Greater Xavax/Welcome

The Xavax are a proud amalgam of myriad origins - diligent brood awash in the memories of sunken empires whose grandeur we dare echo.

Our swords are sharp

Our spears are long

Our arrows are swift

Our arms are strong

Brave is the heart that looks upon home

We will kill the bandits wherever they roam!

If you come for war, know that We do not bend and We do not break. If you come for wine, speak to Wine Trader Tharan

New Comer's Notice

(Est. 12-16-15: Xavax pronounced: Zah-VAX or Zah-VICKS)

Welcome to the Imperium of Greater Xavax: governed by the guiding hands of the Phoenix Lords, commanded in war by Imperial High Command lead by the Talon, and reigned over by our elected absolute monarch, the Xerarch. Most of us were migrants; refugees or thrill seekers who arrived after the sinking of Atamara. The ideals of martial honor reign triumphant. We use the heraldry of the Phoenix of Xavax to symbolize our rebirth from ice and ash.

The Xavax are a proud, martial people, a warrior-caste society that delight in boldness and wine. Nearly every noble family of the Phoenix Court can trace its lineage to a Crown. And while the Xavax prefer isolation, they now believe their manifest destiny is to rule the 4 corners of the Southeast: Xavax, Isadril, Itorunt, and Ibladesh.

Greetings from the Xerarch I bid you welcome to the Phoenix Court of the Imperium of Greater Xavax. Yours is one of the few-but-growing number of noble houses that are native to this land. The territories of this realm were previously covered in ice and snow, miraculously melting upon our arrival. The majority of us were migrants, either thrill-seekers or refugees, who came here during the sinking of the ancient continent of Atamara. Now, the Xavax are a strong warrior-caste people. I am Xerarch Selenia JeVondair, and by the Grace of those here assembled, the elected ruler of the Imperium of Greater Xavax. If you seek to follow the way of the sword, then we have great need of your skills. If the battlefield is not your place, then a place will be made for you. In Jan. 2016, We declared war on an insidious neighbor once known as Alara, and now by Royal Decree only referred to as the Bandits of the Black City of Itorunt for their habit of pillaging, raping, and murdering. Either out of fear or sensing an opportunity for gains, we were set upon by four other realms (Minas Nova, Perleone, Vix Temora, Perdan) who joined the bandits against us, prompting our stalwart northern ally Fallangard to march to war with us. For four years, we have weathered the assault and even though we are battered, we are unbroken. ''As your liege, I will see to it that you are added to the Phoenix of Xavax, a Royal Army with a growing list of victories that rival and even surpass many of the older realms on this continent. We are the Power of the South, perceived as a continental threat thanks to the size and effectiveness of our military. Even so, we are dwarfed by the might arranged against us. Dwarfed, but not daunted. If you have any questions, ask. Xavax Endures, Xerarch Selenia JeVondair, Duchess of Xavax The Country and Peoples of the Imperium Before the founding of the Imperium, its lands were frozen, lost to ice and hostile to settlements. The sinking of the Great Continent of Atamara caused the southern ice of the East Continent to recede, prompting colonists and settlers from across the globe. These Migrants, many of them scions of powerful, not to mention wealthy, royal families. After the founding, commonfolk from the north and retainers that followed their lieges from across the seas settled and grew their holdings. In time, the Phoenix Lords authorized patents of nobility to establish new noble families. I hold the symbolism of the Phoenix in high regard. Much like the dual sayings of "Glory to The Imperium" and "Xavax Endures", it is a powerful image and useful for propaganda material. We hate cowardice and we like duels, minding our own business, and conflict. We respect strength and resiliency. We love arguments, and testing our own strength and resiliency. -Arbiter Aramon (player) Xavax is prosperous with a large military class (legiones imperi) and a very dense abundance of noble houses. These houses are not very wealthy, reflecting a large merchant class in the cities which compete with the patrician nobility. The realm is largely rural in character, but the farmers live comfortably, likely reflecting more intensive and profitable agricultural practices such as wine and cheese making and orchards rather than solely growing staple crops. With the loss of their western rurals to rebel forces, Xavax now exhibits a density just about the East Continent average. The nobility have seen their wealth increase an insignificant amount, likely due to the loss of noble houses combined with the loss of regions. The peasantry are still wealthier than the average, though they have suffered somewhat from the war effort. The war effort has been significant: even with the loss of noble houses, militarization of the realm is significantly in excess of the East Continent average, the reported value being due to a major battle with Alara. It is debatable how much longer Xavax can maintain this war, being grossly outnumbered and outmanned, but it is unclear if the war machine has peaked. But what is clear is that there is no hatred like the one Xavax bears against Alara and Minas Nova. The Environment and Architecture of the Imperium's Capital Xavax City is home to just under 20,000 people. Wood buildings built upon old, ruined marble foundations existent from before the Ice overtook the area (the marble likely gathered from around Oc Lu Pesh and the Mines of Isadril during better times) and are slowly being repaired/improved upon alongside more modern structures of varied styles conforming to the mixed tastes of our people, much of the material scavenged from lesser older buildings and wood cut from the nearby forests. from the fog and generally a wet, cool environment. The walls and few stone buildings require lots of maintenance from constant rains and erosion. There are clear boundaries between military and civilian sections of the city. Military districts have thicker smoke from smithies (military service is classified as an appropriate tax after all) and there are more stone buildings there which are constantly being rebuilt. The civilian areas, including the Harbor, have wooden buildings with high steeples, many are lopsided from the haste of their construction and generally being mist-soaked most of the time but if managed well don't rot and breakdown. Streets are rarely wide enough for anything bigger than a cart and there are many alleyways and small paths. There are small open market squares, but nothing like a distinct market or merchant district. A few true major roads coming from the main gateways, with multiple branching and twisting minor roads, alleyways, and paths making up the bulk.

New Player Primer

Basic Facts

Character Classes Guide

Adventurer/Commoner Intro

Xavax Realm Info

One basic principle of BattleMaster is that it is both realtime and turn-based. While many game actions are resolved immediately, major events such as travel or combat occur during turns only. The game is also realtime in so far as one day in the game takes 24 hours of actual time. While many events are accelerated, especially food harvests and tax collections, one day is one day in both our world and the game world. Sunrise and Sunset happen at 6 am and 6 pm GMT+1 (1:00 AM and 1:00 PM EST, 10:00 PM and 10:00 AM PST), for you new players who happen to be in the US.