Ghyll:Encyclopedants Progress Report 3

The Encyclopedants is a term applied to the small group of individuals who decided a collection of Ghyll intellect, in written and distributed form, was necessary for the bettering of society, as well as the benefit of future historians. The group now presides over the encyclopedia's integrity and "cohesion of vision". To remain an objective judge, the Encyclopedants attempt to focus only on "the facts as we're told them", asking questions, poking holes, and suggesting "standards" to further quality assurance. These Progress Reports are considered official communication between the Encyclopedants and their Scholars, and they encourage others to write their own thoughts and comments into the margins.

And So It Continues!

As our third batch of scholarly submissions roll in, we'd like to take the time to address some emerging issues we've been noticing, as well as lay down some more suggestions regarding the future of our project.

Sometimes, speaking all in-game can be difficult, so anything in this color text is out-of-game: from the Ghyll administrators to the Ghyll players.

While we're certainly leery to restrict your movement and interests as scholars, the biggest, most important goal of our beloved encyclopedia is cohesion, integration, and stamen to pistil.

The Facts As We're Told Them

The third batch of entries consists of the following: Cadaver, The (Location), Calends Gala (Other), Captain Riquiras (People), Carsokian (Organization), Cartographer's Nerves (Other), Cataract Road (Location), Chesix System Of Measures (Invention), Conflict That Is Not Happening (Other), and Cranee Historical Society (Organization).

Cadaver, The (Location)

• The Cadaver is a pub located at the heart of Arbuckle Hill in Folktown.
• The Cadaver was built on the spot where the Arbuckle Hill Martyr's broken body was found.
• The Cadaver is a centre piece of the Arbuckle Hill resistance, particularly the Houvers.
• Serves as a base of operations for the Houvers; its four floors towers over its neighbors.
• The pub has been rebuilt no less than six times, burnt down due to varying resistance groups.
• The Cadaver's sign is painted in reds and greens, and depicts the Martyr on a bed of roses.
• The sign acts as a symbol of the continuation of The Cadaver and all it represents.
• Many famous people have been seen in the pub; (purportedly) Bethany Mboya and Siam Sinch.
• The Cadaver serves items like Ball Lightning Liqueur, beers, and Adlorst Vinifera.
• Food is supposedly served, but few people have survived to recommend it.

Calends Gala (Other)

• The Calends Galas are galas surrounding key calendrical events, and traditionally occur twice a year.
• When a Gala occurs, businesses, government offices, banks, and schools have the day off.
• Every major city has a Gala but they're poorly attended; most travel to Folktown for the big Gala there.
• The most important source on the Calends Gala is the book Gala Rules and Traditions, 4th edition.
• The Harvest Calends Gala occurs the final Varhookan of Ikk (the ninth month of the year).
• The Harvest Gala celebrates the completion of the harvest; it occurs late enough so this is guarenteed.
• In -16 EC, the Fefferberry crop was almost entirely lost due to its extremely late ripening.
• Fefferberry wines made from this vintage are highly sought-after, and also very costly.
• The Harvest Gala has agricultural contests for the best produce and livestocks.
• The Harvest Gala also includes strength and craft-making competitions.
• Graphorn wrestling is a popular favorite among the Harvest competitions involving strength.
• Great importance is placed on darseed judging during the Harvest Calends Gala.
• The results of the darseed judging contest determine its cost for the following year.
• A painting representing one farmer's judgement is available at the Fine Art Museum in Folktown.
• Planting Calends Gala occurs the final Varhookan of Conti (the third month of the year).
• The Planting Gala celebrates the end of planting, which everyone tries to accomplish beforehand.
• The Planting Gala is quieter, focusing more on artistic and literary endeavors, but also cooking contests.
• Both galas hold a story-telling contest, located in the great central tent just after sunset.
• The contest runs from sundown to the next morning, and prizes are awarded in various categories.
• The overall winner of the contest is crowned the Author Laureat for the six months until the next gala.
• Arariax was the Author Laureat for 9 years running, from -260 to -251 EC.
• Most of the well-known authors of the last 200 years have won, or done very well, in the story contest.
• Mork Wasterson, 87, was Author Laureat in -1 EC, for his tale of the Earthquake of Fijjit.
• Stories told during the Gala are consigned to the public domain, promoting their widespread retelling.

Captain Riquiras (People)

• Full name is Captain Tuta Riquiras (sometimes transliterated as Rikiras or Requiras), and often uttered as a curse.
• His memory is still invoked by sailors of Besq Boats who pride themselves on being "apart" from the rest of society.
• In -159 EC, he and his men discovered the "Brass Hell", or "Captain Riquiras' Idol".
• Riquiras said the Idol was recovered from an object found in the shallows of the Dagger Seas.
• The artefact isn't actually brass, but is instead covered with a gold leaf method more advanced than what we know.
• Engraved on the Idol is a horrific image more disturbing and stomach-turning than other Alezan pantheon imagery.
• The sailors who discovered the Idol claim the deities depicted, to scale, would be slighter larger than Ghyllians.
• There also appear to be sigils for some dark form of morphomancy, the study of which has been forbidden.
• Riquiras seemed immune to the impact of the image, and he painted it on the sails of his boats to scare others.
• This was an unpopular decision amongst his crew, and they murdered him two years later, in -157 EC.
• To see the Idol, though strong caution is duly advised, refer to the entire entry.

Carsokian (Organization)

• The Carsokian Clan, known as violent traditionalists, have been around since at least -400 EC.
• Sylvia Brunnhilda Carsokian, a Grand Matriach during the Battle of Barnum Stones, originated the Clan.
• After the battle, Sylvia took her three sisters and ten daughters and nieces and fled their Cranee homeland.
• They eventually ended up in the Sarfelogian Mountains (-322 EC) and began gathering husbands.
• Sylvia, the "Grand Old Bitch", directed this gathering, causing lineage to be traced through daughters.
• In -183 EC, the Carsokian Clan returns to Cranee and forms the Cranee Historical Society.
• In -175 and -174 EC, the Clan first "discovers", and then disowns, Captain Riquiras the pirate.
• In -157 EC, the Clan "discovers" that Corvin Axehand is related to them as a "Cousin".
• Mary Elizabeth Carsokian is born -157 EC, and assumes "leadership" of the Clan in -100 EC.
• Mary Elizabeth Carsokian has a daughter Aleksandra Mary Blackgold and niece Sylvia Beth Panderlock.
• Though they claim no head or chieftan, Sylvia Beth Panderlock is looked to as the steering senior member.
• Wilhelmina Corinne Bardway invents ghoulwood and the supranatural luminescence meter in -157 EC.
• Influence is mostly in the Andelphracian River Valley, but includes the Evesque Valley and Sarfelogian Mountains.
• There are also noticable Clan enclaves in the Vale of Serdoch, Alezan, and the Baleman neighborhood.
• A wild fefferberry is their family crest, and the Clan carefully, and successfully, engage in eugenics.
• The Clan regularly ingests fefferberries and bofu; some have suggested this weeds out their weak.
• Though social and societal issues have kept the Clan smaller than expected, they're exceptionally long-lived.
• All current members of the Clan belong to the Cranee Historical Society, whether they know it or not.
• Infamous members: Baron Claude Lloyd Albert Smallwood; mother Aleksandra Mary Blackgold.
• Infamous members: Phennella, best known member of the Cranee Historical Society; inferred.
• Infamous members: Captain Riquiras; mother Allison Clarinda Husslespear.
• Infamous members: Gabson Foye; mother Adelaide Clementine Chimmlefut.
• Infamous members: Wilhelmina Corinne Bardway and Corvin Axehand.

Cartographer's Nerves (Other)

• "Cartographer's Nerves" refers to the feeling of being given an impossible task to do.
• The phrase originates from the philosopher Alarius' book on Historio-Physics.
• The feeling is reciprocal to the "Mapmaker's Trials" of King Harandraff the Great.
• Exposure to a map suggests geographical alternatives that become relative realities.
• Alarius posits that "the surest way to hide a place is to draw a map to it."
• Doc Rockett wrote Invariant Transforms, with Historio-Physical Applications.
• Mother Mutton wrote a Golden Book and "Coloring Fun" on Historio-Physics.
• Philosophy does not lend well to bulleted facts. Read the entry. Slowly.

Cataract Road (Location)

• Cataract Road stretches across most of known Ghyll, from Evesque Valley to Iganefta.
• Cataract Road passes near, or through Evesque Valley, Cranee, Iganefta, and Folktown.
• Waterfalls dot the length of the road; in fact, the road "steers" you through "the scenic route".
• Direct, "non-scenic", routes are traveled only by DermPachyges, a pachyderm courier service.
• Thievery is common at the scenic waterfalls; there is insufficient law enforcement to stop it.
• Most towns, realizing regular travelers are an economic boon, provide entertainment and pampering.
• Law enforcement and protection services are tighter at these markets and roadside attractions.
• Trained Burnflies are a common sight at attractions; wild Burnflies are at the waterfalls.
• Prolonged exposure and obsession for trained Burnflies performances causes eye cataracts.
• Bordellos, known as "Bethany Brothels", are also provided for the weary journeyman.
• Investigation suggests that Daniel Mboya's "accident" in -7 EC was an attempt on his life.
• People recall Daniel, 18, angry at his breakup with Niala, and shouting he'll "show them".
• Daniel Mboya re-entered society in -4 EC, rehabilitated but mentally retarded.

Chesix System Of Measures (Invention)

• The system of measure is believed to have originated during the period of the Nitenmangrey.
• Pricludious claims the system has nothing to do with standards, and is biased toward merchants.
• Distance is based on the Rod of Quiends stored at the Aminfarances Institute of Science and Technomancy.
• A sugro-nanit contains 8046.72 nanits (
  Sugro-nanits: 1 earth mile; nanit: 20 earth cm.
  )
• The rules of distance contain lunanit, kunanit, unanit, nanit, inanit, kinanit, sugro-nanits, and leles.
• The rules of temperature state what yip water freezes and boils, but changes depending on location.
• The rules of mass include gyup and lugyyup, and fefferberry variance is unpredicatable.
• The rules of volume include wurps, and a 1x1x1 nanit cube has a volume of 1 wurp.
• People tend to use nanits, sugro-nanits, and leles throughout everyday life.
• For a full list of all unit conversions, refer to the entire entry.

Conflict That Is Not Happening (Other)

• It is more "comfortable" for the Conflict to be "mere matter of legend" or "dead-and-gone history".
• The Tarkherk Corps has been an all-too-visible participant in the Conflict, perhaps on both sides.
• Before the current skirmishes, the Extremely Bloodless Revolution was the best-known aspect of the Conflict.
• In -37 EC, a battle was fought at the Plain of Brahang over a petrified Aelfant dung-ball.
• During a hand-to-hand battle (allegedly between Baron Smallwood and Bysted Timperton), the dung-ball was broken.
• The battle was abandoned in disgust; lawsuits over the contingency fees are pending in the courts of Folktown.
• Very few members of the Amphitheatre aristocracy are involved as combatants, Bobby Shwarmph excepted.
• Bute University is engaged in a war of words on whether, and whom, to use the last known Avazian Box on.
• The Amphitheatre aristocracy speculates about the ongoing Altoxian/Andelphracian trade war.
• Bavarian Creame was somehow involved with the Conflict, but her section has been redacted.
• The most violent phases have been a major source of heh-blammo imbalance, resulting in blammo excess.
• The Brothers of the Lantern are said to have worked very hard distributing sufficient hehs to prevent chaos.
• The Brothers of the Lantern neither confirm or deny their actions; Qwentyth Pyre is on record as not believing it.
• Oblibestiricus believes, foolishly, the Conflict began as competition between rival claimants to the Paramount Queenship.
• During the lifetime of Arariax, the Conflict predominantly manifested itself as a war of assassins.
• Gassalasca Jape, among others, believes Arariax was assassin, and assassinated.

Cranee Historical Society (Organization)

• The Cranee Historical Society was founded in -183 EC and spends much of its time researching itself.
• The Historical Society's emblem is a bull's pizzle surrounded by Fefferberry trees, both of which smell similar.
• Cranee is a hamlet, where the Historical Society is located, situated between Evesque Valley and Folktown.
• Cranee is located 25 sugro-nanits from the Evesque Valley and 18 sugro-nanits from Folktown.
• There are roughly 170 residents of Cranee, most of which participate in the official Moonbeam Meetings.
• Moonbeam Meetings occur whenever Pinky and Perky, Ghyll's moons, are full. Pies are baked, lights are hung.
• Nearly every Moonbeam Meeting sees the election of a new president, determined by a Bindlet Ball.
• Between Moonbeam Meetings, Society members go on archaeological digs in far-flung fear-inducing places.
• Cranee has "rainy-assed seasons", one of which has lasted for a month or more.

--The Encyclopedants