Into the Theldesia: The Eight Neighbors of Yamato (1)

''Translated from http://lhrpg.com/data/ittCeldesia_03.pdf. Translated PDF can be found here.''

When living this world as an Adventurer, you can't forget the People of the Earth of the Crescent Archipelago of Yamato. It is crucially important to cultivate a relationship with them and understand each other.

See also: Into the Theldesia 2, Into the Theldesia 3, Into the Theldesia 4.

People of the Earth / Earthlings
Adventurers are not the only existence that being affected by the Catastrophe. Earthlings used to be mere NPCs that operate according to program. But now, it became clear that they're mankind that have their own will.

From this point, Into the Theldesia will introduce the Earthlings, the closest&mdash;but still mysterious people&mdash;to the Adventurers. This introduction will be divided into 4 separate times for their races. To live in this different world, having a relationship with Earthlings is inevitable. I will be delighted if this article helps you to understand Earthlings and build a friendship with them.

Good Eight Races
Mankind, including Earthlings and Adventurers, consists of the Good Eight Races: Humans with the largest population; denizen of forest Elves; denizen of mountain Dwarves; the three beastmen of Wolf Fangs, Felinoids, and Fox Tails, and the Race of Rituals that was born to manipulate the magic, and posthumous child of extinct Alv race, the Half-Alvs.

This time, Into the Theldesia introduces the characteristics, livelihoods, unions, and additional Race-Skills of two races; Humans and Half-Alvs. Please make that useful for the characterizing and strengthening of your PC (player character), scenario creation, and completion of background information.

Humans
Humans are the standard race, and have no special ability. It means you can easily characterize and adapt them. It's up to you what kind of change Humans make.

Before the Catastrophe
In the Elder Tale world, Humans are average and standard race in many ways. Their greatest features are diversity, versatility, and above all, population. You can see a large number of Humans in many cities and villages. They have excellent fecundity and the largest population among the Good Eight Races. Humans don't have special background setting, so they were placed to various places as common NPCs. Also their outward appearances are extremely varied and wide-ranging. Humans are the most familiar race to players.

Their appearances are no differences from real humans'; that's why they have rich variations. They are about 150 cm-170 cm tall, and weighed about 55 kg-110 kg. From concentration of pigment, they have various coloring of hair, eyes, and skin (in Yamato, yellow-white and white are common. Brown-skinned Earthlings are often seen in southern regions). They are very unique precisely because they lack salient characteristic appearance.

In terms of abilities, Humans don't have conspicuously good features. However, similarly, they have no noticeable faults. For that reason, Humans can handle a variety of occupations with their dexterity and diversity.

The race that has standard ability and appearance, and potential versatility and possibility. These are Humans.

Humans of Yamato
In Yamato, Humans are the largest influential group, and thus, they act as the representative of Good Eight Races. They have strong social nature, and account for the majority of nobles. Due to their large population, Humans are seen in many kind of work - farmer, craftsman, merchant, etc.

Humans relatively tolerate with other races, often being mixed together and living in same city. However, in many cases, this tolerance is an expression of composure as the majority and the strongest race.

In Human societies, the vocational specialization is accelerated; many occupations gather and form an urban area. There is also active exchange between cities. Unsocial primitive village is almost gone in current Yamato. Their level of culture is fairly high.

On the other hand, Humans are conservative and organized, tending to keep out of danger and look for safety. Humans don't travel much, and therefore, they aren't fit for merchant compared to other races. It can be said that their adventurous spirit is scarce. There are many historical heroes, but Human heroes are not so many.

Maihama
Maihama is the largest settlement of the Eastal League of Free Cities. The urban area has a population of about 30,000. When you include the peripheral villages that are under the authority of Eastal, its population is about 80,000. Since this city faces the sea, fishing industry and shipping business are flourishing. Especially, the concessions of shipping business are backbone of the power of Maihama.

Its current ruler is Sergiad Cowen. The Cowen Family is one of the distinguished families that can trace their history from the reign of the Westelande Imperial Dynasty.

It takes two days from Akiba to Maihama by horse, and still, Maihama is one of the nearest Earthling Cities to Adventurer City.

Incidentally, under Maihama, there is a large-scaled ruin that was a stage of some Quests. After the Catastrophe, its trackless sections were found; the number of Adventurers who visit Maihama Underground Relics trends upward.

As the nearest Earthling city from Akiba, Maihama is at a turning point with (more gradual than Akiba, but still) unprecedented rapid development. Cowen Family feel heavy responsibility of tiding over this large wave, but various large and small troubles have broken out.

Royal Guard, Glass Greaves, takes the role of protect the people from troubles. As the strongest chivalric order in Eastal, they pledge allegiance to Cowen Family and give the people of Maihama some peace of mind.

Members of the Cowen Family

During the reign of the Westelande Imperial Dynasty, there were seven dukes. However, most of them were killed off by wars and natural disasters. Only two family lines still remain, including Cowen family that is renowned from the Ezzo Empire to the Ninetails Dominion.

This column introduces the profile of members of current Cowen Family. If you are an Adventurer of Akiba, you might be able to associate with them.

The head of the Cowen family, one of the two Dukes of Yamato, ruler of Maihama, and de facto chairperson of the Eastal League. Highly regarded for his experience, practicality, and wisdom, he made Maihama the city of cargo business by renovating the dilapidated Port Maihama and reforming the antiquated tax system.
 * Serjiad Ain-Arde Cowen (セルジアッド = アインアルド = コーウェン)

When he was young, he performed many meritorious deeds of slaying evil demi-humans, but his age is getting to him now. Serjiad dotes on his granddaughter, Raynesia, who closely resembles his departed wife. He is 60 years old.

Serjiad's eldest daughter and. She is known as a talented lady, helping her father with political matters when she was in her teens. It was during this time that she became acquainted with Phenel, fell in love with him at first sight, and married him. She is 36 years old, but her beauty as the "Pearl of Eastal" has not yet faded; she is the object of envy of society.
 * Saraliya Tsuleu-Arte Cowen (サラリヤ = ツレウアルテ = コーウェン)

She rarely attends to state affairs, but carries out various policies as one of Phenel's advisers. In particular, she leads Maihama's counterintelligence agency with her skills.

Husband of Saraliya, and father of Raynesia, Iselus, and Risselthea. He is descended from a noble family of Maihama that have the earlship, and was adopted by his wife's family.
 * Phenel Tsuleu-Arde Cowen (フェーネル = ツレウアルド = コーウェン)

Serjiad has no son. Therefore, it is already decided that Iselus will become his successor. Phenel is the guardian of Iselus.

Phenel is 180 cm tall, but he's not good at fighting; he is just a civil service responsible for finance. He’s 40 years of age.

One of Serjiad's daughters, and aunt of Raynesia (Saraliya's younger sister). She is unmarried, and spends her days as a nun. Since she sincerity listens to people's worries and politely answers, she is famous as a saint.
 * Langrissa Cil-Arte Cowen (ラングリッサ = シルアルテ = コーウェン)

She had been a rather naughty lady in her early days, so she has a lot of smart advice for people in distress. She claims she won't have a love affair with someone anymore. She's 30 years of age.

First granddaughter of Serjiad, and older sister of Raynesia. She was expected to marry into a family of another Eastal member and become a central role of matrimonial diplomacy. Then, she met a young knight, and married him after a grand love affair and vehement opposition of her family. The relations between Serjiad and Risselthea deteriorated for a while, but they recently started restoring them.
 * Risselthea Cil-Arte Jaris (リセルシア = シルアルテ = ジャリス)

She has a son, and is received warmly as the good wife of Jaris family. She lost the right of succession when she married, so Raynesia is the focus of the family's expectations now. She's 19 years of age.

Second granddaughter of Serjiad, and second daughter of Saraliya and Phenel. Having a strong resemblance to her dead grandmother who was praised as the most beautiful woman in Eastal, she is a sweet girl who is called "The Winter Rose of Eastal". Irrespective of commoners or civilians or knights, she has absolute popularity as a symbol of Cowen Family.
 * Raynesia El-Arte Cowen (レイネシア = エルアルテ = コーウェン)

Among the Earthlings, there is a legendary anecdote that Raynesia debated with an Adventurer named Krusty, and argued him down. Although she externally acts as a perfect princess, her lazy real nature loves pajama and bed. It is a worry to Elissa, her personal maid. She's 16 years of age.

Younger brother of Raynesia, and the first candidate for the successor. He is fair-skinned girly-looking boy who yearns for heroic tales and chivalric romances.
 * Iselus El-Arde Cowen (イセルス = エルアルド = コーウェン)

Recently he is looking at Adventurers with great interest, saying "I want to live in Akiba with my sister!" and troubling the people around him. He's 8 years of age.

The Glass Greaves The famous imperial guard of Maihama. It is composed of 80 regular members and 210 yeomen, and its role is to protect Cowen Family. As chosen elites, its members serve as the core of Maihama's defense.

In the Glass Greaves, military actions are based on the commander’s orders, and having Extra Move (a Human racial skill) is essential to join. They submit themselves to rigorous foot march training and run around the mountain to strengthen the muscles in the lower half of the body so they can move speedily on the battlefield.

The emblem of the Glass Greaves is a pair of crystal greaves based on the magic shoes that a hero of Maihama wore, and sometimes you can see the Grand Master actually wearing it in ceremonies. The knights have inherited the hero’s indomitable spirit. Children admire their sparkling shoes, and their feet that run throughout Maihama have the trust and respect of the citizens.

Ikoma
Ikoma is a imperial court city built in the mountains lined with many magnificent residences of the aristocracies. Originally this city was prepared for going to court of central city Kyou, but its significance as a villa was lost when the Westelande Imperial Dynasty changed into Holy Empire Westelande. Currently, Ikoma is the home ground of the Itsuki Clan and another Duke's family.

The avenue runs from east (leading to Kyou) to west (leading to Minami) in the midst of the Ikoma Mountain Holy Shrine. Although it's in the mountains, infrastructures like roads in good condition or water for daily use are fully provided. It is extremely comfortable city for nobles, their servants, and Adventurer visitors. However, the Holy Empire Westelande is paying a painful price for it. Not a few Earthlings are imposed labors in Ikoma in lieu of taxes, and they can never return to their native land.

Typical TRPG Tags for Human Earthlings
Maihama, Akiba, Ikoma, Kyou, Minami, Eastal League of Free Cities, Holy Empire Westelande, Westelande Imperial Dynasty, Glass Greaves, Itsukinomiya Family, Ikoma Mountain Holy Shrine, Ezzo Empire, Fourland Dukedom, Ninetails Dominion, Wet nurse, Vendor, Chimney sweeper, Retainer, Housekeeper, Wig maker, Knight, Aristocrat, Waiter, Shoemaker, Town crier, Negotiator, Miller, Baby sitter, Tailor, Fishmonger, Person in charge of market, Executioner, Mayor, Servant, Barkeeper, Landlord/Landlady, Inquisitor, Washerwoman, Charwoman, Undertaker, Village headman, Magistrate, Tax collector, Apprentice, Butcher, Farmer, Baker, Praetor, Maid, Barber, Fisherman, Chef, Candle maker, Rope maker

Half-Alv
Half-Alvs are a unique mutation race that is a blood relative of extinct race. Their upbringing and high affinity for ancient techniques will give your character a dramatic background and a chance of excellent activities.

Before the Catastrophe
Half-Alvs have the most singular background in Elder Tale. Their major characteristics are the mark on their tongues and the high affinity for ancient techniques attributable to their blood.

They are atavistic race of the Alvs, an ancient race that once ruled the whole world. They are a kind of mutation; their parents' race doesn't affect theirs, and a baby that is born of Half-Alv parents may not be a Half-Alv. Moreover, Half-Alv's ability to produce children is rather low.

Their appearances are almost the same as Humans'. They are about 150 cm-185 cm tall, and weigh about 55 kg-90 kg. The same may be said of their coloring of hair and eyes, but there are more light-brown skin than Humans. Anyway, it's quite difficult to distinguish Human and Half-Alv. Checking their tongues is an infallible method for distinguishing between these two. However, most of Half-Alvs hate it.

They have a high affinity for magic items including ancient Alven ruins. Especially, none but Half-Alvs can start the large magic apparatuses that has authentication mechanism. Also, they are suited for Healer classes and Mage classes.

The race that was born with special power although they look like Humans. This is the Half-Alv.

Half-Alvs of Yamato
As an atavistic mutant, Half-Alv has a very small population and is hardly seen in Yamato. The birth of a Half-Alv is interpreted as an (mostly bad) omen, especially in the superstitious countryside. In addition to this, they are persecuted from those who fear Alv and sometimes forced to leave their homeland at an early age. Even they are born in the noble family, they can't take over the position as the head of their family in most cases; they are confined or forced to marry into other family.

As a result, Half-Alvs can't help but live a life without the bond of local community and the relatives. Therefore, they're very unsentimental about families ties; of course they wouldn't be alive if they weren't hard, but their uninterested way of thinking about a society based on blood relationships leads to conflicts with other people on occasion, and their isolated situation in Human society of Yamato gets worse.

On the other hand, in the big royal courts and densely-populated cities, Half-Alv can pretend to be just a unsociable Human. Moreover, they are sometimes respected as talented person in the place where magic-researching is prosperous.

In Yamato, there is a secret Half-Alven organization named Cradle of Stars that was formed to defend Half-Alvs from discrimination and persecution. In this case, 'secret organization' means 'it isn't generally known'; Cradle of Stars is a cooperative association beyond their regions and doesn't do any illegal activity. Half-Alvs aren't good at managing the organization, but the probability that young Half-Alvs will otherwise be able to survive after being exiled their country is low.

As a part of their activities, Cradle of Stars takes charge of Half-Alven orphans and entrusts them to Half-Alv foster parents. Foster parents are called Mastre, and bring up children as pupils. Most Mastres are magic-related engineers, and thus, foster children often become specialists of magic techniques. This is one of the reasons why Half-Alvs are suited for magic researcher.

Cradle of Stars
Cradle of Stars has a long history. It is said that the nucleus of the organization had been already formed When the existence of Half-Alv started appear in the pages of history. The founder's name has been forgotten, but the old traditions about 'The Witches' that secretly took charge of Half-Alv orphans exist in all the places of Yamato. Most likely, one or few of 'The Witches' was/were the founder(s). Accordingly, the leader of Cradle of Stars, called Star-Mother, is a always female by tradition.

Even though they claim that Cradle of Stars is a cooperative association, its actual circumstance is a moderate aggregation of some groups. Every group is led by a mestre, and most Cradle of Stars members never see other groups' members, except for their own mestre's mestre and his fellow pupils.

Still, there is a strong bond between them. If two Half-Alvs meet by chance and notice each other that both of them belong to Cradle of Stars, they will help each other as a 'Family'. After becoming independent and leaving his Mastre's home, an erstwhile foster child starts a wandering journey for finding Half-Alv orphans and taking them under his protection as his pupils. That's how the history of Cradle of Stars is carried over to the next generation.

Compared to former Star-Mothers, Sheiola is slightly young. However, she has shrewd political skill and un-Half-Alv-ly sociability. Executive members of Cradle of Stars judged that a young and energetic mestre is advantageous for external negotiation, and broke with the tradition that Star-Mother must be the oldest female mestre.
 * "Ever-Changing Witch" Sheiola (「変幻の魔女」シェイオラ)

Officially, Sheiola is a professor of the "College" of Tsukuba (her specialization is illusion magics) and she makes the most of her position for defending and teaching Half-Alvs. Sometimes she had been coming in contact to Adventurers through quests before the Catastrophe. Since Half-Alv Adventurers can see Sheiola's special secret dialogues, some players have recognized that Sheiola has some kind of secret behind her beautiful face.
 * "Have you ever thought about having an eternal dream before?"
 * "A woman has many secrets. A witch like me, much more."

Tsukuba
Located in the east region of Eastal, Tsukuba is well known as a city of magic and knowledge since the academic guilds have great influence in here. Townscape is compartmented in a methodical manner because they are reusing the ruin buildings from the Age of the Gods. This city had a lot of Quests and items relating to magic before the Catastrophe.

At the center of the city, "College", a large research facility that is composed of about 40 various-sized towers of the Age of the Gods, exists. Each tower has been governed by a classified academic union and its subordinate unions. Researchers in the "College" are acquainted with Adventurers through the Quests since before the Catastrophe; they started studying about Adventurer's technology and giving each other their technology recently.

By the way, even though it is officially denied, there is a tacit fact that some organizations of dark magic are carrying out inhumane experiments in "College".

Many Half-Alvs live in Tsukuba that has a regard for the knowledge and is not so discriminatory. The fact that many Half-Alvs has been appointed to professorship of "College" is evidence that people of Tsukuba aren't as prejudiced against Half-Alv.

Ikebukuro
Ikebukuro is one of the largest Earthling settlements around Akiba, and also famous for having a Half-Alven community. They, calling themselves the "Excavators", live a quiet life in an abandoned skyscraper named Tower of Sunshine and its surrounding areas while excavating and researching.

They are somewhat exclusive and don't want to have relationships with other Earthlings except when they need to sale the excavated artifacts and buy the necessaries of life. However, they are relatively friendly to the Adventurers who don't have prejudice against Half-Alv and can be their bodyguards.

Tower of Sunshine

The Tower of Sunshine that rises at the center of Ikebukuro is a 60-floor skyscraper ruin from the Age of the gods. Inhabitant Earthlings insist that this tower is a paradise without any monsters, but of course there's no such good thing. Areas that can be said to be safe are only the basement floor and 1F-8F.


 * Basement floor is a mushroom plantation and 1F is a field, so inhabitants can be self-sufficient to a certain extent.
 * In 2F and 3F, almost all monsters were eliminated by Adventurers, and excavations of magical artifacts are prosperous.
 * 4F-7F are ruins that was already 'dried up', and about 2000 Earthlings live in here.
 * 8F is Fortress of Sunshine, the chokehold for defending against monsters of higher floors.
 * Floors above 9F are infested with monsters, so Earthlings don't dare to get in. However, for Adventurers, this tower is an attractive dungeon because higher floors have many powerful magical items and treasures.

Since inhabitants tend to avoid having interpersonal relationship with the outside world, Adventurers will face many difficulties. At first, you must win their trust. Defensive battle with soldiers of Fortress of Sunshine and contribution of necessaries sound good. Also, learning their odd sense of values and habits as dwellers of ruins may be a shortcut to befriend with them.

Village of Oenotheran
There's a rumor about a hidden Half-Alven village located in somewhere of Eastal.

Someone says it is in the depths of the mountains that even beasts don't come near, and another says it is in a desert island that is surrounded by shore reefs. All villagers are friendly and warmly treat the Adventurers that have gone astray. So, only few people can find the dark side of this village.

As descendants of the Alv's 'Twilight Princess', they call themselves the Oenotheran and worship the deified Alv princess. They believe their princess will reincarnate to relieve the oppressed Half-Alvs.

The 'relief' of Oenotheran is the vengeance against mankind and the creation of a Half-Alven utopia. Of course, villagers never talk to you about these secrets. If you witnessed that villagers were hold a weird meeting in the midnight, I exhort you to leave the village secretly. There is no guarantee that villagers won't notice that their secrets were revealed and resort to force.


 * (This is unreliable information that is recorded on a certain travel literature. The author went missing later on.)


 * Note: In the Log Horizon TRPG Replay, "Twilight Princess" Tokinagi, one of the Ruquinjé and a former ruler of Yamato, truly reincarnated as the alternative personality of Nagi, an amnesiac Earthling girl. However, Tokinagi is unwilling to restart her revenge on the current population (for now). Also, she doesn't have any meta-knowledge about Elder Tale and MMORPG.

Typical TRPG Tags for Half-Alv Earthlings

 * Tsukuba, Ikebukuro, Cradle of Stars, Mastre, Oenotheran, Witch, Star-Mother, College, Excavator, Tower of Sunshine, Fortress of Sunshine, Hermit, Guild staff, Librarian, Tutor, Daihitsuya, Historian, Mathematician, Engineer, Officer of arms, Archivist, Doctor, Scholar, Scribe, Apprentice, Architect