The Contract

The contract is central to the world of the entities and is seen as a religious activity or sacrament by the main races. It can be used extensively throughout the game as a common everyday thing or as a religious sacrament to only be done on special occasions. It all depends on what you want to do with it.

The role of contracts: The contract was the first constructive thing the entities ever did. Contracts, treaties and pacts are seen as a religious thing among the main five races of world and among the elemental people. Other races don’t see them as so important but only break a treaty if they know that they can get away with it or are well prepared to defend themselves before they break it. 

The three words pact, treaty and contract hold different meanings. A treaty is the word used for an agreement between two mortal races. A trade treaty is an agreement for trade or a treaty on rent is an agreement for paying rent. A contract is that between an entity or someone more powerful than a mortal in exchange for something. A treaty between a water entity and a human would be an example, or between a god and his subject even in more recent times powerful immortal demons and saints have been making pacts with people. A pact is an agreement between two or more races to fight a common enemy the Dwarves and Gnomes have a pact to fight together and lend aid to one another if needed. 

The contracts were invented for the common races by the entities after the gods created other races. One of the common races must find his or her desired entity then if they are both on friendly terms make a contract with them. A small piece of the entity will enter the one who has made the contract and have certain effects on them. For example an earth entity makes a contract with a gnome who lives in the mountain regions the gnome will better be able to sense when creatures are trying to sneak up on him as long as that creature is touching the ground, the gnome will be less easily picked up or tripped as he has a closer connection to the earth, he will be stronger when in contact with the ground and eventually his skin will change to become like that of the earth entity increasing his armor class. However, when flying or in the realm of air the gnome will be constantly unnerved, jumpy and frightened, the inhabitants of that realm will be disinclined to communicate with this individual. A contract of this kind is not to be taken lightly and is permanent. 

Opposite contracts are not possible, one cannot have a contract with an entity of light and then another with the entity of darkness the same applies for fire and water, earth and air. However air and water would be a fine mix to have a maximum of two contracts it possible for one individual. 

Because the contract was the first constructive thing done by the entities any contract is taken seriously. If a contract is renegaded on by one party the authorities deal harshly on the one who could not keep his end of the contract unless that contract violates the law of the land such as a contract to murder someone. In which case the party which has been betrayed will stalk the traitor to get revenge. 

Laws of the land are also necessary, although never given by the entities to the common races it was evident from the start that rules were needed to help their society prosper. Some gods chose to give their races laws and rules to live to. The giants were told to wipe out the Dwarves and take their land and the Trolls were told to kill all gnomes. The Orcs were taught to take what they could by force. Devils and Demons were given strict rules and laws on destruction and their actions leaving them in a state of perpetual fighting against angels and saints whose own rules and laws handed down were the opposite of the Devils and Demons.