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Dispatch → Factbook → Overview
by 
The Glittery Fantasy Land of Aynia Moreaux.
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Caer Sidi FAQ
The best place to start is here! We know that digging into our lore can be a complicated and confusing thing to say the least, but we want to try and make it as easy for you as possible. Below we've tried to outline some of the most commonly asked questions about the lore and role play with some easy to digest answers. Some are tied to useful links which will go more into depth, while others just skim the surface with need to know knowledge. If there is anything in this guide or the associated links that you have questions about, please don't hesitate to contact either the Oracle or the Monarchy.
[Pre-Caer Sidi]
In the beginning, there was a plane of existence, known as a 'Warren', called Syvisa. This Warren was a functional paradise; known for its bountiful sunshine and lands of glitter, and was the birthplace of the Seasonal Queens, Aynia and Lynxi, and their people, the Syvisans. These nobles of the realm were most well-known for natural curiosity into how everything worked. Through the keen study of magic, and many referenced experiments, the Queens parted the veils and learned of the existence of other Warrens.
Through the continued research into trying to contact and travel between the realms, they inadvertently opened a portal to the Yawning Abyss. A perfectly reviled realm of horror and unending consumption, and it spilled forth like an unending tide. Threatened with oblivion, the Queens and their retinues hastily worked to open another portal to a different Warren, they were finally able to break through to another plane of existence, ending up in Caer Sidi.
[Chaosium-Controlled Caer Sidi]
The Warren of Caer Sidi was controlled by the forces of Chaosium, another Warren that had spilled into Caer Sidi, and was ruled by a supremely powerful creature known as the Chaolich. This being was the embodiment of the manifestation of the realm of Chaosium, and decreed the lands be ruled by the survival of the fittest. The Seasonal Queens and their retainers learned of this creature within short order of entering the realm; however their presence was not immediately deemed a threat by the Chaolich.
The Chaolich was haughty and had ruled over Caer Sidi for millennia, he did not see these beleaguered mortals coming through this small portal as any sort of threat to his empire. In his mind, the creatures of Chaosium would wipe them out before they even had a chance to get themselves settled.
[The War for Caer Sidi]
Over the course of the years, the Diarchy however did settle, and began to reach out to those within the realm and made secret pacts and alliances to overthrow the current ruling force in the land. Through decades of struggle, the Queens pushed against the forces of Chaosium; the armies of Shadowlings and the hordes of the Formorians. Though in many occasions the Seasonal Armies looked like they were on the brink of defeat, eventually their forces prevailed and saw to the slaying of the Chaolich and the destruction of most all of the forces of Chaosium that still existed in the realm.
Chaosium was able to enter Caer Sidi through Aimsir, a giant citadel built untold ages ago that is imbued with magical forces that give the building a life force of it's own, and the ability to grant it's visitors entry into hundreds of other Warrens. The citadel had been open to Chaosium during the Chaolich's reign, allowing his creatures to pass freely to and from. After the Chaoliches defeat however, the Queens proclaimed victory over their enemies and installed a new government and peace was the rule of the land proper.
As peace reigned in the land, the realm grew, and it was a new age of exploration and prosperity for many within the region. Eventually Queen Lynxi left her throne to pursue further academia and the Queens' grandson Roran took over at a young age. After some time, he too stepped away to pursue further interests and the realm converted into a Monarchy, being solely ruled over by Aynia, until eventually she met and became married to Carrot and the two now watch over the warren hand in hand.
[Current Time]
165th day of Summer, 98th year of the 4th Era, two entire eras after the initial defeat of the Chaolich; stirrings in Aimsir led to the release of Chaosium anew, led by The Bloody Red Knight and his hordes of Shadowbeasts and Monstrosities. Not known as to how the forces of Chaosium broke through the wards and seals in Aimsir, the Citadel now lies at the heart of an ever-expanding region of corrupted land, rife with destruction and the forces of this faction renewed in the Warren.
The Red Knight has taken Aimsir, and his forces are steadily encroaching towards the holdfasts near the Queensland. Regent Carrot has received word of the breach and has gathered high command as well as sent word to the Queen. With holdfasts gathering and travelling for war, and Aynia making her way towards the front lines towards Chail to meet her beloved, it is only a matter of time before the two gargantuan forces clash, and it is anyone's guess as to who the victor shall be...
If you want to take a deeper dive into the Grand History of the region, you can visit the Academy at Cora and read all compiled history to date on Caer Sidi 
here on our offsite forums.
The tech level and magic level of Caer Sidi is high medieval fantasy. What this means are things such as knights on horseback drawing their swords in service to a noble deity, wizards and sorcerers drawing on magical power to survive a dungeon, and/or fistfights in a port tavern over lost wages between gambling pirates. What these scenarios all feature is a low reliance on tech level and a high reliance on magic level or brute strength.
Caer Sidi is it's own universe separate from our reality it is not possible to fully equate it to our own. However, things such as the level of technology, style and architecture closely resemble those of the early to mid Medieval (11-13th centuries) period across much of the Warren.
We don't allow steampunk. Steam engines, difference engines, and gunpowder aren't things that exist in Caer Sidi. Also, it would be really weird to see Victorian era influenced styles and mannerisms in a place where England didn't exist.
High fantasy is pretty well defined as a time before technology was very advanced at all. Say what you want about early guns, we're not allowing them. Gunpowder doesn't exist, guns don't exist, and magic guns don't exist. No loopholes.
There are, but they are a work in progress. Stay tuned for lore about official religions/gods for the warren.
Additionally, you are free to create your own religion in your hold fast, providing it fits the theme and setting.
You can read about magic in our Compendium on Magic dispatch here.
The native species of Caer Sidi are various types of Fae. So far, they are the only known original creatures of Caer Sidi. Over the millenia, other races found their way into the Warren either by interference by the Fae, or accident, and began to create functioning societies. Species such as humans, dwarves, centaurs and half blood creatures are only the most recent edition to the land.
You may make up any creature that would reasonably fit into the canon setting. Right now the only hard limit we have is on flying creatures such as griffons and dragons, or any large, overpowered creature. If you would like to introduce a creature to your hold fast but aren't sure, please contact the Oracle.
A great question! You can read all about hold fasts here.
No, you don't have to have one, but it can be a good thing to have if you'd like to have land of your own within Caer Sidi that you can use to role play with. If you would like to role play as only a single character or group of characters, you can either choose to interact with existing characters by role playing within their hold fasts, holding your role plays within the Queensland, Bastion, or Chail, or contact the Orator and we can work out a sub-forum for you.
You may add small features to the map such as trees, hills, small lakes, forests/woods, roads and bridges, towns, and cities. You may not remove significant features from the map such as mountains, large forests or woods, established towns or cities, lakes, rivers, or alter coastlines in any way.
To see our current map, go here.You sure can! If you'd like you can also build a hold fast underground. Different types of hold fasts have their own advantages and disadvantages, and it really comes down to your own style of play and how you want to shape your own corner of the world. Please be mindful however of the population cap whichever style of hold fast you choose to play.
War will be played out by the game master, either over the forums or on discord. To find out more about how your particular war is being run, please see the gm for your particular role play. In canon role play, war is overseen by the Oracle. If you have questions about war mechanics, please contact the Oracle and they can go more in depth with you.
How you run your hold fast determines a good bit, but the ultimate cap is 15% of your total population for absolute war time numbers, and we're being very generous here. When you are not at war, expect this number to be much lower, usually somewhere between .5-5%. Are you very militaristic in your society, conscripting and requiring compulsory service from every able bodied citizen? Then you would be closer to the caps. Are you pacifistic? Then a lower number towards the bottom end would make more sense. You are also limited with the number of undead creatures you are allowed to summon to your aide through magic. This is to ensure things like nonliving or enchanted soldiers will not give you much higher or unfair numbers compared to someone who wants to run non magic living creatures. After all, armies need supplies and magic takes a lot of effort, concentration, experience, and willpower.
