[ericthered]

Question 31 [MV]
Re: A#1, what and where are the Distorted Lands?

The distorted lands are a cosmi (Though some debate its status as a cosmi) that is accessible from seemingly every other region of the polycosm. Passing portals lasting only days will connect to the distorted lands every decade or so, and unpredictable times and locations. But the distorted lands are always available through summoning, and the methods are particularly accessible and powerful.

Exotic materials are required to be summoned to the distorted lands, with various materials corresponding to different locations in the lands. At the end of the ritual, the worker's mind is placed in body shaped like their own, formed in the distorted lands, making this weird edge case of tolerated possession. While the body is shaped much like their own, no equipment is brought, and innate magic is not transfered either. A visit can last for as long as 24 hours, and appears to be powered by the energy of the lands themselves.

The distorted lands are connected via geographical features to many realms of the dead and various deities. Some say all such realms can be accessed from the distorted lands. The material used in the summoning ritual or the world the portal used connects to determines which realms are nearby. One rarely has much time in the distorted lands, as portals close quickly and summoning spells run out. Travel there is grueling and dangerous, but essential for those wishing to connect with the dead or the divine.

Question 46 [MV]- Death Cult
Which secret, underground cult worships Thresher? How? Why? What plans do they have involving a visit to Praxis?

You're talking about a few different things here:

Many people recognize the thresher's power. That's not even remotely controversial. Some people think its a good idea to give him sort sort of gift to appease him, as opposed to imperial policy to not attract notice. Those conversations are mostly acedemic, because its unknown what sacrifices he takes, and most people want to get it right before they risk offending him with the wrong sacrifice.

The cult is the people who believe that the thresher is the true form of the legendary hoogan gods, the one who sent the imperials to calledron, and that the human sacrifices are to him. They're devoted fanatics, but they generally lack the subtlety to actually make it to praxis with a human sacrifice in tow. They're certainly dangerous, but to individuals, not to the well-being of fragment.

The dangerous group are those who believe that the Thresher's target is Suchos. They thing the shell around the cosmi is a protective bubble thrown up by the crocodile (whose very bones are infused with life) and the patterns on the outside correspond to patterns in the green plasma jet. These theories aren't crazy, but for some reason the next step almost always is. Schemes include performing summonings on praxis, throwing venomous sheep into the plasma stream, attempting to break through Fragment's cosmi shell temporarily, or searching for an exotic material that will let one enter the distorted lands keyed to Praxis and the thresher.

Question 51 [FRG]

How does Calledron handle a having more or less archmages than archmage-positions?

Originally Posted by Daigoro

But yeah, it still connects to their homeworld, but only coming one way. I was going with archmages not being able to control portals (yet), which explains why they haven't been back. The imperials might also be deliberately avoiding going back, wanting to forget the embarrassing situation that brought them here.

That's workable, but be sure to remember the capabilities of Calledronian Mages and Archmages when planning things out. They're not generalists: they have a very specific set of abilities, and while they can't summon elementals, control the weather, or detect enemies from afar, but flying up the mouth of a waterfall with an air bubble is very much in the power-set of an archmage.

Question 52 [FRG]:
How are the genetic abilities of the Mages of Calledron trained, and by whom?