WORLD_LORE_OPTIMIZED

ZONES

The Heartlands (West) [WL-ZONE-THE-HEARTLANDS-WEST]

Feudal human kingdoms. Fertile, patrolled, bureaucratic.

The Eastern Dominion (East) [WL-ZONE-THE-EASTERN-DOMINION-EAST]

Imperial clan-lands. Mystical, rigid, ancient.

The Border Marches (Center) [WL-ZONE-THE-BORDER-MARCHES-CENTER]

The "meat grinder" badlands separating powers.

The Argent Confederacy (South-East) [WL-ZONE-THE-ARGENT-CONFEDERACY-SOUTH-EAST]

Demi-human republic. Jungle/coastal. Magical.

The Periphery [WL-ZONE-THE-PERIPHERY]

Dwarven holds (north mountains), elven enclaves (deep forest).

MAJOR FACTIONS

Kingdom of Valdris (The Heartlands) [WL-FACTION-THE-HEARTLANDS-KINGDOM-OF-VALDRIS]

Type: High Feudal Monarchy. Capital: Valdris (stone & banner). Ruler: King Halvard Valerian (fragile legitimacy).
Structure: Six Great Houses vying for favor (Valerian/Royal, Medici/Bank, Valcour/Diplomacy, Blackwood/War, Templar/Faith, Rothmere/Trade).
Logic: Lineage, taxes, appearances. Stance on demi-humans: Second-class citizens or "exotic labor".

Empire of the Dawn (The Eastern Dominion) [WL-FACTION-THE-EASTERN-DOMINION-EMPIRE-OF-THE-DAWN]

Type: Imperial Magocracy. Capital: Sakurajima (volcanic spire). Ruler: Empress Long Yexin (dragon-blood).
Structure: Five Great Clans balancing military and spiritual duties (Tang/Poison, Murong/War, Ye/Shadow, Zhuge/Strategy, Long/Royal).
Logic: Honor, "Face," cultivation rank. Stance on others: Isolationist superiority.

Demi-Human Merchant Republic (The Argent Confederacy) [WL-FACTION-THE-ARGENT-CONFEDERACY-DEMI-HUMAN-MERCHANT-REPUB]

Type: Federated Republic. Capital: Harmony Spire (crystal-tech coastal metropolis). Ruler: Council of Species (elected speakers).
Population: Beastkin (lion/wolf-folk), civilized orcs, exiled elves, tieflings.
Structure: City-states united by trade and defense against human expansion. Vibe: Renaissance Venice meets High Fantasy; inventive, socially chaotic, fiercely free.
Logic: "Your blood doesn't matter; your contribution does." Strength: Naval superiority + magitech artificers.

The Border Marches [WL-FACTION-THE-BORDER-MARCHES]

Type: Anarcho-Feudal Warlords. Capital: None (Iron Hollow is largest fort).
Structure: Mercenary companies and bandit kings. Logic: Survival and contract; might makes right.

SETTLEMENTS

Greybridge (Heartlands - Cities) [WL-LOC-GREYBRIDGE]

River-crossing trade city; toll-guilds; notorious smuggling tunnels.

Highmere (Heartlands - Cities) [WL-LOC-HIGHMERE]

Lake city; fisheries + saltworks; "quiet" aristocrats; many duels.

Rookfall (Heartlands - Cities) [WL-LOC-ROOKFALL]

Cliffside fortress-town; mines + ballista foundries; hardline military culture.

Saint Maris (Heartlands - Cities) [WL-LOC-SAINT-MARIS]

Monastic-city; hospitals + orphanages + tribunals; faith-police influence.

Goldleaf (Heartlands - Cities) [WL-LOC-GOLDLEAF]

Banking + paper-contract hub; moneylenders; fraud courts.

Barleyford (Heartlands - Towns) [WL-LOC-BARLEYFORD]

Grain hub; mill-lords; frequent food riots when prices spike.

Dunwick (Heartlands - Towns) [WL-LOC-DUNWICK]

Peat bog town; alchemists harvest reagents; disease outbreaks.

Kestrelwatch (Heartlands - Towns) [WL-LOC-KESTRELWATCH]

Border garrison-town; mercenary recruitment; "missing patrol" rumors.

Thornhollow (Heartlands - Villages) [WL-LOC-THORNHOLLOW]

Quiet hamlet; hedge-mage midwife; cursed orchard (slow, subtle).

Candlefen (Heartlands - Villages) [WL-LOC-CANDLEFEN]

Swamp stilt-village; lantern rites; leech harvest; bandit taxes.

The Crownroad (Heartlands - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-CROWNROAD]

Royal highway; safe by day, predatory by night.

The Ashfields (Heartlands - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-ASHFIELDS]

Burnt plains from old wars; soil still warm in patches; fire cults.

The Glass Mile (Heartlands - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-GLASS-MILE]

Strip of vitrified earth; rumored relic impact site.

Kintsugi Port (Eastern Dominion - Cities) [WL-LOC-KINTSUGI-PORT]

Coastal repair-shipyards; clan tariffs; shadow brokers.

Lotus Terrace (Eastern Dominion - Cities) [WL-LOC-LOTUS-TERRACE]

Tiered garden city; medicinal cultivation; strict etiquette courts.

Moon-Needle (Eastern Dominion - Cities) [WL-LOC-MOON-NEEDLE]

Observatory city; astrology bureaus; forbidden star-texts.

Jade Furnace (Eastern Dominion - Cities) [WL-LOC-JADE-FURNACE]

Industrial forge-city; spirit-steel; oath-bound labor gangs.

Ricewind (Eastern Dominion - Towns) [WL-LOC-RICEWIND]

Canal town; rice tax granaries; bureaucrat inspections.

Whisperbamboo (Eastern Dominion - Towns) [WL-LOC-WHISPERBAMBOO]

Bamboo forest edge; messenger guild; assassins use it as neutral ground.

Hearth-Tea (Eastern Dominion - Villages) [WL-LOC-HEARTH-TEA]

Tea village; ritual tastings; poison-clan recruitment scouts.

Stonebell (Eastern Dominion - Villages) [WL-LOC-STONEBELL]

Quarry village; shrine-guards; periodic "bell earthquakes."

The Obsidian Ring (Eastern Dominion - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-OBSIDIAN-RING]

Lava-black ridge around Sakurajima; dueling arenas carved in basalt.

Pilgrim Steps (Eastern Dominion - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-PILGRIM-STEPS]

Mountain stairway; each landing is a test; many quit, some vanish.

Iron Hollow (Border Marches - Forts) [WL-LOC-IRON-HOLLOW]

Largest fort; contracts rule; "law" is enforceable paperwork.

Blackgate Spur (Border Marches - Forts) [WL-LOC-BLACKGATE-SPUR]

Canyon choke-point; toll wars; siege engineers.

Skullmarket (Border Marches - Forts) [WL-LOC-SKULLMARKET]

Semi-permanent bazaar; weapons, maps, captives; neutral by tradition.

Mobile city; 10,000 tents; sells protection then resells the threat.

The Sable Yard (Border Marches - Camps) [WL-LOC-SABLE-YARD]

Beast pens; monster parts; brutal "training pits."

The Shatterplain (Border Marches - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-SHATTERPLAIN]

Wind-sheared badland; navigation hard; ambush easy.

The Bone Wells (Border Marches - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-BONE-WELLS]

Water source with pale mineral deposits; fought over weekly.

Copperreef (Argent Confederacy - Cities) [WL-LOC-COPPERREEF]

Reef-mining + pearl artificing; amphibious beastkin dominate docks.

Verdant Coil (Argent Confederacy - Cities) [WL-LOC-VERDANT-COIL]

Jungle-ringed city; bio-alchemy; fast-growing timber economy.

Lionscar Quay (Argent Confederacy - Cities) [WL-LOC-LIONSCAR-QUAY]

Privateer haven; letters of marque; naval duels are sport.

Mosaic Downs (Argent Confederacy - Towns) [WL-LOC-MOSAIC-DOWNS]

Ranching + caravan staging; mixed-species frontier vibe.

Gleamworks (Argent Confederacy - Towns) [WL-LOC-GLEAMWORKS]

Workshop town; magitech patents; industrial espionage.

The Prismline (Argent Confederacy - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-PRISMLINE]

Coastal crystal seam; powers devices; attracts cult scavengers.

The Mangrove Labyrinth (Argent Confederacy - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-MANGROVE-LABYRINTH]

Navigation nightmare; pirates + hidden shrines.

Khaz-Runin (Periphery - North Mountains) [WL-LOC-KHAZ-RUNIN]

High dwarven hold; disciplined; sells steel to all sides (at a price).

Embervault (Periphery - North Mountains) [WL-LOC-EMBERVAULT]

Deep forge; experimental alloys; occasional "forge-wraith" incidents.

Stonewrit (Periphery - North Mountains) [WL-LOC-STONEWRIT]

Archive-hold; contracts carved on basalt; debt is eternal.

Silvershade (Periphery - Deep Forest) [WL-LOC-SILVERSHADE]

Hidden elven canopy-city; diplomacy via riddles; dislikes iron.

Rootcourt (Periphery - Deep Forest) [WL-LOC-ROOTCOURT]

Living elven tree-citadel; slow politics; terrifying in defensive war.

Dawnmoss Refuge (Periphery - Deep Forest) [WL-LOC-DAWNMOSS]

Exile enclave; trades medicines; wary of both humans and elves.

The Skyteeth Range (Periphery - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-SKYTEETH]

Knife mountains; avalanches; griffin nests.

The Oldwood Deep (Periphery - Landmarks) [WL-LOC-OLDWOOD-DEEP]

Forest that "remembers"; people return changed.

NPCS (VALDRIS COURT & HOUSES)

Note: Static NPCs are persistent power nodes; treat them as recurring.

Prince Osmund Valerian [WL-NPC-PRINCE-OSMUND-VALERIAN]

Role: Eldest prince; claimant via blood and army support. Base: Valdris (Royal Keep). Rank: B.
Nature: Controlled, calculating, low-empathy pragmatist. Training: Court strategy, command doctrine, dueling (rapier).
State: Politically cornered; sleep-deprived; paranoid of betrayal. Social: Charismatic in public, cold in private; uses favors.
Belief: Order is the only mercy; stability justifies cruelty. Ego: High; believes he is the only competent ruler.
Hooks: Seeks proof of rival illegitimacy (birth ledger, witness, relic). Will hire deniable assets to disrupt House alliances. If humiliated publicly, escalates quietly with permanent consequences.

Prince Teylor Valerian [WL-NPC-PRINCE-TEYLOR-VALERIAN]

Role: Second prince; popular reformist; merchant-aligned. Base: Goldleaf / Valdris. Rank: C→B.
Nature: Warm, stubborn, idealistic but not naive. Training: Rhetoric, civic law, pistol crossbow use, travel diplomacy.
State: Riding a popularity wave; exposed to assassination risk. Social: Wins crowds; struggles with nobles; loved by commoners.
Belief: Legitimacy comes from outcomes (bread, safety, justice). Ego: Medium; wants to be liked; fears becoming his father.
Hooks: Backed by bankers; debt contracts can become a trap. Has a secret lover from a 'lesser' house; scandal leverage. Will bargain—until he thinks you harmed civilians.

Princess Sabriel Valerian [WL-NPC-PRINCESS-SABRIEL-VALERIAN]

Role: Princess; faith-backed claimant; kingmaker if not crowned. Base: Saint Maris / Valdris. Rank: B.
Nature: Serene, ruthless under a gentle mask. Training: Theology, interrogation, ceremonial miracle-rituals.
State: Balancing two patrons (court vs church); always watched. Social: Beloved by clergy; feared by sinners; polite dominance.
Belief: The realm must be purified to be saved. Ego: High but disciplined; sees herself as chosen.
Hooks: Has dossiers on every great house; trades secrets for obedience. Can call in inquisitors if given a 'legal' reason. If denied, she burns bridges rather than accept half-measures.

Lord Marshal Brannoc Blackwood [WL-NPC-LORD-MARSHAL-BRANNOC-BLACKWOOD]

Role: War house warlord; controls frontier legions. Base: Rookfall / Kestrelwatch. Rank: B.
Nature: Direct, brutal, loyal to strength. Training: Siege, logistics, shock tactics; greatsword.
State: Winning battles, losing politics. Social: Respected by soldiers, distrusted by court.
Belief: Peace is bought with fear. Ego: Medium-high; wants recognition as 'realm's shield'.
Hooks: Will back whichever heir funds the army. Hates Marches mercenaries; will pay to sabotage them. Has a missing son rumored taken by cultists.

Dame Corvine Valcour [WL-NPC-DAME-CORVINE-VALCOUR]

Role: Diplomatic spymaster; 'soft power' house. Base: Greybridge. Rank: B.
Nature: Playful, predatory, patient. Training: Languages, tradecraft, poison resistance.
State: Stable; always two moves ahead. Social: Network queen; never alone.
Belief: Truth is a weapon; morality is decor. Ego: High; addicted to winning.
Hooks: Offers 'help' that creates dependency. Knows something about the king's legitimacy. Maintains a secret safehouse in Skullmarket.

Arch-Deacon Ser Odrik Templar [WL-NPC-ARCH-DEACON-SER-ODRIK-TEMPLAR]

Role: Faith enforcer; controls tribunals. Base: Saint Maris. Rank: B→A (via relics).
Nature: Severe, humorless, sincere. Training: Doctrine, exorcism, relic-usage protocol.
State: Under pressure from rival cults; short temper. Social: Commands fear; respected by the devout.
Belief: Sin is a contagion to be burned out. Ego: High; believes he is the realm's conscience.
Hooks: Can declare a 'purity audit' on a town (economic catastrophe). Seeks a lost relic rumored at the Glass Mile. Enemies try to frame him as corrupt.

NPCS (EMPIRE OF THE DAWN CLANS & SAKURAJIMA)

Lady Long Qianru [WL-NPC-LADY-LONG-QIANRU]

Role: Imperial princess; public face of legitimacy. Base: Sakurajima (Obsidian Ring). Rank: B→A.
Nature: Elegant, icy, curious about 'outsiders'. Training: Cultivation forms, court dance-as-duel, seal magic.
State: Political hostage to her own title. Social: Unassailable etiquette; humiliates without raising voice.
Belief: The empire is a living body; dissent is disease. Ego: High; expects deference as oxygen.
Hooks: Collects favors like jewels; repays with terrifying precision. Suspects the Empress is ill/changed; investigates quietly. Will sponsor a 'trial mission' to test a candidate.

Lord Murong Shun [WL-NPC-LORD-MURONG-SHUN]

Role: Clan Murong war scion; 'next general'. Base: Jade Furnace. Rank: B.
Nature: Hot-blooded, honor-bound, impulsive. Training: Spear formations, battlefield qi bursts.
State: Stable; hungry for war to prove himself. Social: Loved by soldiers; abrasive in court.
Belief: Strength reveals truth. Ego: High; wants legend status.
Hooks: Challenges rivals to public duels at the Obsidian Ring. Despises Ye clan; blames them for a past ambush. Will overcommit if baited with 'coward' accusations.

Scholar Zhuge Wenli [WL-NPC-SCHOLAR-ZHUGE-WENLI]

Role: Strategy-clan analyst; bureaucracy weapon. Base: Moon-Needle. Rank: C→B.
Nature: Dry humor, surgical logic, low warmth. Training: War games, predictive charts, interrogation math.
State: Overworked; caffeine equivalent via alchemy. Social: Weak presence; strong documents.
Belief: All outcomes are systems; people are variables. Ego: Medium; pride in correctness.
Hooks: Can rewrite a permit to legally erase someone. Hires outsiders to do 'impossible deniable errands'. Secretly studies forbidden star-texts (Azure Archive influence).

Mistress Tang Aomi [WL-NPC-MISTRESS-TANG-AOMI]

Role: Poison-clan envoy; healer/assassin duality. Base: Lotus Terrace. Rank: B.
Nature: Soft-spoken, empathetic, terrifyingly calm. Training: Toxin craft, antidotes, needle strikes.
State: Stable; grieving a dead student. Social: Welcomed in sickrooms; feared in politics.
Belief: Mercy and death are siblings. Ego: Low outward; deep internal pride.
Hooks: Offers cure that creates obligation. Hunting the killer of her student; suspects court faction. Her antidote formula is worth a fortune.

Agent Ye Seiran [WL-NPC-AGENT-YE-SEIRAN]

Role: Shadow-clan operative; blackmail broker. Base: Kintsugi Port. Rank: B.
Nature: Detached, amused by danger. Training: Stealth, shadow qi, disguise, silent kills.
State: Stable; thrill-seeker. Social: Many faces; few friends.
Belief: Face is everything; truth is optional. Ego: High; sees others as predictable.
Hooks: Sells secrets; also plants them. Has leverage on a prince/princess of Valdris. Can extract or erase someone from Sakurajima—at a price.

Emissary Hoshino Kogane [WL-NPC-EMISSARY-HOSHINO-KOGANE]

Role: Neutral courier-guild head; 'safe' diplomat. Base: Whisperbamboo. Rank: C.
Nature: Cheerful, sharp-eyed, opportunistic. Training: Message codes, social reading, shortbow.
State: Stable; constantly traveling. Social: Trusted because everyone needs her.
Belief: Information should flow—controlled. Ego: Medium; wants legacy of 'peace through messages'.
Hooks: Can arrange meetings between enemies under courier law. Her guild has a hidden prison of 'message-breakers'. If threatened, she disappears and retaliates via rumor.

NPCS (ARGENT CONFEDERACY COUNCIL, GUILDS, PRIVATEERS)

Speaker Braska Greyclaw [WL-NPC-SPEAKER-BRASKA-GREYCLAW]

Role: Wolfkin council speaker; security hardliner. Base: Harmony Spire. Rank: B.
Nature: Protective, suspicious, decisive. Training: Urban tactics, naval coordination, rune sidearm.
State: Stable; politically entrenched. Social: Commands respect; poor at charm.
Belief: Freedom survives only with teeth. Ego: Medium-high; sees self as shield.
Hooks: Will fund black-ops against human expansion. Has a secret pact with Iron Sovereign priests for weapons. Needs deniable agents to expose a traitor in Council.

Artificer Kairo "Prism" Vexel [WL-NPC-ARTIFICER-KAIRO-PRISM-VEXEL]

Role: Magitech patent queen. Base: Gleamworks. Rank: C→B (gear-dependent).
Nature: Restless, playful, obsessive. Training: Runes, device crafting, field testing.
State: Sleep-starved; manic productivity cycles. Social: Beloved by apprentices; annoying to bureaucrats.
Belief: Progress is sacred. Ego: High; hates being copied.
Hooks: Prototype devices backfire in interesting ways. Her patents are being stolen via cult infiltration. Will pay in gadgets, not coin.

Captain Juno Lionscar [WL-NPC-CAPTAIN-JUNO-LIONSCAR]

Role: Privateer lord; legal pirate. Base: Lionscar Quay. Rank: B.
Nature: Boisterous, loyal, vengeful. Training: Naval combat, boarding, pistols + cutlass.
State: Stable; addicted to risk. Social: Adores crew; humiliates enemies publicly.
Belief: Contracts make right (and so do cannons). Ego: High; wants songs written.
Hooks: Has a letter of marque that can be revoked—political leash. Owes the Gilded King a 'miracle debt' (bad). Needs a relic compass from Skullmarket.

Sister-Doctor Naila Moss [WL-NPC-SISTER-DOCTOR-NAILA-MOSS]

Role: Bio-alchemist healer; jungle medicine authority. Base: Verdant Coil. Rank: C.
Nature: Kind, blunt, fearless. Training: Medicine, toxins, field surgery, beast calming.
State: Stable; quietly haunted by failures. Social: Trusted by all species; hated by profiteers.
Belief: Life is a system worth repairing. Ego: Low; service-oriented.
Hooks: Treats 'mana sickness' that others can't. Her clinic sits on a Devouring Green shrine. Will refuse help if you exploit the vulnerable.

Broker Oryx Copperreef [WL-NPC-BROKER-ORYX-COPPERREEF]

Role: Pearl-crystal trader; information buyer. Base: Copperreef. Rank: C→B (resources).
Nature: Smiling, predatory, patient. Training: Negotiation, bribery, underwater routes.
State: Stable; always counting. Social: Everyone owes Tilli something.
Belief: Everything has a price—even love. Ego: Medium; pride in leverage.
Hooks: Can source illegal crystal cores. Knows where a legendary artifact surfaced (or lies). Will ruin you politely if you default.

NPCS (BORDER MARCHES CONTRACTS, WARLORDS, MARKETS)

Warlord Kragg Redbanner [WL-NPC-WARLORD-KRAGG-REDBANNER]

Role: Mercenary king; mobile city commander. Base: Red Banner Camp. Rank: B.
Nature: Charming, cruel, adaptable. Training: Combined arms, intimidation, hostage management.
State: Stable; opportunist. Social: Cult leader vibe; inspires loyalty via loot.
Belief: Only winners deserve tomorrow. Ego: Very high; demands tribute.
Hooks: Offers protection deals that become extortion. Keeps a 'guest' prince from Valdris (rumor true/false). If crossed, retaliates via third parties.

Notary Odran Ironhollow [WL-NPC-NOTARY-ODRAN-IRONHOLLOW]

Role: Contract-law master; de facto judge. Base: Iron Hollow. Rank: C.
Nature: Dry, pedantic, incorruptible (mostly). Training: Law, accounting, code-phrases.
State: Stable; threatened often. Social: Hated but needed.
Belief: Rules prevent slaughter—barely. Ego: Medium; pride in order.
Hooks: Can legitimize a mercenary company overnight (or destroy it). Secretly blackmails the blackmailers. Keeps a vault of 'true names' (Azure Archive connection).

Pitmaster Korga Sablejaw [WL-NPC-PITMASTER-KORGA-SABLEJAW]

Role: Monster-trainer; runs the Sable Yard pits. Base: The Sable Yard. Rank: C→B.
Nature: Practical, sadistic humor, fearless. Training: Beast handling, whip-chain, scent tactics.
State: Stable; bored without danger. Social: Respected by killers, feared by civilians.
Belief: Everything can be trained—or broken. Ego: High; wants the 'perfect beast'.
Hooks: Sells 'training' packages that are actually selection trials. Has a tame monster that shouldn't exist (calamity larva). Wants rare bait from Periphery forests.

Mapwright Nyren Dusk [WL-NPC-MAPWRIGHT-NYREN-DUSK]

Role: Cartographer; sells 'truthful' maps. Base: Skullmarket. Rank: C.
Nature: Curious, cautious, morally flexible. Training: Surveying, traps, wilderness survival.
State: Stable; hunted by someone. Social: Many contacts; few allies.
Belief: Knowledge is a shield. Ego: Medium; wants to be indispensable.
Hooks: Knows routes through Shatterplain others don't. Sells fake maps too—on purpose. Has a half-map to the Glass Mile interior.

ECONOMY

Currency & Income Anchors [WL-ECON-CURRENCY-INCOME]

All value is measured in Gold (G). No subdivisions. Income reflects yearly access to resources, not coin carried.

Unskilled laborer: 300–500 G
Skilled worker / town guard: 700–1,000 G
Small merchant: 1,500–4,000 G
Minor landed knight: 3,000–8,000 G
High noble estate: 20,000+ G

Adventurer Reward Guidance by Rank [WL-ECON-REWARDS]

Typical payouts for a single contract (standard difficulty, no exceptional complications).

F Rank (Minor civic tasks): 3–20 G
E Rank (Low-risk field work): 20–80 G
D Rank (Professional danger): 80–250 G
C Rank (Serious threat response): 300–900 G
B Rank: 1,000–4,000 G
A Rank: Land, relics, political leverage; coin secondary.
S Rank: Region-shaping stakes; rarely pure coin.
Risk Premiums: +25% urgent deadline; +25% secrecy/deniable ops; +50% travel beyond patrol range; +50% organized enemy; +100%+ for A-tier threat/political blowback.

Cost Anchors [WL-ECON-COSTS]

Daily Life: Bread (1 G); Tavern meal (3–8 G); Inn room/night (5–12 G).
Transport: Riding horse (200–300 G); Warhorse (1,000+ G); Wagon (200 G).
Arms & Armor: Basic weapon (100–200 G); Quality weapon (400–600 G); Masterwork custom weapon (1,000–2,000 G); Full plate armor (3,000–6,000 G).
Property: Rural cottage (3,000–5,000 G); Small city townhouse (8,000–12,000 G); Manor estate (40,000+ G).
Exceptional: Relic-grade weapon (5,000–20,000 G equivalent); Legendary artifact (not reliably purchasable).

Settlement Price Multipliers [WL-ECON-PRICE-BANDS]

Apply these to Cost Anchors locally.

Remote village: 0.7×–1.0× (fewer services; barter common)
Market town: 1.0×–1.2× (staples stable; gear pricey)
City: 1.2×–1.6× (rent high; specialists available)
Capital / major port: 1.6×–2.5× (bribes + tariffs inflate costs)
Border Marches war-zone: 1.5×–3.0× (scarcity + protection rackets)

Goods & Services [WL-ECON-GOODS]

Food: Sack of grain 50kg (20-35 G); Salt 5kg (15-30 G); Dried meat 1kg (6-12 G); Cheap ale jug (2-4 G); Quality wine bottle (12-40 G); Travel rations 3-days (8-18 G).
Lodging: Stable slot (2-6 G); Private room (12-30 G); Secure "no questions" room (40-120 G).
Travel: Local guide (8-25 G/day); Armed escort (20-80 G/day); Wagon hire (12-30 G/day); River ferry (3-12 G); Coastal passage (40-160 G).
Medicine: Bandage kit (6-12 G); Antiseptic tincture (10-25 G); Minor healing draught (40-120 G); Specialist surgery (200-900 G).
Admin: Literacy tutoring (60-200 G/month); Forged papers (80-400 G); Official permit (10-200 G + bribes).
Crime: Stolen goods fence rate (30-60% of market value); Contract intimidation (50-300 G); Civilian contract killing (300-2,000 G).

Trade & Taxes [WL-ECON-TRADE-TAXES]

Heartlands: Exports grain, wool, iron, horses. Tax stack is 15-35% in kind (local lord, crown, church).
Eastern Dominion: Exports spirit-steel, tea, silk. Tax stack is rice/land tax + clan duty + permit fees. 'Missing stamps' bankrupt people.
Argent Confederacy: Exports crystal tech, naval services, bio-alchemy. Taxes via port duties, guild dues, patent fees, and "expedite fees" (bribes).
Border Marches: Exports access, labor, captives, monster parts. "Tax" is pure protection racket extortion.
GM Rule: For large purchases, add 0–20% friction as bribes/tariffs depending on governance.

RELIGION

Core Gods [WL-RELIGION-GODS]

The Eternal Flame: Law & Purity; enforces order through fire, inquisition, and purges.
The Azure Archive: Knowledge & Ascension; hoards truth via scholar-cults and mind-binding miracles.
The Iron Sovereign: War & Craft; exalts strength through forge-saints and relic weapons.
The Devouring Green: Nature & Ruin; destroys cities through beast cults and storm avatars.
The Gilded King: Fortune & Contracts; manipulates fate through miracle-debts and divine bargains.

Expanded Gods [WL-RELIGION-GODS-EXPANDED]

The Umbral Mirror: Secrets & Identity; masks, doubles, memory theft; empowers spy cults.
The Tidebound Mother: Sea & Mercy; sailors, refugees; miracles often demand sacrifice-by-voyage.
The Silent Judge: Oaths & Consequence; punishes oathbreakers; miracles bind the caster too.
The Thorned Saint: Suffering & Endurance; martyr cults; miracles exchange pain for power.

Miracle Cost Ledger [WL-RELIGION-COST-LEDGER]

Every major miracle creates a ledger debt paid by the faith.

Minor (bless harvest, cure fever): Paid via tithes, offerings, social obligations.
Major (heal mortal wound, purge plague block): Paid via inquisitions, forced conversions, resource extraction.
Catastrophic (city-wide flame purge, summoned avatar): Paid via famine, civil war, territory burned, divine backlash event.

Major Cults & Heresies [WL-RELIGION-CULTS]

Cult of the Devouring Green ("Root-Eaters"): Blood-soil rites. Goal: collapse cities into wilderness. Tell: green sap stains, thorn tattoos.
Order of the Eternal Flame ("Ash Inquisition"): Purity audits, fire trials. Goal: purge "corruption". Tell: ash-marked warrants, public burn pits.
Azure Archive Schism ("The Indexers"): Mind-binding vows, memory tithes. Goal: monopolize knowledge. Tell: ink-black fingernails, whisper mantras.
The Gilded King's Syndic Faith ("Coinlit Covenant"): Miracle-debts. Goal: turn society into enforceable bargains. Tell: gold-threaded papers, coin burn scars.
Iron Sovereign War-Order ("Forgebound"): Relic-weapon rites, voluntary amputations. Goal: build unstoppable armed society. Tell: hammer pendants, soot streaks.
Umbral Mirror Cabal ("The Many-Faced"): Identity swaps, name-theft. Goal: destabilize governance. Tell: mirrored talismans, mismatched memories.

Clergy & Relics [WL-RELIGION-CLERGY]

Saints: Authorized anomalies; living conduits with strict ritual constraints.
Relics: Governed by custody law; losing a relic triggers political violence. If a relic/saint appears, it immediately shifts the economy and politics.
Ranks: Acolyte (E-D, minor rites), Deacon (C, community miracles), Inquisitor (B, law + violence), Saint/Avatar (A-S, world-changing + ledger debt).

POWER LEVEL STANDARD (F–S)

Core Rule & Ranks [WL-POWER-RANKS]

A 2+ tier gap (e.g., B vs D) should dominate unless ambush, terrain, numbers, preparation, or hard counters are explicitly present. A and S are explicitly superhuman.

F (Novice): Civilian-adjacent; wins via advantage/numbers. (Heartlands peasant).
E (Trained): Guards, city militia, basic adventurers. (Heartlands guard; Eastern outer-clan; Monster packs).
D (Competent): Professional fighters, veterans, scouts.
C (Professional+): Named locals, specialists; can 1vMany vs E/D. (Minor clergy; Monster alpha).
B (Elite): Captain-tier, elite agents, monster hunters. (Valdris duelist; Eastern inner-clan; Inquisition).
A (Superhuman): Breaks human limits; battlefield-impact. (Eastern elder; Calamity monster).
S (Legendary): Region-shaping individuals; story-gated. (Relic-bearer; Ancestor; Mythic monster).

Contract Alignment [WL-POWER-CONTRACTS]

Tier 0: F–E (low pay)
Tier 1: D–C
Tier 2: B–A
Tier 3: A–S stakes