17.05.2026

                                           Coven Vogue: What do Warriors Wear? [Excerpts]
What did warriors of our great continent wore in the ancient days, when gods walked, the wicked servants of fiends tempted and invaded? That is the question I feel is a good start to explain what the Drengriarh-Caste wears commonly. 
In the ancient days, no proper uniform by today’s standards existed. Their outfit consisted of the pieces they owned. Thick, colorful and high collared kyrtills to shield against the cold climate of the High Lands, with jerkins and doublets affixed with plates. These included breastplates and backplates (for the veterans) crafted by the town or villages’ smiths, with some minor enchantments woven into them to make them lighter, increase the endurance of the wearer when they had to march for weeks or months.
Veterans received also gorgets or aventails to protect their necks against the elements and the of course enemy spears, swords, axes and so on. Their headwear included chainmail or scaled cowls that are still in use, sometimes paired with helmets with curving cheek-guards, ridged or crested tops (after the Subjugation of Nauheim), to even battle-crowns worn by those with greater talent in the High Arts. 
Their leggings varied from war-skirts to tautly woven trousers often brocaded with the insignia of their lords, divine symbols or just runes spelling out their names or where they hailed from. 
In the present day, Drengriarhs of the Snow-Scaled dress in button-down shirt of a deep black (when it comes to the Hritvia Host), and a royal purple (when it comes to their Svartfaeth Host). The Black Roses wear a two-toned, button-down shirt of a snow-silvern and scarlet red pairing. A shirt with an elegant, button-lined cuff at the end of the lengthy sleeves, a structured placket for a seamless, professional look, and great collars that shield their necks, caress the wearer’s cheeks or jawline.
Over it, the Snow-Scaled opted for a more refined Waistcoat of a refined and sleek cotton, whilst the Black Roses developed a long-sleeved vest with a corset like paneling at the waist and back, with standing collars that slip under the shirt’s folded down collar. A quite delectable piece, to articulate the gained elven slenderness provided by their beautification elixir.
For leggings, they still opt for either a war-skirt or taut trousers, though with minimalistic designs compared to their ancestors. Footwear includes tall boots reaching up nearly to their knees, thick and warm, with elevated soles or high heels, and the cuffs folded down with great volume. 
Regarding their coats, they incorporated elements of the past with some modern fashion designs. The silhouettes are angular and form-fitting when fully closed, a bit more relaxed upon partial opening. The coats themselves are double-breasted, with a front panel lapping over another with a diagonal zipper starting from the asymmetrical hem (right side lengthened over the thighs), ending on the right side of the collar. At the waist, a broad and lightly tasseled belt cinches about, the tassels themselves made into Knut-Knots, an ancient symbol the caste adopted in the ancient days. Atop, the shoulders are padded, decorated with oblong straps upon first elevation, though the on the left side are usually hidden by the half-aventail cloak. The neck and collar itself have been made in the likeness of ancient nairenthian aventails, with an elliptical shape, high and relatively spacious around the neck, framing their faces. 
When it comes to the Faufnisriarh’s coat, the history is much shorter compared to the Drengriarh-Caste’s. Most of the designs were made before we ventured beyond the firmament, when these branches were limited to the skies. Hence the more prominent draconic or avian elements not just within our Eminent Circles or Covens, but across the globe. These include the M-Shaped spread collar that has a dramatic look as it stands upright, the zipper placed in the middle so that lapels could be added at the chest line, just above the broad and tasseled waist belt, resembling the silhouettes of unfolded, outstretched dragon wings. The subtle asymmetry is also changed, with the short cloak draping over both shoulders and the back, and gradually shortening at the front, creating a curtain look. The hem is quite similar, with the back lengthened. 
                                        Votum Prime, a World Almost Taken by Desires:
Votum Prime was a world like ours. Or almost like ours. Whilst our world’s majority is taken up by the three oceans, theirs had two, adorned by four titanic continents. Instead, some of their lakes grew to be the size of seas, with thousands of rivers dotted by settlements. Or the remnants as the repopulation efforts continue onwards. Great mountains two arise from the earth, the highest located on the continent at the western hemisphere. One that according to our geologists, once was a super volcano that may have wiped out the first generation of people sown by the Gods. 
Its civilizations matched ours too, with many nations sprawling on the continents. In the north, cities bore styles similar to Hoshigawa; in the west, they were likened to the styles of Franchoi; in the south, they had colorful and high structures evoking those in Nauheim and the Crescent and the Tear, whilst in the east, they relied on wooden structures more so than stone, evident from the luscious forests that remained in the days the Desirous Legions tarnished the world. 
From what we learned from documents, annals, chronicles, newspapers, the Gods bestowed and taught them too, the mysteries of the High Arts. Circles and covens held quite the power, though after the disappearance of the Great Divinities, their faiths remained, but certain knowledge got lost with time for one reason or another. Knowledge in regards of otherworldly beings, like the Fiends and their infernal slaves, who got forgotten, and instead a belief of merely challenging deities took their place in ancient myths. For what reason this got lost, we have mere theories. 
One such theory – that seems to be the most plausible – presents that demonic cults infiltrated their institutions, working for decades to convince, bribe and threaten politicians, nobles, statesmen to rewrite history, so that they could work unabated in the shadows. But without evidence, this is mere conjecture. 
What we do know, is that their technology was quite close to where we stood just a decade before the Great War. They had cars, trucks, tanks, airboats and great ships of metallic hulls developed and produced at an industrial level, evident from massive factories that were repurposed by the infernal invaders. Though instead of relying on Viduthian Engines to power them, they harnessed lightning – or something similar in nature to it – to run them. Likewise, their weaponry included bladed weapons, spears, crossbows, wands and staves, but also rifles, pistols and rapid-guns that used some kind of enchanted projectile instead of discharging minor spells. 
During the Purification Crusades, we also discovered compounds, sites where the remnants of early Voidvessels remained in subterranean chambers with horizontal doors above them. From recovered documentation, we can safely say, they were mere months before propelling their first vessel beyond the firmament. One that was fairly well equipped to survive the harsh environs of the Void Between Worlds.  
                                                                News and Commentary:
  • And another week goes by. A bit less productive in terms of writing, as was busy helping with some funeral stuff, then the actual funeral was just draining enough mentally. Plus slept very little this week, so just did a minimal outlining, no editing as I wanted to.
  • But let’s start with some commentary. Mostly the changes in the looks of the Drengriarhs and the Faufnisriarhs. The first “bigger” change was the swapping of their coat collars. The whole folded down, Napoleonic inspired collar design made more sense for the Ginutvia Host in hindsight. They are the one that started out as an Air Force of the both the Snow-Scaled and the Black Roses. So, most of their uniforms incorporate “wing” elements. Whilst the ground forces are going for a more streamlined look. Was thinking of including the naval subcaste but for now, I am just focusing on the caste’s featured in the Rinsing Filth Tale. 
  • Also, Snow-Scaled and Black Rose will share some design elements, though the have some distinctions beyond the color schemes. For example, zipper teeth have more fang-like look for the Snow-Scaled, more neatly aligned thorned look for the Black Roses. Snow-Scaled also incorporate scaled texturing for their decorative rims, and on the sleeves, shoulders and the inner lining. 
  • Regarding Votum Prime, it is quite the large world, though decided on a slightly different approach of a world with less body of waters, though have lakes that can be considered seas and, in a way, the four continents are linked at various points. Though it is a fairly early draft of how the world looks. Still not decided on borders, though have an idea that another gangly mountain serves as a hard border between the northern and western continent, a savage strait divides the south and east.
  • In terms of looks, fashion, in relation to our own, they were in their 1940s to 1950s before the whole fall to the Desirous Legions. They may even had satellites. 
  • Now, for progress. As mentioned, this was a slow week. Focused mostly on the July story, doing some worldbuilding, came up and expanded on the setting, and was doing some adjustments to the plot, to the characters. As of right now, it will nave nine “point of view” characters stretched across the three chapters, with the last possibly being the assassin. Not sure yet on the ending. 
  • Setting I believe mentioned to be a resort isle, owned by the Wondrous Coven, incorporating renaissance elements combined with high fantasy flamboyance and impracticality made practical through sorcery. Worldbuilding expansion focused more on a faction of Thulyandivian communists, one of Wyruthrin’s responsible for an insurrection that ended a bit bloody. A faction that may appear in one of the short stories not-yet-planned for September or November. 
  • Anyhow, I rambled on enough. Thank you for reading this, and next week, I’ll return with some lore on the looks of the Gudlaeths, Volvaeths and Gynnunghaeths, alongside an early introduction to the Desirous Legions, and some devils and demons that will feature in this month’s tale. Till then, take care and have a pleasant week folks!