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= Renaissance Notes =

[[TableOfContents]]

== Useful links ==

http://renaissance.wartworld.net/

http://renaissance.wartworld.net/phpBB2/

== Initial Briefing ==

=== Court Briefing- Barred Doors ===

There are things that man cannot understand and things that he should
not understand; the Court of Barred Doors concerns itself with both
these areas. While many of the other Courts exist to ensure the
smooth functioning of the visible, physical world, those of the Barred
Doors focus their attention on those things that cannot be so easily
perceived. There are threats to the stability of the universe that do
not initially manifest themselves in great natural disasters or
tremendous acts of destruction. They can be small things; the
careless whisper that reaches the Unreal, or the scholarly mage who
researches things best left unknown. To ensure that such issues never
bring harm upon creation, the Court of Barred Doors works diligently
behind the scenes; ever vigilant for those who would oppose the
Creator’s design.

The Court was originally formed around the original God of Secrets,
shortly before the Creator’s death. Secrets told his companions of
his conversation with the Creator; a conversation in which many
matters of great importance were explained to him. Although he was
bound not to share all the knowledge he had gained, he nevertheless
realised that without the help of his more trustworthy peers, he could
not hope to face the challenges the Creator warned that the future
would hold. Though he would not speak in more detail about the
conversation, he bid his friends accompany him as he travelled the
world in mortal guise, free from the endless distractions of divine
society. Those that joined him soon found that the journey would
prove an educational one; the God of Secrets would often stop and draw
their attention to the smallest of occurrences, explaining how it
could potentially result in catastrophe. While most of the Gods found
each problem incomprehensible, some few would find that they quickly
grasped the issue at hand. In this way the God of Secrets was able to
fill the most important estates of the Court with suitable candidates.
It was an exceedingly sober Court that rejoined their peers to attend
the funeral of their father.

The Court truly came into its own during the War with the Unreal and
it was through the actions of several courtmembers that the Unreal
came to be bound in Dream. Though the Duke of Shadow’s actions in the
War were ambiguous, the God of Secrets has stated that the Duke cannot
be condemned for any of his actions during the War, which were
entirely keeping with Duty - this is considered the last word on the
matter within the Court. Almost the entire Court of Barred Doors was
involved in the final trapping of the Unreal at the heart of Dream,
for the route to Dream is a tortuous one and not one that can be
easily walked by accident. That the Unreal not realise the trap that
was being set for them, those of the court not immediately enmeshed in
the fighting spent a week and a day disguising the path. When, some
days later, the Unreal horde surged into the Fortress, the Duke of
Shadows either leading them or being chased by them, they could see no
sign that the realm of Dream was ahead of them, for all these had been
concealed. Yet as the last Unreal creature crossed the threshold he
heard a chuckle, and spinning round he saw that the gate of the
Unreal's own fortress was gone, rather there stood a great wall.
Since the Unreal's imprisonment the Court have constructed a mighty
citadel about the entrance into Dream and staffed it with powerful
monsters, and the Unreal have built too. The Court keeps their
ancient foe under regular surveillance, and each visit has shown an
extension to the fortresses’ impossible architecture. Although no God
has examined it since beginning of the Iron Rule, one would imagine
that by now that both structures would rival many mortal cities in
size. No spirit sent to examine the interior of the Unreal's fortress
is known to have returned.

The court’s involvement in the great fight for the Creator’s tools was
no worse than that of any other. But in the aftermath the internal
recriminations within the court are likely to be bitter and
long-lasting. For a group that prided itself on protecting the
smooth-running of Creation, to have failed so utterly in its duty, is
not something that will be easily forgotten.

==== The Confessional ====

The Confessional is a tradition dating back to the earliest days of
the Court. It generally is only in force when the God of Secrets is
court ruler. When the Confessional is in operation, then every ten
years each member of Barred Doors tells the God of Secrets a secret,
as a sign of fealty.

==== Traditional Enemies of the Court ====

'''The Unreal''' - Foremost amongst those whose machinations are a threat to
the sanctity of creation are the Unreal. Forever seeking to overturn
the proper order of things, they have not let their defeat and exile
to Dream prevent them from seeking their goal. They have many agents
outside of dream; great mages who seek their power, lesser mortals who
allow themselves to be swayed by dreams, as well as irresponsible
Children of Grace who see the overturning of order as an interesting
event to be sought after.

'''Shadow-fears''', '''Echomen''' and other cunning monstrosities- In the time
after the creator died but before the great war that would be their
downfall, the Unreal spread traces of their taint into the crevices of
reality. The beings that sprang forth from this contamination are
entirely real, yet at the same time they are not part of the Creator’s
original vision and hence they contain a certain intrinsic wrongness
that makes them an abhorrence in the eyes of the Barred Doors. The
best known of these creatures are the Shadow-fears and Echomen, for
they are the quarry of the Gods of Shadow and Mirrors respectively.

'''Meddling Mortals''' - There are always some mortals who manage to poke
their noses into sensitive areas even without the influence of the
Unreal. In times past these have tended to be great magicians, but
during the Iron Rule the mortal wisemen known as scientists
occasionally stumbled onto a sensitive area. Imprisoned the Gods of
Barred Doors could only sigh in relief as each potentially dangerous
probing failed to be about catastrophe. Now that they are back in
power they will be sure to keep a tight rein on any future attempt at
‘progress’ amongst the mortals, though this may potentially lead to
some conflict with the more tolerant Court of White Silk Fire.

==== Bonuses for being in the Court of Barred Doors. ====

Since the responsibility for keeping the Unreal locked in dream is
shared amongst the court, then all in the Barred Doors know of routes
to enter that realm. It is easier for you to visit Dream than for
other Gods. For members of the Court visiting Dream is merely a
Mundane action - and can be even cheaper if such a trip is taken in
the course of pursuing Right or Duty, for others it is a Legendary
undertaking.

==== Penalties for being in the Court of Barred Doors ====

There are few creatures in the world that are capable of harming a god
(with the obvious exception of their peers), but those in the court of
Barred Doors are more likely to interact with such beings than most
others, and often the interactions are far from peaceful. Be careful.

The citadel guarding the entrance to Dream was itself trapped in
Greater Dream when the Gods of the Iron Laws erected their second
wall. Thus its denizens have become eccentric - some of the guardians
have even left their posts to stalk the countryside.

=== Estate: Time ===

==== Rights and Duties ====

The '''Duty''' of Time is to make sure that things last
their proper durations.

Specifically, Time has a Duty to ensure that things begin when they
should begin, and end when they should end. What tends to cause the
most problems is the end of mortal creatures, since they tend to not
want to die.

It should be noted here that when we talk about things ending "when
they should end", we aren't saying "everyone has to follow a divine
masterplan set forth by the Creator". We mean "people whose hearts
stop should fall over and stop moving". There is no crime in extending
one's life by avoiding fatal illness and accidents, or by using magic
to combat the onset of age or strengthen one against fatal accidents.
What is wrong is to stubbornly not leave one's body once something
which ought to be fatal has happened to it. There's four main ways
people can do this:

 * Making a pact with the Unreal.
 * Using magic. Again, it should be noted that there's nothing wrong with magic that protects you from, say, being shot by helping you dodge bullets, or by toughening your flesh so the bullets do not do quite so much damage. There is plenty wrong with magic which lets you blithely ignore great gaping holes in your chest.
 * Stubbornness. Most souls fall out of their body quite rapidly after their death because of the shock of dying. Sometimes, however, souls have the presence of mind to stay in the body.
 * Make a deal with a God for protection.

Your '''Right''' is to go about your business without folk getting in your
way, including other gods. This is because if anyone can try to stop
something starting which should already be happening, or to preserve
something which should be gone, it's the gods.

The Path of Time which leads to the gateway to Dream requires one to
walk some way with a child, some way with an adult, and the last few
steps with an old person.

==== Secrets ====

Here are three prophecies which still seem current.

 1. If the right eye blinks, it will be respite for the dead. If the left eye blinks, it will be torment for the living.
 1. Creation will end when the last Tool is broken, When the last God has died, When the Black Book is full and the White Book is empty, And the song underground falls silent.
 1. A throne is raised for a monarch who will be as a slave. It is attended by the dispossessed.

Prophecy from after game start...

 1. Artemesia will fall when fire comes to Ys

==== Benefits ====

You have the gift of prophecy, and can divine the beginning
and ends of things.

==== Troubles ====

Having turned willingly from the world before the Iron Rule
came, there's every chance a whole bunch of people have cheated death
in the time between your disappearance and the rise of the Gods of the
Iron Laws, who had their own ways of ensuring things finished when
they had to.
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