La Confrérie des Traducteurs

<font face=1><DIV align="center">Varieties of Faith in the Empire<br>
(Extracts, On Elsweyr)<br>
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by Brother Mikhael Karkuxor<br>
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<DIV align="left">Notes on the Divine Spirits of the Elsweyr Pantheon : Alkosh, Khenarthi, Riddle'Thar, ja-Kha'jay, Mara, S'rendarr, Lorkhaj, Rajhin, Baan Dar, Azurah, Sheggorath<br>
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<DIV align="center">Alkoth (Dragon King of Cats)<br>
<DIV align="left">Pre-ri'Datta Dynasty Anaquinine deity. A variation of the Altmeri Auri-El, and thus an Akatosh-as-culture-hero for the earliest Khajiiti. His worship was co-opted during the establishment of the Riddle-T'har, and he still enjoys immense popularity in Elsweyr's wasteland regions. He is depicted as a fearsome dragon, a creature the Khajiit say 'is just a real big cat'. He repelled an early Aldmeri pogrom of Pelinal Whitestrake during mythic times.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Azurah<br>
(Goddess of Dusk and Dawn)<br>
<DIV align="left">Azura was the god-ancestor that taught the mysteries needed to be different from the Altmer. Some of her more conventional teachings are sometimes attributed to Boethiah. In the stories, Azura is often more a communal cosmic force for the race as a whole than an ancestor or a god. In Elsweyr, Azurah is nearly a wholly separate entity, yet she is still tied to the origins of Khajiiti out of Altmeri stock.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Baan Dar (The Bandit God)<br>
<DIV align="left">In most regions, Baan Dar is a marginal deity, a trickster spirit of thieves and beggars. In Elsweyr he is more important, and is regarded as the Pariah. In this aspect, Baan Dar becomes the cleverness or desperate genius of the long-suffering Khajiit, whose last minute plans always upset the machinations of their (Elven or Human) enemies.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Lorkhaj (Moon Beast) <br>
<DIV align="left">Pre-ri'Datta Dynasty Anaquinine deity, easily identified with the Missing God, Lorkhan.,br>
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<DIV align="center">Mara (Goddess of Love)<br>
<DIV align="left">Nearly universal goddess. Origins in mythic times as a fertility goddess. In the Empire she is Mother-Goddess. She is sometimes associated with Nir of the 'Annuad', the female principle of the cosmos that gave birth to creation. Depending on the religion, she is either marries to Akatosh (Alkoth) or Lorkhan (Lorkhaj), or the concubine of both.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Rajhin (Footpad)<br>
<DIV align="left">(Footpad.) Thief god of the Khajiiti, who grew up in the Black Kiergo section of Senchal. The most famous burglar in Elsweyr's history, Rajhin is said to have stolen a tattoo from the neck of Empress Kintyra as she slept.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Riddle'Thar<br>
(Two-Moons Dance)<br>
<DIV align="left">The cosmic order deity of the Khajiiti, the Riddle-Thar was revealed to Elsweyr by the prophet Rid-Thar-ri'Datta, the Mane. The Riddle'Thar is more a set of guidelines by which to live than a single entity, but some of his avatars like to appear as humble messengers of the gods. Also know as the Sugar God.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Sheggorath (The Mad God)<br>
<DIV align="left">The fearful obeisance of Sheogorath is widespread, and is found in most Tamrielic quarters.<br>

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Guide to the Empire : <br>
The Elsweyr Confederacy, v 1<br>
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<div align="left">Elsweyr is the youngest of the modern regions, and the only one to have established itself in the Common Era, nearly six hundred years ago. It is inhabited by a strange race of intelligent beastmen, who call themselves the Khajiit in their native tongue. These Khajiit are all feline in aspect, some far more than others. A particular family-tribe, or pride, might include a hunting party of males that appear like upright jaguars, a few beautiful youths who could pass for Elves were it not for their swishing tails, an uncle or two that would stalk the perimeters on all fours, and a chief who, depending on the moons of his birth, might have the form of any of the above. The Khajiit attribute their improbably biology to the workings of the ja-Kha'jay (the "Moonstrings," or "Lunar Lattice"), a magical and semi-divine phenomena believed to derive from the influence of Tamriel's twin moons, Masser and Secunda. According to the native tradition, a Khajiit born while Masser is full and Secunda a thin crescent will grow to be a cathay-raht, one of the aforementioned jaguar-men, while one born under the opposite conditions will be little more than an intelligent house-cat. Even the Senche-tiger, the largest great cat in existence, has proven to be just another form of the Khajiit; these massive beasts can often be found serving as steeds for their more humanoid cousins. Over twenty forms have been documented among the catmen of Elsweyr, and, in their own society at least, no one of them is more important or inherently better than another (with the exception of the Mane form, to be described shortly). However, the ohmes, or "man-faced" Khajiit, are those most commonly seen outside of the province, as most adventurers and diplomats come from this, the most discreet of the "breeds.".<br>
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Until relatively recently, the nearly constant insurrection and tribal warfare among the catmen rarely troubled the stage of history. In CE309, however, Keirgo of Anequina and Eshita of Pellitine combined their long-feuding kingdoms to create Elsweyr, sparking a great class struggle that briefly threatened to draw in outside intervention. Power shifted from two separate kingdoms, each with its own central government and allied tribes, to a nobility besieged by those tribes, who felt that both their ruling classes had betrayed them. Chieftains forgot their ancient sugar-vendettas and signed treaties of their own (recorded, incidentally, through facial tattoos), and before long the cities of former Anequina were under constant attack. Keirgo petitioned the Empire for help, but it had just lost its own ruler, Potentate Versidue-Shaie, and was in similar disarray. When the old capital, Ne Quin-al, fell to the rebels, it seemed Elsweyr would soon burst under the weight of its own union. Peace was restored, however when the normally nonpartisan spiritual leader, the Mane Rid-T'har-ri'Datta, "bestowed to the classes equality under the bi-lunar shadow, dividing their power in accordance with two-moons-dance of the ja-K'hanay." What this established, in a more understandable sense, was a rotational power base in which both sides of Khajiit society, the city-dwellers under the nobility and the nomadic tribes of the desert chieftains, shared alternate control of the region based on the phases of Masser and Secunda; the terms of the measure, the Riddle-T'har, were overseen by the thinly-veiled dictatorship of the Mane himself. Since then, Elsweyr has withdrawn itself into a secrecy that has scarcely been breached in five hundred years.<br>
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Geographically, Elsweyr is a harsh area of badlands and dry plains. Only near the southern reaches does the soil turn fertile, and the whole of this region is covered in jungle and rainforests, with sugarcane groves clustering against the two main river basins. The old kingdom of Anequina is its northern section, and has historically offered no threat to either the early Cyro-Nords or the later Cyrodilic Empires. Indeed, Pelinal Whitestrake, Nibenay warlord of the Elven Pogrom, mistook the Khajiit for another strain of Aldmeri and killed many of their number before realizing his error. Human relations have been minimal in the intervening years, but there is talk that the Elsweyr Confederacy has recently struck a treaty with the Aldmeri Dominion, a situation that, if true, may force the catmen into another bloody confrontation with the Cyrodilic masters of Tamriel.<br>
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Understandably, the ja'Kha'jay makes the culture of Elsweyr very strange and alien. It is a peculiar affliction, which seems, at first glance, to be related to lycanthropy. It is not, however, contagious or temporal in effect like the latter -- a Khajiit retains the form of his birth throughout his lifespan, and the moons, while they determine that form, do not affect it thereafter. There are no known shapeshifting Khajiit. On the whole, the catmen of Elsweyr are a bestial lot, victims of their own preternatural anatomies. They are quick to anger, unpredictable, and dangerous, though singly no match for an Imperial legionnaire. It is also worthwhile to point out that the so-called "human" features found among many of the Khajiits are, in fact, distinctly Elven in appearance, no doubt proving once and for all the baser predilections of the Elder Race.<br>
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This is not to say that Elsweyr is without some semblance of civilization. The Khajiit that do walk erect dress and conduct themselves in a close approximation of a modern, human culture. Their dress is an abundant shawl, commonly of brightly patterned cloth, for defense against the harsh sun and saber-cuts. Their chief attire, the budi, or shirt, is fastened in braids down the right side, not permitting any part of the torse fur to be seen, for such is believed to be highly indecorous. Jewelry and trinkets often adorn the costume, and tattoos are very popular. In some quarters, the latter can even have religious and legal significance. A recent trend among the younger ohmes is the application of feline facial tattoos that make them resemble their more hideous and savage brethren. The obvious weapon of choice among the Khajiit are their claws, naturally sharp and retractable. Others, though, have mastered the use of the saber and scimitar, the dagger and the longbow. There is no standing army in Elsweyr, and the catmen have never shown an expansionist inclination. In fact, they have lost territory in the last fifty years with the secession of their rim territories.<br>
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Tamriel's two moons are inextricably linked to the society of the Khajiit, who worship their different phases, and the combination of the phases, as if they were gods. Therefore, each "breed" of Khajiit has its own patron deity. Earlier it was believed this practice was just another heathen system of worship common among the beastmen of Tamriel, but recent studies in comparative religion have proven that the lunar gods of Elsweyr are merely the divinities of the Imperial Pantheon (Stendarr, Mara, Kynareth, etc.) in disguise. Similar findings have revealed that the dro-m'Athra, or dark spirits or Elsweyr, which correspond to the inverse phases of Masser and Secunda, to be aspects of the more universal Daedric powers.<br>
<br>The Khajiit also believe that their gods regularly bestow blessings to their chosen people, in the form of the moon-sugar, a substance native to the Tenmar Forest in southern Elsweyr. This sugar has a variety of uses; it is alternately a seasoning and a magical ingredient, a source of communion with the holy moons and a dangerous and addictive drug. The Khajiit understand it to be "crystallized moonlight," caught in the water of the Topal Sea and brought to the sugarcane groves of the Tenmar by the force of the twin tides. By partaking of the sugar, the Khajiit believes they are consuming small portions of their gods' eternal souls. This drives them into fits of ecstasy and abandon, and the streets of Elsweyr's major cities are full of catmen shivering in the grip of sugar fits.<br>
<br>A particularly hazardous derivative of the moon-sugar, known as skooma, is often smoked in raw form through a water-pipe by the more pathetic Khajiit; its victims are addicted for life, and in constant, alternating states of euphoria and lethargy.<br>
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Nevertheless moon-sugar is a daily part of Khajiit life, and their kingdom's chief export. The food of Elsweyr is invariably sweet; candies, cakes, puddings, and sugarmeats are the staples of the Khajiit diet, and travelers to Elsweyr are cautioned against partaking of any of the native food. Humans, it seems are even more susceptible to the effects of the moon-sugar than the catmen themselves.<br>

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<DIV align="center">Guide to the Empire : <br>
The Elsweyr Confederacy, v 2<br>
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The Mane<br>
<DIV align="left">The Mane is no more a "breed"of Khajiit than the other, more common forms of the catmen; he is simply unique. Khajiit tradition holds that only one Mane can be alive at any one time; indeed, they believe that there is only one Mane, who is simply reborn in different bodies. Be that as it may, there has been no recorded instance of multiple Manes contending for power; whether this is due to the truth of the Khajiit belief, or whether the ruling Mane takes care to eliminate any potential rivals before they can mature, cannot be determined. A Mane can be born only under a rare alignment of Masser and Secunda when, according to legend, a third moon appears in the sky. In olden times, the Khajiit would shave off their own manes in deference to the Mane, braiding them into locks that he would incorporate into his own, gigantic mane. Over time, as the population of the region grew, this ritual became impractical. Now, while all Khajiit still remove their manes, they do so largely as a symbolic sacrifice. The current Mane wears the hair locks and braids of his own tribe as well as those of his Warrior Guard, which encompasses hundreds of Khajiit. He is so weighed down by the hair of his kinsmen that he cannot move without aid, and often travels about the countryside by means of a palanquin.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Senchal<br>
<DIV align="left">This infamous city is the largest port in southern Tamriel. Its sprawl covers the easternmost tip of Elsweyr's Quin'rawl peninsular, a motley assortment of bazaars, taverns, merchant quarters, and open-air markets ringed on three sides by its crowded harbors. Senchal is a favorite stopping point for pirates and sea captains seeking to ply illegal or blackmarket goods, it being far easier to smuggle these goods into and out of the Empire by way of the Topal Sea than to use the well-guarded inland highways. Thieves abound here, as do beggars and pathetic Khajiit sugar junkies. The traveler is advised to steer clear of Black Keirgo, Senchal's most squalid and dangerous quarter, when visiting the city. Illicit sugar-dens line the streets here, where beastmen and nobility alike wither away in sucrose fevers. All in all, Senchal is the ugliest city outside of Imperial jurisdiction. The air is humid and full of the chimney-smoke caught in the eddies from the surrounding coasts. Much of the city is abandoned or in ruins. In CE560, a strain of the Knahaten Flu flew across the channel from nearby Argonia and quickly infected the city's population. Whole neighborhoods were razed in some mad effort to cleanse Senchal of the Flue and have never been rebuilt. Visitors to the open-air markets can see these charred skylines on the periphery, as black and jagged as the teeth of the nearest sugar junkie, begging for cake.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Torval<br>
<DIV align="left">Torval is the city-state of Elsweyr's spiritual and temporal ruler, the Mane. He and his tribe live here in stately and exotic palaces built from massive timbers of Valenwood oak, whose territorial borders are only a few hundred miles away. Symmetrical sugarcane gardens surround these palaces, where the Mane is often seen in day-long meditations atop his palanquin, held up by his inexhaustible cathay-raht servants. As has been said, the moon-sugar of Elsweyr is the holiest of substances to the Khajiit. They speak of sugar as we might speak of the soul or the lifeforce. Therefore, humans have been traditionally forbidden to trespass on these estates, and the Warrior Guard enforce this measure as strictly as they do around the Tenmar Forest. An Imperial diplomat was not long ago chased from the premises, even though he had been promised an audience with the Khajiit ruler. The panther-like Warrior Guard hissed at his approach, bared their fangs, and threatened him to leave quickly, lest they "leak his sugar" into the sand. Our Glorious Emperor, Tiber Septim, has yet to seek redress from the lawless catmen.<br>
<DIV align="center">Rimmen<br>
<DIV align="left">Though ostensibly its own kingdom, Rimmen still pays tribute to the Mane of Elsweyr, from whose realm it seceded in CE812 during the Interregnum. Earlier, Akaviri refugees had fled persecution when the warlord Attrebus briefly aspired to the Imperial Throne. Attrebus, though he lasted no longer than most of the pretender kings of that period, thought he might rid Cyrodiil of the foreigners who had ruled it for the first half of the Common Era, and he drove the Akaviris past the Empire's borders into Elsweyr. The Khajiit granted them asylum in the hills and steppes of north-western Elsweyr, where they dwelt in relative seclusion until remnants of the Dir-Kamal resurfaced in Cyrodiil, seizing the Throne from Attrebus' successors. The Rimmen (literally, the "Rim Men," as the Khajiit call them) joined their brothers to try to rebuild the Empire. This effort was doomed to failure, but not before the Khajiit attempted to reclaim their lands in a series of bloody border wars. Currently, since the ascension of Tiber Septim, the hapless Rimmen have once again submitted to the protection of the Mane, with a renewed tribute paying for the Cat Lord's guarantee of their independence, a truly weak reed upon which to lean.<br>

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Khajiit Book of Fables I<br>
Anonymous<br>
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<div align="left">The Cat and Mara<br>
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A CAT fell in love with a handsome young man, and entreated the goddess Mara to change her into the form of a woman. Mara consented to her request and transformed her into a beautiful damsel, so that the youth saw her and loved her, and took her home as his bride. While the two were reclining in their chamber, Mara wishing to discover if the Cat in her change of shape had also altered her habits of life, let down a mouse in the middle of the room. The Cat, quite forgetting her present condition, started up from the couch and pursued the mouse, wishing to eat it. Mara was much disappointed and again caused her to return to her former shape.<br>
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(Nature exceeds nuture.)<br>
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The Fox and the Leopard<br>
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THE FOX and the Leopard disputed which was the more beautiful of the two. The Leopard exhibited one by one the various spots which decorated his skin. But the Fox, interrupting him, said, "And how much more beautiful than you am I, who am decorated, not in body, but in mind." <br>
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The Fox and the Lion<br>
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When first the Fox saw the Lion he was terribly frightened, and ran away and hid himself in the wood. Next time however he came near the King of Beasts he stopped at a safe distance and watched him pass by. The third time they came near one another the Fox went straight up to the Lion and passed the time of day with him, asking him how his family were, and when he should have the pleasure of seeing him again; then turning his tail, he parted from the Lion without much ceremony.<br>
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(Familiarity breeds contempt.)<br>
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Alessia and the Lion<br>
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A slave named Alessia once escaped from her master and fled to the forest. As she was wandering about there she came upon a Lion lying down moaning and groaning. At first she turned to flee, but finding that the Lion did not pursue him, she turned back and went up to him. As she came near, the Lion put out his paw, which was all swollen and bleeding, and Alessia found that a huge thorn had got into it, and was causing all the pain. She pulled out the thorn and bound up the paw of the Lion, who was soon able to rise and lick the hand of Alessia like a dog. Then the Lion took Alessia to his cave, and every day used to bring her meat from which to live. But shortly afterwards both Alessia and the Lion were captured, and the slave was sentenced to be thrown to the Lion, after the latter had been kept without food for several days. The Ayleid Emperor and all his Court came to see the spectacle, and Alessia was led out into the middle of the arena. Soon the Lion was let loose from his den, and rushed bounding and roaring towards his victim. But as soon as he came near to Alessia he recognised his friend, and fawned upon him, and licked her hands like a friendly dog. The Emperor, surprised at this, summoned Alessia to him, who told him the whole story. Whereupon the slave was pardoned and freed, and the Lion let loose to his native forest.<br>
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(Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.)<br>
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The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox<br>
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A LION and a Bear seized a Kid at the same moment, and fought fiercely for its possession. When they had fearfully lacerated each other and were faint from the long combat, they lay down exhausted with fatigue. A Fox, who had gone round them at a distance several times, saw them both stretched on the ground with the Kid lying untouched in the middle. He ran in between them, and seizing the Kid scampered off as fast as he could. The Lion and the Bear saw him, but not being able to get up, said, "Woe be to us, that we should have fought and belabored ourselves only to serve the turn of a Fox." <br>
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(It sometimes happens that one man has all the toil, and another all the profit.)<br>
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The Lion, the Fox and the Beasts<br>
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The Lion once gave out that he was sick unto death and summoned the animals to come and hear his last Will and Testament. So the Goat came to the Lion's cave, and stopped there listening for a long time. Then a Sheep went in, and before she came out a Calf came up to receive the last wishes of the Lord of the Beasts. But soon the Lion seemed to recover, and came to the mouth of his cave, and saw the Fox, who had been waiting outside for some time. "Why do you not come to pay your respects to me?" said the Lion to the Fox.<br>
"I beg your Majesty's pardon," said the Fox, "but I noticed the track of the animals that have already come to you; and while I see many hoof-marks going in, I see none coming out. Till the animals that have entered your cave come out again I prefer to remain in the open air."<br>
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(It is easier to get into the enemy's toils than out again.<br>

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My dearest Znubi,
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Why have I not heard from you in so long? I do worry so. The life of a highwayman is no easy life, and every day I fear someone will bring me news of your death.
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Please, I beg you. Keep your word to me, and think of our new-born litter.Take us away, away from the foul pit of Orcrest. We will have that little farm we dreamed of -- surely your stash is big enough to afford it now? -- and we will go live a quiet, happy life.
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Your beloved,
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Nirasja

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Raking Claws Camp,
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Be warned! If you intercept one more of our skooma runners, the wrath of the Renrijra Krin will fall upon you. We will hunt you down, one and all, like the filthy rats you are, stake you to the earth and peel the skin from your living flesh as a bloody feast for the desert ants. We will make of you an example, and all followers of Sand Wolf will shake with horror at the news of your gory demise.
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Let your fellows bandits know and King Sand Wolf hidden away in the dust hole of Ne'Quin'Al that your actions are begging for war.
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The Black Claw,
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Renrijra Krin

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<DIV align="center">The Arena Circuit, Volume 1<br>
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<DIV align="left"> A collection of fliers by Bubba, King of the Arena.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Elinhir, Hammerfell<br>
<DIV align="left">Thou art welcome in Elinhir by King Bubba, Guardian of the West. The Blackcasters name this home. Be cautious, lest ye draw their wrath upon thy heads . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Taneth, Hammerfell<br>
<DIV align="left">The port city of Taneth welcomes thee unto its soil. King Bubba bids be not fearful of the Arena, but stand forward tall and proud, as our team the War Eagles do, for here they are home . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Sentinel, Hammerfell<br>
<DIV align="left">Weary traveler, thou art entering Sentinel, the holding of King Bubba and Guardian of Starfall Bay. Attend our team, the Deathbringers, and learn what it is to be the warriors, for we stand alone . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Gilane, Hammerfell<br>
<DIV align="left">Gilane, the southern port of Hammerfell, welcomes thee into its walls. King Bubba and the Dire Wolves stand ready for all who would test their metal . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Skaven, Hammerfell<br>
<DIV align="left">Know that we of Skaven welcome thee, for it is rare indeed to receive travelers brave enough to stand under the shadow of Fang Lair. Our team, the Guards, stand ready . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Dragonstar, Hammerfell<br>
<DIV align="left">Welcome to Dragonstar, home of the Sacred Rage. We wish thee peace and rest in our city-state, but conduct thyselves honorably, or thou shalt answer to our champions . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Rihad, Hammerfell<br>
<DIV align="left">Rihad, southernmost port of Hammerfell, welcomes thee, Lay aside thy vice and avarice and enter these walls as nobles. Do not however seek to challenge the Bane, who call this home. We wish you only a long life and prosperity . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Hegathe, Hammerfell<br>
<DIV align="left">Hegathe and King Bubba bid you welcome, and good fortune. We are home to the Bloodhorns, and not a deadlier challenge wouldst thou face elsewhere . . .<br>

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<DIV align="center">The Arena Circuit, Volume 3<br>
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<DIV align="left"> A collection of fliers by Bubba, King of the Arena.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Corinth, Elsweyr<br>
<DIV align="left">Corinth and King Bubba, heart of the Province Elsweyr, greet our weary brethren. If you come to challenge, know that he Brood are ready for battle, and merciless to their foes . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Alabaster, Elsweyr<br>
<DIV align="left">The white-walled Alabaster welcomes you into her breast. King Bubba bids you to die well in the Arena if you challenge, for the Nightrunners are hungry. Feel not the sting of fear, but instead the song of victory.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Senchal, Elsweyr<br>
<DIV align="left">The southern port of Senchal greets you. Those who would challenge our team, the New Gods, must show their worthiness to our ruler, King Bubba. We promise a quick and clean kill . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Rimmen, Elsweyr<br>
<DIV align="left">Be welcome in Rimmen, chosen in the Empire to hold the greatest team, the Crushers. Come and bid us to accept your challenge, for we have not spilled blood in a while . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Torval, Elsweyr<br>
<DIV align="left">Welcome to Torval, home of the finest southern wines. Be wary of our team, the Firedrakes however, those who have crossed their path have been in dire straits indeed.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Dune, Elsweyr<br>
<DIV align="left">Dune stands forever. Challenge if you dare, for we are the Blades, and we will defeat any who come to our door . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Orcrest, Elsweyr<br>
<DIV align="left">You who would enter Orcrest beware! Monsters abide within these walls. They are called the Silent Ones, and you would be beast to travel elsewhere . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Riverhold, Elsweyr<br>
<DIV align="left">You have come to Riverhold, closest city-state to the Imperial Isle. Here waits the Axers, deadly foes who accept any who would dare challenge them . . .<br>

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<DIV align="center">The Arena Circuit, Volume 4<br>
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<DIV align="left"> A collection of fliers by Bubba, King of the Arena.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Eldenroot, Valenwood<br>
<DIV align="left">You enter Eldenroot, center of the Elden Grove. The elves here seem friendly and you are hailed in welcome. You overhear that the city-state's team, the Cavaliers, won last week in the Arena . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Silvenar, Valenwood<br>
<DIV align="left">Perched on the edge of the great Elden Grove, Silvenar is a city-state of breathtaking beauty. Tall minarets and spires worked out of marble rise out of the forest. Silvenar is home to the Rangers, a young team which has done well so far in the Arena . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Woodhearth, Valenwood<br>
<DIV align="left">The coastal city-state of Woodhearth is the departure point for those bound for Summurset Isle. The Wood Elves here are friendly and pleasant. The team that makes its home here is the Nomads, and they have strong ties to magic . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Falinesti, Valenwood<br>
<DIV align="left">Falinesti lies near the coast on the northern region of Valenwood. To the north are the spines of the Dragon's Teeth. The Wyverns have been the city-state's team for the last three years running. Few dare to go against them . . .<br>
<DIV align="center">Greenheart, Valenwood<br>
<DIV align="left">Greenheart lies on the southern edge of the Elden Grove. Beautiful trees fill the city-state, making it seem more like a forest than a thriving metropolis. Here the Defenders have earned themselves the distinction of having the fastest win recorded in Arena history . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Arenthia, Valenwood<br>
<DIV align="left">Named after the first king of the Wood Elves, Arenthia is regal in bearing and noble in stature. The city seems quiet and dignified, and the Huntsmen who fight for her are reputed to be honorable warriors and dangerous foes . . .<br>
<DIV align="center">Haven, Valenwood<br>
<DIV align="left">Haven lies on the southern edge of Valenwood. Her team, the Red Spears, are known and honored throughout the Realm as being one of the most experienced . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Southpoint, Valenwood<br>
<DIV align="left">Southpoint is the southernmost port city in Valenwood. The Chimeras make their home here and have, up till now, fought and defeated all challengers who have come to their gates . . .<br>

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<DIV align="center">The Arena Circuit, Volume 7<br>
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<DIV align="left"> A collection of fliers by Bubba, King of the Arena.<br>
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<DIV align="center">Helstrom, Black Marsh<br>
<DIV align="left">You enter the city gates of Helstrom, noticing the dark looks the guards give you. You've heard of the Pit Daemons, who fight here. They have a reputation of being very dangerous. Perhaps you can change that . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Archon, Black Marsh<br>
<DIV align="left">The city gates of Archon loom over you as you enter. People around you here seem to be avoiding eye contact. You've heard that the Plague butchered their last opponents in this Arena and ate their remains. Not a fate you'd wish to share . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Gideon, Black Marsh<br>
<DIV align="left">Gideon, the black city of the followers of Seth, lies near the southern tip of the Imperial Run. A cold air that has nothing to do with the time of year seems to chill your bones as you enter. It has been rumored that the Shadowblades, who fight for Gideon, are undead . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Blackrose, Black Marsh<br>
<DIV align="left">Blackrose, near the legendary forest of Murkwood, holds many secrets, You feel eyes on your back as the city gates shut behind you with a hollow boom. The Arena here holds the blood of many teams who have lost their lives to the Warriors. You do not plan to add yourself to that list . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Lilmoth, Black Marsh<br>
<DIV align="left">Lilmoth, home of the Dark Tide, seems gloomy and forbidding. Never before have you experienced the unnatural fear that pervades the atmosphere. This city is rumored, holds much under its streets . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Soulrest, Black Marsh<br>
<DIV align="left">You enter the gates of Soulrest, leaving the sounds of the ocean surf behind. Inside it seems as if a hush has fallen over the city, as if all inside are holding their breath in anticipation. The Knightblades fight here, and it seems that the citizens are eager for blood . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Stormhold, Black Marsh<br>
<DIV align="left">Stormhold lies on the northern tip of the Province of Black Marsh. Here the people seem friendly, but a strain shows in their eyes. Perhaps it is because of their proximity to the Dark Elven lands. You only know that their team, the Black Shields, fight here and are considered perhaps the deadliest team on the continent . . .<br>
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<DIV align="center">Thorn, Black Marsh<br>
<DIV align="left">Thorn holds the eastern edge of the continent, and has been named by some the Jewel of the East. As you enter their gates however, you realize that this town is as deadly as it is rumored to be beautiful. Vagabonds eye your purse strings and guards seem to turn lazy eyes elsewhere. The Warlords fight here, and if they can make a home in such a place, it seems they will be implacable foes . . .<br>