[The Caer Sidi Royal Post]

Caer Sidi FAQ

Where do I start?
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.

What is the setting?
A quick introduction to the history of Caer Sidi and our current setting can be found here: https://caersidi-ns.com/thread-154.html
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 https://caersidi-ns.com/forum-13.html.

What is the tech level?
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.

What is the timeline equivalent?
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.

What about steampunk/Victorian?
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.

Can we have guns/automatic weapons? What kinds of weapons can we have?
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.

Are their religions/gods?
Yes there are. Look for more info on Caer's religions and deities coming soon.
Additionally, you are free to create your own religion in your hold fast, providing it fits the theme and setting.

How does magic work?
Magic is the skeleton key of energy, having the ability to use magic is having the ability to convert other types of energy into an arcane state and manipulate it. So long as a sorcerer has some idea of where energy comes from, whether it be the food digesting in their stomachs or the heat of sunbeams on their face, and some idea of how energy behaves in the natural world, such as vibrations of sound or the pull of gravity on tides, then they have all they need to use magic to it's fullest potential.

There are more arcane sources that do not fit this rule; the fracturing of a soul, the spilling of blood, or the love of a mother, but these are rare or costly events and are difficult to harness. Other sources that don't conform are more unattainable than tricky, powers from things like; the maw of the void, the alignment of stars, thick cords of telluric currents beneath the earth, each could be reached, one day, but not by us, not anytime soon.

All spells have a price, measured in magical energy, and if a sorcerer is unable to feed their spell it might very well consume other types of energy available to the caster, including the energy keeping their heart beating and their brain thinking. The cost also grows exponentially when effecting the physical world; a spell to lift a person would cost only as much energy as it would take to do physically, whereas the energy required to lift a carriage would be twice as costly as if they had physically attempted to lift it - which is fine if the sorcerer has some form of energy to draw on as fuel, but the ability to lift a house would be supremely difficult to do, certainly not something the average practitioner could do. Manipulating energy on the other hand, as in converting magic into blasts of fire, energy shields, or wiping heat from the air, these are much easier.

There does remain a few things impossible to do via magic; immortality for one, sure there are curses and enchantments for undeath, youth, resurrection, but no one is every truly free from the spectre of death. Another mind control: there are mind magics yes, ways to read minds, converse telepathically, shield thoughts, but there is no way to magically alter or slave the mind of another. Magic can still be used to reach the same effect, stealing someone's energy to make them fall asleep, show them illusions to make them think something is happening that isn't, but directly robbing free will is impossible.

What races are native, how many races are there?
The total number of races within Caer Sidi is unknown as the warren is still being searched and mapped and new hold fasts arise all the time. You can find species ranging from humans, lizardmen, revenants, dwarves, half breeds and more.  However the discovered native races are all various species of Fae/Sidhe. From the research gathered, Caer Sidi was originally only home to species of Sidhe such as:

Asrais
Banshees
Brownies
Changelings
Devas
Dryads
Elves
Kelpies
Merfolk
Nymphs
Pixies
Selkies
Will O'Wisps

***Players are free to create their own races outside of native races providing they fit into the canon setting.

Can we make up creatures? What creatures are allowed?
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.

What is a hold fast?
A great question! You can read all about hold fasts here: https://caersidi-ns.com/thread-126.html
For an example of a holdfast, you can check out the overview of The Queensland here: https://caersidi-ns.com/thread-48.html

Do I have to have a hold fast? I want to just play a character/group of characters.
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.

Can I change features on the map?
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 to https://caersidi-ns.com/thread-204.html.

Can I have a hold fast under water?
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.

How does war work?
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 big of an army can I have?
How you run your hold fast determines a good bit, but the ultimate cap is 15% of your population. Are you militaristic? Then you would be close to the cap. Are you pacifistic? Then a lower number would make more sense. This is to ensure things like nonliving soldiers doesn't give you much higher and unfair numbers compared to someone who wants to run living creatures. After all, armies need supplies. You can find an overview of The Queensland's armies by visiting this thread: https://caersidi-ns.com/thread-48.html