Headed by a Snake

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Detailed in this chapter are Class Tier, Tier Demographics, Named Guilds, and Glossary of Terms.

CLASS TIER

There are 3 types of class TIERS. There are Low-Tier, Standard Classes, and High-Tier Classes. Higher Tier classes develop faster and more powerfully. A High-Tier Iron Rank won't necessarily lose against a standard Gold-Rank.

However, Lower Tier classes progress ranks more easily. It is not uncommon for one 5-year war veteran to be an Iron-Rank Warrior while a peer would be a Bronze-Rank Fighter.

Low-Tier:

Kimura Tamaki, Bronze-Rank Human Fisherman

Lone Shadowdark, Bronze-Rank Human Warrior

Reynard, Bronze-Rank Human Expert

Standard-Tier:

Dragan Ashlord, Iron-Rank Titanblood Swordmage

Kimura Taree, Bronze-Rank Human Martialist

Levi Wolfrider, Bronze-Rank Weretouched Warden

Maximus of Ezyria, Iron-Rank Dovahkiin Warmage

Naedrielle, Iron-Rank Elf Sentinel

Pale Invictus, Bronze-Rank Half-Elf Spear-Warrior

Sasarame, Bronze-Rank Snake Oracle

Tarquin Wroe, Bronze-Rank Human Hexblade

Tycondrius Charm, Iron-Rank Medusa Warlord

High-Tier:

Lucifer, Gold-Rank Demon Umbrella Meister

Seldin Korr, Iron-Rank Human Berserk Knight

Sorina Capulet, Bronze-Rank Human Calculator

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TIER DEMOGRAPHICS

In Merylsward, a population of 60,000, there are approximately 30 Gold-Rankers, with Martial-Classes to Casters at a 2:1 ratio.

~200 are Iron-Rank classes. ~500 are Bronze-Rankers. Of those, less than 40% have a standard-tier Class.

Less than 1% of the population (600) work as guards or militia and are mostly brave Unranked and Bronze-Rank individuals.

For comparison, the United States civilian to military ratio is 0.6% and the civilian to law-enforcement ratio is 0.2%

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NAMED GUILDS

Public Guilds

Adventurer's Guild of the Kingdom - A government-funded hub that makes quests available to adventuring companies, single adventurers, or otherwise skilled experts

Banker's Guild - Provides banking services and insurance policies, accessible in any major city

Courier's Guild - Physically or magically delivers mail between cities

Windwright's Guild - Provides privately-owned, governmentally-regulated travel services by airship between major cities

Adventuring Companies

Shadowdark Wolves (Bronze) - Formerly led by Warrior Denman

Sol Invictus (Iron) - Led by Warlord Tycondrius of Charm

Staghorn (Iron) - Led by Heavy Armor Knight Emilien Leserre in Nice

Trayus (Gold) - Led by High Wizard Trayus in Merylsward

Hidden Sects

Sea Wolf Sect - Lang Hai's sect, officially a part of the Kingdom's Navy

Golden Crow Sect - The sect that the Sea Wolf, Shao Ran, was part of

Ivory Judge Sect - Led by the Kimura Patriarch

Kingdom Military

Darktide Fleet - Fleet under Grand-Captaine Chantal's command. Part of the Kingdom's Navy

Knights Arcane - An elite cavalry-centric battalion in the Kingdom's Army

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GUILD TERMS

Adventuring Company - A guild of adventurers, traveling in a company. A company, in this case, ranges from a team (2-5), a squad (~10), a platoon (~50), or a proper company (2-4 platoons). Companies comprised of larger than 200 require a legal permit and are rare outside of times of war.

Dark Guild - A type of guild known for performing illegal acts ie. extortion, slavery, assassination, and smuggling.

Guild vs Company - These terms are usually used interchangeably. The proper use of 'company' refers to either a traveling group or the military term of 2-4 combined platoons.

Mercenary Company - An older term sometimes used interchangeably with 'adventuring company.' The term remains as, during wartime, adventurers were often hired as mercenaries attached to armies.

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OTHER TERMS

Daeva - A human with traces of angelic ancestry.

Demonblood - A human with traces of demon or devil ancestry. Also known as devil-bloods. In this setting, demons and devils have a healthy rivalry, but are not hostile. Demons dislike being called devils and vice versa, but accept that commonfolk would not easily know the difference. Even current-generation demons and devils find it hard to tell the difference...

Dovahkiin - A human with traces of scalefolk ancestry, often specialized in elemental magic. Will be used unless someone tells the Author they can be sued for it.

Elf - A long-lived race that has mostly integrated with humankind. Known for being flighty. Elves reach physical and mental maturity at 110 years old.

Iredar - While mostly referring to furred Kobolds, the term is used as a catch-all for underground-dwelling humanoids. Includes Gnomes... but not Dwarves.

Irvhir - While mostly referring to scalekin Kobolds, the term is used as a catch-all for scale-folk with lizard ancestry. Several thousand years ago, the term Irvhir referred to what is now the Iredar. Historians are unsure or when or why the change occurred.

Mana Ward - A mana-shield generated by Caster Classes, who often do not have strengthened constitutions like Martial Classes.

Orc - Large, green-skinned humanoids who worship their gods by engaging in "honorable" battle. To be respected in an Orc tribe, one must either be brutal or cunning-- preferably both.

Orkish Sugar - Black explosive powder. First discovered by Dwarves. First utilized by Orc Shamans. First weaponized by Humans.

Popoto - A gnome-sized, bronze-skinned humanoid, known for having cute, child-like appearances. Popotoes tend to have a high affinity for magic.

Titanblood - A human with giant ancestry. Also known as half-giants.