The terms, organizations, locations and concepts of the Turnside are vast and many. Therefore, it is a good idea to study up on them, to know them and to think about how your character is connected to them. Below is a collection of the terms that have been utilized on the story so far, and attempts to open them up a little bit and thus make them easier to understand. This lexicon is updated whenever new terms are encountered, though if there is a specific term you would like to know about, contacting the game master is not a bad idea.
In other words, while this lexicon is in no way required to be read, looking through it may help to inspire you and your character, and make it easier to feel like you belong in the world of Astronomika and beyond.
The terms below are presented in the alphabetical order.
Abbey of Thelema (Organization)
The youngest of the six schools of magic that make up the Pentagrammon first and foremost, this place has also been given the nickname of the "Wicked House" thanks to it's infamous founder. While most of the magic schools hide themselves within pocket dimensions and outside the mundane world at large, the abbey does actually exist physically... to some degree, at least. The apprentices who wish to study there must find a certain house in Italy, and activate the portal there which takes them to a much grander place of learning protected by walls of impassable prana and guarded by myriad seals. While it is unquestionable that the sprawling abbey has a physical location, theories have arisen that it actually exists in an alternate future, where the original location was not abandoned - and thus the portal does not take you to a physically different location at all. Nevertheless, Abbey of Themela acts as a place of freeform learning - a commune where like-minded people gather, share theories, and teach each other. There are no active authority figures save for the Semiquavers, who are both school-councilors and guards of the abbey. They de-escalate any conflicts, either through verbal means or physically and remove those from the premises who threaten the abbey as a whole. Who these mysterious people get their orders from, however, is unknown. The Wicked House itself, on the other hand, is both famous and infamous for it's style that pays no heed to tradition or age-old rules, and instead embraces modernity and new, innovative ways of thinking. Some have even compared the students of the abbey to Starry-Eyed Children searching for pathways ancient sages wouldn't even dream of.
Abraham Van Helsing (Person)
A learned man, a scholar, a philosopher and a metaphysician - an expert on the wide and varied obscure diseases that plagued the world before the rapid exchange of information stifled such nightmares. His origins are shrouded in myth, though his foreign accent, his broad physical form and his glacier-cool mind suggest a rather, ironically, inhuman nature. Nevertheless, he was instrumental when it came to defeating a patriarch of the House of Drăculești sometime in the 19th century. He is a man who through sheer knowledge, belief and arguably faith defeated and destroyed an Antediluvian creature thought to be deathless. In that, he showed that the power of humanity, if used correctly, could overcome even the fiercest darkness. This victory galvanized the Holy Church to refocus their efforts and gave them hope that they could turn the tide against the horrors of the Turnside. Later in life, he taught combat theory for the various factions of the Holy Church, and even lent his name to some of the armaments they still use today. Thus one could easily say that he is the grandfather of modern techniques of fighting against Turnside's threats. Later in his life, he is quoted to have said that: "In the end, the true darkness in this world lies in the hearts of men." He disappeared not long after. Due to his death having never been confirmed, and because of his supposedly unaging nature, it is still unknown to this day whether or not he was a human in the first place...
Anglican Church (Organization)
A Western Christian tradition that was born out of the English Reformation, and who some would say are the middle ground between the Catholics and the Protestants. The Common Book of Prayer binds them together as a liturgical tradition, and they are in full communion with the See of Canterbury and the British Monarch, as opposed to the Pope. Much literature has been written about the differences between the Christian traditions, and they tend to be a sore spot even on the Turnside. As a supernatural organization the Anglican Church is a rather unique one. While the Christian faith as a whole sees Turnside and its dangers as a danger that should not exist, by those same rules they should also abstain from powers they could use to defeat these dangers. During the English Reformation, when the XXXIX Articles were created, a secret 40th Article was added by those who knew of the supernatural - an article that allowed for a separate sect of believers to wield such powers for the sake of humanity. They became known as the Invisible Parish, and act as the true deliverance ministry of the Anglican Church.
However, thanks to the loose interpretation of the 40th Article, a certain loophole was eventually introduced into the Invisible Parish. Not only were they able to use those trained by the Anglican Church to wage war against the darkness of the Turnside, but they were also able to invite members into their ranks that were not fully... human. Mages, androids, espers and other creatures were sought out for their power, and convinced to join the ranks of the holy warriors. Over the years this has earned the Anglican Church a nickname of the "Capture Sector" thanks to their habit of poaching powerful members all across the globe. Ironically enough, while this has earned them the ire of other branches of the Holy Church, the relationship between the Anglicans and the other factions of the Turnside are surprisingly good. They often acts as ambassadors and mediators between other warring factions, and have enough firepower to broker peace-talks when necessary. Indeed, out of all the Western Christian traditions, the Invisible Parish seems most focused on metaphysical and spiritual threats, the enemy within and not the enemy without. Interestingly, unlike most other branches of the Church, the Invisible Parish is a singular organization - with each member assigned a role and a position based on their abilities and training. The various smaller groups that thus make up the collective are called Invisible Parish Churches, each led by their own Parish Priest that is akin to a squad captain. They all answer to the Vicar of the Invisible Parish, who is their liason with the Archbishop of Canterbury. The headquarters of the Anglican Church is the Inverted Crown, a massive castle-cathedral complex that lies beneath the Canterbury Cathedral, initially built after the Norman Conquests.
Archbishop William Broadchurch (Person)
Senior bishop and the principal leader of the Church of England, he is also the sole authority that the Invisible Parish answers to, in the end. A deceptively young-looking man, he is much older than his youthful looks might make one initially think. To the outside world he is a strong-willed and sometimes stubborn politician who often butts heads with the young queen, though his firm morals have made the general populace view him positively. However, he is a man aware of the Turnside, and as such, has a hidden side to him. When dealing with the dangers on the supernatural world he is without mercy, placing the safety of his people and his country above all else. He is also one of the few people in the world who hold the confirmed title of a Dragon Slayer - meaning he has bested an actual dragon in a single combat. He is the type of man who takes matters in his own hands, often acting without assistance from the Invisible Parish, much to their chagrin. In battle, it is said he wields a sword, a ring and a cup.
Body (Concept)
One piece of the trinity that forms a being. Body is the physical existence, the instincts and the sensory input through which beings experience the world they inhabit. It could be said that body is the most important of the three aspects of existence, as without it - as mere mind or soul - a being could hardly exist in a way that would be consequential to the World. As such, a body is also the most mortal of the three components, and one with the most limited time span. However, at the same time it is also a vanguard against the World that it inhabits. While the body is limited in what it can do within the World, the World has much harder time erasing or suppressing things that go against the Laws of Reality if they reside inside the body. The old adage of "my body is my temple" is more true than most realize. As such, many supernatural beings often aim to preserve and lengthen the lives of their bodies. Just like mind and soul, body also records its own set of memories - though these are rarely used. They tend to appear mostly as natural instincts, genetic behavior such as fear of predators in tall grass, or muscle memory. Indeed, the memories of a body are the only ones normal beings can pass down to their descendants. In Freudian theory, one could say body is the Id.
Catholic Church (Organization)
The largest of the Christian churches today and one whose influence has played a pivotal role in the history of the world, both on the Turnside and outside of it. Thanks to their long history, the members of the Catholic Church often view themselves as the "One, True Church" and see themselves as the first line of defense against the dangers of the Turnside. They answer to the reigning pope, the Holy See of Rome and to God Himself, and see that salvation cannot be attained by mere belief alone - it is earned through good deeds and faith. Thus the ranks of the holy warriors employed by the Catholic Church are second to none when compared to the other churches. After all, they see it as their duty to protect the normal people from the horrors that lurk in the night. This is even with the clear truth that the existence of Turnside and its dangers runs against the doctrines of the Catholic Church - in truth, such things should not even exist. As such, the real Catholic Church can never officially recognize, venerate or celebrate the heroes that keep the general populace safe... but they are fine with it. For their duty and the safety of those who cannot protect themselves is all that matters.
The main fighting force of the Catholic Church are the Seven Holy Legions - each named after an Archangel, and each having a specific role in combat as embodied by that archangel. Each Catholic warrior (with the exception of some unique cases, such as those with Divine Blood) starts in one of these legions and is trained thoroughly in combat and rescue work. One could call being in the legion like being a soldier, a firefighter and a medical worker at the same time. From there, they have few choices. Either rise in the ranks of the Legion, pursue a solitary career in the Church, or apply to specific organization within the Catholic Church. These special organizations include inquisition, the hidden side of the Roman Curia, various combat groups granted varying degrees of independency such as the French Silence Mill, or the personal retinues and groups that cardinals are able to form as long as the pope gives their blessing for such group and its focus. As of the current year, about 80% of the current cardinals has their own group, each with a specific goal such as retrieving and restoring ancient relics, hunting a specific Turnside danger or protecting an important location. The headquarters of most of these organizations, as well as Catholic Church in general, can be found in Vatican City and it's sprawling Undercroft that spreads within the Rome as a whole.
Crypts of Salamance (Organization)
Ironically enough, one of the oldest student-cities of Spain also harbours one of the oldest magic schools of the world. Also known as the "Viewing Pool", this massive underground complex built upon crystal clear waters-that-are-not-waters acts a reflection of the city above it. Indeed, it is a mirror-image of the city, created through a complex array of spells that have created a mirror dimension into which the students are able to slip through incantations that act akin to keys to a lock. Some say that the complex and campus were built by an ancient hero who was also the one to have left the Head of Bronze that watches over the Viewing Pool as a whole. Be that true or false, the Crypts got their current form thanks to the actions of a Saint Cyprian, a practicer of magic before he renounced his blood and turned to the side of the Holy Church. He formalized the ways of the school and put together the plan which eventually turned it into the respected place of learning it is today. Unlike other schools of magic, the Crypts heavily focus on the art of divination - learning of past, present and future through various forms of magic. To them, knowledge itself is magic and information is the greatest power of all. Indeed, one could like the students here to scientists unraveling threads of time and using loom to weave them into tapestries. However, thanks to channeling such fleeting and malleable information and living in a school of mirrored world, the students are often known to be aloof and somewhat inhuman. As such, courses in oratory skills are mandatory to the students, and they often become very eloquent... which does not always help to deter their strangeness. Each year, one student from the graduating class is chosen to remain as a permanent member of the school, sometimes acting as the faculty's eyes and ears to the outside world.
Demons (Creature)
Imaginary creatures born through human cognition of them... or so the common knowledge goes. Demons, as a whole, are "not real". They do not have a body, or a mind, or a soul. They are simply an ego with a will to act, nothing more and nothing less. It is only through humans or other beings who summon them that they are given a form or a shape. Through that, they become something on the level of a "destructive impulse" or a split personality within one self - a thought that shouldn't exist but what you cannot get rid of. And that though has a will of its own. Indeed, they are comparable to a mental illness in many ways. It is for this exact reason that demons require souls. As the world does not recognize them as real (and would thus erase them in a blink of an eye) they require a soul of their own to anchor themselves to the world. This is done by capturing the soul of the one they inhabit, almost like a black color corrupting the pure white of the soul. Soul cannot be taken by force, only given, and thus they grant their powers in exchange for parts of that soul to corrupt. However, the soul that is given to the demon also affects the way they manifest. Thus it is doubly important for the demon to corrupt the soul beforehand - otherwise an innocent, altruistically given soul might change them for their base nature far too much.
It is also possible, if rare, for a demon to possess the corpse of their chosen host after they have died - becoming real with just bits of soul and a physical body. This action forever changes the physical form, and makes the demon much more unpredictable. As said, however, these cases are rare, and only the most powerful demons seem to be capable of this. Still, whether through gaining a full soul or through possessing a corpse, whenever an incarnated demon is born, they become forever separated from the formless mass that they used to be. They have a shape, a name and something akin to a soul - making them an unique existence that those around them have to recognize. Thus, in a sense, the amount of demons capable of being born is technically limitless. Each one that succeed becomes a splinter of it's original self, a whole new danger of the Turnside. But this is only regarding demons who have not been already named and recognized by humanity. Those are instead known as Named Demons...
Der Nagel (Item)
A specialized, mass-produced weaponry that is the calling card of the inquisitors of the Catholic Church. They are Arma Christi - Instruments of the Passion. While about twenty or so weapons are classified as such, Der Nagel are certainly the most recognizable ones. In their basic form, they are pitch-black shortswords that have the same atomic and chemical make-up as the nails that were used to bind the Messiah to the cross. However, since they are mass-produced versions of those original high-level artifacts, the amount of numen that each can store is limited. While not nearly as powerful, the fact that they can be used to arm whole squads of inquisitors makes them invaluable. Their powers are as their legends suggest - to bind supernatural beings and stop them from using their powers. Over the years, different types of Der Nagel have begun circulating around, and many inquisitors modify theirs to better fit their unique styles of combat. Popular versions include daggers and other throwing weapons, though perhaps the most famous version is that wielded by the leader of the Silence Mill - Sister Marie. The Der Nagel she uses are lightweight, pointed swords made to resemble arrows, with a ring at the end of the handle for the ease of carry. That same ring also allows her to wield ten Der Nagel at once, one on each finger.
Eastern Orthodox Church (Organization)
Among the largest Christian branches and the one who holds sway in in eastern Europe, especially in the regions of the former Soviet Union. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops in local synods. Unlike the Catholic church and its pope, it has no central doctrinal or governmental authority - though the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople is recognised by all as "first among equals" of the bishops. However, this was not always the case, as until the East-West Schism it shared communion with the Catholic church. As such, even today there seems to be a great rift between the two branches of Christianity, leading their members to have natural bad blood between them. And especially when it comes to the people aware of the Turnside, one could say that the members have never forgotten, or forgiven, the Sack of Constantinople. The members of this church see tradition as utmost, as to them it is only through the correct form of worship, passed down from the very beginnings of Christianity itself, that one can live a proper life. Purity of these teachings is a major aspect people both on the Turnside and outside of it respect. Still, as a Turnside organization, the Eastern Orthodox Church differentiates in quite the major way from its cousins. Unlike the strictly hierarchical Catholic Church, or the singular authority of the Invisible Parish, authority is divided equally between the 15 autocephalous Churches - nine led by Patriarchs and six led by Archbishops or Metropolitans. There are also a number of autonomous Churches outside of these, though their authority is only recognized by some.
Nevertheless, while to the general populace the Eastern Orthodox Church only recognizes Seven Sacraments, they all individually also recognize an eighth, hidden one: The Mystery of Eradication - Exterminatus. In other words, the edict to stamp out and drive away darkness of the supernatural world wherever it appears. For this reason, each of the Churches within the organization has their own standing army, though each one is unique in hierarchy, troop count and organization, reflecting the autocephalous Church they serve. These armies answer to the authority of not the Church they serve, but an appointed Holy Strategos - their General. This is because in the eyes of the Eastern Orthodox Church no leader is infallible and that they are all, in the end, human. Thus there needs to be a balancing authority, which is the Holy Strategos. In addition to these standing armies, many monasteries have their own specialized forces, from small to large, meant to combat specific Turnside dangers. These forces can be called upon by the Church at large to deal with unique dangers. Thanks to the large amount of separation between the various groups of holy warriors, there is no single headquarters that they recognize - save for Hagia Sophia, which the faction still dreams of reclaiming.
Elements
The elements of supernatural that make up the world of the Turnside. The myriad connections that paint various aspects of this hidden world with their symbolism and give a specific nature to it's inhabitants and existences. Everything in existence, after all, has a point of origin and what drives them to live their life as they do. This reason, this arche, is what springs forth from their point of beginning, and on the way, is coloured by an element that best corresponds to that origin. Some have even said it is the colour of a person's soul and it often corresponds with their nature, personality, fears and dreams.
Exorcists (Role)
The specialists of the Invisible Parish, those who brave the darkness inside men's hearts and minds instead of just the enemy that can be found out in the world. They are the true Deliverance Ministry of the Anglican Church, not to be confused with the more mundane side... though, as the members of the mundane Ministry can sometimes encounter real demons as well, there has been some overlap in the members. The exorcists of the Anglican Church should not be confused with those of the other churches - people who have learned rituals to forcibly cast out demons. To the Invisible Parish, combatting demons is a much more involved, complicated business. To them, there's a proper proceedings to the combat: Diagnosis, Naming the Demon, Expulsion and Preventation of Relapse. After all, exorcists of the Invisible Parish understand that the true horror of demons is the fact that they are, in a sense, a human horror - a malicious thought and a destructive impulse within one's own mind. To them it's a complex matter of healing the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual problems of the possessed individual and making sure they survive the ordeal - and do not fall prey to demons again. As such, each exorcist tends to develop their own methodology that best fits them and which they see as the best way of helping those who need them. Exorcists are often picked out from various Invisible Parish Churches, and often assigned as a partner to a more experienced exorcist who can teach them the proper basics of their duty. However, as the exorcists often experience the worst that humanity has to offer and the greatest evil that lurks within the hearts of men, eventually every exorcist tends to work alone. The general mentality is that they alone should see these horrors, and not subject anyone else to them. Thus they became solitary figures in the eyes of their fellow warriors, both respected and feared for what they have experienced and done... and perhaps even pitied by some.
Faith (Concept)
A field of "knowledge" that encompasses the whole world - that which makes the miracles of a religion "truth" in the eyes of those who believe in them and allows recreating those miracles in order to combat the darkness of the Turnside. One could say that it is the acceptance that the various rituals, prayers, rites and such of a certain religion do work. And as they are accepted to work, they become formidable weapons in the fight against the Turnside. While the true nature of this field is not perfectly known, some argue that it is a phenomena similar to what gives power to Arcana Relics and powers the rituals of mystics, though the members of the Holy Church vehemently denies this. To them, it is a sign that their God truly does exist and has granted them the necessary power to protect people. And while it is certainly the strongest one of these fields, the Faith of Christianity is by no means the only one of its kind. Just about all major religions of the world, and even few smaller ones, possess a similar field that allows them to recreate miracles... but this just gives more evidence to the theory that this power is indistinguishable from that of the mystics.
Façade (Concept)
The unspoken rule among the members of the Turnside that their world, their deeds and their powers should be kept secret from the normal populace. As letting humanity know of the existence of supernatural endangers Turnside itself (World crushes any threats to the cognition of humanity and how the Laws of Reality are), this is one of the first things drilled into the heads of those born to Turnside. To stay hidden from humanity is to stay hidden from the World itself. If, however, such a case happens where the façade is broken, there are three widely-accepted responses. First is to erase the memories of supernatural from the minds of the witnesses. Second is the give a plausible explanation to the witnesses that makes them think what they saw was not supernatural. Third is to eliminate the witnesses. The fourth (and frowned-upon), unofficial method is to drag the witness(es) so deep into the supernatural that they become nativized to Turnside itself. In other words, they become so deeply entrenched into it they cannot return to their normal lives, and attempting to discuss it with their mundane brethren would result in a retaliation from the World - as now the World views them as an enemy to its Laws as well.
Holy Church (Organization)
The term in this context is used to represent the overall influence and forces of the Christian Church in the Turnside. It consists of four major branches, those of the Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church and the Protestant Church. Of course, many more branches do exist and they have their own presence in the Turnside, but in most cases they are not nearly as influental. From since it's conception, the Holy Church has used its might to protect the common people, those not in the know, from the horrors that lurk within the darkness. It is true that they have not garnered much sympathy or allies with their often merciless and proactive nature when it comes to hunting the dangers of the Turnside. However, when it comes down to it, they are counted as the foremost defenders of those who cannot defend themselves. It is true that they are an organization who have done many unforgivable and downright cruel things across the history, but those who are quick to cast a blaming finger in their direction often forget the atrocities their own factions have committed.
Inhuman Blood (Concept)
The inhuman blood within mages (and some other beings) is a mark that once upon a time, something that was not human joined the bloodline. Whether this means siring an heir with a magical creature or something else entirely, that is not important - the importance lies in that nonhuman blood became a part of the family tree ever since. This inhuman blood allows the descendants to gather numen all on their own, which manifests as supernatural powers - the most common of them being magic: ability to generate, gather and use mana to create spells. In addition, it often gave these descendants traits of their inhuman ancestors. However, the further humanity has strayed from the earlier Ages of Man, the harder it has become to introduce new inhuman blood into a bloodline. Even in ancient times, the first results of such an union were dangerous at best, these days they may be catastrophic. As such, the longer the family exists the further the blood dilutes, meaning mages and their powers are slowly dying.
Inquisitors (Role)
The specialists of the Catholic Church and the hunters of heretical mystics who threaten the greater humanity as a whole in their quest for knowledge and power. They are recognized by their uniform, that of the black cassock or a habit, as well as the black shortswords they wield - the Der Nagel. While the name "Holy Inquisition" is thought to be thing of the past by the modern populace, in truth this organization still exists - only moving in secrecy and targetting nothing but dangers that spring from the Turnside. The main goal of the inquisition is to hunt down the heretical - those who pervert the teachings of their God to their own selfish needs and endanger all that are around them. Those who make deals with demons, summon unimaginable horrors from beyond or strike pacts with creatures of the supernatural. However, unlike many believe, they do not strike at any and all dangers they find. Each suspected danger is evaluated and if found guilty, a request is sent to the papacy. It is only by the decree of the Pope that inquisitors can take action against the threat in question - given in a form of the Edict of Judgement. Depending on the wording, some Edicts of Judgement may encompass more than a single person, however, and thus they are extremely valuable commodities on the Turnside; in a sense, binding contracts that may allow you to request help from the inquisition.
Of course, sometimes there is no time to contact the papacy for an official Edict of Judgement. In those cases an inquisitor or a group of them may be forced to act solely based on their own judgement, and after they have, they are usually brought before the Internal Court of the Inquisition. This court is made up of high-ranking members of the Inquisition as well as members of the Roman Curia. Together they decree whether or not the inquisitor in question acted in accordance to the tenets and morals of the Catholic Church and if their decision to act was justified. Those that are found wanting are either punished, demoted or banished from the organization. Those that survive long in the inquisiton tend to usually form their own smaller groups within the organization, both training newcomers and forming specialized fighting forces meant for especially dangerous missions.
Kyöpelinvuori (Organization)
The hub of shamanistic magic and witchcraft in Northern Europe, the so-called Chaos Coven has become quite infamous among it's brethren. Situated in Kuivila Mountain, the Kyöpelinvuori itself exists on the flipside of the actual physical land formation. There it has the form as appropriate to its legend - an towering mountain of physical impossibilities which the hopeful apprentices have to climb as their first test of admittance. Near the midway-point and its slopes exists a forested meadow where most of the students and teachers of this "school" live. However, unlike in most schools, there is no official campus or buildings located here. Each elder witch, shaman and soothsayer has built their own abode here - often in their own unique style and connected to their real workshop wherever they happen to live. This is where the second challenge of Kyöpelinvuori rears its head. The hopeful apprentices have to persuade one of these learned witches to act as their teacher and sponsor to be accepted as part of the school. Some residents take only one apprentice, some take whole groups, all depending on their style. Meanwhile some apprentices remain with their teacher for the whole duration of their stay, some switch between teachers when they believe they have learned enough from a single person. As such, there is no official curriculum and education is very much an unique experience for every person. And as the meadow is a place where allegiances and grudges of the world outside are told to be forgotten, it acts as a neutral ground for many mages. The only exception is the "Glass House" that lies at the very top of the mountain: a massive castle made of what seems to be glass. There, the Elder Crones of Kyöpelinvuori gather at the Devil's Table to decide and vote on the political affairs of the school. The Elder Crones are the most influential, both in strength and political power, members of the school.
Magic (Concept)
The supernatural power of harnessing mana. Those with inhuman blood are capable of creating mana, the metaphysical form of magical power, within themselves. More specifically, it hides within the paths of power in one's soul, almost akin to another set of veins. This mana can then be used as fuel spells, which are supernatural phenomena that go against the Laws of Reality. If mana is fuel, then incantations, spells and rituals are the engine which produces desired results. Each mage family, bloodline and individual mage has their own way of doing things, though many share the same general form of magic. This can range from specific seals performed with hands to songs sung by the user. Some even use crafting as a form of their magic. Naturally, as these phenomena go against the Laws of Reality, the World attempts to crush them out of existence, but as long as enough mana persists within the spell to fight this effect, it can continue to exist. Such class often means that utilizing magic produces an eerie sensation and sound of "world groaning and screeching in protest", as well as the smell of ozone - which is the approximation of how human brain is able to comprehend pure mana. Still, while magic can produce many a miracle, there are some things even it cannot do. These are the Seven Unbreakable Rules that mages skirt around.
Magical Beasts (Creature)
A broad category that encompasses many supernatural beings that populate the Turnside. Magical beasts, also called "monstrosities", are creatures that do not stray too far from what the evolution has brought forth on earth normally. In other words, their base always lies in the natural creatures of the planet. The difference here is that they have, for one reason or another, gained the ability to gather and contain numen. This, in turn, grants them special abilities such as an impenetrable hide, the ability to fly or the capacity to breathe fire, or something akin to those lines. It should be noted that while some creatures, such as the fabled dragons, bear some superficial resemblance to real-world creatures, they are not counted as magical beasts. The rule of the thumb is that if the creature is clearly a normal animal or a beast, only with supernatural abilities, then they are counted as a monstrosity. Magical beasts are often talked about in legends and folklore, and appear as enemies for ancient heroes to defeat. The trade of materials and ingredients gathered from magical beasts is a lucrative business on the Turnside, with the biggest market in Europe being found at the Zodiac Clock... though it is nothing compared the jewel of the Silk Road, Samarkand.
Mind (Concept)
One piece of the trinity that forms a being. Mind is where the intelligence, thoughts and imagination itself lay. It also records the memories that beings use in most cases. It is through mind that beings make sense of the sensory input that body provides them with and create the cognition of the world that being has. As such, one could say that mind is what makes reality for every being in the world. While differences may exist and some minds may even deviate wildly from others, generally they gravitate towards the same understanding of reality. As such, the these "constants" become the Laws of Reality that rule over the World around said beings. What is understood as norm by the majority becomes the norm. This is what has caused the change through the Ages of Man from prehistory to modern day, and the decline and disappearance of supernatural. Incidentally, as "majority" means a different thing for each species of beings, sometimes creatures with extremely low populations in the World can cause major changes in Laws of Reality by merely existing. After all, the importance of a single cognition is diluted the more there are of beings. At the same time, however, simplistic minds that cannot even recognize their own cognition have little, if all, effect on it. In Freudian theory, one could say mind is the Superego.
Named Demons (Creature)
While normal demons are creatures born out of formless mass, like a virus in the collective subconsciousness of the humanity, Named Demons are far different from such things. They are far more than just a destructive impulse within a human's mind and soul. For indeed, they are not creatures that are attempting to be recognized by World as an individual being... they already are such things. Described in ancient texts and given a name, a form, a role and a purpose, they are incredibly powerful beings comparable to angels of the Judeo-Christian mythology. Texts that have given names to these demons are numerable, with probably the most famous being the Lemegeton - The Lesser Key of Solomon. Their attempts at gaining a physical body, presence and a soul so they could exist in the material world are major events that endanger thousands of people, and are among the most important dangers that the Holy Church (among other factions) has to deal with.
However, the true terror of the Named Demons does not lie with their great power - no, the horror of their existence if a more metaphysical one. After all, these creatures have personalities, histories and "existences" that are not fabrications. They are recognized and thus given a proper role in the supernatural world. And since they have such history, that means they must have somewhere where they come from... and the only possibility is a place that either is, or is very close to, to the Judeo-Christian concept of Hell. A place of extreme that many people would rather not actually exist. And therein lies the dilemma of the Named Demons. If they do come from Hell as suspected, there are two possibilities. Either it existed before even humanity did and has always been there, serving as the home for these creatures and their legions of lesser demons... or it was created through the established myths and belief of humanity, the populace literally creating a realm of eternal punishment for themselves. Both options are nightmarish to contemplate and have driven many Turnside scholars mad. The truth is perhaps only known to the Named Demons themselves, but they're certainly not telling...
Numen (Concept)
The concept of something's fame, place and legend within the larger context of history and World itself. Existences (whether people, beings, items, or anything at all) that are recognized by humanity and are thus assigned a "meaning" in a higher sense. To put it in a more simpler terms, a sword is a sword, but a sword that a young boy pulled from a stone is recognized as the one that crowned him as a king and was a proof of his heritage. Thus this specific sword has been uplifted and has thus become something much greater. Existences that have numen become supernatural through the legends, myths, folklore, superstition and urban legends associated with them, beliefs and imagination coalescing into a shared cognition of the World at large that, ironically, makes them something the current World cannot abide. However, once etched into the collective unconscious of humanity, they cannot be removed anymore. The strength of someone's numen (and the powers it brings) is decided by the following three factors, listed from most important to least: 1) Age. The longer this thing has existed, the more numen it has gathered. 2) Fame. The further the knowledge of this has spread, the more recognized its fame and thus, numen. 3) Details. The powers described in the legends and myths themselves give shape to the powers numen grants the thing. Around 500 years ago, a certain event caused a rapid change in the power and abundance of numen.
Patriarch Maximus VI (Person)
The archbishop of Constantinople who ranks as primus inter pares - first among equals - among the heads of the several autocephalous churches that make up the Eastern Orthodox Church. Like many of the other religious leaders of the world, he is aware of the Turnside and the dangers it brings. However, thanks to the fragmented nature of authority among the autocephalous churches of this branch, he does not command direct authority over the forces fighting against this darkness. He does, however, command the respect of them all. After all, he is the former Holy Strategos of the Church of Constantinople, meaning he has lived through and seen the battles that those working under him face every day. A man of great stature, imposing aura and even more imposing beard, he is truly like an old warrior king of old, and often acts similar to it - or rather, a general of the Byzantine Army in his twilight years who still refuses to hand reigns to the younger generation. As a former holy warrior, his Divine Steed has often been compared to an F-16 fighter aircraft in speed and firepower, and according to eyewitness accounts, his Mantle of Icons can make even the most jaded believer shed a tear.
Pentagrammon (Organization)
The Pentagram of the Old World - foremost magical organization in the world, and politically the most powerful. While many independent organizations and associations exist in Asia, South-America and other places around the globe, the truth is that Pentagrammon is the most powerful of them all - both by political power and by the amount of mages they have gathered under their wings. As it is only Pentagrammon who can officially recognize the Three Titles of a mage, and thus legitimize their work, research and power, even those outside of it have dealings with the organization. The original idea of Pentagrammon was based on earlier prototype concepts that go all the way back to figures such as Hermes Trimegistus and Mage-King Solomon. However, the organization in it's current form (with all the six schools working together) has been around for only roughly 500 years. Around that time, a certain event took place mages of old refer to The Great Disaster and which changed the landscape of magic forever. Nowadays only the name itself is really known, and even the truth of it's effects (other than the fact that it was said to have severely impacted the power of numen in the world) has become a well-guarded secret. Pentagrammon consists of six magic schools all around the world, which are the foremost experts of nurturing new magical talent of the Turnside.
Pope Joan II (Person)
The supreme pontiff, the bishop of Rome and the chief pastor of the worldwide Catholic Church, Pope Joan II has often been called the most mysterious enigma of the Catholic Church of the New Millenia. Elected as the pope at a surprisingly young age, the name which they chose caused ripples of rumours and uncertainty that washed through the whole western world. Matters were not helped by the fact that the new pope's extremely androgynous appearance made it practically impossible to discertain their gender. While the Roman Catholic Church has announced the pope to be male, rumours are hard to disperse, and the pope themselves has done nothing to quell them. Indeed, they have gone to great lengths to never address the question of their gender. As the rock upon which whole Catholic Church now rests, they have the grand, maximum authority over all activities performed by the church, even on the Turnside. And indeed, the fact that they have been granted the powers of Binding and Loosing, as well as the grand artifact that are the Keys of Heaven, makes them one of the biggest movers and shakers of the Turnside. While seemingly a perfect image of a pope to the general populace, those of the Turnside who have met Joan II describe them as both playful, innocent and utterly ruthless in their demeanor.
Prague Orloj (Organization)
The hub of magic in the Old World, and perhaps the most important place to any and all mages around the globe. A city-sized university and campus that mimics the city of Prague itself, it lies in a space that has been shifted into an alternate plane of existence - thus rendering it indestructible for assaults from the outside. The linchpin that connects the two worlds is the actual, physical clock that the whole campus of Prague Orloj has been built to resemble - as if the clockface itself was a map of the city. Also known as Zodiac Clock and The Ecliptic, this school is the first and foremost among magical institutions, and the one who codified and legitimized their ways of teachings first for all the Turnside to see. As such, it has become so much more than just a school. Various Turnside organizations, not just those of magic, have embassies in the city, while each school of magic has a specific department to themselves along with a part of the city they own. These departments in turn have their own sub-departments, making the city truly a clockwork of myriad tiny parts moving in an intricate dance. Such a turbulent political landscape has given a rise to so-called Courts, where like-minded mages gather under a Lord or a Lady who sponsors them, and they in-turn help by bolstening their clout. Thus, amidst the grand lecture halls and beautiful classrooms, a constant political war is raging between people gathered to this city. Indeed, it can be called one-of-a-kind magical metropolis that can make or break a mage. And things can turn especially volatile when a department head's spot is vacated, as is the current case with the Department of Destruction.
Protestant Church (Organization)
The second-largest form of Christianity after Catholicism, and perhaps the most diverse - being more divided theologically and ecclesiastically than the Catholic Church or the Eastern Orthodox Church. This branch got its start when Martin Luther published his Ninety-five Theses as a reaction against abuses in the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church, which purported to offer the remission of the temporal punishment of sins to their purchasers. Indeed, one could say that while there had been many previous attempts to break away from and reform the Catholic Church, only Luther succeeded in sparking a wider, lasting and modern movement. As a whole, the protestants reject Roman Catholic doctrine of papal supremacy and sacraments, and believe that salvation comes by divine grace or "unmerited favor" only. They also affirm the Bible as being the sole highest authority rather than also with sacred tradition. As of modern times, they are largely concentrated in United States, and act as one of the biggest Turnside organizations in the New World, ready to defend its populace from the horrors of the night. This is partly because of the Protestant belief of the priesthood of all believers - the belief that to reach God, a general man does not need the help of a mediator. This means that each church is its own entity, led by a senior pastor, that form a loose federation, or are completely freestanding and independent. In this sense, there's no singular leader to the Protestant Church, even in the matters of the Turnside. In other words each church has their own traditions. Some may have long-standing groups or squads of warriors, others might train a singular agent or two to act on their behalf while some might sponsor a separate group that works in the area. Each group or individual thus carries their own name, history, training and method of conduct - and they answer only to their own Church or to God Himself.
Naturally such lack of hierarchy leads to lots of friction between the various groups, and thus many churches train specific mediators to smooth things out in case fights or arguments break out. However, sometimes even this is not enough. In times of great crisis or internal wars, the churches involved and invoke their right to call for Council of Last Five Theses. This Council is made up of 50 representatives, one from each state of the US and each a powerful and respected member of the churches tied to the Turnside. They alone, following the Last Five Theses that Martin Luther hid from the general public, have the authority to punish and pass verdicts on members of the Protestant Church that endanger the general populace because of their infighting. They also have the final say-so when it comes to dealing with the rival factions that inhabit the same American soil as the Protestants do - such as the Mormons.
Queen Victoria II (Person)
The young Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth realms, who had to ascend to the throne after a certain accident claimed most of her immediate family, including those who would have been before her in the line of succession. Although initially seemingly unprepared and woefully over her head, she has over the years shown that despite her bullheaded nature, she is growing up to be a fine leader and a monarch. Still, her youthful looks and young age, along with some lowbrow rumours related to them, have earned her the joking nickname of "Kissless Virgin Queen" behind her back. This nickname would cement in the future, when she would get hooked to online MMORPGs and FPS video games. Still, due to the nature of accident that claimed her family, she is well aware of the Turnside and its dangers, and has shown interest in dealing with the problems it brings to her beloved nation.
Rites (Concept)
Rites are a form of quick-combat thaumaturgy that the Holy Church has developed in order to stay relevant and adaptible in combating the supernatural threats of the Turnside. Every church and every order has their own unique rites and variations of more common rites. Still, at its core applying a rite involves sacred oils and incenses, herbs and chants – perhaps even being coated in holy water. Over the centuries, however, warriors of Church have distilled these necessities into quick-to-apply forms that can be done in the middle of combat. Still, the preferred way of applying a Rite depends completely on the warrior themselves. Some outside scholars have even likened Rites to combat blessings that the Church has made into a form of deadly art. It truly makes them a force that is quick to adapt to change.
Scholomance (Organization)
The elite of the elite, Scholomance is a magical school found within central parts of Transylvania, near the modern city of Sibiu. Situated within a complex array of crypts, corridors, mazes and a whole underground city carved within a mountain, the school is also known as "Devil's Den" - which is a bit of a misleading title. Scholomance teaches only the best of the best, and hand-picks its students from the most accomplished mages of that time. Each year, only up to thirteen students are admitted to the school, keeping the student numbers low. This is because Scholomance, unlike the other schools of magic (sans Prague Orloj) boasts knowledge and texts passed down directly from the Mage-King Solomon. Not only that, but the "Devil" that is the headmaster of this school is actually a former familiar of Solomon himself - a creature that has been tasked with this exact purpose. Devil, angel, djinn or something wholly different, nobody really knows the headmaster's true nature. However, he has knowledge he has been taught by the Mage-King himself, and which he in turn teaches to the worthy students. The students are also taught the arts of weathercrafting and, interestingly enough, dragonriding. This may be because at the top of the mountain where Scholomance resides is a lake, and within the massive auditorium built under the lake lives a dragon - a balaur to be exact - who is one of the teachers of Scholomance.
Seven Unbreakable Rules (Concept)
The seven types of miracles that no supernatural ability can achieve. They are the rules that have stayed a Constant from the dawn of existence itself, and do not change even if the Laws of Reality do. One could think of them as binding constraints that contain the whole of a story, even if the contents of the pages are changed. The Seven Unbreakable Rules are the ultimate dream of some foolhardy members of the Turnside, however. They search for the knowledge and power to subvert them and break them, and get destroyed by the World in the process. Indeed, nothing produces as violent attempts at erasing something by the World as trying to break these Seven Rules. First of all, even acknowledging and realizing what these rules are is nigh impossible, as human brain automatically does not even question them. It would be as if one started to question why one cannot grab themselves and lift themselves off the ground. And the matter of breaking such rules is even harder. The only one that has been known to be broken is the Rule that deals with resurrecting beings whose soul has already dispersed. As this would break the law where mass and energy of the universe is constant, creating something that has already been broken down and thus adding into that constant, it cannot be anything else. However, if this is the extent of the power of this Unreakable Rule is unknown. It is unknown who broke this Rule, as is the case with the other Rulebreakers. However, some possibilities have been thrown around, such as Count of St. Germain and Aleister Crowley. The only thing that is known for sure is the fact that there are Seven Unbreakable Rules. There will be no Eighth.
Soul (Concept)
One piece of the trinity that forms a being. Soul is the metaphysical center of a being, where the paths of supernatural power and ego - our existence and sentience - really reside. Without a properly matured soul, a being cannot even regonize it's own existence, much less the importance of that very fact they exist. It is the most unknown and worst understood of the trinity, and as such, many scholars spend their whole lives mapping out the mysteries of the soul. As said, soul is where most supernatural powers lay and it is where elements such as magical energy - mana - are able to reside in their metaphysical, free form. Soul also breathes life into a being by entering it's body. While it is possible to heal or even revive a being, it can only be done while the soul still lingers within the body. Once it has left, such tasks become impossible. A revival of a soul lies within the realm of Seven Unbreakable Rules. Beings souls flitter off their bodies momentarily, however, when they dream properly, and are thus capable of passing even to alternate realities or planes - which how some dreams are created. Soul also records it's own memories, those these are mostly inaccessible, and are more akin to superstitions, gut feelings, visions of the future and sensations of déjà vu. Through soul's metaphysical existence, such memories (and in lesser sense, those of body and mind) drip down to what is known as Collective Unconscious. In Freudian theory, one could say soul is the Ego.
Temple-University of Edinburgh (Organization)
A former temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the so-called "Cannon Fields" has become one of the foremost pillars of Pentagrammon in recent years. The university itself lies outside the city-limits of Edinburgh, both physically and metaphysically, and can be only reached through paths known as fairy paths. As such, the true campus lies in a separate plane altogether, having been inserted into the folds of the real world. Some say this campus borders the actual Fairy Kingdoms. Some of the facilities can be found within the city, though most of these are for administrative purposes. Cannon Fields excels in classical western magic in all its forms and prides itself for teaching all its students an excellent grasp of fundamentals and a base knowledge unrivaled by other magical institutions. In addition, the values taught at the school, such as old-fashioned code of conduct and chivalrous rules, have made it quite famous and well-respected among its peers. While the tuition fees of this boarding school are high, even poor mage families can send their heirs to study. They will become Aides to the current students, and through hard-work and learning from their seniors eventually earn the rank of a Squire - which allows them to enter the university as a full-fledged student. Cannon Fields is the only mage school which offers courses in direct combat against magical beasts, even such forgotten arts such as dragonslaying.
Thaumaturge (Role)
The thaumaturges of the Eastern Orthodox Church are specialists that have focused their training to recreating the miracles left behind by the Saints of legends. They are as much scholars and philosophers as they are warriors, spending as much time reading old tomes as they do on the battlefield. As miracle-working is a taxing art and as overusing it can quickly drain the power of even the most potent miracles, they try to find ways to squeeze even the tiniest bit more power from their thaumaturgy. After all, every additional miracle they can perform can be the difference between life and death. This is doubly true for the warriors of the Eastern Orthodox Church, as they tend to focus their efforts in the eradication of the undead - creatures that tend to care little for conventional weaponry. Instead funeral rites, ceremonies to send off their souls and miracles to put them back to rest are the greatest weapons in a holy warrior's arsenal against such treats. Thaumaturges are often chosen due to their aptitude noticed at an early age, and the training is rigorous and grueling - needing not only a tough body but also an unbreakable mind with near-eidetic memory. As a result, the thaumaturges that do succeed often end up as rather... eccentric individuals, and they can be quite unnerving for more normal people to meet. Still, their powers are much respected, so their oddities are often overlooked. The training grounds of these thaumaturges are located in the Ugresha Monastery and the extensive library that spreads beneath it. Some have compared to one of the major schools that make up the Pentagrammon, and indeed there are many similarities. It has even been jokingly called the "Angry Neighbour" of Kyöpelinvuori and in the past, many skirmishes have happened between the two institutions. Still, it seems that the harsh training of the monastery gives each class a sense of camaraderie through the decades, some even becoming thaumaturge-pairs and working together till death takes them.
Thaumaturgy (Concept)
Thaumaturgy, or miracle-working as its otherwise known, is the major weapon alongside relics that the Holy Church possesses to combat the dangers of the Turnside. Some have said that it is a pale imitation of magic, others have claimed it to be just a form of ritual magic used by the mystics, others claim it to be a divine blessing gifted from One True God... but at the end of the day, the absolute truth is not known. What is known, however, is that it works and it has served the Holy Church well in their efforts to protect the general populace from the horrors that stalk in the night. To put it simply, thaumaturgy is the recreation of miracles, deeds and fables that are considered to be in canon to the Christian teachings - what appears in legends and folklore of this grand religion. In other words, unlike the mages who carve their own path or the mystics who search for methods that work for them personally, the holy warriors of church recreate supernatural feats that have already been proven - at least in their minds. Whether it is walking on water, surviving being eaten by a giant sea monster or wrestling an angel, from a small story to an important tale straight from the Bible, all of these miracles are important - and part of the arsenal of the Church's warriors. And as the field known as Faith decrees these miracles to have been true, their existence is accepted by the World to a decree. Perhaps this is a sign of the truth about their real, pre-determined nature, or perhaps it is the power of human cognition at work. Nevertheless, they bear uncanny resemblance to how Arc-Relics work. However, as these miracles require specific steps, chants, hymns and other steps to recreate, they are much harder to achieve, despite often being more powerful than basic spells or rituals. In addition, there is only so many times a specific thaumaturgy can be cast in a limited amount of time. A miracle that is performed too often becomes diluted and ceases to be a miracle at all, thus rendering it ineffective. Indeed, it is the unique nature of miracles that makes them so potent - something no holy warrior is soon to forget. Only time will tell if the use of thaumaturgy as a whole by the Holy Church will dilute their power as a whole or not, but is certainly a frightening possibility that lies in the future...
Turnside (Concept)
The general name for the "hidden world" where supernatural is real. One could see it as the flipside of the coin, or the underside of a blanket or a sheet of cloth. Or, one could even liken it to the parts of the world around us we never really see and don't think about - such as the underside of a table or the back of a cabinet against the wall. In other words, the place out of minds of the normal populace.
Undead (Creature)
A category that encompasses creatures, both corporeal and noncorporeal, that are deceased and yet continue to act as if they were alive. This can range from reanimated corpses controlled by supernatural forces to spirits that refuse to pass on and instead remain in the physical world to torment the living. Undead are an especially broad category and can be found in almost every folklore around the world, showing just how deeply ingrained the idea is to the humanity. The idea of the dead returning is almost always shown as a negative force, a frightening event that may end up in the deaths of whole towns if not cities. It is for this reason that many Turnside organizations, especially those of the Holy Church, research both ways to contain and to exterminate these creatures, while others - like a certain part of the Zodiac Clock, search for ways to harness this potent power. Just like the undead in general can be divided into corporeal and noncorporeal, so can these two categories be further split into two. The corporeal undead can be divided into both sentients and thralls - those who move under their own intelligence (no matter how limited) and those who are completely directed by someone else's will. Meanwhile the noncorporeal undead can be divided into autonomous and phenomena - those with a free will (to some extent at least) and those who simply repeat a singular purpose or action, like a looping film reel. However, the specific nature of each undead can vary wildly, and it is only through cataloguing and careful research that the weaknesses and strengths of these myriad horrors can be found. Not to mention that even outside these major categories there exist other, more nuanced ones - such as the vampires who are counted as the Kings of Supernatural in the western world...
Witch Hunters (Role)
Witch hunters are the specialists of the Protestant Church, trained thoroughly to combat mages and their powers. While initially this duty fell upon the inquisitors of the Catholic Church, it was decreed in Late Middle Ages that the inquisition would not deal with accusations of witchcraft unless they dealt with heresy - and in their eyes mages were not considered heretical. After all, they were not human, and thus they were incapable of committing heresy. Still, while inquisition washed their hands off of dealing with the mages, a flame of revenge still smoldered within some sects and groups of the Church. They had seen the atrocities mages so casually committed in their quest for knowledge and power, and they wanted to put a stop to it. This flame grew brighter in the Early Modern Europe when the craze of the witch-hunts spread to the common populace. It was especially thanks to a certain notorious Witchfinder General, himself an agent of the Puritan Church, that the idea of mage-hunting became prevalent among some members of the Holy Church. Indeed, it is thought that the Unseen Amendment that can be found in the True Declaration of Indepence, and which outlaws the use of magic and mages in general in USA, was pushed by the Puritans who were absorbed by the many Protestant denominations.
In the years that followed, witch hunters would become a part of the Protestant Church - a self-governed organization within the church - that acted on its own and answered only to itself and to God. Members of the witch hunters are trained to dispel, negate and prevent usage of mana and spells, and are outfitted with weaponry meant to hamper any mage's ability to cast spells. While some witch hunters work in groups and can even gather to become a large army, most do independent work - they travel the country in search of illegal mages, spurred by the bounties put up by people who have been wronged or hurt by the cruel actions of these targets. Funnily enough, one could say that they're the last people holding up the tradition of bounty hunting from the days of the Wild West. Still, when the duty calls, even the most independent witch hunter answer that call - for they are all in it for the same reason. To stop mages from exploiting common people for their esoteric goals. And at the top of this self-governed organization stands, ironically enough, a young woman known as Abigail Williams - the current, official Witchfinder General.