The Battle for Wesnoth Wiki - User contributions [en]

1.17 Roadmap

2022-02-05T18:58:25Z

Nemaara: /* 1.17.20 (09/17/2023) */

This page is for consolidating and planning when new features and fixes are intended to land in the 1.17 development branch. The release schedule for Development releases can be found [https://forums.wesnoth.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52785 here]. A thread for discussing this roadmap can also be found [https://forums.wesnoth.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=55255 here].

== Instructions ==
Place the feature or fix you intend to implement within the section of the point release that you intend to have it implemented by, as well as your forum username in parenthesis after the feature description. The point release something is planned to be released with is not set in stone, and can be updated as needed depending on the circumstances.

Additionally, the current set of 1.17 point releases is not final, and can be increased or decreased based on what features and fixes are planned. The only hard deadline, which ''hopefully'' is not an issue, is to have 1.18 released by February 2024. This will allow 1.18 to be in the Ubuntu 24.04 LTS release's repositories, and while I realize we don't plan Wesnoth's releases around any distro's schedule, there are also currently no other specific criteria to use as a final deadline. Alternatively, depending on what plans people have, 1.18 can be scheduled to happen earlier than that (in 2023).

== 1.17.0 (01/16/2022) ==
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/6292 #6292] Fix+backport "Multi-turn moves are visible to enemy players" (octalot)
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/6283 #6283] Fix+backport "OOS watching MP replays" (Pentarctagon)
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/6285 #6285] Fix+backport "Multiplayer scenarios with custom terrains don't load for non-host" (already done by Pentarctagon)
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/6315 #6315] Fix+backport "[store_unit] and [modify_unit] move units from recall list to map" (octalot or celticminstrel)

== 1.17.1 (02/20/2022) ==
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/6305 #6305] Fix "[foreach]array=this_item.something does not write back to the outer this_item". Undecided whether to backport. (octalot)
* (no issue logged) Add+backport Editor docs about the pink "D" deprecation marker (octalot)
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/6383 #6383] Fix+backport (Pentarctagon)
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/6400 #6400] Fix+backport show in the terrain help that oases heal (octalot)
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/6422 #6422] Fix+backport hide editor hints about shift+click (octalot)

== 1.17.2 (03/20/2022) ==
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/6225 #6225] Fix+backport Clarify editor docs about terrain mode, possibly revise error handling UX (octalot)

== 1.17.3 (04/17/2022) ==

== 1.17.4 (05/15/2022) ==
* Add forum_auth support to campaignd (Pentarctagon)

== 1.17.5 (06/19/2022) ==
* UtBS S12 (The Final Confrontation) Rework (knyghtmare)
* scenario_boss Micro AI (maybe it will be UtBS specific but it remains to be seen) (knyghtmare)
* Untitled RPG scenario/mini-campaign (depends on my schedule) (knyghtmare)

== 1.17.6 (07/17/2022) ==

== 1.17.7 (08/21/2022) ==
* Finish adding code comments for the WML unit tests (Pentarctagon)

== 1.17.8 (09/18/2022) ==
* [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/5041 #5041] Draw text on images in [[IntroWML]], useable for place-name labels on the journey-tracker maps (octalot)
* Reorganize the WML unit test file/folder structure so it's easier to find specific tests without using grep (Pentarctagon)

== 1.17.9 (10/16/2022) ==

== 1.17.10 (11/20/2022) ==
* sprite palette cleanup completed (doofus-01)

== 1.17.11 (12/18/2022) ==

== 1.17.12 (01/15/2023) ==
* New multiplayer maps focused on player vs player vs ai (Hejnewar)
* Revert [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/pull/6463 #6463] removing the deprecated SPECIAL_NOTES macro again (octalot)

== 1.17.13 (02/19/2023) ==

== 1.17.14 (03/19/2023) ==

== 1.17.15 (04/16/2023) ==
* finalize sprite palettes and swatches for defined recoloring (doofus-01)

== 1.17.16 (05/21/2023) ==

== 1.17.17 (06/18/2023) ==

== 1.17.18 (07/16/2023) ==

== 1.17.19 (08/20/2023) ==

== 1.17.20 (09/17/2023) ==
* Continue adding more WML/lua unit tests to improve API coverage (Pentarctagon)
* Balance changes focused mostly on higher levels and experience (Hejnewar)
* Hybrid Dunefolk campaign (Hejnewar)
* Rewrite of LoW, tentatively as SP campaign (nemaara)

== 1.17.21 (10/15/2023) (Beta 1) ==
'''This marks the beginning of the feature freeze and string freeze for 1.17;''' the only API changes made past this point must be to fix bugs.

== 1.17.22 (11/19/2023) (Beta 2) ==

== 1.17.23 (12/17/2023) (Beta 3) ==

== 1.17.24 (01/21/2024) (RC1) ==
'''This marks the beginning of the API freeze;''' no API changes for for any reason can be made at this point. Additional RC releases will be done as needed.

== 1.18.0 (02/18/2024) ==

[[Category:Roadmaps]]

Release Notes 1.15.4

2020-08-19T19:14:57Z

Nemaara: /* Undead */

== Instructions ==
This page is for documenting changes made between the 1.15.3 and 1.15.4 releases that are especially important or otherwise notable to players and-or UMC authors. The description of changes added here should be more verbose and detailed than what would be included in the regular changelog on github, and most importantly, should be written with the intended audience being non-developers - no prior knowledge or knowledge of Wesnoth's inner workings should be needed in order for players to understand the entries added here.

== New Content ==
=== Addon titles and descriptions made translatable ===
It's now possible to add translated titles and descriptions to your addons, so they will show up in the target language when browsing the in-game addon manager. The original English title is also displayed below and can be searched for in addition to translations. If you want to add a translated title and description to your addon, follow the wiki page https://wiki.wesnoth.org/PblWml#.5Btranslation.5D .

== Changes To Existing Content ==

=== Campaign changes ===
Under the Burning Suns has been fully rebalanced, including all scenarios and all units in the Quenoth faction. Generally, the campaign is now more challenging.

=== Balance changes ===
==== Drakes ====
Drake Burner line and Armageddon Drake cold resistance changed from -50% to -40% - this small change is supposed to make Burner more prevalent in matchup against Undead as well as counterweight newly buffed Ghost.

==== Dunefolk ====
Dune Spearmaster shield damage changed from 14 to 13 - this high impact damage on unit called Spearmaster was taking away from his lore identity and was making him too good against Undead and other impact vulnerable units.

==== Knalgan Alliance ====
Dwarvish Dragonguard hp changed from 59 to 63 - this is update to previous changes of dwarf level ups

Dwarvish Steelclad hp changed from 55 to 57 - Steelclad was earlier nerfed in order to help balance scenarios against ai but it turned out to be affecting competitive 1 vs 1 too much so we are reverting this change partially.

Poacher hp changed from 32 to 33 - main reason for this change are matchups against Loyalists and Drakes, this change is supposed to provide slight boost in not only strength but also amount of level ups that this unit receives thus allowing Knalgan player to get initiative thru them more often.

==== Loyalists ====
Heavy Infantryman cold resistance changed from -10% to 0 - this unit was not excelling in matchup against Undead where it should be doing so. This change is supposed to help with this problem.

==== Northerners ====
Troll Rocklobber hp changed from 49 to 51 - Rocklobber was level up that was simply not up to pair with usual Troll.

==== Rebels ====
Merman Hunter hp changed from 30 to 33 - this unit was weakest unit that was dedicated to water control. This was hurting Rebels too much on maps with lots of water. We hope that this change will provide them enough strength in this area.

Elvish Shaman ranged damage changed from 3 to 4 - Shaman was not used as much as we would like to see it in play, this change is supposed to help her receive just a bit more of spotlight in competitive matches.

Wose cold resistance changed from 10% to 0 - Wose was highly problematic unit in matchup against Undead, it allowed Rebels to play completely defensively until they had enough Woses to crush their opponent. This change should allow Adepts to kill Woses faster and thus make it much harder for Rebels to just defend.

==== Undead ====
Banebow hp changed form 50 to 55 - this unit had very low amount of hp for level 3 unit.

Bone Shooter hp changed from 40 to 42 - this units had very low amount of hp for level 2 unit and its performance as a leader was also subpar.

Ghost cost changed from 20 to 19 - matchups where Ghost can perform well are also ones where Undead are not in greatest shape, at the same time Ghost is easily countered outside of these matchups. This change is supposed to help both Ghost and Undead as a whole perform better in competitive matches.

==== Monsters ====
Various changes to Wyvern, Wyvern Rider, Roc, Falcon and Elder Falcon - changes to these units are supposed to make them more lore friendly.

== Fixes ==
=== Graphics engine memory leak fix ===
An issue dating back to version 1.13.13 was found in the game’s graphics engine that would result in large memory leaks over time, particularly evident after performing a few save-reloading or game initialization (Campaign mode, Multiplayer, Map Editor) cycles. On Windows and other systems running 32-bit builds of the game, this could eventually result in a game session crashing due to reaching platform-mandated memory limits. Furthermore, either 32-bit or 64-bit systems with small amounts of available RAM could perceive substantial performance degradation during long game sessions, or even crashes in other running software.

=== .cfg files created by the scenario editor ===
The scenario editor creates .cfg files; but if you edit that .cfg by hand and then use the scenario editor again, the editor will completely rewrite it, likely removing any hand-edited WML. A comment warning about this is now added at the top of these .cfg files.

The editor-generated .cfg files can be thought of as an extended format for map files. It’s possible to create a separate .cfg file with hand-edited WML, and then load the editor-generated file with ''[scenario]map_file=example.cfg''. Support for this requires some bug-fixes that were added in this release.

== General/Misc ==
=== Python2 removal complete ===
All tools that were written in Python2 have now been ported to Python3, or removed if they seemed obsolete.

== Newly Introduced Issues ==

[[Category:Release_Notes]]

Release Notes 1.15.4

2020-08-18T19:09:00Z

Nemaara: /* Campaign changes */

== Instructions ==
This page is for documenting changes made between the 1.15.3 and 1.15.4 releases that are especially important or otherwise notable to players and-or UMC authors. The description of changes added here should be more verbose and detailed than what would be included in the regular changelog on github, and most importantly, should be written with the intended audience being non-developers - no prior knowledge or knowledge of Wesnoth's inner workings should be needed in order for players to understand the entries added here.

== New Content ==
=== Addon titles and descriptions made translatable ===
It's now possible to add translated titles and descriptions to your addons, so they will show up in the target language when browsing the in-game addon manager. The original English title is also displayed below and can be searched for in addition to translations. If you want to add a translated title and description to your addon, follow the wiki page https://wiki.wesnoth.org/PblWml#.5Btranslation.5D .

== Changes To Existing Content ==

=== Campaign changes ===
Under the Burning Suns has been fully rebalanced, including all scenarios and all units in the Quenoth faction. Generally, the campaign is now more challenging.

=== Balance changes ===
==== Drakes ====
Drake Burner line and Armageddon Drake cold resistance changed from -50% to -40% - this small change is supposed to make Burner more prevalent in matchup against Undead as well as counterweight newly buffed Ghost.

==== Dunefolk ====
Dune Spearmaster shield damage changed from 14 to 13 - this high impact damage on unit called Spearmaster was taking away from his lore identity and was making him too good against Undead and other impact vulnerable units.

==== Knalgan Alliance ====
Dwarvish Dragonguard hp changed from 59 to 63 - this is update to previous changes of dwarf level ups

Dwarvish Steelclad hp changed from 55 to 57 - Steelclad was earlier nerfed in order to help balance scenarios against ai but it turned out to be affecting competitive 1 vs 1 too much so we are reverting this change partially.

Poacher hp changed from 32 to 33 - main reason for this change are matchups against Loyalists and Drakes, this change is supposed to provide slight boost in not only strength but also amount of level ups that this unit receives thus allowing Knalgan player to get initiative thru them more often.

==== Loyalists ====
Heavy Infantryman cold resistance changed from -10% to 0 - this unit was not excelling in matchup against Undead where it should be doing so. This change is supposed to help with this problem.

==== Northerners ====
Troll Rocklobber hp changed from 49 to 51 - Rocklobber was level up that was simply not up to pair with usual Troll.

==== Rebels ====
Merman Hunter hp changed from 30 to 33 - this unit was weakest unit that was dedicated to water control. This was hurting Rebels too much on maps with lots of water. We hope that this change will provide them enough strength in this area.

Elvish Shaman ranged damage changed from 3 to 4 - Shaman was not used as much as we would like to see it in play, this change is supposed to help her receive just a bit more of spotlight in competitive matches.

Wose cold resistance changed from 10% to 0 - Wose was highly problematic unit in matchup against Undead, it allowed Rebels to play completely defensively until they had enough Woses to crush their opponent. This change should allow Adepts to kill Woses faster and thus make it much harder for Rebels to just defend.

==== Undead ====
Banebow hp changed form 50 to 52 - this unit had very low amount of hp for level 3 unit.

Bone Shooter hp changed from 40 to 42 - this units had very low amount of hp for level 2 unit and its performance as a leader was also subpar.

Ghost cost changed from 20 to 19 - matchups where Ghost can perform well are also ones where Undead are not in greatest shape, at the same time Ghost is easily countered outside of these matchups. This change is supposed to help both Ghost and Undead as a whole perform better in competitive matches.

==== Monsters ====
Various changes to Wyvern, Wyvern Rider, Roc, Falcon and Elder Falcon - changes to these units are supposed to make them more lore friendly.

== Fixes ==
=== Graphics engine memory leak fix ===
An issue dating back to version 1.13.13 was found in the game’s graphics engine that would result in large memory leaks over time, particularly evident after performing a few save-reloading or game initialization (Campaign mode, Multiplayer, Map Editor) cycles. On Windows and other systems running 32-bit builds of the game, this could eventually result in a game session crashing due to reaching platform-mandated memory limits. Furthermore, either 32-bit or 64-bit systems with small amounts of available RAM could perceive substantial performance degradation during long game sessions, or even crashes in other running software.

== General/Misc ==

== Newly Introduced Issues ==

[[Category:Release_Notes]]

Release Notes 1.15.4

2020-08-18T19:08:17Z

Nemaara: /* Changes To Existing Content */

== Instructions ==
This page is for documenting changes made between the 1.15.3 and 1.15.4 releases that are especially important or otherwise notable to players and-or UMC authors. The description of changes added here should be more verbose and detailed than what would be included in the regular changelog on github, and most importantly, should be written with the intended audience being non-developers - no prior knowledge or knowledge of Wesnoth's inner workings should be needed in order for players to understand the entries added here.

== New Content ==
=== Addon titles and descriptions made translatable ===
It's now possible to add translated titles and descriptions to your addons, so they will show up in the target language when browsing the in-game addon manager. The original English title is also displayed below and can be searched for in addition to translations. If you want to add a translated title and description to your addon, follow the wiki page https://wiki.wesnoth.org/PblWml#.5Btranslation.5D .

== Changes To Existing Content ==

=== Campaign changes ===
Under the Burning Suns has been fully rebalanced.

=== Balance changes ===
==== Drakes ====
Drake Burner line and Armageddon Drake cold resistance changed from -50% to -40% - this small change is supposed to make Burner more prevalent in matchup against Undead as well as counterweight newly buffed Ghost.

==== Dunefolk ====
Dune Spearmaster shield damage changed from 14 to 13 - this high impact damage on unit called Spearmaster was taking away from his lore identity and was making him too good against Undead and other impact vulnerable units.

==== Knalgan Alliance ====
Dwarvish Dragonguard hp changed from 59 to 63 - this is update to previous changes of dwarf level ups

Dwarvish Steelclad hp changed from 55 to 57 - Steelclad was earlier nerfed in order to help balance scenarios against ai but it turned out to be affecting competitive 1 vs 1 too much so we are reverting this change partially.

Poacher hp changed from 32 to 33 - main reason for this change are matchups against Loyalists and Drakes, this change is supposed to provide slight boost in not only strength but also amount of level ups that this unit receives thus allowing Knalgan player to get initiative thru them more often.

==== Loyalists ====
Heavy Infantryman cold resistance changed from -10% to 0 - this unit was not excelling in matchup against Undead where it should be doing so. This change is supposed to help with this problem.

==== Northerners ====
Troll Rocklobber hp changed from 49 to 51 - Rocklobber was level up that was simply not up to pair with usual Troll.

==== Rebels ====
Merman Hunter hp changed from 30 to 33 - this unit was weakest unit that was dedicated to water control. This was hurting Rebels too much on maps with lots of water. We hope that this change will provide them enough strength in this area.

Elvish Shaman ranged damage changed from 3 to 4 - Shaman was not used as much as we would like to see it in play, this change is supposed to help her receive just a bit more of spotlight in competitive matches.

Wose cold resistance changed from 10% to 0 - Wose was highly problematic unit in matchup against Undead, it allowed Rebels to play completely defensively until they had enough Woses to crush their opponent. This change should allow Adepts to kill Woses faster and thus make it much harder for Rebels to just defend.

==== Undead ====
Banebow hp changed form 50 to 52 - this unit had very low amount of hp for level 3 unit.

Bone Shooter hp changed from 40 to 42 - this units had very low amount of hp for level 2 unit and its performance as a leader was also subpar.

Ghost cost changed from 20 to 19 - matchups where Ghost can perform well are also ones where Undead are not in greatest shape, at the same time Ghost is easily countered outside of these matchups. This change is supposed to help both Ghost and Undead as a whole perform better in competitive matches.

==== Monsters ====
Various changes to Wyvern, Wyvern Rider, Roc, Falcon and Elder Falcon - changes to these units are supposed to make them more lore friendly.

== Fixes ==
=== Graphics engine memory leak fix ===
An issue dating back to version 1.13.13 was found in the game’s graphics engine that would result in large memory leaks over time, particularly evident after performing a few save-reloading or game initialization (Campaign mode, Multiplayer, Map Editor) cycles. On Windows and other systems running 32-bit builds of the game, this could eventually result in a game session crashing due to reaching platform-mandated memory limits. Furthermore, either 32-bit or 64-bit systems with small amounts of available RAM could perceive substantial performance degradation during long game sessions, or even crashes in other running software.

== General/Misc ==

== Newly Introduced Issues ==

[[Category:Release_Notes]]

1.15 Roadmap

2020-08-06T04:16:50Z

Nemaara: /* 1.15.14 (06/19/2021) */

This page is for consolidating and planning when new features and fixes are intended to land in the 1.15 development branch. The release schedule for Development releases can be found [https://forums.wesnoth.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52785 here]. A thread for discussing this roadmap can also be found [https://forums.wesnoth.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52786 here]. As a reminder, there is also the previous [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/4750 1.16 Checklist] issue on github, for those who added items to that.

== Instructions ==
Place the feature or fix you intend to implement within the section of the point release that you intend to have it implemented by, as well as your forum username in parenthesis after the feature description. The point release something is planned to be released with is not set in stone, and can be updated as needed depending on the circumstances.

Additionally, the current set of 1.15 point releases is not final, and can be increased or decreased based on what features and fixes are planned. The only hard deadline, which ''hopefully'' is not an issue, is to have 1.16 released by February 2022. This will allow 1.16 to be in the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS release's repositories, and while I realize we don't plan Wesnoth's releases around any distro's schedule, there are also currently no other criteria to use as a final deadline and February 2022 is easily more than enough time to plan out and implement 1.16, especially given how long 1.14/1.15 have already been going.

== 1.15.4 (08/22/2020) ==

* Mainlining World conquest II (gfgtdf)
* Have #4884 merged, as a lot of the rest of what I want to do depends on this (Pentarctagon)
* Fix #5004 (Pentarctagon)
* Fix #4898 (Pentarctagon)
* Add the logger level statements needed to fix #4898 (Pentarctagon)
* Add missing Naga portraits - 1 new portrait, 3 level up variants (Lordbob)
* Add Royal Warrior portrait (LordBob)
* PR for new animals/monsters, art to be finalized later (doofus-01)
* Drop the python2 wmlparser and wmlparser2. This would finish issue #1508, and it now seems to be at the "remove it and see if anyone wants it back" stage. (octalot).
* Either drop or document the l10n-track file, issue #4717 (octalot)

== 1.15.5 (09/19/2020) ==

* Campaignd support for different min wesnoth versions (gfgtdf)
* Add Mechanical unit portraits - 2 new portraits, 2 variants (Lordbob)
* Improve the documentation for the editor, following from the discussion in PR #4999 (octalot)
* Fix issue #4876, by making UtBS's Quenoth elves not share their help pages with forest elves (octalot)

== 1.15.6 (10/17/2020) ==

* Api to query abilities and traits by id, whcih are then uses by the {TRAIT...}, {ABILITY...} macros (gfgtdf)
* Re-add the dunefolk faction to WCII (gfgtdf)
* Create the queryd program. Its purpose would be to execute SQL separate from wesnothd, so that queries that could potentially take several seconds or longer to complete won't block wesnothd from continuing to run until the query completes (Pentarctagon)
* Implement a game history viewer by utilizing queryd (Pentarctagon)
* Add Wose shaman portrait (Lordbob)
* Look how practical the new mainline macros are (Sevu)
* PR with changes to mainline macros (Sevu)
* Branch for Lua rewrite of ANL, having an ANL Lua module which can be reused by UMC. (Sevu)
* Add a help page for gold/silver crowns and loyal marker, issue #4455. (octalot)

== 1.15.7 (11/21/2020) ==
* Implement an MP reporting dialog as a replacement for the <nowiki>/query report <message></nowiki> command that's available now. This could include functionality such as searching for the username(s) to report, searching for a particular game to report (currently running or already ended, if already ended then automatically include a link to the game's replay), and inserting a PM to the MP Moderators group from the reporter (though I'm not sure if this part is actually possible) (Pentarctagon)
* Add missing Monsters & Creatures portraits - 5-8 portraits (Lordbob)
* Rebalance prices of monster units & Chocobone (Sevu)
* Mainline Visual Map Pack (Sevu)

== 1.15.8 (12/19/2020) ==
* Add SQL support to campaignd using mariadbpp (Pentarctagon)
* Store add-on upload history in the database (Pentarctagon)
* Revamp Duelist line portraits (Lordbob)
* Sprites and basic animations for any approved new animals (doofus-01)
* Mainline Undead Empire (an ANL scenario) (Sevu)

== 1.15.9 (01/16/2021) ==
* Add a <nowiki>forum_auth=yes|no</nowiki> attribute to _server.pbl to allow authenticating via the add-on author's forum username and password. Add-on authors utilizing this then wouldn't need to provide a separate email or passphrase value (Pentarctagon)
* Reorganize scenario/era/modification data in the <nowiki>game_info</nowiki> and <nowiki>game_modification_info</nowiki> database tables into a separate <nowiki>game_content_info</nowiki> table (Pentarctagon)
* PR for Ghoul line portraits (doofus-01)
* Draw text on images in [[IntroWML]], useable for place-name labels on the journey-tracker maps. (octalot)
* Handling of vision and movement, issues #3356, #4179. (octalot)

== 1.15.10 (02/20/2021) ==
* Have the Travis-CI MP unit tests validate database functionality (Pentarctagon)
* Add missing story art for tRoW (Lordbob)
* Either merge or reject a refactor of terrain handling, as described in issue #4279, Ford^Overlay: Costs for worst(best(a, b), c, d) terrain are worst(a, b, c, d). (octalot)
* Remove the wesnoth-ai textdomain, as suggested in #4669 (octalot)

== 1.15.11 (03/20/2021) ==
* Remove the scenario editor functionality, keeping specific features that are useful, such as being able to place unit sprites (Pentarctagon)
* Portraits for any new animals added in earlier milestones (doofus-01)

== 1.15.12 (04/17/2021) ==
* Add story art for UtBS (Lordbob)

== 1.15.13 (05/15/2021) ==
*

== 1.15.14 (06/19/2021) ==
* Add Dunefolk portraits. Next year is quite long-term, but the Dunefolk are plenty so I want to work on them in the background rather than take too much at once and burn myself out. (Lordbob)
* Possibly work on an UtBS dialogue touchup. (nemaara)
* By this time, hopefully move around the campaigns so that they're more correctly ordered in difficulty (either rebalancing or simply changing their difficulty ratings). Applies especially to EI. (nemaara)

== 1.15.15 (07/17/2021) ==
*

[[Category:Roadmaps]]

1.15 Roadmap

2020-08-06T04:14:35Z

Nemaara: /* 1.15.14 (06/19/2021) */

This page is for consolidating and planning when new features and fixes are intended to land in the 1.15 development branch. The release schedule for Development releases can be found [https://forums.wesnoth.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52785 here]. A thread for discussing this roadmap can also be found [https://forums.wesnoth.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52786 here]. As a reminder, there is also the previous [https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/issues/4750 1.16 Checklist] issue on github, for those who added items to that.

== Instructions ==
Place the feature or fix you intend to implement within the section of the point release that you intend to have it implemented by, as well as your forum username in parenthesis after the feature description. The point release something is planned to be released with is not set in stone, and can be updated as needed depending on the circumstances.

Additionally, the current set of 1.15 point releases is not final, and can be increased or decreased based on what features and fixes are planned. The only hard deadline, which ''hopefully'' is not an issue, is to have 1.16 released by February 2022. This will allow 1.16 to be in the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS release's repositories, and while I realize we don't plan Wesnoth's releases around any distro's schedule, there are also currently no other criteria to use as a final deadline and February 2022 is easily more than enough time to plan out and implement 1.16, especially given how long 1.14/1.15 have already been going.

== 1.15.4 (08/22/2020) ==

* Mainlining World conquest II (gfgtdf)
* Have #4884 merged, as a lot of the rest of what I want to do depends on this (Pentarctagon)
* Fix #5004 (Pentarctagon)
* Fix #4898 (Pentarctagon)
* Add the logger level statements needed to fix #4898 (Pentarctagon)
* Add missing Naga portraits - 1 new portrait, 3 level up variants (Lordbob)
* Add Royal Warrior portrait (LordBob)
* PR for new animals/monsters, art to be finalized later (doofus-01)
* Drop the python2 wmlparser and wmlparser2. This would finish issue #1508, and it now seems to be at the "remove it and see if anyone wants it back" stage. (octalot).
* Either drop or document the l10n-track file, issue #4717 (octalot)

== 1.15.5 (09/19/2020) ==

* Campaignd support for different min wesnoth versions (gfgtdf)
* Add Mechanical unit portraits - 2 new portraits, 2 variants (Lordbob)
* Improve the documentation for the editor, following from the discussion in PR #4999 (octalot)
* Fix issue #4876, by making UtBS's Quenoth elves not share their help pages with forest elves (octalot)

== 1.15.6 (10/17/2020) ==

* Api to query abilities and traits by id, whcih are then uses by the {TRAIT...}, {ABILITY...} macros (gfgtdf)
* Re-add the dunefolk faction to WCII (gfgtdf)
* Create the queryd program. Its purpose would be to execute SQL separate from wesnothd, so that queries that could potentially take several seconds or longer to complete won't block wesnothd from continuing to run until the query completes (Pentarctagon)
* Implement a game history viewer by utilizing queryd (Pentarctagon)
* Add Wose shaman portrait (Lordbob)
* Look how practical the new mainline macros are (Sevu)
* PR with changes to mainline macros (Sevu)
* Branch for Lua rewrite of ANL, having an ANL Lua module which can be reused by UMC. (Sevu)
* Add a help page for gold/silver crowns and loyal marker, issue #4455. (octalot)

== 1.15.7 (11/21/2020) ==
* Implement an MP reporting dialog as a replacement for the <nowiki>/query report <message></nowiki> command that's available now. This could include functionality such as searching for the username(s) to report, searching for a particular game to report (currently running or already ended, if already ended then automatically include a link to the game's replay), and inserting a PM to the MP Moderators group from the reporter (though I'm not sure if this part is actually possible) (Pentarctagon)
* Add missing Monsters & Creatures portraits - 5-8 portraits (Lordbob)
* Rebalance prices of monster units & Chocobone (Sevu)
* Mainline Visual Map Pack (Sevu)

== 1.15.8 (12/19/2020) ==
* Add SQL support to campaignd using mariadbpp (Pentarctagon)
* Store add-on upload history in the database (Pentarctagon)
* Revamp Duelist line portraits (Lordbob)
* Sprites and basic animations for any approved new animals (doofus-01)
* Mainline Undead Empire (an ANL scenario) (Sevu)

== 1.15.9 (01/16/2021) ==
* Add a <nowiki>forum_auth=yes|no</nowiki> attribute to _server.pbl to allow authenticating via the add-on author's forum username and password. Add-on authors utilizing this then wouldn't need to provide a separate email or passphrase value (Pentarctagon)
* Reorganize scenario/era/modification data in the <nowiki>game_info</nowiki> and <nowiki>game_modification_info</nowiki> database tables into a separate <nowiki>game_content_info</nowiki> table (Pentarctagon)
* PR for Ghoul line portraits (doofus-01)
* Draw text on images in [[IntroWML]], useable for place-name labels on the journey-tracker maps. (octalot)
* Handling of vision and movement, issues #3356, #4179. (octalot)

== 1.15.10 (02/20/2021) ==
* Have the Travis-CI MP unit tests validate database functionality (Pentarctagon)
* Add missing story art for tRoW (Lordbob)
* Either merge or reject a refactor of terrain handling, as described in issue #4279, Ford^Overlay: Costs for worst(best(a, b), c, d) terrain are worst(a, b, c, d). (octalot)
* Remove the wesnoth-ai textdomain, as suggested in #4669 (octalot)

== 1.15.11 (03/20/2021) ==
* Remove the scenario editor functionality, keeping specific features that are useful, such as being able to place unit sprites (Pentarctagon)
* Portraits for any new animals added in earlier milestones (doofus-01)

== 1.15.12 (04/17/2021) ==
* Add story art for UtBS (Lordbob)

== 1.15.13 (05/15/2021) ==
*

== 1.15.14 (06/19/2021) ==
* Add Dunefolk portraits. Next year is quite long-term, but the Dunefolk are plenty so I want to work on them in the background rather than take too much at once and burn myself out. (Lordbob)
* Possibly work on an UtBS dialogue touchup. (nemaara)

== 1.15.15 (07/17/2021) ==
*

[[Category:Roadmaps]]

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-08-04T22:30:00Z

Nemaara:

<big>'''This page is no longer relevant to Wesnoth lore and will not be added to the game in an organized fashion, if at all. Please refer to the in-game help pages for relevant Wesnoth lore.'''
</big>

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

== Undead lore (complete, but not added) ==

* '''This needs to be added to the game'''

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* '''Races completely unable to use black magic''': elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Valefolk's (Haldric's people) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Dunefolk lore ==

TODO: fill this in
@ghype, @Hejnewar, @PastaSaucey

=== Summary ===

=== Backstory ===
TODO: dunefolk origins
TODO: why do the dunefolk hate magic?

=== Society ===

TODO: add something about the luminaries' secret cult?

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-08-04T22:13:12Z

Nemaara:

<big>'''This page is no longer relevant to Wesnoth lore and will not be added to the game in an organized fashion, if at all. Please refer to the in-game help pages for relevant Wesnoth lore.'''
</big>

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore (complete, but not added) ==

* '''This needs to be added to the game'''

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* '''Races completely unable to use black magic''': elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Valefolk's (Haldric's people) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Dunefolk lore ==

TODO: fill this in
@ghype, @Hejnewar, @PastaSaucey

=== Summary ===

=== Backstory ===
TODO: dunefolk origins
TODO: why do the dunefolk hate magic?

=== Society ===

TODO: add something about the luminaries' secret cult?

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-08-04T22:12:50Z

Nemaara:

This page is no longer relevant to Wesnoth lore and will not be added to the game in an organized fashion, if at all. Please refer to the in-game help pages for relevant Wesnoth lore.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore (complete, but not added) ==

* '''This needs to be added to the game'''

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* '''Races completely unable to use black magic''': elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Valefolk's (Haldric's people) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Dunefolk lore ==

TODO: fill this in
@ghype, @Hejnewar, @PastaSaucey

=== Summary ===

=== Backstory ===
TODO: dunefolk origins
TODO: why do the dunefolk hate magic?

=== Society ===

TODO: add something about the luminaries' secret cult?

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:33:12Z

Nemaara: /* Society */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore (complete, but not added) ==

* '''This needs to be added to the game'''

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* '''Races completely unable to use black magic''': elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Valefolk's (Haldric's people) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Dunefolk lore ==

TODO: fill this in
@ghype, @Hejnewar, @PastaSaucey

=== Summary ===

=== Backstory ===
TODO: dunefolk origins
TODO: why do the dunefolk hate magic?

=== Society ===

TODO: add something about the luminaries' secret cult?

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:32:39Z

Nemaara: /* Summary */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore (complete, but not added) ==

* '''This needs to be added to the game'''

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* '''Races completely unable to use black magic''': elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Valefolk's (Haldric's people) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Dunefolk lore ==

TODO: fill this in
@ghype, @Hejnewar, @PastaSaucey

=== Summary ===

=== Backstory ===
TODO: dunefolk origins
TODO: why do the dunefolk hate magic?

=== Society ===

TOOD: add something about the luminaries' secret cult?

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:31:58Z

Nemaara: /* Undead lore */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore (complete, but not added) ==

* '''This needs to be added to the game'''

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Valefolk's (Haldric's people) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Dunefolk lore ==

TODO: fill this in
@ghype, @Hejnewar, @PastaSaucey

=== Summary ===

=== Backstory ===
TODO: dunefolk origins
TODO: why do the dunefolk hate magic?

=== Society ===

TOOD: add something about the luminaries' secret cult?

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:31:23Z

Nemaara: /* Backstory */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Valefolk's (Haldric's people) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Dunefolk lore ==

TODO: fill this in
@ghype, @Hejnewar, @PastaSaucey

=== Summary ===

=== Backstory ===
TODO: dunefolk origins
TODO: why do the dunefolk hate magic?

=== Society ===

TOOD: add something about the luminaries' secret cult?

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:20:51Z

Nemaara: /* Dunefolk lore */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Dunefolk lore ==

TODO: fill this in
@ghype, @Hejnewar, @PastaSaucey

=== Summary ===

=== Backstory ===
TODO: dunefolk origins
TODO: why do the dunefolk hate magic?

=== Society ===

TOOD: add something about the luminaries' secret cult?

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:18:31Z

Nemaara:

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Dunefolk lore ==

TODO: fill this in
@ghype, @Hejnewar, @PastaSaucey

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:16:58Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish lore */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore (complete) ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:16:13Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish lore */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

* '''Almost all of this is in the game already'''
* '''The extra information in this section (not in the game) can be helpful as a guideline for campaign writing, but should be more subtle and come across in representations (show, don't tell!)'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:14:08Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish lore */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

* '''Most of this is in the game already'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:13:54Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish lore */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

* '''Most of this is in the game already.'''

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T09:03:28Z

Nemaara: /* Orcish culture */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime. We may not necessarily see this in game, but maybe include an offhand reference to it here and there.

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

- (This is the same as classic canon) Orc litters are typically composed of one or two "true orcs", a couple "half orcs" (those more slight of frame), and a few goblins (about half the litter).

- Originally (after coming to the Great Continent, as well as during Jevyan's time), orcs were mostly hunter gatherers, obtaining most of their supplies from raids. Eventually, they realized this was not really sustainable since there simply weren't enough resources that they could get this way.

- Two things began to change how they function in relation to the other races. One, orcs began to have fewer litters to control their population (mentioned above). In addition, they learned from humans and began to utilize agriculture, which was handled by the goblins (this would make a great little campaign, actually; also, see point 5). Note that orcs are actually omnivores, so they are certainly capable of eating vegetables.

- The combination of the above made orcish society much less aggressive and invasive to other races' territories, allowing them to coexist more peacefully with others.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T08:53:25Z

Nemaara: /* Summary */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide
* In terms of thematic material, elves have to find a way to reconcile their rigid and sometimes backwards customs with a progressing world
* Throughout the three arcs, they learn to understand that humans, dwarves, and even orcs are a major part of Irdya and that the world is not only theirs to control
* Elven xenophobia is a thing, but we will see many individuals who defy that and shape the progressions of their respective societies; though stubborn, elves are capable of learning (even if it takes time)

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-11T08:51:00Z

Nemaara:

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

Elves represent the dichotomy between tradition and progression. Some elven conclaves (or individuals) tend to be highly xenophobic, both to the detriment of themselves and others. While elves can certainly be overly prideful, this dislike of other races more often comes from distrust, where they think that their presence actively harms the stability of elven society.

Hand in hand with this, many elves are staunchly traditionalist and follow their society's customs almost to the letter, even when it only does harm to them. This is not surprising, given that in many ways, elvish culture has many rigid structures, which is ingrained in their customs despite them not being law. Though their society does place mechanisms for adapting to different situations (e.g. changing the "ruling" caste in times of war), elves are generally not good when it comes to surprises. Sometimes, they may take quite a long time to make decisions because of this, which also gets them into trouble.

- Examples include: TRoW, LoW (both old and proposed rewrite), TSG (both old and proposed revision), SoF, parts of NR.

The above does not apply to all, or necessarily even the majority of elves. It only encompasses a large enough portion of the population that it is a problem. In reality, there are quite a few elves who can be fairly progressive, accepting other races and making provisions for them as well as altering their customs to adapt to the new world order.

- Examples: Dionli, Ethiliel, Chantel, Eryssa

- In general, Wesmere tends to be better than Lintanir at adapting to things. Lintanir is often full of traditionalist elves. Funny enough, this irritates many of the Wesmere elves.

- A civil war was fought over the above (see LoW, both old and proposed rewrite)

Overall, throughout the 3 arcs, the elves learn to reconcile their sometimes backwards customs with outsiders and generally become more welcoming. From an individual character standpoint, it is possible to write themes of:

- A "progressive" elf trying to change the hearts of the people around them and abandon some of their older, pointless customs

- A "progressive" elf trying the above and more or less failing, thus being forced back into their societal rules or rebelling against it outright (note that a Sylph would be very likely to do this, there's a reason they don't have a huge role in elvish society, being the ones with the greatest insight)

- A "traditionalist" elf affirming their customs and causing trouble for other people (see Landar)

- Of course there are others possible as well, the above are only suggestions.

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-10T10:49:47Z

Nemaara: /* Narrative themes */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===
TODO: think about this

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-10T10:49:26Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish society */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids (as a societal role) even if they are not only that.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-10T10:46:43Z

Nemaara: /* Summary */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport
* Don't fight elves inside their forests, that's basically suicide

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-10T10:45:59Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish society */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

- Regarding the security and vitality of elven forests, their homes are actually physically more resilient and secure than other races' settlements (even many powerful stone strongholds and the like). The reason for this is their magic from shamans, druids, and shydes enhancing the physical toughness of their forests, both against natural disasters (e.g. wildfires, tornadoes, drought, etc.) as well as against hostile enemies (e.g. their trees are actually simply just very hard to cut down).

- From sorceresses and enchantresses, the subtle magic of "insight" affects the minds of those who enter their domains, which can take effect in many ways like inducing fear or nervousness, simple confusion such as getting lost in the forest or running around in circles, or generally breaking the enemy's willpower to fight. The combination of this with the physical resilience of their forests means that their villages are actually quite secure.

- Elves are very potent in their own domains, though are more or less just regular beings outside of them. In other words, fighting an elvish troop inside their own forest would be near suicide even for an army with much more brute force than them. However, they wouldn't necessarily do so well if they left their woods. It would not be an exaggeration to say that there has been many hundreds to a couple thousand years of magic placed into enhancing their homes, which is why they are so strong there.

=== Narrative themes ===

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-10T10:34:43Z

Nemaara: /* Summary */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Elvish magic diverges along two paths, which drives a lot of how they function as a society
* Society is made up of magi, civilians, and soldiers, with the only units not fitting into this being sylphs (who typically function on their own)
* Elvish society is unlike most other races' in that they have a true civilian class protected from war (in addition to their magi usually being relatively pacifistic)
* The above is enabled by their powerful magics, which protect their homes
* In times of peace, elvish leaders are usually not military units (marshals, avengers, etc.); for representation in-game, sharpshooters are exempt from this due to the elves' treatment of archery as a sport

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

=== Narrative themes ===

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-10T10:28:50Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish society */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===
TODO: fill this in

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.

- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

=== Narrative themes ===

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-10T10:28:26Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish society */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===
TODO: fill this in

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

Elvish society is roughly divided into three factions: a pseudo-military faction responsible for defending their forests, peaceful civilians who are usually craftsmen and artists, and healers and mystics who maintain the elves’ connection to the faerie. Responsible for governing these different aspects is the nobility, who are treated as servants to the broader social order, rather than as strict rulers of their people. The process for selecting these nobles differs between the various elven conclaves, with the governing council of Wesmere — the Ka’lian — being elected and the nobility in Lintanir usually being inherited.

In times of strife, the hierarchy of command becomes more adaptable, with the ordinary aristocracy deferring to more war-minded marshals. By tradition, in both Wesmere and Lintanir, an enchantress from the order of elven mystics is also called upon to facilitate the transition of power.

Among the nobility, most lords find themselves strongly aligned with enchantresses, thus associating themselves with the aspects of insight and destruction. Though not the same thing as wisdom, a lord’s intuition is usually to be respected, and his wrath, feared. This only grows more true with age, as time brings acuity to the elf’s mind and senses.

In contrast, noble ladies of the elvish enclaves are associated with wisdom and preservation. As those entrusted with maintaining many of the more venerated Elvish traditions, they play a large role in safeguarding the tranquility and natural wonder of their renowned forest sanctuaries. Unlike their counterparts in the lords, many of whom gain great individual insight through their use of arcane magic, most ladies spread their power throughout the societal orders that they guide, often at some cost to their own personal abilities. For this reason, they serve most often as diplomats and peacekeepers, holding high authority during times of amity and taking a lesser role in times of war.

There are several notable things about how certain factions and unit lines are present in the world, which are listed as follows:

1. Marshals and other elves that fall under the "military" category typically are not among the elvish leadership, except in times of war. An elven council will usually consist of lords and ladies as well as powerful elven magi (shydes, enchantresses) and some civilians. For representation in game, sharpshooters would be the one combat unit to use, since for elves, archery is also viewed as a sport. A high elven council may allow military units to be present and even take advice from them, but usually they would not be the ones holding power.

2. Elven magi, including sorceresses and enchantresses, usually have some duty or obligation to their societies (elaborated upon in their unit descriptions as well as above). Sylphs, however, are a different matter altogether and are only very rarely present in their respective conclaves. Even meeting a sylph is quite rare, since they spend most of their time alone (or with a couple followers), devoting themselves to mysticism. When they need to communicate with other people, a common method is astral projection, where they take on a non-physical visage that is usually not their own form but speaks with their voice.

- This is not true for shydes, who function more or less like more powerful versions of druids.

3. Elven magi are usually pacifists and usually try to refrain from participating directly in combat. In cases where they feel that warfare is not justified or unnecessary (SoF, for example), they may not be present among the elven war ranks.

4. Elves usually do not engage in total war, unlike orcs and even some humans. They have a true civilian class, enabled by their mastery of defense in their forest domains (which themselves are enhanced by powerful magic). An elven village in the heart of the forest is rarely under threat by outsiders and usually hidden away by subtle magic. Most of the battles we see in wesnoth would be on military outposts, sometimes (but less often) on an outskirt village. To be freely granted entrance to an elven city would be considered an honor for outsiders.

- In comparison, human villages are pretty much out in the open and quite often threatened by raiders or orcs. It would not be a stretch to say that places like Parthyn were almost completely destroyed at certain points in time.
- For orcs, even in the NR era, most of their people are warriors of some sort.

=== Narrative themes ===

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-10T10:04:17Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish lore */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

=== Summary ===
TODO: fill this in

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

=== Narrative themes ===

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-08T21:48:17Z

Nemaara: /* Orcish culture */

'''WARNING:''' The following page contains game secrets intended for campaign designers. We cannot stop anyone from reading it, but if you are a player you should consider hitting your back button now, as you will probably enjoy learning these things more if you do it through the hints dropped at various places in the mainline campaigns.

This is a work-in-progress presenting the current state of the Irdya Canon, the revised lore that will be in Wesnoth 1.16 onwards. Things on here might not be secret, but for a work-in-progress it's easier to write first and then decide whether it should be secret or not.

Summary sections are supposed to only cover the most important aspects. If you want to work with this lore, please read the respective sections in-depth.

== Resources ==

Forum threads:

* The main lore starts in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51194 A grand design for singleplayer mainline lore] thread.
* Non-developer users can discuss in the [https://r.wesnoth.org/t51821 Single Player campaign overhaul discussion (non-Developers Forum version)] thread.

== Campaign projects ==

=== Arc 1: The Rise of Wesnoth ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi and doofus-01 (for SoF)

Campaigns in this arc: TRoW, LoW, SoF, SotA (beetlenaut wants to get involved for changes)

Central story elements:

* Green isles background
* Lich Lords
* Orcs as slaves of the LL's
* Founding of Wesnoth
* Introduction of the Ruby of Fire and creation of the scepter

=== Arc 2: Heir to the Throne ===

Currently responsible: nemaara/Yumi

Campaigns in this arc in order: TSG, AA (Angel of Ashes), DM (Demon of Embers, builds on tidbits of Defaldors Memoirs), Liberty, HttT.

Central story elements:

* fall of king Garard II, rise of queen Asheviere
* story of Defaldor
* Asheviere as the first person to seek different relations to the orcs
* story of Konrad and Lisar

=== Arc 3: Northern Rebirth ===

Currently responsible: Whiskeyjack

Campaigns in this arc: NR, EI, DW, IoM (Isle of Mists).

Included in some way or another: THoT, SotBE

Central story elements:

* creation of the Northern Alliance
* (political) emancipation of the orcs
* Mal Ravanal's invasion(s)
* saurians!

=== Stand-alone campaigns ===

Only loosely connected to the three arcs will be DiD, UtBS.

Under rework for standalone: AToTB, MP adaptation (responsible: EarthCake and LordLewis).

Campaigns not yet accounted for: AoI (removed).

== Undead lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Black magic goes back to the Lich Lords, a group of powerful (non-human) necromancers among the Wesfolk who learned from a secret cache of knowledge.
* Later on, necromancers and liches are usually less advanced because they lack that knowledge.
* Black magic (of which necromancy is but a subset) is very difficult and dangerous. For that reason, necromancers (and especially liches) are ''rare''.
* Necromancy also doesn't "corrupt the soul". This is a prejudice.
* However, with strong taboos on black magic, necromancers are usually outcasts and socially isolated beings.
* Undead as a faction are static, mostly unable to learn from their own mistakes and doomed to repeat those of their predecessors.
* Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul".
* '''Races with the ability to use black magic''' (in theory): humans, ogres, naga, saurians (and merfolk, but with extreme effort).
* Races completely unable to use black magic: elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves (these races would "rot" from within, decaying body, mind, and soul rapidly, by simply attempting it).

=== Backstory ===

The undead as we know them originated from the Wesfolks' Lich Lords, who were a group of powerful sorcerers of an ancient race that eventually became liches by an unknown method. Most of the Wesnoth peoples did not know much about the Lich Lords or their origins, though we may choose to reveal their backstory to the player at a later time. The Lich Lords were much stronger and more knowledgeable than ordinary liches (who themselves are already very powerful/mysterious beings), in part due to their access to a secret cache of knowledge pertaining to black magic. They thus are much more well-versed in the secrets of necromancy than most later necromancers and liches. The Lich Lords numbered very few, with a typical number given as eight. Lich Lord Jevyan was among them, noted as the most combat-oriented and war-like of them, but not necessarily the "most powerful". He notes specifically that he was unable to challenge two of the other ones, since they were more or less "invulnerable" in their own domains.

In the years following the Wesfolk and Haldric's peoples (TODO: come up with a name for them) flight to the Great Continent, the first few decades found some of the new magi beginning to experiment with necromancy. In this time frame, there were no other liches (besides the remaining Lich Lords) and very few bands of powerful undead (only some remnants of Jevyan's armies). As more and more people were drawn to the allure of black magic, eventually stronger undead began to emerge (e.g. Ardonna from SotA and Malin Keshar from DiD), though none were able to match the prowess of the Lich Lords of old.

=== Narrative themes ===

As noted below, almost all races instinctively and innately abhor undead to a great degree. Some even have cultural reasons on top of this innate hatred (orcs), while the people of Wesnoth, not having the innate aversion to black magic, dislike necromancy in large part due to their persecution at the hands of Jevyan. In general, users of necromancy are not tolerated in any society and are doomed to a life of loneliness and misunderstanding.

One theme among the undead is that black magic itself does not really "corrupt the soul", as so many people are taught to believe, but that the shunning and misunderstanding of others is what drives many necromancers to madness (or to spurn society in retaliation). With most necromancers being primarily alone for most of their lives, they tend to have poor communication skills as well, which tends to prevent them from learning from each other, making necromancy a self-perpetuating cycle of more or less misery. In other cases, practitioners of necromancy (and black magic as well) were somewhat twisted/selfish individuals from the start (Darken Volk), suggesting that they were unable to find themselves fitting well into society to begin with. While some necromancers are like Malin, who seek power for a specific goal, others - already deviants or societal outcasts - are drawn to it by default. People who choose to fit into the mould of society rarely feel the need to challenge the taboo that is black magic (e.g. normal mages, Delfador). In brief, black magic does not have any effects on the soul or mind directly, but the culture around it certainly draws some of the more twisted or selfish individuals (or drives people to become so).

As a whole, then, undead (necromancers, mostly) are a faction that is incapable of learning from their own mistakes. They are explicitly static (as a faction) over time and very individual driven. Many individuals all have their own motives/reasons for being drawn to black magic and may have knowledge of previous necromancers and their stories. In almost every case, the necromancer fails to learn from their predecessors and meets the same end: alone, shunned by everyone else - and usually miserable. Examples of these are Ardonna (tries to teach other people necromancy, but this fails because society simply cannot accept it), Malin (tries to help his village with necromancy, but culture demands that they spurn him), Asheviere (her use of black magic is a large part of what turns many people against her). This is compounded by the fact that most other races (besides humans and saurians) inherently fear black magic.

=== Black magic and secrets of the undead ===

All races have an affinity for certain types of magic. This includes elves with nature magic or arcane fire, drakes with their internal flames, and dwarves with their runes. The same is true for black magic. Any user of black magic should come from a race with an innate affinity for it. Those that do not cannot use black magic without severe repercussions - usually, this manifests itself as "rotting" the being from within, decaying the body, mind, and soul rapidly over time. Eventually, the body is destroyed even if the user stops using black magic. Note that black magic does not strictly refer to necromancy. Necromancy is a subcategory of black magic, which has many other uses than merely raising undead.

Races with the ability to use black magic (at least in theory) are humans, ogres, naga, and saurians. Merfolk could as well, but it would be ''very'' difficult for them. Notable races that cannot use black magic are elves, woses, trolls, drakes, orcs, and dwarves. Any necromancers or liches of these races are automatically non-canon, even if they were in a 1.14 mainline campaign.

The above is also why these races hate black magic to a great degree, even if they might not understand the reason behind it. Black magic is inherently extremely dangerous to them and they are innately disinclined to it, nevermind the moral reasons they may argue against it. Humans, being a rather practical group, have societal reasons they would disallow black magic, but individuals among humans are probably the most inclined to attempt to master black magic. Saurians tend to be interested more in their own witchcraft (note that it is not black magic, though distantly related in some senses), but some individuals may also be inclined to study black magic. This is much less likely for ogres or nagas.

Black magic is a form of magic that manipulates the three pieces of being, "body", "mind", and "soul". Its most widespread use is that for necromancy, although other applications are certainly possible (e.g. the creation of living chimera, manipulation of the "body").

==== Necromancy ====

Specifically pertaining to undead, animation of things like skeletons and ghouls constitute manipulation of the "body", while ghosts are manifestations of the "soul". All undead have some form of manipulation of the "mind" in some way or another, since a necromancer does not typically directly manipulate their minions. In DiD, Darken Volk notes that novice necromancers may indeed control their skeletons directly with magic like puppets, but neither he nor Malin do this, since this would clearly become prohibitive with a larger army of undead. Instead, the manipulate the "mind", allowing their minions some degree of free will (such as being able to fight on their own) while still retaining sovereignty.

In general, because the "body" is tangible and the "soul" is not, manipulation of the body is simpler. Furthermore, the soul being a creature's essence makes it relatively more difficult to control, which becomes only more true for more powerful spirits, especially the more the "mind" is manipulated. Lesser necromancers rarely use powerful spirits (Spectres and Nightgaunts) because of this; maintaining control over them becomes a direct battle of willpower, which is extremely dangerous to the necromancer themself. Spectres and Nightgaunts tend to be relatively rare compared to other level 3 undead, and only strong necromancers like Malin or Ardonna would come to use them. Average necromancers (even Darken Volk) stick to using Wraiths/Shadows at most.

Another implication of the above is that more complex manipulation of either the "body", "soul", or "mind" requires correspondingly more skill from the necromancer. Ghouls, being a twisted form of flesh, are harder to create than skeletons. Imparting an undead minion with more "mind" (i.e. greater consciousness/free will) is also more difficult to accomplish to begin with, let alone to maintain. This also implies that becoming a lich is an extremely difficult task, since it involves complete (or near complete) preservation of the mind, fixation of the soul into a vessel, and resurrection of the body simultaneously. Since all three elements are involved at a high level, only the most talented (and lucky!) of magi actually can become liches. This means that liches are much rarer than in Classic Canon, and there wouldn't likely be very many at any given time. A lich enemy would be a serious threat, not typically a trivial chance encounter in a swamp or cave.

Finally, the manipulation of "will" inherent to all undead minions is essential for their functioning. Weak will imbuing results in the undeads destruction along with their master (note, that the current master is not necessarily the one that resurrected them; such lesser undead merely need ''someone'' to supplement them with will). However, imbuing a strong will as described above is a difficult task and increases the danger of the minion breaking free from their master (this is especially dangerous for higher order spirits and death knights). Another necromancer or a "free" undead can also try to wrest control of minions from another necromancer. This, again, becomes easier the weaker the will instilled in the minion.

== Orcish lore ==

=== Summary ===

* Orcs are a race created for enslavement and servitude by Lich Lord Jevyan.
* Over time they free themselves and create their own culture.
* Their theme is one of redemption, finding their way from single-minded raiders and murderers to a society equal to that of other races.
* Because of their history, orcs hold strong taboos on slavery and black magic.
* An important aspect of orcish culture is the partition of power between a tribes warlord and shaman council.
* Orcish shamans (all female) actually rank higher than the warlords, but leave many aspects of daily rule to them and almost never interfere with aspects of war.
* A warlord that either gains allegiance from other tribes and wins much power, or is appointed as such by a combined shaman council of multiple tribes in times of need can receive the title Sovereign.
* Warlords and shamans are usually held in check by their surrounding peers.

=== Backstory ===

The orcs start out as a race created by Lich Lord Jevyan to be their slaves. Over time, they free themselves from that status and develop their own culture as well as learning more about themselves and their origins. For a long time, they are still seen by the other races as the savage, murderous hordes of destruction they were once created as. This is reinforced by a long tradition of raiding and feuds.

Initially, near their creation in the TRoW timeline, orcs tend to serve as the armies of undead masters, which is specifically what they were bred to do. This would put them at odds with most other races, especially elves, dwarves, and humans, whom Jevyan wages war on with his new armies.

By the time of the HttT timeline, several groups of orcs have broken free of the undead and formed their own clans (example, the prominent Whitefang clan in DiD). While out of habit, they may continue raids on human lands and/or attack other nearby races, some clans begin to grow more peaceful and are willing to coexist with humans in the same space. This is especially true when Asheviere chooses to ally herself with some of them and use them in her armies. Of course, most humans still harbor resentment against orcs due to previous wars/raids (see Malin Keshar), so there would be some infighting within Wesnoth's army itself, and is also why Asheviere is viewed very much as a dictator/evil by her contemporaries. The HttT arc is also where the first orcish shamans begin to appear.

By the time of the NR arc, we see orcs willingly ally themselves with humans and most clans will actively oppose those who violate the pillars of their culture. Many of them start to operate as hunter gatherers with some amount of farming and trading, as opposed to raiding other lands for supplies.

=== Narrative themes ===

The orcish theme is a sort of "redemption" type of story, where one was "born for evil" but eventually "was shown the error of their ways and turned to good". In this case, it means more of that they were originally bred for war, but nevertheless developed their own culture and society. Asheviere may have played a role in facilitating this when she chose to bring some of them to live alongside humans. However, much of their progression was accomplished on their own. This "redemption" story would be an underlying theme throughout all 3 arcs.

=== Orcish culture ===

Between the HttT and NR arcs, orcs progress out of their role as servants to powerful undead lords and form their own culture/traditions. In part due to their nature as a created race meant to be slaves, there are a few taboos that are frowned upon (to greater or lesser extents) once they have actually freed themselves from their origins.

1. Slavery. The greatest taboo among orcs by the time of NR is slavery. As slaves originally (but having freed themselves), slavery is not tolerated by most clans, and many would be actively willing to fight against other orcs who do practice slavery. This is present in NR.

2. Undead/black magic. Orcs are extremely averse to any type of undead and black magic. By the time of NR, it is culturally taboo to have any dealings with undead in any way shape or form, and orcs are very likely to try to destroy undead on sight.

- Note that orcs themselves are unable to use black magic.

- Saurian magic is not black magic (although it shares something distantly related in nature), so orcs do not have any issue with them.

3. Breeding/children. In Jevyan's time, orcs were encouraged to breed as much as possible to grow the strength of his armies and enable him to fight against large groups of humans/elves/dwarves. Through the HttT and NR timelines, orcs begin to realize that breeding as much as possible is impractical and actively choose to reduce the number of litters they have. Less of a hard taboo than slavery, it is still frowned upon for an orcish woman to have too many litters within her lifetime.

- TODO: currently a draft, need to finalize the details of orcish biology

- Jevyan originally crafted the orcs to have the ability to breed or swarm to an incredible degree. Orcish lifecycles and pregnancy times are very low, which enables having several litters in a year, as opposed to humans who are limited to one.

- Originally this put a lot of stress on orcish women, who had to spend most of their time breeding and carrying children, which is why they would be less present in the TRoW and early HttT arcs.

- While litter size is of course more or less fixed (due to their biology), orcs may choose to have fewer litters in a year (often one, or one every other year) to enable population control.

- With fewer orcish women having litters (and also having fewer litters), this enabled them to take a greater role in orcish society/culture.

4. Shamans. While orcish men tend to be physically stronger and more suited for battle, orcish women tend to have a greater connection to the orcs' innate nature (similar to elvish shamans). Because of this, we begin to see the rise of the orcish shaman caste later in HttT, which is traditionally held by orcish women. They serve the role of advisors and judiciaries in orcish culture, with each clan having a small group of shamans itself, while a larger group of clans is advised by a special group of shamans (similar to SotBE).

- Typically thought of as the leader of the clan (by other races), an orcish warlord or sovereign governs the day to day dealings of each clan and holds the greatest authority when it comes to the details of doing war (battle strategy).

- The above is not entirely true when it comes to orcish internal dealings. The Elder Shamans (age being an important quality to a short-lived and warlike species) in each clan hold more authority than a clan's warlord, although they do not typically deal with the details of battle strategy or actively participate on the battlefield. However, they may often advise or make a decision on whether or not to do battle, and may resolve disputes between high ranking members within the clan (including the warlord himself). Their word is typically final, and even the chieftain will not disobey a decision made by the lead shaman.

- This is not to say that the lead shamans govern the clan. They typically fulfill the role of advisors and will only make a ruling/decision in critical circumstances or if asked to by other important members of the clan. Most details and decisions are left to the warlord, who is the de facto leader of the clan.

- The shaman council that advises several groups of clans operates in a similar manner, where they may advise a sovereign or a group of warlords, but typically do not make final decisions. In the event that they do, their word is taken as final. Orcs typically do not disrespect the authority of the shamans, which would be treated as taboo.

- Part of the practical reason this is the case is that shamans hold the greatest knowledge of orcish lore and their origins. Even warlords (the strongest orc in a clan, usually) are quick to recognize the value of that wisdom and insight into their nature.

- Shamans usually operate in groups, such as like a council (where each shaman has equal standing, though deference to elders is usually given). In the event that a shaman tries to abuse her power, typically other shamans will step in and remove the offender.

- Likewise, a warlord (especially a mighty sovereign) may have enough force of arms to disobey the shamans. Typically, other orcs (high ranking clan members or other warlords) will step in to remove the offender in this case.

- In times of war or when a warlords earns allegiance of lesser tribes it can happen that an orc obtains the title of sovereign. In rare cases, such an orc was appointed by shaman councils without actually being his tribes warlords.

- Exceptions to this dynamic might make for an interesting campaign.

- TODO: create a native orcish term for "shaman", "Elder Shaman", and "shaman council".

5. Goblins

- Goblins are the "bastard children" of the orcs like in classic canon. They usually outnumber true orcs, but live shorter lives as well, both naturally and due to being weaker in combat.

- Goblins are responsible for agriculture in orcish tribes. Orcs were originally hunter gatherers just following their conception, but eventually realized that such a lifestyle was not sustainable (beginning to realize this around HttT).

6. Differences in culture between various orcish tribes.
- TODO: add details here. @Whiskeyjack

== Elvish lore ==

TODO: fill this in

=== Fey magic ===

Elven magic is often referred to as fey magic due to its connection to the different aspects of faerie. This power is split between two different paths, one focused on manipulation of the mundane or natural world, and one focused on divination into the arcane plane. Practitioners of the art typically choose one path to follow, more commonly the way of the corporeal plane, which has more tangible effects than its antithesis in the arcane. Those that follow the mystic path are still well-regarded by other elves, but their motives and abilities are often unclear; for elves, the arcane is associated with insight, but exactly what this means is lost upon those without any understanding of elven magic.

Most elven magi - especially those following the natural order - are staunchly pacifistic, exacerbated by the fact that neither path is particularly suited to direct combat. Elves are instead masters of subtlety, manipulating their surroundings in such a way to prevent conflict altogether, before it can even occur. If pressed to warfare, their skills in subduing enemies and healing allies are tremendously useful, if reluctantly given.

Those who travel far down either path of elven magic may begin to find their bodies transforming into faerie-like forms, sprouting butterfly wings and glowing with the characteristic faerie glamour. This transformation has some effect beyond just altering the physical form - a powerful elven mage tends to live much longer than most of their kin, and possesses a greater ability to ''affect'' on a fundamental level. For instance, Shydes are known to communicate intimately with Woses and are rumored to even have the ability to nurture new Woses from existing trees. On the other hand, Sylphs 'see' with a tremendous degree of insight, granting them the knowledge necessary to alter the very fabric of reality by manipulating fabled 'reflection pools'. Despite their similarities, however, elves are not and cannot become true faerie. No matter the strength of the mage, an elf is always bound by mortal rules and can only manipulate extrinsically existing energy, whereas much of a true faerie's power is drawn from within. This restriction represents the ultimate limit of elven magic, which can only be as powerful as the energy that it is drawn from.

=== Elvish society ===

== Human lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Drake lore ==

Currently responsible: ItsTom, RangerLOL, sigurdfdragon

Lore revisions: Drake lore and potential WoV rework (currently removed).

== Dwarven lore ==

TODO: fill this in

== Lore of the smaller races ==

In general, the lore arcs of the smaller races are less substantial than those of the "main" races and often revolve around eking out an existence in the face of the changes and turmoils brought about by the main races. Their stories are partially set into motion cascading from the events of TRoW (saurians) or pertain to their specific realms without being noticed on the playing field of the other races (merfolk).

=== Merfolk ===

The merfolk fight a desperate war against the true creatures of the deep (set off by their own explorations and expansions), over time relocating their palaces ever higher, until they start settling most of their people in safe land-based location in proximity to larger bodies of water (creating more pronounced conflicts with the naga, which are not their primary enemy as of TRoW).

Much of this happens off-screen and is only alluded to. The merfolk of TRoW still speak much more engaged of a "War in the Deeps" than the merfolk that appear in later campaigns, with the merfolk of DW clearly having settled in a coastal area.

The merfolk represent a race that actually can be called "noble" (HttT), valuing honor, honesty, and peace. However, they have a tendency to see light = good and darkness (the depths) = evil, and have, in their overconfidence, started an eternal war they cannot win (although their enemy almost never leaves the actual depths and is not shown to the player). Their arc is one of learning from defeats and facing the shortcomings of their own cosmology and worldview (they are ''not'' intended to be your run-of-the-mill rigid, narrow-minded, and zealous crusader kind of lawful, but something much more flowing and dynamic...).

=== Naga ===

TODO

=== Saurians ===

TODO @Whiskeyjack

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-04-08T10:49:19Z

Nemaara: /* The fey path */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-03-01T03:22:26Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish lore */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-03-01T02:41:57Z

Nemaara: /* Elvish lore */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-19T23:02:24Z

Nemaara: /* Backstory */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-18T23:14:30Z

Nemaara: /* Narrative themes */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-18T22:14:17Z

Nemaara: /* Undead themes */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-18T21:11:44Z

Nemaara: /* Black magic and secrets of the undead */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-18T08:46:25Z

Nemaara: /* Drake themes */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-18T08:46:03Z

Nemaara: /* Stand-alone campaigns */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-18T08:43:21Z

Nemaara: /* Undead themes and backstory */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-18T08:42:58Z

Nemaara:

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-18T08:39:07Z

Nemaara: /* Black magic and secrets of the undead */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-18T08:33:40Z

Nemaara: /* Story of the orcs */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-17T19:44:22Z

Nemaara: /* Necromancy and secrets of the undead */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-17T05:59:22Z

Nemaara: /* Necromancy and secrets of the undead */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-17T05:54:27Z

Nemaara: /* Necromancy and secrets of the undead */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-14T23:44:36Z

Nemaara: /* Orcish culture */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-14T23:43:51Z

Nemaara: /* Orcish culture */

IrdyaCanonSecretLore

2020-02-14T23:42:54Z

Nemaara: /* Orcish culture */