Ring Realms Cosmos Master Glossary

G'yaki masters are renowned for their stealth and ability to escape, able to vanish through means of indirection, and pseudo-psionic disciplines. They are vicious warriors, their master-level fighters able to shatter a wall with a single punch. The G'yaki are most notable for their advances in tao-disciplines and spiritual-hardening. G'yaki devotees can over time develop spiritual properties similar to savants. Vera, the woman who serves as the Felspar Clan family cook is a G'yaki master. The little woman has demonstrated extraordinary combat abilities, able to single-handedly hold three Frielos family Sen'Gen at bay.

CREDIT: Glenn Boardman is the inspiration of this character, the almost impossible to keep alive monk that survived in multiple deadly campaigns.

CREDIT: Kaye Boardman is the inspiration of the time guardian trivirate as part of cosmic element of the role play.

The Valharesh have for many generations been great mages, and in fact, have the support of a very powerful (and obviously immortal) patron who has trained the first born Elf of each new generation who takes up the art of magic. Bertrand, the first born son of the 25th generation chose not to enter seriously into the endeavor of magic. Most Elves "dabble" in magic, learning a few simple spells and incantations--but the family patron only teaches the first serious mage of each generation. Kalindinai, the next born after Bertrand, did enter into serious magic. She had no choice. The young Elf lady was a "wilder" a natural mage with far beyond ordinary magical potential. Such potential that she could spontaneously cause magical effects whenever she experienced strong emotions or surprise. Kalindinai required magical tutelage simply to prevent her powers from inadvertently causing harm to others.

Even as a young Elf, Kalindinai's magical talents were renowned and grew even more so as the family patron apprenticed her further and further in the arts of magic. The law of Malan requires that all skilled mages join the defense militia, and Kalindinai was no exception. As a wilder, her phenomenal magical strength made her a natural battle-mage, and she quickly distinguished herself as a powerful asset in the Elven legions. Malan experienced many skirmishes with Corwin during this era and Kalindinai's potent magical skills were recognized by the then ruling T'Evagduran family and utilized to best advantage. It was during her tours of duty that Kalindinai would first meet young prince Jhaan T'Evagduran. Later, these two would fall in love, and marry--but only after a great deal of political turmoil. House Valharesh, was not a member of the inner circle of houses, and for the soon-to-be king to marry outside the cadre of nobility was frowned upon greatly. However, Kalindinai's tremendous magical ability was seen as a potentially enormous boon for the T'Evagduran bloodline. The T'Evagduran family had not seen a great mage in their ranks for several generations and it was hoped that Kalindinai's children would rejuvenate that lost spark. For that reason the sentiments of the noble houses were dismissed and the marriage not only allowed but encouraged. This defiance of tradition caused a great deal of enmity between house T'Evagduran and the other ruling houses.

Kalindinai was a good queen and a fertile one as well, bearing the crown a daughter a scant two summers after their marriage. The new Queen was tough but fair, and having served in the ranks of the soldiers well regarded and respected. With house Valharesh having it's eldest daughter in the seat of the Queen, the "barely noble" family flourished and grew in strength as their eldest son Bertrand maneuvered for political advantage. Eventually, he would win favored status and a place on the ruling council, establishing House Valharesh as one of the ruling houses.

The Valharesh magical legacy was thought to have stopped with Bertrand and Kalindinai's generation as there were no serious mages among Kalindinai's daughters. However, a recent development was the discovery that Janai T'Evagduran not only had learned magic while away in Canth, but was actually an exceptionally skilled mage. Janai has not revealed who taught her magic, but there are thoughts that the patron of Valharesh is the source of her secretive magical skills.

The Hyssta are unique for their melding of reptilian and insectoid traits. True hyssta are hermaphroditic and adaptive gender-fluid with six role-phases. Like bees and wasps they can gestate or develop into 'noble' variants. Hyssta nobles are the precursors of the creatures known as the dragon gods (Bahamut, Tiamat) and great dragons. The three roles each have a defender and breeder aspect, leaders, architects, and builders. Leaders (nobles) have the highest mana potential, the architects are more mentally adept, and builders more physically endowed. Builders and Architects can evolve into nobles. It is rumored for instance that the Midgard Serpent is a devolved builder noble.

Hyssta are hyper mana-sensitive and are an apex race in the regard of magical accomplishments. The Hyssta created a magical pocket universe known by several names: (Purple Planes, Ribbon Realms, Far Reach, Shardaris Ward). The Myrmigyne colony at Jhandris'kul where the war sisterhood lives in the great tree of Duran'Gravar is located in one of the zones of the Ribbon Realms. Cosmodarus, the birth place of the story protagonist Liandra Kergatha is also a 'ribbon realm'. Cosmodarus was originally a Hyssta builder colony. The language Draconic is a derivative of the Hyssta mother tongue. Shardaris was another such builder colony. The Hyssta and Metath both used Shardaris for magical and hereditary experimentation, particularly in the linking and exploitation of the Wellspring Eternal (the shadow backup of Starholme Prime). Due to some of their creations getting unruly the Hyssta sealed off the columngate leading into that world. Shardaris and its ties to the the Wellspring, and the living shaladen adepts who are a form of artificial savant are explored in the War of the Genemar series. Dray Cartha, first encountered in the Child of Ascendants , is the apex creation of the wellspring adepts and the shaladen-sapien that both the Hyssta and Belathi were striving to evolve.

CREDIT: Ivaneth was the central campaign home base where multiple campaigns spawned in The Big House games.