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Church of Arteria
Due to the immense cultural and political influence of the Church of Arteria and its role in shaping modern civilization, the goddess of love is currently worshipped by most of the continent. __________
✦ The character can survive a fatal wound after the end of a battle; the chance is equal to the piety score.✦ Ability to use Arteria's talismans.
✦ Access to Einherjar and Paladin skills.
✦ Ability to receive additional effects depending on the chosen priestess the character supports.
✦ Features of this belief (except for additional characteristics) do not work if the character strays from the righteous path.
Cult of Arteria (heretics)[/FONT][/color]
| The followers of this cult are among the long-standing opponents of the Church of Arteria, having existed long before its official founding. According to the beliefs of this cult's members, the cause of the civilization's collapse that led to the era of dark ages was human greed and ingratitude. As they believe, life in a utopia was not enough for some people, and they wanted to rule over others, not simply stand as equals with them. They desired wealth and power not so much to live with dignity, but to live better than their neighbor, which is why they turned for help to the dark gods and demons who gladly provided their services and, over time, did not miss the opportunity to worsen the situation, clouding the hearts of an increasing number of weak-willed people. The cultists believe that to resolve the conflict that threatened the entire world, Arteria sealed herself along with her opponents in the world of the gods, where she continues to fight them to this day. For them, to enjoy life at the cost of the sacrifice made by the goddess and her daily suffering is the worst of crimes. The followers of this cult pursue two goals: the liberation of the goddess and the destruction of all the unfaithful and impure. __________ ✦ The character's attacks and spells can deal lethal damage; the chance is equal to piety. ✦ Chance to perform an additional turn; the probability is equal to piety. ✦ Defensive and offensive rolls against characters adhering to a different belief (except the Church of Arteria) are 50% more effective. ✦ The character will fight to the last, even if his health goes deep into the negatives, but resurrecting him will then be impossible. ✦ Ability to use Arteria's talismans. ✦ Access to Einherjar and Paladin skills. ✦ Features of this belief do not work if the character strays from the righteous path. |
Dakara
| Dakara is a word from the ancient Hekkelian language which translates to righteousness, karma, and honor, whereas the core of the culture and religious beliefs of the people of that time was reverence for one's own family and, especially, ancestors. The peoples inhabiting ancient Hekkelia were very meticulous in keeping chronicles of their family tree and always placed the well-being of their own dynasty first. These customs were particularly pronounced in the lives of the aristocracy of the time: representatives of noble blood practiced incest and in most cases married their close relatives. It was even believed that the bodily fluids of the newlyweds on their first night had healing properties and could heal both bodily and spiritual wounds. Ancient Hekkelia, which occupied the territories of modern Lisliar and nearby regions, was one of the few countries in Visteria that managed to organize itself during the era of dark ages and achieve a long period of prosperity, but even it could not pass the test of time and one day faded into oblivion, leaving behind only fragments of its former greatness, having forever lost the technological and cultural achievements of the past. But despite this, some of the dynasties of ancient Hekkelia continue to exist to this day, still cherishing their family chronicles and observing the traditions of the ancient past, even if they have to live in various corners of the continent and adapt to the customs of other cultures. __________ ✦ When choosing this belief, the player selects one of the available dynasties to which their character will belong, receiving the corresponding bonuses. The character can be of any human origin (except countries of Yamato) and use the national bonuses of the country in which he was born and raised. |
Dynasties of Ancient Hekkelia
Demonology
 | El Isin Founder of the dynasty: Imrud el Isin (1511-1415 before the founding of the church) Imrud, who had no family name at birth, was born into a tribe of nomads who always had to fight for their existence, threatened by both other tribes and various monsters and wild beasts. Imrud, like his brethren, was taught horseback riding and various aspects of the warrior's craft from childhood, but neither he nor his kin were spared from an unenviable slave fate when their tribe fell into an ambush set by a small but well-organized army of a state known as Karrag. The surviving members of this tribe were made slaves of Karragian nobles, while Imrud himself was "lucky" to enter the service of the local queen — the woman liked his refined appearance and sharp mind. Over the following years, he often accompanied the queen to various high-society events and her bedchamber. The main advantage of this position was that, as the queen's concubine, he was required to be well-educated, and the woman spared no expense on teachers and study materials for her favorite pet. This allowed Imrud to learn much about the world around him and acquire vast knowledge, which, combined with his personal talents, allowed him over time to organize a rebellion and establish himself as the new king of Karrag, freeing the slaves and completely changing the culture and economic system of that country. He began to call himself Imrud el Isin and became famous simultaneously as a merciful and merciless king — he was ready to give a second chance even to those who opposed him and attempted his life, but those who did not take this chance or betrayed his trust were executed in the most brutal and creative ways, sometimes along with all the relatives of the guilty party. When the situation in Karrag stabilized, Imrud el Isin began organizing wars and intrigues to expand the territories under his control. Imrud's only wife was his own sister, who before his ascension to the throne was a concubine to one of the nobles of Karrag. By irony of fate, Imrud spared his mistress and allowed her to continue a normal life on the condition that she would not plot against him or break the country's laws, but that nobleman was the only one to whom the king did not give a second chance — instead, he subjected him to the most severe torture, and then executed all his sons, leaving him with nothing. Among the victims were also the children of his sister, but according to legends, she had no love for them and was glad to be reunited with her brother. Imrud el Isin gave Karrag a long period of peace and prosperity, and in the culture of that country he was revered as the god of the sun. __________ ✦ The character's melee and ranged attacks deal 75% additional fire damage. ✦ +50% fire resistance. ✦ The character ignores (piety*10)% of defense. |
 | Sin Ash Shamash Founder of the dynasty: Pyrotessa Sin Ash Shamash (1102-1059 before the founding of the church) During Pyrotessa's youth, Karrag was in a state of cultural and economic decline; hunger and unrest among the common people were commonplace, and regional influence was at an all-time low. This was because the last few rulers from the El Isin dynasty either did not want to spend their time governing the country or were simply incompetent in it, preferring to spend their lives in the company of wine and women, paying little attention to state affairs. Pyrotessa herself was the daughter of a simple merchant, but was distinguished by unearthly beauty and a captivating intellect, which made her a desirable target for any man, and the king of Karrag was no exception. He paid the merchant well and did not delay in making the girl his wife, not knowing that he was inviting a snake into his bed. Within just a couple of years, she achieved absolute power over what happened in the palace — the king refused to believe in his wife's infidelity and executed anyone who dared to speak ill of her, the guards and nobles with whom she shared her bed helped in every way to carry out her schemes, and even the priests worshipped her slender legs more than their deities... One day, the then-king of Karrag died of poisoning, and a few months and dozens of corpses later, the royal crown unexpectedly ended up on Pyrotessa's head. Pyrotessa's reign became a turning point in the history of Karrag — thanks to her expansionist policies and bloody wars, Hekkelia, one of the most powerful states of antiquity, was formed, and she became its first empress and the founder of pyromancy, a popular school of magic in antiquity. Her reign, however, did not last very long. Her insatiability for carnal pleasures over time forced her to seek ever new experiences, first seeking company among non-humans, and then various monsters. One day, when Pyrotessa decided to seclude herself with two minotaurs, the servants later found her just like that — in the hands of the excited beasts, who never realized that their toy had broken. When this became known, the reputation of the empress and her children hit rock bottom, and the once great sorceress spent the remaining years of her life in a vegetative state, being no more than a means for satisfying the lust of anyone who desired her on the capital's square. In Hekkelian mythology, Pyrotessa is revered as the goddess of intrigue and lust. __________ ✦ Access to Pyromancy.✦ +50% fire resistance. ✦ +50% nature resistance. |
 | Enkinabu Key figure: Anf Enkinabu (1090-1008 before the founding of the church) Since the reformation of Karrag, members of the Enkinabu dynasty were loyal followers of Imrud el Isin and his descendants, but after the fall of Pyrotessa Sin Ash Shamash, the then-head of the family, Anf Enkinabu, took advantage of the situation to seize the imperial throne for himself. He was a cunning and perceptive man with an excellent sense of humor, knew how to win people over, and everyone loved him... At least, those to whom he was favorable. Others who crossed his path or posed a threat ended up like Pyrotessa. But whatever his personality, under his rule Hekkelia flourished like never before, and with it came a long period of peace. Because of this, in Hekkelian culture, Anf was revered as the god of trade and fertility. __________ ✦ Merchant specialization and 10 skill units to it. The character's guards are his servants and require no payment. ✦ +2000 jewels. ✦ A family heirloom once used by Anf Enkinabu. |
 | Eshingir Founder of the dynasty: Eshingir (589-655 before the founding of the church) The decline of the Hekkelian Empire began with a new period of its cultural and economic decline, in conditions where nobles and wealthy commoners cared first and foremost about their own pockets and appointed their friends and relatives to important positions, problems within the country grew every day. Along with this, raider activity increased in the region, while the cities of Hekkelia themselves became homes for bandit guilds. The situation reached its peak when an army under the command of Eshingir appeared on the doorstep of Hekkelia from the far south (now Aster) — a mighty warrior who managed to unite the tribes of the south and east under his leadership. Eshingir's free warriors proved much more effective than the impoverished soldiers of the overfed Hekkelian aristocracy, and after a few years the conquerors subjugated the once mighty empire, and Eshingir himself, through integration into the culture of the conquered people, became the new ruler. Subsequently, his children would use his personal name as their family name to emphasize the significance of their origin. One way or another, the rule of Eshingir and his descendants had devastating consequences for Hekkelia and its future: despite the fact that the conquerors adopted many elements of Hekkelian culture, they also imposed part of their own on the inhabitants. Worst of all was that the new rulers despised peaceful sciences and magic, while elevating the warrior's craft to an absolute. Thanks to the achievements and philosophy of Eshingir, in Hekkelian culture he is revered as the deity of war and the warrior's craft. __________ ✦ The cost of combat skills is two times lower. ✦ The cost of peaceful and magical skills is two times higher. |
 | Ren Founder of the dynasty: Isadora Ren (800-720 before the founding of the church) Isadora's family came from the class of traveling merchants, a very dangerous but necessary and profitable profession at that time. Her father was born on the territory of modern Shengkai, and her mother — Marion, and besides her they also had a younger son, Kir. When Isadora was 19, she and her brother inherited their parents' business, and life eventually led them to Hekkelia, where they settled and soon grew rich thanks to Isadora's numerous talents, and her exotic beauty and deep intellect quickly made her a central figure in the region where they lived. Kir himself did not stand out with any particular abilities or skills and owed everything to his older sister, but she never reproached him for anything and devoted all her free time (which she did not spend on intrigues, business, and self-care) to her beloved brother... He lived surrounded by love and care, never wanting for anything. Everything in Kir's life went off the rails when he decided to introduce his girlfriend to Isadora; she was a modest girl a couple of years younger than him. Isadora, of course, gave her beloved brother's friend a warm welcome, but after she left, the first serious scandal occurred between sister and brother: Isadora was categorically against Kir continuing his relationship with this girl and demanded that they break up, incessantly asking him why she herself was not enough for him, in response to which the enraged brother lashed out at Isadora with reproaches, accusations, and threats, and even slapped her, after which he ran to his room and locked himself in for the rest of the night, never closing his eyes. Only the next morning, deciding that he had overreacted, Kir decided to apologize to his sister. Isadora gladly accepts his apology and says that she was also wrong and has prepared a surprise for him. Full of enthusiasm, the brother opens the gift box and finds in it the severed head of his girlfriend, after which he immediately loses consciousness. Kir came to in the basement of their house, tied up. After several weeks of daily conversations with his sister, he never managed to understand or accept his sister's "love" for himself, and she neither wanted nor could let him go. At some point, the young man simply went mad and stopped reacting to what was happening around him, and Isadora later gave birth to a son from him and "raised him properly"... And so the Ren dynasty was born, where love for family was placed above all else. In Hekkelia, Isadora is revered as the goddess of the family hearth... __________ ✦ The player starts the game with an additional character: a companion-lover of the opposite sex from among his close relatives. The characters receive additional bonuses depending on what they are to each other. — Father's bonus (daughter): cost of combat skills after the start of the game is two times lower. — Mother's bonus (son): the character survives a fatal wound after the end of a battle (once per day), +50% to received experience. — Son's bonus (mother): cost of peaceful skills after the start of the game is two times lower, +8 to attractiveness, +8 to creation. — Daughter's bonus (father): +50% to power, +50% to endurance, +50% to health, +50% to will, +20% to accuracy, +20% to evasion, +2 to speed. — Brother's/Sister's bonus: the character's attacking and defensive rolls are summed if they are on adjacent cells. |
 | El-Hamazi Founder of the dynasty: Eswald El-Hamazi (1711-1059 before the founding of the church) Eswald was born somewhere in the territory of northwestern Visteria and, showing a rare talent for magic from childhood, traveled a lot in search of new ways to develop his potential, which allowed him to live a very long life. Life led him to Karrag during the reign of Imrud el Isin. The king greatly appreciated the wizard's abilities and humble character, while Eswald liked the country reformed by Imrud. Finding common ground in character, Eswald agreed to become a vassal of Karrag and took the family name El-Hamazi. Subsequently, he and his descendants engaged in magical research, first only in Karrag, and then throughout Hekkelia, but with the collapse of the future empire and the growing influence of the Church of Arteria a millennium later, the wizards of this dynasty were forced into hiding. As for Eswald himself, his life ended very tragically. He, like many of his contemporaries, was in love with Pyrotessa, the first ruler of a united Hekkelia, but due to his character and contrary to his influence, he never dared to confess his feelings to her, and when he learned of her fall, he simply took his own life. In Hekkelia, Eswald is revered as the god of patience. __________ ✦ Spell effectiveness is one and a half times higher.✦ The character can move and cast spells simultaneously. ✦ The character can extend his own life. |
 | Shahrazad Founder of the dynasty: Risha Shahrazad (1433-1404 before the founding of the church) Long before the birth of Pyrotessa Sin Ash Shamash, the center of attention in Karrag and its national treasure was a commoner girl named Risha. She was dazzlingly beautiful, could play various musical instruments, wrote love poems and stories, sang and danced beautifully, possessed impeccable etiquette... The rich of Karrag at that time would spill whole bags of money just to spend an evening with her, often not even making it to the bed, so mesmerizing was the girl with her speech and other talents. Risha left this world quite early, thereby saddening thousands of her admirers, but her daughters and son inherited a huge fortune, which allowed them to stand on par with other famous dynasties of Hekkelia. For the Shahrazad dynasty, the life and success of their founder serves as a vivid example that beauty is the key to success in life, and the ugly might as well not be born, for they will be doomed to a miserable existence. Over the following centuries, members of this dynasty sought out the most attractive partners for procreation and honed the art of seduction. Risha is revered in Hekkelia as the goddess of beauty and art. __________ ✦ Attractiveness roll*2 against will roll in dialogue; upon success, falls in love with the chosen character of the opposite sex (mental effect). |
Demonology
| Anyone who makes a contract with a demon becomes its minion, and in almost every corner of Visteria such people face either execution or, at best, exile. This is because only initially traumatized and dangerous individuals, or those who will inevitably become such, deal with demons — demonic influence always and without exception negatively affects the minion, developing in him the most terrible qualities that exist in people, and no cure or method of exorcism has been developed for millennia. Be that as it may, consent to enter into a contract is always given by a person of his own free will, and the details of the agreement depend on who he decided to contact. __________ ✦ A character with this belief chooses one of the demons with whom he has made a contract. |
 | Gonzo, Lord of Lust Gonzo's minions are driven by lust, and primarily these are the dregs of society who are unable to satisfy their base desires without the support of supernatural forces. Among them are also insatiable perverts for whom life in a culture based on church principles is unbearable... The favorite pastime of the demons of lust is to destroy the family and love bonds of successful couples, and there is nothing more pleasant for them than to indulge in carnal pleasures with their target in front of their loved ones. The Lord of Lust and his minions can transform from women into men and vice versa, but more often prefer to choose women as their victims, since the demons themselves are incapable of procreation. In addition, their bodies can secrete a powerful aphrodisiac that allows them to achieve their insidious goals with greater ease. Summoning Gonzo and making a contract: after performing the ritual, the demon worshiper will have to satisfy the Lord of Lust in the most unpleasant way for himself... Although they say that even so, everyone remains satisfied. __________ ✦ Once a month, the character can change gender. ✦ The character's pheromones can cause those around them (at will) to experience an irresistible sexual attraction (will check against a value of '50'). ✦ Time alone with Gonzo's minion will cause the character to suffer from satyriasis or nymphomania. |
 | Karia, Queen of Demons Of all the numerous domains into which the world of demons is divided, Karia owns the largest, distinguished by the largest population and the most grandiose architecture, while the demons of many other domains live generally in caves or some swamps. The main aspect of Karia is pride, and she demands from her minions first and foremost absolute submission and her own deification. Her followers in the human world are obliged to achieve ever new victories in her honor or lose their value and lose their own soul. For some reason, possibly due to enmity with Gonzo, Karia forbids her servants to satisfy their sexual needs. Summoning Karia and making a contract: after performing the ritual, the demon worshiper needs to show his insignificance before the Queen of Demons, but never and before no one else bow down. __________ ✦ +10 HP, +10 SP, +2 AP. |
 | Iron, Demon of Schadenfreude Iron is one of the most mysterious and unpredictable demonic lords; this is because his intentions are sometimes very difficult to understand. It is known, however, that he loves people very much, but not so much them as the ironic tragedies in their lives accompanied by the gleeful fun he experiences watching the suffering of mortals who have lost everything one step away from achieving their goal or dream. Iron's minions rarely cross paths, but must lead an "interesting life" otherwise they risk falling down the stairs and breaking their neck at any moment, or maybe eating an exotic fruit and getting poisoned. Summoning Iron and making a contract: after performing the ritual, the demon worshiper will have to somehow make the Lord of Schadenfreude laugh; if Iron gives him a "thumbs up" then the contract will be concluded, and if a "thumbs down" then something bad will happen to the summoner... __________ ✦ Iron fulfills his minions' individual wishes depending on his mood. |
 | Kasha, Herald of Melancholy Kasha is one of the few great demons who is not considered completely evil and corrupt; he has no domain of his own in the demon world, nor even any servants. In some underdeveloped cultures, he is revered as a god of wisdom and his guidance is sought. Kasha himself, although he appears to mortals as rude and unapproachable, actually feels pity for them, believing that the life of any living organism endowed with enough intelligence to be aware of its own self and the events happening around it is pain and suffering. Summoning Kasha and making a contract: to make a contract with Kasha, you need to pick up a stray cat from the street and give it shelter, then conduct the summoning ritual. __________ ✦ The character receives various hints and advice from Kasha through his own cat. |
 | Helios, Soul Merchant Helios is ready to provide his minions with material, spiritual, and other assistance in exchange for the souls of people and non-humans sacrificed to him, whose value varies depending on their physical and spiritual qualities. Summoning Helios and making a contract: the character must sacrifice 1000 jewels to Helios and bring a human life as a sacrifice. __________ ✦ Each month, the player's character must sacrifice 1000 spiritual points to Helios, otherwise he will have to pay with particles of his own soul. ✦ In exchange for spiritual points, the character can receive various bonuses. |
Children of Tomoe
When the dark ages came to Visteria, the inhabitants of the Yamato islands returned to worshiping their own deities, who were the center of their beliefs before the appearance of Arteria and her followers on their lands. For this reason, as well as because the islands are located far from the main continent, the local culture developed separately and differs greatly from other countries of Visteria.According to legends, Tomoe is the creator of the Yamato islands and those who inhabit them; she is revered by the locals as the supreme deity, and they themselves call themselves her children or, in other cases, children of Yamato. The basis of the consciousness of Yamato culture is the awareness of one's place in life and devotion to one's purpose, depending on one's social status, profession, gender, etc., which is why there has always been a very strict hierarchy on the islands, both at the governmental level and in relationships between people. For the children of Tomoe, dishonor is worse than death.
__________
✦ Children of Tomoe cannot use zodiac sign bonuses.✦ The health of the children of Tomoe cannot be restored by ordinary means.
✦ Children of Tomoe receive +1 vitality point for every 250 units of health. In one enemy turn, the character cannot lose more than 1 vitality point.
✦ Men receive +10% to initiative, +5% to received experience, and +10% to endurance for each unit of spirit.
✦ Women receive +1 to attractiveness, +1 to creation, and +10% to will for each unit of piety.
Hekkelian Pantheon
The Hekkelian Pantheon is based on the pagan beliefs of the inhabitants of southeastern Visteria, which have survived to this day. Characters with this conviction may choose one god to worship.
__________
✦ Imrud, god of the sun. The character gains additional experience after each victorious battle, as well as each time they personally slay an opponent. +2 to endurance, +2 to charisma, +50% to perception, and +35% to accuracy.
✦ Pyrothessa, goddess of intrigue and lust.
The character gains additional experience after each coitus. +2 to beauty, +2 to dexterity, +50% to stealth; the character's melee attacks poison the opponent (they lose 5% of maximum health (nature) and 5% accuracy and evasion each turn).
✦ Anth, god of trade and fertility.
The character gains additional experience by earning money or selling goods/services (1 exp per 5 jewel). +2 to charisma, +2 to intelligence, a valuable item at the start.
✦ Eshingir, god of war and martial craft. +2 to strength, +2 to endurance, +25% to power, +25% to resilience, +25% to health, +25% to evasion, +25% to accuracy.
✦ Isadora, goddess of the hearth. +2 to beauty, +2 to intelligence. The player can create an additional family member character.
✦ Eswald, god of patience. +2 to intelligence, +2 to spirit. The character's initiative is always 0, but they take two turns instead of one.
✦ Shahrazad, goddess of beauty and art. +2 to beauty, +2 to charisma. The character gains experience for successful performances and is more likely to gain loyal followers.
✦ Sharan, god of the aether. The character's experience gain rate is increased by 0.8.
Legends of Visteria
The worship of heroes of the past originated in Meristia, but is also practiced beyond its borders, most often by history enthusiasts and those inclined toward romanticism. The deep mysteries of this unusual science and a passionate fascination with the past allow its adherents to summon one of the heroes of yore and enter into a contract with them for a specific time to achieve shared goals... Of course, these heroes are not reincarnations of themselves, but are "merely" a collective image assembled from the legends about them and how people perceive them. __________
✦ At the start of the game, the character may attempt to summon one of the heroes of the past to their aid, chosen at random. Their strength depends on their rank (there are five total - ★★★★★, ★★★★, ★★★, ★★, ★), and the higher the rank, the stronger the hero. Furthermore, the higher the hero's rank, the less likely they are to be summoned (5% for 5 stars, 10% for four stars, 25% for three stars, and 30% for two and one star).Shamanism
Shamanism originated and is most widely practiced by non-human tribes. They believe they are surrounded by spirits embodying various natural elements and worship them. A character with this conviction may choose one patron spirit.__________
✦ Spirit of Fire: immunity to fire, +50% melee damage.✦ Spirit of Water: immunity to water, +50% evasion.
✦ Spirit of Wind: immunity to water, +50% ranged damage.
✦ Spirit of Earth: immunity to nature, +50% health.
✦ Spirit of Light: immunity to light, +50% perception; the character can resurrect one fallen ally.
✦ Spirit of Darkness: immunity to darkness, +50% stealth; the character survives one fatal wound.
Eishi
The nomads of the Eishi clans worship the sky gods and always follow the strongest — the one closest to the sky. __________
✦ Damage taken from all sources is reduced by 20%.✦ If the character is the leader of a squad (their clan) and possesses sufficient charisma, they may gather companions and concubines from defeated enemies, provided all other conditions allow it.
The Nameless One
The Nameless One is a key figure in Aster's culture — the god of silence, death, and rest. It is not customary to speak of him or pray to him, but all representatives of this people hold him in their hearts, while priests use secret blessings to reunite with the departed.__________
✦ Immunity to lethal damage (such attacks deal no damage).✦ The character starts the game with a skeleton companion, generated by the same rules as a normal character from Aster, but without a conviction, and only the player's character can speak to it via telepathy. The skeleton has immunity to mind-affecting effects, poisons, diseases, and other similar effects. The skeleton's health cannot be restored by normal means and does not regenerate on its own, but it is multiplied by 10. A defeated skeleton also cannot be restored. +100% resistance to the dark element, -100% resistance to the light element; damage from lethal attacks does not exceed 25% of maximum health; cannot be raised again by normal means.
✦ The character can raise skeletons of fallen allies and opponents for 100 units of magical energy; they have the same stats and abilities but lack convictions. They function until the end of the day, after which they cannot be raised again.
Telos
Telosian warriors strive for the perfection of their spirit, body, and mind, avoiding the aid of supernatural forces and relying solely on their own potential and the wisdom of their ancestors. __________
✦ Each time the character gains additional characteristics, they gain an equal amount again.✦ Each time the character survives a fatal wound, they gain 500 exp.
✦ The character has immunity to the supernatural.