[Neus]

I would like to compile all of the available lore information that has been answered into this topic, organized by category. There are a lot of questions that get asked that have already been answered, so to both make it easier for people to check that information easily and so I can compile it into a resource that is easily accessed in-game (in some form that I am still determining), this is what I'd like to ask people to do if they have the time.

1) Pick one topic or category (per post). IE, Vampire, Void Poisoning, Sigrogana Empire, etc.
2) Dig through my answers in the old Lore Questions topics below and the stickied one by Slydria, and if there is a question and answer that relates directly to that topic, add it to it in this kind of format:

Do Vampires have blood?

Yep they sure do, they have lots of blood, boy you wouldn't believe how much blood they have.

3) Once this information is organized, I can add it to the in-game lore files and/or the wikia, and it will make it more accessible for people who are curious and want to ask questions. We can improve lore visibility and reduce the number of double asks/answers this way.

Thank you for your cooperation.

[ValkyrieSkies]

Could you properly clarify what the relationship between Mechations and Karaten is, the operation and legality of Awakened Mech hunters, and the status of Mechanations in regards to the other countries? Their wiki page is fairly detailed on their state of being but little of their place in the world at large.

[Sawrock]

Maybe something that uses Google Docs/Sheets?

[WaifuApple]

He's not asking for questions to be asked here, or for suggestions on how to do it. He wants us all to bundle together questions from a specific topic into one post for each topic, and post them here.

[Blissey]

It's All About That Void, 'Bout That Void, No Safety.

I may have gone overboard. I also didn't quote everyone who made the questions because it'd look a little weird in my opinion, but here it is! All about the Void and its poisoning!

I do plan to do more of this as soon as I can. I don't just want to stop here (but y'all should help too).

[marquee]で わ、 いきましょう！[/marquee]



Status: COMPLETE. (3/4/2020)


In regards to this. How painful is void poisoning? Does it's effects manifest within a single night, or over long periods of time? Are there any notable signs that someone has it? If it is sort-of-like-radiation, does the person put off any signs that they have the illness? Once it reaches a critical state, is there anyway to bring the person out of it, or will they slowly wither away and die?

Imagine void poisoning as if your entire body had a toothache. The worse the void poisoning, the more throbbing the pain. At higher levels, the victim begins developing glowing blue lacerations on their body, which eventually become fatal. Once it reaches a critical state it is almost impossible to cure the condition. You might be able to weaken the effects, but you can never get rid of it currently. Those suffering from the beginning stages can be cured with proper Mercalan treatment and ceasing the use of unsafe teleportation (basically, anything that isn't Majistran qualifies as 'unsafe').

How accessible is Adena Mehana when it comes to crucial need for healing (see: Void Radiation, Void Lacerations, the Void in general; along with other fatal diseases as well, assuming Adena Mehana is able to heal to such an extent)?

Not very. Sometimes exceptions are made but not usually.

How does Void Poisoning affect Mechanations? Or is it the same as organic beings?

Void poisoning will destroy non-specially-made parts, and it can eventually cause the Llarian Scar to break. Though, Mechanations are fairly resistant to the effects.

7. Is void energy the same as darkness energy?
8. If yes to 7. would light energy be able to even slightly protect someone inside the void?

7. No.
8. No.

What about Void Poisoning?
Would it kill or 'kill' a vampire? Does it 'reset' if they 'die'?

Void Poison is a special case and vampires cannot avoid it or its effects through 'deaths'. If they suffer from Void Poisoning, they will suffer from it in the same way after reforming. If Void Poisoning gets bad enough, it is likely to cause chain deaths for a vampire, to where they will die, lose power, die again, and then just ash.

"A solid piece of the void itself." is the description of Void Shards, is this literal. If so, do they leak void radiation?

No, it's not literal. No, they don't leak any radiation.

What if a Lich were to put their phylactery somewhere in the god damn VOID?

They’d die.

What are the effects of void poisoning, should one contract it, as a Lich?

Glowing blue lacerations along the vessel's body that appear as soon as the Lich is 'attached'. Portions of the arcane energy of the Lich may become discolored as well.

Was the Void always uninhabitable and deadly even before the Gods left it?

No one knows.

Are portals to The Void strictly two-way, or can they be one way only? By this I mean, if someone creates portal / voidgate A, does a portal / voidgate B always exist (like an exit) when it is created?

Portals are two-way for as long as they exist, much like a tunnel.

1. Can you give us a general depiction of how Stage One Void Poisoning would look like? Marginally, how would the scarring look like and does this depend on the body part it plagues?
2. What about the other stages? How many 'stages' are there, or is it just from Stage One to Stage Two and thus terminal?

1) It would look like neon-blue/purple lines resembling cracks along the affected area.
2) The lines would get progressively larger as it increases in deadliness. If a part of the body gets separated by thick enough lines, it falls off and vanishes. Eventually this happens to the individual's entire body. Parts that fall off in this manner cannot be regenerated, even if you're a vampire.

1) My question is, how does the return of the symptoms work? Does the poisoning "return" at the same speed, or is it faster due to previous contamination? Would the poisoning simply jumpstart ahead to it's "old" progression, or start over completely? Could a person who occasionally reaches for the Void Magic as a last resort, but rarely uses it normally, manage to "safely" use it "long term" by repeatedly getting cured at stage one, due to using it incredibly sparingly, hence a long "cooldown" period between exposure? (I guess an example would be not typically having VA set but reaching for the voidgates in desperation to escape via RP, or to stick VA on for a "hopeless" battle in PVP that is ICly onesided, while not usually using the class.)

2) As well, last month you mentioned the visual effects of the poison. If cured, would any effects remain? A diminished tint of the old markings, perhaps? Or perhaps their health never quite being the same again? If cured a second time, would these residual effects compound and/or multiply in appearance/effect?

3) What are the Voidgate's practical limits? Is Line of Sight required? Can you drop a voidgate beyond an obstacle to appear behind it? (Examples: Infiltrating/ Escaping a house/ fortress/etc.) Can a gate be created in a dense space, and if so, what happens to whatever is in that space, or whoever attempts to use the portal? (Example: If a gate were unknowingly made inside a statue, would the statue's interior collapse into the Void, or would the person using the gate be instantly crushed upon exit due to lack of space?)

4) Under what circumstances can void abilities be forcibly limited? Obviously silence works for Black Bolt due to it being a spell, but what about Voidgate itself? I believe it counts as a skill, but I'm also sure the prisons have ways to prohibit escape via Voidgate as well.

5) Do Voidveil and related (Absorb, Off, etc) skills, as well as Black Bolt, lead to Void Poisoning as well? Or only teleportation like Blink/Voidgate?

1) It's pretty unpredictable, because Void magic is chaotic by nature. Its effects on you are somewhat random for that reason. What may have put you in the 'safe' zone at one point may put you over the edge another time.

2) There would probably be some skin scaring, but it depends.

3) You need a line of sight, yes. For example, you cannot teleport to a Voidgate you cannot see in the Castle dungeon battles with the opaque pillar in the middle. You don't need to be able to see it clearly, but you need a precise read and there's not much room for error. You can't put a Voidgate into a dense object, and if a dense object were put in front of a Voidgate, it would inhibit its ability to act as a portal.

4) You can interfere with the stability of portals in a manner of ways, two of the known ones being sound and Iahsus. Sound can, depending on the frequency/etc, slow portal generation or cause it to fail entirely. Iahsus itself can also play a part in the stability of portals if it's overly active. If you have a prisoner you know is capable of using Voidgates and such, you can usually prevent them from using it to escape by blindfolding them. You can also put them in a closed chamber with no windows. Those are two very lowtech solutions.

5) It can but it's very low risk compared to using unsafe teleporting. You're still handling hazardous materials, but you aren't walking through a room full of them briefly, for example.

-What is exactly the 'Void Pollution' from Black Bolt? (Void substance? Dirt from it's ground?) Does it degrade the environment permanently?

It's mainly scattered remnants of void energy. It disappears naturally after it absorbs enough focus.

How does lichdom effect void poisoning prior to the person going lich? Assuming the ritual is a success.

I'll assume you mean does lichdom at all affect void poisoning that exists before turning into a lich. I might have answered this before but I believe when you turn into a lich, void poisoning is "cured" since you change bodies, but it makes surviving the lich ritual much more difficult.

What is the spacial nature of the Void? Meaning, if one were to push a sealed container into the Void, would the Void permeate the object even if it was some how 'void proof' or 'void resistant'? Or does the Void behave like it has at least one higher dimension of movement to go through, meaning it can go around an object's casing to seep in despite it being sealed in three dimensions.

In case I'm not clear enough, a cube in 4D space has open holes, because it is missing 4D sides. Same way a square is not a container in 3D space.

The void is still a 3D space, but the nature of actual void energy is unclear. Not that it matters because nothing is void-proof.

Does cancer exist? Can you have both cancer and void poisoning?

No.

When it comes to Void Poisoning affecting a person, if that person or thing has substantial dark resistance, would the effect be lessened? Is Void magic something far more sinister than just Dark magic, or separate altogether?

Dark resistance has little to no bearing on void poisoning's severity.

It is said that Void Assassins who are reckless with the usage of Void can end up contracting Void Poisoning. How can a Void Assassin specialized in casting the Void Arts ward off the effects for a better use of the magic without instant or early drawbacks?

Nullstone accessories? Specific arcane wards or clothing? The Voidveil itself offers protection?

Don't use it too often is about the only way. Void energy is dangerous. It's like playing with fire. In moderation, it's easy to control, but if the 'flame' gets too big, it'll start burning your hands.

Not sure if this one was answered before, but if you die in the void/from void poisoning, do you still go to Lazarus?

Yes

1) When someone is inflicted by void poisoning, and dies due to it, do they have a soul that is directed to Lazarus, or is their fate just an empty nothingness? Do souls die / cease to exist with the body under the effects of void poisoning?

2) When you're affected by void poisoning with no hope left, when Mercala cannot help you anymore, does transforming to a Lich give you a second chance? Does becoming a vampire? Does becoming any specific type of corruption?

3) If you kill yourself, or are killed while affected by void poisoning, if the cause of death is not the poisoning, (assuming the answer to the previous question is you lose your soul / spirit to the void) does your spirit live on forever? Does it just cease to exist straight away, if not, or can a spirit still continue through the stages of void poisoning when it's deceased?

4) Can you get void poisoning from Majistra? (I know it would be super duper rare if so, but I mean "is the chance of it happening above 0%, even if like 0.01% or something?&quot

5) Can you train to minimise the risks of void poisoning when using void magic, or is the chance one that never changes probability? If you can minimise the risks, how difficult is it, and how much of your life would you have to dedicate to doing so to get desirable results?

1)This has already been answered. They still go to Lazarus.
2) At that point your body is likely unable to survive through the Lich ritual, but if you did somehow, it would. Becoming a vampire wouldn't change anything. Corruption doesn't change anything.
3) N/A
4) It's not impossible but it is very, very unlikely. Typically when the portals get outside of the Majistran's expectations, due to Iahsus, they do not let people go through them for their own safety.
5) You can minimize the risks, but it's always there.

1- A lore blur says that "Unprotected use of the Void can cause Void Poisoning". Is there 'really' a method of using it safely, or is this only limited to Majistra's method?

2- Is Void Pollution a mess created only exclusively by Black Bolt, or can you ICly choose to generate it on will?

3- How long does Void Pollution take to naturally sap away the environment's focus and degrade?

4- Assuming Void Pollution a significant hazard, what happens when someone sticks around it for too long? Is it deadly?

5- Is Void Pollution strong enough to destroy the environment? Such as kill plants, poison water, etc...

6- Can you use Void Energy to enhance and power potions and make a more 'physical' version of Black Elixir?

7- Can a Void Magic specialist develop a way to slightly reduce the chances of contracting Void Poisoning with their Voidveil for a more constant usage of their magic?

8- Does Nullstone protection help on reducing the chances, if anything?

1) This is pretty much limited to the Majistra portals, but there are 'safer' methods; using stable portals (which are between two set points that cannot be changed, and requires a long time of preparation) for example.
2) It's caused by using the large amount of void energy recklessly.
3) Depends on the amount. Anywhere from a few seconds to an hour.
4) It might make them feel sick or weak, but it's not deadly on its own.
5) In large amounts it could sap the focus from a plant and drain it that way, though that's unlikely.
6) Void Energy is not something that wants to stick around in our dimension, so trying to use it on physical objects for more than a brief period doesn't work.
7) Yes. Voidveil is a much less risky way to utilize void energy than just trying to channel it.
8) It can.

I don't know if this is clarified anywhere since I haven't been able to find it, so I figure it's better to just ask here.

If you're using void magic (I.E detogate/rank 4 black bolt without the void pollution) in spars, can people say they got void poisoning from getting hit by that? Or is it something that requires permission from the void user?

I ask since there's been a few cases in the past (long ago) where people abruptly roleplay having void poisoning after getting hit by detogate/black bolt one time, and I think confirmation on that would be nice to have for future reference.

Void Poisoning's thresholds are unpredictable, and it's possible that people can contract it in a short timeframe, but this requires buildup. They might also have a previous case of Void Poisoning, and their current state doesn't give much leeway with it.

However, if someone just contracts VP from one or two uses of Void Magic in a spar like that, i'd either question it or grab a GM.

....That being said, from an IC standpoint, it's difficult to imagine why you would use Void Magic in a spar, as that's something that always carries a lethal implication with it.

Since its brought up, is the actual user themselves anyhow protected from the poisoning itself more than the victim by being a skilled user? Or is it practicaly like playing with radioactive material with bare hands, it matters not who flung it, we all in for bad time?

The user is more likely to take steps to protect themselves from it, but ultimately everyone is at risk when the Void is in play.

It hates absolutely everything and will utterly destroy everything at the first possible chance.

If you barrage them with enough potent blasts, unwilling trips and generally cause Void Pollution for long enough, you could ensure that an opponent walks away with Void Poisoning. Again, the threshold is unpredictable, so this could very well be outside of someone's reserves, and even whatever backups they have to keep their focus flowing.

On the other hand, doing -that- much is likely to inflict VP on the user as well, and if you're fighting where civilization can see it, they will almost certainly attempt to force you to stop. It's basically more of a 'mutually-assured destruction' deal, and if you're going for that, there's at least a few better ways to go about it.
Keep in mind that I'm talking about inflicting Stage 1 Void Poisoning here. Going further than -that- in one sitting is out of practically everyone's capabilities.

Not unless you're talking about something that's strong enough to flatten a High-Level PC, that is.
As for pushing someone from Stage 1 to Stage 2, that's more doable, though you're talking about a cornered fox scenario there.

[Blissey]

Let’s Play Some Mancala – I mean Mercana? Mercala? – I mean, no don’t use Mercana like that!

Status: COMPLETE. 5/14/2020


This is everything having to do with Mercala and Mercana -- since the two are mutually exclusive and it'd feel weird to stratify them in two posts. Also, I added a few healing lore bits that had to do with Mercana as well, though that will be a separate post altogether whenever someone gets around to it.


Lore: Mercala is the Goddess of Life, and is one of the few Gods that have any sort of organized worship surrounding them. Although she gives her followers the magic of healing, they are advised to only use it in cases of emergency, so people do not begin to take it as granted and encourage their recklessness.


Lore: Artemis is a legendary bow that was once said to have been used by Mercala. Although rumored to be in the possession of Bright Vajistra, the leader of the Church Knights has not been seen carrying it into battle.

Who are the major players of the Mercalan Faith and what does their power hierarchy look like?

Well, Mercala's incarnation is pretty much the majorest of players. There are also Church Knights, who deal with protecting her and members of the faith. Other than that, there really isn't much of a system.

… The current incarnation of Mercala is Adena Mehana; the current head of the Church Knights is her sister, Ashe Mehana.

Is Ashe in any sort of relationship?

Ashe is in a long-term work relationship with Mercala.

A question about healing? Would a Curate/Lantern Bearer be able to regrow missing digits (fingers/toes) without having the missing piece on hand (say the missing finger/toe was obliterated in some manner)

They could, yes, though they must weigh the benefits of doing so against the tenets of Mercala.

Are Curates/Lantern Bearers apart of the church then? Or is there some direct link to Mercala when you're a curate or Lantern bearer? What really -is- the connection between Mercala and Curate/Lantern Bearers?

If they use Mercana, that's it.

Also, what are the consequences for going against the tenets of Mercala?[/quote]

The Church won't like you and if you're helping spread chaos with it, you will probably be put down by a high-ranking Church Knight.

[i]… Mercala and what occurred that led to Elves?

… Any relation Mercala has to Elves is speculation, as far as I know!

I'm not sure if this was asked before or not, but how are Mechanations healed by potions and Mercala magic? Do they have sort of an 'immune' system that repairs bodily damage over time just like living things? Or is it perhaps that Mercala domain magic is more along the lines of restoring something to it's former state rather than life or healing?

Magic is magic; Mercalan magic heals. It doesn't care if you're made of flesh or not, if you're 'alive'. As for potions... let's not think about that too hard.

Is the Mercalan-domain spell Rescue anywhere akin to the Void? I honestly doubt it since it's Mercalan-domain and seems to use Mercalan-domain energies, so if it is then that sort of defeats the purpose. But anyway, it'd be nice to know what kind of actual, lore-wise (and technical-wise) teleportation function it has, since it's risen some querent arousal.

I answered this in-game, but there's no teleportation involved in it. It's like a really fast (faster than the eye) pull that can't be stopped.

Are Mercalan magics capable of healing disabilities that you were born with? (IE blind, mute, deaf.)

Depending on the severity of the condition, it is possible, yes. Although sometimes even Mercana will not work and no one seems to understand why.

What constitutes an emergency in which Mercalan/healing magic should be used to aid another from injury, contusions, etc? This is all going by ethics and the Church Charter (which I'm sure there is one).

If waiting for normal medical treatment would result in the death of the person, that is a valid time to use your magic. If a threat, such as a monster, is about and the only way to make sure it's stopped is to heal someone who can defeat it, that is another valid use. If you are pursuing a greater threat towards others, such as monsters (but not mortals), then it can be used without much worry.
Generally speaking, Mercala favors life over death.

What kind of dental care exists in this world, if any? Are cavities and the like something mercalan arcana could treat if the caster thought it was fine against Mercala's tenets and all that jazz?

Mercana can probably regenerate teeth, yes; though unless it's a serious issue... Doctors can also probably treat it themselves, which is preferable.

How do the Mercalan peeps view the Dullahan(s)?

The same they view vampires, most likely. Primarily as threats, but more concerned with containing the threat, since it is still technically life, and all life has value. May require being put down at some point. That sort of thing.

I know I'm late for the February questions, but what if someone using healing magic but they don't worship Mercala? Would the church still hunt them down, or not, because they're not a part of the church?

Depends on if they're using healing magic 'destructively' and to what extent. If you're healing old granny's broken hip, they likely won't care. If you're healing the entire town of everything from scrapes to stab wounds, they're a loooot less forgiving. Remember, the ultimate goal of the Mercalan Church in regards to healing magic is to make sure mankind don't develop a dependency on it, so you should weigh the specific case against that to determine your answer.

Does Mercalan magic have any limitations whatsoever to what it's capable of recovering, beyond an obviously dead person? To add to that--

Missing organs or limbs (depending on the size) cannot be regenerated. You might be able to regenerate missing digits (fingers/toes) if you're quick.

How much experience does it require to recover more grevious wounds with Mercalan magic? Would any healer, regardless of training, be able to use it to regenerate limbs and organs, so long as they knew 'Graft'?

Experience isn't so much the issue as it is focus issues. Healing with Mercana consumes a lot of focus, and it gets much more focus hungry the larger the project.

About how common are practioners of Mercalan magic? As in--in your average small rural village(100~ people or so), how unlikely/likely is it that at least -one- person living there would be capable of using it?

Typically the church deploys them on a basis of need and has at least one within reasonable distance to known settlements, although some are so far out of the way that they need to fetch a priest from a bigger town if they need one. The knowledge and use of Mercana is highly regulated by the church for obvious reasons, so it's not something the village apothecary does on the side.

What exactly are the Tenants of Mercala? We know their policy on exercising restraint of healing magic unless it's necessary and that they aren't fond of Huggessoa or their followers but what else does the Mercalan faith encourage/discourage?

What you mentioned is the big one, but she also teaches a lot of generic 'good neighbor' stuff, like generosity, honesty, and so on.

Huggessoa has Vampires, Zera has Zerans but does Mercala have a race to call her own? (Definitely not Elves, nope.)

Maybe. Maybe you already know them well.

What's the Mercalan Church's view on Mechanations? Are they seen as just another form of life and whatnot? What about Doriad?

2) Mercala celebrates all forms of life that aren't unlife. I would say she has a soft spot for Doriad in particular, for some reason.

How is Holy Water made? From Mercalan Priests blessing water or-?

Holy water is water blessed with light magic.

-Are there any Mercalan-related factions aside from the Sun's Ichor and Church Knights aside from the church itself? Which, if any, could be playable upon approval?

Probably.

-What are Mercalan faith's view on pre-marital sex and prostitution?

Negative.

-Would a vampire ever knowingly be allowed to join the church of Mercala, assuming they were a good person and upheld the tenents?

Probably, although they might not be very accepted.

When was Sun's Ichor founded, and when was it denounced?

How large was it in terms of members, approximately? Are we talking maybe a dozen, or a few hundred?

Did they operate internationally, or were they mostly only present in Lordwain/Lispool?

I find it a little odd they could take Mercala's teachings that far when she's still around. What did The Voice have to say about their actions, if anything? Am I wrong to assume she just kept quiet until they started making mistakes?

1) 40 years or so. It's mentioned the children of the original Sun's Ichor are rumored to be running around and playing at vampire hunting, so it would be around that timeframe. That would also make the Church Knights a '40 years or so' order, since they were established after the Sun's Ichor was denounced.
2) About a hundred men at its peak.
3) They went wherever they were told vampires were, so all over.
4) This is a complicated answer. First of all, Mercala doesn't speak all of the time. Since speaking causes stress to the Voice, she only really speaks through her when necessary. Secondly, you're assuming that Mercala particularly disagrees with vampire hunting. The issue wasn't the action, but the method; the Sun's Ichor were extremely cruel, which reflected badly on the Church, which is very bad for Mercala. When the Sun's Ichor gained infamy, she was forced to act, denounced them, and established the Church Knights.

Do we know the existence of bacteria/microscopic life?

And how would Mercana affect them?

1) To some degree.
2) Not much, if at all, but it depends.

Not sure if this has already been answered before but what kind of education system does Sigrogana have?
Is there a certain school that's most popular in Cellsvich? Or in any of the areas in Sigrogana?
Can you name one if so?

... Mercalan priest/esses will often help the less fortunate in some ways, such as by learning to read and so on, if they can.
...

While most forms of magic are banned or whatnot within Oniga's walls, how do they look on Mercana being used (to treat wounds and all that)? Is that much acceptable?

1) Mercana is one of the few forms of magic allowed in Oniga, at least, the healing portion of it.

Why are crucifixes symbols of Mercala? Historically they were used as methods of execution, and while Christianity has ties to them due to Jesus being executed on one, as far as I'm aware the Mercalan faith doesn't have that the to bring together a religion of life and healing and a method of execution.

The cross represents the sword of Mercala, Vajistra.

Are Curates of other religions possible? Would one dedicated to say, [NATURE GOD HERE] be capable of casting Graft/Rescue/Quickness and things like that with having a bit more flavorful 'trappings' for their deity of choice? ([NATURE GOD]s would be something like a green glow and minty freshness or something. Iunno.)

Tying into that, are all "Mercalan Domain" spells.. inherently tied to Mercala? There's been quite a bit of confusion on this. Distortion, for instance, is a Mercalan Domain spell. As is Apodis or whatever from the Apus or whatever. It just seems that, while not everything with the Hugeossan domain is "Hugeossan" by nature... that the same should likely apply to the Mercalan domain since we have things like Phoenix which... technically aren't Mercalan and more inviting a pseudo-elemental into a flame or whatever which. Really seems like a bad time for everyone.

1) Healing magic from gods other than Mercala is rare, which is why she's such a big deal. Enchantment spells you could make some argument for but probably not healing spells.
2) Yes, pretty much. Healing and light magic are what she does. Like I said, though, you could make some sort of argument for 'bending the rules' for spells that aren't healing related.

With the Mercalan faith and such, are there any proper ways to venerate the higher ups other than showing a massive amount of respect?

How would you respect or talk to The Voice or Vajistra properly? What would you do if you found yourself in Mercala's presence beyond 'sit down and shut up'? And so on for church knights or other high-ranking church officials as well?

Shouldn't take a lot of imagination. If you're talking to the Voice, you're talking to the person who literally hosts your goddess. It'd be like talking to a Queen, you'd call her Your Holiness, kneel until told to rise, never touch or speak against them, etc. Vajistra is the right hand of Mercala so much of the same, but that position is a bit more 'human' so any steps out of line aren't (literally) disrespecting a goddess.

Church Knights are knights, so they're some bloke with a title. If you're trying to be respectful, you'd call them Sir/Ser/Lady [Whoever], and so on.

How difficult is it to meet with the Voice?
Is the Voice human, or any other race? Maybe an Elf? I can't remember if this was answered.
When the Voice isn't possessed by Mercala, how is she like? Naturally, she would have her own personality -- or perhaps she is a singular being with Mercala's own personality?

1) As in a private meeting? Pretty difficult depending on your standing. She speaks fairly often in public, though.
2) She is the same race as Ashe.
3) Adena has her own personality, yes. Many who have met her describe her as kind and compassionate.

If a Lantern Bearer works by binding elementals to a lantern, does Phoenix actually count as Mercalan magic? (I mean, it's listed as Mercalan Domain, sure, but that's mechanical.) What is the Church's view on non-magical accelerated healing methods such as Ki?

Pseudoelementals, and yes, Mercala tends to have domain over most magic that heals wounds as a rule. I'm sure if you asked the Church if it counts, they'd say yes. As for Ki, that's more of a spiritual healing that is not as potent nor as widespread as Mercalan magic, so it doesn't count.

Is using mercalan domain healing magic considered abuse of Mercana when used in a spar? I feel as if this comes up a lot as it's been slowly slinking it's way in to just casual spars nowadays.

If it's not an emergency then yes, that would be abuse, albeit on the low end of the scale.

The wiki entry for Vajistra seems to clearly imply that Ashe, and perhaps her Church Knights by extension, execute apostates and Mercana abusers. Recently, I've seen the idea pop up a few times as well. Is this a thing that only happens in Lispool, or do they do this in other nations as well? Are they only allowed to act in this capacity in certain places?

I can perhaps see the governments of nations where Mercala worship is dominant tolerating it, but why would Egwyn/Alstalsia/Oniga allow members of a foreign government/religion to kill people in their own cities for breaking foreign religious laws? Does Ashe just ignore local laws and catch people outside the cities where she's not legally allowed to act?

It happens everywhere. In more developed parts of the world such as Sigrogana and Alstalsia, they will go through due process, and often times the authorities themselves will arrest the person in question and ship them off to Lispool to whatever fate awaits them. They are almost obligated to do so, because the Mercalan faith is so popular, and upsetting the faith will result in them no longer supporting your country. Having Mercalan healers is considered very important because they are your only option in emergency situations. They have the support of the common people, which gives them a lot of influence, and since they leverage it so rarely it's even more powerful; if the Mercalan Church calls you out, people are going to listen, because it happens so rarely.

There are times when the Church gets stonewalled trying to obtain abusers but depending on the level of offense, they may let consider it not worth the effort and let it go until they have a better opportunity (if ever). Also, Ashe herself is like a walking nuclear weapon; she is an extremely capable fighter with divine powers far exceeding anything the average guard has seen. Vajistra, the sword, is also extremely dangerous. No one knows exactly what it's capable of, but everyone fears it; even Sadie gives its power some credibility.

Ultimately people trust the Mercalan Church and working with them is much more beneficial in the long run than not.

1- What happens to the soul of the target when Vajistra deletes their life and turns them into a zombie-to-become-ash-after? (By erasing the Nairyfian Domain and the Mercalan Domain from the target's semblance) Is it erased along or they just get a free trip to Lazarus?

2- Does Vampires have Mercalan Domain essence into them to keep them in motion? (I'm speculating it would also turn the 'Unliving' [vamps] into ashes for removing whatever soul or curse that keeps them alive, since Mercalan = Life, and Vampires are not Undead, but 'Unliving' according to somewhere I read it. I don't know Huggessoan enough to form a theory, nor I think it is the trick behind the Undead, sooo...)

1) The soul is separate from the body, so if the body were to be destroyed, it would just go to Lazarus.
2) You sound like you're referring to something that existed in SL1, but there's no such thing as Mercalan Domain essence in SL2.

When is the Voice's birthday?

Also, something a bit imposing, but:

When Ashe said that Mercala was the essence of all Life, and therefore she is the goddess of all Life, in what capacity is she truly the goddess of all Life?
Was Mercala the original progenitor of the nomadic race of humans before the Gods came from the Void?
Or, was she simply responsible for bringing verdure and such to Sigrogana planet (therefore, a big part of life) when she convinced Nairyf to plow a sun into a sword (assuming the intensity when there were two suns was immense, and considering the environment now, it can be safely assumed that Sigrogana was pretty much a wasteland back when two suns existed)?
And how much does she have to do with the mortal soul/soul in general (or in some cases, pseudo-immortal souls barring undead and un-undead)?

It's okay not to answer these because they're somewhat specific, but a bit too much about Mercala's lore is a bit obfuscated (even if the debates are fun). Feel free to clarify what you can. (Don't worry I wont' ask about Doriads.)

Also, you did mention That Big Tree on Mersales. I'll try not to ask for specifics, but a bit of lore would be appreciated for the religious elves that may exist in the meta-canon. What can you tell us about That Big Tree? Any practices? Anything at all you may have already drafted up/come up with?

Also, one more thing: since Mercana can't be used to scan/sense for any variable or invariable internal injuries, contusions, or sickness (I honestly don't see why not, especially in the case of a very powerful healer of sorts, and if being used directly on the patient aside from cues), would Ki be able to? If not, are there any Karatynn technologies that would be able to?

1) The same day as Christmas (very creative, I know.)
2) I wouldn't take Ashe's eloquence literally, since all she was saying is that you can't kill the Voice because Mercala's healing magic is so powerful that it would simply heal them as you tried. The Vajistra legend may or may not be embellished.
3) Mercala is unrelated to souls.
4) There's a big, magic, sacred tree on Mersales. It never wilts or loses its leaves. It's special to the elves. That's about it.
5) Ki most likely wouldn't be able to do so, and there isn't any common or portable technology that would help.

How would the church react to spell thiefs stealing mercana

Usually the church only makes a fuss over people using Mercana.

If you're not of Mereclan faith, would only using the bare minimum, lets say just from curate, would said character be hunted down by the church? And on that matter how much do priest and priestess frown upon those who abuse Mereclan dominated spells? (As an add-on to Lolztripd's question)

What is the 'bare minimum'? Generally, the church doesn't like people not of the fate using Mercana, but if you're not attracting attention they aren't going to be actively looking for you. Don't understand the second question, you'll have to clarify what you mean by 'Mercana dominated spells'.

How are insane/suicidal people generally dealt with? (Someone engaging in public self-harm, for example.)

10) Prison or asylum, some may be treated by Mercalans.

1) Do the gods have servants, excluding their mortal worshipers, beyond Mercala's Shine Knights?

1) Not really, no. Shine Knights aren't really servants, they're more manifestations of Mercalan's power.

2- What does healing magic do to broken bones and punctured organs? Magically revert back to pristine state in a blink of an eye like nothing even happened? Or the healing is "as if time is going on reverse" so the bone/organ goes under an 'un-breaking' process back to 'normal'?

3- While healing magic is used, does the target feel even more pain due to their bodies being forcefully mended, or an immense relief as if the magic also numbs the pain away?

4- Healing magic can cure/cleanse illnesses (such as fever, for example), or only medicine/alchemy can do so?

1) Probably just a dry, boney scent.
2) Yes.
3) The latter.
4) Healing magic can usually only treat physical injuries.

5- Does using the Elemental 'Phoenix' from the Lantern Bearer, 'Healing Discharge' from Bonder, or even 'Aid' from Monk, go against the Mercala's Tenants of 'using unnatural healing only in emergencies'?

6- Can you give an example of how an average Mercalan should react upon seeing their God's magic being needlessly used?

5) Yes, though Aid is different enough to not be Mercana and is not as effective, obviously.
6) Lecture the offender on why it's a bad idea, if it continues, report it to the Church higher-ups.

More on the subject of Mercalan healing tenets!

Are Mercalan healers allowed to heal chronic injuries, such as broken legs, arms, etc. given enough reason? Examples could be: that person has to support their family, etc. etc. Would this be on the basis on how the injury was acquired? Would it be counted as an emergency if it was acquired on accident?

Edit: What about healing congenital birth defects (such as blindness. Like, regular blindness, not future vision oracle blindness)? Would it even be possible? If so, would it be frowned upon by the Church since it's a defect that perhaps was caused by """"the grand design"""""?

Edit 2: Can Mercana clear/heal/disappear scarring? If so, how much?

1) It probably depends on the nature of the injury. Keep in mind that the tenets are all about making people not be reckless or violent. An accident could be acceptable depending on the circumstances.
2) I don't think something like a birth defect would fall under the scope of things that could be healed, since healing is primarily making things the way they were, not what is 'normal'.
3) Yes, scarring would be healable depending on the severity and how long the scar has been acquired for.

[i]The Church has always led people to believe that the over-dependence and use of Mercana promotes chaos and complacency. They've explained why, and done so well. However, it raises one (maybe more) question(s), which are hopefully answered in scripture, maybe?:

If Mercala potentially knew that her boon would potentially cause strife, why would she implement it? Perhaps she didn't mean to, and it was an accident during Heaven's Contention (perhaps when she healed a certain someone)? I have a feeling Mercala would explain this to her followers in some way, because this is a very easy rebuttal to the presence of Mercana, and thus making it seem much more detrimental than it is.

I guess you could phrase it as not discarding the value of fire just because arson exists, which is to say, just because it can be abused doesn't mean it shouldn't be used to help those in need.

1. Does healing a wound with Mercalan magic cleanse it of infections and the likes?

It will cleanse the wound, yes.

Throughout my duration of playing the game, I always thought that it was weird that there were plenty of signs and the oracle cards used for contracts. With that being said; What is the literacy rate of Sigrogana and its citizens, as well as how literate are the citizens compared to the other civilizations like Alstalsia and Karaten?

... It is worth noting that one thing the Church of Mercala does do almost everywhere is teach reading and writing...

What is average training time length of a Priest? (How many years would a Priest trainee need to become a proper Priest?)
Would the Hierarchy ranks of Mercala faith be very similar to Christian religion [Like Bishop is higher than Priest, Cardinal is higher than Bishop?]
[Question to above] What would be highest rank a Player-Priest can go before needing to actually be acknowledged to have that said rank?
Were there any recorded Voices of Mercala, before Adena Mehana?
How old is Adena Mehana? [To confirm the Goddess is a loli meme is true or false.]
What is the Faith's view on Elves? [Distrust? Concerns? Bewilderment?]
If Mercana were intended to be healing, and restorative property. Yet Mercana can be used offensively. Is this in case of self-defense for priests? [To clarify. Mercana have offensive magic. What would be reason behind this?]

2) There's not any set period of time, though you are typically expected to serve the church for at least 1 year as an Acolyte before you move onto doing Priestly things.
3) Probably. Priest would probably be the highest a player could assume to have before needing permission.
4) Yes.
5) She and Ashe are twins, so around the same age as her.
6) Elves are healers so they are generally well respected.
7) Mercala's power is not just in healing, she also governs the general domain of Light magic. Healing is her primary function (and interest), but it doesn't prevent her from having power as well.

Also, as presented by Hope in Lispool, can Mercana (or rather, Mercalan rituals) somehow treat mental illness? We know that Corrupted mental illness is severe and requires intense experimentation and sessions, but what about "regular" mental illness found in other races? How would Mercana affect that kind of mental illness as opposed to Corrupted warped-mental illness?

Can Mercana somehow prolong one's life? I.E.: preventing someone from dying of old age, or preventing the on-set of old-age and its effects. (part of me thought this was answered elsewhere but i found no trace).

Is Mercana strictly healing magic or is it also defined as offensive/defensive magic? Would a Shine Ray be claimed as 'Mercana', as an example.

Would the Church and their followers look down upon those who use offensive/defensive/support Mercana in spars?

5) It can help. In general there's a mechanical basis for this, see the Pacify items/spells.
6) Most likely.
7) Mercana is mainly known for healing, but it has offensive capabilities via light magic.
8) It probably wouldn't be as big of a deal as healing magic.

It would probably be fine to use in that specific circumstance.

3: does Lispool have its own language, and if so, what is it based on?

3) Most of the continents have a native language but most of them have fallen out of favor for the common tongue.

When Mercala ATTEMPTED to heal Ryart's wounds, is it implied (see: confirmed) that she failed to heal him BECAUSE of Zera's unique ability to inflict Cursed Wounds?
If yes, does this mean Mercala would not be able to heal wounds caused by Zera, despite his Akasha not being able to sever her connection to life?
And tying into this question, is the Akasha the weapon that deals Cursed Wounds, or is it merely Zera's own unique ability? Seems like he wouldn't need the Akasha if that were the case.

No one really knows the details. It's just a legend.

1. If you use Mercalan domain spells (I.E, Star Stream / Shine Ray / Graft / etc...) is it forced for your character to ICly have faith in Mercala?

2. If yes to the above, what does this mean regarding Luminary Element characters that don't build FAI and instead use their WIL stat for the light?

1) It's a magic domain, which generally does not require faith, but benefits from it.

13. If I remember correctly, most of the advanced technologies are the ones that'd help war or combat? Would medicine be the second in line? What would be third in line?

13) Mercana is the only type of magic that really helps with medical things, so it isn't particularly advanced, though other types of magic can be used for utility, IE sterlizing blades, etc.

2)Can a person have faith in both Mercala and another God(Assuming that god isn't Huggessoa or anything of the sort)?

3)Lore-wise, can a person with small faith but a proper luminary element use Mercana well?

2) Yes.
3) Possibly.

3. How many gods are alive as of now?

3) Mercala is the only one we know for sure is alive.

[Anhita]

Youkai and You! Summoners and Me!

I pretty much CTRL+F'd youkai through like every thread
If theres anything I missed, let me know.


Hey Dev, I have some questions but I don't need too much detail, really. Feel free to answer with yes and no if I'm being a bother.
1. How do contracts with Youkai work? Are they all simply ledgers written out that bind the two? Can there be different contracts? Do youkai always need contracts to exist within a person?
2. How far does the bond between summoner and youkai go?
3. Do summon doors lead to the Youkai plane of existance? Or are they just a pocket dimension or something like that.
4. They feed off the users magic to manifest. Does this mean they are somewhat parasitic? What do they benefit from this bond?
5. Do they have some control over an individuals body, or no?

1) A contract is a tattoo-like symbol that the Youkai puts on your skin when it's contracted, which signifies its soul resides inside of you. Usually the 'terms' of the contract are hashed out before it actually happens. A youkai doesn't necessary need a contract to be 'within' a person, but that starts to get into the territory of possession, and it's dangerous for the youkai so usually it doesn't happen.
2) Depends on the person and the youkai. If the youkai doesn't like you very much, they probably just see it as a way to get free focus and will only put forth the minimum effort. But if the youkai does like you, they may be willing to do almost anything if it would help you.
3) The nature of the doors to summoning houses isn't fully understood because not everyone is aware of them, but Karaten seems to believe they are similar to B.D.P.s, only much more stable.
4) Somewhat. The benefit for the youkai is that they are whimsical by nature and so they may just want to have fun. Normally, it is difficult for youkai to maintain their physical form in our world for very long because it requires a large amount of focus; by making contracts with summoners, they can do this for extended periods.
5) When installed, yes. Otherwise very little, if any.

If a summoner install their youkai, do their appearances shift during this if the bond between them is particularly strong, or any other situation would cause something of the like to happen?

Slight appearance shifts are possible, but nothing dramatic like your head turning into a dragon's or growing fairy wings. But your skin might appear harder or 'scaled' if you had Dragonscale while installed, for example.

-Beyond the Youkai currently represented in-game, are there more out there you can contract in-characterly?

You can only contract what you can contract in-game. Needless to say, more Youkai will be added down the line.

Would a Reihou(or various other youkai specific healing) be able to heal someone who has installed themself with a youkai? At least lore wise, and not mechanically speaking.

Probably not.

Can Youkai bind objects they hold value in to themselves so when summoned they appear with said items? Or is this possible at all?

If yes, can they be brought forth without these items at times as well? Would it be at the will of the summoner or the youkai?

And Can Youkai summon themselves from the summoners contract list?

Where specifically do youkai go when they are contracted as well? Are they aware of the summoners action while not summoned?

1/2) No.
3) No.
4) They become contracts on the summoner's body; they are aware of the summoner's actions while they are not summoned.

Since youkai require faith to have more contracts, Judgement blade and Healing Discharge require faith to be effective, does this mean youkai have any sort of connection to Mercala? Or Summoners in general?

Faith isn't a Mercalan thing exclusively, so not directly.

The wiki says Oniga pays homage to protective spirits like Seiryuu. Does that mean that there are multiples of Seiryuu/Byakko (i.e. they're a type of protective spirit/youkai)? Or are they singular, and there are multiples for gameplay purposes. Sorry if this has been asked before.

Seiryuu/Byakko aren't unique spirits, no, but they are seen as protective spirits, particularly on Oniga.

So, I was looking through the lore questions and noticed you had said youkai take contracts on the summoners body.
1). Does this mean that each one is a sort of tattoo on the summoners body?
2). Do these spots glow when that youkai is in use?
3). Does the summoner get to choose where these contracts take place on the body?
4). If the contracts are like tattoos are these symbols the same for each youkai or different?
5). If the Tattoo question is also true, about how large are these symbols on the body?

A) Yes.
B) They can, yes.
C) The youkai chooses, and often it just picks a spot where it feels comfortable.
D) Yes.
E) It depends on the youkai. Usually smaller youkai have a smaller contract.

Something a bit far-fetched: Since youkai are considered spiritual beings and can also "possess" you, would it be possible for a youkai to "kill" a spirit, or can they not because of their contract? Or can they just not at all.

2) You can't kill a spirit, no, and Youkai wouldn't be able to do much to force it out, however a summoner with Install spirits is better suited to shaking off and resisting the possession.

Question Three: Regarding lore, are there generally a lot of stories of heroic deeds involving the youkai of the east and west gates, Seiryuu and Byakko?
Question Four: Do youkai bleed? (asside from maybe Drowned woman or something similar which would be obvious)
Question Five: How are youkai produced? Asexually or Sexually?
Question Six: If youkai are summoned out of combat, is sustaining them any easier? Or is the strain still the same?

3) Seiryuu and Byakko are more like guardian spirits in those places. Not really heroes.
4) Some can, some can't.
5) No one knows. They come from a different world, after all.
6) Summoning them at all causes the same level of strain.

How long can one keep up multiple youkai? A full day, without consequence?

How far can you control these youkai and familiars? Could you control them from, say, a different continent?

1) Keeping up youkai is an exhausting activity. I'll liken it to jogging. Keeping up multiple youkai is like jogging multiple times. It becomes easier when one has large stores of focus and is well rested but keeping it up for an entire day is unlikely. You'd be lucky if you could keep one summoned for that much time while in an area with no innately high focus content, like summoning houses, which are very rare and typically mage-made areas like the Shadowless Spire (the Mashiama Stronghold).

2) I'd say about the length of a football field is the maximum.

So, another question of youkai, are they capable of communicating with the summoner while not summoned? Perhaps telepathy or something of the sort?

If so is this communication a two way process? (as in you can have mental conversations.)

Yes, summoners and youkai can communicate telepathically while the youkai is not summoned.

A few Youkai seem to exist natively on Sigrogana, without a summoner (Firefoxes, for instance). Is there a reason for this, or is it just reused assets (i.e they're different creatures in actuality, despite looking identical)? If they are extraplanar creatures on Sigrogana, how did they get here?

2) In rare cases Youkai can exist without a summoner, but usually it doesn't last long.

Also, are there any 'special' methods of summoning Youkai? I mean stuff like the card-crushing from Persona 4 and what not, since summoners seem to be based off Shin Megami Tensei.

Summoning youkai require a contract and a medium, which is typically the body of the summoner. It's quite possible that there would be alternate summoning methods, although nothing like card crushing.

People keep asking where the hell Youkai are going when they are desummoned so Im just going to start skipping these.

Are Youkai capable of summoning themselves near their summoner, given sufficient reason to do so?

They have to be ordered to be summoned, doing so on their own isn't something that is really thought of happening.

Considering the idea. Ignoring the undead Null species, can any other species be capable of being given intelligence similar to that of a human

I'm not sure what's being asked here but I guess it's something along the lines of 'are there any creatures as smart as mortals?', and the answer is yes. Youkai can be just as intelligent as a mortal, for example.

In SL 1 Youkai could have mutations on them when contracted... Does the same happen here?

1) They don't really mutate anymore, no. There are some variations between Youkai of the same type (or some that become a new type altogether, like Jhun), but we'll probably get to that in-game at some point.

The Phase Python is an interesting youkai. What causes it to phase in and phase out? Is it attributed to something, like the void or time?
When you phase-fang, you end up elsewhere. Is this at random lore-wise?
What's going on when it phases out? Is it just invisible, and harder to hit/moving faster, or does it actually phase out? When it teleports you behind an enemy, is that by choice or is it just a side effect of phasing out with it's fang?

Likewise, it's function of moving back to where you began the turn, circumstances permitting. Why there?

1) It's just a power that PP has, really. It has supernatural speed.
2) No, it's pretty deliberate on PP's part.
3) See 1.
4) See 2.
5) No real reason, it's just the way the skill works.

Can Aquarian spells be used to heal? While there is a Youkai that can use Aquarian healing magic, I was told Youkai spells might be different.

Can Aquarian spells be used to heal? While there is a Youkai that can use Aquarian healing magic, I was told Youkai spells might be different.

[Blissey]

Elves: The Empire's Listening Devices ... and Mersales, too.

Status: COMPLETE. 5/14/2020

Do Elves know Common despite being born on Mersales?

Let's go with some do and some don't. Somehow elves have knowledge of common in Mersales but many choose not to learn it because when are they ever gonna use it?

Clearly known only to Elves (and Doriads, maybe), what kind of political/ruling/governmental system is implemented actively and most commonly on Mersales? Monarchy? Oligarchy? Theocracy? Elder system somewhat akin to Egwyn?

A bunch of old, old elves rule Mersales, and they're very set in their ways. It's like an Elder system, only all the Elders are in on it, and there's only one 'tribe'. When elves leave Mersales, sometimes it's due to wanderlust, sometimes it's due to Mersales society being so rigid.

2. If Elves aren't stratified into separate tribes, does this mean most Elves -- if not all Elves -- know each other in some way?

2) There are a lot of elves so maybe not. No one knows how big Mersales is, after all; it could be just as large as Gold for all we know.

In the March 2015 thread you said no one knows how big Mersales is, but you compared it to the northern mountainous region of Sigrogana, just behind Cellsvich, in size.

It's about that size horizontally speaking. But who knows how big it is vertically?

1. Can Doriads spawn on Mersales? If so, what happens to them? Are they treated any differently than Elves?

2. Is there any specific age of adulthood for Elves?

3. How does timelessness work for Elves? Do they choose when to stop aging, or can they choose how old to appear at will?

4. How strictly is time kept track of in Mersales?

1) Doriads cannot spawn on Mersales.

2) I'd say they enter adulthood slightly (5-6 years) after a human would.

3) They reach adulthood and then they stop aging entirely. It's not a willed or controlled ability.

4) They probably can't tell you the hour and minute, since they don't have access to Asago Corporation's lnet technology, but they keep track of days.

*If a non-elf person somehow, by unknown ways of the Gods, ended up on Mersales, how would the Elven government react? Would they consider it a threat to national security and instantly kill them, or...?

1) In this extremely hypothetical and almost impossible situation, they would probably put the person on a small boat with some fresh water and bread, put them on the sea and say 'good luck'.

-Would an elf have a general idea of where Mersales was, from when they had left?

-What would be the closest inhabited continent to Mersales?

-Do elves have any general views on vampires?

EDIT: -Do elves from Mersales have their own language? or did they somehow speak common in Mersales?

One more that I'll throw out, but don't expect much of.

-Can we understand just what makes them seemingly ageless yet?

1) Probably not, it's not like elves have a good sense of direction when they live in Mersales for their entire life. Plus there's that rumor that Mersales moves around, so...
2) Who knows? Probably Sigrogana, since it's the largest continent.
3) Elves don't have any special views on vampires, since like every other non-elf race, they're not present in Mersales. Elves that leave Mersales may have an opinion, of course, but it's not unusual for them to not know what one is until leaving Mersales.
4) If they're like the other mortal races, it's probably an aspect of their patron deity. Assuming that the elves have one. They may just have always been that way.

1) Can Elves in Mersales tell when trouble is brewing in the outside world, at all? I was mainly wondering if they'd be able to pick up on powerful magics or whatnot, giving elves with wanderlust an excuse to take off to investiate "for the greater good" and all.

1) Probably not.

-Can elves become vampires without a real issue? I mean, the ears aren't in the racial menu...

Yes.

...elves existed in the world prior to the Enlightenment?

...elves, at least, have existed since before the Enlightenment.

Is Lichdom a thing in Mersales? How about dark magic?

How present is religion in Mersales, and if more than 'not at all', what flavor is it generally?

When did Mersales come to be, and how aware are its citizens of the events of Heaven's Contention?

F) No. No.
G) You are expected to live your life a certain way in Mersales, so in a way, it could be seen as religious. The only thing they really worship there is that big old tree, though.
H) A long, long time ago. They probably aren't.

Also, you did mention That Big Tree on Mersales. I'll try not to ask for specifics, but a bit of lore would be appreciated for the religious elves that may exist in the meta-canon. What can you tell us about That Big Tree? Any practices? Anything at all you may have already drafted up/come up with?

There's a big, magic, sacred tree on Mersales. It never wilts or loses its leaves. It's special to the elves. That's about it.

Did Elves on/from Mersales know about Iahsus/ever saw Iahsus in the sky? If so, what kind of interpretation did they take of Iahsus, and if they have ever witnessed a Black Eclipse (which, I'm sure many old Elves have), what would their take on it be?

1) Yes.
2) They consider it an unnatural, malevolent entity of unknown origin.

5)What kind of healing magic(s) did elves use? We know they did alchemy, but the description for the skill notes both alchemy and a unknown form of magic.

A mixture of magic and alchemy, most likely.

What is life on Mersales like on an average day?

Since Mersales is meant to be a paradise, would it be safe to say/assume that it is much like a utopia -- controlled and heavily regulated to maintain the peace?


Why do Elves not know who their patron God is? What could have caused them to forget? Or did they simply not know to begin with? (This is assuming that the Big Tree isn't directly their patron god).

Since Elves need to keep the secrets of Mersales safe, and since we as players do not have access to those details or secrets, is there a system in place (perhaps a magical spell, curse, etc.) that protects Mersales from Elven secret-spillers? An example would be an Elf who was kicked out of Mersales, but they have all these secrets (supposedly). Would an Elf begin to forget those crucial details over time, or would they simply be so loyal to Mersales that they would hold those secrets no matter what?

1) I mean, that varies from elf to elf. Generally peaceful and slow.
2) In a sense, though it's more because Mersales is not tainted by certain concepts that generally lead to chaos in the outside world. IE, money and excess property, Mersales generally operates on a basis of need.
3) They are not aware of it, if it exists.
4) They would likely forget over time, and some of them are too complex to really remember without a working reference.

[Blissey]

Introducing.... Dark El--- No... Wood El--... Nope. WILD ELVES!

Status: Complete for now.

Wild Elves are, essentially, elves that are born outside of Mersales. A large majority of them have slightly discolored, darker flecks of skin that resemble spots, all over their body. The most common place to find them is occupying the southwest edges of Edwyn's jungles, known as the Ashen Wetlands. Composed of swampy rivers thick with ash, theorized to be from Hyattr's destruction long ago, several tribes of Wild Elves make their home there, among the many insects, serpents and reptiles. This area of Egwyn is avoided by many Kaelensia because of the lack of resources, such as fresh water, the hot climate, the disease that is spread by the swamp-favoring insects, and so on. These factors do not seem to bother the Wild Elves, who are said to possess magic that purifies the water and heals the body of such ailments.

Are they Immortal like Elves?

They still live a long time, yes.

Do they age?

Not any more than normal Elves, no.

[Slydria]

Vampires

Disclaimer: I've plucked these in chronological order, there were some conflicts with a few answers given seeming contrary. I'm sure this will be ironed out once officially used however until then I'd say simply consider the more recent answers (as in the ones further down) to be the accurate ones.


Are they required to feed to stay alive/powerful if they never use their abilities?

Vampires feed on the blood of creatures, and as they feed on more and more victims, they become more powerful. A vampire that does not feed gradually becomes weaker over time, and one that does not feed at all will eventually turn to ash and scatter to the winds. However, as long as they feed enough to keep themselves alive, they refrain from aging, and can live longer than anyone could stick around to count.

How do their bodies differ from humans? Fangs, temperature, etc.

They have fangs, though depending on the person/power, they can be subtle or pronounced. Body temperature does not usually differ between them and mortals, which is probably good for them.

I'm guessing a more powerful vampire would have more pronounced fangs?
Just making sure.

Yes.

What physical requirements do they need? Air, food, sleep, etc.

They need air (we all need Air). Food is optional, but can be a supplement to get Focus, although it is nowhere near enough on its own to replace blood. Sleep is a little different. Vampires can sleep, but doing so doesn't give them much focus as it would with a mortal race (this little detail is not expressed in gameplay for your convenience).

Is there any difference between feeding on a vampire and on a mortal?

Not really, though drinking the blood of another vampire is extremely taboo to them. The only exception would be a vampire offering their blood to a starving vampire who could die without it, and even then, it's considered very strange but necessary, and some vampires will just refuse it outright for that reason, even if it results in the other vampire dying.

Forgot to ask if vampires can get sick/etc.

Probably, yes, though they're more resistant to disease/etc.

What happens if a mortal drinks vampire blood from one/a few people but not all six?
Does it store up, wear off, are there any side effects or what?

Drinking the blood has to be in succession or all at once, there's maybe an hour's worth the leeway. There aren't any side effects that you wouldn't get from drinking regular blood.

So, if a mortal drank from one vampire, a human, and then five vampires, they wouldn't perform the ritual, correct?

Correct.

Does feeding on people of any race/ability have different effects, other than the obvious Glykin blood being painful?
For example, would feeding on an extremely powerful mage/redtail/elf be any different than on a simple goblin.

A mage would probably have more focus in their blood, making it more 'nutritious', but otherwise no.

Can blood be stored in a container of some sort (possibly with something to keep it "good&quot and be used later as a regular substitute for fresh blood?

Not in a way that would make it any more helpful to consume than food.

Would a vampire be able to regrow (or reattach) limbs by healing themselves, or would they have to be "killed"?

They would be able to reattach them with healing magic like anyone else, dying is also an option.

Can Vampires be cured in any way ever at all?

No.

Would there be any way for an animal such as a magic dog to be a vampire?

Probably not.

What exactly determines where a particular vampire's "sanctuary" is? A conscious decision? Marking blood someplace? The forces of the universe choosing that place for them?

Do vampires necessarily even know where their "sanctuary" is? Can it change locations?

A sanctuary is just a place a vampire can reform without being in danger. This basically means anywhere away from other people in a cavern, usually ones where bats roost.

Do the eyes of a new vampire change to red after the ritual is finished, or do they retain their original eye color?

I'm going to go ahead and say either or.

So how long does it typically take a vampire to die of lack of blood? I mean what are the factors that would increase the time it would take.

6 years usually. That time limit can be accelerated if spent in sunlight, with over-exertion, or trying to feebly use vampire powers.

Would I be correct in assuming that Vampires also first emerged during The Enlightenment, or are they somehow even more ancient?

Also, would there be any way post-enlightenment for a human to become a race created through the event, or was that a one time deal?

No one's really sure when Vampires first existed; they're pretty good about hiding things. And there might be a way, but aside from becoming a vampire, no one has that knowledge.

How would one go about killing a vampire? What are things they can actually die from?

They're very difficult to kill, excluding an organization specifically made to do so.

How are Vampire / Witch hunts conducted since murder is something empires don't tolerate? Or is this a common thing in only Lispool because of the Church and their sanctity?

They typically aren't.

So, my question is, are Vampires only affected by Holy magic/weapons, or are they also affected by Light magic? Also, should Holy Arrow be effective against them? (Holy Arrow only deals Light magic).

They are affected by Light magic.

Speaking of vampires and weaknesses, what is it exactly that stops them from reproducing?

As in, scientifically, where does the process go "nope" and not work.

Female vampire specifically, but both would be nice too.

Huggessoa denies life that he did not create. So basically, when you become a vampire, you lose that ability. It's an effect of the ritual.

Are there any Vampires in Mersales?

No, and I don't think they'd have any way to be.

Are Huggessoa and the Void at all related? (And if so, anything about Vampires and the Void that're worth noting?)

No relation.

Is there anything we know about the story of Huggessoa and their dabbling that lead to Vampires? Or of Mercala and what occurred that led to Elves?

There is very little known about Huggessoa; the off-stage nature of the vampires seems to apply to them as well. Any relation Mercala has to Elves is speculation, as far as I know!

Do Glykin blood/light magic/Holy enchantments actually kill a vampire, or are they just better at 'killing' them?

They can kill them if the Vampire is weak enough. For Glykin blood, it depends on the amount consumed, though usually vampires are smart enough to not try or notice.

Since a vampire 'dying' seems to be a 'reset button' of sorts, what effects does it have exactly?

You already said they'd regain lost limbs, what if they had some sort of disease, or were physically disabled?

When you become a vampire, you don't suffer from normal diseases, and if you were physically disabled, that no longer applies. Mind you, you might still have some issues if your legs are atrophied and such. But things like paralysis do not affect vampires.

What about Void Poisoning? Would it kill or 'kill' a vampire? Does it 'reset' if they 'die'?

Void Poison is a special case and vampires cannot avoid it or its effects through 'deaths'. If they suffer from Void Poisoning, they will suffer from it in the same way after reforming. If Void Poisoning gets bad enough, it is likely to cause chain deaths for a vampire, to where they will die, lose power, die again, and then just ash.

If nobody gets out of the Deepwood safely, what about vampires?
Would they mist or be dead for good?

Vampires would probably get misted and float out, but they'd have a hard time distinguishing what was real and what wasn't.

Speaking about vampires dying for good... Does a Holy object dealing a fatal blow to a vampire mean permanent death or not? And if so, if one were to enchant (as a stupid example) a simple rock with Holy and bash a vampire's head in with it, would that be just as effective at killing it as a Holy sword lopping off its head?

Holy objects just damage vampires more than regular ones. It isn't inherently fatal.

How long can vampire blood be stored and still be usable for ritual usage?

Forever, as long as it's sealed.

"However, as long as they feed enough to keep themselves alive, they refrain from aging, and can live longer than anyone could stick around to count."

Does that mean a starving vampire will slowly age?

Correct.

What would happen if a Vampire went into a Dark Zone?

They would probably die. Same with a Lich. Once you get into a Dark Zone, your magical escape powers don't play nice.

So what/how exactly are vampires and liches performing whe using Life Drain?

If blood is irrelevant, then is it draining focus? If not, what?

Whatever it is, is it a form of feeding for a vampire?

Why is it that only vampires and liches can perform this?

It's a violent extraction of Focus from the target that is then applied as healing to the user. The nature of the extraction damages the target and steals their focus, almost as if it were ripped out. Since it isn't blood, vampires do not 'feed' this way (which is why they don't get any Blood meter for it).

Vampires and liches are the only ones who can perform it because it requires specific knowledge and isn't capable of being used by the living.

Since Vampires can regenerate virtually everything upon one of their 'deaths', does that mean that, as an example, if a Vampire donates an organ (any organ, really), will that regenerate upon reconstituting? If so, will the regenerated organ just be wrested from the donatee's body, or will said organ just stop function? In fact, is the latter even possible, and do Vampire organs even work similarly to those of the Living?

Any lost body parts turn into mist when the vampire dies and go to where they reform. Vampire organs don't really work as donation material either.

How long after a Vampire's 'death' do they generally turn into mist?

Pretty much immediately after they die. There might be a small delay, but it wouldn't be very long.

Vampires take Light damage from banqueting a Glykin. You've said that Banquet isn't 'biting your opponent mid-combat.' instead you're stabbing the target with your weapon and sucking out life essence but... if that's true why does only Glykin make you deal light damage? They're the only ones, in lore, that have 'weird blood'. They also don't take the hefty hit penalty whenever they do it to someone from behind.

Why is this? Does a Glykin's 'essence' taste bad, or is it BLESSED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT? It doesn't make much sense.

Also if you aren't 'drinking the blood of your opponent' as you've said in the past, then should this be popping up?

I try to leave things open to interpretation so as not to restrict peoples' RP or give rise to those situations where someone goes '((You're RPing wrong loser.))' mid-scene. But if you require a concrete answer, yes, banquet ultimately boils down to drinking your opponent's blood somehow, someway. Whether you suck it out of them, or stab them and lick the blood off your sword, and so on.

If a Vampire were to be (forcibly) drained of their blood prior to death, would this cause them to permanently die? If not, do methods achievable by normal and or talented people (see: not gods or something) exist that could kill a Vampire for good without them 'misting'?

No. Probably not; if they could, they probably wouldn't need things like Church Knights.

So just a couple of questions about the 'mist' Vampires turn into when they die.

Is there any way to stop it from simply floating away? And is it possible to simply follow it to where the Vampire will reconstitute?

No. A lot of old vampire hunter sayings state that submerging the vampire in water before misting them helps, but that doesn't hold up in practice.

It is and isn't, and it depends on where the vampire is when they get misted. Mist can travel very high and very fast if necessary, to where even winged races can't keep up; which is only natural considering someone flying is a lot heavier than a cloud of mist. If the vampire is not far from their abode, it is possible to get some sort of approximation by trailing the mist if you can keep an eye on it, either through air tracking or having a nice clear view with no trees obstructing your view. Most vampires will reform in their sanctuary, which is the place where they took the vampire ritual. This is often a good place, since you have to take special care during the ritual not to be exposed to much sunlight and will often be a 'safe' place.

If that's impossible for whatever reason, for example travel there, even in mist form, taking more than the six days, or some force from inside the sanctuary preventing it (excessive sunlight, holy artifacts, that sort of deal), it is possible for them to reform in a random cavern where bats roost instead. This is much less safe and often drains the vampire a greater deal.

It is very hard to track a vampire after being misted, though. This is why, back before the Church Knights were formed, a group of vampire hunters called Sun's Ichor existed. They were essentially a group of extremists who saw Mercala as their goddess but took her teachings a little too far. What they would do is capture the vampire, gag them so they couldn't bite anything (including their tongue), find a high roof, and put the vampire up on it on a pulling rack to sit in the sun. Then, after the vampire hadn't drunk blood for a while and had been significantly weakened by the sun, they would ash them. Sun's Ichor was lead by a Glykin man named Azorus and almost everyone who knows about him knows that he used to feed starving vampires his own blood to torture them.

Eventually, though, they made mistakes and ended up "ashing" people who weren't vampires, leading to a loss of credibility of Mercala's faith and the Church Knights were formed. Sun's Ichor was publically denounced and hunted down by the law, while the Church Knights' noble, chivalric image made people trust in Mercala again. Some say the children of that extremist sect still operate today, but given that the 'rack and ash' is highly illegal now, they are basically outlaws. Like a really bloody Robin Hood. If they exist, and if they do, their number is too small and scattered to count.

A popular theory is that in retaliation for the atrocities that Azorus committed, vampires were the ones who started the negative rumors that surround the Glykin to this day.

Why can't Corrupted become Vampires? What happens if they try?

Corruption trumps everything, more or less. Nothing special would happen if they completed the ritual.

Do Vampires regenerate lost limbs? Do they regen upon becoming a Vampire, or do they only regenerate if you lose them after becoming one, if they do at all?

They regenerate limbs except those lost to void poisoning.

Can Vampires use large clothing in order to not be affected by the sun (like a large hat providing shade to them, and covering their bodies with a cloak?)

Things like large clothing or umbrellas help but nothing completely negates the effect the sun has on them.

Do Vampires actually produce blood of their own, or do they simply convert whatever blood they drink into their own, since they're undead and all bodily functions have pretty much ceased?

Vampires produce blood, yes, but it's not the same kind of blood that mortals have. They drink blood because it's the only efficient way for them to absorb focus, which is necessary for all life. Vampires still breathe and such, but they don't have to go to the bathroom, for example, unless they eat or drink something besides blood.

Can an 'exorcism' weapon grind a Vampire to ashes in one go, or can they safely mist after being butchered by one of those?

A vampire turning to ash directly correlates to how strong or weak they are, not what they are misted with, with very few exceptions.

Do literally -all- souls go to Lazarus after their mortal bodies die out? Or, more specifically, would a Vampire's? Are they taken to Huggessoa instead somehow?

Yes, with few exceptions.

How does Holy Water affect Vampires?

Holy water is water blessed with light magic. Vampires don't like light magic, therefore they don't like holy water either.

Would a vampire ever knowingly be allowed to join the church of Mercala, assuming they were a good person and upheld the tenents?

Probably, although they might not be very accepted.

Is it actually possible for a vampire to be a priest of Mercala, or no?

It would be very unusual but there's nothing stopping them.

Relating to the Bright Darkness trait for vampires, does being 'less evil' also make them more tolerant to sunlight?

Most likely.

Let assume a Vampire feeds on another Vampire, no matter if it´s a taboo.
I know their blood isn´t what gives them their powers, but the essence they gain from it, and create their own blood this way. But when a Vampire feeds on another Vampire shouldn´t they also feed on their essence? Mechanically that doesn´t happen, but ICly? Else it would kinda be possible to create endless essence from two vampires sucking each other.

The blood of a vampire doesn't contain focus, which is why they have to get it from other places, namely the blood of others. Even if it did, you wouldn't be able to create endless essence via entropy.

If they don´t drain essence, what exactly happens then since I don´t believe that they can create infinite essence like that. Whats the reason why it´s taboo for them when it has no downsides? If it has downsides, what are those?(Besides that its cannabalism)

It's taboo because it treats vampires, who are seen as a higher existence, on the level of mortals, which they prey on. And because it's entirely pointless, so doing so just makes it look like your vampire is insane and probably worth putting down lest they draw unwanted attention.

Have vampires and/or elves existed in the world prior to the Enlightenment?

Vampires and elves, at least, have existed since before the Enlightenment. Even the description for the vampires say they have existed since 'days before days'.

Do Vampires/Doriad use the bathroom?
Do the women have a time of the month?

No.
No.

Since vampires actually feed off essence rather than the blood its self, could a vampire soul eater instead feed off the essence of souls instead of blood?

Only with a special ritual.

A question regarding druids and vampires, are there any druids who are vampires, and how easily do they attune to the elements of nature given they are supposedly 'unnatural'

There aren't any vampire druids. Vampires are unnatural, druids are all about the natural, they just don't mix. They don't have the right temperament.

Are non-Mercana methods of healing, such as alchemy, just as ineffective on Vampires as Mercana is? Or are they ICly somewhat less weakened?

They are less effective for the same reason that eating food and other natural sources of focus are; vampires process things differently. Drinking poison, for example, is also less effective for vampires than normal people.

When vampires mist, do they head to the closest available spot to re-appear? For instance, if they were killed in-doors or in a cave system, they would materialize again shortly there-after, possibly a fair-enough distance away from their killer if the structure permits it.

They will typically mist towards the nearest bat-dwelling cavern with the least dangerous conditions; danger would come from monsters or people. There's no hard and fast rules for misting, it's a pretty magical phenomenon.

Vampires being the political sort, do they generally operate as some kind of collective, or do they just kind of do their own thing for the most part, or what? If there's a group, can we get some kind of hierarchy listed?

Vampires have been known to do their own thing, ultimately it becomes a question of how you became one. If a group of vampires is letting you into their inner circle you will often have positive mutual interests. If you became a vampire by your own 'will' in some way, it's different, since you're a lone wolf/bat.

I believe that you've stated before that vampires can go six years without feeding without dying of starvation, but also that sun exposure accelerates their hunger. If a vampire gets about as much exposure to the sun as the average human, about how often would they need to feed without risking any negative impact upon their 'health' (aging, being weakened by hunger, etc.)?

It's hard to know what the 'average human's exposure to the sun' is, because that depends heavily on your profession, but I'll assume you mean 'out during most of the day'. It depends on if you're in direct sunlight for most of it or not, as well. I'd say at least once every day or two if you're in the sun that much.

How quickly does blood lose its potency as a source of focus for vampires once outside of a living being/after said being dies? Is it a matter of seconds, or perhaps minutes? Gradually over a few hours, etc.?

It's gradual. Within 24 hours, it'll lose all of its focus content.

Do Vampires endanger their secret identity if they use Silvermists or Lunar Lunatism? Or is it something that can be subtle and unrecognizable even to people who are trained to know about Vampires?

Normal people could probably be fooled by saying it's magic but it's a risk, yes, especially Lunar Lunatism.

If there's no doctrine, what are some common aspects of Huggessoan worship/worshippers (if there are any beyond "they likely wear funeral attire&quot?

Most of them are vampires.

How strong are the teeth of Wyverntouched and Vampires? Are their fangs in particular stronger than the rest of their teeth?

Pretty strong.

Mechanations with fake blood. For obvious reasons it's not something that would replenish itself biologically, but could this replenish itself magically? Would say, a Vampire be able be able to feed from this, if the 'Blood' was rich in focus?

No. Mechanations don't have a circulatory system. Any focus they have operates their bodies, and it isn't contained in any sort of liquid. Since vampires can only absorb focus through blood, Mechanations are completely useless to them for feeding purposes.

Is it possible for Vampires to shield themselves from the sun's draining waves with weak magical barriers or wards, almost like a parasol?

No. If you're in the sunlight, they affect you. Even a physical blocker like a parasol will only help so much if you're standing outside on a clear day.

To what degree are Vampires affected by alcohol? Are they immune to the effects of alcohol poisoning like getting drunk or do they just have a really high resistance/processing rate of the ethanol?

A lesser rate, for sure.

Since mortals are said to have been completely artless, nomadic savages, does that mean the vampires were 'uplifted' before everyone else?

Most likely, but there were only a small number (single digit) of vampires pre-Reckoning.

Could vampires survive solely on shy snow flower (blue) potions? If not, any particular reason?

Not a realistic solution, in the long run. The amount of focus a potion gives isn't comparable to the amount of focus a vampire can draw from the same liquid volume of blood. They could be used as a supplement, but not a replacement.

Can you clarify a bit more on what vampires are ICly capable of feeding upon? E.g. is it limited only to living beings with relatively 'normal' blood to include animals and many animal-like monsters, or restricted exclusively to sentient/humanoid races with 'normal' blood? If the latter, are goblins included?

Anything with hemoglobin in its blood (see: red). Goblins have green 'blood' so they don't really apply. Again, don't take Banquet's mechanical function as a 1 for 1, since the way it works is mostly for PvE convenience.

I'm not sure if this has been answered yet, but can a Vampire's soul fuse with armor to become a Dullahan much like any other race's soul that ends up ill-fated to become a Dullahan?

In theory.

What happens if Glykin blood hits vampire blood? Or any other type of blood. I know it's pure, I'm just curious.

Nothing special. It only harms them if they try to ingest it.

Speaking of which, can Vampires, when they lose a limb, reattach it like true Undead by using Silvermists?

No.

Would a Wyverntouched lose their poisonous bite upon becoming a Vampire?

Yes.

Obviously it depends on the individual, but how do vampires tend to racially identify? For example, would most lupine vampires consider themselves vampires and lupines, or just vampires that used to be lupines?

Typically vampires identify themselves as vampires.

How does Glykin blood affect a vampire, exactly? I've seen it roleplayed as being anywhere from causing food poisoning to effectively swallowing acid.

Drinking it is, for them, like swallowing acid, acid that not only tastes horrible, but makes you feel ill for a week afterwards, and if you drink enough of it, might actually kill you for realsies. Like a big glass of Sunny D, if Sunny D were made from actual sunlight.

Is it possible for any intelligent non-humanoid creatures to be vampires? Dragons, wyverns, and the such.

In theory.

Do Vampires bleed any slower than normal?

Maybe a little.

What happens when a wild beast consumes a Vampire's body part? In general, are torn limbs instantly misted, then?

Missing limbs don't mist instantly unless the vampire dies, but they will begin to mist slowly.

Last month you said vampire feeding has been thoroughly explained, but it went from needing focus from the blood to feed, to needing blood (at least with hemoglobin), and that vampires feeding off of one another went from taboo but effective to taboo but completely ineffective. Can you clarify, please?

Basically, the blood of a vampire doesn't contain focus naturally - which is why they have to feed. A fed vampire's blood does have some focus in it as a result. Hopefully that clears things up.

How elitist are Vampires when it comes to culling inexperienced Vampires?(For example, will they give a newcomer some leeway if they do something dumb, or will they kill him?)

Killing vampires is difficult, so trying to fix the problem of a dopey vampire isn't likely to be solved that way.

How do vampires learn to use silvermists? (IE:Is it Instinct, or do other Vampires frequently tutor others as how to make it?)

It's similar to healing after being 'killed' so it's something you just have an innate understanding of as a vampire.

Is essence any good for spellcasting?

Essence is blood and contains concentrated focus, so probably.

Is it actually legal to hunt vampires in Lordwain or Lispool?

No, the powers that be generally don't want to encourage such things because sometimes, people are wrong or mislead others on who is a vampire. Lordwain is vast and frigid, though, so lawlessness outside of the major settlements is hard to stop.

I've been told that vampires cannot regenerate certain racial parts once they are lost, does this hold true for all racial parts?
Do these racial parts regenerate upon misting and reforming in in the vampire's lair?

You can regenerate them, but they hold no special powers or function, and will generally be less durable than your actual body. IE, your old wings will probably lose feathers much easier.