Austrvegr - A Varangian Guard Quest

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A part of me is hoping we'll learn ton of stuff in Byzantium, go back to Iceland, take over, reform north faith/culture/economy etc and then becoming a holdout throughout the ages.
 
So, I think it looks pretty decisive rn:

Adhoc vote count started by DearestAnnabel on Sep 13, 2020 at 1:18 PM, finished with 40 posts and 27 votes.
  • [X] Plan: True Norseman
    -[X] Respectfully: You lower your head, straighten your shoulders, and bow as you enter. Best to make good impressions, after all. (May affect Imperial Court reputation and your reputation with the Varangian Guard)
    -[X] Spoils: You will be paid through the spoils of war, taking first pick of the lucre from every successful battle, raid, or captured encampment. This can be very lucrative, but it carries the risk of poverty in times of long peace.
    -[X] Swear the Oath (II): Yes. (debatable - willing to switch to other, if you feel this question is to reflect our intelligence/recollection, rather than matching Norse stereotype)
    -[X] Blue: Constantinople is a big city, to put it lightly. A single quarter is the equal of any city in the west, and the city has dozens of quarters. Policing it all and keeping the peace is a tall order, which is why the Emperor often tasks regiments of the Varangian Guard to do so. The Guard are the best warriors in the imperial service, and so they are often deployed to the places and quarters most ill at ease -- the slums, the bars, the prostitute quarters, the fighting pits. Unsurprisingly, many among Varangians often leap at this assignment. (chose this, because chance for loot, and fighting. Also its only for one month, and any cred we establish here, as a competent and effective enforcer would be good should we go to the more political options)
    [X] Plan:High class Job
    -[X] Respectfully: You lower your head, straighten your shoulders, and bow as you enter. Best to make good impressions, after all. (May affect Imperial Court reputation and your reputation with the Varangian Guard)
    -[X] Stipend: You elect for a monthly wage, which, while not obscene, is safely and solidly enough to equip yourself and your men and to pay to keep them in good spirits. You will still get battle-spoils, of course -- just after everyone else.
    -[X] Swear the Oath (I): You swear by the omnipotent god, by his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ Pankreator, by the Holy Spirit, by the glorious and perpetually virgin Mary, by the Gospels truthful and eternal, by the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and by your own eternal and immortal soul, to be loyal and ever faithful to your imperial master Basil, who is crowned in the grace of Christ Emperor and Autocrat of all the Romans, and to act faithfully and with the greatest fidelity in his service, to discharge his will to the utmost of your mortal ability, and to devote all your efforts to that end, giving no consideration or service to other masters, and promise that at no time will you ever knowingly or unknowingly oppose him, or permit any other to do so while you draw breath. You swear yourself also, in body, mind, and spirit eternal, to the safeguard and safekeeping of the Imperial person until the day of your dying or his own, understanding in full the great responsibility which he in his kindness has lain upon you.
    -[X] Purple: The most esteemed of the duties of the Varangian Guard, and the purpose for which they were first conceived. You shall be part of the personal guard of the Emperor Basil himself, escorting him wherever he goes and guarding the imperial person while he sleeps, shits, eats, and does whatever imperial persons do. The Emperor is familiar with his guards, and good service here can easily lead to titles, accolades, and increased station or favors. Of course, earning his disfavor might make a short end of your time in the City -- or worse, of your life.
    [X] Riot Police
    [X] Plan New Beginnings
    -[X] Respectfully: You lower your head, straighten your shoulders, and bow as you enter. Best to make good impressions, after all. (May affect Imperial Court reputation and your reputation with the Varangian Guard)
    -[X] Stipend: You elect for a monthly wage, which, while not obscene, is safely and solidly enough to equip yourself and your men and to pay to keep them in good spirits. You will still get battle-spoils, of course -- just after everyone else.
    -[X] Swear the Oath (I): You swear by the omnipotent god, by his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ Pankreator, by the Holy Spirit, by the glorious and perpetually virgin Mary, by the Gospels truthful and eternal, by the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and by your own eternal and immortal soul, to be loyal and ever faithful to your imperial master Basil, who is crowned in the grace of Christ Emperor and Autocrat of all the Romans, and to act faithfully and with the greatest fidelity in his service, to discharge his will to the utmost of your mortal ability, and to devote all your efforts to that end, giving no consideration or service to other masters, and promise that at no time will you ever knowingly or unknowingly oppose him, or permit any other to do so while you draw breath. You swear yourself also, in body, mind, and spirit eternal, to the safeguard and safekeeping of the Imperial person until the day of your dying or his own, understanding in full the great responsibility which he in his kindness has lain upon you.
    -[X] Green: The Palace Guard keep watch over the grounds and halls of the Imperial Palace itself, safeguarding the Imperial Court, the Imperial Family, and the hundreds of lords and ladies which make up both. The Palace Guard are often tasked to do certain tasks by functionaries of the court, or to deliver messages and run orders on behalf of members of the imperial family. Being so stationed, they are often in close contact with a great many important people.
    -[X] Respectfully: You lower your head, straighten your shoulders, and bow as you enter. Best to make good impressions, after all. (May affect Imperial Court reputation and your reputation with the Varangian Guard)
    -[X] Stipend: You elect for a monthly wage, which, while not obscene, is safely and solidly enough to equip yourself and your men and to pay to keep them in good spirits. You will still get battle-spoils, of course -- just after everyone else.
    -[X] Swear the Oath (I): You swear by the omnipotent god, by his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ Pankreator, by the Holy Spirit, by the glorious and perpetually virgin Mary, by the Gospels truthful and eternal, by the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and by your own eternal and immortal soul, to be loyal and ever faithful to your imperial master Basil, who is crowned in the grace of Christ Emperor and Autocrat of all the Romans, and to act faithfully and with the greatest fidelity in his service, to discharge his will to the utmost of your mortal ability, and to devote all your efforts to that end, giving no consideration or service to other masters, and promise that at no time will you ever knowingly or unknowingly oppose him, or permit any other to do so while you draw breath. You swear yourself also, in body, mind, and spirit eternal, to the safeguard and safekeeping of the Imperial person until the day of your dying or his own, understanding in full the great responsibility which he in his kindness has lain upon you.
    -[X] Purple: The most esteemed of the duties of the Varangian Guard, and the purpose for which they were first conceived. You shall be part of the personal guard of the Emperor Basil himself, escorting him wherever he goes and guarding the imperial person while he sleeps, shits, eats, and does whatever imperial persons do. The Emperor is familiar with his guards, and good service here can easily lead to titles, accolades, and increased station or favors. Of course, earning his disfavor might make a short end of your time in the City -- or worse, of your life.
    [X] Riot Police
    -[X] Respectfully: You lower your head, straighten your shoulders, and bow as you enter. Best to make good impressions, after all. (May affect Imperial Court reputation and your reputation with the Varangian Guard)
    -[X] Spoils: You will be paid through the spoils of war, taking first pick of the lucre from every successful battle, raid, or captured encampment. This can be very lucrative, but it carries the risk of poverty in times of long peace.
    -[X] Swear the Oath (I): You swear by the omnipotent god, by his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ Pankreator, by the Holy Spirit, by the glorious and perpetually virgin Mary, by the Gospels truthful and eternal, by the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and by your own eternal and immortal soul, to be loyal and ever faithful to your imperial master Basil, who is crowned in the grace of Christ Emperor and Autocrat of all the Romans, and to act faithfully and with the greatest fidelity in his service, to discharge his will to the utmost of your mortal ability, and to devote all your efforts to that end, giving no consideration or service to other masters, and promise that at no time will you ever knowingly or unknowingly oppose him, or permit any other to do so while you draw breath. You swear yourself also, in body, mind, and spirit eternal, to the safeguard and safekeeping of the Imperial person until the day of your dying or his own, understanding in full the great responsibility which he in his kindness has lain upon you.
    -[X] Red: You will have the unenviable duty of standing guard at the Hippodrome. The great Hippodrome is the center of political, social, and cultural life in the city, and is the nexus on which much of Roman culture hinges. The great chariot races held here are perhaps the most heavily anticipated events in the city by noble and peasant alike. Similarly, the great riots which have erupted following upset wins have burned down entire quarters of the city, and killed dozens. The emperor stations the guard at the Hippodrome to keep the crowd under control -- by any means necessary. At the very least, you will have a good spot to watch the games.
    [x] Respectfully: You lower your head, straighten your shoulders, and bow as you enter. Best to make good impressions, after all. (May affect Imperial Court reputation and your reputation with the Varangian Guard)
    [x] Stipend: You elect for a monthly wage, which, while not obscene, is safely and solidly enough to equip yourself and your men and to pay to keep them in good spirits. You will still get battle-spoils, of course -- just after everyone else.
    [x] Swear the Oath (I): You swear by the omnipotent god, by his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ Pankreator, by the Holy Spirit, by the glorious and perpetually virgin Mary, by the Gospels truthful and eternal, by the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and by your own eternal and immortal soul, to be loyal and ever faithful to your imperial master Basil, who is crowned in the grace of Christ Emperor and Autocrat of all the Romans, and to act faithfully and with the greatest fidelity in his service, to discharge his will to the utmost of your mortal ability, and to devote all your efforts to that end, giving no consideration or service to other masters, and promise that at no time will you ever knowingly or unknowingly oppose him, or permit any other to do so while you draw breath. You swear yourself also, in body, mind, and spirit eternal, to the safeguard and safekeeping of the Imperial person until the day of your dying or his own, understanding in full the great responsibility which he in his kindness has lain upon you.
    [x] Blue: Constantinople is a big city, to put it lightly. A single quarter is the equal of any city in the west, and the city has dozens of quarters. Policing it all and keeping the peace is a tall order, which is why the Emperor often tasks regiments of the Varangian Guard to do so. The Guard are the best warriors in the imperial service, and so they are often deployed to the places and quarters most ill at ease -- the slums, the bars, the prostitute quarters, the fighting pits. Unsurprisingly, many among Varangians often leap at this assignment.
    [X] Plan: True Norseman but we swear our oaths
    -[X] Respectfully: You lower your head, straighten your shoulders, and bow as you enter. Best to make good impressions, after all. (May affect Imperial Court reputation and your reputation with the Varangian Guard)
    -[X] Spoils: You will be paid through the spoils of war, taking first pick of the lucre from every successful battle, raid, or captured encampment. This can be very lucrative, but it carries the risk of poverty in times of long peace.
    -[X] Swear the Oath (I): You swear by the omnipotent god, by his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ Pankreator, by the Holy Spirit, by the glorious and perpetually virgin Mary, by the Gospels truthful and eternal, by the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and by your own eternal and immortal soul, to be loyal and ever faithful to your imperial master Basil, who is crowned in the grace of Christ Emperor and Autocrat of all the Romans, and to act faithfully and with the greatest fidelity in his service, to discharge his will to the utmost of your mortal ability, and to devote all your efforts to that end, giving no consideration or service to other masters, and promise that at no time will you ever knowingly or unknowingly oppose him, or permit any other to do so while you draw breath. You swear yourself also, in body, mind, and spirit eternal, to the safeguard and safekeeping of the Imperial person until the day of your dying or his own, understanding in full the great responsibility which he in his kindness has lain upon you.
    -[X] Blue: Constantinople is a big city, to put it lightly. A single quarter is the equal of any city in the west, and the city has dozens of quarters. Policing it all and keeping the peace is a tall order, which is why the Emperor often tasks regiments of the Varangian Guard to do so. The Guard are the best warriors in the imperial service, and so they are often deployed to the places and quarters most ill at ease -- the slums, the bars, the prostitute quarters, the fighting pits. Unsurprisingly, many among Varangians often leap at this assignment. (chose this, because chance for loot, and fighting. Also its only for one month, and any cred we establish here, as a competent and effective enforcer would be good should we go to the more political options)
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Oh yeah, and just a question for those that want to convert over Orthodoxy, why would you want to do that?
 
Rolen von Keng said:
Oh yeah, and just a question for those that want to convert over Orthodoxy, why would you want to do that?
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I'd prefer Catholicism (if you prefer a more accurate term for the time period, Latin Christianity), hence my username. I'm not too keen to be part of a religion (even in a fictional quest) that performed child sacrifice and ritual gang rape as part of their religious activities.
 
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SwankyPapist said:
I'd prefer Catholicism (if you prefer a more accurate term for the time period, Latin Christianity), hence my username. I'm not too keen to be part of a religion (even in a fictional quest) that performed child sacrifice and ritual gang rape as part of their religious activities.
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Umm... Can you please direct me towards where you found this information, cause I only think they did blood eagles on prisoners and that was it. I don't think they did any child sacrifice or rape, if only in looting and pillaging.
 
[X] The King shits, and the Hand wipes
[X] Respectfully: You lower your head, straighten your shoulders, and bow as you enter. Best to make good impressions, after all. (May affect Imperial Court reputation and your reputation with the Varangian Guard)
[X] Spoils: You will be paid through the spoils of war, taking first pick of the lucre from every successful battle, raid, or captured encampment. This can be very lucrative, but it carries the risk of poverty in times of long peace.
[X] Swear the Oath (I): You swear by the omnipotent god, by his only Son our Lord Jesus Christ Pankreator, by the Holy Spirit, by the glorious and perpetually virgin Mary, by the Gospels truthful and eternal, by the archangels Gabriel and Michael, and by your own eternal and immortal soul, to be loyal and ever faithful to your imperial master Basil, who is crowned in the grace of Christ Emperor and Autocrat of all the Romans, and to act faithfully and with the greatest fidelity in his service, to discharge his will to the utmost of your mortal ability, and to devote all your efforts to that end, giving no consideration or service to other masters, and promise that at no time will you ever knowingly or unknowingly oppose him, or permit any other to do so while you draw breath. You swear yourself also, in body, mind, and spirit eternal, to the safeguard and safekeeping of the Imperial person until the day of your dying or his own, understanding in full the great responsibility which he in his kindness has lain upon you.
[X] Purple: The most esteemed of the duties of the Varangian Guard, and the purpose for which they were first conceived. You shall be part of the personal guard of the Emperor Basil himself, escorting him wherever he goes and guarding the imperial person while he sleeps, shits, eats, and does whatever imperial persons do. The Emperor is familiar with his guards, and good service here can easily lead to titles, accolades, and increased station or favors. Of course, earning his disfavor might make a short end of your time in the City -- or worse, of your life.
 
Rolen von Keng said:
Umm... Can you please direct me towards where you found this information, cause I only think they did blood eagles on prisoners and that was it. I don't think they did any child sacrifice or rape, if only in looting and pillaging.
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Ahmad ibn Fadlan wrote an eyewitness account wherein he recorded the gang rape and murder of a female slave as part of the funeral of her Volga Viking master. She was then placed on the funeral pyre of his ship and burned with him.

The evidence for child sacrifice among the Vikings comes from archaeological findings in sacrificial wells at Trelleborg. The remains of five humans were found in these wells. Of these five humans, four were under the age of ten. Though if you're not satisfied by the archaeological evidence, there are accounts of regular old adult human sacrifices such as those given by Adam of Bremen and Thietmar of Merseburg. The Vikings show by the history channel, as historically inaccurate as it is, actually contains a reference to Adam's account of human sacrifice at the temple in Uppsala.
 
SwankyPapist said:
Ahmad ibn Fadlan wrote an eyewitness account wherein he recorded the gang rape and murder of a female slave as part of the funeral of her Volga Viking master. She was then placed on the funeral pyre of his ship and burned with him.

The evidence for child sacrifice among the Vikings comes from archaeological findings in sacrificial wells at Trelleborg. The remains of five humans were found in these wells. Of these five humans, four were under the age of ten. Though if you're not satisfied by the archaeological evidence, there are accounts of regular old adult human sacrifices such as those given by Adam of Bremen and Thietmar of Merseburg. The Vikings show by the history channel, as historically inaccurate as it is, actually contains a reference to Adam's account of human sacrifice at the temple in Uppsala.
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Even so that might just be a small/isolated part of the either the Norse faith or people, or it is a sect that has broken away. Until I get the gist that the whole of Scandinavia and Rus were all doing this, I will assume the position of neutrality. These are either isolated incidents or practices that have evolved due to the region they are living in.
 
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[X] Plan: True Norseman
-[X] Respectfully: You lower your head, straighten your shoulders, and bow as you enter. Best to make good impressions, after all. (May affect Imperial Court reputation and your reputation with the Varangian Guard)
-[X] Spoils: You will be paid through the spoils of war, taking first pick of the lucre from every successful battle, raid, or captured encampment. This can be very lucrative, but it carries the risk of poverty in times of long peace.
-[X] Swear the Oath (II): Yes. (debatable - willing to switch to other, if you feel this question is to reflect our intelligence/recollection, rather than matching Norse stereotype)
-[X] Blue: Constantinople is a big city, to put it lightly. A single quarter is the equal of any city in the west, and the city has dozens of quarters. Policing it all and keeping the peace is a tall order, which is why the Emperor often tasks regiments of the Varangian Guard to do so. The Guard are the best warriors in the imperial service, and so they are often deployed to the places and quarters most ill at ease -- the slums, the bars, the prostitute quarters, the fighting pits. Unsurprisingly, many among Varangians often leap at this assignment. (chose this, because chance for loot, and fighting. Also its only for one month, and any cred we establish here, as a competent and effective enforcer would be good should we go to the more political options)

Do respect the old Norse cults,they may have some strange and violent sidesteps but such is history,the Baltic faiths,the Greco-Roman faiths have their lights and shadows but they truly felt more genuine and authentic than the Constantine created Christianity.

Converting to those arselickers will single handily pushed me out of the quest,respect our past,honor our ancestors,Battle under the gaze of Odin!
 
Rolen von Keng said:
Even so that might just be a small/isolated part of the either the Norse faith or people, or it is a sect that has broken away. Until I get the gist that the whole of Scandinavia and Rus were all doing this, I will assume the position of neutrality. These are either isolated incidents or practices that have evolved due to the region they are living in.
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You keep telling yourself that.
 
SwankyPapist said:
You keep telling yourself that.
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Why do you say that? I just want to take an unbiased opinion and look at Norse culture and religion. Is that so bad? I know it might come off as kind of naive, but I believe that all cultures and religions all have their good and bad sides. There is nothing wrong with questioning the world for more information.
 
Hroll said:
Do respect the old Norse cults,they may have some strange and violent sidesteps but such is history,the Baltic faiths,the Greco-Roman faiths have their lights and shadows but they truly felt more genuine and authentic than the Constantine created Christianity.

Converting to those arselickers will single handily pushed me out of the quest,respect our past,honor our ancestors,Battle under the gaze of Odin!
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Norse paganism is lame, and old news. Bringing back orthodoxy, islam, or something else back home would be fresh and new.


Rolen von Keng said:
Why do you say that? I just want to take an unbiased opinion and look at Norse culture and religion. Is that so bad? I know it might come off as kind of naive, but I believe that all cultures and religions all have their good and bad sides. There is nothing wrong with questioning the world for more information.
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Centrism is laaaame.
 
Rolen von Keng said:
Why do you say that? I just want to take an unbiased opinion and look at Norse culture and religion. Is that so bad? I know it might come off as kind of naive, but I believe that all cultures and religions all have their good and bad sides. There is nothing wrong with questioning the world for more information.
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Brushing off historical evidence as "isolated practices" is not unbiased history. I find it odd that you are perfectly willing to acknowledge that the Vikings would perform blood eagles but squirm at acknowledging that they would perform ritual rape and child sacrifice. The problem is not that you're asking questions, but that you're ignoring real world evidence to have a rose tinted view of a savage and barbaric religious tradition. There's a reason that Scandinavia and the Rus became Christian.
 
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SwankyPapist said:
Brushing off historical evidence as "isolated practices" is not unbiased history. I find it odd that you are perfectly willing to acknowledge that the Vikings would perform blood eagles but squirm at acknowledging that they would perform ritual rape and child sacrifice. The problem is not that you're asking questions, but that you're ignoring real world evidence to have a rose tinted view of a savage and barbaric religious tradition. There's a reason that Scandinavia and the Rus became Christian.
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They became Christians, but not for those reasons. And even if you say all of this is part of the practiced doctrine, it is no different than any other religion in the fact that it has both good and bad practices. For example Catholics, basically taxed the silver out of most kingdoms in the North. This made them weaker economically and made them weaker to invasions and rebellions. There was also the young boy raped by a priest thing. It is a prevalent thing then and still is now. Islam basically taught the Norse to enslave people as it was a way to get rich quick in both Christian and Muslim slave markets. The Orthodox pushed for religious persecution of ALL Hellenic worshippers, and if they didn't wipe them out, then there should be at least a minor sect we would hear some things about, but they burned down a lot of Hellenic temples and persecuted a lot of people.

If the archeological evidence of one site, and just one site, suggests that the Norse practiced child sacrifice there, there really isn't a lot more foundation to back that up. If we had more sites that encouraged this sort of thought, or if the Norse actually decided to write things down, then we might have a clearer idea of what they were doing. Also, it might be better to always take the views of a Christianized people who are now looking back on the religion they converted from with a grain of salt. Also, referring back to that Ahmad ibn Fadlan, he was the only traveler we have known that has written down his findings of what he has seen during his travel and stay with the Rus. We literally cannot know if they were a true representation of the whole culture or a tribe that has migrated and changed due to the region they are living in.

I only wanted to ask why people wanted us to convert. And there are two factors I can see that would help us in both the quest view and RL view by converting. One, money, the Christians are 100% wealthy. Two, it is easier for us to rise higher in favor in the eyes of the ERE.

And just something I thought was quite interesting to know when you get baptized or convert to Christianity, what happens to your ancestors? The church says any who do not believe in God, burn in hell, yet my ancestors, my parents who have done nothing wrong are being burned in hell due to my actions?
 
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SwankyPapist said:
Brushing off historical evidence as "isolated practices" is not unbiased history. I find it odd that you are perfectly willing to acknowledge that the Vikings would perform blood eagles but squirm at acknowledging that they would perform ritual rape and child sacrifice. The problem is not that you're asking questions, but that you're ignoring real world evidence to have a rose tinted view of a savage and barbaric religious tradition. There's a reason that Scandinavia and the Rus became Christian.
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The reason Scandinavian and the Rus became christian was constant proselytization by part of the church and kings who either did it peacefully or not. The "vikings" weren't even a people merely an occupation and didn't stop being vikings even after they became christian. On the topic of the blood eagle we are not even sure if it was ever performed, all accounts come form poets hundred of years after these blood eagles were supposedly performed. If you are pointing out acts of barbarism then let me point you to Charlemagne and his Saxon wars in which his whole policy was "you become christian or you die".It took 30 years of constant war for the Saxons to finally give and decide that worshiping Jesus was better than dying. BTW each of his campaigns in Saxony has acts of cruelty and barbarism, for example his response to a revolt was to kill 4500 prisoners in cold blood. By the end of his campaigns he was labeled as the paragon of Christendom
 
Chill out.

That goes for everyone. This is a history quest and there's obviously going to be discussion of historical faiths and atrocities, but shitflinging contests about which religion is worse or who did which atrocities to whom (thus justifying the atrocities done to them in turn) are unacceptable. This is the medieval era, and there's a lot of people of all faiths doing a lot of awful things to one another. I'm going to be trying to display that as authentically as I can, but that is not an invitation to start shit. Absolutely nothing in history is black and white.

I don't have rules for my quests because I trust people to use their common sense and keep their heads on tight. Don't make me regret that.

On a lighter note, the voting seems fairly clear. Update incoming relatively soon.
 
Sorry about it, man. I just wanted to know stuff, but seeing how this kinda got out of hand, I should probably stop asking questions.
 
We didn't lose it that bad,all discussions remained fairly respectful.
Thing is there were some voters mix up details of today's religions with the historical setting to undermine other cults.

Still nice to see the vote is over and the matter is settled.
 
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