HA! I got the Guardian info up. And you thought you'd have to alternate all the time.

PLEASE don't use my world and my characters without permission! They're mine!

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The Divus System Guidebook

Parts:

I. The Divus System, full detail.

II. Orenda, full detail

1. Geography

2. Religion

3. Government

4. Economy

III. Morwenna, minimal detail

IV. Zirkon, minimal detail

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I. The Divus System

The Divus System is a parallel universe to the Solar System, which is in the Milky Way. Both share the same stars. The people in the Solar System do not know of the Divus System. It is composed of four planets: the Sun, Orenda, Morwenna, and Zirkon. Orenda, Morwenna, and Zirkon planets are at fixed points around the Sun and are flat, enabling the Sun to cast its glare all the way across. The Sun pivots on its vertical axis, twelve turns equals one year. Each year has a different name, as appointed by the Superiors (see Religion).

Orenda (means 'magic') has its own moon which circles around it and blocks the Sun's glare only when directly between them. The moon's name is Elena.

Morwenna (means 'sea wave') has its own moon which circles around it and blocks the Sun's glare only when directly between them (Morwenna is at a vertical from the Sun). The moon's name is Jasmine.

Zirkon (means 'transparent gem') has no moon and the land is scorched dry. Zirkon is made of translucent, roughed quartz with sand over it. Lots of sand.

The days of the week in all three planets are: Moon's Day (Monday), Mars' Day (Tuesday), Mercury's Day (Wednesday), Jupiter's Day (Thursday), Gaia's Day (Friday), Saturn's Day (Saturday), and Sun's Day (Sunday). They think that the days of the week are named after some of the planets of the Solar System.

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II. Orenda

A. Geography

The Lay of the Land

Formed of fields, woods, mountains, rivers, a desert, and an ocean, Orenda is at a horizontal from the Sun and is geographically well-off. It is composed on one giant landmass surrounded by the Ring Ocean, which falls off in a waterfall over the edges of the planets and enters the land by various mouths and forms lakes, rivers, and creeks that branch off in several manners. The major rivers are the Red Rose River, the Sunwise River, and the Royal River (which is where the Royal Family run their boats).

To the far northwest there is a range of mountains made of black rocks, hence called the Black Rock Mountains. The mountains form a valley and in this valley is the small city of Sable, where the Black Rocks Bandits and their families live. A lake lies just outside the mountain range, Lake Eon. It is the largest lake in Orenda. Fields and woods lie scattered across the north, south, central, and east, as well as well-treated beaches along the shorelines. The west beaches are rockier and the sand is darker than any of the others. Near the center of Orenda is the Gravis (or Solemn) Desert, home to Fire and Sand Demons and Stormers (women of the sand who create rainless storms), as well as other desert creatures, both exotic and common.

The Cities

There are three major cities in Orenda: Regalis Karpos, Damasyrria, and Cupidus. The first is a mix of Latin and Greek words: Royal Fruit. It is the capital of Orenda and the most prosperous and largest of the cities. It is home to the Royal Place, The Academy, and the Castle of Nyx. It has several fields and a wood just outside The Academy. The town is divided neatly in half, though not officially. There is the dark, dusty, traitorous part of town, with the cheap wares, jailhouse, taverns, bars, and other such things. The other side is the richer half, with neat stores and high ranking houses and neighborhoods. The division can be found in Poor Man's Lane and Rich Man's Lane. Poor Man's Lane is a short, bumpy street filled with potholes that houses a few small cottages, some quaint and well enough, others falling apart with peeling paint. Rich Man's Lane is a long, well-paved road with villas and mansions. At one end is the famous Radius Manor House, the fourth largest building in Orenda, succeeded by the Castle of Nyx, The Academy, and the Royal Palace (in ascending order). At the other end is the Angelos Family Villa, one of the smallest villas, yet one of the most tactful, quaint and grand at the same time.

Damasyrria is the second largest city, also known as the City of Trade. Merchants with their wares fill the streets and the houses are made mainly of clay, due to the fact that Damasyrria is the city closest to the Gravis Desert. They are loaded with gardens and ivy, helped along with magic and imported water from the nearby lake, Lake Stella.

Cupidus is the third largest city, also known as Sin City and the Forbidden City in Regalis Karpos. It is a takeoff on Gaia's Las Vegas. It is filled with conspiring businessmen, flashy lights, whorehouses, bars, casinos and is protected by a Shield from attacks, invasions, and the common magic that leaves Orenda in a state similar to that of Gaia's fourteenth century, albeit with more ingenuity and prosperity.

There are other cities among Orenda, each one smaller than the first.

The Castle of Nyx

While the Royal Palace and The Academy speak for themselves, the Castle of Nyx has its own history. Many centuries ago, when Orenda's government was still forming, the sound of moving stones could be heard all across Regalis Karpos. Upon investigation, a castle was being built upon the darkest and tallest hill by none other than black-cloaked beings with black wings that had razor-sharp feathers. In three years, the castle was constructed and there lived Nyx, an angel cast away from Caelum. Her name was Gaia Greek for 'night'. The castle was blocked off with a strong iron gate taller than the tallest man and she lived there in silence for one hundred years. It was as if no one was there. And then, quite suddenly, one evening, the sound of a funeral march could be heard from the Castle of Nyx. The black-cloaked beings were leading a black coffin out of the Castle of Nyx, blowing black horns and spreading black petals across the ground in front and behind. The coffin was buried under the weeping willow that dominated the east part of the hill and the black-cloaked beings disappeared.

The Castle of Nyx fell into disrepair and no one has ventured into it even now, for it is said that the traitorous angel still roams her hallways, needing vengeance and unable to fulfill it.

B. Religion

Type

The people of Orenda are polytheists.

Gods/Goddesses

Cyrus: Sun God and the Head God

Selena: Moon Goddess and the Head Goddess; sister to Cyrus

Hadrian: Lord of the Underworld/god of death; brother to Cyrus and Selena

Dara: goddess of wisdom and truth

Duncan: god of war, worshiped mainly by the Guardians and the Superiors

Sanam: goddess of love; born from Selena's breasts

Aaron: god of messengers and, on the side, of rogues and thieves; twin to Arion

Arion: god of music and medicine; twin to Aaron

Varun: god of water; brother to Xantara

Xantara: goddess of the earth; sister to Varun

They live in Caelum (Heaven, Caelum is the proper name; the name 'Heaven' was taken from Gaia) except for Hadrian who, of course, lives in Hell. They have angels at their bidding and Hadrian has daemons at his disposal.

Superiors and Protectors

The gods and goddesses bless certain Guardians, Guardians that have proven themselves worthy of a heavenly reward. These are known as Superiors and they control The Academy and the Chosen Army. But, also, on the last day of each year, the Head Superior goes out and the first thing that stands out at them is the name of the next year. The first year of Orenda was the Year of the Lord.

On the other hand, certain angels take it upon themselves to make sure that certain Guardians are special, while not Superiors. They bless them with their own brand of magic and these Guardians are stronger and more intelligent than most, more willful. A consequence, however, is that these are the ones that go first in battle and are summoned to protect their world. They are scarce and they are called Protectors.

Ravagers

Guardians, however, can also go to the bad, especially when they are 'blessed' by Hadrian. They become Ravagers, evil and at his bidding, ripping apart everything that gets in the way of their goal. They often gain a black aura and their wings become black, if they weren't already. Sometimes their eyes become black and their irises widen to almost completely shut out their whites. They are strong and merciless. King Arnold the V sent out his army to destroy them in the Year of the Wilted Iris, invoking the wrath of Hadrian, who set a plague upon Orenda. He called off his army and the plague continued for a year before it lessened. Orenda was devastated and the Ravagers were left alone, killed on sight or when they invoked battle.

C. Government

Type

Orenda is a monarchy.

Current Rulers: Year of the Red Oak

King Amadeus Ristos Solemns III and his wife, Queen Cielos Stella Solemns Arrividi.

Heir to the throne: Prince Calius Ristos Solemns Arrividi (26)

Sons/Daughters in birth order: Prince Ricardo Caesar Solemns Arrividi II (24), Princess Keilantra Stella Solemns Arrividi (22), Princess Rosa Alma Solemns Arrividi (17), Prince Joseph Miguel Solemns Arrividi (15), and Princess Lara Jade Solemns Arrividi (6).

D. Economy

Type

Orenda is a free trade economy, with a Bill of Rights.

Coin

Coppers (small, round coins made of copper)

Alphas – 20 Coppers to an Alpha (larger coins made of silver with a wolf face on one side)

Ambers – 40 Alphas to an Amber (800 Coppers to an Amber) (very large, gold coins with an eye on one side)

Plates – 2 Ambers to a Plate (80 Alphas to a Plate; 1,600 Coppers to a Plate) (rectangular, lightweight, flat plates of platinum with a P engraved on either side)

Imports

Pork, lamb, vegetables, apricots, various wines, apples, grapes, various other fruits, tapestries, vases, jewelry, precious metals, precious/semi-precious gems, steak, cloth, clothing, magical mirrors, flying carpets, cheeses, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, and beans are the most common.

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III. Morwenna

Morwenna is composed mainly of water with three small, nameless landmasses, which consist mostly beaches and jungles. Morwenna is not only the land of the water beings, but also of the big cats (tigers, for example, are the most abundant in Morwenna). The coldest part of Morwenna is the part that is farthest away from the Sun and blocked by Caelum's Stairway, the largest mountain in the whole Divus System, so large, in fact, that at least fifty meters of the top is obscured by clouds. Here, in this cold region, it is mainly autumn and winter, with white tigers, white hares, white foxes, and penguins.

Here live the mermaids, the nereids, the naiads, the sea serpents, and all other manner of water creatures. There is one human tribe, only one, composed of fifty men and fifty women, plus children and adolescents. They live in the largest of the three landmasses and usually mate with one of the water beings.

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IV. Zirkon

Scorched planet of the exiles, desert over roughed, strong quartz. Exiles and traitors to the Crown are sent here to work the quartz mines and die in the heat or of hunger and thirst. Sand. Lots of sand.

An ever-blooming apple tree and a very small, very narrow, self-replenishing (though it's not much) creek at the farthest point away from the Sun (not that it does much good). And sand. Lots of sand.

And more sand.

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I sincerely hope that you remember this while reading "Guardian of the Sacred" (and all the other Divus System stories I have planned... Muahahaha!). If you don't, you can always come back. It's not going anywhere.

Your adoring author,

Summer Goose