Books of The Karstlands
Nov 20, 2019 21:27:54 GMT -5
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Post by Mr Darke on Nov 20, 2019 21:27:54 GMT -5
Here I will list various books and writings of the area. They can range from books on science, magic or just plain literature. Since this is the main post it will be updated as I add more content.
The Almanacs
Whether a Court Wizard, Priest, Farmer or back alley Fortune Teller; Almanacs are a given in any literate person's library. Just as in our world the Almanacs contain data on astrological and astronomical events, tide tables, important dates and general lore. Unlike our world they are more accurate, are not seen as a rustic holdover of superstition and are (In one case) corrected when new discoveries are made. What follows are the three most used Almanacs in the region. Note that Astrology and Astronomy are rather interchangeable.
Joachim's Corrected Almanac
Joachim's Almanac is possibly tied for the most popular Almanac in the Karstlands. It began it's life as Joachim's Almanac and Fact Book and was aimed to be useful for both common and learned folk alike. The original contained the usual run of information as well as interesting facts on new discoveries, folklore and trends of society. It would also predict trends for the new year and gained some creedence when it accurately predicted the date of the beginning of the Second War of Ascension.
However the staff at Joachim's realized that their weather predictions, astrological/astronomical cycle dates and liturgical calendar was not as accurate as it used to be. Going back to the notes of the science that the founder made the current publishers found that the formulas had not accounted for new discoveries such as new information on solar and lunar cycles, the discovery of two new planets and how the planets can shift in their orbits.
For three years the staff consulted with renowned wizards, priests and scientists and made the needed corrections to the formula and new charts to include recent discoveries. They also, controversially, made changes to the accepted Zodiac placements and dates of signs. After this was done the publishers decided to change the format to produce a volume more interesting to farmers, common folk and 'low magicians' and another for scientists, priests and 'high magicians'. This proved to be very popular with both groups.
Upon release Joachim's Corrected Almanac was met with high praise. Predictions were more accurate, content was better focused and supplements produced quarterly would make any needed changes throughout the year to improve accuracy. Over the years the staff, secretly operating and chosen, have continued making corrections and updates and have added a new combined volume that has all the information for both 'high' and 'low' folk.
The Hunter's and Farmer's Almanac
Founded at the same time as Joachim's original the H&F, as it is fondly known, is the main competitor to Joachim's Almanac. While it does use a similar formula to Joachim's non-corrected version, it has not undergone the massive revisions that the former volume has. While it claims to not need any there are correction tables in the back to bring it in line for accuracy. The unique quality of the H&F is its focus on hunting, fishing and agriculture with only practical astrology acknowledged for 'those wonderful souls of the earth'.
Lore sections cover practical advice for hunters and farmers as well as tips for the common folk. It has no interest in things that would not affect a common person nor does it delve into the 'pretentious gibberish' of other Almanacs. Oddly enough the H&F is a prized tool among druids, hedge witches and 'wise folk' even though it has no perceived magical value.
The H&F does not produce quarterly supplements and its claim to not need correction has cause it to slip in popularity. Many buy the H&F for the lore and advice but buy Joachim's for the more accurate tables. The above mentioned druids, hedge witches and wise folk are also known to have a copy of Joachim's hidden in their huts. Rumors also persist that the staff of the H&F are looking to begin revisions soon after they can figure out how to change the formula.By either theft, bribery or murder.
Kazar's Astrological Guide
Kazar's is a relative newcomer and focuses more on the 'Wonders of Sun, Moon and Star'. The Almanac was started by a court wizard who wanted something more focused on the needs of higher mages and astrologers. This need started a decade long work that would thoroughly study the above almanacs, the newest discoveries and brand new calculations on cycles and trends within the known universe. For those in the targeted circles, Kazar's is the premier work on the subject. However it is not useful for the more common folk and is prohibitively expensive.
Unfortunately due to cost and rarity not much is known about the contents of a Kazar's Astrological Guide so there is much speculation at its content, formulas and other items. This, of course makes it both a target for theft and the subject of dark rumors.
Encyclopedias
Blackman's Encyclopedia Of Legend and Myth
Blackman's was an attempt to collect all the myths and legends of the main continent into a whole work. It was intended to be an academic reference for researchers to see the various connections to the tales and point to a single source for them. Existing of 22 volumes it was released over a period of 5 years. The covers were color coded by topic and subject for easier reference. This method allowed the researcher to see the similarities and differences in the tales being told much easier and was a success. The books also contained beautiful illustrations, marginal stories and some found small hidden incantations based on the subject hidden in them. Some also saw the volumes as works of art and literature due to the style of writing used.
Unfortunately, due to printing costs, the encyclopedia only saw a limited run and have become rare in later years. They have now become highly sought after and only a handful of complete sets are known to exist. While attempts to reprint or even revise the encyclopedia have been made they have not come to fruition as of yet.
The Unknown World
Eldorth Blackman had begun a second work as a followup to his encyclopedia. However he died after the initial phase of the project and it sat in his personal library for years. However he had willed his library to his apprentice, Elisia Paige, who found the work and decided to finish it. She began the long process of organizing, editing and writing the work with a staff at the Alexandrian College at Blackpoole. After what seemed to be years the first volume was released.
This set of books dealt with strange phenomenon, mysterious places and sites, ancient ruins and occult science. It was collected in 16 volumes plus one appendix that indexed the work and one appendix that cross referenced with the original encyclopedia. While the foundation in Blackman's work was there: Paige was more academic and dry in her nature and the writings and illustrations showed it. Also gone was the marginal notes and incantations dealing with the subjects at hand. All the volumes were printed with black covers with silver embossing on the titles.
While accepted as a good companion to Blackman's work, it was seen as a lesser work and lacking in his style. However it was bought up and as jealously guarded as the original work. The larger print run of these books makes them a bit more common than Blackman's but they still fetch a fair price. Full sets are also more common.
Periodicals
The Adventurer's Journal
Published Bimonthly The Adventurer's Journal relates tales of travels to far off lands, stories of adventure in hidden places and details of found ruins and those that live in or near these places. This book also functions as the journal for the Royal Exploration Society which holds all the relative rights and copy privileges. One section of interest is the Forum where debates over accuracy of articles and the truth of various tales are made. As well the 'Tales of Peril' feature contains one to two stories of near misses or deaths while exploring these areas.
Many adventurers have used this Journal as a starting point for research into expeditions or as a place to get basic information. For this reason, back issues can be highly prized and expensive depending on the area covered.
Strange Tomes
This section deals with books that cannot easily be categorized.
The Sign of the Yellow King
This book is considered pure myth and rumor by many but those who have claim to have seen it swear in its existence and affect. Curiously enough all of the stories of encounters with the book in various places do line up with one another.
The Sign of the Yellow King supposedly contains a play written about a stranger coming into an unnamed palace in a country by 'the western ocean'. The tale is one of madness and despair and is rumored to unlock portals to the underworld, far realms or even hell. Those who have encountered the book tells of strange people and entities appearing before and after finding it and of feelings of being watched by an elder being of alien mind.
The most curious note on the book is that at the end of the play the Stranger, revealed to be The Yellow King, causes the city and palace to go mad and be destroyed. It was thought a mere tale until ruins of a vast city on the coast of the <Add name later> Ocean to the west with the sign of the Yellow King scrawled everywhere...
The Almanacs
Whether a Court Wizard, Priest, Farmer or back alley Fortune Teller; Almanacs are a given in any literate person's library. Just as in our world the Almanacs contain data on astrological and astronomical events, tide tables, important dates and general lore. Unlike our world they are more accurate, are not seen as a rustic holdover of superstition and are (In one case) corrected when new discoveries are made. What follows are the three most used Almanacs in the region. Note that Astrology and Astronomy are rather interchangeable.
Joachim's Corrected Almanac
Joachim's Almanac is possibly tied for the most popular Almanac in the Karstlands. It began it's life as Joachim's Almanac and Fact Book and was aimed to be useful for both common and learned folk alike. The original contained the usual run of information as well as interesting facts on new discoveries, folklore and trends of society. It would also predict trends for the new year and gained some creedence when it accurately predicted the date of the beginning of the Second War of Ascension.
However the staff at Joachim's realized that their weather predictions, astrological/astronomical cycle dates and liturgical calendar was not as accurate as it used to be. Going back to the notes of the science that the founder made the current publishers found that the formulas had not accounted for new discoveries such as new information on solar and lunar cycles, the discovery of two new planets and how the planets can shift in their orbits.
For three years the staff consulted with renowned wizards, priests and scientists and made the needed corrections to the formula and new charts to include recent discoveries. They also, controversially, made changes to the accepted Zodiac placements and dates of signs. After this was done the publishers decided to change the format to produce a volume more interesting to farmers, common folk and 'low magicians' and another for scientists, priests and 'high magicians'. This proved to be very popular with both groups.
Upon release Joachim's Corrected Almanac was met with high praise. Predictions were more accurate, content was better focused and supplements produced quarterly would make any needed changes throughout the year to improve accuracy. Over the years the staff, secretly operating and chosen, have continued making corrections and updates and have added a new combined volume that has all the information for both 'high' and 'low' folk.
The Hunter's and Farmer's Almanac
Founded at the same time as Joachim's original the H&F, as it is fondly known, is the main competitor to Joachim's Almanac. While it does use a similar formula to Joachim's non-corrected version, it has not undergone the massive revisions that the former volume has. While it claims to not need any there are correction tables in the back to bring it in line for accuracy. The unique quality of the H&F is its focus on hunting, fishing and agriculture with only practical astrology acknowledged for 'those wonderful souls of the earth'.
Lore sections cover practical advice for hunters and farmers as well as tips for the common folk. It has no interest in things that would not affect a common person nor does it delve into the 'pretentious gibberish' of other Almanacs. Oddly enough the H&F is a prized tool among druids, hedge witches and 'wise folk' even though it has no perceived magical value.
The H&F does not produce quarterly supplements and its claim to not need correction has cause it to slip in popularity. Many buy the H&F for the lore and advice but buy Joachim's for the more accurate tables. The above mentioned druids, hedge witches and wise folk are also known to have a copy of Joachim's hidden in their huts. Rumors also persist that the staff of the H&F are looking to begin revisions soon after they can figure out how to change the formula.
Kazar's Astrological Guide
Kazar's is a relative newcomer and focuses more on the 'Wonders of Sun, Moon and Star'. The Almanac was started by a court wizard who wanted something more focused on the needs of higher mages and astrologers. This need started a decade long work that would thoroughly study the above almanacs, the newest discoveries and brand new calculations on cycles and trends within the known universe. For those in the targeted circles, Kazar's is the premier work on the subject. However it is not useful for the more common folk and is prohibitively expensive.
Unfortunately due to cost and rarity not much is known about the contents of a Kazar's Astrological Guide so there is much speculation at its content, formulas and other items. This, of course makes it both a target for theft and the subject of dark rumors.
Encyclopedias
Blackman's Encyclopedia Of Legend and Myth
Blackman's was an attempt to collect all the myths and legends of the main continent into a whole work. It was intended to be an academic reference for researchers to see the various connections to the tales and point to a single source for them. Existing of 22 volumes it was released over a period of 5 years. The covers were color coded by topic and subject for easier reference. This method allowed the researcher to see the similarities and differences in the tales being told much easier and was a success. The books also contained beautiful illustrations, marginal stories and some found small hidden incantations based on the subject hidden in them. Some also saw the volumes as works of art and literature due to the style of writing used.
Unfortunately, due to printing costs, the encyclopedia only saw a limited run and have become rare in later years. They have now become highly sought after and only a handful of complete sets are known to exist. While attempts to reprint or even revise the encyclopedia have been made they have not come to fruition as of yet.
The Unknown World
Eldorth Blackman had begun a second work as a followup to his encyclopedia. However he died after the initial phase of the project and it sat in his personal library for years. However he had willed his library to his apprentice, Elisia Paige, who found the work and decided to finish it. She began the long process of organizing, editing and writing the work with a staff at the Alexandrian College at Blackpoole. After what seemed to be years the first volume was released.
This set of books dealt with strange phenomenon, mysterious places and sites, ancient ruins and occult science. It was collected in 16 volumes plus one appendix that indexed the work and one appendix that cross referenced with the original encyclopedia. While the foundation in Blackman's work was there: Paige was more academic and dry in her nature and the writings and illustrations showed it. Also gone was the marginal notes and incantations dealing with the subjects at hand. All the volumes were printed with black covers with silver embossing on the titles.
While accepted as a good companion to Blackman's work, it was seen as a lesser work and lacking in his style. However it was bought up and as jealously guarded as the original work. The larger print run of these books makes them a bit more common than Blackman's but they still fetch a fair price. Full sets are also more common.
Periodicals
The Adventurer's Journal
Published Bimonthly The Adventurer's Journal relates tales of travels to far off lands, stories of adventure in hidden places and details of found ruins and those that live in or near these places. This book also functions as the journal for the Royal Exploration Society which holds all the relative rights and copy privileges. One section of interest is the Forum where debates over accuracy of articles and the truth of various tales are made. As well the 'Tales of Peril' feature contains one to two stories of near misses or deaths while exploring these areas.
Many adventurers have used this Journal as a starting point for research into expeditions or as a place to get basic information. For this reason, back issues can be highly prized and expensive depending on the area covered.
Strange Tomes
This section deals with books that cannot easily be categorized.
The Sign of the Yellow King
This book is considered pure myth and rumor by many but those who have claim to have seen it swear in its existence and affect. Curiously enough all of the stories of encounters with the book in various places do line up with one another.
The Sign of the Yellow King supposedly contains a play written about a stranger coming into an unnamed palace in a country by 'the western ocean'. The tale is one of madness and despair and is rumored to unlock portals to the underworld, far realms or even hell. Those who have encountered the book tells of strange people and entities appearing before and after finding it and of feelings of being watched by an elder being of alien mind.
The most curious note on the book is that at the end of the play the Stranger, revealed to be The Yellow King, causes the city and palace to go mad and be destroyed. It was thought a mere tale until ruins of a vast city on the coast of the <Add name later> Ocean to the west with the sign of the Yellow King scrawled everywhere...
