Baron

The Lore Ministry approves.

• This is a introduction to Thálassagorod from the perspective of a important member of it's community, it covers topics important to understanding the realm but also focuses heavily on the life of the character telling the story.
  This is the story of Elizaveta Polládushi, elected leader of the republic and now a very old and very cynical woman.

Introduction to Thálassagorod: Tyranny
Greed, deceit and well earned suffering

I loathe this City. I hate it more than words can ever truly describe. All the people that writhe within, all the laws that bind and choke it, and all it’s gilded towers that it creeps ever higher. I hate them all.

You would too if you only understood how thoroughly rotted it all is, how deep the sickness goes.
Diseased from its very core, run by cowards, motivated only by short minded avarice and the fear of being left behind by the uncaring city they’ve made. The great and noble Citizens, who stammer endlessly about a city of the free and equal. About the great republic, free from all monarchy. All while this city is built on the backs of peoples who are slaves in all but name. All they care for is the nobility of their families' long prestigious blood lines, though those lines run in circles more often than they’d care to admit. The wealth and power they have so rightfully earned. A lie, to hide the endless debts that mire them all, and the grim ways they find what little sums they do cling to. Cruel and vindictive to any they see as weak and exploitable, for why have mercy when one can have control. Every last Citizen, hypocrites and liars, all well deserving of all the brutality they put to each other to get even the tiniest advantage.

The Citizens reside over a city where no one is free, not even themselves. But all that pales in comparison to how they treat others. Like their grateful workers, the Residents, they couldn’t leave if they tried, they’d be hunted down for their endless unavoidable debts or just left to starve out in the wilderness. Our noble Citizens do not even think of them as people, only the work they can do for them. At least the Citizens themselves have the illusion of choice, they can pretend to be above the cruel games of backstabbing that makes a merchant lord. But in truth, if they ever stopped this callus game, they would be butchered, their life, wealth and family are all grounded down by the city to be fuel for those crueler and hungrier than themselves.

But what of the huddled masses, who so greatly outnumber their cruel masters, trapped here by debt, contract and poverty, forced to toil endlessly for the profit of those who chain them. Weakened by starvation, drink and fatigue. The one thing the Citizens truly fear more than themselves are those they continue to abuse, the very people they rely on for their power. For what is a lord without their serfs. Trapped now in a cycle which only ends in death. Should they ever stop suppressing the Residents they would surely be massacred in righteous fury, a debt of violence they so thoroughly deserve, at last repaid. As it is now the Residents bleed from the city constantly, drained by disease and starvation, should the import of mortal life ever end, the city’s population would wither. Hopefully you understand the source of this reprehensible existence, anyone with the power to make a change is so afraid of being slaughtered for the injustices they’ve already enacted or losing the security of what little power they truly have, that they will go to the ends of the world to perpetuate this system.

Yet none of this matters, all part of the deities' great games, their plans. A foolish notion, as though deities who have never, and will never care for us could save you from this city. So far above us that they do not even interfere when their temples are turned to houses of extortions, when their teaching becomes little more than justification for tithes and taxes. If the deities of this world have even noticed us, they surely turned away in disgust long ago. Moreso we should hope their sight has not and will not reach us, clearly their view of morality is inhuman or they would have wiped this sinful city from the face of the world a long time ago. Perhaps they should.

But maybe you think there is some value in all this, what of the grandeur, the opulence and beauty of our great brick halls. Surely the great works of art and architecture produced by the city make it all have some greater meaning. No, a beautiful lie is still a lie. The golden facades built atop rotten foundations, the wealth we have stolen. The art made to chase the tastes of the wealthy and brainless. No matter how much blacked brick or polished stone you stack on top of a fetid swamp, the stench never leaves. No amount of other peoples gold can change what this place is at its core. Grandeur is nothing but a monument to greed.

Even our magics are not our own, for all that we rely upon their power, for industry and war, we are nothing but children playing with powers beyond our understanding. We have magics learnt from around the world. Stolen and perverted from their original goals. The hearts of golems used to power brick works, druidic magics used to trap and butcher animals, element magics copied from an empire that died before our city was even born. They do not understand true power, it has taken me a lifetime to see the bigger picture. The fools of the mages guild see only how magics can be exploited, they do not understand how they work, the patterns they leave in the world. Not like I do.

But that doesn’t matter, not while the traders can continue to find profits in far flung lands, where our misdeeds are unknown or uncared for. Though of course, ruining those relations is an all too common practice. You see, too many families see too much to be gained from unfair trades or from plain old theft. After all, the stolen magics have to be stolen from somewhere, and the goods made by the blood of the poor need buyers. If only the world had a longer memory, if only people couldn’t be so easily made to forget with the right application of coin.

Maybe they could kill this city...

What am I saying, I shouldn’t say that about the city I was elected to rule. If anyone is to kill this cancer in the world it will be me.
After all, I gave my youth, my family, and my very ideals to try and reform her. I was naive, I know. Now I am aware that even the Vozhd cannot control the city, they are simply the first among it’s prisoners. Forced to watch forever from the most rotten of it’s creeping towers, as it’s gilded skyline crawls ever closer to the heavens. As it’s grasp chokes more of the world it’s all consuming hunger for human lives. As the great families race for it’s promises of wealth and power, only to be ground up and eaten whole, fuel for a hateful city.

I thought once that I could save you. That you deserved to be reborn. Your people could be given better lives, your crimes repaid. Now I understand, the fools that live within you deserve their suffering. If they had a worthy heart they would not let you live.
But I will not make their mistake, I will kill you Thálassagorod.

For I am the Vozhd, I am Elizaveta Polládushi and I killed the last Vozhd, I ended his entire line . Just like I have ended any who have tried to stop me. I will not be stopped, I will not allow any to defy me, and I will not die, not till this city does. No matter the suffering, no matter the sacrifice, no matter how long it takes.

I will end Thálassagorod.

• This is a introduction to Thálassagorod from the perspective of a important member of it's community, it covers topics important to understanding the realm but also focuses heavily on the life of the character telling the story.
  This is the story of Regizse Marodernos; a important mercenary leader and member of Thálassagorod high society.

Introduction to Thálassagorod: Opportunity
Luck comes to the ruthless

It is good to be Grandmaster of the retinues of the great family Marodernos, or as the common folk call it; the house of the dolphin. Many people have asked me the how's and whys of my journey here. I don’t always understand their question. “Why”, at least, should be obvious; Money and Power. There are very few routes a lowly Resident can use to acquire either of those in this city, this kind of work is simply the route which I found most agreeable.

“How” on the other hand is, I suppose, more interesting. After all, how did a restless young man from a backwater village out in the Gryaz' Highlands rise as high as anyone not a Citizen can in Thálassagorod? I don’t get to talk about myself often, so I’ll tell you.

I came from a small village, off north, I'd give you a name but you wouldn’t know it. Spending most of my youth being bored or poaching, it was the only good entertainment. Wanted to become a hunter, run off further into the wilds, join some wild and untamed tribe. Better than spending my life ploughing potato fields or herding sheep.

So when a mercenary captain came looking for recruits I was interested. Of course the family warned me against it, saying the chances of dying pointlessly were far higher than of finding glory. While I didn't ask or care for their opinions, they were right. On average of the 20 or so of us who joined the captain I figured the majority would die for some idiot's temper tantrum, I thought a few would make it out alive with not enough pay for their efforts, and even fewer still could maybe make something of themselves. Of course it would take an incredible amount of luck for me to be that one. Thankfully though, I was smart enough to know that, and smart enough to realise I didn't have to be lucky. Just luckier than everyone else and I know how to make others very unlucky.

Most of the others the captain recruited didn’t last a month, I lasted plenty more than that. The captain, deities rest his soul, he only lasted for 7 months. That was when our ship hit a rock half way to Isara. The ship survived, as did most of the crew and the mage on board. The captain, very unluckily, fell when the ship collided. I tried my best to save him, but he was too unlucky that day. As the first mate on that ship I took command, had to put down a small mutiny. But I got us to the western sea on time, and I got us our pay.

We did such a good job that I got the attention of our pay giver for that journey. The Marodernos family started hiring us regularly for mercenary and bounty work. I wanted to get us a better contract, maybe get a permanent position. Of course they had enough permanent mercenary contracts and unless we got really lucky, and one of their contracted groups met an unfortunate end we’d never get in. Thankfully my dear patron, Miss Alexandrovna Marodernos, saw potential in me. Asked me to help a group under her brother’s contract, she was worried they were underperforming and would fail a recent assignment. She was right to worry. The job was simple, a town that refused to pay the family their taxes and as soon as we got there her brother’s mercenaries were already dead, they must have been unlucky, they were butchered likely by the peasants. So of course we collected the taxes and taught the unruly locals to respect the House of the Dolphin properly. Any of the young folk who could still stand after our lessons were recruited into the company. For my excellent work our madam patron ensured us a permanent, far better paying contract.

Her brother of course was upset at his failing, claiming foul play, that we’d had some hand in his mercenaries deaths. Nonsense of course, they were simply unlucky. He had none of it, couldn’t accept his own failure I’d guess. The madam was deeply worried her wayward brother would make an attempt on her life, so worried that she needed to expand her retinue, and I was the first choice. Of course her brother did try to have her killed, but thankfully, the assassins he sent were second rate, no match for me and my men.

What happened to him, you ask? I can’t say, I stopped hearing from him after a while. Disappeared, must have gotten unlucky somewhere.

Of course then came the Grandmaster of the Marodernos’ retinues at the time, the old fool had liked the missing brother, and disliked me strongly. Felt I was running above my station, worse still he harboured resentment against my dear madam patron. Might even have been the one putting the vile slander into her brother's head about foul play. Luckily he didn’t last long. The old rarely do. Went out drinking with some of the men, and had a little too much. When they found him the next day he’d vomited himself to death.

Was I made the next Grandmaster? No, too new, they had to go to someone better established, but that also meant old, and again this isn’t the line of work for people who want to reach an old age. It only took me 3 years before luck struck again, and i became the newest Grandmaster

That’s how I got this far. Which is about as high as a Resident can ever get. A shame really, I'd make a nice Grand marshal I think. Of course for that to happen I'd have to marry into a Citizen family, preferably a powerful one. But you never know, my dear patron Alexandrovna’s husband grows old, he might not have long left in this world. Not that I wish any harm on him of course, I'm very close to all members of the Marodernos family. But who knows, maybe I'll get lucky again and the next time we talk I won't be Regizse the Resident but Regizse Marodernos, member of one of the Great houses.

But of course that’s all down to chance, and of course I've had a great many opportunities for advancement throughout my life, so many positions where someone with worse luck would have ended up in for their whole lives. Of course, luck and chance can be manipulated.

After all, the best opportunities in life are the one not given to us, but taken by force.

I have connected from Beachhead to the Orange Line, the route is Horse-able, but not spawn safe - Skeletons, Piglins, etc are able to spawn along the route.

Made a land claim a while ago and it's time to try put it on the map. For a colour, preferably a red brown #823d0e if possible.

Location Type: Player Realm (MAJOR) +End Access (minor)
Coordinates (NETHER): -552, 901 to -552, 2. Thálassagorod at -552, 598, End Access at -552, 469
Horse Safe?: Yes
Location Name: Thálassagorod
[[Connects West red line to the Isara EW Line]]

Name: Dan, Minecraft username: dylan_0
Current Rank: Baron
Rank Desired: Viscount
Build Count Total: 55

List of Settlements and Screenshots, With Build Counts and Specialized Builds:

Gordhagen: 55 Total Builds, 26 Specialized Builds, 29 Generic

• 1x Royal Head House (Spec)
• 1x Administration Building (Spec)
• 1x Armory (Spec)
• 1x Port Warehouse (Spec)
• 1x Prince’s House (Spec)
• 1x Harald’s Inn and Tavern (Spec)
• 1x Reserve Diplomat’s Quarters (Spec)
• 1x Office of the Aquaculturist (Spec)
• 1x Viggo’s Seaside Products and Wares (Spec)
• 1x Harald’s Lake Fish Pond Storage (Spec)
• 1x Office of the Harbour Master (Spec)
• 1x Port Authority & Customs (Spec)
• 1x Naval Recruitment Office (Spec)
• 1x Gorm’s Alcohol and Wine Shop (Spec)
• 1x Alun’s Baked Goods (Spec)
• 1x Florist (Spec)
• 1x Granary (Spec)
• 1x Office of the Grainmaster (Spec)
• 1x Market Stalls (6 Stalls) (Spec)
• 1x Stables (Spec)
• 2x Guard House (Spec)
• 1x Small Guard Tower (Spec)
• 1x Walled Head House (Spec)
• 1x Sickhouse (Spec)
• 27x Residential House (Generic)
• 2x Generic Storage (Generic)

Lore:

https://forums.candarion.com/topic/1317/the-storm-of-dagon-i

https://forums.candarion.com/topic/1324/storm-of-dagon-ii

https://forums.candarion.com/topic/1249/a-kingdom-forged

https://forums.candarion.com/topic/1223/letter-from-dalecara

https://forums.candarion.com/topic/1221/dan-salmonface-s-letter-to-the-chiefs-of-dalecara

https://forums.candarion.com/topic/1220/sacking-of-gordheim

https://forums.candarion.com/topic/1210/who-s-who-the-top-dalecaran-chiefs

https://candarion.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:realms:dalecara

https://candarion.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:realms:dalecara:institutions:college_of_arms

https://candarion.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:races:human_dalecaran

https://candarion.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:religions:dalecaran_paganism

https://candarion.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:realms:dalecara:nobility

https://candarion.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:realms:dalecara:locations:gordhagen

https://candarion.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:characters:dan_salmonface

https://candarion.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:characters:dan_saltskin

https://candarion.com/wiki/doku.php?id=wiki:characters:dag_beachshaker

Sogadar • 9th June, 2021

While coffee came from the south in Mehraq, its popularity has grown in upper Sogad that coffee houses have begun to be established to serve the common folk as a sobering alternative to wine.

It has become so popular that raiders and travellers on the march will carry almost always carry a pouch of coffee beans, brewing the coffee with a brewing pipe so that they are able to drink atop their horses on the go without ever having to stop for one.

Inoa Ranas, 6/5/2021
In a ritual many use to release stress and built-up emotions, intense aromas or even magic induce crying streams of tears. The subject will then put their tears into a bowl of salt and other ingredients mixed before being discarded into the sea. The subject may feel mildly dehydrated, tired, or worn out shortly afterwards. However, the catharsis and the enactment of Salt will bring them peace and attunement to their emotions for the time to come.

Sogadar • 31 May, 2021

The term Saka used to denote a clan chosen to become war-leader of a tribal confederation. Initially, this position was chosen democratically by tribal leaders of the confederation after the passing of every Saka. This position however has since evolved to become hereditary - with the survival of the heir during the period of fratricides following the death of a Saka standing in as a form of tribal consensus and support amongst the confederation.