The minor council is made up of various organizations known as Courts.

The courts are sections of the Council Spire, and usually refer to the buildings through which citizens can access related services.

​Court of Analysis - Responsible for exploring and documenting the world and its magic.

Court of Architecture - Responsible for anything related to buildings, including housing. Organizes and enacts The Pruning.

Court of Ceremony - Responsible for any Council-organized events and ceremonies.

Court of Discipline - Deals with anything relating to The Underchambers, public punishment, and execution. All Council Pawns and Knights belong to the Court of Discipline.

Court of Induction - Ushers outsiders into the city and provides them with a brief invasive probing, both physical and mental, as well as an orientation seminar explaining the workings of Nodd. Often, a mage from the Court of Analysis will be on site, standing by to document new outsider species.

Court of Information - Responsible for all the Council’s bookkeeping. Contains information on all citizens, organizations, magic use, and almost everything else.

Court of Medicine - The Council's hospital.

Court of Resurrection - Responsible for reviving citizens. Also determines how many death allowances a citizen gets, based on information provided by the Court of Information.

Court of Sanitation - Responsible for keeping the city streets free of corpses and garbage - at least enough to allow passage.

COMING SOON

Nodd is a city of monsters, and is fantastically diverse. An endless variety of exotic, dangerous, beautiful, and mundane creatures liven its streets; if you’re an outsider, encountering another of your own kind may be a rarity. Oftentimes a single individual of a species will find its way to Nodd and blend into the madness with no effort.

Citizens of Nodd are either insiders or outsiders. An insider refers to any organism that originated in the realm of Nodd. They are said to be born of Nodd's unspoken needs, influenced by unknown arcane mechanics.

Insiders can take on any number of appearances, and some are unlike any others. However, there are several that are considered common enough in Nodd that they're identified with names, such as slyne and ravel. Cross-species hybrids are common and referred to simply as hybrids, or some awkward informal hybrid-name (such as a slyvel, in the case of a ravel and slyne mix). Even more common are ambiguous mutt species, which are referred to as “chimerae”.

Outsiders, on the other hand, inexplicably appear before the city's gates, seemingly cast onto its doorstep from another mundane reality. These special creatures are a recent anomaly, and are rather rare, sparking curiosity among insiders. The Council has even taken to calling them the Chosen Ones, and has established a protocol for ushering new outsiders into the city. Alongside most inhabitants of Nodd, these creatures often appear beautiful, if not divine. Insiders regard them in a wide variety of ways, from intrigue to abject hostility.

Outsiders who end up in Nodd don't seem to remember the series of events directly before they wake up before the gates to the city, but rather snippets of their past life that return to them in dreams and visions.

Nodd's variety of inhabitants means a variety of sizes are involved.

Microcitizens - usually referred to as "micros" - are those deemed too small to use most of the city's amenities. Macrocitizens - macros - are the opposite. For micros, this begins somewhere around one foot in height; for macros, anything much beyond fifteen feet begins to be problematic.

Due to a punishment administered by the Council - a practice simply referred to as "Shrinking" - convicted citizens may find themselves released into the city a mere four inches in height. Many citizens are micro for this reason.

Microcitizens may have a challenging time surviving in Nodd, and are subject to various forms of abuse and objectification, such as culinary use (in which case they're referred to as "tenderlings") and research fodder. Often, a micro will try to establish a relationship with someone trustworthy of average size, and seek shelter, protection, and sustenance from them. Some average citizens repurpose closets, wardrobes, or spare rooms as micro apartments or townships. The specific locations of these tends to be kept between micros and their keepers, lest someone be tempted to sell a large quantity of healthy micros for some unsavory purpose.

Macrocitizens are less at risk for mistreatment, and may themselves be a source of fear for average-sized citizens. Destructive or feared macros are known colloquially as "kaiju", and their destruction is often not contained or discouraged by the Council, unless of course it gets out of hand. Most macros can be easily contained by powerful spells, and strive to keep just within the Council's tolerance.

Depending on size, there may not be many accommodations for macrocitizens that are not custom-built.

Here is a list of commonly encountered occupations and roles in Nodd. Naturally, a citizen may have one or many roles.

These differ from mage titles, which are gained in relation to a mage's reputation or position.

Apothecarist - Apothecarists create potions, drugs, and other substances. They’re often seen in the company of botanists.

Architect - Architects cultivate and maintain the buildings and other structures of Nodd. They grow and reshape them, as well as treat illnesses and perform surgeries.

Arcanologist - Arcanologists study the workings of Nodd, which may include magic itself, sapients, fauna, or flora.

Assassin - Assassins dispatch a chosen target in exchange for payment or services.

Battlemage / Beastmage - Battlemages engage in combat with other mages. These battles can often be seen in the streets of Nodd, where the attention of spectators can contribute to chaos generation. Some battlemages use beasts, which they may choose to fight alongside, or simply direct. Battlemages whose tactic relies primarily on beasts may call themselves "beastmages".

Like heroes and villains, battlemages may have their own alias and coordinated attire.

Bartender - Bartenders in Nodd are no different than those of other realms, serving drinks and gossip to those who patronize their establishment. Bars in Nodd tend to be very thematic, and often the employees will follow the given theme.

Botanist - Botanists cultivate and sell plants for various purposes. They often work in concert with apothecarists.

Carriage Driver - Carriage drivers employ beasts - usually miggwitches - to taxi citizens around the city.

Chef - The city boasts an exotic variety of items just waiting to be fried, baked, broiled, and sauteed. Nodd's chefs see to all this in order to please the discerning palates and satisfy the monstrous bellies of hungry citizens.

Chirurgeon - Chirurgeons use a variety of spells and instruments to treat wounds, illnesses, curses, parasites, and other afflictions.

Cityspeaker - A seer in Nodd. These individuals have a gift that allows them to sense the will of the City.

Council Attendant - Council Attendants work for the Council in various roles. See the Council page for more info.

Drifter - A drifter has no defined role, but wanders where they please and makes the most of their circumstances.

Escort - Escorts provide sexual services, and may employ magic, bizarre fetishes, unique experiences, or other special tactics to compete with others.

Gondolier - Gondoliers usher citizens through Nodd's canals on narrow boats, and may provide refreshments or entertainment for the journey.

Hero - Heroes take it upon themselves to protect the defenseless in Nodd, without demanding payment. Heros define themselves with an alias and coordinated attire.

Hunter - A hunter dispatches dangerous wildlife and other pests. Most hunters fill their home with exotic trophies from their kills.

Menagerist - These individuals make their living by collecting Nodd’s fauna and showing it off in a personal menagerie.

Mercenary - In Nodd, mercenaries offer protective services in exchange for payment.

Pilot - Pilots operate various aerial vehicles - often dirigibles and balloons - to ferry citizens through the city's skies.

Stimulist - These individuals offer torture services to those unable to generate enough chaos by other means. Their often small shops are recognizable by the large window in front of the torture chair; this allows passers-by to witness the horrors within. Often a crowd will gather for the duration, given the torturer is sufficiently skilled and creative - the bigger the audience, the more chaos is generated.

A session of torture pays both the torturer and torturee, but the establishment will often charge an additional cost for their services.

Tempest - Offers weather spell services, for your home or event.

Tinker - Creates, customizes, or restores artifacts.

Villain - Villains make it their job to impede heroes, or generally cause trouble to draw attention. Villains define themselves with an alias and coordinated attire.

Vulture - Vultures are those who scavenge the corpses of citizens for belongings or body parts. They will usually then go on to sell these items.

Refers to the food version of greep, an eyeless pest creature that nests in garbage. Chicken of the Void is a brand of canned greep.

A sweet and spicy bean used to make drinks, or ground into a paste as a filling for pastries.

Couch potatoes are the testicles harvested from ambulant furniture, used as food. Considered bottom-shelf fare, but are nearly edible when deep-fried.

The meat from the inside of a chair or table leg. A little sweet and earthy.

Couch steak is any meat taken from cushioned furniture. Has approximately the texture of liver, and is bluish-purple in color.

A black, lumpy, thorny fruit with bright green insides and purple seeds. The taste is sweet and often quite sour.

When used alone, this term usually refers to the flesh from the Abbatoir, which is usually a ground mix of sapient citizens, beasts, ambulant furniture, and whatever else gets scraped off the streets. Usually cheap and easy to come by.

The bodies are ground without much preparation, and quality control is minimal. It's not uncommon to find bones, teeth, claws, scales, fur, bits of clothing or jewelry in one's meat, so it's best to give it a brief inspection prior to cooking or eating.

Nectar generally refers any drink made with the sap taken from various flora in Nodd. Often mildly intoxicating, but usually regarded a soft drink.

Pfoff is a plant that grows in clumps around the city during the Melanus season. It's most notable for its hair-like fibers covered in a sweet, sticky sap. It's usually harvested and used in confections, but may be dried and used ornamentally on occasion. It's also considered an aphrodisiac, and can cause priapism if consumed in excess.

Shriek bladders come from the throats of squalls. Consuming one causes the fear of death to dissipate temporarily; this effect may be more pronounced if not properly cooked.

A pink and purple berry that grows in sagging, tumor-like clusters from blue branches. Sweet, floral, and a bit musky in taste. Used often in drinks.

Salad in Nodd is often alive and animate. One may need more than a fork to subdue the bowl of flailing tendrils.

Sloach refers to an edible slug which is usually seasoned, skewered, and grilled. Boiling them is usually a terrible idea, as it causes them to become excessively slimy.

Tenderling is a term that refers to any microcitizen that has been deemed food. Calling one’s food a micro is considered a taboo by some. Tenderlings are good fried, boiled, baked, sauteed, juiced, candied, pickled, ground into sausage, or even eaten raw and alive.

Live tenderlings are the preferred food of many slyne, who must cause suffering in order to feed.

Blackwine is an alcoholic drink made with the berries of the Widow's Tale vine. The drink tends to induce greater sadness than the berries it's made with.

Bug shots refer to the usage of glutlings as an alcohol delivery method. The tick-like worms will gorge themselves on any fluid they come in contact with - in this case, booze. Once swollen, they can be popped into the mouth and burst. The heads should then be spit out, as they continue to live and bite for several minutes.

Devilmint is a reddish, spade-shaped herb that, when consumed, inspires feelings of mischief. Pranks and vandalism often follow consumption.

It can be chewed, smoked, or made into a tea. Its flavor is something along the lines of spearmint, cinnamon, and black pepper.

Featherdust is the hallucinogenic substance that comes from a queril's tailfeathers.

Gutter cabbage refers to a mildly hallucinogenic pink moss that tends to grow in gutters, ditches, in fountains and wells, and on waterspouts. Most describe it as having a foul, bitter, unpalatable taste. In addition, it causes vertigo and nausea that render it uninteresting to nearly any drug user who can afford better.

​In some parts of Nodd, it's used in cooking. When cooked, the plant has little to no psychoactive effect, but tastes approximately as terrible.

Nightmare fuel is a drink, usually served as a cocktail. It induces feelings of intense terror when consumed.

Phantasm is a psychoactive magic substance. It primarily makes the user feel calm, but markedly dissociated with feelings of being imaginary. Impulse and ability to verbally articulate are suppressed. Also causes the user to appear slightly translucent and levitating.

Prickledust is a fine dust that causes a maddening itching sensation that does not abate with scratching.

Sparkle is a psychoactive magic substance. It makes the user feel loving, tolerant, and euphoric. It also temporarily alters their colors and markings to be more saturated and garish, which increases with dose.

Sweetsand is a psychoactive magic substance that increases the user's ability to perceive high concentrations of sensory complexity. Best for solo use, as it tends to cause irritability in social situations.

Widow's Tale is a small, black, tear-shaped berry that grows in clusters on vines. Consumption tends to cause feelings of overwhelming sorrow and uncontrollable crying.

Ordinances are laws, rules, or other restrictions levied upon various portions of the city, districts, or locales as seen fit. Generally speaking they are unpredictable in nature, tend to lack much rhyme or reason, difficult to remember due to often changing, and even harder to follow.

Most punishable crimes a citizen can commit are due to not generating enough chaos, for going against the Council in some way, or for violation of any of Nodd's countless, everchanging ordinances. Punishments and executions are performed day and night in The Amphitheater, and the public is encouraged to attend. A citizen can access a schedule of upcoming punishments and executions via their ego bracer, and attend whatever piques their interest.

Any spells used by a Council Reaper are likely to be of the highest caliber.

During beast-chaining, the victim is restrictively bound to a large, usually quadrupedal beast in some degrading or undesirable way. Often, the victim will have their mouth, genitals, or anus affixed to the creature’s anus or sheath.

During bestialization, the victim is forced into a feral form of themselves and left to fend for themselves in this form until death, losing all status as a sapient citizen. Once resurrected (if they are), they will revert to their original form.

The torture known as box feeding refers to a victim being placed in a clear, coffin-sized container with a number of hungry vermin who will slowly eat them alive. The container is generally left in the street for all to enjoy.

The bridle refers to a torture method in which the victim is forced to wear a metal device around their head, ass, and/or groin. These devices are fitted with aureoles, which are magic interspatial portals. The other aureole will be stationed in a public area, where strangers can make whatever contribution they please - these contributions will then be forced into the mouth, vagina, ass, or urethra of the wearer.

The cocoon refers to a form of torture in which the victim is held within the spell Cloying Cocoon and left to rot in their own excrement.

During the practice of dunking, the victim is held above a vat via levitation or bondage, and repeatedly dunked in the substance below. This may be hot oil, freezing water, stinging insects, sewage, cum, or any other number of foul or painful things.

During the torture known as the funnel, the victim is bound to a platform with a large funnel forced between their jaws or into their anus or vagina. Citizens are then encouraged to make whatever liquid contributions they please.

A citizen sentenced to God-Tending is forced into the role of Council Fodder. These expendables are used by The Unseen Ones to tend to the citygods' various needs, such as feeding, bathing, and sexual needs. Council Fodder are almost always killed on the job, but not always.

During gorging, the spells Appetize and Starve are cast on the victim, and they’re provided with an enormous pile of food they will then helplessly consume until they burst.

Guillotines in Nodd have more than a single hole for the neck. Generally speaking, a victim is forced to place their limbs, tail, and genitalia into separate holes, which may be long to allow for several blades to cleave appendages into several pieces.

A victim subjected to inanimate confinement is forcibly transformed into an object for a designated period of time. The object is usually something degrading or unpleasant, and something that will then be used by citizens. Examples may include garbage cans, urinals, toilets, rugs, or similar items.

During mortification, the victim is subjected to the spell Mortify, which causes something embarrassing to happen to the target. This is done in a highly public area.

The pillory refers to a wooden device for restraining the neck, wrists, and genitals. Often citizens will be encouraged to harass the victim in any way desirable.

Prickling is a torture that involves the victim stripped nude and restrained spread-eagle, and then covered in prickledust. Prickledust is a powder that induces severe itching.

Shrinking refers to being reduced to between 1 and 4 inches tall and left to fend for oneself in this form until death. Many microcitizens are micro for this reason. Once resurrected (if they are), they will revert to their original form.

When a citizen is sent to the Abbatoir as a form of punishment, it's known as slaughtering. Here, they'll be processed like any other piece of meat that enters the facility, and the resulting product will be sold to various shops and restaurants.

Splaying is when a citizen's limbs are stretched taut between four posts, either by rope or spell. They're then left in the streets for usage by strangers.

During the torture method known as the tank, the victim is placed in a clear, enclosed cylinder with an aureole (a magic portal) installed in the top. Through the portal, water, cum, waste, or another substance will slowly drain, filling the tank and eventually drowning the victim.

​The arcanet contains all information about the world made public by the Council - one can find information about species, weather, upcoming events, and more. Most shops and services have a public hologram that can be accessed when concentrated upon; these often begin to partially manifest when one passes by the associated establishment. These holograms contain basic information and often the option to purchase items or download free samples to one’s ego bracer.

The arcanet is also home to a number of solo and competitive games playable on one’s ego bracer. Almost all of them require gloam to play, and promise substantial winnings. These are an easy and convenient way to gamble away one's livelihood.