-=Country, Aldenmarsh
-=== Facts
+#Country, Aldenmarsh
+## Facts
**Population**: 500,000
**Capital City**: [Canyonport](canyonport.md)
**Climate**: Tropical
**Laws**: Standard, but with strict penalties, especially for repeat offenders. [Divination](divination.md) is punishable by death.
**Government**: Theocracy by the Church of Baneth. Aldenmarsh is nominally controlled by a council composed of representatives from the Church, guilds, and the noblility. In practice, the Church rules alone, and strictly.
**Bordering nations (clockwise)**: Magic Sea, Eldwood, Free City of Maris, Four Spires (+ Lanolis River), Lorille, The Wastes, Nathnan Barony
-=== About
+## About
Aldenmarsh, through Canyonport, controls trade across the entire Magic Sea through trade agreements. Between its economic power, and position near the Lanolis River, most trade goods travelling by water on the continent pass through Canyonport, and Aldenmarsh taxes them.
-=== Culture
+## Culture
Aldenmarsh is the cultural center of the Magic Sea. Heavy influences from the Church of Baneth. Education and virtue are instilled by free and mandatory education from Gardeners. Church service is mandatory. Outside religion is closely regulated and censured, but permitted if practitioners regularly swear oaths of faith to Baneth. Citizens care strongly about proper procedures and sophistication. Faith, virtue, reading, and gardening are considered high culture. Gardens, quality textiles, elaborate mechanical devices, or rare books might be shown as signs of wealth.
There is a general mistrust of foreigners and foreign influence. Foreign workers must wear local clothing, speak only Common or Aldish, stay in the Foreign Quarter in Canyonport at night. Foreigners are are not permitted to stay long-term, and immigration is exceptional. Foreign goods and food are common, foreign customs and phrases are not.
-=== Baneth
+# Baneth
God: **Baneth** "The True See-r"
+
Symbol: A stylized eye (three concentric circles, the middle one filled in)
+
Holy Weapon: Spear or Longbow
+
Domain: Knowledge / Any
+
Alignment: N
-== Faith
+## Faith
Baneth is the God of True Seeing. Mortals first met him a millineum ago, though he has not appeared in Aldenmarsh in centuries. He is an undemanding god, simply watching, and occasionally granting gifts to those whose character or actions please him. He primary demand to his followers is to see the world as it is, with open eyes; turning aside falsehood, ignorance, and simplicity. His followers frequently will offer free education, especially in basic literacy and languages, and free libraries. Faithful priests might preach. They also might pursue greater insight on their own through worldly travel, scholarly research, or spiritual ritual.
Service is every [Light](days_of_week.md). Baneth religion involves many long speeches and elaborate rituals, as well as an emphasis on moral and social character. It plays down the role of action or prayer. His followers agree Baneth has not been seen walking the world for centuries.
Followers dislike: willful ignorance, boasting, and self-deception
They have no strong opinions as a faith on secrets, illusions, or straightforwardness.
-== Church
+# Church
The Church of Baneth is mostly a political institution of Aldenmarsh. Everyone in Aldenmarsh is required to be a member of the church, and attend church service every Light day. However, actual strong attachment is Baneth and prayer is neither required or common in the population--maybe 20% of the population is actually faithful.
-== Church (Governmental powers)
+## Church (Governmental powers)
Religious matters - The Church has total control over anything related to religious matters. It requires that foreign religion is always in tandem with, and below, worship of Baneth. It also prohibits [divination](divination.md) magic, heresy (which is something a religious scholar or preacher might commit), and blasphemy (worship of other gods as primary, or destruction of Church property). Deaths, and graves are religious business. Births and weddings are not.
Council - The Church controls 4 of the 12 chairs on the counctil which runs Aldenmarsh. The Council can do anything, and also makes the laws of Aldenmarsh.
Bureaucracy - The Church runs the civil service and bureaucracy. It regulates most permits, the purchase and sale of land, and controls the city coffers day-to-day. This is how the church makes the majority of its income, and exercises most political control.
Education - The Gardeners control education, but the Church has a large input on the books taught.
Tithe - Followers of Baneth tithe 1/7 of their income to the Church.
-== Superstitions
+## Superstitions
- The truth always comes out on Light
- Ink is lucky. Couples about to get married will dip their fingers in ink the morning beforehand, and attendees will ask the couple to touch them and leave fingerprints.
- Baneth can see everywhere, but he is especially watching through his Eyes
- Lying is bad, but failing to spot a lie is also shameful
-== Church Structure
+## Church Structure
Church structure is hierarchical, with local priests and bureaucrats at the bottom of the hierarchy, all the way up to the High Priests in Canyonport at the top. Control over Canyonport is tighter, while religious observances may be rarer and more relaxed in the country.
-== Scripture
+## Scripture
The sacred text is a single book, called the Holy Book of Baneth. There are a number of lesser tracts from the centuries, most of which are publicly available but considered unimportant and less canonical.
-== Divine Magic
+## Divine Magic
Spellcasting ability is rare, even in the priesthood--maybe 1 in 3 priests can cast 1st level spells.
Spells are available for sale from the church. Healing and Divination spells can be [purchased](spell_sales.md) in Canyonport and other major Church locations.
-==City, Canyonport
-=== Facts
+#City, Canyonport
+## Facts
Also known as: "The Green City", aka "New Ja'goth"
**Population**: 350,000
**Government**: See [Aldenmarsh](aldenmarsh.md)
-=== About
+## About
Canyonport is a trading port with a still, deep river running through the middle of it, joining the unnaturally pure Magic Sea on one end. It is covered in plants--gardens run every street, and ornamental rooftop gardens are common. Symbols of Baneth are displayed everywhere. People on the street are friendly, but social classes rarely mingle. Canyonport is a busy trade town, and there are mechants, shops, and restaurants everywhere. Public entertainment and sermons are commonplace. The city is quiet and still soon after dusk.
- Making a character
- House rules
-- Maps
-- Lore
+- [Maps](aldenmarsh.md)
+- [Lore](lore.md)
===Aldenmarsh
-- Baneth
-- Divination spells
-- Spells for sale
+- [Baneth](baneth.md)
+- Prohibited [Divination](divination.md) spells
+- [Spells for sale by the Church](spell_sales.md)
Some spells are available for purchase by the Church of Baneth. They are available in major cities or churches. About one in three priests of Baneth can cast spells.
-| Spell | Cost in SP | Effects
-| Contact Other Plane | 8000
-| Detect Magic | 100
-| Detect Poison and Disease | 100
-| Augury | 250
-| Divination | 2100
-| Identify | 200
-| Locate Object | 400
-| Locate Create | 1600
-| Scrying | 3500
-
-| Cure Wounds | 100 | 5 hp
-| Prayer of Healing | 400 | 10 hp
-| Lesser Restoration | 400 | Cure one of disease, blindness, deafness, paralyzation, or poison
-| Greater Restoration | 4500 | Cure charm, petrify, curse, ability reduction, HP max
-| Raise Dead | 12500 | Works for 10 days after death
-| Hallow | 22500
+| Spell | Cost in SP | Effects|
+|----------------------------|------------|--------|
+| Contact Other Plane | 8000 | |
+| Detect Magic | 100 | |
+| Detect Poison and Disease | 100 | |
+| Augury | 250 | |
+| Divination | 2100 | |
+| Identify | 200 | |
+| Locate Object | 400 | |
+| Locate Create | 1600 | |
+| Scrying | 3500 | |
+| Cure Wounds | 100 | 5 hp |
+| Prayer of Healing | 400 | 10 hp |
+| Lesser Restoration | 400 | Cure one of disease, blindness, deafness, paralyzation, or poison |
+| Greater Restoration | 4500 | Cure charm, petrify, curse, ability reduction, HP max |
+| Raise Dead | 12500 | Works for 10 days after death |
+| Hallow | 22500 | |
Other spells (like "Detect Evil") may be perfomed by the Church for the government, but are not available for sale as commodities.
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