Paridon Gazetteer

[Tobias Blackburn]

It could become ambiently and directionally brighter until the sun is visible.

As for the river, Timor used to be a city with sewers and subterranean levels so if Paridon 'overwrote' the city above leaving Timor underneath, 'Rhastik' could be the original name in Timorian (?) or in the Marikith language and 'Nodnal River' could be the name given to it by the Paridonites when the domains formed Zherisia.

Possibly, but where does the river name come from? If it comes from Hour of the Knife then it doesn't work, because Timor was its own land at the time. Also, the citizens of Paridon are not aware of the existance of the remains of Timor beneath their feet.

[Jasper]

Have we decided what langauge Paridon uses? If it has its own unique langague we could allways say Rhastik was the rivers name in the old language, a paridonish verson of old English. Nodnal is now the offical name for the river but many of the older maps and books have its old name.

[Stygian Inquirer]

In RL:CS 3E, it says that in Paridon, the residents speak Zherisian.

[Undead Cabbage]

Stygian is correct, it states that they speak Zherisian.

Think Zherisian might have it's similarities to lower Mordentish? Perhaps it's a language with both Darkonese and lower Mordentish roots (thus current day english, a language with relations to latin and manx english). I seem to recall there being mist ways in Paridon to both the sea of sorrows and Darkon.

Of course, I also see Tobias' Caliban enclave having their own language as well.

They way I have pictured Paridon languages is that Zherisian is the primary language, with educated scholars learning Mordentish, Draconic, and Darkonese for study of old tomes and scriptures, as well as Mordentish litterature.

Rene also had some stuff on this in his notes as well. However Zherisian itself seems very much like English.

[Tobias Blackburn]

Of course, I also see Tobias' Caliban enclave having their own language as well.

They speak Timorian, strangely enough.

[Pamela]

Considering the Zherisian ethnocentrism, does the law consider calibans 'persons'? Would crimes committed against them be recognised as such? Conversely, when they commit crimes, would they be deemed capable of responsibility?

[Tobias Blackburn]

Since Calibans are born from humans it would be difficult to consider them animals. They might be seen as throwbacks or corrupted, but they would likely be considered people under the law.

That doesn't mean they are treated equally though. A crime against a caliban is likely given the barest looking into if it isn't horrifically violent (with the threat of being perpetrated on someone normal). They are also treated more harshly for crimes they commit (or are accused of commiting). Some of the lazy members of the Guard are willing to pin crimes on calibans just to say they solved it. After all, they're calibans. They must be guilty of something.

The doppelgangers also treat the calibans differently. They are the one group that no one wants to replace. It would be better to take over the life of a common machinist or prostitute than that of a caliban.

[Undead Cabbage]

On the note of Calibans in Paridon, it might be cool to perhaps get some ideas from this guy
The Elephant Man

Calibans might also be an interesting field for Paridon's scientific community. They may be subject to scientific experiments, or perhaps even just behavioral observation. As they are 'barely human', they might hold the key to understanding the transition point between humanity and animalia.

Medical researchers would love to get their hands on a Caliban. They're the closest to humans, and yet there are no social reprocussions to their use as objects of research.

[Tobias Blackburn]

On the note of Calibans in Paridon, it might be cool to perhaps get some ideas from this guy
The Elephant Man

Calibans might also be an interesting field for Paridon's scientific community. They may be subject to scientific experiments, or perhaps even just behavioral observation. As they are 'barely human', they might hold the key to understanding the transition point between humanity and animalia.

Medical researchers would love to get their hands on a Caliban. They're the closest to humans, and yet there are no social reprocussions to their use as objects of research.

I suggested something similar to Llana. There's an entire field of study called Teratology. It's the study of birth defects and their causes, but was originally known as the study of Monsters.

[Undead Cabbage]

Shadewell would probably be an area notorious for Caliban experimentation. It's an upperclass area with a lot of pride, so the humans there would most likely see themselves as 'greater beings'.

On the note of other races and animals in general, I think the idea is not that they actively persecute them, but that they have no responsibilities to them. If a human would otherwise kill them for food, then they have no responsibility to its life. This could tie into the fact that animals are incapable of logic, and so humans are therefore incapable of creating a social contract with them.

[Pamela]

What percentage of the population are noble? The entire population is supposed to be around 11 600.

And what percentage or number of nobles are now doppelgangers?

[William Blackmoor]

Dopp's should be still a minority even among the nobles. Please don't put numbers to it.

[Pamela]

I don't need precise numbers, but I do need to have an idea as to whether they have a role in the City Council or not. There's nine members there...

[Tobias Blackburn]

I don't need precise numbers, but I do need to have an idea as to whether they have a role in the City Council or not. There's nine members there...

The exact numbers should be left for individual DM's to figure out, but the Doppelgangers likely hold the most influential positions.

[Undead Cabbage]

If it helps at all, 2/3 of the population are confined to Blackchapel.

The number of dopplegangers is best kept unknown.

Paridon from there has the second largest middle class (next to Lamordia), which would make up the majority of the remaining 1/3. This would include all the residents of the remaining areas save King' Quarters. Nobility would be kept to no more than 5% of the population (despite how King's Quarters takes up so much room). Of course, these are just round-about estimates. I think its best we keep it at that.