“The Keeper looks after the shrines of the dead and he is responsible for their wellbeing, to make sure that their spirits do not return to make trouble for the living. Beyond their grave there is no blame, so he keeps all the dead, criminal, foreign etc. Keepers are not often seen because they live well away from all social groups, being supposed to spend most of their time in the nether world. The Keeper’s Robes carry complex amulets or protection from the dead, who he both guards and fears. He must also stop the living from using his charges against one another. His life is almost totally ritual, given over to chants and spells. He will never marry, but will breed by impregnating a selected mate in order to carry on the line, the office is hereditary. When his children are old enough, they are apprenticed to him and must live apart from the community, looked after by a nurse and taught all the rituals necessary for their future career. Very occasionally, a child is chosen from the community because of some special characteristic - precognition, albino colouring, special interest in the dead etc. At any time there might be up to twelve apprentices of various ages who assist the Keeper in his work. These children are taboo to all others, who must close their eyes if they accidentally catch sight of an apprentice.” -Inga Hunter

“The Bird God cult is the official lboriisi religion, but there are certain sections of the planet where people worship the sun - not the big Voidstar, but the smaller erratic red star, known as Lanturan on lrusag, and lisa, or “Womb of the Wave Stone” on Iboriis. The sun is thought to be the creator and controller of all things, both benevolent and capricious. Priest of the Sunworshippers sacrifice appropriately coloured fruits and vegetables to the Sun God to ensure continuity of crops and a rich, peaceful life. When the red sun disappears from the sky on its erratic orbit, the God is thought to be displeased and the people gather in great groups to pray for better times. It is at this time that the Sun dances are performed in specially prepared dancing grounds in the forests. This essentially peaceable religion is hated and feared by followers of the Bird God, so that Sunworshippers are hunted and destroyed whenever possible. It is considered a favourable omen if the year’s sacrificial victims can be Sunworshippers, a sure sign of a good future harvest. Naturally enough, Sunworshippers are never delegates to the Court — this Robe was smuggled out of lboriis by a team of dedicated anthropologist who risked their lives to study the Sun God religion.” -Inga Hunter

´This is the bag carried by the Keeper of the Dead, in which he keeps his relics of the dead, the ritual objects of his trade and the special talisman to protect both himself and his charges from harm. He casts the Bones in regular protection ceremonies, and is sought after secretly by people who want to find out the spiritual state of their loved ones. Some think he can predict the future with unfailing accuracy, though few dare to seek him out for such a purpose.´ -Inga Hunter

“The Keeper of Pathways is a simple, secular office. Her job involves the maintaining of routes through and within the forests, and the lighting of night paths. She keeps a team of designers, workers and artificers, who must constantly strive to keep the wayrights free from invading undergrowth, so that they may admit safe and well-lit passage for all travellers. Not an exciting job, but one which is vital to communication between groups, and to the general safety of Forest dwellers. The forest paths (wayrights) are lit by strings of small lights made from a species of glowing fungus, which is specially cultivated in the mountain caves. A whole team of workers is responsible for the growth of the light fungus, taking shifts as a public duty. No Forest Dweller like caves, so the shift-work is shared out as a public service, one which each person must carry out at regular times, dictated by the clerks of the Keeper of the Pathways.”-Inga Hunter

"The Forest People use poison on their darts, and on some of their arrows, to stun or kill small prey. Poison Brewers distil the venom, which is obtained from roots, bark, leaves, and the skin of a certain frog-like creature. Alchemancers distribute the venom to hunters and healers. Poison-impregnated darts are kept in special pouches or quivers, blessed by the Alchemancer or the Guardian with special spells and incantations to prevent accidents and the perversion of the tools by evil spirits. Each of these quivers carries amulets of protection. The quivers themselves, were made by a specially trained craftsman who is able to sing incantations into the actual structures themselves, ensuring double and sometimes treble protection from danger, as well as increased effectiveness, sureness of flight, efficacy of the poison etc. Quivers such as these are kept on the belt, on the side away from the dominant hand, to ensure considered, careful use, and to prevent the wrongful use of poison when a simple arrow would be sufficient." - Inga Hunter