Dawn

Film: Elizabeth, the Golden Age

“Great deeds are eternal.”

Few lands espouse the heroic ideal in quite the same way the Dawnish do. When people think of the Dawn they imagine her favoured sons and daughters, the nobility arrayed in armour, weapons drawn, eagerly seeking battle. Before them stand the troubadours, singing or reciting the epic lays of past heroes. And behind them, the war wizards, giving their strength to the battle.

Knights-errant travel the land, seeking an opportunity to prove themselves and achieve glory. Their nobility give battle in the tourney to judge who is fit to rule. The people turn their eyes on the enemies of the Empire, seeking victory and renown.

Her proud boasts are not hollow. Alone amongst the nations of the Empire, the Dawn has never given up land to the barbarians. But the aspiration to achieve great things is not just found on the battlefield. Every Dawnish feels that same urge, this is a nation that eats and drinks glory.

Enemies deride the nation for its stifling and outmoded system, where might makes right and the needs of ordinary people take second place to the quest for glory. And yet, they have forgotten the truth at its core - that great deeds are eternal.

Five things about Dawn

• Nobility is an achievement not a birthright. Nobility is vaunted in Dawn, but it is a nobility of spirit they admire, not a title that you inherit.
• A great life leaves a legend. The only thing that remains when you depart this life is the memory of how you lived it. Death is nothing compared to great deeds.
• Glorious in victory, proud in defeat. The Dawnish relish a challenge. Those more skilled present an opportunity for glory by defeating them, those less skilled offer you an opportunity to demonstrate your prowess.
• You cannot armour the soul. The Dawnish do not hide the great passions of the soul; they wear their hearts on their sleeve.
• Courtship, romance and tragedy. The rules of the heart are complex in Dawn; sometimes love is the greatest challenge.

What the Dawnish are not

• Chivalrous. Dawnish nobility are always intensely competitive, they don't open doors for anybody, male or female. Dawnish women are independent and as obsessed with glory as their male counterparts.
• Expected to be honourable. The Dawnish obsession is with triumph and renown, it does not demand a generous spirit.

The Nation

Core Brief

• The People
• Culture and Customs
• Look and Feel

Further Reading

• History
• Leadership
• Military Concerns
• Economic Interests
• Religious Beliefs
• Magical Traditions
• Hearth Magic
• Lineage and Species Attitudes
• Territories
• Children
• Music
• Costumes

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