and the hammeraxe, even the raganaj among them wear full armour and can still fly, in short, the Eastwesterners are a sight to behold.
The Eastwesterners are a small order, with little more than two hundred members at any time. The city council may call upon them, but rarely does, and so the Eastwesterners frequently lend their strong arm to the voices and their unfathomable goals.

"As students we used to imagine legendary warrior team-ups, and we all agreed: The most impressive would be a bunch of Eastwesterners and a handful of Brightholdians. We excitedly shuddered at the thought; I do hope that a need for something like that never arises."
— Renolen Megurin, captain

The legendary feat of the Eastwesterners was the protection of Gamahan during the Splinter War. When the shapeshifter armies invaded, the Eastwesterners were the spearpoint of the counterattack, and their devastating blows, fierce tactics, and unwavering line freed Gamahan within only days; a service the Gamahanians have not forgotten.


Artists' notes
Factions, orders, and guilds are among my favourite subjects in computer rpgs; which to choose, how to balance the sometimes contradictory principles, what ranks to obtain in which order to gain what special feats and skills...
Ever since I learned of the existence of oversized bows - to be drawn lying down and using both hands and feet, with arrows the size of spears - I wanted to have a fantasy element where that is the actual main weapon, and here we are.

The Burners

The principle of the South is new beginnings without compromise or remorse, trying the new and unknown, and the Burners do what they can to follow that. They can be harmless enough, when they form spontaneous choirs in the streets or disturb sessions of parliament that were entirely foreseeable. But also quite bad, when they upset delicate balances, or burn down entire cities to redistribute wealth.

"Burn it! Start new! What do you expect this old thing to do for you? Has it served you more than once? Can it even ever again? Burn it! Free yourself!"
— Burner Tshaklai, to a citizen

Artists' notes
"Köhler" is a charcoal-burner, but it seemed so long that I went with just burners instead. They came up when I thought about what kinds of spiritual currents there would be in Genius Loci, and of course there are those who hold up one principle of the Four above all else. Potentially problematic, when that principle is "starting over, unburdened by the past".

Listeners

Listeners are the voices' armed forces and carry out their orders. Many were voices themselves and trust them implicitly, but anyone can become a listener when approved by the voices; some join the ranks as pilgrimage or for repenting crimes and sins.
Some rulers grant listeners ambassadorial status and help in their tasks, others point out that listeners, other than voices who are utterly truthful, are just regular people and might have their own agenda. The treatment of listeners has been in debate for ages.

"The council doesn't care if the voices send an army of listeners! We will not agree to any search of the catacombs unless we hear it from a voice that they need to!"
— Short Jugiel, councilman

All listeners are skillful warriors, focusing on traditional weaponry associated with the Four, as well as experts in manners and travel. Accompanying the infirm voices is a common task, but they do much more; they seek out collectors, negotiate with elementarians, acquire artifacts... They often hire more hands for extensive tasks.

"No, I have no idea why I am taking a sealed spear across half of Lozir and into the Singing Ryaq. That's what trust is for, and I trust the voices with my spirit."
— Shagruun, listener

Artists' notes
Stuff for legends is what listeners are. Some of the greatest heroes currently alive are in service to the voices, like Vranu Whiteblade. Many of the fantasy settings I enjoy, particularly computer rpgs like the Elder Scrolls, have several orders to join, and the listeners are one of those - handing out tasks of increasing difficulty to the heroes, with appropriately increasing prestige for surviving each one.

Art on deviantArt: Mapper and beja bard

The illustration shown previously for the article on mappers was posted on deviantArt, as well as a new piece of a beja bard that I like very much, especially as I painted animals in that image (there are, oh, so many animals, and I rarely get around to paint any).
Mapper on deviantArt, and mappers on the blog
Beja bard on deviantArt, and beja on the blog

Headless Nakani

When the sometimes imcomprehensible Nakani was called "headless" first, she took the edge off this insult's knife by wearing the nickname proudly. Nakani has been accused of many things, and even freely admits she is at the center of quite a few plots and conspiracies, some of dazzling reach and consequence, like the dethronement of King Mahetbe, or the fall of the Gisterian Stones.

"Headless? No. As you can see. But restrictionless, which is what most people seem to be using the great gift of mind for."
— Headless Nakani

Nakani is a whisperer and powerful in artifact creation, combat, and endurance, and a master with the starblades, a staff weapon invented by the Order of the Violet; it's rumoured she were their leader, but she only admits to being a member. The mysterious order has a house in Agorisai, where Nakani can often be found, but it's unclear if it's their headquarters, although most suspect it to be.
Nakani has six dead husbands, more tattooed signs than signmakers deem safe, no fear, and razorsharp wits and tongue. And she is quite brilliant, and an advisor valued by many rulers.

"By the Spirit, she claims she had made it so that the road crosses the fields, and the echo inevitably met its maker, both eradicating each other. And this was her solution when we asked her to rid us of both the echo and Hetambe, nine years ago?"
— Councilwoman Tangange

Artists' notes
Nakani was fun to design, but first came as the idea of a spokesperson of the Order of the Violet - the very idea there is one, is considered half insane by almost everyone. I like the weirdos who speak almost entirely in riddles but turn out to be right every time, so you inevitably start to listen to even their strangest ideas, because the solutions always work.