The Keepers of Lingusia Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Timeline
3. Characters
4. Regional Backgrounds
5. Languages
6. Special Classes
7. A Short History of the Divine
8. A Lexicon of Divine and Planar Terms
9. Pantheons of Lingusia
10. A Bestiary of the Fiendish & Unfriendly
11. House Rules with Castles & Crusades
12. Gazetteer
13. The City of Octzel
14. A Travelers Guide to the Kingdom of Octzel
15. Appendix
16. Maps

This book requires the use of Castles & Crusades, and

is easily compatible with other Old School role playing
systems such as OSRIC, Labyrinth Lord, Tunnels &
Trolls, or out-of-print editions of AD&D. There is no
shame in showing love for these old systems!

Written by Tori Bergquist

All Contents of The Keepers of Lingusia copyright 2008 by Nicholas Torbin
Bergquist. Published by Zodiac Gods Publishing, August 2008 in conjunction
with lulu.com. Second Edition, Revised. First edition of Keepers of Lingusia
released in 1986 by Cliffhanger Games.
This book is written for use with Castles & Crusades, which is trademark and copyrighted by Troll Lord Games. No infringement of
ownership or trademark is intended.

Mr. Bergquist would like to deny any relationship to his ten-year old self, who decided to name his (then) brand new campaign world
after a pasta. If only he had known

Special thanks to my sister Taara, who was there from the beginning, and whos legendary thief Wormie still haunts the streets of
Octzel today

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Foreword
Ill make this brief: Keepers of Lingusia has been around since 1980, since the first
game of Basic Dunegons & Dragons I ran as a kid. The characters who survived that
harrowing first day in the Caves of Chaos lived to become prominent adventurers,
including the now legendary Gilrad, and my sisters elvish rogue Wormie. Lingusia
began a million years ago, it seems, but its grown magnanimously ever since!

Much of what has previously seen print for the Keepers of Lingusia was during my
high school and early college years, from around 1984 through 1992 when I published a
fanzine called The Sorcerers Scrolls, and a sourcebook (the first edition of this tome,
effectively) called Keepers of Lingusia for the Tunnels & trolls rpg. Still, despite my love
for T&T during that time (and now) Lingusia as a world has been used for gaming with
AD&D, basic/expert D&D (Erol Otus editions only, please!), 2nd edition AD&D,
Dragonquest, Runequest, GURPS 1st, 2nd and 3rd edition, and the more recent D20
system for 3rd edition D&D. In the end, the last few campaigns in this world have
returned to its roots, with recent games using Castles & Crusades, OSRIC/AD&D, and
Tunnels & Trolls 7th edition.

I am especially fond of the simple but effective redux that Castles & Crusades offers
D20 players, and so this edition retains the stat blocks and details that make it directly
compatible with that rule system. However, it is almost 100% compatible as it stands
with any other variant or old school D&D there is, and as any good Tunnels & Trolls
player knows, all you need this book for is the setting material anyway; T&Ts rules are
so simple and effective that the are all-encompassing. One apology and assertion,
though: The City of Octzel section uses alignment terminology closer to the current (4th)
edition of D&D. I really like that edition, but have not got the constitution to reformat this
book to conform to its rules. Nonetheless, I think youll find that the alignments as listed
there are easy enough to translate. Last but not least, I apologize for the grammar and
typos I am sure are riddled throughout this book. Editing is not my strong suite, and the
only free editor in my life right now hates fantasy and gaming stuff, so I am S.O.L.

Id try to thank everyone I can for playing in my campaign world (and those of you
running it from my web site!) but there are too many of you. I would especially like to
thank some of the veterans of Lingusia, especially my sister Taara, my bud Dave
Hollister, and Terry Hurford, wherever you are these days!
Thanks, and have fun with this world. You are now the new Keeper of Lingusia.
--Tori Bergquist
August, 2008

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 The Keepers of Lingusia
Campaign Guide
The Castles & Crusades Edition
An Overview of Lingusia
The World of Lingusia is an immense realm, a
legendary planet forged at the moment of creation
by great, primal beings. Its history is one of
perpetual discovery, magic, danger, and conflict. It
is, in short, ideally suited for tales of high adventure,
intrigue, and exploration.
Geography
Physically, Lingusia is believed by most to be a
flatland, a disk-like world which may be somewhere
on the order of 28,000 leagues in diameter. The
center of this great disk is the Southern pole which
attracts the magnetic compasses used for
navigation, and it was established long ago by
travelers that the closer you get to the pole, the
more varied the direction of the compass gets.
Likewise, the mysterious magnetic flux of the North
Pole seems to radiate from the edge of the world,
where the great oceans circulate in a writhing mass,
which plunges over, and sweeps back up, the edges
of the world. No traveler alive has truthfully traveled
to the edge of the world, however, so only the
suspect tales of ancients speak of such things.
As a flat world with a very slight curvature, A
Lingusian's view of the horizon from any given point
is noticeably immense. Most horizons can carry on
for a much greater distance than in the mundane
world of our own reality, but the density of
atmosphere, as well as great mountain ranges,
variation in geography, and other features prevent
an utterly clear view at any given moment. Still, it is
said that in certain great mountain ranges, ancient
scholars and mages have been known to set up
optical observatories with which they can study the
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entire world, given a high enough vantage point and
strong enough telescopic lensing.
Cosmology
In the heavens, Lingusia is circled by a number of
celestial objects, serving as navigational aids. The
sun travels the sky in a traditional days length, but
its orbit is in a permanent flux, as it rolls seasonally
southward and northward in the sky over time to
create the seasons. At night, there are two moons,
the great orb of Selene, the goddess of the night,
and the lesser orb of Poltrietie, the demigod of life, a
moon which was born in to the sky but a few
centuries ago as a herald of the time of the
Reckoning, when the war between Chaos and Order
came to an end.
Other navigational points in the sky include a
medley of odd worlds such Hyskortius the Winking
Eye, the milky Haze, and the constellations of the
stars. The stars are believed by men to be portals in
to the celestial realms, and for all anyone knows,
they might be right.
Land Masses
Lingusia is the name of both the world and the
central continent that dominates this great land.
Besides the continental Lingusia, there are at least
five other great continents across the world, being
Takkai, Karaktu, Mataclan, mythic Paneurika, and
legendary Il'Madhar. Of these realms, Lingusia and
Takkai are rife with old and new kingdoms that
harbor a venerable history. Karaktu, more of a
subcontinent and island mass, is said to have the
most venerable of all kingdoms in the world, but is
 ruled by decadent sorcerer kings who squander their
lost knowledge for magical power. Only known of
within the last three centuries, the distant west
reveals Mataclan, a fabled land of strange customs
and ways, and the new heart of colonial expansion
for the Middle Kingdoms of Lingusia. In the utter
north and west, IlMadhar is a vague rumor, though
some say Autrengardians in the north engage in
brisk trade with this little known continent of
mystery. Last, but certainly not least, the grand
continent of mystery dubbed Paneurika is said to
exist in the farthest southern realms, beyond reach
of all save the most daring travelers, and only one
true account of this continent is even believed to be
true.
The Continent of Lingusia
The continent of Lingusia is approximately two
thousand miles wide and three thousand miles in
length from north to south. It is a mixture of warm
southern climates and chilly distant northern lands.
The northernmost regions of Lingusia connect to a
great land bridge, which locks the land with Takkai's
northern realms in the east. The steppe lander
barbarians of this region share a clear mixed
heritage of both continents.
Lingusia's cultural center point is the Middle
Kingdoms, located in the central western lands,
where it is said the first men discovered civilization
and spread out to populate all other quarters of the
world. Chief among the Middle Kingdoms is the
Hyrkanian Empire, cradle of civilization and center
point in the eons old wars of Order and Chaos.
Octzel, in the west is a flourishing kingdom of
expansion, conflict, and intrigue. The lesser
kingdoms of he Jhaknians, Cimmeran barbarians, the
orcish territory of Mitra's Forest, and the blasted
hellhole of the vast Hyrkanian deserts are all part of
the architecture of the Middle Kingdoms.
In the Southern Lands lie ancient civilizations
nestled within the deserts of Galvonar who claim an
equally ancient heritage. Persedonia in the south is
the first strong force in generations to arise from the
ashes of much older civilizations in Galvonar and
Galonia. The Galonian people remain a decadent
folk, steeped in their ancient history, but never
reclaiming their ancient birthright. The Galvonarians
are a merchant culture, busy profiting from the
needs and desires of all other men.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
The Amechian Kingdoms in the central jungles of
Lingusia are a rough and uncivilized people.
Descended from the slaves of the ancient
Prehunates, and then from the necromantic
Kadantanians, the Belladasian people of Amech are
proud, warlike, and very protective of their turf.
Amenanyu orcs view for the right to claim the lands
their own, as do the Terkithyi and Codam T'kezzu
lizard folk. Many lesser tribes lie hidden in the
jungles of Amech, and many secretive kingdoms lurk
in its expanses, such as Hotepsala and Vyrindia, with
mysteries to be uncovered.
The Eastern Kingdoms are a peculiar mix of
western and eastern culture. The caliphate of Zued is
the strongest power of the land, but Cymeer is a
close second, with a people who have triumphed
over much evil and loss. The region of Draskis is a
perpetual snake, coiled and waiting to strike against
its neighbors, while in the Ny'kkodin Wastes, a
hearty mix of desert tribes conduct their business as
they see fit. In the south, Nithiadia and the Cretean
lands are unspoiled wilderlands of discovery, cared
for by a very diplomatic people with an avid
seafaring culture.
The Northlands are also a mix of civilized and
barbaric, and often envious of the wealth and
comfort of the southern folk. The many northern
tribes are a blur of conflict amongst themselves, and
an occasional strong leader serves to unite the
whole and pose a threat to other kingdoms in the
south. The Hettanar, Zarnian, Nordamani, and
Autrengardians are among the strongest such
people. East of these militant tribal kingdoms are the
even more uncivilized Caelernin folk of Vagendar's
Woods, but civilization once again asserts itself at
the ancient free city of Karan, and the Zymhari
coastal kingdoms beyond. Northernmost is the
panoply of mysterious cultures in Avilin, Na'Kivk, the
Steppelands, and beyond.
Takkai
Between the Eastern Kingdoms of Lingusia and the
western shores of the east lies the Bloodsea, a
dangerous but navigable body of water, the curse of
many sailors. Still, the wealth of the mysterious east
makes it worthwhile for the stream of traders who
have made their careers out of traversing the
Bloodsea.
Takkai is an oriental land of mystery to most
Lingusians, for few have ventured beyond the
 southern kingdom of Al'Jhira and the great Emerald
Empire of Tai'Kong. The island kingdom of Lako
engages in brisk trade with the west, but the
northern kingdom of Kozakan is a mystery to most.
TaiKong itself is a marvel to those who have visited,
an immense land of eight great provinces, which are
larger than all the Middle Kingdoms. AlJhira is a
mysterious land of many-armed gods, tigerish
demons, and sultry princesses in a land ruled by a
great Raja. The even more dangerous lands of
Gochikono make the Amechian jungles seem
hospitable.
Beyond the western lands of Takkai, the unknown
east looms. Rumors of a land called Nubiria,
mountain kingdoms called Nalinot, and a region of
utter deviltry called the Gray Empire are spoken of,
but those few travelers who return from such lands
might well be liars and grifters.
Karaktu
The sub-continent of Karaktu and its many islands
were said to be the seat of an ancient empire, which
sank beneath the seas for offending the gods, or so
some scholars say. Only the most learned suspect
this to be true, that the forgotten empires of Karaktu
were the seat of the Prehunate Empire, pre-human
sorcerers who challenged the gods, and lost.
Argosea is most famous of the Karaktuan lands, a
seafaring people ruled by dark necromancers who
treat their population like cattle. Lion men, half
dragons, and other beasts are said to be common in
Karaktu.
Mataclan
Until three centuries ago, Mataclan was impossible
to reach, for no being had successfully charted the
currents of the Endless Ocean to the west and then
found an eastern stream that would carry them
safely back. When discovered by the explorer
Margda Dann Malik of Octzel, this opened the new
land to trade, colonization, and exploitation.
Today, the Octzellan colonies are at war with the
Haxitol kingdom, a warlike realm of bloodthirsty
warriors who practice sacrifice as an art. The
colonies keep the peace with the Talay, a peaceful
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land in decline from a once great civilization, which
much lost knowledge. Other kingdoms and tribes
exist, such as the barbaric Hochimecs, the agrarian
Natukani, and the many tribes of the Hohotona.
Paneurika
So little is known of this land, and only a handful of
men claim to have found it. Some say it may be
possible to reach this fabled continent, which is
largely uninhabited save for savages by traveling
across Mataclan. Others look to the guidance of the
only reliable travel guide, written by the legendary
explorer Corin Daggerman, who was said to have
traveled south to the Paneurikan lands to discover
the secret of the Ebon Gold ore, which can trap the
souls of seraphs and devonin alike. His logs speak of
primitive tribes, shape shifting monsters, and vast
expanses of uninhabited land with no trace of
civilization.
Il'Madhar
Visited mostly by the Northlanders, IlMadhar is a
difficult land to navigate to without knowing the
ways and currents of the northern oceans. Some
northern kingdoms in the Steppelands region have
been mislabeled IlMadhar by overzealous bards, but
the Autrengardians who have actually been there
claim it is a land unlike any other known to
Lingusians. They say that no gods walk this land, but
that men were gifted with the power to learn of
their own way in to the heavens, and that magic
works very differently. No fae folk, dwarven kin, or
anyu orc have ever set foot on the soil of IlMadhar,
and the beings who dwell there are unique and
sometimes frightening. One sailor said that he met a
race of beings that were both women and men at
once. Another spoke of demons that lied among
men, and had been cast from the Abyss for forsaking
the ways of chaos magic. The people of the land
claim the name of their realm stems from the name
of their protector, a great being, they say, yet not a
god, who sought to seal away his kin from the trials
and wars of the Lord of Order and Chaos.
About IlMadhar, only time and the efforts of
valiant explorers will tell if more should ever be
learned of this distant land.
 A Short History of the World
The World of Lingusia is ancient by the standards
of most fantasy realms, having a history that begins
nearly 100,000 years in the past, and continues to
the most recent 10,000 years of cultural
development and expansion. More about the
particulars of this ancient history can be gleaned
from the History of the Divine section, and from the
Timeline of the Middle Kingdoms, which deals
directly with specific dates and events. What shall be
summarized here is a startlingly basic crash-course in
the History of Lingusia, for such matters are often
not too important when it comes to the concerns of
the average adventurer!
In the beginning, the cosmic stuff of creation was
comprised of a single entity, Mala'Kor, the primal
spawn of Chaos. He created on a whim or by
accident his two offspring, the Life Bearer Ga'Thika,
and the Death Dealer T'Kothos. Mala'Kor tried to
destroy his offspring, but failed. The three deities,
over time, created the universe, and then populated
it with the gods. The first gods, each part of a
pantheon belonging to their respective aspect, lived
well, and took care of the worlds their parents
created. They in turn populated the realm with the
first species, men, elves, orcs, dwarves, and
countless other beings.
In time, these beings became wise, and some were
born of mixed parentage, mortal and god, The first
great civilization, of the beings called Prehunates,
learned the secrets of magic and sought to become
divine, usurping their masters. The gods destroyed
them, and the earth swallowed their ancient cities
whole.
The species once enslaved by the Prehunates now
went down their own path to civilization, and the
protocultures of the modern world began. About
2,500 years ago, a terrible event happened which
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
scarred the old world once more, as the gods of
chaos battled the gods of life and death (collectively
called the gods of order) in the mortal plane, and
most all of the mortal forms of the gods were
destroyed.
The people recovered, but no longer had the direct
presence of their divine beings to guide or care for
them, and so the era of mortals was at last here.
Many civilizations in the present began their roots
during this time, as man, elf, dwarf and other beings
grew strong and willful. Civilizations rose and fell,
and at last the architecture of the modern world was
laid forth.
The celestial conflicts came to an end three
centuries ago, when the ancient conflict between
order and chaos ended, and the primal forces
merged, allowing the hostilities to cease, and the
gods to (mostly) move on to higher levels of
existence. Once again, the guiding presence of the
gods was diminished, this time even spiritually, and
much conflict erupted throughout the land.
In the present, it has been revealed that the forces
of chaos were reinvigorated, as a seed of their
primal father shattered in the sky, the Red Dragon
Comet, and rained chaos energy upon the earth.
Now, the war-torn lands of Lingusia are faced with
the new threat of very powerful beings of chaos
emerging once more to fulfill their dark fathers
wishes, but the only divine servants of order that
remain are demiurges and lesser gods who had not
the wisdom to travel to higher planes of existence.
The common adventurer will find plenty of
conventional excitement and exploration in the
world of Lingusia, but the wizards, clerics, and men
of high purpose and keen intellect will find, also the
need to stride forth and take up the cause against
the encroaching chaos....
 A Timeline of the Middle Kingdoms
The World of Lingusia has a history extending back
100,000 years, according to the sacred texts of the
Idean Codices. To provide an overview of the world,
a condensed version of the greater timeline
recorded in the Palomar Librarium, Midas, is
provided, below. This timeline is biased, as it
contains an account of the Creation Myth, which is in
accordance with the religious perspective of the
Middle Kingdoms, as told in the Idean Codex of
Creation. The specific details of the Creation vary
from one culture to the next, but they all involve
major deities of old, who procure the world by some
means from Chaos, and in turn create the Universe
of Order. All religious beliefs of Lingusia are
consistent on this detail, and have pantheons that
reflect the dichotomy created by this Creation.
Likewise, all pantheons and beliefs of the World of
Lingusia reflect divided philosophies, in which the
forces of Order and Chaos are identifiable, in one
fashion or another, in the underlying beliefs and
cosmological observations of the many regions of
the world. However, the specific figures and their
interplay (gods, demigods, demiurges and heroes) of
each region vary widely, and it is suspected that
each pantheon reflects a community of divine
beings, who in turn are dictated by unknown
celestial ground rules to stay within their region of
influence. Still, it is noted that some divinities have
ignored such rules and crossed boundaries on more
than one occasion.
In the Middle Kingdoms, the ancient calendrical
system of the Hyrkanians was widely adopted for
use, and was not replaced in Hyrkania until over
2,000 years after the adoption of the old calendar.
The new calendar was introduced with the collapse
of the old Imperial houses after the arrival of
Nordaman invaders. The Nordaman have so many
different calendrical systems that none were
considered acceptable in the south, and a new
system by the house of Agrimias was adopted to
celebrate the new era.
Hyrkanian priesthoods of Naril have often chosen
to break down these abbreviations into periods,
marking them, (awi, awii, awiii, etc.) to reflect a sort
of substrata of the period they refer to, but this
system was dispensed with during the time of
Usyllyses as ruler, when the archaic lunar dating
methods were all retroactively updated to a correct
system of annual solar dating based on the new
astronomical practices of the Council of Twelve

Old Hyrkanian Calendar: bw (before the Time of the Celestial Wars)

aw (after the Celestial Wars)
Nordaman Calendar: oe (old era, before the invasion of Hyrkania)
ne (new era, after the founding of Sigurdian)

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 Timeline of Lingusia
Time Event
The Time Before Man
Before Time The Primal Chaos of Malakor creates Ga'Thika the Earth and T'Kothos, or Death. They become separate
beings and move away from him. Each cosmic being creates its realm and populates it with simple life.
GaThika creates the First Gods as caretakers.
The First Gods revolt against the creator, and are put down by the New Gods. To prevent this, she locks
the power of all gods into two mortal artifacts, ever changing in shape, the Orb of Life and the Orb of
Chaos, for each opposing branch. A Third orb, of Oblivion, is a byproduct of the first two. She goes
into a long sleep.
The New Gods are appointed with the task of creating the mortal life of the world and care taking
GaThika during her long sleep.
75,000 bw Records on the ancient walls of Corti'Zahn indicated the gods forged this great city as a mortal
place of worship for their young creations. Aurumurvax becomes the patron god of the city, and
keeper of the Orb of Oblivion, which is the balance between Law and Chaos Orbs.
70,000 bw The first ancient people rise to civilization and dwell under the mantle of the gods.
55,000 bw The Prehunate civilization rises to greatness, and then goes beyond.
50-10,000 bw Vast, ancient sites in Amech and elsewhere are attributed to the Prehunate People of this time.
Some claim that men were slaves to these ancient sorcerers.
22,000 bw The Prehunates discover Ethenur and the Dreaming City. They found Nith, and explore the secrets
of the Armageddon Tower. Unknown Prehunates divine the fates of the gods, and set about to
unlocking the artifacts of Law and Chaos.
20,000 bw Diannysos is condemned for cosmic butchery and imprisoned.
15,000 bw Prehunates draw the Suethen folk from the Seelie Realms and make them pets and slaves. Thus
do the first Suethen enter Lingusia.
12-10,000 bw Eskandar's Rise. During the time of cataclysm, Eskandar is divided into seven incorporeal parts
and placed in an amulet of seven pieces, each guarded by an ancient devonin forever imprisoned in
the mortal plane. His crime is coming too close to unlocking the secret of the Gods.
10,000 bw sometime around 10,000 bw a great cataclysm occurs, and destroys the ancient Prehunate Empire.
It is said the gods did it to destroy mortals who sought to rival their power.
The Time of the Ancient Realms and People (10,000 bw - 2,100 bw)
10-6,000 bw The ancient archaic period of mankind. Primitive civilizations arose during this time.
7,500-6,500 bw The first, early agrarian people settle in Northern Hyrkania and around the Nyarlith Delta. Early
egalitarian societies form.
6,500-5,400 bw The Neolithic mound builder period emerges in the Nyarlith river- delta region. Early polities rise and
fall during this time, and elitism forms.
6,000-1,500 bw This is the time of the earliest real civilizations, the rise of agriculture, discovery of pottery, and the
first use of metals.
Cultures known in this early period include:
Amech: Ivory Carver culture, Jaguar Culture, Farmer Culture, Lake men culture.
Zued: The Riverine culture, The Desert men Culture
Hyrkania: The Fertile Lands Culture, The Coast lands Culture, The Inner Sea People, mound builders.
Cretea: The Early Cretean Culture.
North: Some nomads had traveled far north by now.
5,400 bw Hyrkan'ien is officially the first true city of man in the Nyarlith region, with over 20,000 citizens under
a benign elected ruler.
5,400-4,900, bw The Hyrkanian founding cultures grow strong, and develop complicated agriculture and irrigation.
Early writing and metalworking appears. The Fertile Empire of Middle and Southern Hyrkania grow
strong at this time.
4,900-4,400 bw Early city-states of Hyrkania are united under the first Elevasos, or king, named Kolhyrykan. His is
the first dynasty, and lasts this length of time.

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 4,500 bw The oldest Idean Codices were scribed in this time
4,400-2,100 bw Many periods of rise and decline during this time in Hyrkania. Hyrkanien is burned and rebuilt
countless times. Wars between North and South are fought.
The Age of the Great Empires (2,100 bw - 499 aw)
2,100-13 bw The Period of Stability in Hyrkania, as the first ancient Empire is founded in the Usylian dynasty, and a
series of successful dynasties lead to the unification of Southern Hyrkania, Belladasian lands, and the
Northern barbarians. Organized ecclesiae become intertwined with politics.
1,500 bw Amechian people develop writing.
1,200-800 bw The Hidden Tribes of Galonia appear in the Southern Lands
970-820 bw A great and secret war plays out between the Einurians and invading anyu armies into the fae lands. The
conflict lasts more than a century, and the anyu are dispersed across the Middle Kingdoms when it ends,
the organized monstrous tribes forever more without organization of their own. Strife between Einurian
and Endurian people first appears when the Maddendur fail to honor pacts of aid with the Einur, and seek
to cover only their own defenses.
680 bw Earliest contact and trade with Baldric Coastal Hyrkanians and Amechians.
450 bw First known contact and trade with Amechians and Zuedians in the Ny'Koddin Wastes
400 bw-300 bw The Old Galonian pre immigration
324 bw Earliest known trade with Amechians and Hyrkanians of the Inner Sea
230 bw Strife among the einurians leads to a centuries' long war that will not end until the War of the Gods.
The exile Ashtarth tribes, dedicated to chaos, are permuted with chaotic energy and change to their
current forms.
215 bw The Ivory Kingdom of Amech and the Fertile Lands Empire of Hyrkania establish a pact to build the
Great Road over several decades across the continent for trade. It was probably finished around 156 bw.
13 bw Emperor Shakytis comes to power, unaware he will rule through the War of the Gods.
1 bw A year-long period of warfare erupts as the hidden cults and forces of Chaos swell up in conflict, driven
by the prophecies that the Orb of Chaos has been claimed. The first to use it is Xauraun, a decadent
aristocrat from the south who opens the portal to the Abyss, from which the devonin hordes and avatars
of chaos pour. Unwittingly, he is imbued with the true taint of chaos by Dalroth, and becomes the
immortal vessel of chaos. The orb disappears then, not to resurface for centuries.
In this year of great change, the mythic city of CortiZahn is sieged by chaos, and the human retainers
and avatars of the gods are destroyed in the great war. The city is cast down, and the portal of chaos
sealed after one year by Lord Warenis. Terrible magical corruption seeps through the lands of the Fertile
Empire of central Hyrkania, and creates the Great Desert Wastes, abutting the Earth Mother Mountains,
which are later renamed Slithotendan, the Mountains of Madness. Many mortal bodies of the sanguine
gods are buried in these mountains in sacred tombs.
1 aw The Emperor Catythytas proclaims a new era and calendar to reflect the time of victory over true evil.
2 aw-142 aw A series of succession wars in Imperial Hyrkania ensue, and many local wars are fought. Some
believe it was due to the residue of chaos from the War of the Gods.
65 aw Emperor Kravorstys reigns for 23 years, during which he commissions the Emerald Palace, a great
structure with a center dome pieced together from fragments of the Emerald Dome of the central Temple
in CortiZahn. It becomes the new, everlasting Emerald Palace of Hyrkanien.
92 aw The Ashtarth found Dahik in the wastelands
140 aw The Emerald Palace is completed at last during the reign of Tythiis the Empress
200 aw The first sedentary farmers in Galonia appear
300-500 aw The first old Galonian agrarian states appear (iron now used)
The Four old Empires of Amech go into decline and disappear during this time.
330-450 aw The Lelos Dynasty rules Hyrkania. It is deposed in 450 in a new succession war.
350-500 aw The Karak agrarian period
425-550 aw The Old Sur period of proto-Galonia rises and flourishes.
The Kadantanian Empire of Amech rises during this time.
450 aw A new succession war in Hyrkania puts house Vestillios in control
The Age of Expansion (500 aw - 1,400 aw)
500 aw Xauraun Vestillios, reincarnated, overthrows Hyrkanian control from Abernan Usyllyses II, and begins
period of religious persecution and warfare.

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 500-750 aw Karak early city-states appear and rule
Zuedian and Cretean dissidents who found the first Magiocracy out of the ruins of forgotten ancients
populate the distant subcontinent of Karaktu.
500-950 aw The early metal Saurian Dynasty of Galvonar appears. Old Galonian conquest period at its height.
500-523 aw Mass insurrection and religious wars erupt in Hyrkania
503 aw Hyrkanians turn the Noenday colony into a penal colony in the Untamed Wilderness.
513 aw Octzel Venn Ta shipped to Noenday, begins a crusade for Enki.
523 aw Vestillios I deposed in Hyrkania, revealed to be the Son of Chaos.
527 aw Noenday now a small city. Enki official religion. Octzel in control, renames city after himself.
545 aw Octzel experiences vision of conquest against Hyrkania.
550 aw The first pre dynastic polities appear in Old Sur of Galonia
557 aw Octzellan independence declared, a small fleet sails against Hyrkania and is decimated by a hurricane.
Venn Ta is killed. The first ruler elect is exiled general Kothos Gonn-Talanar.
615-625 aw The Second Faith Wars erupt in Hyrkania.
670-699 aw The Third Faith Wars ensue in Hyrkania.
700 aw Syrradalis I reigns as Empress in Hyrkania. The Faith Wars are over.
713 aw Donn-Dadera rises to power in Octzel through deception. Begins construction of the New Palace (which
is finished in 728). Under Dadera, the Hagarant Lords, chaos minion sorcerers of chaos, come into power,
and are not put down until they are killed in a brief civil war.
750-885 aw The War of Generations begins in Kadantania as the Belladasian people fight for independence. They
achieve it in 885 aw when Kadantania recognizes their independence.
798 aw Kokitus of Kadantania creates the Codam T'Kezzu to fight for the
Amechian Empire.
800 aw Forlorn is founded in Northern Galvonar Sometime around 800 it is said that the first settlers from
Octzel and Hyrkania establish colonies in Jhakn. The local people, to become Takonorians, remain aloof
and hostile.
820 aw Galonian conquest of Karak
858 aw Queen Dellon-Vellos rules in Octzel. She commissions the great inner wall of the city, as well as the
Grand Librarium.
859-900 aw The War of Territory against the hordes of Anyu in the hinterlands of Octzel erupts.
912-926 aw The Jhaknian hero Laromar tries to unite the native chiefdoms and the Jhaknian colonies.
900-1,200 aw Old Galonia period of decline. Rise of the first Pre-Galvonarian merchant princes.
During this time, Jhaknian people develop democratic rule among the colonies. Jnril becomes capitol.
A civil war in Hyrkania prompts Jhakn to seek independence, and decades of minor conflicts lead to
permanent independence.
1091 aw The tragic romance of the ancient Laikhanamen and the fae queen Corrigan is played out, and Corrigan
is killed.
1,082-88 aw The T'kezzu Codam I rises to unite his scaly brethren in a slave revolt against the decadent Kadantanian
Empire. They journey to the north and found the Codam-T'Kezzu Empire.
1,125 aw The saurian dynasty collapses in Galonia under great floods
1,200 aw Forlorn ends abruptly in conquest from proto-Takonorian tribes The Beginning of the Great Change
(dramatic temp. inc.) during this period in Galvonar and the South. This is a serious set-back for the
people of the region, and an exodus northward begins among many.
1,300 aw Jhakn defeats Octzellan naval forces in a dispute, making it a kingdom to reckon with.
1,313 aw The last great sorcerer king of Kadantania dies. No heir rises, and the empire dwindles to squabbling
city states.
The Age of New Empires (1,400 aw - 1,900 aw)
1,400 aw The last of the city-states of Kadantania falls into ruin, and the Kadantanian Empire is no more. Only
Belladas has unity.
1,415-1,425 aw Octzel ruled by the decadent Gremna-Lubidosi. The wall of dreams built in the capitol.
1,438 aw The vampiric Karukithyak is entombed
1,480 aw The first Persedonian city of Archades is founded
1,520 aw The Southern Hyrkanians begin to encroach on unclaimed Amechian territory. The Hyrkanian slave
trade begins.
1,550 aw The New Dynasty of Galonia established under Pilater II

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 1,548-1,634 aw periods of conflict in Hyrkania as no less than nine emperors rise and fall. Civil war breaks out constantly.
1,591-1,603 aw exiled Hyrkanian merchants found Easton along the Inner Sea during a civil war of the Southern
Hyrkanian cities.
1,620 aw Cartoseon, the first true Regent of Persedonia, breaks the Zuedian rule and establishes the new empire
of Persedonia, and the Cartosean Dynasty
1,635 aw The Second Dynasty of Usyllyses brings peace to Hyrkania again.
1,682 aw The founding of Elharad City
1,700 aw The unification of desert tribes under Asaran I creates Galvonar
1,744 aw The third dynasty of the Usyllyses begins its reign.
1,798 aw The founding of Kiddaros
1,809 aw The Jhaknian ruler Golanarth establishes the Oligarchic council of Jnril, presiding over the previous
democratic forum of the land. War breaks out with Takonor again.
1,850 aw The Long Rule of the twelve great tribes begins in Galvonar
The Age of Strife and Prophecy (circa 1,900 aw - 2,116 aw)
1,927 aw Usyllyses III rules Hyrkania. He forges an alliance with Suethendur, and the Einur King grants him the
care of his youngest daughter since the queen is barren. Phyxillus becomes the first adopted einurian to
inherit the throne.
1,930-1,945 aw Jhakn and Takonor war, as Takonor is condemned for devonin worship. Takonor is sacked and pillaged.
1,960-1,962 aw Xauraun's latest reincarnation comes into power in Southern Hyrkania, and with the forces of the Black
Tower he wages war. For the first time in centuries, avatars are picked to aid the reincarnated Warenis to
defeat Xauraun.
1,963-1,968 aw The Company of the new avatars explores the Middle Kingdoms. Wormi Vellsoth founds the Black
Lotus Guild. Gilrad weds Phyxillus Usyllyses, becomes co-regent.
1,965 aw A brief period of religious strife flares up in Hyrkania between death cultists and hunt cultists
1,980 aw Ocentashian Glythanyu rise up against the city-state of Dorasha and depose the rule of the Macabethian
Cult. Wormi Vellsoth assassinates the wizard Macabeth. The hordes march on Jhakn but are
shattered in subsequent battles.
The Codex of Prophecy surfaces, and the first of the Apocalyptic Predictions come to pass as a new
gate to the Abyss opens in the Great Plains
1,981-1,982 aw The Second Celestial War almost begins, but the new avatars defeat the devonin hordes and seal the New
Gate of Chaos before havoc reigns.
1,998 aw Octzoron Andor becomes King in Octzel.
2,000 aw Quirak becomes wizardly Advisor in Octzel, commissions his Mansion. Octozoron commissions the
great outer wall.
2,003-2,020 aw The Great Middle War ensues, as Octozoron initiates a conflict to control sea trade and conflict erupts
with Imperial Hyrkania.
2,021 aw Wormi Vellsoth kills Quirak, and reveals diabolical controls on the King. Octozoron, fearing his mortal
soul, sues for peace. The Great War ends.
2,028 aw Gilrad and Phyxillus pass the throne to their son, Aroth Usyllyses. He is not as wise as his parents. The
immortal avatars sail off on the Ethereal Ship of Dreams into the outer realms.
2,033 aw Takonor falls to Jhaknian and Galvonarian forces, and is destroyed.
2,050 aw Under Aroth's reign, Hyrkania descends into decadence and corruption, and the High lords revolt. Civil
strife undermines the emperors rule, and the declaration of Southern Hyrkanian independence shatters
the empire. Aroth is deposed and killed.
2,068 aw Octzoron-Vellos comes into control of Octzel. The Doom in Old Chegga erupts as vampiric Karukithyak
seeks to rise from the grave and fall upon Octzel as a curse against the living.
2,074 aw Sharzade of the Ashtarth begins his slow movement for reformation among his people.
2,081 aw The Black Circle of Dahik corrupts the focus of Sherzade's reformation, and reads into the prophecies a
message to return and conquer the Silver Empire of their ancestors.
2,083 aw Corrigan the Witch Queen is resurrected by Laikhanamen. Chaos forces rally in the Thargonid
Mountains. The War of Strife looms. The chosen ones (Gilrad and company) return from their celestial
quests to meet the new threat. Phyxillus and Gilrad return as regents of Hyrkania.
2,084 aw The new age of avatars seek the immortal lord of order, Warenis, and unite against the rising power of
the Witch Queen. Xauraun Vestillios resurfaces, seeking to usurp Corrigan, but Black Annis captures
him in a Soul Gem.

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 2,085 aw The avatars seek the aid of the Orb of Oblivion and very nearly stop Corrigan, but she is at last
assassinated by Xauraun, who polymorphs his prison into a ruby body. He in turn is destroyed and
split into many pieces, and spirited by Aurumurvax across the world, forever disembodied and unable to
reincarnate. A second prophecy comes to pass.
2086 aw The War of Strife rages as Makhorven and Bellasco Strallikus unite the chaos armies. Southern Hyrkania
is united under the rule of the Divinate.
2,087 aw The War of Strife rages across Hyrkania, and ends in a great battle under the rally of the Solarian and
Emerald Knights against the chaos armies at Arkadin. The chaos army is at last dispersed. A third
prophecy comes to pass.
2,086-2,088 aw Mardga Dan Malik discovers Mataclan, the Fifth World, across the Uncrossable Endless Ocean. This
fulfills a fourth prophecy.
2,089-2,090 aw Saurpikan, lord of the Setites, brings down a great anvil from the sky and in the process hatches the
seeds of creation, creating the Young Moon, son of Poltrietie, fulfilling the fifth prophecy.
2,092 aw The House of Kaspalos rises from the ashes of Takonor to initiate a brief civil war in the south.
2,096 aw The great and ancient city of the Suetheinurians , Thystyvianis, falls to the Ashtarth controlled forces of
chaos. The War of Return begins. The Black Circle begins seeking out the pieces of the Amulet of
Eskandar.
2,096 aw Xaurauns Red Robe servants seek to re-unite his head with his severed parts, by locating the
pieces of his fabled Helix Throne. Diannysos the Prehunate reawakens and seeks the remnants of their
ancient power, artifacts of old.
2,097 aw The Company of Corwin Daggerman seeks to find the Helix Throne first, opposing the Red Robes.
2,098 aw The Throne is found, but a great sacrifice destroys it and the Ruby form of Xauraun in the heart of the
Sun. This is the sixth prophecy, freeing Xauraun for his final reincarnation. A company of heroes
thwarts Diannysos and casts the ancient artifacts into the World Forge.
2,099-2,000 aw the Company of Corwin discovers The Paneurikan continent.
2,100 aw Ariandra Vellos, daughter of old King Vellos, becomes co-regent.
2,101 aw The Ashtarth reformation begins, and Sherzades followers are accepted back into Suetheinurians.
2,106 aw The War of the Ashtarth against the Suetheinurians is joined by Blackholm allies. Thystyvianis is razed. For
the first time in millennia, the Argosean magiocracy of Karaktu experiences civil disorder and
insurrection. Akuuris-worshippers rediscover the Armageddon tower again, and learn of the impending
apocalypse of the Celestials.
2,107 aw The House Kaspalos initiates a new civil war in Takonor against Jhakn. The rebels are crushed.
2,110 aw The Hagarant lords are harnessed by the undead Quirak, who possesses an avatars body to escape death.
The Hagarant lords of Octzel are stopped again. House Drakanis and escaped Hagarant Lord Koval begin
the process of ceding Valance from Octzel. In Hyrkania, after Gilrad is believed killed in a battle, the
Great Purge begins as border skirmishes against the Thargonid Empire turns into a crusade that lasts
four years. In fact, Gilrad is captured by Bellasco Strallikus, a proxy in the Abyss.
2,113 aw Catea Gonn-Aleric, a necromancer, finds the final piece of the Amulet of Eskandar, and discovers that
the Orb of Chaos is in Mataclan.
2,114 aw An Octzellan expedition mounted by Drakanis, Aleric, and the Company of the Dogs of War seek to
establish a colony in Mataclan. In Hyrkania, the Great Purge concludes with the sacking and burning of
Hoggoth, capitol of the Thargonid nation. In a battle with the Troll Queen, Phyxillus is entrapped
within a magical vortex, cut off forever more, along with her Crusaders and the Troll Army. It wil be
centuries before they are freed.
2,115 aw Gilrad escapes from the prison in the Abyss and destroys Belasco. He returns to a collapsing Hyrkania,
and leaves it for the planar realms, placing Kalgornen the Paladin as regent.
2,115-2,116 aw The first Octzellan colonies are established in Mataclan, the Orb of Chaos is discovered. The final part
of the prophecy is exposed. Eskandar resurrected seizes the Orb, and rival sorcerers seize the Ankh of
Life, which is in fact the current form of the Orb of Order. The Celestial Apocalypse ensues, and the
ancient balance is destroyed as all blend into one. At this time it is revealed that the formless chaos of
MalaKor has withdrawn from the realm of Order and is no more, and GaThika is awakened. The
perpetrators of Chaos are punished or destroyed, and the Gods are drawn back into the Celestial
Everness, removed forever more from the domain of men. The New Era begins.
The New Era of Man (2,117 - Present)

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 (-13 ne) 2,117 aw The forces of Valance initiate civil war against the reign of Ariandra Vellos on the eve of Octzoron-
Vellos' death.
(-10 ne) 2,120 aw The Nordaman forces of Zued and beyond are united under Sigurd the Great. He conquers much over the
next decade, bringing his army to the gates of Hyrkanien.
(-4 ne) 2,126 aw Davin Kormak and his Emerald Knights seek to liberate the Sendral people from the rule of the Black
Tower.
1 ne (2,130 aw) Hyrkanien is sieged and at last falls to the Nordaman conquerors. Sigurd renames the city Sigurd'ian,
and places his daughter, Agrimias, as regent. She establishes the new northern calendrical system at this
time.
10 ne (2,140 aw) Sendral is freed and the Black Towers forces crushed. Under the new reign of Kormak, a new Southern
Hyrkanian kingdom, free of chaotic rule, now reigns.
21 ne (2,151 aw) Hyrmyskos is declared the new Holy Capitol of the Hyrkanian Empire of the Sun. The New emperor is
Thylar, a solarian knight and high lord.
35 ne (2,165 aw) Remnants of the Black Tower ally with Blackholm and betray the Black Circle. The conquered lands of
Suetheinurians fall under the rule of the Liche-Queen, who begins colonization. The Ashtarth are driven out,
and the reign of the Suetheinurians diminishes to the Woodland Deeps, where they call upon powerful
Weirding Magic to protect it from the diablerie of the Liche-Queen.
52 ne (2,182 aw) The eastern hordes of the Amechian conqueror Hadros begin to unite the Amechian lands from the
capitol of Barakas.
54 ne (2,184 aw) Agrimias dies in Hyrkania. Succession passes to her son, Githrard, who is married to Hylanys, a native
Hyrkanian noblewoman.
81 ne (2,211 aw) Decades of internal conflict among Hyrendan end as the new regent Calisos takes control and decries
the Divinate. He swears fealty to the New Hyrkanian Imperium.
99-108 ne The first Sendral-Blackholm war, in which the forces of Blackholm seek to invade and a driven back by
(2,229-2,238 aw) the stalwart Sendralites. Called by some the Second War of Strife, due to the mercenary causeless-
devonin employed by Blackholm.
110-200 ne The early demiurge cults begin to grow in strength. Phonataism spreads throughout the Middle
(2,240-2,330 aw) Kingdoms.
123 ne (2,253 aw) The new War of Faith begins in Hyrkania as the Solarian Church of the Holy Empire decries the paganism of
Niras and seeks to destroy it. Niras' people revolt and a civil war ensues. The New Inquisition is born.
128 ne (2,258 aw) All of the old territories of Ocentash are conquered by Valance. A viscous, futile war with the Cimmeran
barbarians, backed by Eastonian-paid mercenaries, lasts until 144.
144 ne (2,274 aw) King Drozathon comes into power in Octzel, and seeks to conquer Valance in the south. War erupts after
years of minor conflict and civil war. Thus begins the Two Hundred Years War.
191 ne (2,321 aw) Palithas III comes into power in Persedonia with dreams of conquest and empire.
194 ne (2,324 aw) Easton is conquered by Persedonia and becomes the new Northern Capitol.
199 ne (2,329 aw) Malas is conquered by the Persedonians.
200-206 ne Continuous war erupts between the Hyrkanian polities and Persedonian invaders. The encroachment
(2,330-2,336 aw) of the Persedonians is halted, however.
209 ne (2,339 aw) Jnril experiences its first sack and pillaging under the two hundred years war, which has dragged
Jhakn into the midst of war.
213 ne (2,343 aw) The War of Faith ends, as the new Emperor Shaerythal, also High Sacrimori, recognizes the separate
nation status of Niras and enters an agreement in which Niras'ien and its territories become client
states. She initiates a new, subtle policy of prosyletization and in decades to come, many new
monasteries to Naril appear across the Middle Kingdoms.
224 ne (2,354 aw) The divinate begins to return to Hyrendan, as it remains strong in Blackholm. The new regent of this
time, Kartakos, declares it permissible to worship any god or gods, and the divinate returns to open
worship.
259 ne (2,389 aw) During two years of treaties and neutrality between Octzel and Valance, a terrible betrayal in the south
unites the eastern and central provinces to declare their own cessation as the independent regency of
Halale. Warfare erupts again.
287 ne (2,417 aw) Kymir is at last overthrown in a slave revolt funded by nobles interested in breaking the age-old powers
of the city.
325 ne (2,455 aw) The Second Blackholm-Sendral war erupts and lasts for several years before trade routes are restored.

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 336 ne (2,466 aw) The once quiet Hadrosian Empire is reinvigorated when the new ruler, Katanak, claiming Kadantanian
heritage, gains control in a regicidal move. He declares he will restore the power of ancient Kadantania
to the land.
338 ne (2,468 aw) Civil war in Amech erupts in the Belladasian province.
339 ne (2,469 aw) Arvale becomes new king of Octzel. He seeks peace and then gains fealty immediately from the regency
of Halale.
340 ne (2,470 aw) Hadrosian forces attack Hyrkanian cities along the great Western Trade Route, driving Hyrkanians out
and starting a new war. Sendral, Hyrendan, and Imperial Hyrkanian forces reach a pact of agreement to
unite against the invaders. The war continues to the present (344).
341 ne (2,471 aw) Arvale Octzoron-Tendrosos VI sues for peace, and Drakanis IV accepts, his Valancian kingdom on the
verge of collapse from internal conflict, starvation, disease, and discontent. Halale reluctantly backs off
for the time being, but local grudges continue.
344 ne (2474 aw) The Hadrosian-Hyrkanian war fought to a standstill; Persedonia, under Palithas V, invades New
Galonia; Forces in Halale are threatened by the rising Anyu armies in Mitras Forest for the first time in
centuries; Kymirian forces look eastward to the Hettanar expanse and see easy pickings. The Great Red
Dragon Comet appears once more in the sky. It has not been seen since the Celestial War.
2475 aw (345 ne) Agents of the Cult of the Kraken are manipulated in to recovering the lost armor of Xauraun Vestillios.
Xaurauns pawns reunite his immortal reincarnate with the armor, and he once again walks the earth. He
travels to Trog, where the diminished child-form of Dalroth is biding its time, growing in strength under the
care of Slithotep. Xauraun strips Dalroth of his power and uses the Prophecy of Return to siphon the chaotic
energy of the Red Dragon Comet in to himself. The comet sheds its burden, and meteoric fire rains upon the
World, unleashing the full powers of Chaos once more. Elsewhere, a new band of Chosen seek out the
frozen army of Phyxillus Usyllyses and reawaken her, to rekindle the forces of Order for the onslaught of the
new Pantheon of Chaos, ruled by the immortal Demiurge Xauraun. Queen Taelyias Mandragora leads her
armies against Trog, in a protracted siege, which ends when Xauraun unleashes an army of chaos upon
them. The Queen is believed dead.
2476 aw Phyxyllis' first act is to siege and regain control of the city Hyrkanien, and return the Emerald Throne to the
rule of a proper Empress. She Refuses the throne for herself, however, and insists that it be handed to
Prince Hovalos, who has ruled at Hyrmyskos in the wake of his mothers defeat at Trog. The Nordaman
kingships have little fight left in them after a century and more of assimilation and complacency. Prince
Hovalos' first act is to restore the Hyrkanian Calendrical System, and restore the family rights of lost
territory to disenfranchised Hyrkanian Houses. This instigates a brief civil rebellion amongst the Nordaman,
which is quickly put down. In Honor of this time, the new Emperor declares this period the Era of Rebirth,
and (er) is used to mark this period henceforth.
2478 aw Trogs forces mount opening attacks against Malas and neighboring cities. Persedonian officials are
captured. Xauraun forces a visit to the capitol of Persedonia, and a strange alliance is formed. Elsewhere,
Chrones minions of Xauraun forge an alliance with the Hadrosian Empire of Amech. Troops march west.
2479 aw Trog and Presedonia march on Hyrkania and Octzel. The forces of Mitras Forest and the Mountains of
Chaos unite under the banner of Trog. The region of Halale falls under siege.
2481 aw Octzels troops lose ground against the onslaught of enemy forces. Much of Halale marauded by enemies,
and Valance under siege.
2483 aw The forces of Octzel mount a desperate push to oust the invading armies, led by Kalador Gonn Hesparad. He
succeeds in pushing back the encroaching forces. In Hyrkania, the forces of Trog and Persedonia ally with
Blackholm, which swears allegiance to Xauraun. Hyrenden survives siege from the Persedonians by calling
upon the demiurge Avarath, only to fall six months later to betrayal from within (the Red Robes give the city
away).
2486 er: The present year of the Campaign for Adventures. The Political scene is tumultuous. The major turmoil in
the land lies in Trog, where a new capitol of Chaos has formed and sends forth its tendrils to find new
followers. Persedonia allies itself with Xaurauns forces, but some suspect witchery. The Nordaman
territories has collapsed, and a strong new Hyrkanian Empire rises from the ashes. Octzel continues to
experience a break from constant civil war, but the coordinated invasion of orcs from Mitras Forest and
armies from Trog and Persedonia change that. More blighted craters of chaos becom evident as they
rupture and expand, breeding foul creatures of chaos.

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Characters of Lingusia
The Races of Lingusia:
The world of Lingusia is populated by many other
species than humanity, as is appropriate for a
fantasy realm. The major species available for
players to choose from at the outset include the
following:
The Einurian Races
The fae folk, Sidhee, or elves, called in the ancient
tongue Einurians, are a diverse and enigmatic
species. They are divided into a number of cultural
groups and inhabit many regions. Elves are often
regarded as the first intelligent race created by the
gods, but some claim they are merely Fae folk who
fell from the grace of the Weirding, that enigmatic
realm of the Faerie, which the Goddess Selene
brought forth in a dream.
The available elvish groups in Lingusia are:
Suetheinurian, Silver Elves
The Silver, or High Elves, are the most ancient and
venerable of the elvish cultures. They are among the
tallest of the elves, often taller than humans. Silver
elves are ancient, wise, and talented with magic.
Their ancient kingdom in the Woodlands of Sylvias
has stood the test of time, even the assaults of
Ashtarth armies and goblin hordes in recent
centuries. Silver elves are renowned as warriors
throughout the land. The paladins of Selene are
fierce defenders of their woodland kingdom, and are
sometimes known to quest elsewhere, as well.
Silver Elves are known to have founded a secretive
order known as the protectorate, an elaborate
society of agents for the cause of Order and
goodness, who venerate Phonatas, Elesin, Herme,
and other gods, and seek to take advantage of their
perspective as near-immortals to counter the threats
of Chaos.
The Silver Elves are divided in to a number of
Houses of the Moon, and each house provides
special social and political contacts to its members.
Membership in a house is determined by blood and
marriage. Many common Silver Elves belong to what
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
are known as the Houses of the Sun, the lesser
families which comprise the bulk of the common
population. These elvish houses swear fealty to the
great houses. Often, an elf or half elf with no house,
or a Salienform elf, may be permitted to join one of
these lesser houses. On a rare occasion, a House of
the Sun becomes unexpectedly important, and is
transformed in to a House of the Moon. Just as
rarely, a House of the Moon can suffer serious
defeat or shame and fall back to become a lesser
house.
Personality and Appearance: Silver Elves are often
regarded as somewhat haughty and aloof when
dealing with the lesser kindred races. Some of this is
a side effect of age, for the Silver Elves almost
invariably live longer than most beings around them.
Some of it is their fae aspect, which is unsettling or
soothing to different beings. They are noble, regal
beings in appearance, averaging 6 to 6 and a half
feet in height, towering over most other elves and
men. Suetheinurian physical traits include
pronounced, slim pointed ears and opalescent eyes
(no whites; all Lingusian elves have an opal quality to
the eyes, running from black to deep red,
reminiscent of gem stones). All Silver Elves are
known for their long, silken hair which comes in all
colors, but most famously in the silver, platinum
blonde, and white coloration. There is an unreal
quality to Silver Elves, a presence that unnerves
those who fear the magical and soothes those who
are good at heart.
Relations: Silver Elves have long held an alliance and
treaty of mutual protection with the Empire of
Hyrkania, and there is a special pairing between the
Selenic Knights and the Solarian Knights of each
realms respective gods. They are at odds with the
Persedonians, who seek to encroach on their
territory. They have a loose alliance with the
Maddendur Dwarves, but that has fragmented many
times over the millennia. They see themselves as
caretakers of the spirited and naive Sylveinurians (as
well as other fae kin, such as the Syleni and
Gnomes), and as devoted foes against the Southern
Hyrkanian City States and the Ashtarth. Silver Elves
 are strongly opposed to all of the chaos-kin,
including the Anyu Orcs and their relations.
Alignment:
Religion: The Suetheinurian worship Selene, and
members of House Ilmatar worship Ailyenarion as
well. Phonatas, Elesin, Herme, Poltrietie, and
GaThika are all important elements of the elvish sub
pantheon.
Language: All Suetheinurian begin with knowledge
of elvish and the Middle Tongue, as well as their
House Tongue, which is a unique dialect used
between members of the same house only, and
never taught to outsiders (willingly).
Names: There are a lot of "y," "th," and "s" elements
in naming. Some examples of Suetheinurian names:
Male: Thyvias, Vyrasthios, Shylnavalos, Vaeram,
Sylas, Mythrael, Zyravos.
Female: Phyxyllis, Thyriel, Allysithriel, Mylinii,
Thyvysithies, Myrythien, Enesthyriel.
Adventurers: While some Silver Elves choose to
wander and quest, others are appointed foreign
duties, such as Selenic Knights, members of the
protectorate, and disciples of a wizard or merchant
sect. Silver Elves live a long time, and they are not by
nature isolationist.
Silver elves receive all of the benefits of the
standard elvish package, but with the following
modifiers/changes:
Silver Elves receive a +1 modifier to Intelligence,
but a -1 Strength modifier, in addition to the +1
Dexterity and -1 Constitution modifiers.
Fae Glamour: All Silver Elves experience a +2
circumstance modifier to Charisma rolls when
negotiating with good beings and a -2 modifier
to the same rolls against evil beings, unless the
Silver Elf is evil, in which case the modifiers are
reversed. This is a side effect of the fae glamour
which permeates their being.
A Silver Elf must choose from a House of the Sun
or no house at all for social background. A Silver
Elf with at least two attributes of 13 or better
and no attributes less than 10 may belong to a
House of the Moon. If so, then the Silver Elf may
roll percentile dice to determine heritage: 01-
60: House of the Sun; 61-93: Choose from the
following list of Houses of the Moon; 94-99:
Salienform! (see below); 00: Youre a rare fair
skinned member of House Shilnavilin. All
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
members of a House of the Sun gain only the
standard benefits of the elvish package.
Ilmatar, House of Fire. This house is legend for
its metalwork and armoring skills, and is unique
in its ability to harvest and tool adamantine
implements. Likewise, members of this house
are famous for their talents at pyromancy and
alteration. Members of this house receive a +1
bonus to any check related to the manufacture
of metal arms or armor..
Istrion, House of Water. Blessed by Trimelin,
this house is known for its seafarers,
shipwrights, merchants, and water mages.
Members of this house receive a +1 bonus to
rolls involving sailing, swimming, or bargaining.
Nethestor, House of Ice. Located in Ice Falls,
members of this house are powerful with cold
magic, and considered pre-eminent architects
throughout the elvish lands. House members
get a +1 bonus to Intelligence checks involving
architecture and engineering, and when using
Ice Magic may, once per day per three spell
caster levels enhance a cold-based spell by one
level over their normal caster level.
Vystrion, House of Earth. Those of House
Vystrion are accomplished druids, geomancers,
and earth workers. They are known for their
agricultural and horticultural skill, as well as
magic shaping the earth and the flora. Members
of this house get a +1 bonus to wisdom checks
when foraging or surviving in the wilderness and
may apply this to any relate Ranger or Druid
skills as well.
Shalmanfiel, House of Enchantment. Masters of
illusion and disguise, sometimes regarded as
tricksters and hucksters, the illusion-crafting
skills of House Shalmanfiel are well known.
Members of this house receive a +1 Save
modifier on any attempt to disbelieve illusions,
and when using illusions may, once per day per
three arcane spell caster levels enhance an
illusion spell by one level over their normal
caster level. Almost without exception,
members of House Shalmanfiel choose
Illusionist for their class (or one of their classes if
using the Castle Zagyg multiclassing rules).
Astrux, House of Many Eyes. The most
venerable house of the politicians, they are
silver elves, which have made the art of
 diplomacy and politics and family affair. All
houses participate in politics, but House Astrux
rules the field. Nothing gets done without their
participation or approval. All rulers for the last
two thousand years have been from House
Astrux. Members of this house receive a +1
bonus in Intelligence checks for diplomacy and
negotiation, and receive a +2 modifier to any
leadship checks when trying to mobilize or
command troops (may affect any Morale rolls
dictated by the CK, too). The members of Astrux
are consumate commanders, and favor the
Knight class. which they almost always take.
Calyspion, House of Conjurers. This is a small
house, largely dominated by the Fraternity of
the Gray Robes, a venerable order of conjurers
and summoners whose abilities are tethered to
the Weirding Realms. Oddly, some of these
mages also take up arms and practice combat to
become war mages. Members of this house
when using conjuration and summoning magic
(any spell which produces objects from thin air
or creatures) may, once per day per three
arcane spell caster levels enhance such a spell
by one level over their normal caster level. All
members of this house who utilize summon
spells will summon Fae creatures over other
types, first.
Arienform, House of the Sky. Blessed by Ogron,
this smaller house sprouts many wind
elementalists, navigators, and weather mages.
Members of this house receive a +1 Intelligence
bonus to nature and weather checks, and to
intuit the true direction they are traveling.
Salienform, The Outcasts. Exiles by choice or
force, Salienform have been branded heretical
and cast out from the Houses of the Moon.
Salienform are sometimes born of two houses,
and choose one ability bonus from each house.
Intermarriage among the House of the Moon is
forbidden (although it is permissible with the
Houses of the Sun). Likewise, criminal or deviant
behavior also results in expulsion. If this is the
case, determine your former house and receive
its abilities. All Salienform receive a -2 check
penalty to all Charisma and social interaction
rolls with members of the Houses of the Moon,
and a -1 penalty to the Houses of the Sun.
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Shilnavilin, the Dark House. This is officially an
extinct house, as its members became the seed
of the Ashtarth many millennia ago. The
Ashtarth who still wage war against Sylvias claim
this house title their own. The only fair skinned
members of this house are said to live in the
demiplane of the Desecrated Lands,
worshippers of the ancient Anhedron the
Damned, he who first corrupted the house and
cursed them to become Ashtarth forever more.
Members of this house have special
considerations. They must be chaotic in
alignment, and if they are not ashtarth, they
often look albino. They may plane shift once per
day to the Desecrated Lands, and receive a -2
Charisma penalty to any encounter in which
they are known to belong to this house.
Ashtarth who are so pure of blood as to belong
to this house receive these benefits, and the
social penalty stacks with any others. They
receive a -1 Charisma penalty among their own
kind, due to jealousy and hatred towards their
purity.
Sylveinurian, Sylvan Elves
The Sylvan Elves are woodland stock, which disdain
the ancient spired cities of the Silver Elves in favor of
a natural approach to living. They are curious and
earthy folk, considered closer to their Fae roots than
many other elves, save perhaps for the Kythians,
who are still touched by the Weirding.
Sylveinurians are located mostly in the dense, thick
forests of the eastern Sylvan Mountains of Sylvias.
They are clustered in a number of clannish provincial
domains, through which normal men could blindly
stumble through and never know were inhabited if
the woodland elves chose not to reveal themselves.
Most of the Sylveinurian communities are centered
in high-roosted townships built in and along the
length of the great old red woods, which comprise
much of their forest land.
Personality and appearance: Woodland Elves come
across as mischievous, personable, and very curious.
Almost all Sylvan Elves who have not settled down in
old age often seem to be almost juvenile in their
approach to life, although this is a side effect of the
fae glamour which permeates them, driving them on
to distraction. yes, there are focused Sylvan Elves,
and yes, there are laconic, disinterested members of
 the species, but they are the exception rather than than not have a Sylveinurian parent as a result of
the rule. this wanderlust and adventuresome nature.
Sylvan Elves appear short, averaging 5-5 and a half All Sylveinurians have the standard profile found
feet in height, of slim build with pronounced, in the Players Handbook. They are the default
pointed ears. They have rustic, earthy colors for hair, elvish type for elves that do not know or have
ranging from sandy blonde to dusky brown or gray, not discovered their heritage.
and some Sylvan Elves hair changes color with the
fall and spring. Like all Lingusian elves, they have Kythians, Faerie Elves
solid opalescent eyes, usually of speckled red, blacks,
The faeriefolk of the elves are the closest to the
and browns.
ancient ancestry of the elves among the fae folk than
Relations: Sylvan Elves are inclined to get along well
any other member of the elvish community. They
with everyone, or at least try. They are compelled to
are small, reclusive kin, quiet and vigorously
taunt dwarves, however, who are too dour for the
effective at evasion. Found in small, isolate
taste of most Sylveinurians. Likewise, they are
communities throughout the Middle Kingdoms and
generally disapproving of the lifestyles of most
beyond, they are perhaps the only elves to dwell in
chaos-kin and other evil beings, but are also more
the Northlands (beside dark elves). The largest
likely to accept one of those beings, which walk the
communities of Kythians can be found in the Faerie
path or order and goodness. They love gnomes and
Wood of western Octzel.
syleni, and like humans because theyre such an easy
Personality and appearance: Kythians are shy,
mark. They tend to be uncomfortable and concerned
reclusive, and deeply attuned to nature and the
about planar beings, as such entities are rarely a part
spiritual realms. Unlike their more sophisticated kin,
of the natural order.
Kythians are still trapped in the rapture of the
Religion: Wishupar, Herme, Poltrietie, Niras, Selene,
Glamour, the mysterious presence of the Weirding
Phonatas, Temina, and Amasyr are all part of the
from which all elvish races were birthed by Selene in
reverent sub pantheon of the elvish people who are
the dawn of creation. Because of this, they tend to
preferred by the Sylveinurians.
act very strangely around other beings, for they can
Language: Sylveinurians speak elvish, as well as the
see and understand things no one else can.
Middle Tongue and they tend to be familiar with
In terms of appearance, they are the smallest
many woodland and animal languages. In Lingusia,
elvish kin. Kythians are usually between 47 and
all animals are given to a degree of intelligence and
53 in size, and rarely get taller. Some are small
language, if not sophistication, and so fae kin
enough to pass as thin dwarves or even tall halflings
attuned to nature may learn their languages.
or gnomes. Kythians all have slim frames, the largest
Names: Sylveinurians are prone to simple and
pointed ears, and wild manes of earthy hair which
descriptive names. They have houses, like
change color with the season, and opalescent eyes
Sylveinurians do, but their family structure and inter-
filled with a glittery, mineral like quality that gives
relations are much looser and without boundary.
them an unearthly appearance. From a distance,
The house name would come last, and some known
save for their ears, they can easily be mistaken for
houses are listed below.
children of about 10-12 years of age by humans, and
House Names: Vellsoth, Nathylien, Erendys, Helthior,
rarely appear to develop in to what humans see as
Varundys, Gamathys, Zypharem.
adult characteristics.
Male: Wormi, Silas, Syralys, Vyphar, Corlyn, Pyryth,
Relations: Kythians try to avoid dealing with all
Vale, Wendyros, Longyn.
civilized beings, and like to stay away from cities and
Female: Sabyl, Dryiele, Erythri, Grysaudia, Tymyri,
other large manmade structures. They avoid crowds,
Kyellie, Myrin, Hymiri.
and much prefer nature. Kythians are likely only to
Adventurers: Sylvan Elves are by far the most
befriend or trust druids and rangers, or priests of
common elf found in foreign lands, wandering,
Poltrietie.
adventuring, and striving to outlive the glamour of
Religion: Kythians are unsophisticated in the ways of
wanderlust, which possesses them to go out and do
worship, but they have druids who venerate the
rash and unusual deeds. Likewise, more half elves
pantheon of nature (Niras, Poltrietie, Zingar) and

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 they all revere the Weirding as a quasi-demiurge, per week. The Weirding Realm is the extra
seeing the presence of the Fae Realm as a sort of planar domain of the Faerie, and Kythians with
god itself. enough time and experience become sufficiently
Language: Kythians learn Faerspeak, although it is attuned to it that they can begin to see cracks in
somewhat different, if still understandable, from the frame of reality that allow them to return to
other elvish dialects. This difference provokes a 5 their hallowed land. Likewise, they may use
penalty to any check in which the Kythian is trying to Planar Travel to return to the mortal realm.
disguise his heritage from another elf, due to his Kythians favor short bow and short sword for
peculiar accent. Kythians do not start with the their elvish weapon training.
Middle Tongue automatically, but may instead No Kythian may ever be proficient in armor
choose an animal tongue or another fae language other than padded, leather coat, leather armor,
instead. hide, or studded leather. All Kythians who try to
Names: Kythians have simple naming mechanisms, wear heavier metal armor suffer penalties as if
and enjoy naming themselves after things and they were violating their class restrictions (i.e.
events in nature. The elvish version of such a name abilities for the class which dont work when
can sound foreign, but if they choose to explain the wearing heavier armor will also not work with
meaning, most humans would adopt that to call the Kythian restrictions). A Kythian fighter, for
Kythian. as a rule, male Kythians tend to be named example does not get proficiency in these
after living things, and women tend to be named armors, even though the class grants them.
after the earth, sky, or plants. All Kythians are extraordinarily agile, and may
Male: Fisherbear, Callingowl, Roaringstorm, declare a +1 bonus to their armor class against a
Burningtree, Runningwolf. specific opponent each round, as a way of
Female: Ashensky, Earthmaiden, Fallingstar, Ivy, compensating for their lack of normal
Oleander, Frailmoon. protection from armor. Kythian warriors may
Adventurers: Kythians can find themselves on some increase this bonus to +2 at fifth level and +3 at
pretty amazing adventures, but rarely do they seek tenth level, and they may divide it up to three
them out. Most Kythian adventurers are victims of ways (+1 vs. three opponents, or +3 vs. one
circumstance, propelled by fate in to the role of opponent). Only warrior Kythians get this extra
adventurer. perk, to compensate for their limited armor
Kythians have the standard elvish package, with useage.
the following modifications: Finally, all Kythians gain a natural +2 Wisdom
Kythians are attuned to the Glamour of the bonus to nature and survival rolls as a reflection
Weirding, and in fact cannot escape it. As such, of their natural affinity for nature.
they have a special +2 bonus when utilizing Kythians favor Druids and Rangers for starting
abilities to detect Fae beings, invisible things, or classes.
ethereal presences. They may not see such
beings or things but they become acutely aware
of something nearby in their range of vision or
Ashtarth, Dark Elves
The Ashtarth are the ashtarth elves, the Dock-Alfar
hearing.
of Lingusia, corrupted from their Silver Elf kin long
Fae Glamour: Three times per day, a Kythian
ago by the minions of Chaos, they were forever
may cast any of the following: Detect Magic,
marked with their coal black skin cast out of the
Detect Good, Detect Chaos, Detect Fae (like
elvish community. Ashtarth society is a cruel mimicry
Detect Good, but creature must be Fae), Detect
of Silver Elf society, with houses of rule and
Invisible, or Detect Undead. All such elements
advancement through might and stealth. In the
either leave a presence or blight on the aura of
ancient annals of elvish lore, the Ashtarth were
the Weirding.
members of House Shilnavilin, the House of Betrayal
Weirding Way: A Kythian who has reached 10th
as it eventually came to be known, for in ancient
level (or combined levels of 10) may perform
times, its most prevalent members betrayed the
Planar Travel to the Weirding Realm only once
Kingdom of the Elves by swearing fealty to Dalroth

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 and the Courts of Chaos. By choosing the worship of
the Demon Gods, the Ashtarth cast away their tether
to the Weirding Way and were branded with
darkness forever more. A war between elves
erupted, and they were cast out of the elvish realms,
destined to wander the world for new homes. Some
Ashtarth traveled to the distant Northlands and
settled there, to be called Dock-Alfar. Some traveled
to the east, and a handful of them even settled deep
in the Amechian lands, to pursue a means of
redressing their sins against Selene. But most settled
in the Kingdom of Dahik, and established their own
Order of Houses, to pursue the will of the Demon
Gods.
Personality and appearance: Ashtarth are always of
coal black skin, save for a few white skinned albinos
who are born once every few generations. Women
are prized for their sorcerous superiority and
divinatory powers, while the men are disdained as
warriors and laborers to be lorded over. Much like
the ashtarth of other worlds, Ashtarth are
matriarchal.
Ashtarth are physically very tall, from 6 to almost 7
feet in height, due to their heritage of once having
been Silver Elves. Their opal eyes are usually black,
red, and occasionally white. Their hair is usually
white or gray, and occasionally black or fiery red.
Relations: the Ashtarth, who only nominally
maintain relations with the Hyshkorrid, and some
deviant chaos-kin orc tribes, goblinoids, and easy
slave species, reviles most all species. They are at
odds with all surface dwellers, seek to annihilate
their fair skinned kin, and have shaky alliances with
the Southern Hyrkanians. In the north, they are
natural enemies of the Kythians and Zarnians. Only
the neutral and reserved I'Cathor House of the
Amechian Conclave seeks solitude and escape from
war and destruction.
Religion: The Ashtarth revere Dalroth and his Courts
of Chaos whether they like it or not. Most recently,
in the Hyrkanian Desert City of Trog, Lord Xauraun
Vestillios the immortal ascended to divinity, and has
taken the reigns of the Courts of Chaos, dragging
their power under his sway. Pale, the unholy child of
chaos, which is in fact, the recuperating Dalroth, was
crushed in to a crippling jester by Xauraun, and
serves as his puppet. This has led to a great upheaval
among the Ashtarth houses, which are receiving too
many contradictory messages from their evil deities.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Some of the Demon Gods most favored by the
Ashtarth include The Spider Goddess, Orcus,
Pazzuzzu, Koschtie, Belphegor, Avarath, Yeenoghu,
Lilith, Demogorgon, Tragonamos, Kalakan, and
Piscrael. Slithotep, the Mad God, is also worshipped
as is Haro, Lord of Assassins.
Language: Ashtarth learn the Ashtarth tongue, their
Houses Cant (the secret language of their house),
the Sign language of the Dark Elves, and either elvish
or the Middle Tongue.
Names: Ashtarth like brutal names, with rough
sounding qualities to them. all Ashtarth must belong
to a house. The major family houses are listed
below, or you can belong to a different lesser house.
The northern Dock-Alfar do not group by houses, but
by clans. many Ashtarth come from a union between
two houses or clans, and so carry both names in
hyphenated form (I'Cathor-Stromm, for example)
with the mother's house first.
House Names: Stromm, Kaliban, ICathor, Grannen,
Urdanne, Grenedan, Venetor, Baal'rammen,
Plagistren, Vehedemeer, Korlaas.
Male: Charnel, Flavios, Daros, Kabel, Varkol, Krael,
Lovador, Sherzade.
Female: Synestra, Deviris, Paniseth, Vitrea, Kalieth,
Sibrien, Pinetteras, Calyspel.
Adventurers: Ashtarth who are evil and seeking to
further the will of their family or the secret order of
the Black Circle are always prone to have cause to
adventure. The rare Ashtarth who is good in nature
is an adventurer by necessity, struggling to survive in
a world that will give him no quarter while escaping
a vengeful people. Often, good Ashtarth seek a
quasi-mythical means of redeeming their people, or
themselves.
Ashtarth receive +1 Dex and -1 Cha modifiers.
Ashtarth have the same Spell Resistance as
normal elves.
All ashtarth have innate spell-like abilities. They
may activate these abilities each once per day
(like a sorcerer) with the ashtarths class level
acting as caster level. They may choose three
spells for their spell-effects from the following
list: faerie fire, darkness, change self, hypnotism,
charm person, cause fear, pass without trace,
protection from law, or undetectable alignment.
Other spells may be permitted, CK willing.
Males ashtarths are second-class citizens, good
for cannon-fodder, slave labor and concubines
 in the eyes of the ruling matriarchy. As such, all
male ashtarths receive a -2 Charisma modifier to
when interacting with ashtarth women. This
penalty fades in ashtarth communities where
the men are considered emancipated (such as
among the eastern Amechian enclaves).
Ashtarth receive the elvish racial bonus to
detect hidden doors, as well as enhanced
senses.
Darkvision for 120 feet.
Ashtarth have an innate familiarity (regardless
of class) with all crossbows (including exotic
crossbows) and scimitars. They favor the crueler
weapons (whips, poisons, curved and barbed
blades, etc.)
Ashtarth are sensitive to light, and are blinded
for one round by any sudden daylight-
equivalent effects (spell or unexpected
exposure). They remain at a -2 penalty to all
actions while in the offending light. Ashtarth
who spend a long period of time on the surface
in daylight may qualify for the Daywalker trait,
below.
Ashtarth have wizard as a typical class. They also
tend to be clerics if they choose the worship of
Dalroth or another Lord of Chaos as their deity.
If using multiclassing rules, ashtarth almost
always multiclass.
The Daywalker Trait (Con)
An ashtarth who has spent more than three
months continuously in the outdoors functioning in
the daylight and adjusting his vision develops a
resistance to the harsh effects of open light on his
eyes. When he is in daylight and needs to fight, he
can make a Con Save if it is full daylight (with a +2
bonus if it is artificial light or partly cloudy). If he
makes it, then he fights unimpaired. If he fails, he is
surprised and gets a 2 penalty to hit for the first
round of battle, then adjusts normally for the second
round.
CKs may award this talent to Ashtarth PCs who
meet the requirements for it over time.
Naelythians, Arcane Elves
This rare species is never seen in the world
anymore save for a lone visitor from the Ether. The
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
elves once were part of a greater ancient society,
one that ascended into the celestial realms of the
sky, and the blue skinned Naelythians were the ones
who chose to stay there.
Naelythians are rare species to encounter in a
normal campaign, but travelers in to the realms of
Etherspace via magical craft might well meet this
celestial race that plies the infinite byways of the
heavens.
Naelythians have statistics comparable to the PHB
elf traits, and may be designed as such. Naelythians
are usually familiar with superior arcane and
steampunk technology.
The Endurian Races
The dwarven kin are a hearty lot who have spent
much of their ancient history beneath the earth.
Rare on the surface, the dwarves are nonetheless a
political force in the Middle Kingdoms, as the Iron
Kingdom is a strong military presence in the south.
There are several dwarven cultures, including:
Maddendur, Iron Dwarves
The greatest of the dwarven cultures, the
maddendur are militant, greedy, and classic
dwarves. Although it may be unfair to label them
classic so quickly, it is without a doubt that one could
say the most Maddendur are dour, taciturn, prone to
anger, and very, very good in battle.
Iron Dwarves hail from many regions, dwelling in
busy mountain homes, carving deeply in to their
mountains to create wondrous underground
citadels. They are perpetually at war with the chaos-
kin, giants, and endless denizens of the Underworld.
The most famous and by far strongest mountain
kingdom of the Iron Dwarves is in the Iron
Mountains, and the capitol of Shillmarane is
considered the largest inhabited underworld city in
Lingusia.
Personality and Appearance: Iron Dwarves are, as
mentioned, a dour, taciturn and angry lot. They
revere war, profit, and crafting above all other
pursuits, and are single minded almost to a fault in
such matters. Iron Dwarves are reclusive and
isolationist, so are rarer on the surface than Silver
Dwarves, but make their presence felt when
necessary.
 Iron dwarves are usually around 4 feet in height, Iron Dwarves are for all practical purposes the
burly and bearded, and even the women are said to classic dwarf as described in the Players
grow beards, though the truth of this is unknown to Handbook, and no modifications are necessary.
most humans since dwarven women are rarely ever
seen. Their hair and eyes are of all colors and types, Suethendur, Silver Dwarves
but they have a ruddy bronze quality to their skin.
Once part of a great dwarven kingdom in the Silver
Iron Dwarves of the deep Northlands tend to be fair
Mountains of the north, these dwarves were driven
in skin, and more blonde.
from their tunnels millennia ago, and now are
Relations: Iron Dwarves respect the kingdoms of
surface dwellers amongst the kingdoms of man.
man, and they have relations and treaties with the
They are artificers and engineers of amazing skill,
Sendral Kingdom, Hyrkanian Empire, and Creteans.
and are known to have invented such wondrous
Those merchant dwarves who travel by sea have
artifactor magic as flying ships and smoke powder.
relations as far away as Zued and Octzel. Dwarves
While Silver Dwarves have the smallest population
get along only intermittently with Silver Elves, and
as dwarves go, they are seemingly more numerous
are driven nuts by Sylvan Elves. They are annoyed by
as their diaspora is spread out among the kingdoms
syleni, and confused by gnomes. They hate the
of man. Silver Dwarves have found homes within
Darendur, Ashtarth, and all chaoskin.
small mountainous enclaves throughout the Middle
Religion: Iron Dwarves revere Hargameth for war,
Kingdoms and the north, but none can quite recover
Ashturak for trade and crafting, Elesin for
from the loss of their most splendid and seemingly
seamanship, and The Nameless One for being honest
endless subterranean city within the Silver
about death.
Mountains.
Language: Iron Dwarves learn dwarvish, and usually
In the present most major human cities have a
learn their second language as the Middle Tongue or
barrio dominated by Silver Dwarves.
Eastern Tongue.
Personality and Appearance: Silver Dwarves are
Names: Iron Dwarves like good, sturdy first names,
more outgoing and gregarious than their dour Iron
and have lengthy and hard to pronounce last names,
kin. They are as diplomatic as they are mechanically
which follow a mantra-like code that connects their
skilled, and value the insight of other races as well as
male lineage. There are dozens and dozens of clans,
their own.
and often as many as ten to twelve clans within a
Silver Dwarves are also around four feet, and save
city.
for their ancient heritage from the Silver Mountains,
Male: Borin, Damior, Golin, Dwaelor, Ulan, Vailor,
are not easily differed from their Iron kin. Most
Gunrish, Daelin.
Silver Dwarves have fair skin, however, and tend to
Female: Kamael, Dunir, Vimara, Loris, Tenera, Aspiel,
have more blonde and gray in their hair. Many are
Minhara, Ulara.
blue eyed, a rare trait among Iron Dwarves.
Adventurers: Iron Dwarves often join Fraternal
Relations: Silver Dwarves get along with everyone,
Orders of knights, and one of the duties of such
perhaps save for the chaos-kin, and even then
orders is to quest and seek out the enemies of
theyre willing to accept a good being of an evil race.
dwarves. Merchant orders will likewise expect and
They are remarkably diplomatic, although just as
Iron Dwarf to seek out perfection in his mercantile or
prone to angry moodiness at times as their Iron kin.
crafting skills. Many Iron Dwarves will become
Religion: Silver Dwarves are reverent to Ashturak,
singularly obsessed with a deed or quest that can
the creator god. It is said in the myths of the
only be accomplished over time in he surface world,
dwarves that Ashturak first created the Iron
and so venture forth to fulfill their obsession.
Dwarves, but as they were his first creation, they
Some of the more adventurous Maddendur include
were flawed and a little ugly, so he created their
the Magendur Clan, a powerful clan of dwarves that
brothers, the Silver Dwarves, and got it right the
have actually entered the realms of Miras Forest to
second time, by modeling them after his own image.
begin a new war to drive out the orcs and other
This might be vanity, but oddly enough the Iron
chaos-kin of that land. Magendur are a most
Dwarves do not deny it, and let the Silver Dwarves
adventurous lot.
carry on.

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 Language: Silver Dwarves know their own dialect of
dwarvish, which is still effectively the same
language, and the language of their closest human
kin (usually the Middle Tongue).
Names: Silver Dwarves adopt many names, and will
often choose first names from amongst the local
cultures in which they dwell, but they always prefer
to have a middle or last name connected to their old
clan names.
Male: Aurangabad, Gamerland, Deimos, Ashamar,
Hegroth, Gemanahar, Vovoron.
Female: Dulim, Meris, Enneri, Vohiris, Quirin, Lari,
Missada, Venderlyn.
Adventurers: Silver Dwarves, as a result of their
diaspora throughout the Middle Kingdoms, travel
often, and adventure even more. Some Silver
Dwarves see themselves are traveling scholars and
antiquarians, discovering the lost subterranean past
of their people. Others seek to find master artificers
who can teach them new tricks and techniques.
Suethendur have some special modifiers to add to
the core description and traits of dwarves. In
addition to the details in the Players Handbook,
they get the following:
Artificer: All Suethendur receive a +2
Intelligence bonus to create items, especially
exotic or masterwork items. Wizard silver
dwarves may also concot potions and more
advanced magic items with this ability.
All Suethendur, because of their proximity to
other races and frequent cultural exposure,
receive a +1 Charisma bonus when negotiating.
They still have modified Charisma as all dwarves
do, they simply happen to be better at
compensating for their moody natures in the
presence of non dwarves.
Suethendur favor the Wizard class, though many
can be found as warriors, knights, rangers and
rogues. Oddly, they dislike illusionists, preferring
real magic.
Because they have been away from their
cavernous homes for so long, Suethendur have
been slowly losing their innate talents for
feeling the nature of underground construction,
and have lost the use of the Stonecraft talent.
Darendur, Dark Dwarves
Like the Ashtarth, some dwarves in the War of the
Gods were swayed to serve Chaos, and were marked
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with the dusky, death-like gray skin of their kin. They
dwell beneath the surface of the world only, and are
never seen in daylight. Darendur are a mysterious
species, and no usually seen as player characters,
but mentioned her for sake of completeness. Too
little is known of these deviant Lost Dwarves in the
Underworld to say much more.
Darendur use the standard dwarven template, but
have the following modifiers:
Darendur have Darkvision of 120 feet, being
atuned to the lightless depths of their
subterranean homes.
All darendur are light-sensitive, much like
ashtarth. They experience blindness for one
round if exposed to a sudden daylight-like
effect (such as a spell) and are at -2 on
further penalties to act until the light is
extinguished.
Darendur have a strange immunity to
magic, and receive spell resistance 10. This
spell resistance goes up 1 level for every
three levels of class advancement of the
darendur.
Darendur prefer to be rogues, fighters,
illusionists, rangers, and assassins.
All darendur have a curious innate ability to
tell what sort of magic an item is, as per the
identify spell. They may glean the
knowledge of an item as if using the identify
spell once per day at a caster level equal to
one half their total levels as a spell-like
ability.
Finally, the spell resistance of darendur is
also overwhelming to magical items. Items
in their possession have a chance of failure
as if being targeted by dispel magic at a
caster level equal to the darendurs level.
This applies to all effects, good or bad, of
the item. A darendur who tried to imbibe a
healing potion, for example, would have to
see if his spell resistance cancelled it, then
check to see if his bad karma with magic
items dispelled it. Assuming the potion
survived all of that, then it will work. There
is one exception: illusory magic always
works around Darendur, as they are
innately familiar with phantasms.
Items which are held in possession and are
continuous effect will be subject to dispel
 magic effects anytime their ability comes in
to play, once per week. Boots of Speed, for
example, would be subject to a dispel any
time their extra movement came in to play
during a week period. Likewise, armor
would experience a check any time it was
brought in to combat.
The Fae-Kin
Amongst the faerie kin to have fallen from the
graces of the Weirding are the jovial and perpetually
drunk Syleni, the only breed of halfling fond native
to Lingusia, and the gnome kin, a stalwart and
reclusive lot seen so rarely that many humans doubt
they really exist. Other fae kin who might make
permissible characters are satyrs, nymphs, dryads,
and fauns. True faerie kin, who have not fallen from
the grace of the weirding, are also possible
characters.
Syleni, Halflings
Halfling kin are reclusive and hard to find in the
Middle Kingdoms, though somewhat more common
in the northern regions of Vagendar's Woods and
Caelernin. Called Syleni, the halflings are prone to
keeping well away from the affairs and cities of men,
dwelling in their small communities deep within the
woodlands and other regions where little of
humanity has encroached. On rare occasions, a
halfling has been known to take up a cause or quest
and go adventuring, but such kin are few and far
between. Most adventurous halflings join the
defense constabulary, sometimes seeking out
dwarven communities to receive combat training to
learn to protect their shires from encroaching
goblins, kobolds, and orcs, then return from their
training and settle down with the hope of never
having to fight.
Syleni use all stats and details as described for
halflings in the Players Handbook.
Gnomes
If worldly travelers thought meeting a halfling was
a rarity, gnomes are even greater. Halflings like a
homely lifestyle in their little communities, but
gnomes like to dig deep in the earth, or disguise
their communities in the trees and landscape of the
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most remote sylvan glens. Gnomes are prone to
being territorial, fearful or suspicious of other non
gnome folk, and are much more closely connected to
the fae realm and the sylvan spirits than mortals at
large. That said, gnomes are also more likely to find
themselves imbued with an adventuresome spirit,
especially in the underworld catacombs, where the
incessant disease called curiosity can strike a gnome
at any time, prompting the poor fellow down
decades of discovery. It is said that in some remote
lands, communities of gnomes who all understand
and share such wanderlust gather and dwell in
harmony, studying the principles of the universe and
the enormity of all knowledge.
Gnomes of Lingusia follow the template for
gnomes in the Players Handbook.
Faeriefolk
Faeries, sprites, pixies and brownies, there are
many different strange and unusual fae kin who walk
the line between the Weirding and the Mortal
realms. Under certain strange circumstances, such
eccentric and unique beings could become
adventurers, if only for a short while.
Faeries as adventurers are difficult to play in
anything other than a good role playing campaign,
but the thought of a bloody little sprite is not
unheard of, just very unusual.
Faerie characters receive the following benefits:
-3 Str, -1 Con (minimum 1 in each), and +2
Dexterity, +2 Charisma. Faeries have a maximum
Strength score of 12 (anything higher is reduced
to 12).
All Faeries are of the Fae subtype, and are tiny
creatures (1 foot tall)
Faeries have wings and can fly at a base speed
of 60.
Faeries receive a +1 bonus to hit with tiny bows
for free. The faerie may choose long bow or
short bow. Faerie bows do one half damage
than normal bows (so a faerie shortbow does
1d3 damage).
Faeries may cast prestidigitation, light, mage
hand, and daze each 3 times per day as spell-like
abilities.
Faeries are able to detect other fae for 100 at
will.
 All faeries favor wizard, illusionist, and rogue as
their classes of choice, though some druids and
clerics can be found as well.
Due to their size, faeries have some special
limitations that must be moderated during the
course of play. CKs should use good judgement.
Chaos Kin:
The Anyu Races
The beast men, the goblinoids, the Orcs, and Ogres
are the chaos-kin of Lingusia, and are vast in number
but weak in spirit. Most chaos-kin attribute their
conception to one or more of the Demon Gods or
the Lords of Chaos. Orcs claim to have been created
by Baragnagor, goblins say they were corrupt fae
touched by the powers of Slithotep, and lesser
species such as the Bugbears believe they were
spawned from the blood of fallen deities in the War
of the Gods. There are many cultural groups and
subspecies among the Orcs, which shall be
addressed individually.
Personality and Appearance: Orcs are universally
bestial, with pronounced alligator like snouts, pig like
flaring nostrils, jagged teeth, beady black eyes, and
smooth, leathery skin. The many different
colorations of the orcish sub races reflect the tint or
hue of skin, and while most orcs have some stubbly
hair growth, only Fell Manorg have full fur coats.
Most orcs average around 5 and a half feet to 6 feet
in height, but Black Orcs stand at around 7 feet, and
Deo'dell stand around 5 feet.
Relations: Orcs are generally reviled in most lands,
but are considered acceptable neighbors and citizens
by the Southern Hyrkanian city states. The Ashtarth
see orcs and goblinoids as fodder, while the orcs
pride themselves on their mercenary talents.
Octzellans see orcs as a threat in the provinces of
Halale and as slave fodder in Valance. Fell Manorg
orcs in the north are considered the mortal enemies
of the Zarnian kingdoms, and Deodell orcs alone of
all the sub races are considered neutral or allies of
the Plainsmen of Central Lingusia.
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Religion: Orcs worship many gods and beings. All
orcs revere Baragnagor as the creator god, for
Baragnagor, the idiot beast god was said to have
tried to mimic Naril, Selene, and the other creator
gods by forming his own kin, but all he could do was
create formless lumps of inert clay. Instead, he took
the animals and beings of the world and mashed
them together, creating the many chaoskin. Orcs
claim to have the heads or aggressive crocodiles, the
bodies of powerful apes, and the cunning minds of
wolves. This animal totemism is carried to an
extreme by the Blyskanyu tribes.
The Gray Orcs are an exception to the rule of
worship, as several centuries ago there was a
conversion of the Glythanyu tribes to the benevolent
agrarian god Seth. Likewise, the Thyzakkoni are said
to have forsaken other gods for Set, the deceiver,
who granted them mastery of dark magic in
exchange for eternal worship.
Language: All orcs know their native tongue, and
some know others (see below). Orcs have fairly easy
access to other chaos-kin tongues, sometimes called
the Vandal tongues, as well as other racial languages
of the Underworld.
Names: Orcs like names that exemplify their skill
and prowess in battle, and terrify their enemies and
rivals. The native form of their tongue sounds
guttural, beastly, and is hard for humans to
pronounce. They will often go for a translated name
when among humans to ensure they know what the
name means. The native and translated forms are
both suggested below. Female orcs, rarely
encountered outside of their highly patriarchal and
misogynistic tribes, speak a different feminine
dialect and prefer to name themselves after their
own heritage, and things in nature. Finally, all orcs
find their tribal name to be important, and attach it
at the end of their title.
Tribal Names: Bloody Hands, Poison Claws, Chaos
Spirits, Demon Wolves, Harrowers.
Translated Names: Killer of Halflings, Eater of the
Dead, Wolf Runner, Elf Slayer, Smashingskulls,
Spinning Spear, Rending Guts.
Gutteral Translation: Okai, Agrabud, Gazkath,
Vyghoar, Raghach, Megroath, Gobban.
Female Names: Syba, Trythabin, Shemi, Vryllats,
Meerkas, Chem.
Adventurers: There are some orcish professions,
which allow orcs to interact with men and not find
 themselves at constant sword point. Orcish
Mercenary companies are an unpleasant, but
accepted norm in the Octzellan provinces.
Halshaggin's Raiders and the Dogs of War, among
others, actively recruit for orcs, seeking their raw
prowess, willingness to work for dirt cheap, and lack
of morality. Orcs are considered acceptable citizens
in the Southern Hyrkanian city states, which also
recruit from the chaos-kin for cheap shock troops.
Orcs move freely amongst the societies of the
Underworld, as well, and can always find a safe
haven in their controlled territories, which include
Miras Forest, the Silver Mountains, some tracks
along the northern Iron Mountains, and large
expanses in the Amechian Jungles.
When playing an orcish character, you may choose
from one of the following sub races. All orcs have
the following traits in common, unless a subraces
description says otherwise:
+1 Strength, +1 Constitution, -1 Wisdom, -1
Charisma, -1 Intelligence.
All orcs have Darkvision for 120.
Orcs suffer a 1 penalty on all rolls in
daylight; this does not apply under cloud
cover, or to glythanyu and deodell orcs.
Orcs have innate skill in any orcish racial
weapons.
Orcs favor the barbarian, fighter, rogue,
assassin, cleric and wizard classes. You
rarely see illusionist orcsthey hate
phantasms.
All orcs are available as player characters if
so desired, and any half orc character can
determine what sort orcish parent he or she
had.
Glythanyu, Gray Orcs
The surface dwelling gray orcs are the most
acculturated with humanity, and are the likeliest
source of half orc cross breeds. They are remarkably
agreeable for their species. Gray Orcs are
predominant as Mamaluke shock troops bred by the
Valancians and used in the 100 wars, and many
tribes of them dwell in the Cimmeran and Macabeth
Mountains. Gray Orcs are not regarded as evil by
most folk who interact with them, as the race as a
whole once underwent a profound religious
conversion to the Cult of Seth, the benevolent
Agrarian Pastoral god. Amongst the Gray Orcs is a
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rare Secret Order of Seth, a clan of religious warriors
who strive to protect their culture and free their
people from Valancian slavery. Such warriors are
usually paladins. Most Half Orcs come from Gray
Orc stock.
Gray Orcs may become paladins as servants of
Seth, but once a part of that class, must adhere
to its requirements, even if they choose to leave
it, or lose all paladin abilities.
Gray orcs only have darkvision for 60, and are
not affected by sunlight.
Blyskanyu, Blue Orcs
The barbarian tribes of the blue orcs are strongest
in the region of Miras Woods, and they were the
chief support of chaotic forces in the past. Blue Orcs
are the most tribal, and violent of all the orcish
tribes, though a few noted individuals in history have
outgrown their violent heritage. Blue Orcs are
mostly barbarians when becoming classed
characters, although they have many shamanic
clerics dedicated to various demon gods. There is a
surge of worship amongst the tribes of the Cult of
the Kraken, the ancient prehistoric order of primal
gods that are said to still slumber beneath the earth.
Blue Orcs believe strongly in totemic magic, and
may choose to become clerics called shamans.
The preferred class is barbarian.
Blue orcs receive a +2 circumstance modifier to
any survival or knowkedge check in Intelligence
related to or in their native lands of Mitras
Forest.
Thyzakkoni, Red Orcs
The Red orcs are a distant off-shoot of orcs that
are dedicate to Set, the god of evil, and they are the
most magically gifted of their kind. The Red Orcs
have the smallest overall population. These orcs are
spread among many tribes, and seek power in the
control of their lesser kin, rather than the
consolidation of their tribes in to concentrated
power groups. Some believe their magical talents
have a side effect of making it difficult for Red Orcs
to produce offspring, but others more rightly suspect
that the dilution of the blood with their lesser kin is
the real result of so few Red Orcs.
Red Orcs are treated somewhat differently than
normal orcs, and have normal average
 intelligence (no modifier). They lose their
Strength bonus as well, however.
They get a +2 Intelligence benefit to negotiation
and intimidation checks when attempting to
cow or subdue other orcs.
Finally, Red Orcs favor wizards and illusionists as
classes. Half Orcs with Thyzakkoni blood tend to
become wizards as well.
GulHlath, Black Orcs
Amongst the many species of orcs are occasionally
born anomalous greater orcs, the GulHlath, called
black orcs for their blackish skin. These are chaos
infused beasts, great in strength, and they are
coveted for their military prowess that seems
inherent.
Black orcs are born of other orcish stock, and when
this happens, they are almost always seen as a gift
from Baragnagor. Only a few orcish chieftains will kill
such babies outright, usually in fear, and only if they
can get away with it. Usually, the child is
immediately taken from the parents and put in to a
Warriors Fraternity, such as the Bloody Hands or the
Screaming Skulls, and they become powerful
warriors in short order.
Black Orcs start as like orcs, but always start
with a +2 modifier to Strength and Constitution.
They tned to choose barbarian or fighter as their
favore class.
Black Orcs get a +3 bonus to Charisma when
dealing with other orcs in battle or as a
commander.
They get a +2 Charisma bonus to intimidation
against all creatures.
Black Orcs get a +2 natural armor bonus to
armor class due to their unusually tough,
leathery black skin.
Fell Manorgs, White Orcs
The northern orcs are a plague amongst the
Northern Kingdoms, and are much like the Blyskanyu
save in their more primitive living patterns. Fell
Manorgs are best described as being somewhat yeti
like, hairy white furred beast men with beady black
eyes and white-gray leathery skin underneath. They
molt in the Summer and travelers in the north look
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for signs of their shed fur as a warning. Fell manorg
are in all respects like normal orcs otherwise.
Fell Manorg receive a +2 racial bonus to all rolls
related to tracking, hunting, and survival in the
northern wilderness and winter conditions.
They get a +2 circumstance bonus to hiding and
moving silently checks in the snow and snowy
conditions due to their camouflage.
However, the Fell Manorg are an isolated and
xenophobic lot, and receive a -2 modifier to all
Charisma based checks when dealing with other
demi-humans.
Fell Manorg may never start with another demi-
human language other than orcish.
All Fell Manorg start off illiterate (which
st
precludes them from starting at 1 level as a
wizard), unless their starting Intelligence is at
least 13 and the CK allows it (due to a good
story explanation).
Fell Manorg may choose to be Rangers and take
humans as their favored enemy. Such rangers
are known as a special order of warriors among
the white orcs called the ThroSkaldar, and they
revere Wolfon, lord of the hunt.
Amenanyu, Green Orcs
The goblinoid green orcs of the Amechian regions
are savage primitives, dwelling both above an
beneath the surface, and warring unceasingly upon
man. They are degenerate throwbacks, but
considered by some the closest to the progenitor
god Baragnagor. Amenanyu are almost always
barbarians when choosing a class.
Green Orcs are natural experts at jungle
camouflage and survival, and receive a +2
modifier to all survival and detection rolls in a
jungle environment.
Green Orcs are also very disagreeable with
other demi-humans, and receive a -2 modifier
on all Charisma based checks with all normal
demihumans and humans.
Deodell, Plains Orcs
There is a surface dwelling culture of diminutive,
goblinoid orcs in the Great Plains called Deodell by
the locals. They are an anomaly, as some are
peaceful and friendly, others warlike and violent.
 Sometimes mistaken for goblins, Deodell are still
orcish in nature, with prolonged snouts and
Neanderthal forms, but with a dusky gray purple hue
to their bristly skin. Of all the orcish kin, Deodell are
perhaps the least aggressive species, relying mostly
on defensive means to survive and keep the tribe
alive. They rarely group in large numbers or become
antagonistic over territory, preferring nomadic
mobility to the risk of warfare over simple flat land.
Deodell are weaker than most other orcs, and
receive a -1 Strength modifier and -1
Constitution modifier, but get a +1 Dexterity and
+1 Wisdom modifier to the base orc stats.
Deodell receive a +2 bonus to survival checks
made when in their home territory of the Great
Plains of North-Central Lingusia.
Deodell favor barbarian or rogue as their
primary class.
They experience no penalty to actions in
daylight, as they are surface dwellers, but have
twilight vision instead.
Finally, Deodell may start with the orcish
tongue as well as human tradespeak, for they
are most likely of all orcish races to
communicate and trade with men on an equal
basis.
Ogres
The great cousins of the orcs are fertile and breed
a lot, which is good, because they are constantly
getting in to conflict with humans and orcs alike.
Many ogres aspire to lead tribes of their lesser kin,
and some stick to their own. Ogres are tough to get
along with. Half ogres are not unheard of, and in
Karaktu, it is said that they are specially bred for the
gladiatorial pits of Argosea.
Ogres have the following traits for beginning
characters:
Ogres have +4 Strength, +2 Constitution, -1
Intelligence, -1 Charisma, -1 Dexterity.
Ogres are large creatures, averaging 9-11 feet in
height.
Tough Hide: With their naturally tough hides,
ogres receive a +4 natural armor bonus.
Illiteracy: Ogres have no written language, and
cannot begin play literate; they must spend time
and effort in the game to learn a written
language. Ogres start play knowing how to
speak Ogreish and the common dialect of the
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region (which is often goblin, ashtarth or orcish
as much as any human tongue).
Primitive and Brutish: Due to their reputation, in
civilized realms ogres receive a permanent 1
Charisma penalty to all social interaction checks
and a permanent 5 circumstance penalty to
disguise checks, unless they are trying to
masquerade as a different sort of large creature
(or are spell-affected by change self or
somesuch).
Ogres favor the barbarian, fighter and druid
classes.
All ogres live to an average of 60 years.
Ogres are exceptionally strong, and a CK might
not let them in to a starting group unless that
nd rd
group consists of 2 -3 level characters already.
Goblins and Hobgoblins
The goblinoid kin are related to orcs, and some say
are degenerate cousins, or eastern immigrants of the
same fell breeds, but removed by many generations
in the past. Either way, they are largely unable to
cross-breed with their more numerous orc kin
(which means that to the orcs, goblins dont even
make good breeder stock), and often vie for territory
with one another. Most goblins and hobgoblins are
found in the underworld realms in the Middle
Kingdoms, due to their aversion to light, while some
nocturnal surface tribes roam in the eastern lands.
Unusual Races of Lingusia
Amongst the many sentient beings of Lingusia are
a handful of unusual species, which can be chosen
for PCs from the start, or with certain conditions in
the campaign. These include:
Chosen of the Gods
Some races are, or were, humans who were
chosen by the gods, or cursed, to venerate and
continue their worship. Such Chosen Races include
Vyrindians, Sherigras, Mishrag,
The Vyrindians, Amazons
A reclusive race of women warriors dedicated to
Vishannu, the war god, are found deep in the bowels
 of the Amechian jungles. There are no men, and they
capture men from outside of their kingdom for
breeding. The Vyrindian women are immortals, and
all are destined to die in battle. They are viable as
PCs because in a given year any women who come of
age will be allowed to quest in the greater world to
learn and collect all knowledge of the arts of war.
Appearance and Personality: Vyrindians are prone
to a sense of smug superiority, especially as they are
trained early on to feel special as the chosen of a
god. Likewise, their early development of martial
skills lends a cockiness, which their questing time is
designed to eliminate, as they discover the greater
world.
Physically, the Vyrindians are a diverse lot, as they
always bring in foreign men to breed with, and these
men must be chosen for their martial prowess to
insure good breeding stock. These breeders are
admired and coddled, and sometimes even released
after a year. Those Amazon women who breed men
send their male progeny to the slave pens to be
raised, while girls are immediately taken to the
Martial Temple. In the end, this smelting pot of
familial origins means Vyrindians come from all
stocks of humanity.
Relations: Vyrindians look down upon male
dominated societies, and react favorably to realms
where women hold more power. Still, most
Vyrindians are secretive about their origins when
traveling abroad, and none will ever tell where the
hidden kingdom of their home can be found.
Vyrindians find most demi-humans to be a curiosity,
and chaos-kin foes barely worthy of a swift death.
Religion: All Vyrindians by nature are dedicated to
Vishannu, the eternal god of war and the unsung son
of Naril. Vyrindians are presently only peripherally
aware of Vishannu's role in the resurgence of the
Great Eternal War, but approve of it.
Language: Vyrindians learn their native language,
and one other dialect before preparing their quest.
Names: Vyrindian women choose names that
emphasize their battle prowess, or names, which
sound sufficiently foreboding. They have a personal
name, as well, shared only with their friends and kin.
This name is usually taken from famous warrior
women throughout time, and not always from the
Vyrindian heritage.
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Professional Name: Daughter of Blood, Soul Killer,
Blood Taker, Eternal Might, Dancing Blade, Sister of
Pain, etc.
Personal Name: Margda, Danishka, Hedralia,
Kabelin, Vyanna, Damishka, Vyralis.
Adventurers: All adventurers encountered are
amazons set out on their quest of discovery.
Sometime in the course of their questing, they may
be called upon to seek out an appropriate mate to
carry on the line, or bring back for the divine
ceremony in which a worthy warrior is chosen to
become the divine vessel of Vishannu. There is no
time limit on the quest; the Amazon decides when
she has garnered all she can from the kingdoms of
man.
Vyrindian Amazons have the following modifiers to
the Human racial traits:
All Amazons are ageless. They mature at about
age 25 and do not get older. Although immortal,
they are prone to disease, injury, poison, and all
other forms of death.
Amazons tend to choose to be fighters, clerics of
Vishannu, rangers, knights, or monks.
Amazon women have a -1 modifier to all
Charisma checks when dealing with men, as
they are unused to men who are independent or
in positions of power.
Amazon women who are clerics must worship
Vishannu.
Due to their reclusive kingdom in the deeps of
the jungle, Amazons get a +1 bonus to any
survival and tracking checks.
Sherigras, The Damned
The Sherigras are skeletal beings, humanoids that
look like men with nothing but skin draped over their
bones. They are the most charnel of the followers of
chaos, and amongst their numbers are many
descendants of old chaos worshippers, who were
marked by the Reckoning with their horrid
disfiguring change as the chaos energy was stripped
from them. Sherigras are the human equivalent of
Ashtarth and Darendur.
Sherigras are found throughout the Middle
Kingdoms, and in the eastern lands of Draskis, where
Chaos worship was most prevalent in the past. The
most frightening and eldest Sherigras were once
chaos cultists who willingly submitted themselves to
 the horrific change as a sign of their devotion to Names: Sherigras go by the names men give them,
whatever demonic god they served. but tend to have a secret name, as well. This secret
Appearance and Personality: As described, Sherigras name is used to identify themselves to other sects,
appear to be nothing more than skin and bones, especially when moving in secret or disguise among
almost skeletal, and easily mistaken for an undead or men. Most names are taken from the Idean Books of
a man suffering from the worst starvation. The chaos Prophecy, a collection of mostly lost tomes that
that riddles their bodies slows contain 13,000 years of dark prophecies,
Sherigras Taint Table: (D100)
their metabolism, and they can written by the first worshippers of
1-10: subtract 1d4 from
easily pass for dead when Slithotep.
Constitution permanently;
asleep. In spite of their low 11-20: Permanent Blindness; Male: Vylofar, Krakus, Trymault, Vyforan,
muscle mass, Sherigras have 21-30: Permanent Loss of One Keligos, Zamphyr.
an inhuman strength brought Arm (-1d3 Dex); Female: Zamira, Trittia, Kamila, Shayleen,
about by the taint of chaos in 31-40: A Visible Black Halo of Zyphrial.
their flesh. Chaos, automatically Detected Adventurers: Sherigras who seek to
Relations: Sherigras have by All (disguisable only by remove the taint of chaos from their family
come to form their own illusions); line are natural adventurers, struggling to
secretive communities. Many 41-50: A Third Eye appears in survive in a world that sees them as
seek to learn magic that will forehead; it grants visions. marked with evil, while trying to cast off a
grant them a means of 51-60: A demonic face appears curse of the generations. Sherigras who are
disguise, and some will in torso, which must be fed and evil have all sorts of motivation to go
masquerade as normal men, to speaks a lot; questing and seek greater power in the
return to normal society and 61-70: Animals will names of the Courts of Chaos. Sherigras
seek power through more instinctively attack on site, make excellent assassins, necromancers,
without exception;
conventional means while dark clerics, Shadow Mages, Skinwalkers,
71-80: Blistery Black Boils
avoiding discovery. Because of and other such hideous professions.
cover body permanently (-2
their legacy, and their taint, Cha, -1 Con); Sherigras receive a -1 modifier to
humankind reviles and seeks 81-90: Body begins bleeding, Constitution, and a -2 modifier to
to destroy the Sherigras at all but never stops; always leaves a Charisma (minimum of 1), but receive
turns. trail of blood droplets; a +1 modifier to Strength and
Religion: Sherigras are 91-00: Grows the head and Dexterity.
dedicated to their dread hooves of a goat or other beast, All Sherigras suffer a -5 racial penalty
servants, and see the mark of looses old parts (-2 Cha, to Charisma rolls where they are
the reckoning as a taint which Language skills impaired). known to be a Sherigras and this works
forever bonds them to the against them (but, if the sherigras is
path of chaos, for they have been forsaken by the trying to intimidate someone, this penalty does
gods of order. Dalroth was chief among their deities, not usually apply).
but he has been supplanted by the risen demiurge All Sherigras receive a +1 modifier to disguise
Xauraun Vestillios. Other factions of Sherigras rolls, due to their lifelong practice of concealing
pursue worship of Slithotep, Haro, Kathak, and their true nature as a means of survival.
Wishupar, while some maintain covens in the Taint of Chaos: Sherigras receive some unique
worship of Demon Gods such as Orcus. benefits due to their taint. Three times a day
Language: Sherigras have no native tongue, but plus a number of times equal to their Wisdom
learn Middle Tongue and then learn the Signs of modifier, Sherigras may perform any
Chaos, a secret language developed from the runic combination of the following Supernatural
script of the Idean Codices, which were used by the Effects: Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Inflict
Divinate for ceremonial purposes (mostly the Books Minor Wounds, Resistance, endure elements,
of Prophecy). The Divinate was, and perhaps still is, ghost sound, or Ray of Frost. All function as the
the central Church of Chaos, centered in Hyrendan. cantrips they are derived from, as if cast by a
level 1 caster. Inflict minor wounds allows the

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 sherigras to cause one point of damage to any
target he touches on an attack roll.
Chaos Affinity: Sherigras are attuned to chaotic
energies, and may feel them as a supernatural
affinity three times per day, as per Detect
Chaos. Likewise, order is a painful experience to
them, and they may Detect Law with the same
slots, if they so desire.
Because of their connection to chaos, Sherigras
who try to walk a path of goodness are often
tested by the Courts of Chaos. Sherigras who are
of good alignment and who perform noteworthy
good deeds run a chance of being observed by
the powers of evil, who will send a fiendish
minion to punish or destroy the do-gooder. The
chance of this is a base of 5%, and may increase
by 10% if the CK considered the deed especially
good, and another 10% if innocent or good lives
were saved. A final 10% may be added if the
deed did actual harm to the places or minions of
chaos. Any fiendish entity sent to seek out the
Sherigras will be of the infernal variety, of a
challenge rating equal to or one level greater
than the current level of the Sherigras.
Likewise, evil Sherigras who follow the dictates
of the Courts of Chaos may be noticed and
rewarded. The base chance of a reward is 5% for
an especially evil deed, and increases by 5% for
each of the following criteria: Innocents or good
people were killed, a bastion of chaos was
enhanced, a place of good and order was
destroyed, and the deed was so vile it is ruled
especially noteworthy by the CK. The reward will
come in the form of a spell like ability of an evil
or chaotic nature. The domain is awarded, and
the Sherigras receives one free spell slot at that
time which may be allotted to the special spell.
His effective level in that magic is 1st level at
that time, regardless of the actual level the gift
is received, and advances from there on. He will
receive a second spell slot every second level
thereafter which can only be used for the spell,
and gains access to the next granted spell level
of the domain when he gets the next slot.
Example: A 7th level sherigras sorcerer gets his
first gift, the spell Cause Fear (decided by the
CK). He is effectively a 1st level caster, has
access to the 1st level spell with a 1st level spell
slot. When he becomes a 9th level sorcerer, he
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
gets a 2nd level spell slot and gains the 2nd level
spell Ray of Enfeeblement (again, by CK fiat). He
is equivalent to a 3rd level spell caster at this
time.
Sherigras who receive a gift of chaos must take
on a new, twisted taint. This taint can be drawn
randomly from the Sherigras Taint Table.
Sherigras can be any class except paladin, and
favor wizards, illusionists, clerics and evil
knights.
Mishrag, the Bull men
Minotaurs are a rare species in Lingusia, but they
are known to exist in the regions of Hyrkania. While
most of the minotaur tribes remain subterranean,
the benevolent Mishrag are among the few who
venture forth to live amongst the surface dwellers.
Most minotaurs remain in secluded enclaves
beneath the earth, however, and often serve as
slaves or mercenaries for more powerful neighbors.
Appearance and Personality: Lingusian Minotaurs
are most bull like, with horns, faces, hooves, hair and
tail drawn from bulls. Minotaurs are considered a
Chosen Species, for it is said that at some time in the
ancient past, the first minotaur was born of a human
woman whom Wolfon took a liking to. Indeed, all
minotaurs are male, and must seek out human
women to perpetuate their species. Underworld
enclaves are known to periodically raid remote
human and elvish communities to find fresh stock
for their breeding pens.
Relations: Many people, especially in Hyrkania
where the long-lived servants of their faith have
proselytized for centuries, regard Mishrag as a
curiosity but in more remote lands, people fear and
loathe the subterranean minotaur clans. Dwarves
hate them with a passion, and some dwarven
rangers specialize in minotaur slaying.
Religion: The Mishrag are the most well known of
the tribes, dedicated to the peaceful worship of
Amasyr, Ogron, and Seth. There are other
subterranean tribes as well, seen rarely on the
surface. Such tribes do not follow the worship of the
Mishrag gods, and in fact revere Wolfon, the
predatory god of the wild, and occasionally
Baragnagor, the dark creator god of the chaoskin.
Languages: Minotaurs speak their own language,
and one other language, usually Middle Tongue (to
speak with their harem of human wives), elvish
(ditto), or a neighboring underworld tongue.
 Ashtarth is a common language, as well, since
minotaurs are often found as mercenaries for the
dark elves.
Names: Minotaurs prefer simple names, and rarely
attribute any meaning to them. They will refer to
themselves and mention their tribe name, as well,
but more as an honorific.
Tribe Names: Mishrag, Gotho, Belor, Himlar, Greos,
Chabdam, Borakh.
Examples: Zigmond, Valos, Tobar, Shaban, Grosht.
Ureck, Lovarg.
Adventurers: Mishrag are ready-made to be
adventurers, wandering priests of the land. Other
minotaurs might be driven to adventure due to exile,
or perhaps a good minotaur seeks to escape his
tribes malicious ways, and wants to win a human
women through good deeds instead of capture and
slavery.
Mishrag minotaurs favor being clerics and
monks but they must revere Amasyr, Ogron, and
Seth. Mishrag are neither smarter nor more
intelligent than other minotaurs, just
enlightened. Other minotaurs have Fighter as
their preferred class, for they are professional
warriors, and descend from civilization, even if
they seem uncivilized. Minotaurs are angry,
brooding souls, and they like to speak with
violence.
Minotaurs have a +2 Str and +1 Con modifier,
but a -1 modifier to Intelligence and -2 modifier
to Charisma.
Minotaurs are large creatures (averaging 9-11
feet tall).
Minotaurs have a base move of 30 feet.
Minotaurs have Dark vision for 60 feet.
Maze Sense: Minotaurs are uncanny in their
ability to understand and wind their way
through mazes and complicated directional
puzzles. They never seem to fail any check to
Intelligence to determine the path of a maze,
and may (at the CK's discretion) automatically
succeed in passing through any maze they have
experienced before.
Minotaurs receive a goring attack for 1d4
damage plus their strength modifier, as well as a
trampling attack for 1d6 damage plus their
strength modifier. They are naturally proficient
in their special attacks.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Scalykind
The Scalykind are the lizard folk and serpent folk of
Lingusia. There are many such races, and not all have
a common mythic descent, but the most well known
include the Terkithyi, a jungle race of alligator men,
the Haikyndyr, lizard men of the Galvonar deserts,
and the infamous Setites, the Serpent men who owe
their lives to Set the Deceiver.
Terkithyi Crocodile Men
The Terkithyi are brutish scalykind, simple in
intellect and crude in form and nature. Terkithyi are
fearsome warriors and deadly enemies of most
neighbors. Most Terkithyi hail from the Amechian
lands, and are known as great foes of the Belladasian
city states. Some Terkithyi have been found as far
abroad as the Marshes of Mist, Zymhar, and Cretea,
and it is said that they are numerous in the
Karaktuan lands and beyond.
Appearance and personality: Terkithyi are brutish,
primitive, and crude beings, resembling alligator
headed and long tailed humanoids of powerful
frame and girth. Males stand as high as seven or
almost eight feet, but females are rarely taller than
six feet. No Terkithyi has ever demonstrated a
predilection to civilization, or a desire to embrace it.
Relations: Terkithyi are the enemies of all of their
neighbors. The city states and tribes of the Amechian
lands war against them, the sorcerous city states of
Karaktu enslave them for Mamaluke warriors, and
no species anywhere can be said to have safe or
even permanent alliances with them, if ever.
Religion: Terkithyi are dedicated to the worship of
Baragnagor, the foul progenitor of abominations.
They call him, Adzaak and personify him as a great
crocodilian being with some humanoid
characteristics. They do not identify Baragnagor with
the orcish imagery.
Languages: Besides speaking their indigenous tribal
tongues, Terkithyi are known to learn Ophidian,
Draconic, Goblinoid, or even Abyssal. The tribal spell
casters usually know the alternate languages, to aid
in trade with what few allies they have.
Names: Most Terkithyi names are hard for humans
to pronounce, but approximations include:
Male names: Zoss, Trizhan, Vurlizzhor, Grizzathax,
Abzymhyr.
 Female Names: Exzett, Zimmhsah, Vefriex,
Missanzadah, Zissen.
Adventurers: Terkithyi often adventure, for reasons
related to tribal or personal interest, but it is
exceedingly rare to find a Terkithyi who can
adventure in civilized lands and get along with
others. Some such curiosities might include civilized
terkithyi who were enslaved as mamaluke warriors
in Argosea and freed for some reason, captive
Terkithyi who were raised as children by a non
Terkithyi group, loners who were exiled from their
community for crimes or due to a peculiarity of
birth, and so on.
Terkithyi receive a +2 Strength modifier, +1
Constitution modifier, and a -1 Intelligence,
Wisdom, and Charisma modifier.
Terkithyi have Barbarian as their favored class.
Amongst their kind, they tend to have wizards
or clerics of Adzaak (Baragnagor) as spell
casters.
Multi Attack. All Terkithyi begin with the Multi
Attack ability, which may be used with their two
claw attacks, and bite attacks (a terkithyi can bit
and claw all at once in a round against a single
foe). Their bite does 1d4 plus their Strength
modifier in damage as the full attack. They do
1d3 plus strength modifier for their claw
secondary attacks.
Ferocity. Terkithyi are so reptilian in nature that
they do not drop from severe injury in combat
until death overcomes them.
Terkithyi receive a +2 Natural Armor bonus.
Cold Blooded: Terkithyi are reptiles by nature,
and grow sluggish and unresponsive in cold
climates. When exposed to winter conditions
atypical of their native environment (usually by
more than 30 degrees), Terkithyi receive a -2
circumstance modifier to all combat rolls, skills
checks, and saving throws. Such Terkithyi may
attempt a Constitution save to shrug off the
effects of the cold for a number of minutes
equal to his or her Constitution score once per
day.
Haikyndyr Lizard Men
The more common lizard like scalykind are found
most prominently in the region of Galvonar,
throughout the deeps of the Underworld, and in the
eastern Ny'Koddin Wastes and northern Plains lands.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Much closer to the classic notions of lizard men,
Haikyndyr are similar to humanoid versions of classic
deserts lizards, gila monsters, and other reptilian kin.
Appearance and personality: Haikyndyr are slim,
lithe beings, standing between five and six feet in
height (females being shorter) and covered in
intricate but protective scales for protection. They
often have colorations and patterns that reflect their
desert environment and grant them camouflage
benefits. Most Haikyndyr are stoic, quiet beings that
are meticulous about their daily business and
protective of their kin. They are not prone to evil
ways, though there is a strong tendency among their
kind to follow the path of Set.
Relations: Haikyndyr tribes do not like to interact
much with civilized folk, but subterranean variants of
the Haikyndyr tend to be more social and politically
active in the Underworld communities. In Galvonar,
Haikyndyr are a threat, but some nomadic tribes
trade with human cities and other nomads in peace.
The isolated pockets of Haikyndyr throughout the
Middle Kingdoms spend a lot of time trying to
remain unseen.
Religion: The Haikyndyr prefer to worship a handful
of demiurges which they see as more relevant to
their way of life, such as Kinnispar the Deserts Son
and Savroliin, the Ancestral Watcher, but the Setites
are strong in recruiting Haikyndyr, and in the distant
past, Set was a much more powerful god among
them. As such, many young Haikyndyr are seduced
in to the Cult of Set.
Languages: Besides speaking their indigenous tribal
tongues, Haikyndyr are known to learn Ophidian,
Draconic, Goblinoid, Setite, The Southron Tongue of
men, and occasionally Celestial or Infernal.
Names: The ophidian nature of their names can be
difficult to pronounce among human kind:
Male names: Hailyndar, Kyddariis, Karukithyak,
Vynkaddir,Zypharis.
Female Names: Shymvysshar, Myzzamir, Ryaddanis,
Klyth'heris, Thyllyk.
Adventurers: Haikyndyr are worldly, and understand
the need to pay close attention to their more
numerous humanoid neighbors, even if they like to
remain anonymous or invisible to prying eyes. As
such, many Haikyndyr specialize in trade, commerce,
diplomacy, and other skill to interact with the
greater community on discreet terms. Such kin are
 likeliest to become adventurers who also seek to
benefit their people.
Haikyndyr receive a +2 Dexterity modifier, but a
-1 Constitution and Strength modifier, due to
their somewhat slimmer size.
Haikyndyr have Fighter and Rogue as favored
classes, though occasional wizards and clerics
can be found.
Claws. All Haikyndyr have wicked claws, which
do 1d3 plus their strength modifier for damage.
Favored Environment. Haikyndyr may choose a
region in which they are especially familiar, due
to their tribal home and upbringing. When in
this environment, they receive a +2 Wisdom
modifier to survival, tracking, hide, move
silently, and other abilities in that environment.
They may also increase their base move of 30
feet to 35 in that environment.
Camouflage Scales. Haikyndyr have good
camouflage on their scales. This ability works
when in their Favored Environment. When it is
unobstructed (less than half of their body is
covered in armor or cloth, for example) they
receive a +4 racial modifier to all Hide checks.
When covered by more than 50%, they lose this
modifier.
Setite Serpent Men
Serpentine, more snake-like than lizard like, these
cunning scalykind are the gifted sons and daughters
of Set. Indeed, the Serpent Men are related to
snakes and ophidian kin, and are not true lizard folk
like the Haikyndyr and Terkithyi. Setites are much
more dangerous than either of their kin!
Appearance and Personality: Devious, cunning,
manipulative minions of their god, Setites are out to
promote themselves first and their species and deity
next. They are slender, multicolored and scaled
beings, who prefer to dress in ornate and expensive
garb. Setites recognize their family affiliations by
their unique scale patterns as well as scent, and are
stratified in to strongly reinforced hierarchies of
control in their empire beneath the sands of the
Hyrkanian Deserts.
Relations: Setites are always behind the scenes,
manipulating lesser beings to their will, as they are
universally reviled for being the divine sons and
daughters of the lord of evil. Setites who must travel
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
in human realms usually disguise themselves with
magic.
Religion: Setites might like to worship other gods, to
hedge their bets, but Set gives them little choice.
Any member of the species found deviating from the
Lord of Evil's interests risks discovery and exposure.
If exposed, he is exiled, killed, and often stripped of
magical ability. Setite priests who defy the will of Set
are not allowed the benefit of escape by their god,
who turns them in to even crueler minions who will
have no choice but to do his will, such as Vampires
or Fiends.
Languages: Setites learn their own tongue, plus
Ophidian, Infernal, Draconic, the human and elvish
tongues, Goblinoid, Hyshkorrid, dwarven, and even
Ashtarth. Know your enemies, they say.
Names: Setites are by far the most articulate of the
scalykind, but their names are still sometimes
tongue twisters.
Male Names: Krillisk, Zyral, Kryllios, Vyrysk,
Myrykaven, Vyrik.
Female Names: Sullia, Vyrys, Mynravhariel, Shyvaris.
Divine Race. Setites may always choose Cleric of
Set as a first class if wisdom permits. Less wise
or smart setites become fighters, rogues and
assassins. Good setites are rare, and are always
stripped of their divine magic by the will of Set
for going against the creed of his kind.
Setites receive a +1 Intelligence and Charisma
modifier, but a -2 Constitution modifier.
Devious Nature. Setites are masters of disguise
and deception due to their racial heritage. As
such, they receive a +2 racial modifier to all
Hide, Move Silently, Disguise, and charisma
checks involving deception and lying.
Poison Bite. They may use their bite attack to
inflict 1d2 damage plus inject a poison attack
(Save vs. Con, or take 1d8 Con damage) three
times per day.
setites can live to be 200 or more years old.

Mankind
Human characters follow the Players Handbook
rules precisely. You will need to decide where your
human character comes from, social class, and other
details based on nationality, some of which will be
addressed below. Some pointers on human racial
stock follow:
Appearance/Region
Caucasian/Nordic: Northern Kingdoms, some of
Northern Hyrkania
Caucasian/Spanish: Octzel
Caucasian/Mediterranean: Hyrkanian regions,
Persedonia (partial), Jhaknian regions, Cretea.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Middle Eastern: Zued, Persedonia, Cymeer, All
Eastern Kingdoms, Galvonar, the rest of Persedonia
African/Black: Amechian Kingdoms, Karaktuan
regions (Argosea, Shillarth, etc.), Far Eastern Takkain
regions.
East Indian: Al'jhira, Karakani.
East Asian/Oriental/Mongol: TaiKong, Kozakan,
Lako, and all of mid central Takkai.
Native American/Mongoloid: Mataclan, and the
distant unexplored south.
Phillipino/Oriental: There are many island chains in
the Blood Sea and the Endless Ocean with large
native population.
 Languages
Lingusia is home to a diverse range of dialects and speak to and understand a user of the northern
languages, many harkening from ancient roots. tongue with 30-50% accuracy as well. The Merchant
Some species have languages shared universally by Houses of the Middle Kingdoms and the Eastern
one another, and other species are given to as much Kingdoms have conspired to make this so.
linguistic diversity as humanity. In fact, The root of Each of these languages have both spoken and
Lingusia comes from the idea "Of Many languages." written versions, and may be chosen by player
Below is a chart of languages all characters can characters according to race and culture. The
learn. Characters always have their naive tongue as a common tongue of Lingusia is the Middle Tongue,
base language, and some multilingual characters closely followed by tradespeak, a language of
learn more than one, depending upon circumstance. common reference cobbled together by traders and
There is at least one invented language as well, a merchants across the globe. Any character listed as
sort of Esperanto called Tradespeak, which was knowing common is assumed to know one or both
created around the time of the founding of the Great of these languages.
Old Road, and while it has evolved dramatically over Some of these languages are special. No character
time, it remains the favored language of traders and may begin play knowing Prehunate, which must be
merchants around the world. Anyone who speaks learned from a practiced student of the languages,
one of the common human tongues of Lingusia can and is never considered a class skill. Likewise, no
communicate at least 30-50% of the time with a character can pick a language for which no possible
person who speaks tradespeak but no other exposure could have occurred prior to the beginning
common language. Likewise, a man who speaks of his or her adventuring career.
tradespeak but not, say, the Northern tongue can
Language Chart
The Most Well Known Karaktuan highspeak Old Tongue (Arcane Script)
Languages of Man: Karaktuan commonspeak Ancient Middle Tongue (Holy
Middle Tongue (common) Mataclani Haxitol Script)
Tradespeak Mataclani Talay Prehunate Script
Old Galonian Tai Southern Ancient Elvish Script
Southern Tongue (Galvonari) Tai Northern Kadantanian
Eastern Tongue (Zuedi) Lako-no-hongo Celestial
Cretean Aljhiri Abyssal and Infernal
Amechian Karakani Monstrous Languages:
Northern Tongue (Nordamani) Khozakani Minotaur
Autrengardian Nubirii Goblin Tongue
Steppelanders tongue (no Neberanii (Gray Kingdom) Orcish (vandal)
written language) Fae Languages: Hidden Tongue (red orc)
Zymharian Faerspeak (elvish) Setiteese (serpent men)
Avilinian Darkspeak (ashtarth) Hashykirii (lizard man)
Nakamuran Syllenic (sylvan) Draconic (Marlack, dragons)
See the Background Charts for Gnomish Hyshkorrid
Additional Languages Dwarvish (Endurian) Thargonid Trollish
Foreign Languages of other Faerie Tongue Mihidir Trollish
Lands: Old and Lost Languages:

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Human Regional Background Charts
Humans of Lingusia can come from a wide range of locations. The following chart allows you to roll for your
characters origin and homeland, as a way of mixing it up a bit and getting some unusual results.

Special Perks of all Regions:

Favored Classes/Race: All classes are common in the Middle
Kingdoms. Certain regions have specific class expectations, such as Chart 1: General Region
barbarian, due to cultural requirements. The class in question will be 01-60 Middle Kingdoms
parenthetically addressed after the region name if there is a favored 61-70 Amechian Jungles
class for that area. Likewise, if a region has a favored race, then it is 71-80 Eastron Kingdoms
likelier that any human coming from that land will have an affinity for 81-90 Southron Kingdoms
that regions dominant race and may start play bilingual in the Middle 91-95 Northlands
Tongue and the racial tongue of the area. 96-00 Exotic Lands
Regional Knowledge Perk: All characters automatically get a +1
Intelligence modifier to any information or lore check they attempt when traveling in their native land, and all
characters treat this skill as a permanent class skill.

Chart 2: Middle Kingdoms

Common Languages: Middle Tongue, Tradespeak, Nakamuran, Southron, Faerspeak, Endurian
Roll Region/Favored Class Favored Class or Race?
01-20 Northern Hyrkania Paladin, Cleric
21-25 Inner Seas Region rogue
26-30 Southern Hyrkania assassin
31-40 Sendral knight
41-60 Octzel knight
61-70 Jhakn ranger
72 Nakamura Isles monk
73-75 Ocentash paladin, orc
76-80 Cimmeran Mtns. barbarian
81-85 Yllmar rogue
86 Colonial North ranger
87 Takonorian
88-89 Estonia rogue
90-92 Niras Forest druid
93-96 Iron Mountains iron dwarf
97 Sylvias silver elf
98-99 Hyrkanian Deserts ashtarth
00 Ocentashian Horseriders barbarian

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Chart 3: Amechian Jungles
Languages: Amechain (Belladasian), Tradspeak, Ancient Kadantanian, Terkithyi, orcish, Vyrindian, elvish, chigros,
hubinde, hotepsalan, hadrosi (a mix of Kadantanian and Eastron).
Roll Region/Favored Class Favored Class or Race?
01-40 Belladas fighter
41-60 Hadros wizard
61-80 Hubinde Lands barbarian
81-90 Chigros Lands barbarian
91-95 Vyrindia fighter, amazon
96-00 Hotepsala cleric

Chart 4: Eastron Kingdoms

Languages: Eastron, tradespeak, orcish, Hotepsalan, Lakwani
Roll Region/Favored Class Favored Class or Race?
01-15 NyKoddin Tribes barbarian
16-40 Zued Caliphate illusionist
41-60 Cymeer knight
61-70 Draskis wizard
71-75 KahuneLakwa barbarian
76-95 Cretea fighter
96-00 Starthias fighter, orc

Chart 5: Southron Kingdoms

Languages: Southron, Old Galonian, Haikyndyr, Haradi
Roll Region/Favored Class Favored Class or Race?
01-30 Galvonar rogue
31-40 Harad Deserts barbarian
41-90 Persedonia fighter, knight
91-00 Galonia wizard, cleric

Chart 6: Northron Kingdoms

Languages: Northron tongue, nakIvk, steppelander, faerspeak, endurian, draconic, wolfen
Roll Region/Favored Class Favored Class or Race?
01-05 Plainsland Kingdoms fighter
06-12 Free City of Karan wizard
13-30 Zymhar ranger
31-50 Zarn barbarian
51-65 Hettanar barbarian
66-80 Nordaman ranger
81-90 Autrengard ranger
91-95 Caelernin barbarian, druid
96-97 Steppelands barbarian
98 NakIvk wizard, barbarian
99-00 Avilin wizard

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Chart 7: Exotic Locales
Roll Region/Favored Class Favored Class or Race?
01-45 Karaktu (Languages: Argosean, southron tongue, yenetai, islander, elvish, draconic)
01-20 Shillarth fighter
21-50 Argosea rogue
51-70 Talanabros barbarian
71-75 Yenetai yenetai species, fighter
76-00 Island Kingdoms monk
46-55 Mataclan (Languages: Talay, Haxitol, Middle Tongue, Natukani, tradespeak, conoche)
01-50 Colonial fighter, rogue
51-70 Talay cleric
71-75 Haxitol fighter
76-80 Hochimec fighter
81-90 Natukani ranger
91-00 Conoche barbarian
56-00 Takkai (Languages: Al'hiri, Gochikono, Lakonese, Tai'Kongese, Nalinoti, Kozakani)
01-30 AlJhira fighter
31-40 Gochikono ranger
41-60 Lako knight
61-90 TaiKong monk, fighter
91-93 Nalinot monk, cleric
94-00 Kozakan barbarian

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Special Classes of Lingusia
Castles & Crusades does not use the classic D20 idea of prestige classes, and that works for me; I think too many
cool character ideas get lost in the prestige class frenzy. So instead, each of the following unique character types
will be presented as unique classes, which may be started from the very beginning ifa player wishes. If you are
using the Castle Zagyg multiclassing rules, then characters that meet any special requirements in the text may
cross class over in to one of these classes. Otherwise, new characters may assume that they already meet given
requirements.

Constellator
The Followers of Selene are a small, hearty sect
with its strongest support among the silver elves of
Sylvias. Within the temples of Selene, a handful of
the most elite followers of the moon goddess
congregate and seek to pursue the greatest will of
the majestic mother of the fae. Those champions,
chosen for their great piety and firm pursuit of her
goals, are the Constellators.
Constellators are chosen, not made. When a
member of her flock has performed a deed so
monumental in its sacrifice that she dies or suffers
greatly for it, then the follower is contacted by
Selene in a vision, and pulled in to the misty border
ethereal, where she can then be drawn to the
Weirding Realms and hold court with the Celestial
Court of Selene herself. There, she is honored for her
deeds, and given a chance to return to Lingusia once
more, this time as a Constellator, to continue to
pursue the deeds and will of her goddess.
Constellators number probably no more than two
to three dozen, and most all are elvish, for though
humans and others have martyred themselves for
Selene and so risen to become Constellators, such
followers are short lived in comparison to their
elvish brethren, and come but once or twice in a
century.
Constellators are known almost immediately by
their presence or reputation amongst other
followers of Selene. Likewise, any servant of Naril or
Slithotep will know a Constellator by her mere
presence, due to the inextricable link between those
two gods and the moon goddess. Constellators have
a saintly, almost unearthly sort of presence about
them which other beings can sense, and which
soothes the good and just while unnerving and
frightening the wicked and corrupt.
While most servants of Selene are women, men
who follow her cause as Paladins can become
Constellators if they meet all of the conditions, but
they must die in their martyrdom.
The follower of Selene must have committed a
great act of good in which she was martyred. She
need not have actually died, but have suffered in a
terrible fashion for the act, or suffered a great loss.
Some examples:
Saved a community but lost her entire family.
Died or reach negative HPs defending many
innocent women and children (successfully).
Destroyed a coven of Dalroth and died or nearly
died (reached negative HPs).
Was tortured for her faith, imprisoned for many
years, and never renounced Selene before
reaching death or near death.
The goddess will resurrect followers of Selene who
meet all of the above requirements and who died in
their martyrdom or duty. This resurrection will occur
within 1d6 weeks of her death, and she will be
restored to her full health prior to dying, naked
under the light of a full moon. She may find her
former remains and seek to recover her goods if she
wishes. Characters who come close to death will
experience a visionary journey through the ethereal
in to the Weirding Lands, and the journey will take
them away for 1d12 days before they return.
Hit Die: D6
Prime Attribute: Wisdom
Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Constellators are
not known for martial prowess, and can use knives,
sickles, short swords and short bows only. They may
wear any leather armor, ring or chain armor.

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)


Moonsight
Constellators of Selene receive Lowlight Vision if
they do not have it already. If they do, then effective
range is doubled. Normal clerics of Selene can also
gain this ability (see Selene in the Pantheons
Chapter).
Guidance of the Moon
Constellators are often granted mystical visions and
guidance, beseeching her for aid against the forces
of darkness. The follower is granted a special power
once per evening under the light of the moon (this
will not work under a new moon). The power may be
either augury, faerie fire, or daylight.
Ethereal Walking: At 1st level, as a side effect of
their awakening, Constellators gain the power to
become Ethereal at will a number of times per day
equal to their Wisdom modifier. This ability works
like the spell Ethereal Jaunt in all ways, and the
effective level is equal to the divine spellcasting level
of the Constellator (a Cleric 9/Constellator 3 would
be able to use it as a 12th level divine spellcaster).
Ethereal Mastery: At 7th level the Constellator has
mastered her connection to the ethereal plane and
may bring others in to it with her, as per the spell
Etherealness. This ability may be used once per day,
and functions like the spell in all ways at a level
equal to the number of divine spellcaster levels the
Constellator has.
Weirding Way: Her journey to the Weirding Lands
has profoundly affected the follower of Selene, and
th
beginning at 4 level she may plane shift in to the
Faerie Lands once per week. The Weirding Realms,
as they are commonly called, are an unusual
dimension in which temporal anomalies and high
concentrations of magic are common. Divine magic
cast by followers of Selene always works normally in
the Weirding Lands, but no other divine magic
functions efficiently (see write up on the Weirding
Way elsewhere for more). Note that is the
constellator already has the ability to move in to the
Weirding Realms for some reason, then this ability
increases the number of times she can do so.
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th
Fae Summoning: At 5 level, the constellator gains
the ability to summon fae folk with any summoning
magic she may cast, of level equal to the hit dice
permitted by the spell, instead of the normal
repertoire of beings summoning spells allow for.
th
Moonfire: At 7 level, the constellator may call upon
moonfire to empower her spells under any night
time condition when the moon is out. Moonfire is a
spontaneous casting option, which allows the
constellator to enhance a spell with one of the
following effects (choose one):
Double duration of spell
Maximum damage of spell
Double range of spell
Increase save difficulty of spell by caster
level
The moonfire must be declared as the spell is being
cast, and the effect will take place immediately.
Moonfire may be used once per night at 7th level,
th
twice per night at 9 level, three times per night at
th th
11 level, four times at 13 , and so on. Each
different metamagic use may be stacked with the
others if multiple uses are possible, so a 11th level
constellator could choose to, say, cast a flame strike
that is simultaneously doubled in range, does
maximum damage, and has an increased save
difficulty with all three Moonfire uses at once (which
would use her three uses up for the evening).
Moonfire will not work on nights of the new moon,
or on lunar eclipses. Conversely, it may work in the
daytime when the moon and sun are both present
(only a few times per year), or during a solar eclipse,
in which the moon passes between the sun and
Lingusia. In any case, the CK must decide in advance
on what nights the Moonfire's conditions might
change.
Might of Selene: Constellators of 8th level are
imbued with a mighty force, and become physical
vessels for the wrath of Selene. When confronting
beings of chaos and evil or servants of Dalroth,
constellators may convert a spell slot, much as a
normal cleric can turn one in to a healing spell, in to
raw Lunar Essence, which may then be released
against foes as a ranged area attack that radiates in a
360 degree arc from the constellator in a sphere for
a range of 10 feet per level of the constellator.
Targets may make a Dexterity Save to avoid the
 attack with a penalty equal to one half the level of
the constellator to take half damage. The amount of
damage done is equal to the energy level of the spell
slot that is released (thus, a 3rd level spell would do
3d6 damage, or one-half if the save is made, while a
9th level spell would do 9d6 damage). This radiation
will affect all beings which are either infernal,
abyssal, chaotic, spawn of chaos, worshippers of
Dalroth (god of chaos), or have an alignment of
Chaotic Evil. If a lawful evil character or being that is
not on this list experiences the attack, it gets a
saving throw, receiving half damage if it fails and no
damage if it succeeds.
The Might of Selene drains a tiny amount of
essence from the constellator when used, and as
such, she must make a Constitution check with a
penalty equal to the level of the spell slot released. If
she fails, she suffers 1d4 temporary Constitution
point loss. If she rolls a 1 on her save, she suffers the
temporary loss and one permanent point of
Constitution drain.
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Celestial Ascension: At 12th level, constellators are
so profoundly in tune with the essence of the moon
and the spirit of the Weirding that they may pass in
to the ethereal and ascend in to the celestial realms
where they can hold court with Selene in her palaces
of the Moon. This ability is a mastery of plane
walking, and allows the constellator to plane walk at
will.
Clerical Spells: Constellators are divine practitioners
of Selenes will, and receive clerical magic at a
slightly slower rate than normal clerics. They may
receive bonus spells for good wisdom.
Ex-Constellators:
Constellators are specially chosen for their amazing
sacrifice and dedication to Selene. Under the highly
unusual and unlikely condition that a constellator
renounces Selene, changes alignment, or commits a
great evil, then one of the following happens:
If the constellator renounces Selene and forfeits
the order or changes alignment (but not an evil
alignment), then she loses all of the class abilities,
spell magic, and any special feats related to Selene
and any class dedicated to her worship. She may
regain her abilities by returning to the worship of
Selene in her prior classes, but will never again
regain her constellator abilities, under any condition
save perhaps for another act of martyrdom (and
then there should be a slim, perhaps only 1% chance
of being noticed once more).
If the constellator commits an evil act and/or
changes alignment and becomes evil, then she not
only suffers the above restrictions, but if she was
resurrected by Selene to become a constellator, then
she is stripped once more of her life and dies
instantly. If She was near death, then she is returned
to near death, dropping immediately to -7 HPs.
If the character renounces Selene and take sup
immediate worship of an evil god, then there is a
25% chance that all of her Constellator levels are
immediately converted in to normal Cleric levels for
the evil deity. Otherwise, see the last paragraph.
 Constellator Advancement Table Prime: Wisdom
Base Hit Experience Clerical Spell Advancement
st nd rd th th th th th th
Level Attack Die Advancement Special 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 +0 D6 0 Moonsight, Eth. Walking 2 1
2 +1 D6 2,251 Guidance of the Moon 3 1
3 +1 D6 5,001 4 2
4 +2 D6 9,001 Weirding Way 4 2 1
5 +2 D6 18,001 Fae Summoning 4 3 2
6 +3 D6 35,001 4 3 2 1
7 +3 D6 70,001 Moonfire 1 5 3 3 2
8 +4 D6 140,001 Might of Selene 5 4 3 2 1
9 +4 D6 300,001 Eth. Mastery, Moonfire 2 5 4 3 3 2
10 +5 D6 425,001 5 4 4 3 2 1
11 +5 +2 650,001 Moonfire 3 5 4 4 3 3 2
12 +6 +2 900,001 Celestial Ascension 6 5 4 4 3 2 1
13 +6 +2 +250,000 per level same as for cleric of one level lower

Flame Knife Class Progression: Spells Prime: Charisma

st nd rd th
Level Att. Hit Die Exp. Progression 1 2 3 4 5th Special Abilities
1 +0 D6 0 0 Unerring Pursuit, Disguise, Death Attack
2 +1 D6 1,751 0 Sign Lang./Runes
3 +2 D6 3,501 1 Grifter
4 +3 D6 7,001 1 0
5 +3 D6 14,001 1 0
6 +4 D6 25,001 1 1 0 Master of Disguise
7 +5 D6 50,001 1 1 1
8 +6 D6 90,001 1 1 1 0 Flaming Knives
9 +6 D6 150,001 1 1 1 0
10 +7 D6 200,001 1 1 1 1 1
11 +7 +2 +150,000 per level

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Flame Knife Assassin
Among the sundry cults and guilds of assassins
spread throughout the world, the Flame Knives have
remained the most secretive and formidable.
Steeped in an ancient tradition of lawless honor,
entropic sorcery, and an unyielding dedication to the
dreadful mercenary god Haro, the Flame Knives have
existed for at least as long as the Empire of Hyrkania
has been known by such a name. The origins of the
cult are steeped in mystery and only the eldest, most
vile members of the cult are privy to the unwritten
tales of their sordid past. To be a Flame Knife is to
embrace evil, and to take sides only with yourself.
Even ones own allies are considered fodder for the
ultimate goal of seeking the divine favor and
ascension promised by Haro.
Those who have investigated this cult know some
facts, and most successful entry level members of
the Flame Knives also know such facts. It is known
that the Flame Knives have hidden guilds within four
major cities of the Middle Kingdoms (Octzel,
Eastonia, Hyrkania, and Hyrendan). It is known that
the Flame Knives are affiliated, at least peripherally,
with similar Eastern cults from as far away as Aljhira,
based on the similarities of their prayers, rituals, and
mantras to such other groups. The Flame Knives
revere Haro with a fanaticism that precludes
meaning in their own existence, but among the
fodder a select few seem to be granted visions, in
which it is made clear that their true purpose is
mercenary, self-serving, and that they are to be the
true guiding minions of Haro's will. What, however,
Haro wishes is often confusing. For example, while
he was long believed by the forces of order to be a
chaotic deity prior to the Reckoning, it was in fact
Haro who betrayed his own brothers of chaos and
caused the collapse of the eons long conflict
between the primordial forces. He did so, however,
because of the obvious power gap that was created
in the wake of the Reckoning, and his cult grew ever
stronger as a result. Today, many greater Devonin
(demonic beings) and demiurges are now
subservient to him, and so therefore are at the beck
and call of his mortal cult.
Flame Knives are all about the conquest and
subjugation of the world through fear, murder, and
capitalism. Many Flame Knives are mercenaries,
merchants, and con men of a wide variety. A smaller
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
number are mages, professional assassins, and some
even rank among nobility. All believe unerringly in
the cause of their illuminated assault on the world,
and the secret propagation of fear and chaos as the
true means of control in society. All of them selfishly
believe that they, and they alone, will ultimately be
granted favor from Haro and elevated to the rank of
spiritual soldier or even avatar at his side. This is a
cult of evil, and should be exterminated by all who
oppose such malevolence.
Some of the most famous Flame Knives include
Cassius Augustus, the undead warrior summoned
back from the days of yore to serve Haro as an
assassin among assassins, and Lord Celiobantes
Astiriate, considered one of the elite Elders, and high
lord of the guilds of Northern Hyrkania. A few
suspect he is one of the Ten Who Rule.
The Flame Knives have an ancient symbol, which
varies only slightly from one region to the next. It is
always of a shield, upon which is depicted a
starscape showing the chief constellations of the
Huntsman and the Wolf in highlights. Crossing the
shield are a flaming bow and dagger with jagged
edges. If the symbol is to be seen as a warning or
threat, then the weapons are placed in front of the
shield. If it is used as a secret sign or reflects safety,
then they are placed behind the shield. All Flame
Knives learn a kind of Thieve's Cant, which is
comprised of sign language, and the use of clever
runes disguised to be hard to detect but which
would be readily obvious to like kin.
The Path of the Flame Knife:
Flame Knives come from all wakes of life. Disciples
of the cultic guilds are necessarily drawn from all
strata of life, but only practiced, skilled professionals
with a cunning and will to use it are granted entry
into the inner sanctum. A Flame Knife can be
granted such status from a patron of the guild, but it
is also possible for a Flame Knife to prove himself so
resolutely that he is granted divine inspiration from
Haro, and asserts himself over time and often
against the will of competitors. Once in the Inner
Circle, rivals who seek his status, or wish to take
control of the schemes and plans of another will
eventually challenge the Flame Knife. The infighting
is constant, and only he who surrounds himself with
the best lackeys and defenses is likely to make it to
 the top. No one knows who the ten members of the
Elders are, called the Ten Who Rule, and the leader
of the Flame Knives remains a whispered mystery to
this day.
If you are using multiclassing rules, it is
extraordinarily common for a character to have
levels in Assassin and Flame Knife, as they are
necessarily complimentary.
Hit Dice: D6
Prime Attribute: Charisma
Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Flame Knives are
proficient in all weapons, and may wear any leather
armor (including studded or curbolli) without
penalty. They can wear heavier armor, but it will
impair their stealth and assassination abilities.
Death Attack: No assassin would be worth much if
they didnt have this ability. Flame Knives may
perform a death attack as per the Assassin class in
the Players Handbook (see details there). If the
Flame Knife is also multiclassed as an assassin, then
he gains the following special benefit: he may hold
so six rounds instead of three before launching his
death attack at a target.
Sign Language/Assassins Runes: By 2nd level Flame
Knives learn the secret language of their cult, a sign
language which can be understood even in the dark
if necessary, through touching and tapping to convey
specific messages. If you can be seen, the range of
information is as great as normal sign language. The
assassin runes are placed in careful, hard to notice
spots, and it takes another assassin or Flame Knife
an Intelligence check to spot them, but a non-cultist
could at a 6 penalty. The runes are a simple but
effective language, and can convey warnings,
instructions, or false information. A careful study of
these runes can reveal their hidden intent with
enough time and effort, but Flame Knives
understand them automatically.
Unerring Pursuit (Int): At 1st level Flame Knives
learn to study the aura and sorcerous resonance of
their prey, a gift of sixth sight granted by Haro. They
are able to track and follow their prey with unerring
proficiency when they have sighted their target. In
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
game terms, they make an ability check (based on
Con plus level of class), which involves the tracking
or discovery of their prey once they have made eye
contact. The effect remains for 24 hours after the
sighting, and they do not need to keep the prey in
sight once this contact has been made. After 24
hours, they must make a straight Constituton check
to retain the sanguine grasp on this tether to the
prey or lose it. No amount of distance between the
target and targeted will have an effect.
Grifter (Cha): At 3rd level Flame Knives become
skilled in the art of psychological entrapment,
grifters of the highest degree. A Flame Knife can
attempt to use the art of the grifter against any
target, and a successful ability check, modified by a
penalty of 1 per level or hit die of the target, brings
the target under the flame knifes spell. The target
will fall in to the web of lies and deceit, which the
Flame Knife weaves. The game effect of this is
proportionate to a Charm Person spell, in which the
limitations are such that the subject is inclined to
believe the Flame Knife against common sense. A
Wisdom roll may be made a number of times per
month equal to the Wisdom bonus of the affected
person, or at any time in which blatant, contrary
evidence is presented to them. This is not a magical
effect, although some would say the magic of Haro
inspires the Flame Knife to such amazingly sublime
levels of deception.
Disguise (Cha): The Flame Knife receives the disguise
st
ability of the Assassin at 1 level. See the Players
Handbook for specific details.
Master of Disguise (Cha): At 6th level, the Flame
Knife becomes so efficient and talented at disguise
that he can perform the skill with an automatic +4
bonus, and may affect any sort of impromptu
disguise, even through simple body language and
mannerisms (i.e. the Flame Knife is pursued by
guards, rounds a corner, and sees two more guards
stationed. He makes his disguise roll, to walk up as if
he belongs and joins the ranks of the two, saying he
is a relief. The pursuers appear, but see only three
guards in the process of a shift change; here it is a
hypnotic persuasion, which is in effect). Such an
effect is still not magical in nature.
 Flaming Knives: At 8th level the practiced Flame
Knife mage may cast the Flaming Knives effect a
number of times per day equal to his Charisma
modifier (minimum 1). This will allow him to
spontaneously engulf his chosen weapon in eldritch
magic flame, an effect which will last until dispelled
or twenty four hours, whichever comes first. The
magical flame adds flame damage to the attacks
(+1d6 damage), and is treated as a magical effect for
all other purposes.
Divine Magic: Flame Knives are cultists of Haro, and
gain limited access to a certain number of Divine
Spells, which are presented below. They must have a
Charisma of 10+the spell level to be able to cast the
magic, and determine their spell bonus levels from
their Charisma modifier. This reflects the fact that
enforcement of will and personality is more
important in the cult of the Flame Knives to receive
divine favor than any wisdom or understanding. Any
Knight of the Ebon Ankh
The Inquisitors of Naril are a small, secretive branch
of the church, dedicated to insuring that heresy and
chaos never find a foothold in the inner workings of
Naril's order. The Inquisitors have, at various times
in history, had more power, but the order has been
on the wane in recent years. With the coming of the
Red Dragon comet, and the rise of chaos in the city
of Trog, however, it has become evident that the
forces of chaos are mounting once more, and
failures within the church to respond promptly are
forcing the Inquisitors to look closely at ramping up
their efforts.
While most of the Inquisitors are drawn from the
ranks of the ecclesiastics and the initiates, a handful
of the order are specially trained knights, who have
chosen to pursue a different, harder path, one of
judge, jury, and executioner. These are the Knights
of the Ebon Ankh, Inquisitors without par, willing to
root out corruption both in the church and
Hyrkanian society, to destroy chaos willingly and
without remorse. They are far and away the most
frightening members of Narils flock.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
spell with a 0 for memorization may only be
memorized at that level if the caster has a
sufficiently high Charisma bonus to grant the spell
bonus. 5th level spells are granted if the Charisma of
the Flame Knife is especially high (18), so few Flame
Knives can cast such potent magic. If they can, this is
usually a sign of strong favor with Haro, and they are
immediately indoctrinated in to the Circle of the
Elders, and may then become familiar with the Ten
Who Rule.
Flame Knife Spell List:
1st Level: Cause Fear, Protection from Good,
Comprehend Languages, Invisibility, Sleep
2nd Level: Continual Flame, Detect Traps, Hold
Person, Darkness, Silence
3rd Level: Invisibility Sphere, Haste, Dispel Magic
4th Level: Dimension Door, Fire Shield, Tongues,
Wall of Fire
5th Level: Cause Critical Wounds, Flame Strike
The Knights of the Ebon Ankh are often drawn
from members of the church, but also drawn from
reformed servants who once did evil before being
redeemed. Occasionally, a member of this order
might never have belonged to the order, but instead
have received a vision from Naril, which compelled
him to follow this path. All members of the order are
dedicated to their cause, but find it a difficult road,
as the fall from grace is even easier than usual.
Subterfuge is a regular weapon of the order, a
deception considered necessary but almost outside
of the realm of Naril. Nonetheless, it is understood
that to combat Narils foes, some difficult duties
must be met, and those who serve the Knights of the
Ebon Ankh understand better then most.
Because the Knights often perform difficult moral
duties, the restrictions on race are not as strict.
Elves, dwarves, and other species sometimes join on
special occasions, usually by invite.
Members of the order must be invited or
experience a vision from Naril, usually exposing a
corruption of chaos in the ranks which they uncover.
 Hit Die: D8
Prime: Charisma
Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Inquisitors gain
proficiency in all weapons and armor.
Spell Advancement: At every other level, the Knight
of the Ebon Ankh gains access to clerical magic,
though somewhat weaker than a regular cleric of the
same level. The Knight of the Ebon Ankh gains bonus
spells based on Charisma. He casts all spells as a
th
cleric would. They may not gain spells higher than 5
level.
Turning Ability: At 1st level theKnight of the Ebon
Ankh may turn undead as a cleric can.
th
Vision of Truth: At 7 level, the Knight is taught the
Vision of Truth ability. Once per day, the Knight may
enact the Commune Spell.
Word of Power: At 2nd level, the Knight gains the
word of power ability. Once per day, he may enact a
Command spell at his class level. He may do this
th th
twice per day at 6 level, three times at 10 level,
th th
foru times at 14 level, and five times 18 level.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Greater Vision of Truth: The Knight continues his
pursuit of knowledge, learning how to cast the True
Seeing spell once per day.
Greater Word of Power: Once per day, the Inquisitor
may call upon Charm Person in pursuit of his cause.
st
Master of Truth (Wis): At 1 level, the Knight gains
the power to use this ability. He may make an ability
check to deiscern whether an individual with whom
he is speaking or listening to is telling the truth. The
opponent in this discourse may use his level or hit
dice as a negative modifier to the target number for
the check. The Knight of the Ebon Ankh adds his
class level to it, of course.
Word of Ultimate Power: Once per week the
Inquisitor may use Holy Word.
Confessor: At 12th level, the Knight becomes a true
confessor, and is imbued with the ability to change
alignment in beings which fail a Wisdom save, with
the Charisma bonus plus class level of the Knight as a
penalty modifier. This ability may be used once per
week, and shifts one of the two elements of the
target one step (Chaotic evil either becomes neutral
evil or chaotic neutral, for example). It can be
applied over time to the same target for successive
changes. If the target resists and ever rolls a natural
1 on its save, the target must then make a
Constitution check or die instantly rather than be
converted one step.
Creatures, especially outsider demons and other
beings which have alignment issues tied in to their
very being, may experience a profound physical
change as well, at the CKs discretion.
Ex-Inquisitor Knights: An inquisitor who falls in to
darkness in the course of his or her duties may lose
all of his or her granted abilities and spells, but not
the normal abilities (weapon skills, master of truth
ability). He may recover spellcasting abilities by
assuming the worship of a different deity, in which
case he recovers his spellcasting abilities and all
inquisitor levels covert to cleric levels for practical
purposes of that deity.
 Knight of the Ebon Ankh Advancement Table Prime: Charisma
Base Hit Experience Spell Advancement
Level Attack Die Advancement Special 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1 +0 D8 0 Master of Truth, 3 1
Turning Ability
2 +1 D8 2,251 Word of Power 3 1
3 +1 D8 4,501 4 2
4 +2 D8 9,001 Grt. Vision of Truth 4 2
5 +2 D8 18,001 Grt. Word of Power 4 2 1
6 +3 D8 36,001 4 2 1
7 +3 D8 72,001 Vision of Truth 4 3 2
8 +4 D8 150,001 Word of Ult. Power 4 3 2
9 +4 D8 300,001 4 3 2 1
10 +5 D8 600,001 4 3 2 1
11 +5 +3 725,001 5 3 3 2
12 +6 +3 900,001 Confessor 5 3 3 2
13 +6 +3 1,075,001 5 4 3 2 1
14 +7 +3 1,250,001 5 4 3 2 1
15 +7 +3 1,425,001 5 4 3 3 2
13 +8 +3 1,600,001 5 4 3 3 2
14 +8 +3 +175,000 per level 5 4 4 3 2 1
spell advancement every other level as per cleric

KomHuandyr Level Advancement: Prime: Strength

Base Hit Experience Spell Abilities (Druid Spells)
st nd rd
Level Attack Die Advancement Special Abilities 0 1 2 3 4th
1 +1 D10 0 Goblinkin Slayer, 1
2,251 Master Rider 1
2 +2 D10 4,501 Preternatural Sense 1 1
3 +3 D10 9,001 Rugged Survivalist 2 1
4 +4 D10 18,001 2 1 1
5 +5 D10 40,001 Commune With Nature 2 2 1
6 +6 D10 75,001 3 2 1 1
7 +7 D10 150,001 3 2 2 1
8 +8 D10 250,001 3 3 2 1 1
9 +9 D10 500,001 Extraordinary Stamina 4 3 2 2 1
10 +10 D10 725,001 4 3 3 2 1
11 +11 +4 950,001 4 4 3 2 2
12 +12 +4 1,075,001 5 4 3 3 2
13 +13 +4 +225,000 per level 5 4 4 3 2

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 The Kom'Huandyr
The ancient order of the Ranger-Knights of Naril
are steeped in folklore and mystery. Founded by the
ancient Hyrkanian House Huandyr, the Servants of
Huandyr were once the liege knights of this
entrepreneurial family. The Huandyr clan united the
barbaric Narilian people, and brought a unity to the
forestlands previously unheard of. With them came
the advanced culture, language, and customs of the
Hyrkanian Empire. The old world druidism of the
local people intermixed with the Hyrkanian
colonizers, creating, eventually, the unique mix of
paganism and modern culture in the region today.
The KomHuandyr originated when the first
alliance between the greatest of the pagan tribes
and the House of Huandyr was consecrated, and the
first of the pagan knights were allowed to serve the
Hyrkanian lords. With this infusion of regional
warriors into the elite fold of the mounted warriors,
a new breed of pagan knight arose, armed and
armored as a true Hyrkanian knight, but dedicated to
the animism of Naril, and seeking the counsel of the
druids of Niras rather than the priests of Naril.
In the 1400s aw, there was a terrible period of war
in which the region was invaded by the Thargonid
trolls, seeping from cavernous depths in to the
ancient, forgotten strong holds of the lost empire
within the Thargonid Mountains (the trolls were so
named after the mountains). The previous dwellers
of the mountains, many fae raced and goblinoids,
were driven out in a great surge as they sought to
escape death or slavery. This exodus led to terrible
conflict as the goblin kings sought to carve out new
lands in the Niras Forests, and the dozens of small
baronies were forced to seek unity amongst one
another to quell the horde. The many bickering lords
were eventually brought together by the might of
the most famous of the old order of knights of
Huandyr, a man named Tevel Elas Draelon. Draelon
and his rangers led the lords of the forest into a
concerted effort against the goblinoids, and crushed
the goblin kings. Thereafter, the knights were
formally called the KomHuandyr, and were charged
with the perpetual service of the protection of the
Lands of Niras, the forests of the realm and beyond.
Today, the KomHuandyr rangers are an elite, near-
secretive order, which, while low in number, are still
highly respected. One joins the order by proving his
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
or herself in an exalted and heroic deed that is
considered both holy and generous in the eyes of
Niras. Some member swill choose an apprentice, to
serve as their squire and learn of the order, too, if
the one in question is young and of pure, good,
heart. The KomHuandyr continue to work closely
with the Druids of Niras, and serve the king of
Nirasien at least nominally, although the order
considers itself to answer, ultimately, only to Niras.
There are believed to be no more than two hundred
KomHuandyr in the woods. During the Reckoning,
the order was at its strongest, but the majority of
the order was slain in a terrible battle against the
forces of chaos, and the numbers never fully
recovered from that time. Still, it usually takes only
one member of the order to solve most problems for
which one would wish a KomHuandyr to intervene...
The KomHuandyr are allies of the lords of Niras,
and of the Druids of the woods. They are well-
received by any druid enclave, be it in the forests of
Niras or in as distant a land as Caelern'in. They are
respected and usually recognized in most Hyrkanian
territories, but are considered honorable rivals of
the warrior cults of Amech. The KomHuandyr are
unknown in the Eastern Kingdoms, and considered
suspect enemies among the Octzellan and Western
Territories of the Middle Kingdoms. KomHuandyr
have long been allied with the sylveinurian elves,
and many KomHuandyr are elvish or half elvish. An
occasional sylenic (halfling) KomHuandyr is not
unknown. It might be possible to meet a half-orc
ranger, but the strictures against the goblinkin as
enemies prevent such a ranger from ever joining the
ranks of the knighthood.
The Path of the KomHuandyr:
The prestige class represents the elite of the
KomHuandyr. There are many errant knights of the
order who are petitioners, questing members of the
order who seek to gain anointment in the eyes of
Niras. While most of these member start as Rangers,
any one who fulfills the requirements of the prestige
class may be so anointed.
Rangers of KomHuandyr must have chosen Niras
as patron deity. The one who petitions entry must
seek the endorsement of an existing senior member.
 Rangers of KomHuandyr must be human or
demihuman, ND may never be goblinoid or
monstrous, without special circumstance and the
blessing of the CK.
Note that Rangers of KomHuandyr, being a variant
of the classic ranger, are often found as multiclassed
rangers/rangers of KomHuandyr.
Designers Note: The Rangers of KomHuandyr are a
great way to reintroduce the idea of a spell-casting
ranger without negating the value of the more
combat-oriented core ranger.
Hit Dice: D10
Prime Attribute: Strength
Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: KomHuandyr are
proficient in al weapons and the following armor:
padded, leather, ring, hide, studded, laminar, mail
shirt, any shield.
Goblinkin Slayer: KomHuandyr have fought the
goblinoids of the forests for centuries. All
KomHuandyr are blessed with the knowledge and
almost prescient familiarity with their ancient foe,
and so can never be caught flat-footed under any
circumstance by goblinkin. This includes goblins,
hobgoblins, kobolds, svirfneblin, gibberlings, orcs,
grimlocks, and other relatives (like greater orcs or
enhanced goblins). He receives an automatic
cumulative +1 attack and damage modifier in
th
combat and at 3rd, 6th, 9 , and every third level
thereafter against these foes, and it may stack with
other ranger benefits like Combat Marauder.
Master Rider: At 1st level, the KomHuandyr has
honed his riding skills to the point where he receives
no penalty in combat for firing or fighting from his
mount, and receives a +2 bonus to attack against
foes who are not mounted.
Survival (Wis): Rangers of KomHunsdyr, like their
normal bretheren, are experienced survivalists, and
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
have the ability of the same name by normal
Rangers (see Players Handbook fo details).
Preternatural Sense (Wis): At 2nd level, the
Kom'Huandyr's intuitive sense of the natural begins
to grow, and he becomes significantly more in tune
with the natural world around him. He may use this
ability to detect hidden objects, people, or thos who
seek to hide in the wilderness. He may make a check
to detect an ambush before it happens.
Rugged Survivalist: At 3rd level the KomHuandyr
may absorb prolonged exposure to the elements, as
well, such as severe winter or a heat wave. In such
cases of prolonged exposure, the effect reduces the
damage of such exposure by one half, and on a
successful Constitution check, negates the damage
for one hour. Furthermore, a KomHuandyr need
only make a Wisdom roll each day to forage for
enough sustenance to survive daily, unless the CK
rules that the land in which he is traveling is too
harsh for sustenance.
Commune with Nature: At 5th level, the
Kom'Huandyr's spiritual side becomes sufficient that
he can see and speak with forest elementals, such as
Dryads, Nymphs, Treants and other beneficent
servants of Niras. This is a sort of empathic, universal
language, and does not replace any spoken
language. It cannot be taught as a language.
Extraordinary Stamina: KomHuandyr become
resistant to natural effects at 9th level, and may call
upon Endure Elements three times per day.
Spell Proficiency: KomHuandyr learn divine magic
taught to them through their pious dedication to
Niras. They have limited spell casting ability and can
th
only learn spells of up to 4 level, but can attain
significant mastery over these magics as they
advance. KomHuandyr learn magic from the druid
charts for spell purposes and cast spells like druids
do. They use Wisdom to determine bonus spells.
 Octzellan Musketeer
The kingdom of Octzel is a divided, war-torn land, Musketeers of a fraternal or mercenary order
in which the forces of Valance, Octzel in the North, usually have to prove themselves in combat, after
and the eastern independents of Halale have been at which they are asked to join. Such tests are wide-
war for more than two centuries. In this time, the ranging and depend on the group in question. There
elite musketeers have become famous for their are plenty of errant musketeers out there, serving
prowess in battle on whatever side they choose to the king or regent as appropriate, getting in to
join. trouble and engendering strife in fellow man.
Musketeers are not just a military unit these days,
but a quasi-fraternal order of hardcore specialists in A Note about Dwarves and Gun Powder:
the most deadly form of ranged weapon of the To belong to a fraternity or mercenary group, you
Middle Kingdoms. The firearms, matchlock and must pass through an initiation, usually a contest to
wheel-lock, of the Middle Kingdoms are carefully show off your skill with the musket.
kept secrets of the Suethendur dwarves, and have While this is not a requirement, it is nonetheless
been sold over the last few centuries to the highest recommended that the musketeer be proficient in
bidder. As a result, mostly knighted men and royalty the dwarvish language, for it is a well-known fact
carry such weapons (Dans, Eslas, and so forth), and that only the dwarves and certain alchemists are
few commoners are ever seen which such privy to the secrets of making the explosive powder
armam which powers
ent. Gunsmith Repair Chart the muskets
of the Middle
Check Roll Result
Becaus Kingdoms.
under by 5- The weapon is hopelessly damaged, or the barrel warped.
e of the Such smoke
+1-9 A normal failure. 1d10 rounds are needed to service the weapon
difficult powder is
+10-14 The weapon can be readied, cleaned, and unjammed in 1d6 rounds
y in considered a
+15-19 The weapon is unjammed in 1d4 rounds
finding magical
+20-24 The weapon is unjammed in 1d3 rounds, while re-loading
gun substance,
25+ The weapon is easily unjammed, no interruption in fire and reload
powder and is so
times.
, the affected by
role of the musketeer is fairly elite in combat. In all effects that negate or modify magic. This is a
of the Octzellan Kings armies, there are probably peculiarity of the World of Lingusia, and may not
not more than fifteen hundred elite musketeers, and hold true in other prime material planes.
most are part of the Kings personal garrison. The In game terms, to manufacture gun powder you
cost of purchasing the gun powder from wizards and must have the alchemy ability (silver dwarves have
dwarves alike is prohibitive, and so far has insured it, or you can acquire such through the secondary
that only a handful of noblemen fight with such skill rules from Castle Zagyg) or the Esoteric
weapons on land. Knowledge secondary skill. The character must also
Musketeers learn to care for their weapons, have been exposed to the secret of making
maintain them with the utmost precision, and keep gunpowder by a mentor. The character makes a
them out of harm's way even before their own difficult Intelligence check at 6 penalty, along with
selves. The shooter is replaceable; the gun is not. 2d6x100 gps in expenses and 2d6 days time to
Many, as said earlier, have inherited the weapon and produce enough powder for 1d6x50 shots. Typical
place, and pass it down from generation to prices for a horn of powder that will let you reload
generation. Most musketeers are also competent your weapon approximately 50 times are around 50-
swordsmen, for once you have fired your last bullet 100 GP per powder horn. Bullets are far cheaper. A
and the mob charges you, it's time to shoulder that keg, necessary for cannons on ships or rolling
thing and cut your way free. artillery, can cost 1000 GP or more and usually
grants about 20 cannon shots.

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)


Hit Dice: D10
Prime Attribute: Dexterity
Class Features:
Weapons and Armor: Musketeers are proficient in
all weapons, being consummate fighters, and all
armor. Furthermore, a musketeer is considered
proficient in all firearms, both pistols and muskets,
of both the flintlock and matchlock nature. If he is
assumed to have not previously handled a certain
type of firearm (such as an harquebus or
blunderbuss), he may be required to suffer a penalty
for the first 1d8 rounds of use at 2 to attack until
the proficiency sets in and familiarity with the
weapon can then be assumed.
Gunsmith (Dex): At 1st level, the Musketeer learns
the important art of weapon maintenance. He can
field-strip, bore out, clean the powder burn, and
otherwise keep the barrel and firing mechanism
healthy and ready for immediate use. In game terms,
a muzzle-loading firearm will experience a
malfunction on any critical failure (roll of 1 on an
attack). Gunsmith can be used after battle to repair
or clean out a jammed firearm. It can be used before
battle, as well; if cleaned within 24 hours of use,
should the gun jam the CK may let the musketeer
make a second Gunsmith check (only once for the
weapon) to see if it simply misfired or actually
jammed. If he makes the skill, then the weapon is
still functional and may be refired next round. This
only works once per combat per firearm.
When repairing a weapon, make your ability check
and determine how far over the target number you
made it. Take this number and look on the gunsmith
repair chart to determine the condition of your
weapon after affecting repairs.
Fast-Load: The musketeer is especially proficient and
speedy in reloading his musket or pistol. In the world
of Lingusia, Muskets take 45-60 seconds to properly
ready for fire. A nonproficient user will take 60
seconds (10 combat rounds!) to ready his musket,
and 42 seconds (7 combat rounds) to ready a pistol.
With Fast-Load, the Musketeer may re-load his
weapon 2 rounds sooner than normal; So, he can
ready his musket in 8 rounds, or his pistol in 5
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
rounds. This is why most Musketeers wield a sword,
and carry a brace of pistols (2 or more).
Fast-Draw (Dex): Musketeers are very quick, and can
always draw and fire a pistol with no penalty. If a
musketeer is facing off against another, they may
each make Fast Draw checks (Dex) based to see who
draws and wins first.
Snapshot: At 2nd level, the Musketeer has honed his
gun fighting experience enough that he can perform
a spontaneous attack without time to aim precisely.
The snapshot allows the musketeer to fire under two
certain specific circumstances:
If the Musketeer is surprised in combat, he may
declare a snapshot if he has a loaded weapon and a
target that is not concealed or impossible to detect
under normal conditions on a surprise round. He
must roll for initiative at that time to determine the
sequence of actions.
A musketeer who has multiple weapons loaded (a
brace of pistols) may use snapshot to get a single
bonus attack, in addition to his normal attack. He is
effectively fast-drawing a weapon for each normal
attack plus his bonus attack. All of the attacks are at
-2 to strike for the round.
Advanced Fast-Load: At 6th level, Fast-Load
becomes Advanced Fast-Load, and the musketeer is
so efficient in his technique that he may load a
musket in only 6 rounds, or a pistol in only 3 rounds!
Such musketeers have achieved a Zen mastery of the
process, and only the inefficiency of their own
weapons slow them down.
Deadly Shot: The musketeers proficiency with the
musket or pistol has become legendary, and he can
aim with startling precision under stress and worse.
The musketeer requires 1 complete combat round to
aim in order to use this ability with no other actions.
The musketeer must perform a Constitution check if
being attacked directly with a 4 penalty, or no
penalty if not immediately threatened during the
round he is aiming. If he succeeds, then on the next
round he may make an attack as normal, but will
automatically score double damage if the attack hits.
Advanced Gunsmith (Int): At 10th level, the
musketeer is sufficiently talented at his art that he
 may replicate his own firearms and even attempt to
craft his own gunpowder. In a campaign with
mundane, non-magical gunpowder you may assume
that this is a talent in the hands of alchemists and
wise men, and that the musketeer learns the secrets
at this time. If the campaign, as is the case with
Lingusia, has restrictions, then it is assumed the
depths of gunsmith knowledge have been plumbed,
and the dwarves have let the Musketeer in on a little
secret in exchange for his years as a good customer.
Black powder is magical in Lingusia, and must be
crafted as a potion would, but the gunsmith now can
gather the necessary ingredients for the dwarves or
a sympathetic alchemist to make the stuff.

Musketeer Advancement Chart Prime: Dexterity

Base Hit Experience
Level Att Bonus Die Advancement Special Abilities
1 +1 D10 2,001 Gunsmith, Fast-Load, Fast-Draw
2 +2 D10 4,001 Snap-Shot
3 +3 D10 8,501
4 +4 D10 17,001
5 +5 D10 34,001
6 +6 D10 68,001 Advanced Fast Load
7 +7 D10 136,001
8 +8 D10 272,001 Deadly Aim
9 +9 D10 500,001
10 +10 D10 750,001 Advanced Gunsmith
11 +11 +4 +250,000 per level
Firearm Stats in Lingusia:
Name Damage* Base Load Time (rounds) Range Value
Harquebus 1d8 (6, 8) 12 60 300 gp
Blunderbuss 1d12 (8, 10, 12) 10 20 350 gp
Wheellocks:
Pistol 1d6 (6) 10 20 250 gp
Musket 1d8 (6, 8) 10 30 500 gp
Flintlocks and Matchlocks:
Pistol 1d8 (6, 8) 10 30 300 gp
Musket 1d10 (6, 8,10) 10 40 600 gp
*All firearm damage rolls over if you roll a certain number, indicated in parenthesis after the damage die. If a
blunderbuss fires and does 10 pts of damage on the first roll, it may add and roll over; so long as you keep rolling
one of the add and roll over numbers, the firearm keeps doing damage!

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Selenic Knight
A small but devoted order to Selene are the
militant servants of the moon goddess, the Selenic
Knights. Amongst their ranks are a handful of devout
elvish warrior-maidens and a handful of other kin
who have felt the touching siren call of the moon
goddess. Selenic Knights are purveyors of justice,
defenders of women, healers, diviners, and a small
but noteworthy sect dedicated to the cause of order.
A character seeking to join this elite group must
first prove her faith to Selene through dedicated
worship, and must have made clear and determined
efforts to support her portfolio of interest. She must
then seek out an existing member of the order to
become her patron, and seek to prove herself
worthy to that member. If the member, satisfied,
vouches for her, then she will be presented to the
ruling queen of Sylvias or the land in which she is
located (the Queen of Cretea or Liege Empress of
Avilin, for example) and be knighted in a holy
ceremony under the light of the full moon. The
members of the order will anoint the new Selenic
knight in enchanted holy water and take her to a
chosen place, secluded and mystical, where she may
commune with Selene for 4 days. During this time,
she must make a Wisdom check, and if she does,
then she receives a divine vision from Selene and
may come down from the point of seclusion. If she
fails the vision quest, then she must go on a quest to
perform a new deed considered worthy, and when
done, she must again submit herself to the vision
quest. If she fails a second time, she is expelled from
the order.
Selenic Knights must be dedicated or converted to
Selene for prior to joining the order, and must be
women. Men who follow Selene can only ever be
Paladins.
Hit Die: D8
Prime: Charisma
Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Selenic Knights are
familiar with all weapons and all forms of armor and
shields.
Moonblade: At 1st level the Selenic knight receives
the power of the moonblade, which may be called
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
upon a number of times per day equal to 3 + the
knights Charisma modifier. The Moonblade is an
eldritch magical weapon that will manifest as for A
number of minutes equal to the level of the Selenic
knight. The moonblade will take on the form of a
favored weapon of the knight (which may be any
weapon, or a weapon the knight is focused or
specialized in) or a sickle if no form is chosen. The
blade will function as a blade of the type chosen for
all purposes except that it is made of an
indestructible essence, will automatically reform in
the knights hand if thrown or disarmed the
following round as a free action, and receives a
magical bonus of +1, which increases every four
th th th th
levels (+2 at 5 , +3 at 9 , +4 at 13 , +5 at 17 ) to a
maximum of +5.
Channel Essence: At 2nd level, the Selenic knight
learns to channel the essence of the moon through
her moonblade. Once she summons the moonblade,
she may cast spells through the weapon, using it as
the sole material and somatic component for the
casting of the spell. The spells in question are listed
with special slots (see advancement chart) and are
separate from the normal spell progression of the
Selenic knight. The spells must be prepared in
advance but are only released when the blade is
manifest. If the Selenic knight can not rematerialize
the moonblade for the day, but has not utilized the
spell slots for blade spells, then she cannot release
the magic until she recuperates the next day.
All Moonblade Essence spells are already
considered bonus spells and do not receive any
bonus based on an attribute to the number of
available slots.
Note: Any spell in this list with a range of touch as a
touch attack now activates with a regular weapon
attack, as well. The weapon itself must touch the
target, and if used as a touch attack to release the
spell, the weapon is considered to be handled lightly,
and therefore will do no damage (but a regular
attack will do regular damage plus release the spell).
Finally, regardless of the spell durations listed for
each entry, the actual duration is the length of time
the moonblade can be summoned by the Selenic
knight. Thus, if a 5th level Selenic knight can
summon her moonblade for five minutes, at the end
 of that time, all spells cast through it still in
operation will dissipate as well.
Moonblade Spell List:
Level 0: Light, Flare, Disrupt Undead (causes 1d6
damage extra to an undead target for one strike),
Detect Magic, Guidance (self only, +1 ability or hit
bonus this round),Virtue (self only).
Level 1: Shocking Grasp, Color Spray, True Strike
(grants +20 to hit for next strike only).
Level 2: Daylight, Hypnotic Pattern, Bulls Strength
(self only, grants +4 to Strength for six rounds), Cats
Grace (self only gants +4 to Dex for 6 rounds), Dark
vision (self only).
Level 3: Negative Energy Protection (self only), Haste
(self only).
Level 4: Dismissal, Rainbow Pattern.
Divine magic: From 1st level on, Selenic Knights may
cast a limited number of divine spells per day as a
cleric would. They receive bonus spells based on
Charisma. These spells are not useable in the
manner of the Moonblade spell effects, and require
the normal clerical preparation process and
readying to use. They may be discharged normally.
th
Selenic Knights are limited to 5 level clerical spells.
Steed: At 1st level, the Selenic Knight will receive a
personal mount which acts as if it has an empathic
bond with her if she doesnt have one already. At 8th
level, she may receive a Greater Steed, which may
be a magical beast of up to 9 hit dice (unicorn,
hippogriff, etc.) and of good or lawful good
alignment.
Moon-Aspected: Selenic knights are servants of the
moon goddess, and as such receive special benefits
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
at night during the light of the moon, or under a full
moon. Likewise, they receive a penalty under nights
of a new moon. The modifiers are as follows:
Gibbous Waxing or Waning: No modifiers.
Full Moon: +1 bonus to all ability and attack rolls.
New Moon: -1 bonus to all ability and attack rolls.
If the condition of the moon is needed and hasnt
been established yet, the CK can determine the
chance that a given day is close by rolling 1d20 +
1d10. The combined roll is how many days before
the next full moon, and if a 30 is generated, then the
next night will be a new moon.
Ex-Selenic Knights:
If a knight of the moon goddess should ever stray
from the path and change alignment to something
other than lawful good, she will have effectively
forced herself from the order. Such a Selenic knight
may no longer advance in levels in the prestige class
until her alignment returns to lawful good. While of
a different alignment, she may not utilize any of the
divine spells or her moonblade granted by the class,
but remains moon-aspected.
Selenic Knights may advance in another class
without being penalized, provided the alignment
strictures of the Selenic knight class are not violated,
and the knight continues to behave in accordance
with the dictates of her goddess. Thus, a Selenic
knight may muticlass in to another class and then
back in to the Selenic knight prestige class as long as
there is no compromise in values.
A Selenic knight who crossed in to the order from
the paladin class may continue to advance as a
paladin, as well as a Selenic knight. This is the only
exception to the rule regarding a paladin's inability
to return to their class once they multiclass out.
 Selenic Knight Advancement Table Prime: Charisma
Base Hit Experience Spell Advancement
Level Attack Die Advancement Special 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1 +1 D8 0 Moonblade, 0 -- -- -- --
Steed, Moon Aspect
2 +2 D8 2,701 Channel Essence 1 -- -- -- --
3 +3 D8 5,001 1 0 -- -- --
4 +3 D8 12,001 1 1 -- -- --
5 +4 D8 24,001 1 1 0 -- --
6 +5 D8 48,001 2 1 1 -- --
7 +6 D8 950,001 2 1 1 0 --
8 +6 D8 180,001 Greater Steed 2 2 1 1 --
9 +7 D8 360,001 2 2 1 1 0
10 +8 D8 700,001 3 2 2 1 1
11 +9 +3 1,000,001
12 +9 +3 1,300,001
13 +10 +3 +300,000 per level
Selenic Knight Moonblade Essence Channeling Advancement
Level 0 lvl 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
1 -- -- -- -- --
2 1 -- -- -- --
3 2 1 -- -- --
4 2 1 -- -- --
5 2 1 1 -- --
6 2 1 1 -- --
7 3 1 1 1 --
8 3 2 1 1 --
9 3 2 1 1 1
10 3 2 2 1 1
11 3 2 2 1 1
12 3 2 2 2 1
13 3 3 2 2 1
14 max max 2 2 2
Sample Selenic Knight:
Alystria Vytaveris
Silver Elf, female, servant of Selene. Selenic Knight Level 5. Lawful Good.
House: Nethestor (Ice)
STR 15; DEX 16 (prime); CON 12; INT 14; WIS 16; CHA 18 (Prime); HP 70; Base Attack +8
Feats: Moonblade, Steed (horse), Moon Aspect, Channel Essence, elf traits
Moonblade Spells Prepared(2/1/1): Flare, Guidance; Color Spray ; Bulls Strength X1.
Divine Spells Prepared(2/2/1): Sanctuary, Cure light wounds; Aid, Augury; Cure Serious Wounds.
Moonblade Properties: Moonblade Sickle +2 (7 times/day; duration 5 minutes each; damage 1d6+3; Attack +11)
Armor: Scale mail +1, magical; AC 17 (+4 armor, +1 magic, +2 Dex)
Alystria is a youthful knight in the service of Selene. She was once a fighter battling the ashtarth on the war front
in the western forests, and early on took up the cause of Selene in the defense of her lands. Calynys, an elder
knight of the order who saw the zeal and dedication in the young girls eye, eventually approached her. Alystria has
fought valiantly ever since, and has chosen her goddesses' symbolic weapon as her moonblade.

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Solarian Knight
The Order of the Solarian Knight is a powerful fist
for both the Church of Naril and the Emerald Throne
of Hyrkania. A Solarian Knight serves Naril first, as a
guardian of purity, goodness, order, and
righteousness. He follows a close second in his
service to the Throne of Hyrkania, the Empress, and
the ideal of law of the land.
The Order is about two thousand strong, but only a
few make it to the senior ranks. Most Solarian
Knights are traditional paladins or militant clerics,
struggling to persevere to the extreme ideal of
Narils dictates. A precious few become senior
members of the order, and go through a ritual of
initiation to become true Solarians.
The Solarians have military enclaves, monasteries
of war and temples of worship, throughout Northern
Hyrkania. In the Eastron realms of Zued, they are
called Sun Riders and have but one monastery, in
the city of Zued Hyskovis. The center of the order is
in Hyrkanien, which is where initiation ceremonies
for young knights are performed to send them on
their errant quests, or senior knights commit to their
ultimate vows and join the top ranks. A member of
this prestige class is considered a senior member.
Solarian Knights quest everywhere, looking to carry
out the will of Naril as needed, both in Hyrkania and
in foreign lands. They see Naril's law as the true law
of all, and often have at least a marginal disrespect
for those kingdoms and realms that do not even
worship Naril.
Because of this dedication, the only nonhumans
who can join the order are possibly half-elves, and
then only if a senior member sponsors them.
Solarian Knights venerate the fact the Naril created
humankind, and seek to maintain racial purity
among their ranks in accordance with Narils will.
Joining the Order: To initially join the order, a
warrior or priest must have had an epiphany, usually
in battle, in which Naril appears in a vision before
him. He must then seek the order of the Solarians
and request entry. Paladins and Clerics are rife
within the order, but the true Solarians described
below are rarely seen, exceptional paladins of
amazing skill in combat and magic.
Solarian Knights must be lawful good. They are a
spell-casting variant of paladin, essentially. A
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
character must be human or half elf (if a sponsor is
available).
Hit Die: D10
Prime: Charisma
Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Solarian Knights are
familiar with all weapons and all forms of armor and
shields.
Holy Shield of Naril: Once per day per level, the
character may summon a holy shield, made of
luminous flaming energy. The Shield grants a magical
armor bonus equal to half the level of the character
in Solarian Knight rounded up (up to +10) and lasts
for 5 plus his Charisma Modifier in rounds. The
Shield grants Protection from Heat/Fire 15
(absorbing 15 pts of damage per round).
Fist of Naril: The Solarian Knight can call upon the
might of Naril to smite his enemies. This is an
enhancement to the Smite Evil ability of Paladins.
The Solarian Knight may also add his prestige class
levels to smiting evil as a paladin for determining
damage, and calculating times per day it may be
used. If the character does not have the smite evil
ability, he acquires it at this time (it operates exactly
as the paladin ability henceforth).
Vow of the Order: A Solarian Knight is dedicated the
cause of Naril, and must follow a strict set of rules. If
the rules are broken three times in a row, or within a
years period, then the Solarian Knight may be
stripped of his status and becomes and Ex-Solarian
Knight. These rules include:
Chastity and Celibacy; he shall not marry, nor take a
woman to bed.
Dedication to the cause; He shall not let a foe of evil
or chaos go unpunished, so long as it is within his
power to administer justice.
Vow of Poverty; The Solarian Knight shall never own
more than he can carry; he must will his estates to
his closest kin, and he keeps only what is necessary
for his cause, and the maintenance of his arms and
armor. He does not seek excessive glory through
 wealth, nor does he spend out of hand; no money on
a fancy suit of armor, when an orphanage or temple
could benefit from that money. Gifts are respected,
if they meet the needs of his duties, but are donated
if they do not.
preparation necessary). For example, he could
relinquish a 5th level slot to cast a single spell of any
lower level. All of these spells require a holy amulet
of Naril for casting purposes as a focus, and cannot
be performed without the amulet as a channel.

Turning Ability: Solarian Knights turn undead as a Solarian Knight Holy Flames List: Slot level
nd
Paladin or cleric. 2 level: Burning Hands 1
rd
3 level: Resist Elements 1
th
4 level: Continual Flame 2
th
5 level: Augury 2
th
6 level: Fireball 3
th
7 level: Prayer 3
th
8 level: Fire Shield 4
th
9 level: Wall of Fire 4
th
10 level: Flame Strike 5
th
11 level: Commune 5

Truesight: At 3rd level, the Solarian Knight gains the

ability to use the Truesight spell once per week.

Holy Weapon of Naril: Once per day, the Solarian

Knight may imbue his weapon with the true essence
of Naril. It is limned with flame, becomes a magic
weapon, gains +1d6 flame damage, and an
additional +2d6 holy damage against evil and chaotic
beings on a roll of a natural 20. This effect lasts for a
number of rounds equal to the class level plus
charisma modifier. It can be applied to any weapon
in the Paladins hands, and stacks with existing
effects.

Banishment: At 9th level, the Solarian Knight who

attempts to turn any demon successfully
automatically banishes it from the mortal plane and
back to the Abyss.
Holy Flames: Naril grants his most dedicated the
nd Ex-Solarian Knights: Should a Solarian Knight fail to
Holy Flames at 2 level, with additional
uphold the tenets of the order, violate his
advancements at each level thereafter. Holy Flames
alignments scruples, offend Naril, or otherwise fall
ability grants the Solarian Knight the ability to cast
from grace, then he is stripped of his abilities and
one bonus spell per day from the following list. At
effects, locked out of all special abilities and paladin
second level he acquires the 1st level spell slot, and
abilities in the manner of a fallen paladin.
an additional spell slot at each level thereafter until
Redemption may be possible, but is a hard road to
he gets all of the abilities listed. He may use a spell
follow. He will also likely be excommunicated from
slot of a higher level spell to cast a lower level spell if
the church of Naril as well. See the PHB for details on
he wishes, by relinquishing the power to cast the
ex-paladins for additional data.
higher level spell and using it on a lower level spell
instead (this may be done spontaneously, no

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Solarian Knight Advancement Table Prime: Charisma
Base Hit Experience
Level Attack Die Advancement Special Abilities
1 +0 D10 0 Holy Shield, Fist of Naril, Vow of Dedication, Turning
2 +1 D10 2,701 Holy Flames 1st level
3 +2 D10 5,501 Truesight, Holy Flames 2nd level
4 +3 D10 12,001 Holy Flames 3rd level
5 +4 D10 24,001 Holy Flames 4th level
6 +5 D10 48,001 Holy Weapon of Naril, Holy Flames 5th level
7 +6 D10 95,001 Holy Flames 6th level
8 +7 D10 180,001 Holy Flames 7th level
9 +8 D10 360,001 Banishment, Holy Flame 8th level
10 +9 D10 700,001 Holy Flames 9th level
th
11 +10 +4 1,000,001 Holy Flames 10 level
th
12 +11 +4 1,300,001 Holy Flames 11 level
13 +12 +4 +300,000 per level

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 A Short History of the Divine
Throughout Lingusia, avatars, gods, demigods,
demiurges, and other terms are used. Likewise,
some gods are dead, some are divinely ascended,
and some are immortal corporeal beings. The whole
process in Lingusia of becoming a deity is very
confusing, frankly.
To help matters, here is a quick overview of the
history of the divine. Only through the tale of the
gods and their trials can one understand the
complex architecture of the divine beings.
All gods share something in common. They are
infused with divine essence, are immortal, and can
impart spell abilities to their followers. They are all
given exceptional abilities that defy mortal
understanding.
According to ancient Idean texts, the world was
created by three primal beings, which themselves
were comprised of the stuff of creation. There was
MalaKor, first, the essence of Chaos, from whom
errant dreams created the primal goddess of
creation, GaThika, and the essence of death,
TKothos. Each of these beings represented the three
central planes of creation.
The first gods were divinely created, and were born
with a dual nature, both corporeal and divine. These
gods were the offspring of GaThika, MalaKor, and
TKothos, and each was part of a pantheon meant to
oversee their respective aspects of creation. The
three sub-pantheons, in turn, were collectively
known as the first gods.
The gods of the first pantheon created the many
mortal beings, which inhabit the world. They also
had a habit of commingling with these beings, as all
gods had mortal forms, and dwelt in mortal castles.
Such gods could ascend to the heavens as they
chose, but were locked to their mortal forms. During
this time, many beings of mixed divine blood were
created. Such beings came to be known as demigods
or demiurges. They had divine blood, immortality,
and some of the power of divinity, but were not
connected to the celestial realms, and so could not
truly understand the intimate connectedness their
fathers and mothers shared with this heavenly
realm. This often led to jealousy and spite.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Demiurges and demigods found that they could
manipulate their fellow mortals, however, and often
did. They also found out that, while immortal, they
could be killed. Such gods who died were forbidden
from passage to the afterworld, unless they were
already born of divine blood native to the planes of
death. They could only be resurrected through the
sacrifice of their followers.
As the eons passed, the true pantheon of gods
became more circumspect of their relations with
mortals and the creation of demiurges. They also
became more concerned with other matters, such as
the threat of the Lords of Chaos, who were slowly
being born in to their ranks through the corrupting
touch of MalaKor. In time, they grew unfocused on
their mortal affairs, and were too entrenched in the
celestial realms to notice what transpired in the
mortal realms.
During this period, the mortal plane underwent
many changes, and demiurges that were jealous of
their parents worked with eager mortals to create
the first truly magnificent empires. Out of this period
arose the time of the Prehunates, the great race of
humanoids who discovered the secret of the Magical
Helix, and the means to achieving immortality and
god-like power through the harnessing of chaos and
magic. When at last the gods turned their attention
back to their offspring, they discovered the terrible
threat growing, and put all their might in to the
destruction of this rebellion. The very world of
Lingusia buckled and warped, with great
earthquakes and floods shattering the epic
architecture of the ancient Prehunate cities, and
cosmic fire bathing their lands in fiery destruction.
The battle was swift and seemingly one sided. A few
of the demiurges and Prehunates from this time
survived, although none in the present know them
to be descendents from this time, for almost all
knowledge of that legendary age is lost. Only a
handful of gods were said to have fallen then, and
none now can say who they were.
The next great uprising came in the ten millennia
after the fall of the Prehunate Empire. mankind and
the other beings, freed from the dominance of the
 Prehunates, had to learn to crawl their way to the
basics of civilization, and so the many protocultures
of Lingusia today began in this forgotten time.
During this period, however, the taint of chaos had
lingered and spread, and many hidden cults to the
devonin began, and over time, the might of such
beings grew and spread. The gods, nursing their
children with care, could not see the threat of chaos,
for they were themselves suffering from its taint, as
gods such as Slithotep, Dalroth, and Baragnagor
were embraced by it. At last, when the forces of
chaos were strong enough, an unwitting disciple
named Xauraun Vestillios, who had been given the
Orb of Chaos, used the device to open the Rift of the
Abyss, a dimensional gateway to the demon realms.
The Lords of Chaos mounted their attack, an effort
to destroy the mortal domain of the gods and seize
the world for themselves. This was the time of the
War of the Gods, the turning point from which the
old empire of Hyrkania marks its calendar today. In a
year and a day, it is said, hundreds of thousands of
chaos beasts swelled up from infernal pits which
opened in to the Abyss and out in to the mortal
realm, to sack and pillage the great empires of old,
including Old Galonia, the Fertile Empire of Hyrkania,
and the old kingdoms of Amech. They sieged the city
of the gods, Corti'Zahn, and at last overwhelmed it,
battling through the floating city streets, seraphs
versus demons, until at last, the forces of Order and
Chaos had exhausted one another. In the end, a
young student of Order, by name of Warenis,
traveled with a band of fellow warriors in to the
heart of CortiZahn and used his powers as the first
of the avatars to activate the Orb of Life and force
the Portal of the Abyss to shut.
Most of the gods on both sides of this conflict lost
their mortal lives. The true gods of the first
pantheon had both corporeal and divine essences,
and while the loss of their corporeal forms was a
great blow, they continued to exist in their celestial
kingdoms. Still, it took centuries for some of the
gods to fully recover from their wounds. In the
corporeal realm, the survivors of man took the
mortal remains of their gods (those which could be
found, or which were moveable!) and interred them
in sacred tombs within the Earth Mother Mountains.
Eventually, the taint of chaos filled those mountains,
and they came to be known as the Mountains of
Madness (The Slithotendans), but not for a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
generation would that be realized. Other regions,
such as the Valley of the Gods in Galvonar, served as
divine burial sites, as well.
With the end of the gods as a physical presence, so
too ended the creation of demiurges and other
divinely inspired beings. The gods, in the celestial
kingdoms, could no longer intervene in mortal affairs
directly, and so they eventually created a new
mechanism by which they could interact: avatars.
Avatars in Lingusia are specially chosen mortals
who embody the will or interest of a specific god in
certain special ways. Such a being is chosen
sometimes for his or her steadfast ideals, or
occasionally because he or she happens to be on the
right path as the god decrees it. Such beings receive
a special touch of the divine, usually in the form of
an artifact of the god, in the shape of the sacred
weapon or device that the god was known for in its
mortal form. Over time, the god offers certain
visions of divinations to aid the avatar and guide him
to his ultimate goals. Some avatars are chosen for
only a short time, others find the duty imposed on
them for life.
The two and a half millennia after the War of the
Gods led to a sort of Divine Cold War between Order
and Chaos, in which period eruptions of conflict
would emerge. Two chief avatars, immortal
champions of the cause of each side, would usually
appear to presage such eruptions. Xauraun Vestillios
became the vessel of Chaos, and Warenis Barghest
became the vessel of Order. The last truly
monumental conflict was the War of Strife in the
2080s, but the end of the conflict seemed to come
when the Reckoning happened in 2115.
The Reckoning was an event foretold in ancient
Idean prophecies for over six thousand years, a time
when all three sacred Orbs of Creation would be
brought together and create a union between the
three cosmic forces. Forces of Set, a god of Order,
sought to use the Orb of Chaos to dominate the orb
of Law, in an effort to make himself supreme
overlord of all gods on both sides. In his efforts, he
sought to eliminate Aurumurvax, keeper of the Orb
of Oblivion. This conflict was sent in to disarray,
however, for Haro, god of assassins and deception,
betrayed his fellow lords of Chaos and sided with
those of Order, and insured the Reckoning came to
pass. Haro, it turned out, had discovered that the
power of the primal god MalaKor was waning, and
 that the power of Chaos was on the decline. By
betraying his order, he insured a place for himself in
the celestial kingdoms.
The Reckoning might have been the end of the
conflict of the gods, but for the fact that the primal
lord of order, MalaKor, had been ready for such
betrayal and loss. At the dawn of creation, MalaKor
had spat forth a rain of chaotic comets in to the
starry realms of creation, each a seed of his essence
to spawn new fountains of chaos. Such a comet,
dubbed the Red Dragon, appeared three centuries
later in the skies of Lingusia.
Curiously, the immortal champions of chaos and
order had continued to exist, neither free of their
curses of rebirth or their embodiment of the ancient
conflict. When Xauraun Vestillios' mortal form
became aware once more of his ages old heritage,
he recovered his memories, his armor of power, and
set about to discovering what had happened to his
kings and masters, the Lords of Chaos. He discovered
that the mad god, Slithotep, was hidden in the
mortal plane, dwelling as a distortion of reality, and
nursing a young boy who was now the reincarnated
form of Dalroth, the Chief Lord of Chaos. Xauraun
saw a true scheme to achieve ultimate power, and
managed to steal the energy of the youth Dalroth,
channeling it to himself and then projecting it to the
Red Dragon comet, which cracked apart and sent a
rain of chaotic meteors down upon the world.
Siphoning the raw energy of Chaos, Xauraun almost
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
immediately became the most powerful being of
Chaos ever imagined, a direct son of MalaKor. He
now dominates the lords of Chaos, as he seeks them
out and lifts them up, beginning the war anew. The
threat today, if that with the forces of Chaos
emerging again, are there any Lords of Order left to
stop them? During the Reckoning, the Lords of Order
ascended with the spirit of GaThika in to the greater
heavens beyond, and while their presence as gods
pervades the world, their attention has been
distracted, once again, by the celestial affairs of the
beyond, as they seek ever higher states of being.
Curiously, the gods likeliest to oppose the new
Order of Chaos directly are a furtive group which
have sometimes been called the Shadow Gods. In
the wake of the Reckoning, certain minor gods and
demiurges were left behind, not yet ready to ascend
to higher celestial realms, or unwilling to leave the
comfort of the lower celestial kingdoms or even
their mortal forms. These gods, among which are
Phonatas, Elesin, Herme, Vishannu, Zingar and
Akuuris, may well be the only defense against the
rising force of Chaos that stands to overwhelm the
world.
Some of these gods, in visions to their most
dedicated, have been striving to reawaken the
corporeal interests of the older gods, to once again
return their awareness to the lands of the mortal
plane. Only time will tell if the succeed.
 A Lexicon of Divine and Planar Terms:
Abyss: The kingdom of chaos, the essence of
MalaKor, and the kingdom of the devonin. This is
the ever-changing, all consuming realm from which
demonic beings come. The abyss is inherently hostile
to all other entities. It is infinite, evil, and rife with
the essence of Chaos.
Afterworld: The realms of the dead, in which the
pantheon of death resides, and all mortal souls of
the Corporeal Realms eventually travel. Living
beings, in theory, can travel here, and it is said that
the Sunk of Tarsus is a planar gate to the Afterworld.
Astral Plane: The spiritual medium of creation, a
realm of abstraction in which it is said the sprit must
pass through to reach other spiritual realms.
Avatar: A mortal chosen by a god to represent his
special interests. A special template represents
avatars. Avatars usually are the keepers of the
special artifact that serves as the corporeal tether of
the gods consciousness.
Celestial Realms/Kingdoms: The planes of existence
in the beyond, a metaworld of creation from which
the corporeal realms can be observed and acted
upon. The Celestial Realms are said to be
multilayered, like an onion, and that each new layer
creates a new understanding of reality and being.
Gods are obsessed with achieving the understanding
of these layers. Gods which have passed the first
layer are said to be out of touch with the corporeal
realm, no longer directly aware of what transpires
there; no being can understand the activities of a
region removed by one or more layers when in the
Celestial Realms.
Corporeal Realms: Also called the mortal plane, the
prime material plane, reality, and so on. The
corporeal realms are the seat of all creation, and
said to be the heart of the celestial realms, the
tether by which the spirit can exist. Creation in
Lingusia is divided in to three parts: the living realms,
the afterworld, and the abyss.
Dead God: The corporeal form of a fallen god. If this
form is of a god that has already ascended to the
celestial realms (and it dual aspected), then it can
only animate as malevolent shadow of itself. If the
dead god is a demiurge, then it can be resurrected
through the sacrifice of souls to feed it vampirically.
Demiurge: The offspring of a true god, with mortal
blood. Tied to the land, demiurges aspire to become
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
true gods and achieve celestial forms to complement
their corporeal forms.
Devonin: The title of the many demonic beings that
were spawned of chaos to serve as the shock troops
of the Lords of Chaos. Some Devonin have mastered
the diabolism of chaos so efficiently that they have
made themselves demiurges. These demon lords are
the generals and leaders of the infinite hordes of the
Abyss.
Dual Aspect: The term to describe a god, which
exists both in the corporeal realm and the celestial
realm.
Elohim: The angelic soldiers of the celestial
kingdoms, said to be a species that was native to the
celestial realms when the gods were created, and
who immediately pledged their devotion to the
many gods. Some claim that the first devonin were,
in fact, Elohim who pledged their loyalty to the
earliest Lords of Chaos at this time, as well, an then
fell deeply in to corruption.
Ethenur: The Dreamlands, the firmament of all soul
and imagination from which all beings receive and
send dreams. The plane of Akuuris, and a realm
beyond easy understanding. See the entry on
Akuuris for more information.
Ethereal Plane: The misty nether realms of space
between points of creation. It is said to be the
Nothingness through which one must move to get
from one planar realm to another.
Etherspace: The firmament or reality, the vast
emptiness that spans the dimension of the corporeal
realms between worlds of creation. Said to be
infinite in expanse, and to contain the unknown and
unknowable secrets of creation.
God: Any being with divine power that can be
imparted to its followers. Also, any true god with a
corporeal and divine aspect.
Immortal Champions: Xauraun Vestillios is the
Champion of Chaos, and Warenis Barghest is the
Champion of Order. Each man was chosen long ago
to carry the spirit of his cause with him as he is
resurrected through the ages. Each is a powerful
wizard, and holds an artifact, which contains the
knowledge, memories, and power of all his previous
incarnations. Xaruaun's essence is contained in his
suit of Meteoric Plate Mail, and Warenis's power is
channeled in to his Staff of Order.
 Inferno: The celestial kingdom of Set and the other
lawful evil gods, who are dedicated to order, but
pursue evil with utmost glee. The fiends of this realm
are known as Devils, and are comprised of corrupted
Elohim and defectors from the Abyssal hordes.
Living realms: The world of Lingusia, the center of
creation, and the essence of GaThika. See Corporeal
Realms.
Orbs of Creation: The Orb of Chaos, Orb of Life, and
Orb of Oblivion were three objects used by the
primal creator gods to channel their power in to the
creation of the corporeal realms. These three
artifacts held the source of power for each gods
minions. During the Reckoning, they were fused
together, merging the essence of each source,
ending the great war.
Otherworld: A mystic, transitional demiplane in the
Ethereal Plane, the conduit through which all traffic
from the mortal plane to the dreamlands of Ethenur
must travel. Also the home of the spirits and gods of
the Amechian pantheon.
Pantheon: The classic definition of a religious belief
with numerous gods. In Lingusia, it also means a
specific family of gods, who are all related in some
manner to one another. Together, the multiple
pantheons comprise a grand meta-pantheon.
Prehunates: Pre-human sorcerers gifted of the blood
of demiurges and ancient wisdom that sought to
usurp the gods and control all of creation. The gods
cast them down, and their ancient kingdoms
destroyed.
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Reckoning, The: A time prophesied long ago which
happened in 2115, in which the Orbs of Creation
were unified, and the Lords of Order triumphed
against Chaos.
Red Dragon Comet: A comet from the age of
creation, a seed spit forth by Mala'Kor riddled with
the essence of Chaos to insure his prosperity
throughout time. It was ruptured by dark magics and
sent a rain of chaos-laden meteors down upon the
world in 2474.
Seraphim: The host of divine beings who have
served as the messengers, soldiers, and heralds of
the gods. There are about 288 recorded in the Idean
Codices, 14 of which are considered to be almost
demigods in their own right.
The Plot of Vishannu: This scheme created by
Vishannu in conjunction with Xauraun Vestillios is
designed to remake the universe in the war gods
image. See the deitys entry for more on the grand
conspiracy that is the secret impetus behind current
celestial politics.
War of the Gods: The dawn of the Hyrkanian
calendar marks this conflict, in which the Lords of
Chaos fought in the mortal plane to destroy the
Lords of Order, and most of the mortal forms of the
gods on both sides were slain.
Weirding, The: The Womb of creation, said to be a
demiplane in its own right from which the goddess
Selene created her fae offspring. The Weirding is a
unique planar realm unto itself, and is believed to be
a celestial kingdom by some.
 Pantheons of Lingusia
The pantheons of Lingusia are many and
complicated. A short summary of the major spheres
of religious influence can be found below, followed
by a detailed presentation of the principle pantheon
of the Middle Kingdoms. This includes all deities
venerated in Hyrkania and Octzel, as well as some
gods who have been imported from elsewhere.
The history or religion in Lingusia is inextricably
tied in to the creation and formation of the world
(see the timeline for more). The world is decidedly a
creation of the divine, but the exact nature of those
beings called gods is up for interpretation, and many
unique faiths have sprung from this gap in
knowledge.
In the Middle Kingdoms, the most revered of all
sacred texts are the ancient Idean codices. Each
codex in this serious of 21 volumes contains an
accordion-like book which unfolds in to panoramic
murals depicting both picture and text. The original
books are in the custody of the Church of Naril, but
many copies have been made. More about these
codices shall be described below.
The principle pantheons of Lingusia include:
The Gods of the Middle Kingdoms
Principle Gods: Naril, Selene, Dalroth, Death, Nistur,
Niras, Akuuris, Ashturak, Enki, Amasyr, Set.
Worshipped throughout the Lingusian continent,
this is the pantheon to which most known religions
bow. The gods of this pantheon are regarded as the
most recent sons and daughters of the earth
goddess and lord of death. They are divided by their
allegiance to order against the minions of chaos.
Several unifying cults, churches, and orders among
which the Solarians are most prolific in Hyrkania rally
the minions of order, and the followers of Enki are
dominant in Octzel. The followers of the chaos lords
are in great disarray, but have long held on tradition
of unified worship in the order called the Divinate.
The Amechian Pantheon
Principle Gods: Amech, Lalawanaghin, Cha'sho
The people of Amech are descended from much
older civilizations, and worship a pantheon of spirits
and gods that are not found in the religions of the
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Middle Kingdoms. Only a few of their deities appear
to be alter egos or different incarnations of more
popular civilized gods. The Amechian pantheon is
not involved in the notions of chaos and order, and
is mixed, focusing on animism, the elements, and the
understanding of nature and its spirits.
The Pantheon of the North
Principle Gods: Wolfon, Phonatas, Hargameth,
Kathak
Only certain gods of the Middle Kingdoms are
found up north, but it is a known fact that this
ancient pantheon of gods was, in fact, adopted in to
the worship of the greater pantheon of the Middle
Kingdoms long ago. The northlanders worship mostly
the more dangerous and ancient gods, symbolic of
primal fears, dangers, and emotions.
The Al'jirian Pantheon
Principle Gods: Kaliyuga, Vishannu, Kin guru, Mishear
In the eastern realms of Takkai, the Al'jhirians
worship completely different gods from those of the
west, and believe in reincarnation and the circle of
life. The worship of individual gods is less important
in Al'jira than in the spiritual perfection of the
worshipper, and subsequently, fewer wars and
disputes over specific demands of individual gods
arise. The Al'jirans have a healthy fear of all gods!
The Eastron Pantheon
Principle Gods: Naq'ril, Bashtron, Amewhy,
Belphegor, Bastet
In many respects, the Eastron kingdoms of Zued,
Cymeer, Draskis, the Ny'kkodin Nomads, and the
Creteans are derived from the pantheons of the
Middle Kingdoms, but a heavy influence from other
beliefs affects their ways, as well. Amechian deities
creep in to the mix, as do Al'jirian and other oriental
gods. The Eastron religion becomes a potpourri of
faiths, and violence among worshippers is common.
The Tai'kong Pantheon
Principle Gods: The Monkey, The Crane, The Emperor
of Heaven, The Great Immortals
 The mystical spirits of Taikong are revered as
hierarchies of immortals who were once men, and
the Taoist domain of this eastern realm of Takkai is
centered on notions of perfection and immortality to
ultimately achieve godhood. Many variant religions
are found in the periphery of the Jade Empire, from
Kozakan to Nalinot.
The Mataclani Beliefs
Principle Gods: Tlaloc, Camazotz, Itzamna, Kulkulkan,
Ah Puch, Atzil
Many pantheons have evolved in Mataclan, and
they worship thousands of gods and spirits. Their
system of belief is also entwined in a circle of life,
and a conflict between order and chaos, though
easterners have a difficult time distinguishing the
Mataclani gods of order from those of chaos, since
all require sacrifice of their followers.
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Lesser Pantheons and Racial Pantheons
The many species of Lingusia do tend to have their
own variations on these principle pantheons, and
some have entirely unique gods worshipped by no
one else. Some pantheons are not regarded as
belonging among the true gods (some esoteric cults
worship the Krakens, and at least one surviving
Prehunate named Eskandar had a prolific cult), but
divine power still flows in to the followers.
Other minor pantheons exist, but these are the
strongest of those in Lingusia. What now follows is a
summary of the principle gods venerated throughout
the Middle Kingdoms, along with a detailed account
of the gods revered in Hyrkania, Octzel, and abroad:
 A Summary of Lingusian Deities, Demi-urges, and Shadow Gods
Domains vs. Portfolios: The domains are a common D20 item for conventional clerics. I have decided to leave
them in place for the Castles & Crusades edition of KoL to represent the portfolios of the deities in question.

Deity/Align. Status Influence/Portfolios Special Orders

Middle Kingdoms Pantheon of GaThika
Amasyr lesser god fatherhood, earth, farming, oxen, community Temple of Enki & Amasyr
Lawful Good EARTH, GOOD, HEALING, PLANT
Ashturak greater god forgers, weapons and armor, metalworking, dwarves Many shrines and temples
Neutral Good PROTECTION, WAR, STRENGTH
Ailyenarion lost demigod pyromancy, fire, strong tempers an elvish cult
Chaotic Good FIRE, TRAVEL, PROTECTION
Cerybane demigod fae lands, the courts of the faerie queen, fae magic a seelie goddess only
Chaotic Neutral MAGIC, PLANT, TRICKERY, AIR, WATER
Enki greater god water, sailors, fertility, motherhood, kings, Octzel Temple of Enki
Lawful Good WATER, GOOD, HEALING, LAW, LUCK, PROTECTION
Hella lesser god healing, protection, Samaritans, sacrifice, caring the Curatoriums
Lawful Good HEALING, GOOD, PROTECTION
Huuarl lost god time, infinity, the cosmos, planar travel, sequences The Chronomancers
True Netural TRAVEL, KNOWLEDGE, MAGIC
Mitra lesser god luck, bad luck, Blyskanyu, fate, fortune, fools, curses A single temple
Chaotic Good LUCK, CHAOS
Niras lesser god forests, woodland beings, druids, seasons, good will The Druids of Treeholm
True Neutral Priests of Niras are all Druids
Trimelin lesser god deep waters, aquatic undersea dwellers, drownings beneath the waves only
Chaotic Neutral WATER, TRAVEL, LUCK
Naril greater god fire, mankind, goodness, chivalry, honor, duty, law Temple of Naril, Hyrmyskos
Lawful Good FIRE, GOOD, PROTECTION, WAR, HEALING, SUN
Nistur lesser god practice of magic, learning, the truth, mysteries Order of the White Robes
Lawful Neutral MAGIC, KNOWLEDGE
Zingar minor god hunters, rangers, justice, survival, instinct Rangers of KomHuandyr
Neutral Good TRAVEL, ANIMAL, PROTECTION, HEALING
Ogron lesser god winds, weather, change, crops, seasons, glythanyu a temple in Ocentash
Lawful Neutral AIR, PLANT, EARTH, STRENGTH
Phonatas minor god love, seduction, lovers, sex, jealousy, obsession, bards none
Chaotic Good HEALING, EARTH, GOOD, PROTECTION
Poltrietie minor god the Young Moon, birth, the new age, prophecy none save among elves
Neutral Good KNOWLEDGE, PLANT, MAGIC, PROTECTION
Selene lesser god The Venerable Moon, birth, women, elves, night Temples is Sylvias
Lawful Good KNOWLEDGE, GOOD, HEALING, PROTECTION
Seth minor god civics, city-building, irrigation, seasons, laws A temple in Ocentash
Lawful Neutral LAW, GOOD, HEALING
Set greater god evil, lies, ascension of power, corruption of innocent many, esp. Hazer'phennis
Lawful Evil EVIL, DESTRUCTION, LAW, TRICKERY

Middle Kingdoms Pantheon of TKothos

Akuuris minor god dreams, fortune telling, visions, third sight, insects only in Karaktu
Chaotic Neutral KNOWLEDGE, MAGIC, CHAOS, DREAMS
Baragnagor lesser god All Anyu tribes, deformity, monsters, might, battle shamans of the Anyu
Neutral Evil CHAOS, WAR, DESTRUCTION, STRENGTH
Hargameth greater god warfare, blood and thunder, glory, combat, killing the Nordaman Cults
Chaotic Good WAR, STRENGTH, GOOD, HEALING
Kavishkar greater god Justice, the hand of judgment, the executioner many orders of justice

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 Lawful Good GOOD, LAW, PROTECTION, DEATH
Karsyllym greater god justice, mercy, final fate, reincarnation, destruction always with Kavishkar
Lawful Good GOOD, LAW, HEALING, DEATH
Nameless One greater god death, passing on, destroyer of undead, harbinger many cults and
orders
True Neutral DEATH, HEALING, KNOWLEDGE
Aurumurvox lost god oblivion, guardian of the crumbling and forgotten no cults he is forgotten
Lawful Neutral KNOWLEDGE, PROTECTION
Deity/Align. Status Influence/Portfolios Special Orders
Elesin minor god ancients, old age, the veneration of elders, wisdom no cults
Lawful Good HEALING, KNOWLEDGE
Karn lost demigod ancestors, reverence for the dead, ancient secrets a esoteric order in Galonia
Lawful Good DEATH, KNOWLEDGE, LAW
Kathak minor god scorpion-men and insects, chimeras, monsters, hate none known
Chaotic Evil DESTRUCTION, CHAOS, DEATH, WAR
Vishannu minor god art of war and conflict, martial arts, skill, amazons among the amazons
Lawful Evil WAR, LAW, CHAOS, FIRE
Galon lost demigod rebirth, kings of old, the empire of Galonia, building none
Lawful Neutral HEALING, LAW, EARTH
Damortus lost god nemesis of the apocalypse, keeper of the tower only in Ethenur
Neutral Good LAW, CHAOS, PROTECTION
Ravanos minor god destruction, hurricanes, sand storms, snowstorms none
Chaotic Neutral AIR, EARTH, CHAOS, DESTRUCTION
Nephythis minor god keeper of tombs and wealth, protector of buried dead small cult in Galonia
Lawful Neutral PROTECTION, MAGIC

The Demiurge Shadow Gods of the Middle Kingdoms

Orcus minor demiurge keeper of undead, lord of darkness, gladiators, pits none
Chaotic Evil DEATH, CHAOS, DESTRUCTION, EVIL
Avarath minor demigod shadows, illusions, trickery and assassination a budding, motivated cult
Chaotic Evil TRICKERY, CHAOS, EVIL
Slithotep lost greater god madness, insanity, chaos, obsession, and nothing Order of the Shade
Chaotic Neutral (evil) CHAOS, TRICKERY, DEATH, DESTRUCTION, EVIL
Dalroth Dead greater god lord of chaos, bringer of apocalypse, entropy Sherigras Bonemen
Chaotic Evil CHAOS, STRENGTH, DEATH, DESTRUCTION, EVIL, WAR, LUCK
Haro greater demiurge assassins, profit from death, treachery, murder Fire Knives
Neutral Evil TRICKERY, FIRE, DEATH,
Hermes minor demiurge thieves, tricksters, charlatans, messengers, dead none
Chaotic Good LUCK, TRICKERY
Temina minor demiurge bards, lorecraft, tale-telling, singing, and mummers none
Chaotic Good Bards worship her, but there is no priesthood
Thasrik greater demiurge slavery, control, domination, subjugation, castes none
Chaotic Evil TRICKERY, EVIL
Wishupar demiurge the brother to Herme and Haro, thieves, deception none
Chaotic Neutral TRICKERY, EVIL, LUCK
Belphegor lost demiurge power, lust, pain, torture, angst, fear, envy, hate perhaps, but its secret
Chaotic Evil DESTRUCTION, CHAOS, EVIL

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 The Pantheon of the Middle Kingdoms
The Gods of the Middle Kingdoms
The Gods of the Middle Kingdoms are a prolific
pantheon that is at least in part a fusion of
northern and eastern beliefs with the local
worship of a core group of deities. Without a
doubt, the core gods of the Middle Kingdoms
are Naril, Selene, Mitra, Amasyr, Ogron, Seth,
Set, Dalroth, Slithotep, Death, Hermes, Haro,
Huuarl, Niras, and Nistur. To this list have been
added many other gods over time. The single
largest other group of gods to contribute to the
pantheon are the gods of the North.
The Gods of the North
The gods of the north are often shared with the
pantheon of the Middle Kingdoms, but the chief
difference between the two pantheons is that,
while the Middle Kingdoms are all inclusive of
the gods of other lands, the Northron Kingdoms
seek to exclude and forbid the worship of their
southern cousins. The insular and suspicious
nature of the Northron Kingdoms makes
acceptance of the southern gods a difficult one,
at best. They have their specific deities that
cover all the bases nicely, and see fit not to
deviate.
The chief northern gods include Ashturak,
Hargameth, Phonatas, Wishupar, Zingar, Death
and Herme.
Foreign Gods and Mystery Cults
Because the world of Lingusia is a very real,
magical place, and the gods are real, in a sense
all pantheons are truly real, and best seen as
families of deities, rather than completely
separate religions. As such, many gods chiefly
worshipped in foreign lands have found their
way to the Middle Kingdoms. Some of these
gods are openly accepted (Vishannu) while
others are worshipped in secret or in spite of
oppression by the locals (Ravanos, Akuuris,
Belphegor, etc.).
Devoted to a Single Deity or Many?
The nature of Lingusias cosmology is such that
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many priests are exclusively dedicated to a
single god or goddess, but in fact just as many
priests worship a collection of gods. A wizened
sage-priest who teaches agriculture to farmers,
for example, might count among his portfolio
Nistur, Seth, and Amasyr. Unless a specific god
forbids it, pantheistic priests are acceptable.
Akuuris
The Keeper of Dreams
Profile: Lord of Dreams, creator of insects,
fortune telling, third sight, bringer of visions,
King of Ethenur.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: Elder God
Realms of Worship: Akuuris' cults spread
secretly throughout the world of Lingusia like a
thin but tenacious spider web. His most active
and visible cultists are in Karaktu, but Akuuris is
a god in every land, worshipped in those sultry,
smoke-filled dens of mystery. The priests of
Akuuris contend that all men pay homage to
Akuuris when they fall in to dream-filled
slumber.
Genders Allowed: All may choose to follow the
paths of Akuuris.
Races Allowed: The cultists of Akuuris are
drawn from all walks of life. Only those, which
cannot dream, do not understand Akuuris ways.
The Inkidii insect men of Karaktu are the largest
body of his cult.
Alignment: Any alignment is permitted, though
neutral characters especially favor Akuuris.
Granted Ability: Clerics of Akuuris (called
Oinieromancers) grain the special ability
Dreamlore (Wisdom based), which works like a
Bardic Legend Lore check. The Dreamlore ability
may be used to learn secrets related to dream
magic, divine the hidden meaning of dreams,
and may be used as an ability check to sink in to
a deep slumber which leads the dreamer in to
Ethenur, the planar dreamlands, when using the
Blue Lotus in a pipe to aid the transition.
 Favored Weapons: The cults of Akuuris favor
smaller, concealable weaponry. Akuuris himself
is only known in legend to have used a staff or
scimitar as defense in his wanderings.
Description: Akuuris is the slumbering lord of
night, a god who wandered for more millennia
than man has existed, and at last settled down
in the Dreamlands of Ethenur, a hazy demiplane
of mystery, which exists nowhere and
everywhere at once. His first great dreams were
said to spawn the races of the insects, and the
Inkidii, who see him as their creator god. He was
the first god to dream, it is said, and when he
discovered the dreamlands, he sought to share
is discovery with all beings, and so it is that most
sentients can walk through dream in slumber.
It is said that you can travel physically to the
dreaming plane through the Ethereal realms,
but the cultists of Akuuris learned long ago how
to move their in dreams by harvesting and
smoking the leaf of the blue lotus. A plant that is
rare, found only in the East of Zued, AlJhira, and
Karaktu, the blue lotus serves as the medium by
which the soul of the dreamer can transcend
reality and arrive in a simulated physical form in
Ethenur.
Akuuris was never a direct participant in the
trials and tribulations of his fellow gods, always
lurking and studying from the periphery. As
such, his cultists do much the same in the
corporeal world. Akuuris, ever dreaming, has
been known to send out prophetic or
mysterious visions in dreams to mankind, and
those who act on such dreams are often driven
to life long quixotic quests. Sometimes, the
visions prove meaningless, and other times,
they are filled with solid and very real hidden
meanings.
The Dreamlands: Ethenur is a constantly
changing realm, of which only a small portion
remains consistent. This region, centered
around a small cluster of stable structures such
as the Armageddon Tower, the City of Nith, and
The Dreaming Mountains, are believed to be the
homelands of multiple dreaming cosmic entities,
whos sleeping dreams keep the land stable.
Akuuris is believed by his followers to preside in
the Dreaming Mountains, and many of his
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
cultists have spent their lives slumbering away
in dreaming quests to find his place of rest.
Visitors to Ethenur who arrive through dream
are treated as if they are real, but once per
round they may attempt a Charisma check to
actually force a physical change or alteration on
themselves or their environment. The effects
permissible work as if illusory spells were cast,
but the effects are real and permanent until
another will save is attempted. If acting against
another being, the Will save is considered
contested; both beings make such saves, and
the higher roll succeeds. It is possible to die in
Ethenur, and the physical body becomes an
empty shell, comatose and slowly dying, unless
a disembodied soul in Ethenur should seek to
possess the empty corporeal form.
There are many denizens of Ethenur, dream-
entities that have spun out of the collective
reality of a trillion mortal dreamers, as well as
some beings that were created by the gods of
the dreamlands from whole cloth. These entities
are dangerous, maddening, and often very
protective of their realm.
Some of the other gods of the dreamlands
include Damortus, keeper of the Armageddon
Tower, as well as the diabolic demon lord of the
City of Nith.
Appearance: Akuuris in cultic murals looks like
one of the Inkidii, a tall, lean insectoid being
with grasshopper-like features and razor-sharp
lower arms. In dreams, Akuuris has appeared in
the guise of most species, genders, and roles.
Temples and Orders: The cult of Akuuris is very
poorly organized. Its main body consists of the
wandering mystical dreamers, elder clerics of his
order who travel the land, looking for students
and those in need. On occasion, a cult of a few
dozen or more will spring up around one of
these clerics who settles down in a region, and
flourish for a time before its flock either
wanders away or falls in to the trap of perpetual
slumber.
Specialized Feats: There are a few specialized
feats of followers of Akuuris:
Special Secondary Skills for Clerics of Akuuris:
Dreamwalker (Wis or Int)
 If using the Cstle Zagyg secondary skill rules,
the Dreamwalker skill grants two special abilities
to its user, below.
Dream Visions (Wis)
The follower of Akuuris hones his mind to
interpret his dreams and their hidden meaning,
to discover hidden warnings or prophecies of his
day to come.
Prerequisites: Must worship Akuuris, Wis 14+
A dreamer with this ability who receives a full
nights rest can attempt a skill check. When he
awakens, he can attempt to interpret his
dreaming experience. At the CKs discretion, if
the dream in question had a hidden meaning
which is relevant to the dreamers waking
experiences, then he gains a single +2 modifier
to any ability roll, save, or attack roll in the next
day, up to the point at which he next goes to
sleep. The dreamer may decide at what time the
modifier will apply. In effect, he has an "ah-ah!"
moment when the time arrives, in which he sees
how the dream was a warning of what was to
come.
Lucid Dreaming (Wis or Int)
The follower of Akuuris has learned how to
move about and affect his dream, experiencing
a certain freedom of choice in his slumbering
discoveries.
Prerequisites: Must worship Akuuris, Wis 15+
The dreamer may, while in the process of
dreaming in his sleep (usually after at least four
hours of actual sleep), make an ability check
(the CK should roll this, hiding the result). If he
succeeds (if the CK chooses, he may
automatically succeed for story purposes), he
gains lucid independence in his dream. The CK
may arbitrate this experience as part of the
storyline, or may simply describe what has
transpired in the dream. The dreamer may
declare one specific question, related to an
event of the prior day, which he may then
receive an augury-like answer for. The answer
may be of the yes, no, maybe or short-sentence
variety at the CKs discretion. The knowledge
should be relevant to a question, event, or
confusing issue of the prior day, which the
character was unable to determine or resolve.
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If the specifics of the Lucid Dreaming event are
to ambiguous for the CK, or not specific enough
to warrant a detailed dreaming event, then the
CK may rule that the character simply receives
the benefit of a +4 modifier on his next
Intelligence check of choice, based on his Lucid
Dreaming insight.
Amasyr
Keeper of the Earth
Profile: fatherhood, earth, farming, oxen,
community
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: lesser god
Realms of Worship: Octzel and abroad in the
Middle Kingdoms.
Genders Allowed: only men are allowed to
worship Amasyr as priests and monks.
Races Allowed: any race may worship Amasyr.
Alignment: any lawful or good alignment, but
no chaotic alignments.
Favored Weapons: sickle, scythe, club, staff. All
priests of Amasyr know how to defend
themselves with a staff, the sacred weapon of
Amasyr.
Description: While Enki is the goddess of the
water, sky, clouds and weather, the elements
that bring life to the land, Amasyr is the lord of
the earth, mountains, plants and those who
farm and till for the bounty of the soil. Amasyr is
described by his small but dedicated monastic
followers are the very essence of the earth, the
caverns in her depths, the grottos by the sea,
and nurturing soil of the plants. In a curious
turn-about, the essence of the goddess is the
domain of Amasyr, her care-taker.
Amasyr is a surprisingly docile god, a
venerable deity whos worship began long ago
among the most ancient of pastoral farming
communities and has continued strong in to the
present. He is the patron of those masculine
elements in such duties as parenting,
fatherhood, and the integrity of the family and
community. He is a curious anathema in a
pantheon of violent male gods struggling in
opposition to one another.
Amasyr is also a bit of an enigma to religious
scholars. His first written reference in the Idean
 codices does not appear until the description of
his marriage to Enki, prior to which is he never
once mentioned. Amasyrs presence in ancient,
stone-age communities has been established by
the antiquarians of Midas, and the Palomar
University, for his religious symbol has been
found in ancient ruins dating to the time before
written texts, however. This in itself is a
conundrum, for most priesthoods (especially
Enkis and Narils) contend that the mortal world
began with the first written word in the Idean
Codex of Creation, penned by the
representative god or goddess of whichever
priest is making the argument on this claim at
any given time.
The priests of Amasyr dwell in remote
monastic temples, and follow a life of quiet
dedication to their god. Each priests is expected
to go out in to their communities after they
spend a time learning the doctrine of their
order, and provide a moral and just compass to
their communities. They tend to stay far away
from larger cities, and provide instead for
smaller towns and villages.
Appearance: Amasyr is said to appear in visions
as a muscular, older man, with a thick beard and
dressed in the clothes of a common farmer or
laborer. He is known for his walking staff, which
is his sacred weapon.
Ashturak
Keeper of the World Forge
Profile: dwarves, forgers, weapons and armor,
metalworking.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: The Maddendur of the Iron
Mountains, Suethendur everywhere, the north.
Genders Allowed: All, though few women are
known to join.
Races Allowed: any, though only the dwarves
have an organized priesthood dedicated to
Ashturak.
Alignment: any is allowed, though Ashturak is
considered a lawful neutral deity.
Favored Weapons: As the master forger, any
weapon is suitable, but Ashturaks sacred
weapon is the hammer.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Description: Ashturak is the ancient lord of the
Cosmic Forge, the massive instrument which in
the Codex of Creation is said to have been used
by Gathika herself to create the world. Ashturak
is himself said to have struck the first blow on
his great anvil, and the sparks which shot forth
from the Cosmic Forge became the first of the
dwarves.
Ashturak is worshipped as a creator god
among the dwarves, as a patron of craftsmen in
most human lands, and an enigmatic mountain
lord among the northerners. His greatest temple
is in Hyrkanien, the Imperial capitol, where the
venerable Suethendur high-priest Aurangabad
presides over the ceremonies of creation. His
priesthood consists mostly of silver and iron
dwarves, though an occasional human or other
crafty soul will feel the calling of this creator
deity and join the ranks. They are a militant
knighthood in their own right, and within
Hyrkania the Order of the Forge is a knighthood
comprised entirely of suethendur dwarves, the
most elite of which ride stout pegasi as mounts.
The forger god is not only revered for his
knowledge of metal working among the Middle
Kingdoms, but it is said that he was first brought
to man by the dwarves in the deep north, where
he has long been considered the god of all
things important.
Appearance: Ashturak always appears as a
venerable and powerful dwarf before a great
forge. His immense hammer is capable of
shattering anything it strikes, and his temper is
cooled only by his lust to create new and more
powerful weaponry. It is said that his tomb is
somewhere in the heart of the eastern
Ashturaks Mountains, named after this god in
his honor. Within the region of his tomb, a
cavenous expanse that is said to border his
celestial kingdom is said to exist, and it is from
here that many of the great magical weapons of
the world were created.
Dalroth
The Fallen Lord of Chaos
Profile: lord of chaos, bringer of entropy, master
of entropy, The Fallen Lord
Faction: Lord of Chaos - Prince
 Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Southern Hyrkania, Dahik,
Trog, and wherever the old lord of chaos is
revered.
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: anyone can worship Dalroth,
but the ashtarth, sherigras, some darendur, and
most Devonin are eternally dedicated to this vile
deity.
Alignment: Dalroth is chaotic evil, and his
followers are almost all chaotic evil or chaotic
neutral. No good or sane being is known to
follow him, though lawful evil nations have
chosen to follow Dalroth, but the society as a
whole falls in to such corruption and chaos that
it eventually becomes chaotic evil.
Favored Weapons: mace, club, great sword and
axe. Dalroths sacred weapon is the great axe.
Description: Dalroth is described as one of the
fist generation of ancient gods, sometimes
described as the brother of Naril. He was born in
to the world a corrupt being, and from birth
knew his destiny was to serve the furtherment
of MalaKor, lord Chaos itself.
In the Codex of Creation, Dalroth is described
as the overseer of Armaggedon, the god who
shall hearld the end of everything. He is said to
have forged the Abyss by order of MalaKor, and
to have bled freely of his own blood, each drop
landing upon the boiling earth of the newly
created Abyss, spawning the infinte armies of
the devonin, his people.
Dalroth is a pervasive influence throughout
the world. His legacy in the history of Lingusia is
great, and he was the lead general of the forces
of Chaos in the War of the Gods. He is a
betrayer, destroyer, and the symbol of
corruption and power at any cost among the
Middle Kingdoms. His followers almost always
begin as evil men and women who seek ways to
further themselves, and quickly succumb to the
siren call of evil and destruction which Dalroth
advocates. His priests are sometimes called
Entropomancers.
Dalroths strongest followers include the Black
Circle of Dahik, a coven of priests and wizards
dedicated to chaos which are the secret power
behind the Ashtarth empire. In Southern
Hyrkania, two different sects followed his call of
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doom, including the Red Robes, a corrupted
branch of the Circle of Twelve, magicians all who
seek greater magical power through the study
of Dalroths will, and the Church of the Divinate,
a counterpart of Narils Solarian Church which
took root among the Southern Hyrkanians as
official state religion for centuries. Though the
worship of the church went underground after
the Reckoning, it has begun to resurface in
recent decades.
The Divinate is sometimes called The Order of
Circles by its members, for there are ten circles
of illumination and advancement. The first nine
are held by various elightened priests, and the
tenth is held by the solitary high priest of the
Divinate, who is always cloaked in secrecy, and
whose name and identity are never truly known.
It is said that those who reach the ninth and
tenth levels alone are privy to the true secrets of
the Lords of Chaos, and that they are given a
permanent place of power in the afterlife of the
Abyss.
Dalroths followers suffered greatly during the
Reckoning, and many evil and corrupt followers
were marked as sherigras after this time. The
secret covens of the sherigras remain dedicated
to Dalroth as a result, and dwell where it is safe,
or in secrecy, to continue their dreadful worship
of this god.
Dalroth himself suffered as well in the time of
the Reckoning, but his divine soul was captured
by the mad god Slithotep, his most loyal ally,
and placed within the body of a mortal child to
gestate. This child has aged very slowly, and
now appears to be about ten human years old
after centuries of slow development. Slithotep
has intentionally stunted the childs growth, in
an effort to plumb the depths of Dalroths
unconscious secrets and remake the deity as his
own son. The child is called Pale.
When Xauraun rose to divinity in Trog, he
drove Slithotep from the city, and took Pale in to
his own custody. Now, while Dalroths most
loyal minions seek to reawaken the submerged
consciousness of the god, he is being tutored as
Xaurauns prodigy.
Appearance: In his true divine form, Dalroth is a
many-shaped being of dark energy, a black and
winged figure wreathed in flames, appearing to
 be easily two hundred feet tall. In the present,
his soul is trapped in the form of the child Pale,
who is a simple boy with uncommonly grey and
sickly skin. Though his soul is submerged in
forgetful slumber, the potency of Dalroth as
most ancient lord of Chaos is still present, and
his followers have once again culled magical
favor through their worship of Dalroth.
Devonin
The Soldiers of Chaos
Profile: Various; each devonin lord chooses one
element of chaos to embody, though this
changes through time.
Faction: Lords of Chaos
Type: spirits and demiurges
Realm of Worship: Most devonin lords are
worshipped in the mortal plane by diabolists
and power-hungry cultists who are willing to
trade their eternal souls for power. The Black
Circle of Dahik, the Order of the Red Robes in
Hyrendan, and the Beast Men of Amech are all
active worshippers of the Devonin.
Genders and Races Allowed: Any, though
certain devonin may have specific restrictions.
Alignment: All devonin are Chaotic Neutral or
Evil, as it is beyond their nature to act
otherwise. Followers are always evil, neutral, or
chaotic in some combination.
Favored Weapons: Varied.
Description: The Devonin is a specific name for
the Abyssal minions of chaos. The word itself is
the Old Tongue vernacular for demons, and the
terrible demigods of the Abyss are truly
demonic.
The Nine Layers of the Abyss is a third realm,
crafted from the blood of Chaos itself, MalaKor,
from which the vast and infinite armies of chaos
would spring forth. This hideous realm also
served as the seat of power for the Courts of
Chaos, the terrible beings which were the
nihilistic gods of destruction.
When the Abyss was first formed, it was a
seething mass of conflict. Ironically, over the
millennia a sort of hierarchy grew out of the
madness, as superior soldiers came to rest in
positions of power. The Courts of Chaos also
saw fit to reward their most fervent followers
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with small gifts of immortality, magical power,
and even a taste of godhood. In time, certain
devonin came to be called the Demon Gods.
There are many, perhaps a countless number
of powerful demon lords, but the ones who are
worshipped in cults across Lingusia, or who seek
to expand their power in to the mortal plane,
include the following Demon Gods. Each one is
considered powerful enough to maintain a body
of followers, though only a few of them have
more than a couple thousand servants across
Lingusia.
All Demon Lords acquired their immortality by
having their souls (yes, even demons have souls;
all living entities have souls, even if they are
horribly corrupt) placed in special gems. These
Soul Gems were usually kept in the custody of
whatever mortal servant of the Courts of Chaos
was deemed worthy, and a sufficiently foolish
and powerful thaumaturge could call upon the
Demon Lord to do his bidding. The loss of a soul
gem through its destruction leads to the
dissipation of the soul, and the inevitable
downward spiral of power by the demon lord.
Popular demon lords include:
Orcus: The Lord of Necromancers, patron of the
Gladiatorial Pits and an avid schemer in the
affairs of mortals. Orcus is one of three brothers
who all conspire against one another for control
of the mortal realm.
Orcristal: The second of three brothers, Orcristal
was imprisoned deep within the earth until
awakened some four centuries ago. He now
builds his power base anew, with budding cults
expanding throughout Hyrkania, Zarn and the
Northern Wilderness.
Lilitu: Lilitu the seductress, mistress of whores
and queen of deceivers. She is the spirit of
sexual deviltry and betrayal.
Traganomos: One of the ancient Seven Soul-
Bound Lords of Eskandar, Traganomos was freed
from his servitude and survived the Reckoning.
It is said his cults are rife in Galvonar, plotting to
overthrow the Caliphate.
Pazzuzzu: The lord of pestilence and plague,
Pazzuzzu is very strong in the present era, and
has walked now for several years in the mortal
plane as the servant of the King of Hyrendan.
 The Spider Queen: The mistress of spiders and
patron of several houses in Dahik, she remains
as conniving and strong as ever among the
Ashtarth elves, who worship her implicitly.
Kostchie: The Albino Giant that is Kostchie
appears among mortals on occasion, and his
largest following is among giants of both the
snowy peaks and lava filled depths.
Demogorgon: The many-headed archduke of
the Abyss does not consort with many mortals,
but does seek periodically to gain more power
through the harvesting of souls.
Yeenoghu: This demon lord appears to be the
favored god of gnolls.
Enki
Keeper of Oceans
Profile: water, sailors, fertility, motherhood,
royalty, protector of Octzel
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: elder goddess
Realms of Worship: Octzel and throughout the
Middle Kingdoms, as well as sailors abroad
Genders Allowed: All, though women are
dominant and the priesthood is a matriocracy.
Races Allowed: all are allowed to join, though
humans and half humans are most common.
Alignment: Enki is lawful good, and her
followers are invariably of lawful alignment.
Lawful evil priests are possible, but manifest as
self-serving individuals who are misguided and
usually suffer the consequences for their false
faith.
Favored Weapons: the trident, spear and net
are symbolic. The sacred weapon of Enki is the
trident.
Description: Enki is recognized throughout the
Middle Kingdoms as a goddess of good fortune,
a patron of sailors, royalty, weather and crops.
She is the bringer of spring, and in the kingdom
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of Octzel her sacred holiday is the time of the
spring equinox. Enki is especially important in
Octzel, where she is the civic goddess of the
land, patron of the kingdom and protector of its
people. She is said to be married in the celestial
kingdoms to Amasyr, and that their children
include the gods Seth, Ogron, and Trimelin.
In the Idean Codices, Enki appears in the
Myth-Tale volumes as a younger goddess, who
was born after the creation of the world. She is
identified as the daughter of Naril and Selene,
and is said to be the sister to Temina, Slithotep,
Death and Dalroth.
The Church of Enki encompasses a series of
priesthoods dedicated to Enki and her children,
though Amasyrs monasteries are considered
separate from Enkis ecclesiastics. Most all of
Enkis priests are women, but a few dedicated
men are encouraged to join. The priests are
important members of the community, and can
be found in many roles, including teachers,
advisors, midwives, missionaries, scribes and
recorders. The priests who lead the most
adventurous lives are the missionaries, and a
disproportionate number of these hardy souls
are men.
A subset of the priesthood are the order of the
Temple Guardians, special priests who are
trained in martial combat and serve as crusaders
and protectors of the church and the goddess.
The Temple Guardians are rarely found outside
of their training grounds and the temples, but
when a militant soul is needed for a special task,
it is from these ranks that the warrior priest is
taken.
Appearance: Enki is pictured often, both In
murals, paintings, and statues throughout
Octzel. She is seen as a serene goddess of pure
beauty, holding her sacred trident in one hand
and the Codex of Law in the other.

Hella
Keeper of the Balance
Profile: healing, protection, samaratins,
sacrifice, caring
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: lesser goddess
Realms of Worship: The Middle Kingdoms and
Createa
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: any lawful, good, and neutral
Favored Weapons: Hella favors no weapon save
the staff.
Description: Hella is an odd goddess, whose
focus is divided between healing the sick and
wounded, but tempering that with the
inevitability of death. She is as likely to be seen
as the cause of a malady or illness, set upon
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those whose fortune was too great and sudden
as she is to be responsible for the miraculous
cures and and healing powers of her best
priests. If a plague starts, Hella is said to be
evening the balance. If a plague is stopped, Hella
is being merciful.
Hellas curatoriums are most commonly found
in larger cities, where disease and illness
propogate faster. Her priests also wander the
land as teachers and healers, seeking to offer
wisdom, philosophy and advice along with
healing.
Appearance: Hella is portrayed in images and
through statues as a blind goddess who carries
her sacred staff of healing. A serpent entwines
the staff and her left hand, while she grasps the
Ankh of Life firmly in her right hand.

Hargameth
Keeper of War
Profile: The lord of blood and thunder, reaver of
the battlefield, spirit of combat
Faction: Lord of Order (Death)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Throughout the world
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: any
Favored Weapons: all weapons are favored by
Hargameth.
Description: Hargameth is a northern god who
spread long ago, his aspects being common to
all men. Hargameth is the proverbial lord of
blood and thunder, the great warrior of the
battlefields, the last of the gods to go down
fighting in the War of the Gods, sealing the rift
of the Abyss with his own blood before he
collapsed.
Hargameth is a cult which warriors throughout
the world, especially barbarians and more
visceral fighters who rely on rages,
berserkergang, and bloody frenzies to work
themselves in to an appropriate mind-set for
combat. He is the antithesis of Vishannu, a god
who harkens from the east, and represents the
strategic element of war, the art of combat, and
the finesse or elegant dueling and intrigue.
Appearance: Hargameth is usually depicted as a
furious barbarian warrior in full plate, wielding
his immense bastard sword and tower shield,
stitched from the skins of the thousand devonin
generals he has slain. In the afterlife, it is said
that the Celestial Kingdom of Hargameth is the
final resting ground of truly powerful warriors
who fall valiantly in battle. There, they are
ascended to the ranks of the Einheriar, spirits of
battle who fight the good fight against the
Abyssal devonin and all other enemies of the
mortal plane.
Hermes
Guide for the Dead, Messenger of the Gods
Profile: thieves, tricksters, charlatans, messengers,
the recent dead
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Faction: Lord of Order (Death)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Throughout the Middle
Kingdoms and Cretea, and some areas of the
Northern Kingdoms
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any, especially half elves, sylvan
elves and syleni
Alignment: Hermes is chaotic good, but any
alignment may worship him
Favored Weapons: The mace and staff
Description: Hermes is another ancient god who
appears in the pantheon of the Middle
Kingdoms late in the game. He is one of the gods
of the afterlife, though he is free to move
between all realms. Hermes serves as a
messenger to the gods, and is presented as a
sort of master of gossip in the myth tales, for he
sees and hears all. Hermes is also a guide to the
lands of the dead and beyond, and it is his job to
help wayward souls find their way to the
afterlife.
Hermes also became a patron of thieves,
tricksters and other suspicious individuals. His
tales speak of his own errant nature, as well as
his persistent compassion for mortals, who
would fall victim to the hand of Death. He is said
to have taught men how to be crafty, that they
might have a fair shot at avoiding death, and so
he became the patron of thieves and tricksters.
Venerated in the Northron Kingdoms as well
for his role as messenger of the gods, Herme is
often called the harbinger of ill omen by the
northmen.
Appearance: Hermes appears as a young,
athletic man with winged shoes and helm. He is
readily identified by extra dimensional travelers
from certain other realms as a god who moves
through more than one prime material plane,
which is true, for Hermes is the messenger of all
gods, and knows the pathways of all realms, in
to the infinite realm of the Countless Primes.
Huuarl
Keeper of Time
Profile: keeper of time, infinity, the cosmos,
planar travel, patterns.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
 Rank: Elder God
Realms of Worship: The Middle Kingdoms,
Sylvias.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: humans and elves dominate the
Chronomancers, but any may join.
Alignment: law, neutrality.
Favored Weapons: the staff, dagger, gauntlet
(Huuarls artifact weapon is his sacred gauntlet),
and crossbow are all favored weapons of the
god.
Description: The Timelord and keeper of
Infinity, Huuarl and his priests are entrenched in
a never-ending war against the destructive
chaos cults such as the Nihilists and the Cult of
the Kraken. Huuarl is said to be a brother to
Damortus, and that they committed to the
defense of eternity in their youth, a promise
made to the Earth Mother GaThika herself.
Huuarls cult is comprised of clerics and mages
called chronomancers. The chronomancers have
a small but dedicated membership, which is
concentrated in Hyrkania, Sylvias, and Galonia.
In Octzel, a Temple of the Golden Traveler can
be found outside of the Capitol, Octzel, which is
dedicated to Huuarl, as well. Their members are
associates of the elvish Protectorate, and they
have been known to fight fiercely against the
cults they oppose.
The order of Huuarl is said to take its mandate
from a codex that is not part of the Idean
collection held by the Temple of Naril, a book,
allegedly written centuries before the first
codex was ever penned. The book outlines the
sacred and celestial mechanics of the universe,
the secret of time, and the mechanisms and
spells by which travel through time is possible.
The order guards these books well.
Priests of Huuarl are guarded, secretive, and
rarely even divulge their faith to others. They
are usually both mages and clerics, and often
become mystic theurges.
Appearance: Huuarl is pictured as a lean,
golden-skinned man of indeterminate years,
sometimes robed, and always watchful. He
carries the two artifacts of his faith, the
Hourglass of Infinity, and the Gauntlet of
Passage.
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Karn
Keeper of the Afterworld
Profile: record keeper of the dead.
Faction: Lord of Order (death)
Rank: Elder God
Realms of Worship: The Middle Kingdoms,
Northron lands, and Galonia revere Karn.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: Karn is principally a human god,
but there are no exclusions to his worship. The
occasional dwarf has taken up the mantle of this
priesthood.
Alignment: lawful neutral, good.
Favored Weapons: Karn is not a god of conflict,
but his followers have learned to defend
themselves with the staff and unarmed means.
Some have also learned to use the sling.
Description: The record keeper of the dead,
Karn is one of the gods of the Afterlife. His
following is scattered and his presence as a god
is little known outside of those priests who
follow one deity of death or another. His
worship occurs only in those lands where a need
to provide records of the dead have become
necessary. As such, his worship can be found in
Hyrkania, where great mausoleums of cremated
remains can be found, as well as in Galonia,
where his worship continued even after all other
gods of the Old Galonian pantheon passed on. In
the city state of Karan, the ancient tradition of
the magiocracy requires that the priests of Karn
preside over and record all royal burials. Last
but not least, the only death god given
recognition beside the Nameless One in
Autrengard is Karn, who is said to bar the
northern warriors from the afterworld if they
cannot recite the names of their forefathers to
him, in honor of all their great deeds.
Karn is sometimes confused with Esyphas in
the Middle Kingdoms, but Esyphas is a demigod
that holds the Book of the Dead for Kavishkar,
and recites the crimes of those to be judged.
Karn, however, performs a different duty for the
souls of those who worship him, and is more of
a secret master to be approached on matters of
the afterlife. He is also considered the true
scholar of knowledge and lore in the afterlife.
 Appearance: Karn is a striking figure, an
oligarchic man with kingly and wizardly aspects.
However, his face is a sunken image of
deathliness, and his eyes hollow voids.
Karsyllym
Keeper of Justice
Profile: justice, mercy, final fate, reincarnation,
destruction, executions
Faction: Lord of Order (death)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Hyrkania and throughout
the Middle Kingdoms.
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: all
Alignment: lawful good and lawful neutral.
Favored Weapons: the whip and dagger are
sacred weapons of the goddess, but her
followers see the scimitar and great scimitar as
trademark weapons.
Description: Mistress of the Land of the Dead,
Karsyllym is wife to Kavishkar and keeper of the
Book of Names. Karsyllyms duties come after
her husband judges the innocence or guilt of a
soul, and it is her duty to record the sentence
and decree the fate of the being in question.
Some are sent to purgatories for whatever
period is necessary to purge the soul of its
crimes. Others are sent to the celestial
kingdoms as servants, and an occasional soul is
granted an opportunity for reincarnation. The
fates of the dead are many, and Karsyllym
knows all of them.
Karsyllym has a small but dedicated order of
men and women, priests who act as the
executioners for dire crimes in Hyrkania. Her
priesthood is feared by all, for their duty is to
insure that those sentenced for their crimes are
brought to justice. Often, this simply means
carrying out an execution or insuring the
offender is taken to the proper prison, but they
are expected to puruse those who seek to evade
justice, as well, and are coldly efficient bounty
hunters.
Appearance: Karsyllym appears as a tall and
gaunt woman, sometimes wearing ebon armor,
other times a dress of blackest silk. She is
flanked by a squadron of ancient guardians,
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spirit defenders of the eternal darkness called
the Invantyr.
Kavishkar
Keeper of Judgement
Profile: justice, the Hand of Judgement, the lord
of the halls of death, patron of judges
Faction: Lord of Order (death)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Hyrkania and throughout
the Middle Kingdoms
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Kavishkars followers are expected
to be lawful neutral, impartial, though they saw
good or evil at times. Kavishkar himself is true
neutral.
Favored Weapons: swords, but all weapons are
considered part of Kavishkars long reach. His
sacred weapon is a longsword crafted of pure
darkness.
Description: Serving as the lord of judgement in
the Lands of the Dead, Kavishkars duty is to
determine the guilt or innocence of any soul
who must come before him in the afterlife. He
holds court in the most ancient, eternal
necropolis of the Stygian Darkness, with his
queen Karsyllym at his side.
Any soul who appears before Kavishkar for
judgement will be scrutinized carefully. Esyphas,
the Record Keeper, is a dreadful servant of
Kavishkar who holds the Book of the Dead with
him, in which the tales of all misdeeds of those
who come to the court are held. While Esyphas
read these deeds, Kavishkar scrutinizes the
hapless soul, and at its end, he may interrogate
the being for further illumination, after which he
utters his sentence of innocence or guilt. His
wife then takes over, recording the fate of the
soul to whatever purgatory awaits. It is then
that the Nameless One takes the soul to its
appointed rendezvous with eternity.
In Hyrkania, the Order of Kasdalan is a
dedicated priesthood of civic servants and
warriors who hunt down the accused and
preside over lawful trials to decide the fate of
living men. They revere Kaviskhar for his wisdom
 on such matters and are especially fond of
divinatory magic.
Appearance: Kaviskhar is a tall, sallow-eyed king
of darkness, with an immense beard and gaunt,
pale features. At times, he seems to take on the
aspect of a true skeleton or mummy, at others
to be merely an ancient, wisened old man. He
wears ebon armor made from the laquered
bones of those who have defied his judgement.
Mitra
Keeper of Fate and Misfortune
Profile: luck, ill fortune, blyskanyu, fate, fortune,
fools, curses, the Avernan nomads
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Primarily in Octzel and
among the Avernan nomads, as well as seafarers
abroad.
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Mitra is true neutral, but her
followers are diverse.
Favored Weapons: the dagger, short sword, and
short bow
Description: Mitra is regarded as the goddess of
chance and misfortune, as well as luck and
wisdom among sailors, and she is seen as an
anathema favored by the underclass and
criminals of Octzel. She is purportedly the sister
or half-sister of the goddess Enki. Mitra has no
established priesthood, though a strange temple
maintained by an order of outcast monks can be
found near the Chaos Mountains in the forest
named for her, Mitras Forest. Her few priests
are chosen by chance, hapless souls who receive
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visions of the goddess after enormous luck
(good or bad) befalls the person.
Appearance: Mitra appears as a stern but
beautiful woman with long, curly black hair in a
light blue shift, playing songs upon an eerie harp
(her sacred harp) and singing songs of fortune,
both great and terrible.
The Nameless One, Death
Keeper of the Gates of the Afterworld
Profile: death, passing on, destroyer of undead,
harbinger of doom
Faction: Lord of Order (death)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: everywhere
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Death is true neutral, and his priests
must also be neutral and either good, evil, or
true.
Favored Weapons: the great sword, kukri,
sickle, scythe, falchion and great scimitar. His
sacred weapon is the immense two-handed
sword Rishelka, the Ruby Death, which steals
the souls of the living and utterly destroys
undead. It is held by Deaths great avatar,
Gilrad.
Description: The word for death in the Old
Tongue is Koth, and the word for That Which
Must Not Be Named is Esiros. When joined
together in the proper manner, these words
form the Old Tongue title of Death, He Who
must Not Be Named: Kothos. TKothos, in fact,
means Lord of the Nameless One, Death.
Death is a being which pervades all cultures
and religions in Lingusia, and his Middle
Kingdoms incarnation is by far the most
forbidding. Throughout the Middle Kingdoms,
his priests are the shunned and mysterious
Walkers of Final Night. These Walkers are part
time morticians, grave diggers, and hunters of
the undead. Indeed, the undead are an
anathema to The Nameless One, as they are the
dead which will not lie in peace. He is guardian
of the gates and boundaries of the afterlife, and
caretaker of the netherealms where the souls
pass through in their transition. He opposes the
devonin of chaos who would foul that barrier to
steal souls, as well as any mortal who seeks to
 reclaim one of the dead by reanimating it as an
undead being. It is the solemn Duty of Death
and his priesthood to find these undead and put
them to rest.
Appearance: Death is a massive, giant-like
skeletal being wearing ebony armor and
wielding the sacred great sword Rishelka, the
Ruby Death.
Naril
Keeper of The Sun and Man
Profile: God of the Sun, fire, men and
masculinity, chivalry, honor, duty, creator of
humanity, law, light, and goodness, leader in
the war for Order.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: Eldest God (head of pantheon)
Realms of Worship: Naril is the patron god of all
men, and receives worship in many lands. He is
strongest in Hyrkania, especially the north. In
the Eastron kingdoms he is known as Naqril and
is venerated among the Dahrokistani nomads
and the Zuedian caliphate. In Amech he is called
Lakano. The NakIvk of the north call him Eritza.
Genders Allowed: There are no restrictions,
although masculinity is an element of Narils
portfolio, and so a larger percentage of his
followers are men. However, as Naril is the
father of all mankind, women are considered an
essential part of the order.
Races Allowed: Most of Narils followers are
human, of which he is patron, but followers of
Naril can be found among all species.
Alignment: Naril is the embodiment of law, and
also of goodness. True servants of Naril must be
Lawful good, but any follower would likely be at
least lawful.
Favored Weapons: The Sword is the favored
symbol of Naril among his churches in the
Middle Kingdoms.
Sacred Artifacts: Naril is known for two holy
artifacts. The first is The Ankh of Life, a great
ankh of magical gold found in the Temple of
Hyrmyskos, and embodied with the spirit of
Naril. This was a relic, which was in fact the
physical form of the Orb of Order, used during
the reckoning to initiate the ascension of Order
against Chaos in that era. The current relic is a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
gift from he god, left as he ascended to the
higher celestial realms.
The second holy relic is the Star of Naril, a
unique weapon, akin to a set of spiked knuckles
with six-inch spikes, made of pure adamantite.
The Star of Naril is granted only to the chosen
avatar of Naril, and kept in a sacred temple on
top of a magical mountain in the Marshes of
Mist.
Description: Naril is considered the first of the
first of his pantheon, king among the mortal
gods, and fated to lead his kin through the
struggles of war against a plague of deicide
spawned by the minions of chaos. Narils
legends are ancient, and speak of his creation
from light woven like silk by GaThika, the earth
mother, and his placement in the golden palace
of the sky, limned in eternal flame, the Sun.
Narils tales speak of how he was smitten by
Selene, the goddess of night, and they were
married. They sired several gods, but when
Selene was duped by an unknown being in to
birthing first Dalroth and then Slithotep, Naril
was driven to reform or destroy his chaos-
corrupted sons. The rift between loving mother
and angry father drover them apart, symbolized
by the passage of the sun and moon.
Naril was said to have created man in his own
image, created to serve his will on the mortal
plane. Tales speak of how men of old, before
the mortal forms of the gods were slain, would
go to CortiZahn, city of the gods, to commune
with Naril, but that the priests of Naril were all
blind from gazing upon his radiance.
Narils followers have maintained a persistent
dedication to order, and as a result, his temples
and priesthoods are more numerous and
organized in the lands of Hyrkania than any
other gods.
Appearance: Naril appears as an armored
warrior, giant, with golden skin bathed in light
so right that to look upon him is instantly
blinding. Beings of chaos are driven from his
presence in pain and fire, and his army of
angelic seraphim and spirit einheriar create his
heavenly armies.
Temples and Orders of Naril: Narils
worshippers have formed many specific orders.
The most numerous of his followers are in
 Hyrkania, but the Eastron church (his name is In the Eastron lands, Naqril is worshipped by
Naqril in the Eastron tongue) mirrors the an order of mounted warriors as well, drawn
Hyrkanian church on a smaller scale. In brief, the from among the nomads and Zuedian nobility.
organization of Narils followers is as follows: They are called the Sun Riders, and are
An elite priesthood called the Sacrimori rules considered an independent peace-keeping force
the Church of Naril, which is centered presently in the land. The Sun Riders recognize the right of
in Hyrmyskos. The grand priest called the the Caliph of Zued to rule, as well as the
Sacrimori Dominus. The current Sacrimori Chieftain Sheiks of the Ny'kkodin tribes, and
Dominus is Markeros Cassydarun. Beneath the seek to enforce the law wherever they may be.
Sacrimori are the High priests of the Directorate, A separate order, the Fire Keepers, are the
the lesser priests of the Ecclesiastics, then the priests who maintain the Fire Temples
missionaries, teachers, and healers of the throughout the Eastron kingdoms, burning the
Initiates. Some of these priests are militant, perpetual fires of Naqril. The fire aspect is most
especially the sect of the temple guardians, and dominant here, and all clerics of Naqril must
most missionaries are taught defense, as it is choose Fire as one of their Domains at first level.
seen as an integral part of Narils teachings.
The church advocates and is supported by Classes: The Solarian Knight and Knight of the
several militant orders, composed of priests Ebon Ankh are two prestige classes dedicated to
who take up arms for the cause, and normal Naril. The Knights of the Ebon Ankh are the
men of especially pious faith who pass the tests Inquisitors of the Church of Naril, and the
of entry. The most famous such order is the Solarians are the order of Paladins dedicated to
Order of the Solarian Knights, a dedicated the sun god as well as the Empire of Hyrkania.
company of paladins who are the fist of Naril in The vst majority of Narils followers are
most military mattes. They are sworn to Naril comprised of regular paladins and clerics,
fist, and the Emerald Throne second. They have however.
served for countless centuries the ruling
emperor or empress of Hyrkania, so long as
Naril has been the principle god of the Empire (a
matter settled centuries ago in the final War of
Faith). The present general of the Solarian
Knights is Lord Kaltor Belladon, a powerful and
dedicated soldier.
The Order of the Inquisition is a controversial
militant order, a smaller company dedicated to
rooting out the purge of evil from within the
empire and the church. The Order was founded
during the War of the Gods, but eventually died
out after the last War of Faith, and was
resurrected during the War of Strife, when
corruption was rampant in cities such as Kymir
and abroad. The military arm of the Inquisitors
is called the Order of the Ebon Ankh, and this
small but dedicated force of soldiers of Naril are
paladins who pursue the darker deeds necessary
to insure the purity of the church. The
Inquisitors hold council in the Tower of the
Inquisition in Krythia, where they have been for
many centuries.

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)


Niras
Keeper of the Sylvan Realms
Profile: keeper of the woodlands, druids, the
seasons, change
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Niras Forest, Sylvias, Eflin,
Caelernin and other woodlands
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: chaotic, good, evil and neutral
Favored Weapons: as per druids
Description: Niras is the ancient guardian of the
woods, a potent deity among the cultic lands of
the druids, including the Niras Forest, Caelernin,
the Faerie Woods and even Vagendars Woods.
Niras is a benevolent but stern deity, and his
druids are vociferous defenders of the
woodland realms. He communicates to his
followers through dreams and animal
encounters, and divination of hidden meanings
is an important part of his rituals.
Appearance: Niras is depicted as an ancient and
wizened druid hierophant, and occasionally as a
treant. He is said to appear before his followers
as a treant on special occasions and rituals.
Nistur
Keeper of Magic
Profile: mages, learning, the quest for truth,
mysteries
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: certain temples of the
White Robes in Hyrkania, Sendral and Octzel
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: any
Favored Weapons: the staff, dagger, and spear
Description: Nistur is the ancient lord of magic
as an art. He is said to have been the first
wizard, and one day will be the last. He is the
essence which sustains the eldritch loom of
sorcery, the device which strains order from the
chaos of the beyond, creating the mana which
sorcerers and wizards use to cast magic. His
followers are usually theurges, and cast all
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
forms of magic, be it divine, arcane, or even
psionic. His chief servants are wizards and
clerics belonging to the Order of the White
Robes.
Appearance: Nistur is portrayed as an elderly
and wizened man who carries his sacred relic,
the Staff of Knowledge with him. His eyes are
bright points of light, and his body is a vessel
which can barely contain an infinite bounty of
mana.
Ogron
Keeper of the winds
Faction: Lord of Order (Life)
Type: lesser god
Profile: winds, weather, change, crops, seasons
Realms of Worship: Ocentash, Octzel
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Any lawful, good or neutral
Favored Weapons: clubs and axes
Description: Seth is the oldest son of Mitra and
Amasyr, and brother to Seth. Where his brother
provides for the farmers and the land, the
communities of men and their laws, Ogron is the
embodiment of fickle weather, the seasonal
change, and soaring heights. His nature as the
opposing force to Seth (Seth being stability,
Ogron being change) is an intentional part of the
duality of Octzellan beliefs.
Ogron is a god favored among the Cimmeran
barbarians, as well as among various ogre and
giant-kin tribes, who believe Ogron to be their
patron god. The aspect of sky, the mountains,
and stormy conflict is appealing to the giant
races, and Ogron is revered for his dominance of
such.
Appearance: Ogron is pictured as a huge
humanoid, of no particular giant-kin origin,
dwelling high in the mountain peaks. Octzellan
fables claim that he dwells in the highest peaks
of the Cimmeran mountains, and this is half-
right, for the most venerable and ancient of
shrines to Ogron can be found there, instead.

Phonatas
Keeper of Mysteries
Profile: love, seduction, lovers, sex, jealousy,
obsession, bards
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: lesser goddess
Realms of Worship: throughout Northern
Hyrkania, Nordaman, and Hettanar.
Genders Allowed: any, especially women
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Any good
Favored Weapons: A three-pronged whip, each
prong of which is said to have a different
chemical producing hallucinatory and magical
results when flogged on the skin.
Description: The Order of the Dawn is a young
cult of soldiers who follow Phonatas we great
fervor, and blend the older notions of passion
and rage in to the passionate dictates of the
cult. It has become accepted within the last few
decades as a civic cult, and is no longer
persecuted. In the old days, Phonatas cult was
secretive and rarely worshipped by more than a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
few. Now her cult is expansive and has taken on
many other characteristics not seen before,
including notions of dedication to duty and
passion in living. The spread of her cult is due
largely to Nordaman influence.
Phonatas as a goddess is believed to have
been a lesser deity, a demiurge who might have
been a progeny of mortal and divine blood.
When the Reckoning ended the war between
Order and Chaos, and the boundaries of the
divine realms were removed, Phonatas may
have become a full goddess at that time. She is
definitely a younger, newer goddess, and is
believed to walk in mortal form.
Appearance: Phonatas is usually depicted as a
nude woman rising from a lake, her hair
blending in to the water. Those dedicated
servants who have summoned her for aid must
do so by casting their divination before a pool of
water, from which the goddess will rise.
The Seraphim
Profile: Celestial servants of the gods
Faction: Spirits of Order
Type: spirits
Realms of Worship: The seraphim are
venerated in the Middle Kingdoms
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: any lawful good or lawful neutral;
lawful evil seraphim are devils
Favored Weapons: numerous
Description: The seraphim are actually a large
host of divine minions who serve the celestial
kingdoms of the gods. These beings are the
counterparts to the demonic devonin, and are
not usually worshipped by any individuals,
though they may be called upon for specific
spells and instances. There are many seraphim,
some of which are listed as follows. Like
devonin, seraphim can materialize on the mortal
plane when called upon; prior to the reckoning,
they could only manifest to try to balance an act
of chaos against an act of order. In the present
era, such rules have been cast aside, and brave
seraphim take on mortal forms to try and avert
the dire efforts of the minions of chaos.
 Some of the Seraphim: This list is by no means
complete:
Eholim: The angelic servants of the sun, keepers
of the eternal flame.
Einheriar: The eternal warriors of light, the army
of the apocalypse.
Piscrael: Lord of the Seraphim, general of the
Einheriar.
Archamnios: The spirit of battle.
Gamnaes: Slayer of enemies.
Dremnesal: The spirit of perseverance.
Critaere: The spirit of creation.
Minhara: Protector of the heart and soul.
Magenta: The servant of Time.
Dryleah: The servant of the woodlands.
Incenar: The spirit of flames and loss.
Masros: The hunter of evil.
Thanadan: The protector of the gates of Death.
Erizahn: The androgynous patron of love.
Chamnios: The destroyer of demons.
Diaban: The patron of knowledge and lore.
Alasmian: The patron of trade and commerce.
Delistray: The all-seeing observer, record
keeper.
Cordone: The patron of sorcerers and wizards.
Aspriel: Patron of the land, keeper of the
mountains.
Glaumfiel: The patron of the waters and water
voyages.
Hemanial: Patron of suffering and caretaker of
the ill.
Eristar: The patron of dreams and the astral.
Esilenta: The patron of storms and rain.
Sekarathin: The mistress of Set, patron of lies
and Queen of the Nine Hells.
Elcorala: The embodiment of blind justice.
The Mysteries of the Seraphim: The seraphim
are practically a miniature pantheon in their
own right, each spirit slaved to the service of
one or more greater gods. Those most ancient
of scholars who have studied the mysteries of
the Prehunate Empire have found evidence to
suggest that in those ancient prehuman days,
the most loyal prehunates of the day were
rewarded for their dedication to the gods with a
small portion of divinity, and were given the
roles of the Seraphim. Others speculate the
seraphim are taken from divine races which
exist beyond the mortal plane, and that some
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
have never even set foot on the mortal plane
before their appointment. There are nine
hundred and ninety nine seraphim listed in the
Idean Codices and more recent texts that are
living, and another four hundred and twenty
seven that are recorded as fallen or slain; since a
fallen seraphim is replaced almost immediately,
then it is possible that both notions on the
origin of the seraphim might be right.
Set
Keeper of Lies and Deceit
Profile: evil, lies, ascension of power, corruption of
innocent
Faction: Lord of Order
Type: Elder God
Realms of Worship: Hazerphennis and hidden
cults throughout the world
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: Any, but Sets patron race are
the Setite serpent men.
Alignment: lawful evil
Favored Weapons: The dagger, short sword,
poisons, bow and crossbow
Description: Set is the eternal prevaricator of
evil and corruption, the god who has taken it
upon himself to embrace the tenets of ultimate
order at any price. He is not a lord of chaos,
evne though he is sometimes mistaken for such.
His obsessive dedication to deceit is as much an
ordered process as truth, and Sets very
existence as a deity depends upon an ordered
universe in which his godly powers can work
against. The tenets of chaos are in opposition to
any truth about which the Keeper of Lies might
spin false tales.
The followers of Set are many, and the largest
enclave is in the rigid empire of the Setite
serpent men, HazerPhennis. Here, the rule of
evil is ultimate, and power goes to the most
treacherous and conniving. Throughout the
world, the setites and other servants of Set seek
to further his cause, which might, one day, be to
unite the world under his banner of evil and
worship.
Sets infernal kingdom of evil is known as the
Nine Hells, sometimes also called Stygia. Here,
 Sets fallen seraphim, the devils of lore, serve
him and his dire ends.
Appearance: Set is known to take the form of a
variety of desert-dwelling beasts, especially that
of the snake and the jackal. His mark rests upon
the races of his own creation, such as the
Jackalmen of the deep deserts in Galvonar, and
the Setites of the Hyrkanian Deserts.
Seth
Keeper of the Lands
Profile: civic community, laws, communities, crops,
seasons, farmers.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: lesser god
Realms of Worship: Ocentash, Octzel
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: human, glythanyu orc are most
common, but any may worship Seth
Alignment: Any lawful, good or neutral
Favored Weapons: Polearms
Description: Seth is the son of Mitra and
Amasyr, a benevolent god of the weather, crops,
communities, law, and seasonal change. Seths
priests are not an adventurous lot, usually
instead overseering the harvesting of crops,
ceremonies of the solstice, and protection of
farms and farmlands. Seth is reknowned for
being a very old deity, even if he is also seen as
the son of a major civic goddess, and his place
as patron of farmlands dates back to ancient
times.
Centuries ago, the grey orcs of Ocentash were
devastated in a war with the old kings of
Ocentash and the surviors, mostly women and
children, were forced to recant their chaotic
lives and swear an oath of fealty to Seth. The
leader of these ancient glythanyu was Mogrul,
and he took his oath seriously. Ever since, the
grey orcs of Ocentash have been fierce zealots
of the god, and left their subterranean realms to
dwell on the surface long ago. Paladins and
monks of Seth are usually from the monastic
order of Seth found in the Macabeth Mountains,
and are usually grey orcs.
Appearance: Seth is seen as a venerable farmer,
sometimes even as a grey orc, who dresses as a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
simple man. Stories of Seth appearing to
common folk as an old man with a wagon that
has broken a wheel, or with a sick mule are
common. The tales say that if you help him, he
grants you luck or advice, but those who scorn
the one in need find that their crops will fail and
misfortune looms.
Slithotep
Lord of Insanity
Profile: The Lord of Madness, patron of the
insane, illogic, paradox, the Keeper of Nothing
and Dabbler of All. Patron of schemers, crimes
of passion, illogical thought and unreason.
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Slithotep is a member of
the Middle Kingdoms Pantheon, but only
members of the Divinate, some Ashtarth, red
orcs, and other mad beings worship him. He
once had a strong cult in the city of Kymir, but it
has allegedly been vanquished. It was from this
cult which the Strallikus line came.
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Favored Weapons: The scepter, mace, and
morning star.
Description: Slithotep is the mad offspring of
the elder gods Naril and Selene, brother to
Death, and the betrayer of all things living. His
madness and the reasons for it are manifold,
chief among which is his inherent instability as a
being composed of chaotic energies.
Slithotep has long plagued the world, and his
mortal form, like so many other gods, was
destroyed in the War of the Gods. His body was
lain to rest in the Slithotendan Mountains,
where his corrupting essence consumed the
very land and aided in turning the once
beautiful region in to a place of madness and
decay. In fact, Slithotep did not truly die, for his
body, composed of the essence of Chaos,
existed outside the fabric of reality, and he
gradually reformed a material form. His body
takes on many shapes, but in recent centuries
Slithotep has taken on the form of whole
structures and buildings, including the weeping
 citadel of the Hyrkanian Deserts and the Tower
of Madness in Trog.
During the Reckoning, when the Lord of Chaos,
Dalroth, was nearly destroyed, it was Slithotep
who spirited away the resurrected infant which
held the spirit of the dark god. He raised this
child, called Pale, to one day reawaken as
Dalroth. Trog became a favorite haunt of the
two, until Xauraun Vestillios stole the chaotic
essence of the Red Dragon Comet and ascended
to the rank of demiurge. Now, Pale is a captive
member of Xaurauns audience, and Slithotep
lurks once more in the shadows, struggling to
find a new way to sow chaos and destruction
throughout the world in his own, mad way.
The cults dedicated to Slithotep almost
invariably worship in secret, except perhaps for
the cities of Trog, Blackwell, and in the
subterranean kingdom of Dahik. Among the
human lands of the Middle Kingdoms, secretive
cults can be found pursuing diabolical interests
in Octzel, Kymir, Malas, and Yllmar.
Because of the purile and horrific practices
associated with Slithoteps worship, the cultists
who follow the god are of a particularly deviant
nature. All true dedicates to Slithotep must
choose a form of madness, usually of a
psychotic, delusional or sociopathic nature. Even
if they didnt have a mental problem before
joining the cult, the rituals involved in
indoctrination guarantee that the cultist is
mentally scarred afterward.
Appearance: Slithotep can take any form, living
or inanimate, and any size, shape, or substance
within reason. There are some who have met
Slithotep, even entered his very belly in the
form of a great hall or keep, and never even
known it. Anyone doing so, however, must make
a Wisdom check at -5 each hour to avoid a
creeping, permanent debilitating madness from
setting in.
Selene
Keeper of the Moon and Elves
Profile: Goddess of the moon, women, children,
patron of grief, creator of the elves, patron of
the Suethendur, healer of madness, protector of
night-time travelers, The Celestial Overseer
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: Elder Goddess
Realms of Worship: Selene is most strongly
revered amongst the Suethendur elves in
Sylvias, but she has enclaves of worship in the
Great Plains, Cretea, Avilin, and throughout the
Middle Kingdoms.
Genders Allowed: Only women may join the
cults of Selene, though the paladins of Selene do
include men in their ranks (mostly amongst the
Creteans and Avilinians).
Races Allowed: Most of her worshippers are
elvish or human, but rare exceptions amongst
other fair kindred are known.
Alignment: Selene is A lawful good deity. Her
followers may be lawful, but are always good.
Favored Weapons: The sickle is regarded as a
symbolic weapon of the waxing and waning
moon, harvests, and the home. Warriors and
Knights of Selene are not limited in their arms,
however.
Description: Selene was one of the first of the
modern pantheon of gods to be granted life by
GaThika. Created as the wife of Naril, the Sun
God, they were tasked with birthing the many
younger gods. In the myths, Selene was said to
have been fooled by an avatar of chaos, which
masqueraded as Naril, and as a result, she gave
birth to Dalroth, the progenitor of the Courts of
Chaos. In turn, when she later gave birth to
Slithotep, Dalroth too it upon himself to corrupt
his younger brother and drive him to insanity.
Naril, obsessed with his quests, failed to
intervene until it was too late. When he realized
the abominations these sons had become, he
sought to destroy them, but Selene would not
allow it and fled with her infants in to the night.
Thus doe Selene occupy the night sky, always
pursued by Naril in the day. It is said that on
days when you can see the moon and sun in the
daytime sky, that the two have made amends
for a short time, and festivals are held.
Though Selene would not have Naril injure her
children, she nonetheless grew to despise
Dalroth for his evil, and she became determined
to amend his deviant ways. Likewise, she sought
to heal Slithotep of his madness, though this
proved fruitless. Because of these aspects,
Selene has always placed the duty upon her
 followers to cure the mentally ill, and to bring
the corrupt, evil, and criminal to justice.
Selene is also known to be the creator of elves.
In the time of creation, it is said that men were
crafted in the image of her husband, and she
crafted the fae folk in her own likeness. The fae
creatures of the world were nestled within her
womb, the seelie lands often called the
Weirding, and when time came for her to give
birth to her creations, she loved them so dearly
that she could only part with the elvish kin
before changing her mind. It is this tale that is
said to explain why the elves and lesser fae kin
are closer to men in their ways than the seelie
kind which still dwell somewhere between the
nether regions of the faerie lands of the
Weirding and the prime material plane.
Appearance: Selene appears as a beautiful
elvish woman with flowing, silken hair that runs
to her feet, and glows with the radiance of the
moon. She dresses in a light white dress sewn of
star dust, and is said to dwell in a palace on the
moon, which many celestial scholars claim is the
gate land to the Faerie Kingdoms.
Prestige Classes: Constellators and Selenic
Knights are two specialized prestige classes,
which venerate Selene.
Special Cleric Abilties Granted by Selene:
Clerics of Selene gain the following abilities at
the indicated levels:
Moonsight [cleric level 1]
Followers of Selene are at their spiritual peak
under the light of the moon, and have
exceptionally keen vision in moon light as a
result. The follower of Selene receives Lowlight
Vision if they do not have it already. If they do,
then effective range is doubled.
Guidance of the Moon [cleric level 5]
Servants of Selene are often granted mystical
visions and guidance, beseeching her for aid
against the forces of darkness. The follower is
granted a special power once per evening under
the light of the moon (this will not work under a
new moon). The power may be either augury,
faerie fire, or daylight. The spell effect will
operate at the actual divine caster level of the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
character, or at minimum level of effect,
whichever is better.
The Touch of Sanity [cleric level 16]
The follower of Selene can cure madness in all
of its forms with but a touch. This power stems
from Salines unending desire to restore
Slithotep, her favored son, to normal after the
taint of chaos rendered him mad. This ability will
automatically repair any madness, insanity, or
other mind-affecting malady, which a character
is beset by. If the malady is magical in nature,
then the feat creates an effect equivalent to a
dispel magic spell cast at the level of the caster
to target the affecting magic. If it is a natural
effect, then the result is automatic. This effect
can restore lost attribute points to the afflicted
character is they were lost as a result of the
malady (mental attributes only), but the healing
cleric must make a Wisdom check with a 1
penalty per attribute point to be restored to the
target number, Success heals the damage. This
ability may only be used once per character per
affliction. This ability may be performed a
number of times per week equal to the priests
Wisdom modifier.
Wishupar
Profile: Thievery, mercenaries, greed, spies
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Type: lesser god
Realms of Worship: Hyrkania, Hettenar, Zued
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Any non-lawful
Favored Weapons:
Description: : Wishupars temples are still
secret, and known only to the acolytes of the
cult. It is not a popular cult, but has gained a
quiet edge in amongst Hyrkanians, as it has
become endorsed as a cult for the purposes of
the Hyrkanian Throne. Its most prominent
servants and warriors have dedicated
themselves to the service of the Mandragora
House, and the restoration of the Empire.
Wishupar was once seen as a dreadful
northern god of thieves and cut throats, but in
fact Wishupar was never so hideous....the cult
 has always wanted to be seen as such, and
propogates the rumors to insure it is feared. In
fact, the cultists fof Wishupar are civic servants,
worshipping a deity who espouses secrecy and
deception to support the ruling class. They are
mercenaries, and Wishupar is a patron of
mercenaries. Worshippers may be thieves and
rogues, yes, but more in fashion with a kind of
secret service, one which must work
conspiratorially to serve the throne.
It is suggested by many that the servants of
Wishupar have hidden, secret agendas, and that
their dedication to a ruler is not so much for the
interests of that ruler as their own. Some claim
that this conspiracy goes back many millennia,
and that the real purpose of the cult is to gain
domination over all lands and people through
time, and to damage the worship of other cults,
especially the kin of Wishupars as described in
the Idean Codices (such as Hermes and Haro).
Given that the Agents of Wishupar are prone to
going out of their way to kill priests and servants
of those gods, there seems to be some truth to
this.
Appearance: On those rare occasions Wishupar
appears or is depicted, he manifests as a raven,
sometimes as a wereraven. He does take human
forms, as as a former demiurge ascended to
godhood after the Reckoning, Wishupar has a
living form as well as a divine aspect.
Xauraun
Guardian of Chaos
Profile: the immortal son of Chaos, the usurper,
guardian of the eternal cycle.
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Type: demiurge
Realms of Worship: Trog, the Underworld.
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Xauraun is Chaotic Evil. His followers
are all evil.
Favored Weapons: Xauraun favors all weapons,
especially the great scimitar. His sacred relic is
the Armor of Xauraun.
Description: Xauraun Vestillios began his life as
a man who served the Lords of Chaos with
implacable dedication, and with a keen malice
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
for his fellow men. He was the great politician
and usurper of ancient Hyrkania who brought
about the religious wars of persecution, though
some say his first living incarnation was as the
betrayer wizard who opened the Abyssal Rift
during the War of the Gods, allowing the
devonin hordes to lay waste to the Fertile
Kingdoms and fabled CortiZahn. He was
rewarded for this task with the unique duty of
persevering, for countless generations, through
an unending cycle of reincarnation, to insure
that the Soul of Chaos never died. He is
considered by some, including the wizard
Warenis, to be a true avatar of MalaKor.
Xaurauns latest manifestation was as the sage
and mage of the White Robes named Syrios of
Malas. As Syrios, he was driven to recover the
lost pieces of his ancient sacred armor, in which
the engrams of his memory and magical power
have been eternally locked. When Syrios
recovered the armor, he was exposed to these
ancient memories and eldritch power, and
recovered his true nature.
Xauraun allied himself with the forces of the
diabolic city of Trog, seeing the boy Pale for the
true incarnation of Dalroth, regenerating after
the crippling blow delivered during the
Reckoning. Aware of ther fabled Red Dragon
Comet in the sky, and divinely inspired as to its
true purpose, Xauraun usurped the role of Pale
in a sacred ceremony to call down the chaotic
might of the comet in a revival of the might of
Chaos, and absorbed the power of the celestial
harbinger in to his own being. Empowered with
the might of a hundred Lords of Chaos, Xauraun
enslaved the boy Pale, and cast Slithotep, who
was disguised as the Tower of Corruption, out of
the city and in to the wilds of the desert.
Xauraun is now regarded as a true living deity,
though few realize this at present. He has
developed a rapidly expanding flock of eager
servants in Trog, and has been closely involved
in the development of his priesthood. Xauraun
knows he is now one of a new generation of
gods, deities who walk the earth as true
demiurges of the land, and who are far more
powerful in their youth than the celestial gods
of the older generations.
 Appearance: Xauraun has the appearance of a suring the solstices. Zingars cult is a quiet
balding, gray-haired man with a strong physique menagerie of professional hunters, rangers
and regal bearing. His eyes vascillate between (especially the rangers of KomHuandyr) and
glowing ember sand blackened, hollow sockets. dedicated priests. The priests of Zingar are
He wears his ancient ensorcelled armor, chosen only from among those who actually
engraved with the six hundred and sixty six witness the divine aspect of Zingar, the Wild
runes of Chaos, and seething in the energy of a Hunt.
magical helix. The armor is lined in silver and Appearance: Zingar manifests as an immense
forged of adamantite and some otherworldy, being, horned and centauroid, flanked by a
demonic substance from the Abyss. The armor horde of baying wolves. He has appeared as a
can not be removed from Xaurauns form save quiet elvish ranger on occasion, but under the
by death, though he can shift its appearance at moon light he is always the wild hunt form.
will to different forms for the sake of comfort
and appearance. In these forms, the armor
retains all of its properties. The armor itself has
the effect of enhancing the user with magical
knowledge, granting the wearer with 25 levels
of the wizard class and innate knowledge of all
spells in existence (the armor acts as a
mnemonic spell book). Unfortunately, the armor
also imposes the will of Xaurauns eternal spirit
upon the wearer. If the wearer is the true
reincarnation of Xauraun, then he recovers all
memories of his long life. If it is someone else,
then that person is dominated (no saving throw)
to seek out the nearest piece of armor or the
reincarnated Xauraun, to insure that armor and
body are properly reunited.

Zingar
Keeper of the Hunt
Profile: hunters, rangers, justice, survival, instinct
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Caelernin, Zarn, Hettanar
Autrengard, Zymhar, and Niras in Hyrkania
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any, especially humans, elves,
syleni, and dwarves
Alignment: As a ranger
Favored Weapons: The Long Bow
Description: Zingar is also a god of the Middle
Kingdoms, said to be a brother to Death and
Slithotep. His mortal crypt can be found in the
Slithotendan Mountains. Throughout Niras and
the northern lands he is the god of the hunt and
the spirit of the beast. His divine aspect said to
materialize on key days of sacred hunting, and

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 The Amechian Pantheon
Amech is a harsh land of trackless jungles,
fierce wilderlands, aboriginal tribes and hidden
jungle kingdoms. The greatest natural beasts of
the continent, elephants, thrive in the region,
while more fearsome predators such as the
Terkithyi and CodamTkezzu are fierce
opponents. Gentel beastmen, wild elves,
ancient undead Kadantanian sorcerers and
prehuman ruins riddle the land. The gods of the
Amechian region are a harsh lot, and expect
strict sacrifice and dedication.
The Amechian cosmology postulates a Spirit
World, which appears to be a demiplane
connected to the dreamlands of Ethenur and
the Celestial Kingdom. The Spirit World holds
many powerful, ancient beings, and is the
domain of the Amechian gods. This land is
sometimes called the Otherworld, and all
members of the Amechian pantheon seem to
have homes there.
The gods of the Amechian pantheon are
different from the traditional Middle Kingdoms
pantheon in that they all seem to exist as
corporal beings who move freely between their
Otherworld and the mortal plane. Some
cosmologists speculate that, at the time of the
War of the Gods, the demiurges of Amech
sought refuge in the Otherworld to avoid
destruction, though their chief lord, Amech,
fought and fell in the War.
The principle people who worship these gods
include Belladas, Hotepsala, Corvante, the
Chigros, and the Hubinde.
Amech
Keeper of The Land
Profile: Patron of Belladas, protector of the
Amechian kingdoms, warrior of life and order.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: Elder God
Realms of Worship: In Amech, especially among
the Belladasians.
Genders Allowed: men alone take up the
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priesthood of Amech. Women are not
considered able to channel the spirit of Amech,
and therefore are unable to practice granted
magic.
Races Allowed: only humans may follow
Amech, though half elves might as well.
Alignment: any non evil..
Favored Weapons: Amech favors the great
spear, javelin, and short swords (dual fighting
style).
Description: Amech is one of the elder gods of
the Middle Kingdoms pantheon, and unique for
having spawned an entire sub-pantheon
dedicated entirely to his worship. Amech very
specifically watches over the kingdoms named
after him, including Belladas, the Chigros,
Covarte and even the many people of the evil
empire Hadros. Some say that long ago, after
the Prehunate empire in the region was
destroyed, that Amech took the blame
personally and decided to serve as the lands
protector, insuring that its people not succumb
to the same dire fate as their remote forebears.
Amech learned the secrets of the Otherworld
first and foremost, and through it he taught the
spirits, all elemental beings, demigod children
sprung from his love of mortal women, and
primal animal beings from the dawn of creation
how to traverse this realm. As a result, the
Amechian gods took on their own unique
character, and began to move apart from the
dictates of the other gods in the Middle
Kingdoms pantheon.
In Belladas and elsewhere, a fierce cult of
warrior-priests and paladins are dedicated to
serving Amech, preserving the land from
corruption and defending its people from
invaders. Only men are allowed to join, as
women are unable to receive the magical gifts
of Amechs spirit.
Appearance: Amech appears as a seven-foot tall
warrior of supreme physical fitness, armed with
two admantite short swords and a long spear
which can penetrate any armor or defense to
 slay instantly. Like most of the elder gods, his
corporeal form was slain in the War of the Gods,
and his body lies in a hidden tomb in Ashturaks
Mountains. He acts through his chosen Avatar,
who is granted his artifact weapons and a
mission to carry out the gods will. The ritual of
succession is very complicated and important
for the followers of Amech, as there must
always be an avatar representing the god, but
only a follower who Amech personally chooses
through the course of trials will actually get the
task.
Belphegor
See the Eastron Pantheon
Bekphegor is worshipped by many in the
Hadrosian kingdom within the region of Amech,
and his veneration among the people of the
jungle go back to the days of the Kadantanian
empire. His strongest worship is in the kingdom
of Draskis in the east, however, and so more
details about Belphegor can be found in the
Eastron Pantheon section.
Cerybane
See the Elvish Pantheon
Cerybane is principally an elvish deity, but
through the Siviante elves, she has found a place
in the lands of Amech. Most of her followers
there are the siviante elves, but some shamanic
orders of women worship her, as well.
Choktun
Keeper of Immortality
Profile: magic, the quest for knowledge,
immortality and ascension.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: demiurge
Realms of Worship: In Amech, especially among
Corvante and Belladas.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: any, but mostly human.
Alignment: neutral good.
Favored Weapons: Choktun favors no weapons
save the staff and the club.
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Description: The tales of Choktun speak of a
great shaman of old, a practitioner of spirit
magic who learned the secrets of the afterlife
and beyond. In his vision quests through the
spirit world, he sought the domains of each of
the great old spirits, and visited them. Each
time, he offered a piece of knowledge from the
mortal plane in exchange for the answer to a
question. The spirits, envious of mortal
creatures, willingly acceded to such an offer. He
would let them experience a portion of
mortality through his own life, and in exchange,
he asked questions such as, What is the secret
of immortality? and Where is the path to
divine ascension? When his journey was done,
he had all of the pieces to the great puzzle, and
ascended to the heavens, an immortal and a
god.
Choktun is seen as a patron of shamans and
mages in Amech. Old Idean codices link him to
Nistur, a brother to the god of magic, though his
Amechian tales clearly mark him an ascended
mortal. His followers are reclusive, rarely
congregating save to share knowledge. A small
monastery dedicated to Choktun is located in
Carapas, chief city of the Corvante Kingdoms in
the northlands of Amech where the jungles
stretch in to the Great Plains. A second, smaller
monastery can be found in the Belladasian lake
city of Talac.
Appearance: An ancient shaman, wizened
beyond his years, who lives at the top of the
highest peak in the Forgers Mountains.
Dakkanich
Keeper of Lost Knowledge and Ancestors
Profile: Dreams, ancestors, passage of the dead,
knowledge, luck.
Faction: Lord of Order (death)
Rank: lesser god
Realms of Worship: The lands of Amech.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: any.
Alignment: true neutral.
Favored Weapons: the staff, dagger, blow gun,
and dart.
Description: The dreadful dreaming serpent of
Ethenur, this great god-like beast is revered by
 some Oineriomancers in the Amechian
kingdoms for the hallucinogenic dreams they
receive from this entity. The tales say Dakkanich
is so immense that his tail rests in the fabled
Spirit World of Amechian lore and his head rests
dreaming in the endless plains of Ethenur.
Dakkanich has long been regarded as the
symbolic keeper of knowledge, as well as the
protector of ancestors. In Amechian lore, the
spirit which leaves the body becomes trapped in
dream time, where it can find the body of
Dakkanich and cross over in to the spirit world,
and from there to the afterlife. Dakkanich is a
bridge down which all ancestral spirits wander.
Most Belladasian nobles have some
ornamentation of the sleeping serpent in their
households or on their person as a sign of good
luck. In Belladas, a small society of priests serves
as diviners, dream mages, and ceremonial
masters of seasonal holidays in the land. Most
such priests are also nobles and scholars.
Appearance: A serpentine beast, sometimes like
an oroborous, and at other times like a straight
horned serpent floating on water.
Hanahook
Keeper of Might
Profile: Strength, war, the hunt, elephants.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: lesser god
Realms of Worship: Hanahook is worshipped
among the Amechian kingdoms.
Genders Allowed: Most all of Hanahooks
faithful are men, but occasional strong warrior
women worship him, as well.
Races Allowed: Humans, mostly, but some
beast men as well.
Alignment: neutrality.
Favored Weapons: Hanahook favors those who
use brute force, hand to hand combat such as
wrestling and brawling. Clubs, spears, axes, and
javelins are also permitted.
Description:
The immense elephant god of war is a symbol
of strength among all Amechians, and a potent
deity for shamans and hunters among the
Chigros and Hubinde. Hanahook may well be a
great spirit being from the Otherworld, or he
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
may be some sort of primal god, a child of
Wolfon or Baragnagor, perhaps, as is suggested
by the Idean Codices.
Hanahook is known to manifest physically for
his most powerful followers, sending corporeal
manifestation which can prove devastating
against whole armies. He is not a god of
civilization, and will never manifest for men who
embrace language, arts, and the trappings of the
city.
Appearance: A man with the head of a bull
elephant, dressed only in a loin cloth. His
depiction in Chigros and Hubinde murals is
simple, that of a stylized stick-figure in wall
paintings and war paint. The Belladasians,
fascinated by his imagery even if they lack the
shaman cults, make stone idols of the god, as it
is considered good luck for a household.
Lako
Lord of Lust and Hubris
Profile: spawn of Set, lord of corrupted kings,
patron of lust and hubris.
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Rank: demiurge
Realms of Worship: Lako is worshipped
exclusively in Amech, and it seems his power as
a demigod is limited to that land, due to his
dismembered state.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: All, but especially humans and
Terithyi. The Codam TKezzu would love to
worship Lako, but each time a cult has arisen in
their serpent-haunted lands, it is annihilated by
the ruling god-king. Some green dragons see
Lako as a being to respect or even worship, and
believe that if they can find and ingest a portion
of his flesh, they will gain godlike powers.
Alignment: Lako is a lord of law and evil, like his
father. His is the essence of true evil through the
harshest enforcement of laws and restrictions.
The evil king, the bloody chieftain, the vicious
warlord, all hear the shispers of Lako in their
dreams.
Favored Weapons: The servants of Lako favor
the whip, the morning star, nets, and poisonous
daggers.
Description: In the vast lands of Amech, Lako is
 synonymous with evil, deviltry, betrayal, and
corruption. Lako is said to have first gained
worship about the time that the men of Belladas
learned to ways of elitism and rulership,
abandoning their egalitarian tribal life. Some
myth tales say that Lako appeared, a whispering
serpent or dragon, to speak of such ways of
class and rulership in the ears of greedy men, so
as to destroy the peaceful life of the
Belladasians forever more. Most rulers in
Belladas will cut the heads off of any storytellers
who recount such myths.
Lakos symbol is an ancient variation of the
symbol for Set, a god of similar prominence in
the Middle Kingdoms. Some scholars of religion
have proposed the Lako is merely an incarnation
of Set, who sought to extend his worship in to
the Amechian lands. They are wrong, for Set
himself is competitive with Lako in the jungle
kingdoms.
In fact, Lako is the son of a Kadantanian
sorceress named Dar Eshbina, who sought to
gain power by seducing Set when he still
walked, in mortal form upon the earth in
ancient times. She secretely gave birth to the
draconic serpent Lako, and raised him to be her
prodigy of evil. When the time came to unleash
him upon the land, and for her to gain the
throne, Dar Eshbina was betrayed by him, for
Lako wanted the power she craved as well, and
he devoured his own mother.
For a time, Lako was ruler of ancient
Kadantania. When time came for the War of the
Gods, the Lords of Chaos called upon him, but
he was defiant, and Dalroth came before him,
and realized Lakos heritage with Set, who,
though evil, was a cunning lord of Order. He
slew Lako in bloody battle, and dismembered
his corpse, spreading it across the dark jungles.
Over the centuries, dark boccor shamans
would dream strange nightmares, and find the
disembodied spirit of the demigod calling to
them, luring them to the burial grounds of his
decapitated pieces. Gradually, Lako gained a
new following, and bit by bit, his followers have
sought out his dismembered form and restored
Lako to a semblance of his self, it is said, in the
darkest valleys of the Great Peak region in the
Forgers Mountains.
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Appearance: Lako is depicted is a serpent or a
dragon, and his symbol is the most ancient one
of Set from three thousand years ago. In reality,
Lako is a series of enormous, disembodied part
shift form to that of deformed draconian
entities. He can project a human illusion at will,
of a tall, handsom Kadantanian man with dark
hair, slanted eyes, and a striking physique. He
has an enormous appetite, literally, for young
virginal women.
Lalawanaghin
Profile: The Trickster King, Lord Fool, Monkeys
Faction: He chooses no faction
Type: demiurge
Realms of Worship: Throughout Amech
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: all
Alignment: any non lawful
Favored Weapons: The quarterstaff and spear
Description: Lalawanaghin is the trickster god of
the Amechian pantheon,a devlish monkey god
who is the fool and charlatan of the heavens,
revealing the imperections of his peers through
his own ineptitude. His flock is few, but chosen
carefully by the god through visions sent to
shamans during their youth. The cult of the
monkey god performs his mysterious requests,
following cryptic visions and mysterious missives
while leading lives as fools, grifters, daredevils,
charlatans and sometimes even truth speakers.
Many of his followers are not really priests at all,
but dedicated monks and rogues.
Appearance: Lalawanaghin looks like a human-
like monkey, dressed in beautiful gilded hide
armor and wielding a long bo staff. He very
much prefers the mortal plane, and is said to
move amongst the kingdoms of Amech, sewing
trouble wherever he goes.
Lanako
See Naril in the Middle Kingdoms
Lanako is another name for the prolific sun
god Naril, creator of man and lord of light.
Lanakos chief difference in the Amechian
pantheon is that he is not the lord of the gods in
 this pantheon, but instead the trusted right
hand man of Amech himself. Lanako is also
pictured as a fierce warrior of local tribes, and
favors the spear and javelin over the sword for a
weapon. In all other respects, including the
feverish dedication of his local priests (called the
Warriors of the Sun), Lanakos worship is the
same.
MawBwok
Profile: Devourer of Souls, the destroyer
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Type: lesser god
Realms of Worship: Amechain kingdoms
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Any chaotic
Favored Weapons: chains, spiked gauntlets,
maces
Description: MawBwok is the Eater of Souls,
the destroyer or men and the corruptor of
spirits. He is the chaotic god of the apocalypse in
the Amechian Pantheon, a lord of chaos who
cares not if the war is ended, for he lives only to
see the destruction of the universe.
MawBwok is said to exist in the realm called
Otherworld, a mysterious netherrealm between
the dreamlands of Ethenur and the mortal
plane, a demiplane of the Ethereal where
MawBwoks terrible designs have created a
replication of the hellish nightmare he would
like to make the mortal realm. His followers,
though few, are very powerful, rewarded with
terribly detructive energy and the desire to use
it. His worship is the secret cult behind the
sorcerers of Hadros, and his will channels
through his subjects to drive that empire to
conquer and lay waste to all that stand before it.
MawBwok has created his own special spirit
servants, called the MaLoas. The MaqLoas are
fragments of his own chaotic form, devlish
spirits sent to corrupt and drive mortal men to
do evil and destructive works in the name of the
dark god.
Appearance: MawBwok is depicted in an
abstract geometric pattern in temples. His true
form is so terrifying to behold that it causes
most men to fall dead on the spot (Wisdom
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check at a 12 penalty to avoid dying and
instead gain 2 negative levels).
NanokTin
Profile: The Hundred Hummingbirds, bringer of
rain, caretaker of the home
Faction: Lords of Order
Type: demiurges
Realms of Worship: Amechain lands
Genders Allowed: all,mostly women
Races Allowed: any, mostly humans and
Baltorklani
Alignment: any lawful or neutral
Favored Weapons: spears
Description: The Hundred Hummingbirds, the
Middle tongue translation of the Belladasian
name NanokTin, refers literally to the fact that
NanokTin is seen as a composite god, a mosaic
of literally hundreds of lesser household spirits
who, when the are drawn together through
ritual dance, bring good weather and rain to
needy crops and villages. NanokTin may very
well be unique in Lingusia, a god composed of
hundreds of separate lesser beings that can
merge together to create a single being.
NanokTin is very much a fae creature, and the
Hundred Hummingbirds are closely connected
to the Weirding Realm, though they are also
equally tied to the mysterious Otherworld.
The priestesses of NanokTin are famous for
their costumes and dancing, as the rituals to
summon the magic of NanokTin require such
devotion and performance to create their
magic. Belladas is the center of this practice, but
the NanokTin are widely recognized by humble
villagers and priests everywhere in Amech,
including the Chigros and even the Talonabro.
Appearance: The diverse appearances of these
mostly invisible spirits is too numerous to
mention. They are best described as an
amalgam of every creature in the Amechian
forests, with winged fae aspects mixed in. The
merged form of NanokTin is said to be that of
an immense column of fae light that dazzles and
swirls among the worshippers observing it.

SheSek
Profile: The Jewel of the Eternal River, Lord of
the Waters, and the Giver and Taker of Life
Faction: Lord of Order (death and life)
Type: demiurge
Realms of Worship: Amech, especially Covarte
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: all
Alignment: any
Favored Weapons: the whip, spear and madu
Description: SheSek is said by some shamans of
Belladas to have been a MaLoa of MawBwok
who once escaped and became the patron of
the eternal river. The Eternal River is the
unending river of life and death that flows
through all realms and connects all bodies of
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
water. SheSek escaped in to this realm, and in
the process became the caretaker of this eternal
passage. As such, he appears only at rivers and
waters with fast currents.
SheSek is revered in Covarte as a sort of
blessing and curse by the river people. It seems
that the god is especially fond of appearing in
this region. Tales of enemies of the Covarte
being destroyed by the river god while trying to
ford the protective moats to the cities of the
Covarte people are enough to keep foes wary.
Appearance: SheSeks natural form seems to be
a potentially unending serpentine dragon with
glittering scales of a rainbow hue, impressive
horns and a ferocious attitude. Even his
followers dread being too close to the water
when he manifests.
 The Elvish Pantheon
The Elves of Lingusia are spread throughout
the continent, but due to their near immortality,
they retain a stronger sense of culture and
maintain a longevity in common beliefs and
faith that no other race sees. As such, they have
a unique pantheon, a collection of deities that
stem from the Weirding, or were adopted from
other religions. Selene, for example, is the
principle deity of the elvish religion, but she is
also a principle deity in the Middle Kingdoms as
well, as her prominence as a fertility goddess
makes her so important to all. Others, such as
Elisin and Ailyenarion, were once human gods,
but adopted and now almost exclusively
worshipped by elves.
The elvish lands of Lingusia include Silvias,
Suethenur, the Faerie Woods of Octzel, the
Siviante tribelands, and Niras. The Ashtarth
elves can be found in Dahik, and in some hidden
eastern lands of Amech.
Ailyenarion
The Fire Bringer
Profile: Bringer of fire, patron of pyromancy,
lord of the flames of man
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: demiurge
Realms of Worship: Old Galonian, Elvish, Middle
Kingdoms.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: Only the elves of house Ilmatar
remember this god.
Alignment: lawful good.
Favored Weapons: all scimitars, kukri dagger,
and kopesh.
Description: The oldest tales found say that
Ailyenarion was the first man to steal fire from
he heavens, and bring it to fellow men. In later
times Ailyenarion was known to be a powerful
demiurge of fire in the realms of Old Galonia.
His power was great, and his worship spread to
the suetheinurian elves, among which the
members of house Ilmatar took to his worship,
learning their ways of pyromancy. He was a god
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who walked always in mortal form, said to have
once been an Avatar of Naril, who sought to
learn the edicts of the sun god, and follow in his
ways. He was still a demiurge, however, a force
of the land, the physical embodiment of fire. He
had not yet achieved his divine form.
Alas, the ancient Galonian pantheon fell in to
ruin, as too many of its gods were said to have
been slain in the great War, when the heavens
were ripped asunder, and the Lords of Chaos
fought against Order. Twelve gods among the
Galonians fell in mortal form, and when
Ailyenarion fell, it is said his body ignited in a
great burning flame, like a sun fallen upon the
earth, and he immolated ten thousand devonin
warriors sieging his citadel in the Valley of the
Gods in Galvonar.
Ailyenarions citadel was blasted into slag by
his passing, but a fragment of his essence and
spirit still rests in the flames of every camp fire,
candle, and dancing ember in the world. The
elves of house Ilmatar claim they can still
commune with him through his fiery being, and
that his true spirit passed on to the divine realm
of Naril upon his death.
Appearance: Ailyenarion was a great warrior of
human and elvish traits, wreathed in limnal
flame
Cerybane
Queen of Fae Beauty
Profile: fae beings, beauty in nature, protection of the
elves, true love.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: lesser goddess
Realms of Worship: throughout Amech and
among all elvish realms.
Realms of Worship: Among the elves of Amech,
some Kythians.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: elves exclusively.
Alignment: chaotic good.
Favored Weapons: the dart, dagger, short
sword, bow, blow pipe, and mace.
Description: Not a weak or forgotten goddess,
 Cerybane is highly esoteric nonetheless.
Cerybane is the demiurge of the fae realms, the
keeper of the Weirding. In Lingusia, her
followers number mostly among fae folk,
Kythians, and faerie kin. She is cared for and
worshipped by the Siviante elves of Amech.
In legend, Cerybane was said to be the
daughter of the first King and Queen of the
faerie, and was touched with the divine gift by
Amech, who became enraptured with her
beauty. She eventually left the fae realms to join
Amech in his jungle citadel, where they ruled for
eons before the War of the Gods. They fell
together in battle, and now exist in the celestial
heavens, presiding over their demiplanes.
Appearance: Cerybane is petite, of the smaller
elvish kin, and indescribably beautiful. Her elvish
priests do not even try depict her form, instead
using runes and abstract depictions of flowers to
symbolize her in art.
Elisin
Keeper of Wisdom and Elders
Profile: veneration of the elderly, wisdom,
learning
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: lesser goddess
Realms of Worship: mostly among elves, and by
humans in the region of Niras.
Genders Allowed: women.
Races Allowed: elvish and human, some syleni
and gnome.
Alignment: Elisin is neutral good, her followers
are all good or neutral, but never evil.
Favored Weapons: none.
Description: Elisin is the goddess of ancient
wisdom, old age, and long life. Elisin is usually
depicted in sacred murals as an ancient woman
of half-elvish and human descent, wise beyond
imagining and surrounded by adoring children.
Elisin is seen in some tales as a harsh old
woman who observes or imparts tough life
lessons on the young in a Grimms Tales sort
of fashion. Among elvish poets and bards, she is
spoken of as an infinitely kind and wise woman
who dwells in the depths of the Weirding, and is
the keeper of the Spring of Knowledge, from
which the essence of learning is drawn. Most
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suspect that both views are right.
There is no cult of Elisin, though it is said that
there was a strong priesthood before the War of
the Gods, but they were all killed in her defense
when the demons overran CortiZahn and slew
her mortal form. Her tomb is unknown, and no
temple stands in her honor save the ruins of the
one in CortiZahn.
Once in a while, a woman of many years who
has lost all she care for or loves, but who
perseveres in the face of great opposition, is
given a vision by Elisin, and receives a calling to
take up the faith and worship of this goddess.
These few women, wandering the land and
aiding the needy and teaching the ignorant, are
the select priestesses of Elisin.
Appearance: An elderly, harsh old woman of
wizened age and appearance, sometimes kindly.
Poltrietie
Keeper of Sacred Life
Profile: The New Moon, The World Tree
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: demiurge
Realms of Worship: Sylvias, among druids
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: all
Alignment: as druids
Favored Weapons: as druids
Description: Poltrietie is the new world tree.
The old world tree fell to Ashtarth corruption
during the attempted invasion of Sylvias, and
though it yet lives, the tree is corrupted and ill.
Poltrietie was created in the sky as a living
world, born from the seed of the old world tree
in a moment of prophecy, heralding the time of
the Reckoning. Druids and nature worshippers
across the land revere Poltrieitie, a small and
distant green moon in the night sky.
Appearance: Poltrietie is a small green orb that
appears in the night sky, the second moon after
Selene. It has a fast orbit, moving around
Lingusia twice for every rotation of Selene.
Visitors with magical means (such as
Etherengines or magical teleportation) who visit
Poltrietie find it to be a luch garden world, a
single great life-sustaining world tree that
grows, creating an entirely new planet. It is
 cared for by the mysterious Naelythian elves.
Selene
See Middle Kingdoms Pantheon
Though Selene is a chief goddess of the elves,
she is also regarded as one of the most
important goddesses of the Middle Kingdoms
pantheon, as well. Her main entry can be found
there, but he dominant priesthoods are elvish.
Temina
Profile: The mistress of Bards and Minstrells,
Keeper of music and beauty
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: demiurge
The Eastron Pantheon
The Eastron Kingdoms are culturally related to the
Middle Kingdoms, but have seen much influence
from eastern culture out of Takkai, and Karaktu to
the south. The cultural precedent of Zued,
Namintha, Bodlon, Cretea and Cymeer is trade, and
the intermixture of societies and religions have
created some unique beliefs. It has also led to some
very specific regional gods, adopted specifically
because they have no counterparts anywhere else,
and take on a zealous regional pride in their worship
of these beings such as Jannos and Bashtron.
Some of these gods are directly related to gods in
the Middle Kingdoms pantheon. They are noted with
their Eastron Kingdoms names, as well.
Amehwy
Keeper of the Tablets of Law
Profile: protecter of Cymeer, lawbringer
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: demiurge
Realms of Worship:
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: humans exclusively.
Alignment: lawful good.
Favored Weapons: sword and lances.
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Realms of Worship: The Middle Kingdoms and
the North
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: all
Alignment: any
Favored Weapons: as per bards
Description: Temina is a fae being, a daughter of
Selene who sought to make her mother happy
by creating music and enriching the world with
art. Her followers are small in number, but are
almost all bards. A few priests favor Temina as
well, though they usually follow the training of
bards, too.
Appearance: Temina appears to be a radiantly
attractive young half-elven woman who can play
any instrument and sing any song with utter
perfection.
Description: This demiurge was a half-god who
sought to protect the land of Cymeer from evil.
Amehwy (Ah-MEH-way) was a great being, a
luminous son of the gods who claimed his father was
Naqril, wooed by the beauty of his mother, who
looked like the goddess of the Moon (Selene, or
Simma in Zued).
Amehwy set forth a Lex Talionis, a tablet of law in
Cymeer which dictated a regimen of rules for all
leaders to follow, and he ruled in a mortal form until
he began a long quest for the celestial kingdoms to
discover his lineage. He return a century later,
changed, claiming he was the one true god, and no
others stood before him. He left again, and did not
return until the great war against Draskis, when he
fought the demon god Belphegor, and was slain.
When the reckoning swept the world, the Cymeeri
people were saved, but the could not be saved by
the loss of their living god, who was entombed in a
grand pyramid outside of Bodlon, with a great
temple erected in front. His priesthood is small, and
only a few receive miracles from Amewhys divine
spirit, which they claim has now truly ascended to
the heavens.
Appearance: Amehwy manifested on the fields of
battle in the form of a knight clad in pure mithril
 armor, with a celestial steed, flanked by gold
dragons.
Bashtron
Keeper of Civilization
Profile: guardianship, civic duty, culture, veneration
of the dead.
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Rank: demiurge
Realms of Worship: Exclusively in Zued.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: All, but mostly men.
Alignment: lawful good, neutral.
Favored Weapons: The scimitar, bow, lance, javelin,
and dagger.
Description: In the great eastern city of Zued, a cult
venerating the founding king of the city, Bashtron,
has thrived as the civic religion of all kings since.
Bashtron was revered in life as the first man to bring
true civilization to the east, and as the stabilizing
force which united the ancient tribes of Zued in to a
powerful kingdom. His priesthood claims he was
elevated to demiurge status by the gods, and as
such, he has kept vigilant watch over the people of
Zued and its environs ever since.
The priesthood is small but dedicated. Usually,
last-born sons of lesser nobles and wealthy
merchants are given to the temple at an early age.
They are raised in the temple and taught the secrets
of the order. The priests of Basthron maintain the
Necropolis and catacombs of the city, as well as the
Library and the Hall of Rulers, where more than two
hundred great statues have been erected to
venerate the great line of kings going back to
Bashtron.
Appearance: Bashtrons idols depict him as a great,
bearded warrior riding a sphinx, his legendary mount
and companion called Eygilias. The beast was said to
have been a terror to the coast lands where Zued
was founded, and one of the many tasks Bashtron
had to complete was the taming of this wild beast.
Bastet
Mistress of Night
Profile: Mistress of cats, prowlers, wealth and
luxury.
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Faction: Lord of Order (death)
Type: lesser god
Realms of Worship: Once in Galonia, now in Zued
and Naminthia
Genders Allowed: women only
Races Allowed: humans and elves
Alignment: any
Favored Weapons: claws, daggers, whips
Description: Little is known about the goddess
Bastet, who was once one of the prime deities in the
lost Old Galonian pantheon. Like her sister,
Nephythis, she seems to have survived the death of
gods and kings by moving to other planar realms, but
occasionally her name or a rare worshipper will
surface, and for a short time the cult of Bastis will
reappear.
Bastis is a goddess of cats, as well as the mistress
of luxuries, nobility and wealth. She was once the
favored patron of the elite of Old Galonia. Her
temples can be found, usually submerged in the
sand, in the many ruins of the land.
Curiously, Bastet has experience a profound revival
in the unlikely kingdoms of Zued and Naminthia.
Here, her worship as a household goddess of the rich
and elite of te land has become very popular, and a
small priesthood of the cat goddess expound upon
her virtues in the household. Ownership of cats has
become more common, to try and gain favor with
the goddess.
Appearance: Bastis appeared to be a beautiful
woman with the head of a cat. Some suggest she
may have created all of the feline species of Lingusia.
Belphegor
The Corruptor
Profile: Belphegor embodies power, lust, fear,
torture, and agony, angst, envy, and hatred. He
offers his followers the means to master such
feelings and impose them on others.
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Rank: demiurge, demon lord
Realms of Worship: The lands of Amech and the
east have cults of Belphegor. The Divinate of
Southern Hyrkania once saw him as a potent
demiurge and included his name in many rites of
sacrifice.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: Belphegor welcomes all beings to
 the flock.
Alignment: chaotic evil.
Favored Weapons: Weapons which do egregious
damage, such as the axe, maul, mace, trident, and so
forth, but any weapon is appropriate for this god.
Description: This fallen demiurge of Chaos is said to
have died more deaths than most. Having been an
ancient devonin lord ensorcelled in to the service of
the Prehunate Empire ten thousand years ago,
Belphegor was slain on the fields of battle when the
gods cast down the heretical pre-human civilization
of old. Thousands of years later, the dark
necromancers of the Kadantanian Empire sought to
resurrect the demon god, and he was brought to life
through much sacrifice, rising from the festering
remains of his subterranean tomb to live anew. For
centuries, the Kadantanians were a force to be
reckoned with, but at last they were destroyed in
war, and Belphegors vampiric undeath could not be
sustained. He fell once again in to deathly slumber,
only to be awakened again by agents of Draskis, in
which descendents of the Kadantanian
necromancers had found new power. He became
the god of the Draskis, and in a period of war and
strife, the kingdom of Draskis almost destroyed the
eastern kingdom of Cymeer. Belphegor was
summoned on the fields of battle, in which the
Cymeeri god Amehwy and his seraphim minions
were also summoned, and the dark god slew the
Cymeeri demiurge. It was a terrible blow, and
Draskis swept over their foes like a great tidal wave,
but during the Reckoning, the powers of Chaos were
smitten by the triumph of Order, and Belphegors
life force was once again drained, and the terrible
beast fell. His followers, sundered and marked with
the taint of the sherigras, built the Draskis
Necropolis about his festering corpse, hoping to find
a way to channel new energies in to his body.
Eventually, the Cymeeri people rose up against their
oppressors, and conquered the Draskis people. The
Necropolis Draskis fell silent, no more desperate
offerings brought to it. It seemed that Belphegor
would rest forever more.
Most recently, the Red Dragon Comet appeared in
the sky, heralding an eons old return of the great
balance. The comet was stricken from the sky by the
might of the new Dark Lord of Chaos, as Xauraun
Vestillios stole the power of his forebears, and the
rain of debris from the comet brought an explosion
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of raw chaos energy upon the land. One such meteor
plunged in to the heart of the Necropolis Draskis,
and penetrated the heart of Belphegor. Like a
cardiac patient under the paddles, his necrotic being
shook with painful awareness, and he was once
again brought to vampiric life. Now, infused with
new power, Belphegor schemes to draw forth new
followers and carve out a new empire of darkness in
the land.
Appearance: A terrible black toad, the size of a
dragon. Upon his back are the countless souls of his
most faithful, flailing their limbs about, trapped in
his form like abominable warts. He can release these
trapped beings, who defend him as various demons
and undead.
Jannos
Lord of the Sacred Oasis
Profile: winds, the sacred oasis, fire, life.
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Rank: lesser god
Realms of Worship: Jannos is a god of the Eastron
pantheon, among the nomads of the vast deserts.
Genders Allowed: All, but the sacred dervish
priestesses are favored.
Races Allowed: any who brave the NyKoddin
Wastes.
Alignment: neutral, chaotic.
Favored Weapons: The scimitar, bow, and dagger.
Description: The Kykoddin Wastes are a land of
desert genies, spirits, djinn, and other elemental
beings feared by the rough nomads of the region.
Jannos is their queen, a sorcerous demigod and
mistress of spirits, as well as the entity which
protects the nomads from such beings.
Jannos is seen as the counterbalance to the
dreadful lord of the sand, Ravanos, and the merciless
lord of the sun, Naqril. Jannos is the spirit of air and
fire, the guardian of the precious resources of the
land, and the spirit which takes pity on man.
A dedicated cult to Jannos can be found among the
Nykoddin nomads. These shamans are potent
summoners and diviners.
Appearance: A whirlwind of desert sand and wind,
with a vaguely humanoid appearance, which can
change in to a monstrous dragon of sand when
enraged.
 Naqril
See the Middle Kingdoms Pantheon
Naqril is the Eastron Kingdoms name for Naril, the
god of the sun and man. His worship in this land is
similar, and more can be read of this god in Narils
entry in the section on the Middle Kingdoms
Pantheon.
Ravanos
The Reaver
Profile: The Death Dealer, Reaver of the Desert
Sands, Old God of Kadantania, Patron of Hotepsala
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Type: demiurge
Realms of Worship: Hotepsala, The NyKoddin
Wastes, and perhaps in Hadros
Genders Allowed: mostly men, some women
Races Allowed: humans, dark elves, shapeshifters,
orcs and terkithyi
Alignment: any chaotic or evil
Favored Weapons: The scimitar, falchion, bow
Description: Ravanos, the devil of the desert, reaver
of the winds, is a terrible demiurge who dominates
the lands of the NyKoddin wastes and Hotepsala.
Within the desert lands he is feared and his haggard
cult serves to appease and control him. Within the
lands of the Hotepsalans, a controlling priesthood
sacrifices to him regularly in exchange for power and
the control of their people.
Ravanos is believed to have been a principle god of
the old Kadantanians, and evidence for such can be
found in their ancient ruins. Ravanos may have been
driven out by the god Amech, and forced to exist on
the fringes of his native territory, with no choice but
to bond to the eastern pantheon. Many suspect that
Ravanos would dearly love to return to being
worshipped in Amech, and that the Hadrosian
expansion is part of just such an effort.
Appearance: Ravanos appears as a demonic dust
storm with the guise of a hideous entity swirling
within. Ravanos seems to be as much a elemental
being as a demiurge, and many travelers in the
NyKoddin Wastes can speak of actually seeing him
appear.
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Vishannu
The Cosmic General of War
Profile: The supreme lord of combat, master of the
art of war and patron of strategists and commanders
Faction: Lord of Order and Chaos
Type: lesser god
Realms of Worship: Zued, Vyrindia, Naminthia,
Persedonia ,and in small pockets throughout the
Middle Kingdoms.
Genders Allowed: any, and amazons
Races Allowed: humans
Alignment: lawful or neutral, good or evil
Favored Weapons: all weapons, but especially two
handed swords, falchions, and great scimitars.
Description: Vishannu began as the god of tactics
and warfare in distant Aljhira of Takkai many
thousands of years ago, but migrated to Lingusia,
where his temples appeared in early war-torn Zued
and eventually were adopted by a truly fanatical cult
of women who founded the kingdom of Vyrindia
deep within the heart of Amech.
Vishannus expansion as a god has been slow in the
west, but his importance elevated dramatically after
the Reckoning. With the war between Order and
Chaos won, Vishannu found himself keeper of an
army of Einheriar, occupying his fortress on the disk
of the sun in the shadow of Narils great palaces. The
great war was over, and hardly a shot had been
fired, a sword swung. The very impetus of chaos,
MalaKor itself, had been driven from creation by the
might of the founding goddess GaThika.
Over the next several centuries, as Vishannu
realized his role in the grand scheme was now
relegated to seeking the worship and favor of
mortals, the god began to hatch a scheme to return
the universe to a new state. Trapped on the disk of
the sun was the soul and disembodied form of
Xauraun Vestillios, trapped in permanent exile so
that he would never return to the mortal realm
again. Xauraun engaged Vishannu in much discourse,
and at last convinced him that if he were freed,
Xauraun could single-handedly restore the war and
therefore Vishannus reason for being.
Xaurauns spirit was at last freed by Vishannu, and
the eternal son of chaos did, indeed, reincarnate and
grow to start his reign of terror again, this time
stealing the chaotic energy of the rogue comet the
Red Dragon. He ascended to demiurgehood, and
 immediately set about restoring the Courts of Chaos.
Vishannu, in turn, has used his minions and
resources to disable the passage of knowledge from
the mortal plane to the higher celestial courts where
the elder gods retired, preventing them from
discovering what is happening below. Vishannus
scheme is to make himself the head of a new order,
one which transcends the old dictates of chaos and
order, and begin a truly apocalyptic war in the
mortal realm, at which he will be the head. When he
is done, Vishannu plans to remake the universe in his
own image of eternal conflict, and then use the
mortal plane as a staging ground for the rest of the
many universes beyond. As a result of his betrayal,
Vishannu may be the single most important god in
the pantheons right now, as well as the greatest
betrayer of all.
The grand scheme of Vishannu could take
generations to complete, or perhaps only a few
years, if he feels haste is in order. Part of the scheme
involves cutting the elder gods off from the world
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forever more. If Vishannu succeeds, then he must
also seek out and destroy or subjugate all lesser gods
and demiurges in the land. His vision of forging the
material plane in to an army that can conquer the
metaverse is designed to provide limitless plot hooks
for campaigns and adventures, as servants and
intermediaries of the god act to fulfill his schemes.
Likewise, minions of Xauraun will work in opposition,
as they try to restore the lost might of the Courts of
Chaos.
Appearance: Vishannu wears blood-red armor
forged from the heart of the sun. He is tall (9 feet)
but moves with alarmingly protean speed. He is
startlingly rugged and handsome and very well
spoken. He has the army of the Enheriar at his
command, as well as a handful of devonin who have
defected to his cause. He is courting Wishupar,
Ravanos, and certain other gods to be his allies on
this matter, though time will tell if they choose to
side with him or the old way.
 The Beast Gods
Many gods are exclusively worshipped by certain
humanoids and monstrous beings. Some of these
gods are recognized as part of the Middle Kingdoms
Pantheon or others, but rarely are human and
demihuman followers of these gods encountered.
The Beast Gods themselves do not form a specific
pantheon, but they do reflect the commonality of
belief between different species and their creator
gods.
Baragnagor
Profile: Lord of orcs, prince of deformity, monsters,
might, battle
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Amongst all orcs and beast-kin,
especially in Mitras Forest
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: orcs and beast kin
Alignment: any, especially neutral evil
Favored Weapons: any, especially the great axe and
double bladed great axe
Description: Baragnagor is one of Selenes bastard
offspring, or possibly a nephew. The deformed idiot
god is considered to have lacked imagination or full
ability, having been tainted by chaos. At the dawn of
creation, he observed the other deities creating their
children, the many races of the world. He is said to
have been unable to produce beings of his own, and
so he stole the body of man and the head of a beast
from the other gods. He jammed the parts together
at random, and created the orcs and other beast-kin
races. The orcs take this as gospel, though it does
not bother them that their god might be simple in
mind. Instead, the idea of a being whos thought is
singular means, in the orcish mind-set, that his vision
is clear for battle, a far more important virtue. Still,
the priests of Baragnagor seem to have no problem
scheming within the clans of the orcs.
Baragnagor is a conventional patron of the orcs,
and most all tribes at least have a shrine or shaman
dedicated to him, even if they have also chosen to
follow another deity or demon lord. Baragnagor
means strength, victory, and the defeat of enemies
in the orcish mindset.
As Baragnagor is a chimeric being, followers tend
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to regard other chimeric creatures as divine. Orcish
tribes who find a nest of chimerae, for example, will
try to tame them and raise the infants to be war
beasts.
Appearance: Baragnagor is depicted as a great,
deformed giant with the head of a crocodile and tail
of a dragon. His form changes over time, and his skin
is at once furry, scaly, and feathered. He is a terrible,
chmeric creature.
Kathack
Profile: lord of insects and abominations.
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Rank: elder god
Realms of Worship: Strong and exclusive among the
Kattachi, the insect men of Karaktu, the Khitteck,
and other insectiod and abomination races of the
underworld.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: Any insectoid or abomination
species may worship Kathack. Humans and other
beings that choose to worship Kathack will be
polymorphed by the will of the god in to an insectoid
abomination if they complete quest assigned by the
dark god, before being allowed to advance as
priests.
Alignment: chaotic neutral, neutral evil.
Favored Weapons: All blades weapons, poisons, and
curved weapons, especially those resembling pincers
and stingers, are allowed. If its sharp, pointy, and
curved, it counts.
Description: The dread lord of the insects, a god king
of Ethenur, the dreamlands, Kathack is the
embodiment of the mystical unknown and the
unknowable. Beasts and insects that are truly
inhuman and beyond imagining, are said to have
sprung in to creation from the errant dreams
of this dark and prodigious god.
Kathack has few, if any human worshippers, but
among the insect men of Karaktu, the khitteck
spiderfolk of the Faerie Woods, and the kattachi
scorpionmen of the Hyrkanian Deserts, Kathack is
dark and fearsome lord.
The worship of Kathack among his spawn is varied.
 Those who seek his power supplicate and obey,
turning to dark and ominous means of gaining their
gods favor. Others, less inclined to the spirit of evil
and touched by the spirit of GaThika, seek only to
offer sacrifice or worship in exchange for warding
bad luck or being left alone. The khitteck, expecially,
have no overt interest in the pursuit of evil as a
species, and tend only to see Kathack as the god who
blesses their hunt.
Appearance: Kathack appears as many different
monstrous beings, usually being depicted as
belonging to the species which is worshipping him in
a given area. Kathacks true form is ever-changing, a
great mass of parts and pieces belonging to all of his
spawn.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Kezzu
Profile: patron of the Codam TKezzu
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Type: demiurge
Realms of Worship: The Codam Empire
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: Only the Codam TKezzu are allowed
to worship Kezzu.
Alignment: Any evil.
Favored Weapons: The whip, pole arms, spur
fighting.
Description: Kezzu was the first Codam to break free
of the shackles of the Kadantanian Empire, and in
the myths of the lizard-like Codam, he is said to have
led them to their sacred valley where they rule their
slave kingdom. Kezzu was deified in life, and is said
to have transcended as a demigod in death. His
temple and tomb are in the center of the great
temple of Tizkon.
Appearance: Kezzu was a regal, multi-colored
Codam of clear noble birth. He is depicted in most
ceremonies as larger than life, and the Codam
priests use illusions to create imagery of his glory
that moves and acts as if real. Kezzu has spoken
often with his priests, it is said, appearing as a liche-
like being reflected in divining pools to the flock.
Seth See the Middle Kingdoms
Pantheon
Seth is a god of farmers, but has also become the
principle god of the Glythanyu, the grey orcs, who
have renounced the ways of the beast god
Baragnagor.
Trimelin
Profile: Lord of the Aquatic Deeps
Faction: Lord of Order (?)
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Aquatic beings, some coastal
communities with very old temples in Octzel and
elsewhere
Genders Allowed: any
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: any
Favored Weapons: spear, trident, net
 Description: The mystery of Trimelin is difficult to would pursue her throughout the night, howling as
unravel. God of the watery deeps longbefore Enki he did, and as his beasts now do in the present. As
came in to fashion, Trimelin is a god recognized by always, Selenes son Zingar and husband Naril would
the intelligent aquatic races as a patron and perhaps drive him away.
even creator. The god has temples in some remote Beastmen of many sorts, especially the Vyrkasha,
locations on the surface, and seems to have been a and therianthropes of all types favor the worship of
priesthood for thousands of years, but little or no Wolfon. Such worship is druidic in nature.
written material about this god has ever been
recorded. Some scholars worry that Trimelin bears a
certain similarity to the mysterious ancient gods, the
Kraken, but the similarities are tenuous at best.
Appearance: Trimelin is depicted as an immense
squid-like being dwelling in an ancient city beneath
the sea. Some aquatic beings claim to have actually
visited this location, and say the god is a very real
being, and that he exists only in the material realm.
It is possible that he never even participated in the
War of the Gods, and thus was never slain in the
corporeal world.

Wolfon
Profile: Keeper of the Beast Spirit, lord of the wilds
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Type: elder god
Realms of Worship: Throughout the world,
wherever beasts roam. Especially in the
NorthernWilderness, among the Vyrkasha
Genders Allowed: any
Races Allowed: any beastly
Alignment: Any chaotic or neutral
Favored Weapons: natural weapons only
Description: Wolfon is the beast lord, the creator of
true beasts and the master of the feral. He is the
embodiment of all that is wild. In the dawn of time,
the myths of the Idean Codices tell of how Wolfon
grew infatuated with the moon goddess, Selene, and

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Dead or Forgotten Gods
There are many deities that have fallen in to
oblivion, died, or simply been lost to the winds of
time and change in the world of Lingusia. A few
gods are young and have few followers. Still
others are so ancient almost none remember
them. Most of these gods still have a handful of
worshippers; others are remembered only in
forgotten tongues scrawled on tomb walls. All of
these gods still hold power, even if they are dead,
but none of these deities have the strength of the
popular gods.
Each deitys legacy shall be described below. A
character who follows the tenets of one of these
gods is in for a tough road; clerics of these gods
will always receive divine benefits, for even dead
and forgotten gods leave a permanent signature
of divine energy in their passing, but divinations
and communications with such gods can be
cryptic or nonexistent.
Ailyenarion See the Elvish
Pantheon The lord of fire has a lengthy
history with House Ilmatar of the elves, but he is
most definitely a forgotten god. See the entry on
him in the Elvish Pantheon for more.
Amehwy See the Eastron
Pantheon
Once a great demigod of the Eastron
Kingdom Cymeer, Amewhy was slain by
Belphegor. Now, though he is still important to
the Eastron pantheon, Amewhy has joined the
ranks of dead gods.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Aurumurvox, Lord
of Oblivion
Profile: Guardian of lost lore, keeper of the Orb,
Master of Oblivion, Keeper of Secrets
Faction: Lord of Order (death)
Rank: elder god
Realms of Worship: No one worships
Aurumurvox, precisely, but those who take
interest in him usually harken from the Middle
Kingdoms.
Genders Allowed: Men and very few women
take interest in the lord of oblivion.
Races Allowed: There are no racial restrictions.
Alignment: true neutral.
Favored Weapons: Aurumurvox has never
needed any weapon other than the secret he
keeps, and so his esoteric followers shun
weapons over magic, as well.
Description: Aurumurvox was one of a few gods
to survive the War of the Gods, retaining his
corporeal form and dwelling, as an immortal, for
eternity in his floating bastion in CortiZahn. He
was human by appearance, with an
indeterminate age and a hardened look, but eyes
of such black emptiness that those who looked
upon him could lose their minds and souls for all
time. He wore black robes and leathers,
concealing much of his form, and he presided
over his sole task, as keeper of the Orb of
Oblivion.
In the oldest fragmentary Idean texts, it was
said that on creation, an Orb of Power was
created for each great force in the universe, and
all lesser forces sprang from these Orbs. The first
Orb of Life, created the world of Order. The
second Orb, of Chaos, contained the essence of
the untamable and was used by MalaKor, the
primal god, to connect to the world of order that
he might corrupt it. The third Orb as Oblivion,
from which sprang the realm of Death and the
beyond. It was Aurumurvox to whom, somehow,
the protection of this third orb fell.
 Little else is known of this obscure god. For
countless thousands of years he has held his
peace in the Bastion of Eternity in CortiZahn, and
on only two occasions has be been disturbed.
Once, in the War of Strife, the forces of chaos
sought to steal the Orb of Oblivion and use its
power, but the power overwhelmed them, and
they were destroyed. The second time, during
the Reckoning, the prophecy of unity was
fulfilled, and all three orbs were brought
together, and merged in to an undefined whole.
Much treachery was afoot, however, for it was
the Minions of Set which intended to use the Orb
of Chaos to achieve ultimate power by merging it
with the Orb of Life, and Set himself set about to
gravely wounding Aurumurvox as he appeared
with the Orb of Oblivion, but Haro, the betrayer,
interceded and insured that the prophecy was
fulfilled and all three orbs were merged.
Aurumurvox was freed of his task at last, healed
of his grave wound by the life giving power of
GaThika. Today, his bastion remains a site of
much residual power, and certain powerful
beings and wizards have come and gone, seeking
to commune with this mysterious god for hidden
secrets of the ages, or to find a gateway to the
realms of oblivion.
Appearance: A human of indeterminate age,
cloaked in black garments.
Beredenos
Profile: Father of lost causes, alchemic mysteries,
research and discovery, gnomes
Faction: Lord of Order (life)
Type: lost god
Realms of Worship: none presently, save among
the most esoteric of scholars and researchers
Genders Allowed: any
Races Allowed: gnomes and humans, mostly
Alignment: Beredenos was neutral good
Favored Weapons: none
Description: Beredenos is mentioned many times
in older Idean Codices. He was a venerable god,
brother to Naril, and keeper of alchemical
secrets. One of Beredenos first alchemic
experiments is said to have produced the race of
gnomes from the essence of gold, creating the
first of their species. He was also revered as a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
patron of those who were tasked with the
hopeless or impossible.
Unfortunately, Beredenos was one of the gods
who fell in the War of the Gods, but not before
his fable tower of alechemy erupted in a magical
rift caused by his final, greatest experiment,
sucking countless attackers and unnamed
devonin lords in to the cosmic void, along with
the very essence of this god. Whatever amazing,
cosmic secrets Beredenos had uncovered, he
took it with him when he left, and no trace of this
gods divine power exists in the present.
It is possible that there may be one or two
priests dedicated to this god, though they are
likely to be both wizards and clerics, seeking the
path of the mystic theurge and drawing clerical
power from their own inner faith that Beredenos
did not, in fact, destroy himself in the War of the
Gods, but that he escaped through a cosmic rift
in to the true seat of creation, a land from which
no one, not even a god could or should want to
return from. He is, of course, still revered as
patron of gnomes among the short folk, who do
firmly believe that he is still out there, exploring
the cosmos and the planes.
Appearance: Beredenos was often depicted as a
gnome of middle years, avidly pursuing some
mystery or experiment.
Damortus
Profile: Keeper of the Armageddon Tower.
Faction: Lord of Order (both life and death)
Rank: elder god
Realms of Worship: Middle Kingdoms, in so far as
his only reference in any sacred text is in the first
volume of creation in the Idean Codices. No sane
person really worships Damortus, and few of the
mad even realize he is real.
Genders Allowed: all, though Damortus himself
has displayed an odd affection for women.
Races Allowed: all.
Alignment: true neutral.
Favored Weapons: No favored weapons.
Description: Damortus is the eternal lord of the
Armageddon Tower, a great structure in the
Dreamlands of Ethenur, which contains the
pictorial history of Creation from beginning to
end. The stories of Damortus (which are usually
 recorded in tomes written by wizards and
adventurers who have traveled to the tower in
person, for no common man has ever heard of
this god) say that his duty is to preside over this
tower until the day the final depiction is
rendered, at which time the great Armageddon
Clock which pours a fountain of blood in to the
Bowl of the Gods at the base of the tower will
strike midnight and the universe will end.
So far, this has not happened. Damortus keeps
strange entities in his service, both the Mirror
men and the Scissor men to protect the tower,
and some believe that Damortus uses his minions
to regularly sabotage the depictions of the tower,
forcing it to perpetually construct itself and never
end. Cults such as the Nihilists are said to pose a
threat to Damotus and his agents, seeking to
destroy them to allow the tower to complete
itself.
Damortus himself dwells in the upper reaches
of this seemingly infinite structure, where the
Tree of Life, the Tree of Death, and the Tree of
the Void rest (the sacred trees are said to have
born the fruit which became the Orbs of
Creation). Damortus appears as a robed invisible
figure, and he is usually eager to speak with
visitors, especially if they had the temerity and
will to make it to his private enclave in the tower.
All living beings, it is said, can find the depiction
of their own death somewhere in the tower, and
to see that death is madness inducing.
Damortus has no known cultists, though some
believe the enigmatic scissor men and mirror
men are his priesthood.
Appearance: An invisible figure cloaked in a black
robed lined with golden runes from the divine
tome of creation. He wears gloves, and moves
about with a strange disregard for time and
space, as he can stop and start time at will.
Eskandar
Profile: Dream slayer, harbinger of doom,
murder.
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Rank: demiurge
Realms of Worship: None; Eskandar is a lost
entity, and not a true god, but a Prehunate
immortal. He can grant a limited (very limited)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
number of followers access to the Destruction
ans Chaos domains.
Genders Allowed: All.
Races Allowed: mostly monstrous races and evil
men.
Alignment: Eskandar is Chaotic Evil.
Favored Weapons: scythes, sickles, swords, and
cleavers.
Description: He might be dead, and it is hard to
imagine that he is not. Eskandar was a powerful,
malignant entity, a sorcerer who defied death
and sought immorality. In his day, he discovered
that the being called Camazotz and the demons
of Xibalba held the ancient Orb, which took the
form of a great codex of evil, in the realm of
Mataclan. He tried to steal it, but failed.
Eskandar was an ancient Prehunate sorcerer
who escape the purge of the gods by transporting
his soul in to an ancient amulet, and dividing the
amulet in to seven demons which were bound to
his being. He scattered the demons across the
mortal realms, and charged them with his
protection. These beings, the Seven Earthbound
Lords of Hell, spent thousands of years trapped in
the mortal plane by their master.
Over time, mages seeking power would learn of
one or more amulets, and seek to bind the
demons which possessed them. The first and only
successful attempt was carried out during the
time of the Reckoning, when Eskandars amulet
was at last assembled and the cultists of Set led
by Catea Gonn Aleric attempted to steal the Orb
of Chaos for their dark god, but instead
unwittingly set about the process of the
Reckoning.
Eskandar might have been destroyed at that
time,
but no one can really say. To this day, it is
suspected by the Protectorate and some Solarian
Knights that cults of Eskandar still believ him
alive.Still, in the present, Eskandars existence is a
forgotten footnote in the annals of Lingusia. No
verified cults follow this being, and no entity has
met Eskandar in the Dreamlands and lived to tell
the tale.
Appearance: Eskandars spirit was a wanderer of
Ethenur and the Otherworld plane of spirits,
appearing as a great skeletal figure in a tattered
cloak which hovered, with terrible scythe-like
 claws and a bullls skull for a head. It could slay
mortal beings in dreams and reality, manifesting
simultaneously in both worlds in the minds of
dreamers which held a portion of Eskandars
amulet.
Galon
Keeper of Dead Empires
Profile: Patron of the kings of Old Galonia,
founder of the kingdom.
Faction: Lord of Order (death)
Rank: demiurge
Realms of Worship: The Old Galonian religion.
Genders Allowed: All were allowed.
Races Allowed: Galon was a god of men.
Alignment: Galon was lawful good.
Favored Weapons: The dagger, the shortsword,
the kopesh sword, and the bow.
Description: Galon is forgotten by all but a
handful of Galonian alchemists and scholars.
Once regarded in Old Galonia as the patron god
of the world and the kingdom, Galon is believed
to have been the first king of that land, and
favored of the gods. When he died, it is said he
achieved immortality and became a demigod of
the land. All kings in Old Galon thereafter were
worshippers of his once great cult, and he was
the lord of kings.
When Old Galonia fell, the kings cults collapsed
and a revolution among the people left most of
the old temples and libraries burned. The
worship of Galon and a number of other ancient
deities was eventually forgotten entirely. Only
within the last four centuries, as curious scholars
and antiquarians arose to study the ancient ruins
of Galonia, did knowledge of this forgotten god
come to light. Alchemists became especially
interested in Galon, as it was revealed in some
texts that Galon was purveyor of the secrets of
immortality and the keys to resurrection in the
afterlife. The rare scraps of text found in ancient
tombs suggested that the process was less divine
and far more mechanistic, replicable by modern
methods of understanding. As such, knowledge
of this god remains, even if his worship is gone.
Around 2455, a scholar of Nistur named
Deninar Yur sought to learn more of Galon and
the other lost gods of the Galonian region. He
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
came to believe that the worship of Galon ended
around 820 aw, when Old Galon, at its height,
conquered a land called Karak, which he believes
was to be found in the region of Hitattica in the
west. Shortly after the conquest of Karak, Old
Galon went in to decline, and the worship of
Galon ended between 900-1000. He speculates
that the region of Karak did not assimilate well,
and that a cultural and religious revolution pitted
Old Galonia against its king-priests. Moreover, he
suspects that Galon, as a god, may have
disappeared or been destroyed in the celestial
realms, for he finds texts which imply that the
priests were abandoned by him, and no longer
received divinations or miracles.
The Order of the Blue Robes has additional
information about that period, for when Xauraun
Vestillios manifested in 1960 aw, he took power
in New Galonia and used the labor forces to
excavate the ruins of a great city in the Dead Sea
region westward, in Hitattica. The Blue Robes
speculate that Xauraun may have been a power
in that time, and that there was a war of Order
and Chaos, in which Karak fell, but Old Galon lost,
as well, when Xauraun slew of banished Galon.
No one can say for sure, though.
Cults of the Kraken
The First Titans of Creation
Profile: Ancient Titans that slumber beneath the
earth and dream of awakening to conquer and
remake the world in their own inhuman image.
Realms of Worship: The Kraken are worshipped
by small but volatile and dedicated cults, as well
as by abominations and mutations such as the
hyshkorrid, gorgons, and skin walkers.
Faction: Unique; the first pantheon(?)
Type: Titans
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: If alignments apply to the Kraken,
they are decidedly Chaotic Neutral. Their
followers are usually chaotic and evil, and no one
thinks the Kraken have any good intentions.
Favored Weapons: The Kraken advocate no
single weapon, and their followers are handy
with whatever they can grab up.
 Description: The exact origin of these ancient
beings is uncertain, but it is suspected by some
religious scholars that there are between eight
and twelve great and ancient beings, each one
belonging to the ancient Pantheon of the Kraken.
These ancient titans were possibly the first proto-
gods to be created by the three principle divine
beings, but failed as keepers of the universe and
were sentenced to perpetual sleep by GaThika
within the depths of the earth. Small cults
manifest on occasion, dedicated to these ancient
beings. Their followers claim an ability to sense
the dreams and wishes of these creatures, and
that they seek to awaken and retake their place
in the cosmic order as the masters of creation.
The most recent such cult claims that the
particular Kraken they worshipis called Oborosh.
Recent efforts of a revived cult of the Kraken,
led by the seven sisters of Thaedros, all infernal
winged gorgons, have found a Codex of Prophecy
and divined from it that a magical helix of
sufficient power would be able to awaken a
Kraken. To this effect, they tried to steal the
armor of Xauraun, and attempted to capture the
resurrected form of Cassius Agustus, an Octzellan
mercenary who fit the description in prophecy of
the one who could bear the armor away from
Xauraun. The attempt failed, though the cultists
now plot how to slay Xauraun and retake the
armor to awaken the Kraken beneath Old
Chegga.
Appearance: The only Kraken witnessed by
surface dwellers appeared to have a giants body,
a head that was a mass of tentacles, and
reddened skin. It sleeps within a deep pool in the
deep caverns beneath the ruins of Old Chegga in
Mitras Forest. Each of the other Krakens are said
to have equally immense and horrifying forms,
and to slumber in ancient, remote regions of the
world. One is said to dwell in the heartlands of
Amech, another in the deep north of NakIvk, and
a third in the bottom of the Baldaric Sea. Others
have yet to be found.
Nephythis
Keeper of Tombs and Wealth
Profile: Protector of the entombed dead, patron
of merchants in Old Galonia
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Realms of Worship: Galonia, Galvonar
Faction: Lord of Order (death)
Type: elder goddess
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: all
Alignment: Any non chaotic
Favored Weapons: none (her followers take the
dagger and scimitar, usually)
Description: Nephythis was a goddess of the
ancient Old Galonian pantheon, a protector of
tombs in the mortal world, who saw to the
protection of the dead from tomb robbers and
necromancers. She is now barely remembered,
venerated only by a handful of Galonian families
of wealth who keep her spirit alive. Naphythis has
seen a minor resurgence in Jhakn, where it has
become fashionable to build a shrine to her at
the entrance to a family crypt.
Nephythis was also associated with wealth and
prestige, and her image was popular as a patron
goddess among the merchants of Old Galonia,
and even today she is still given prayers and
offerings at special shrines by Galvonarian
merchants.
Nephythis has very few true priests or followers
in the present, perhaps only a handful who have
felt the calling of the goddess.
Appearance: Nephythis was depicted as a comely
young Galonian woman in regal azure robes with
gold jewelry. Once, she dwelt in a grand palace of
pure gold in the celestial kingdom, but now it is
said she walks the dreamlands aimlessly, looking
for her lost brethren from the pantheon of Old
Galonia, and trying to restore her own power.
Thasrik
Lord of Slavery; The Dominator
Profile: slavery, control, domination, subjugation,
castes
Realms of Worship: Hadros and Hotepsala
Faction: Lord of Chaos
Type: demiurge
Genders Allowed: all
Races Allowed: any
Alignment: Any non-good
Favored Weapons: The whip, spear, and kukri
Description: Thasrik is an ancient Lord of Chaos,
one of the most vile ands corrupt, but
 surprisingly unmotivated in comparison to his
cohorts. Thasrik gains power through the
subjugation of others, and wherever societies go
bad and begin the wanton enslavement of one
another, the presence of Thasriks secretive order
cant be far away.
Thasriks order, sometimes called the Servants
of the Dominator, are strongest in Hadros, where
they are endorsed by the Emperor himself, and
have a visible footing in the slave-driven lands of
Hotepsala, a land which depends on the
productivity of slaves for its great monument
building. His cults appear more secretively
throughout Lingusia and Takkai as well, inserting
themselves in to otherwise normal lands and
spending years chiseling away at the foundations
of established social systems to try and foment a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
desire among the superior classes for a stronger
and harsher system of slavery and abuse.
Many gladiatorial arenas throughout the
Middle Kingdoms are also prime locations for the
Order of the Dominator to make an appearance,
as the castigation and execution of slaves in the
arena is considered an especially desirable effect
for this deity.
Appearance: Thasriks symbol is the Old Tongue
runes for pain and humiliation, but his physical
form, which is rarely ever pictured, is that of an
immense, bloated demon dressed in a black cloak
and hood, wielding a whip and spear.
 Bestiary of the Fiendish and Unfriendly
The following are a few beasts which have sprung forth from my continuing fantasy campaign, the Keepers of
Lingusia. I have maintained all flavor text and content as is, and you are welcome to extrapolate these beasts from
such in to your own campaigns. Most of these beasts started their lives as bizarre creations in my old AD&D and
T&T games, many, many years ago. A few appeared in solo adventures I wrote, and still others are more recent
creations. This version provides C&C adaptations to each one. Enjoy!

King Agammon, who was one of the worst of the

Agammite Trolls great and bloody troll kings of old. Said to have
(Followers of Agammon) demon blood within their veins, these dreadful
# ENC: 5-12 cultists bred with humans who were sacrificed to the
HD: 7 (Dd8) unknown gods of darkness the trolls worship, and
MOVE: 30 ft then resurrected as ghouls. Kept in vast mating pits,
AC: 18 the cultists were required to drag the living dead to
ATTACKS: 2 claws (1d6), bite (2d8), weapon their knees and mate with them. The cult was
SPECIAL: Darkvision 60 ft, Rend, Abolished later on when the Troll Queen Invidia
Paralysis gained control, but the magically created children
SAVES: P birthed of trolls impregnating undead wombs
INT: low to average spawned terrible outcasts, called the bael. The bael
ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil were driven away, seen as lepers on troll society, no
TYPE: undead (humanoid) longer pure and unable to breed like normal trolls in
TREASURE: 8 the Mixing Pits. Hiding in whatever corners of the
XP: 540+7 land they could without being discovered, some few
Paralysis: The agammites have the paralyzing touch survivors came to the ruins of Clastus and were
of the undead. A foe that takes any damage from a offered refuge by the Cults of Nihilists that dwelled
claw or bite attack must make a Constitution Save or there. To promote their racial stock, they would raid
be paralyzed for 1d6+1 rounds. orc and hobgoblin lairs in the north, and came to
Regeneration 1: The trollish blood of the agammites discover the ancient dolmen of a forgotten Sorcerer
grant them exceptional recovery from damage, but King, which they exploited as well. The interbreeding
slightly diluted due to their mixed blood. . They do with goblinoids made them even more repulsive.
not recover damage from fire, acid or holy damage. Now, the ancient Followers of Agammon are a
Habitat: In the filthiest sewers, dankest tombs and plague on all living things, as they continue their
dungeons, and anywhere corruption from chaos runs dark practices and unquestioningly serve the
wild. Nameless One and the Nihilists.
Organization: Small cult-like groups of 5-12 that
cluster together to scheme and commit evil acts.
Treasure: Most agammites have at least one useful
magic item, be it a potion, ring or piece of armor.
Description: The Followers of Agammon are a truly
repulsive cult of necrophiles and chaos worshippers
who began their practices in Hoggoth but were
eventually cast out for their heinous acts. Originally,
these dissident troll lords followed the ancient Troll

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 return to cover of darkness. Ashtarth who spend a
long period of time on the surface in daylight may
qualify for the Daywalker talent, below.
Habitat: The ashtarth are lords of the Under Realm,
the dark and cast expanse of cavernous domains
beneath the earth of Lingusia. Their capitol is the
subterranean city of Dahik, in the center of the
Hyrkanian Desert.
Organization: The ashtarth are an organized feudal
matriarchy, with the women dominating politics and
the men dominating war. Most wizards of the
ashtarth are women who belong to the Black Circle,
and they rule with an iron fist.
Treasure: Ashtarth crave treasure, but only the more
Ashtarth (Dark Elves) powerful members of the species will have it.
# ENC: 2-12, 50-100
HD: 1 (D8)
MOVE: 30 ft Barrow Wights of Lingusia
AC: 15 See M&T Wight entry for statistics.
ATTACKS: weapon (scimitar, whip, spear, Habitats: The Slithotendan Mountains, the Ruins of
trident and daggers are common) Hoggoth, The barrow-mounds of Hettanar and Zarn,
SPECIAL: elven traits, Drow traits and the temple-pyramids of Old Galon are popular
SAVES: M,P places to find these rare and dangerous guardians.
INT: average Organization: none; 2-4 usually found in task of
ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil guarding an old necromancers tomb, or 1 solitary
TYPE: humanoid barrow wight in its own tomb, usually accompanied
TREASURE: 2 by other lesser undead.
XP: 11+1 Treasure: Vengeful lords and kings from ancient
More About ashtarth can be found in the times tend to have lots of fabulous treasure lying
Characters of Lingusia chapter. around. Typical lords of old held 2d6x1000 GP in
Ashtarth nare a variant of Drow, unique to the valuables, such as golden chariots, bronze sculptures
world of Lingusia. They have the characteristics of of soldiers and horses (these were sometimes
Drow, with the following additional details: enchanted to animate as guardians, too!) and
Spell Abilities: All ashtarth have innate spell-like ornamental jewelry and goods, often worn by the
abilities, even their warriors. While the typical barrow wight itself.
abilities of ashtarth can be found under the Drow Elf Description: In the ancient history of Hyrkania, many
description in the Monsters & Treasures book, not of the old kings of the pre empire days would bury
all ashtarth share the same abilities. A CK may let a their dead in huge mounds, with rock tombs
player substitute a spell like ability of equivalent beneath. Within these catacombs would go the line
level in place of one of the existing abilities. of their family, and for generations the dead would
Darkvision: Ashtarth can see in total darkness with be buried like so. These ancient mound lands were,
no penalties. They use a form of infravision, so alas, ripe for the time of the War of the Gods, and
methods of disguising heat can still fool them. when the power of the Chaos Lords spread through
Ashtarth are sensitive to light, and are blinded for the land, many necromancer kings who rose in the
one combat round by any sudden daylight- time of conflict saw to it that their tombs were
equivalent effects (spell or unexpected exposure). guarded, often by the reanimated remains of these
They lose all personal combat adds for the first earlier kings. Such disrespect was common then, for
round of exposure, and regain only half their adds the early followers of chaos. Eventually, after the
while in the offending light thereafter until they War of the Gods, this practice ended when

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 cremation replaced inhumation as a burial practice.
The barrow wights, then, are marked by the ancient Black Shamblers
nature of their curse, as well as their single-minded (Denizens of Canopis)
dedication to the protection of their tombs. # ENC.: 4-8, 30-50
Sometimes appearing as mystical spirits, and at HD: 8 (D10)
other times appearing as animated, reinvigorated MOVE: 20 ft
corpses with magical abilities, they are all known to AC: 19
have the power to steal one's very soul as a common ATTACKS: two fists (1d8)
ability. The barrow wights are particular to Hyrkania, SPECIAL: engulf, regeneration 3
and beyond the Empire, are rarely seen elsewhere
until you get north, to Autrengard, where it is
, resistance (weapons
possible to find much more recent examples of this do half damage)
same practice among the jarldoms. The lords and SAVES: P
kings themselves are said to have arisen, willfully, INT: low
from the grave to jealously guard the treasure ALIGNMENT: neutral evil
hordes they buried themselves with. These barrow TYPE: aberration
wights are often in command of a number of TREASURE: 3, 6
animated skeletons, produced from the entourage of XP: 700+8
slain soldiers, wives and other kin who were put to Engulf: Black shamblers can make an engulfing
death along with their king or lord. The barrow suffocation attack, which targets one person. If the
wights did, indeed believe that you could take it all shambler strikes a target with both fists, that foe
with you! must make a Strength Save to break free or become
immobilized immediately, as well as take 1d6 points
of Constitution damage each round due to
suffocation and fatigue. A character who reaches 0
Con suffocates and dies. The engulfed adventurer
can attempt another Strength save each round to
escape.
Regeneration: The black shambler recovers 2 hit
points of damage per round. Fire and cold-based
attacks are not regenerated. If a Shambler is reduced
to negative hit points and then chopped in to very
tiny pieces and scattered everywhere, it will not
regenerate..for a looooong time. But it will one
dayheh heh.
Kinetic Resistance: All damage from standard
weaponry that hits the black shambler for damage is
reduced by one half (round up). Thus, if the black
shambler takes 25 points of damage in one round, it
only receives 13 hits.
Habitat: In coastal cities where the Guild of the
Spheres makes its presence known, or in the distant
regions of Etherspace.
Organization: In their native land the black
shamblers cluster in tribal groups of 30 or more, but
in the service of the Guild of the Spheres they are
organized in to mafia-esque hit squads of 4 to 8.
Treasure: Black shamblers prize simple objects, but
they are indiscriminate with regards to value, and

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 their keepers often take anything of worth from
them.
Description: These beings are huge, averaging seven
to nine feet in height, and are like great ebony
warriors, covered in ichorous black tar that never
stops running. They have barely visible humanoid
features, and are silent, emotionless, and highly
obedient. The Guild of the Spheres (a guild of slavers
and smugglers) in Capitol Octzel are known to
employ them as thugs, and on rare occasions, in
places such as Naminthia, they have also been
spotted. The Black Shamblers are in fact ancient
travelers through the Etherspace, heralding from a
distant world called Canopis, that composes part of
the stellar constellation of Set. They are native to an
ancient world which exists in a murky, eternal
twilight, and certain mages have learned to cull a
special plant to produce a substance called the Black
Bane which makes them submissive to the wills of
the poisoner. As such, they are captured for use as
thugs and shock troops.
The Black Shamblers are vicious opponents, with a
startling resistance to most kinetic weaponry,
amazing regeneration, and the ability to hold and
engulf an opponent in their tar-like bodies,
suffocating them. In spite of what they seem to be
made of, they do not burn at all, and only cold in
known to slow or stop them. If enough physical
damage is applied and they are spread out
sufficiently, they might not be able to draw
themselves back together for weeks or even months.
If parts of their body are permanently separated,
then this can physically impair or even kill them.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
The Black Bane potion
Exceedingly rare, cultivated from an alien plant of
unknown origin, the Black Bane is a thick, ichorous
substance that tastes a bit like caramel syrup. Its
effects are immediate and binding, as the user must
make a Con Save at -4 or become enthralled by the
substance and the one who fed it to him. The effect
is much like a Charm Person spell, except that the
sufferer of the bane can only break free by making a
Wis Save at -4, which can only be performed once
per week, or when the substance is offered. The
Black Bane must be taken each week to insure it
remains strong. If a week goes without the
substance, the victim must make a Con Save or take
1d8 damage. This happens every week until the
victim dies or he makes three successful Con checks,
at which time he is free of the binding hold on his
mind and he develops a murderous desire for
revenge against the one who drugged him.
Those under thrall of the Black Bane move like
zombies, with one half normal speed, but they feel
no pain and become inhumanly strong, adding 4 to
their Str score. In combat, they can fight until they
reach -10 Hit Points without passing out, before
suddenly dying.
The controller, the one who fed the substance (it is
always the case that the one who gave the
substance to the victim becomes he controller) has
near-total control over the subject, though the
subject can resist any command on a Int Save at -2 if
he so desires. Success leads to total immobility of
the victim until a different command is given.
 they are the product of the dreaming dead gods
Daggerdamerung which swirl in the maddening vortices of Limbo, and
(Hounds of Limbo) others think they are created by some equally
# ENC.: 6-12, 12-24 sinister, less cosmic force with specific goals in mind
HD: 4 (d8) when they are created. Some wizards can master the
MOVE: 40 ft beasts, which are twisted quadrupeds with great
AC: 16 snaggle-toothed maws and a pretense toward
ATTACKS: bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d4) extreme violence. They are absent of skin, and
SPECIAL:petrifying howl, planar travel appear to be magically twisted bundles of muscle
SAVES: P and bone held together as if by magic. They can
INT: low perform a petrifying howl that freezes even the most
ALIGNMENT: chaotic neutral fearless being.
TYPE: outsider
TREASURE: none
XP: 110+4
Petrifying Howl: Once every 2d4 rounds, the
daggerdamerung will let loose a terrible wail which
requires everyone nearby to make a save vs.
petrification. Those who fail suffering a petrifying
fear which causes them to either (roll 1d6:) flee (1-
3), stand still in terror (4-5) or go stark raving mad
(6). The effect lasts 1d6 minutes, except for the
madness, which lasts for 1d6 hours and requires an
Intelligence Save to recover from. Each failure adds
1d6 hours to the effect. The madness is a CK choice,
but should render the hapless PC useless!
Planar Travel: Daggerdamerung may return to Limbo
after being summoned, but not for at least one hour
from the time they are summoned. They can only be
summoned by the Dogs of Limbo spell, below.
Anyone who is bitten on the round the dog gates out
has a 40% chance of being dragged back to Limbo
with the beast
Habitat: Beings from limbo, they appear only when
summoned. The Hotepsalan wizard-lords favor these
beasts and have mastered the art of summoning
them.
Organization: Daggerdamerung almost always travel
in packs of 6 or more, and the huge ones are usually
accompanied by 5-6 smaller ones.
Treasure: Daggerdamerung desire no treasure, but a
skilled wizard or specialist in alchemy knows of the
value of the beasts body parts, from which 1d6x100
GP worth of useful materials can be exhumed.
Description: Somewhere in the astral domains
between the sundry planar realms of the True
World, the Daggerdamerung roam in great and
unrelenting packs, bursting free from the plane of
Limbo to seek out the material world. Some claim

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)


Devonin (The Demons of Lingusia)
# ENC.: 1-4, 10-100
HD: (D8): 2 (slave), 4 (warrior), 6
(greater warrior), 8 (baron), 10
(lord), 12 (general), 14+ (high lord)
MOVE: 30 ft or 60 ft flying
AC: 13 (slave), 16 (warrior), 18
(greater warrior), 20 (baron), 21
(lord), 23 (general), 25 (high lord)
ATTACKS: 2-8 claws (1d4), 1-4 bites (1d6), by
weapon; barons and greater
always have magic weapons.
SPECIAL: infernal damage; immune to two
of: fire, acid, electrical, or cold
(pick 2); spell resistance (3+HD);
darkvision 60 feet; resistance
(attacks); planar gating; magic
use; and one of the following:
flight, burrowing, teleport, or
incorporeality; invisibility effects
(baron and greater).
SAVES: P, M
INT: low (slaves, warriors), average
(greater warriors, barons), high
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
(lords, generals), genius (high
lords)
ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil
TYPE: outsider
TREASURE: 1 (slaves), 3 (warriors), 5 (greater
warriors), 7 (barons), 9 (lords), 11
(generals), 13+ (high lords)
XP: 60+2 (slaves), 280+4 (warrior),
810+6 (greater warrior), 2025+8
(barons), 4200+10 (lord), 6775+12
(general), 11,450+14 (high lord)
Infernal Damage: The devonin are infernal beings,
and their barehanded attacks can cause searing pain.
Anyone hit by their claw attacks must make a Con
Save or suffer a 1 modifier to all attacks and saves
due to the pain for 1d10 rounds. This is not
cumulative.
Darkvision 60 feet: All devonin can see in total
darkness, and often prefer it.
Immunities: All devonin are immune to two of the
following effects: cold, fire, electrical or acid
damage. High Lords might be immune to all four!
Spell Resistance: The devonin are particularly
resistant to magic, though it is suspected that they
actually absorb it. A Devonins SR is equal to 3 plus
the number of HD they have.
Resistance (attacks): Devonin have magically tough
skin and take half damage from all nonmagical
weapons.
Planar Gating: All Devonin may gate themselves to
and from the Abyss at will unless bound by magic or
soul gem to a wizard on the mortal plane.
Magic Use: All devonin except slaves have wizard
abilities of a level equivalent to their hit dice. They
know a number of spells equal to twice their wizard
level.
Special Movement: Each devonin gains one special
movement form: flight (wings), burrowing (bores
through the earth like a worm at normal speed),
teleportation (as the spell, at will), or incorporeality
(movement through the ethereal like a ghost).
Summoning: Devonin must be summoned to the
mortal plane by magic, they normally cannot go
there on their own.
Invisibility effects: Powerful devonin (of baron level
or greater) can detect invisibility and turn invisible at
will.
Habitat: the infernal realm of the Abyss. This realm
is a nine-layered, concave pit, the sort of place Dante
 liked to visit. Each layer is progressively more
horrifying and maddening, and the necropolis and
fortresses of the demonic hordes litter the blasted
lands of the Abyss. There are a few gateways to the
Abyss found in Lingusia, and many spells which
activate portals to and from this plane of Chaos.
Organization: The organization of the devonin is
quasi-feudal and ever-changing. The only safe rule is
Might Makes Right. Usually, only one such being is
encountered, but on occasion a misguided cabal of
wizards can summon dozens, or even (as with the
War of Strife) thousands.
Treasure: Lesser devonin rarely have treasure.
Greater devonin always have treasure, usually
hoarded and well protected in some planar region of
the Abyss, or similarly hostile plane. Barons and
greater always have magical items, in the form of
jewelry, garments, or weapons and armor to aid
them. Such items are also often cursed such that
non-devonin will be horridly corrupted by such
items.
Description: The Devonin are the demonic entities
which either sided with or were forged to follow the
Lords of Chaos. These demonic beings have been
classified in a bizarre array of creeping, crawling
beings, and all are to be found in tales of legend.
Devonin are specifically those beings which are
known to reside within the Abyssal Layers, both the
nine inner layers and the outer fluctuating layers.
The Devonin are structured into a strict regimented
hierarchy which guarantees that the strong will
dominate the weak, and that the ownership of
beings will be the most fundamental level of power
in barter. Devonin are sub-defined into one of
three power levels, with two unofficial power levels
capping off either end. Unofficially, at the bottom of
the heap are the nameless souls which have been
brought forth into the Abyss and divvied out among
the Hellish Kingdoms. These souls, usually known as
serflings, Shadows, Phantoms, or tortured ghosts are
the breeding stock of the new Devonin. These souls
are either followers of Chaos who willingly entered
into the Abyssal Realms through their worship, or
who were captured in a raid on the Land of the Dead
or a Celestial Kingdom.
The first official layer are the Armies of Darkness,
of which the bulk of the Devonin are composed.
These are the lowest order of troops used to resolve
conflict between the Celestial Kingdoms and the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Abyssal Realms. These warriors are usually culled
from the emanations of the Lords of Chaos, or drawn
from the countless captured souls of the Abyssal
Kingdoms.
The Second layer of the hierarchy is the
aristocracy, an ensemble of the Generals and
Commanders of these armies. More than just
military lords, these are the various lesser nobles,
accountants, record keepers, and even merchants of
the Abyssal Kingdoms. All are the truly potent slave
owners who have managed to elevate themselves
above the swarthy masses. The strongest among
these are the lordlings, who hold control of one or
more of the legions of their particular Demon Lord.
The third layer of the hierarchy is the upper layer
of the Lords of the Abyss. These are the highest
order of the ranks, the Demon Lords of which
legends are spoken. They are competing to gain
greater favor and elevate themselves into the
domain of the Lords of Chaos. They are also the
definitive rulers of the Abyssal Kingdoms.
The Lords of Chaos themselves are the enigmatic
unofficial fifth layer of the hierarchy that is
characterized by the demon lords of legend, who
have become almost omniscient and joined the
ranks of the gods who serve Chaos. Some of these
gods are ones who began as Demon Lords, like
Ravanos or Belphegor, but others were born as gods,
and these include Slithotep, Dalroth, Baragnagor,
and Cha'Sho.

Giant lizards
(Sauropods and Therapods)
# ENC.: 2-12, 20-50
HD: 3 (D10)
MOVE: 60 ft
AC: 15
ATTACKS: bite (1d6) and claws (1d4) or
trample (1d10)
SPECIAL:Swallow
SAVES: P
INT: animal
ALIGNMENT: neutral
TYPE: animal
TREASURE: 1 AC:
XP: 45+3
Swallow. A giant lizard that makes a bite attack also
attempts to swallow a target. The hapless foe must
make a Stength Save or be consumed, taking 1d4
damage immediately and each round thereafter
until he cuts his way out (acid resistance affects half
of this damage); he must do one half of the
creatures HPs in hits to escape, but each round after
the first he is trapped inside he must make a Con
Save to remain conscious and not pass out from
inhaling digestive fumes. If this happens, then game
over!
Habitat: Throughout the deserts of Lingusia,
especially in the NyKoddin Wastes and Galvonar.
Organization: Feral giant lizards move in packs
across desert plains, usually in groups of twenty to
fifty.
Treasure: Stalwart adventurers who slice open the
gullet of a giant lizard might find a handful of semi-
precious stones in its craw and other odds and ends
that didnt digest well.
Description: The Giant Lizards of Lingusia are many
and varied. Some are small in stature compared to
others, being no more than great Komodo dragons,
and others are immense, reaching thirty to fifty feet
in length, such as the Riding Beasts of the Karaktuan
lands. All are potentially deadly carnivores unless
trained as riding beasts. These beasts were said to
have been created for the use of the Lizard Men who
owe their heritage to Set. Others claim that they
were long ago bred magically for the Lizard Men for
special purposes, including herding and riding. They
have been around so long now, however, that the
question of their origins may never be known.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
There are two common varieties of giant lizard: the
sauropods are bipedal, tyrannosaur-like creatures,
and are most common to Amech and Karaktu. They
are almost universally carnivorous and make
excellent war beasts. The therapods are often much
larger but are four-legged beasts, slower and better
at hauling large loads. The therapods are usually
more docile and herbivorous.
Hagarant Lords
# ENC.: 1-10
HD: 8 (D12)
MOVE: 30 ft
18
ATTACKS: claws (1d6+energy drain) or by
weapon
SPECIAL: wizardy, energy draining,
darkvision, detect invisible,
incorporeality
SAVES: P, M
INT: superior
ALIGNMENT: any evil
TYPE: undead
TREASURE: 9
XP: 1,175+8
Wizardry: All Hagarant Lords are wizards of a level
equal to their hit dice, with three times their level in
spells. This would make the default Hagarant (above)
th
an 8 level mage. More powerful Hagarant Lords
exist, supposedly
Energy Draining: Hagarant Lords drain energy with a
touch, draining one level with each successful strike
(only one level is drained per combat round, even if
the same Hagarant strikes with both claws, but two
Hagarant Lords hitting the same target will drain two
levels).
Darkvision 120 feet: Hagarant have amazing
darkvision.
Detect Invisible: Hagarant Lords can detect invisible
beings and objects automatically.
Incorporeality: The Hagarant Lords are able to
become spectral at will, an action which takes one
full round. They may return to the mortal plane,
becoming corporeal, as well. While incorporeal, only
magical attacks will harm them.
The Hagarant Lords are an ancient evil which some
say has its roots beneath the capitol of Octzel. The
Hagarant Lords were a coven of nobles and powerful
mages who swore fealty to the mad god Slithotep in
 exchange for immortality. The unexpected result of
their immortality was a slow descent in to madness
and undeath. The desire of Slithotep was that the
Hagarant Lords raze the human city they once called
home and convert all of its citizens to his cult or slay
them. The Hagarant Lords attempted their rebellion,
but were foiled by the actions of the Royal Guard
and a special order for goodness called the
Protectorate. Seven centuries later, it is said that the
surviving Hagarant Lords have been reawakened by
minions of the vampiric cult, the Black Society, to
finish their task.
Veregnar Gonn Dalpuris was a powerful duke
seven centuries ago who had an unfortunate habit of
taking on mistresses behind his wifes back. He was
seduced by a woman named Melantha, who was in
fact a member of the Black Society in Octzel, a
vampires and half-demon who lured him in to the
study of the dark arts of chaos and the worship of
Slithotep, the mad god. Veregnar was swayed by this
cult and joined the movement, becoming a potent
wizard. In time, their plot was foiled and he was one
of the few survivors, who stole away and hid in a
tomb-like secret enclave in the city sewers, where he
went undiscovered in an undead slumber until the
present, when hapless sewerworkers stumbled on
his tomb and awoke the mad being. Veregnar now
seeks out the still surviving, much more ancient
Melantha to aid him in fulfilling his destiny, to
convert the city of Octzel to the will of Slithotep..or
destroy it!

Hyshkorrid (Mind Flayer Variant)

# ENC.: 1-6
HD: 8 (D8)
MOVE: 30 ft
AC: 15
ATTACKS: maw bite (1d4+special) or by
weapon
SPECIAL:mental powers, mental blast
SAVES: P, M
Sample Hagarant: INT: superior
Veregnar Gonn Dalpuris ALIGNMENT: lawful or neutral evil
HP: 51; statistics as per standard Hagarant. TYPE: aberration
Equipment: A Ring of Shooting Stars, three elixirs of TREASURE: 8
life extension (1d100 years each); talisman of chaos XP: 875+8
(summons 2d4 devonin warriors once per week for Lobotomizing Maw: A hyshkorrid who deals any
one hour). damage with his maw can attempt on that combat

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 round to make a precision lobotomy on its target. Sample Hyshkorrid:
The target must make a Con Save at -2 to avoid the Xarvos the Dreaded (leader caste)
blow, taking the usual damage if they succeed. HP 39; all stats standard for Hyshkorrid
Failure means that the targets head is in a vice-grip Treasure: A Ring of Trueseeing; a dagger +2 of
of the hyshkorrids tentacled mouth and he takes sacrificing; A Mask of Disguise (when worn makes
1d6 Int damage as well. This damage is permanent! the wearer look like a humanoid of same general
Mental Powers: All Hyshkorrid can cast the following size and weight), and a pouch of 800 gold pieces.
th
spells at will as if they were 10 level wizards: charm Xarvos is living in the sewers beneath the city of
person, sleep, detect thoughts, levitate, Malas, where he has enslaved several local
nondetection, suggestion, tongues, charm monster, Thargonid trolls to do his bidding. He is managing a
confusion, feeblemind, telekinesis, telepathic bond. crime syndicate which distributes the dread Blue
Mental Blast: A surge or psionic energy cripples the Lotus to the desperate folk of war-torn Malas, as he
minds of all around the hyshkorrid in a 50 foot hopes enough magically-induced hallucinogenic
radius! The hyshkorrid may use this three times per dreaming will create a portal to the Dreamlands of
day. Victims in range must make an Int Save or fall Ethenur, allowing him to pull monstrous entities
unconscious for 1d6 rounds. through to do his bidding.
Habitat: The Hyshkorrid dwell in subterranean
realms of the Under Realms, especially beneath the
Slithotendan Mountains where their largest city,
Zepharran, lies.
Organization: Hyshkorrid often work alone, but they
value the use of group activities as well. In their
homelands beneath the mountains they can be
found in cities of several hundred.
Treasure: Yes, and lots of it. But Hyshkorrid value
their treasure and set deadly traps to protect it.
The terrifying squid-men of the Under Realms
beneath Lingusia bear a passing resemblance to
some hideous undersea creature after it has been
merged with a hapless human. Squat and toad-like,
walking on webbed feet and with long, slim claws,
the squid-headed Hyshkorrid also bear a more than
passing resemblance to the iconography depicting
the ancient Krakens, the titanic prehuman gods from
long ago that supposedly slumber beneath the earth.
Whether there is a relationship between those
ancient titans and the Hyshkorrid remains unknown.
The secret empire of these evil beings can be found
beneath the Slithotendan Mountains, where they
have enslaved countless beings, especially kobolds,
goblins and Darendur dwarves to do their bidding.
The Hyshkorrid favor lobotomization, rendering their
victims susceptible to suggestion. They love the taste
of humanoid flesh and raise slaves as food crops as
well.
The Hyshkorrid are described in some ancient
documents as visitors from beyond the sky, denizens
of Etherspace, though which distant star they might
have called home is unknown.

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 to time, he saw fit to impregnate human women
Kattachi (Scorpion Men) with his own kin, and the birth result spawned
# ENC.: 4-8, 24-48 (among other monstrosities) the Kattachi.
HD: 6 (D8) (warriors), 12 (queen) Each Kattachi is a male or female who is fully
MOVE: 30 ft capable of combat from a young age. They are
AC: 17 trained early on and reach adulthood by the age of
ATTACKS: punch (1d3), trample (1d4), or tail 10-12. Only one Kattachi may rise to the status of
sting (1d6+poison), weapon Queen in a given network, and if the Queen is killed,
(scimitar or long bow); Queen has another Kattachi woman will metamorphose to take
special trample (4d6, see below) her place within a few weeks.
SPECIAL: venomous strike, heat and cold Kattachi have been cursed by their god with the
resistance, darkvision 60 need to breed with humans in order to continue
SAVES: P their species, so most raids with the surface world
INT: average are to secure breeding stock. They may also seize
ALIGNMENT: neutral good or evil elves and other demi-humans, but the hybrid
TYPE: monstrous humanoid children of such unions are always degenerate or
TREASURE: 2, 6, (queens lair: 8) deformed in some manner. Still, there have been
XP: 310+6; queen: 2,525+12 wan times when such was a necessity.
Venomous strike: Victims of a tail strike must make Weapons and Armor: Kattachi prefer pole weapons,
a Con Save at -2 or suffer 1d8 Str damage. Kattachi scimitars, and shields. They usually wear
can use this strike once per day for every 3 hit dice lamellar/curbolli armor. All Kattachi have natural
they have. A captain, for example, could use it twice. chitinous armor, and a character with a talent for
Queens Trample: The queen of the Kattachi is a armor smithing and tanning could craft the chitin in
massive powerhouse of destruction when angered. to a non-metallic plate mail which weighs half as
She gets a special trample attack in which she rolls much as normal plate.
over any target in her way who fails a Dex Save to
get out of the way, doing 4d6 points of damage to
each target that round.
Heat & cold resistant: Kattachi take half damage
from heat and cold damage due to their protective
carapace.
Darkvision 60 ft: Kattachi are naturally attuned to
the blackness of the Underworld.
Habitats: Arid, subterranean realms. They have a
strong presence in the Hyrkanian Deserts, near the
ashtarth lands of Dahik, and often war with the dark
elves. Both sides like to take slaves as they can.
Organization: Loose clans under the rulership of a
single queen; patrols average 2-6
Treasure: The soldiers wield pole arms and scimitars,
and favor shields. They tend to wear lamellar upper-
body armor for their human portion, but rely on
their chitinous hide for protection. They have deep
subterranean mines which extract precious metals
and gems from the earth, and they love such
baubles.
Description: Kattachi scorpion men are a degenerate
race created eons ago for the sadistic whim of
Kathack, the repulsive demon god. Kathack is the
immortal lord of insects, and in a spiteful conflict lost

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Knights of Chaos(Death Knights)
# ENC.: 1, 2-4
HD: 10 (d12)
MOVE: 30 ft (60 ft on undead horse)
AC: 19
ATTACKS: by weapon (usually at least a
longsword +1) or claws (1d6)
SPECIAL: wounding, terrifying presence,
deathly conversion, fireball, immunity to
fire
SAVES: P, M
INT: superior
ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil
TYPE: undead
TREASURE: 9 corruption might be swayed into the domain of evil.
XP: 3,000+12
Wounding: The Knight of Chaos is a vicious foe
infused with infernal energy, and his wounds
continue to bleed for unnaturally long periods. Every
wound a victim takes from a Knight of Chaos
continues to deal 1 extra point of damage until the
target receives magical healing. A wounded foe can
also attempt an Int Save at 1 per wound received to
staunch the flow and stop the bleeding, though this
will take him out of combat, requiring a minute to
perform.
Terrifying Presence: The first time anyone confronts
a Knight of Chaos in its true form, they must make a
Save vs. Fear or flee in terror. They keep running
until they make a save successfully.
Fireball: Once per day the Knight of Chaos becomes
a conduit for the flames of the Abyss, and ignites a
th
fireball as per a 10 level wizard (10d6 damage).
Immunity to Fire: Knights of Chaos take no damage
from flame and heat.
Habitat: Knights of Chaos work in secrecy, though an
entire company of these undead can be found in he
defense of the infernal city Trog, and many still walk
openly on the streets of Blackholm as part of the
dark queens Terror Guard.
Organization: The Knights of Chaos follow an erratic
and ever-changing pattern of evil chivalry in which
they must torture the innocent, perform evil deeds,
further chaos, and barely (at best) tolerate one
another for the greater evil. As such, they usually
operate alone, since two death knights in the same
area inevitably try to assassinate one another.
Exceptions include those who are in thrall to a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
greater evil (such as Blackholms Terror Guard or
Trogs company).
Treasure: The Knights of Chaos crave treasure, as
part of their credo of greed. Aside from having a
horde stashed away, they usually have elaborate
blackened plate armor, often enchanted with their
favorite weapon (permanently enchanted to triple
dice damage, usually).
Description: The Knights of Chaos (also called death
knights) are a rare and horrifying form of undead,
spawned from the incarnation of a truly evil Black
Rider. Usually, the knight was dedicated to a chaotic
order, such as the Black Riders of Slithotep, or the
Order of Set. It is also known that a knight dedicated
to a just or good order who succumbs to supreme
Such knights are forbidden to walk the path of the
Final Night (a euphemism for the journey the dead
make to the afterlife), leading them into the Land of
the Dead, for their souls have been claimed by
Chaos, but in defiance of their true masters in the
Abyss, the pure strength of their post mortem
incarnations are capable of fending off the
petitioners of the Abyss. Trapped, then forever in
the twilight of death, these troubled spirits seek to
reclaim their bodies and continue their dark arts and
pursuits.
The longer such beings continue to exist as
undead beings, and the more evil they are, the
stronger the knights become. Only a few are known
to have manifested in the last few centuries,
including the dissident spirit of Darkseid, a legendary
Knight of the Black Riders who served as a general in
the armies of Xauraun during the 2000's. Another
dark knight to manifest was a highly malevolent and
extremely evil entity known only as the Nameless
One, ruling the chaos ruins of Clastus in Hyrkania.
 subterranean plots. Often, delvers in the under
Mihidir Trolls realms will cross paths with gangs of orcs, goblins
Mihidir have the statistics of normal trolls (see and other beings fighting it out, but not really sure
M&T) but their Intelligence is: Superior why, as they have all been manipulated in to battle
Special Abilities: All mihidir have a talent for trap- due to some scheme perpetrated by competing
making and bargaining. When engaged in either mihidir.
activity they receive a +2 bonus to the relevant
activity.
Habitat: The Under Realms are their playpen. The
mihidir faction beneath the human city of Lancaster
are an exception, as they have a grudge against
what they see as human occupiers in troll-owned
mountains.
Organization: Loose mafia-like guilds, of one chief
don who dominates a few dozen flunkies.
Treasure: Oh you bet they love treasure, and they
love to make it positively impossible for anyone,
sometimes even themselves, to get. Still, a lucky
delver could probably pull about 2d6X50 GP off a
mihidir corpse, if he pulls out the gold teeth, too.
Description: Devious creatures, the Mihidir are some
of the rarest troll-kin in Lingusia. They are more
human than their counterparts (see the Thargonid
and Agammites), having in fact cross-bred with dark
elves and men long ago. As a species they now
remain pure, by social pact refusing to taint their
bloodstream any further.
Unlike their other kin, the Mihidir have a fairly
normal humanoid appearance, and except for their
relative hairlessness can readily be mistaken for
handsome ogres. Mihidir stand about 6 to 7 feet in
height, a few reaching 8 feet. They have elvish ears
of a sort, and the black opal eyes of the elves. Most
are dark of skin, but some are albino. They still have
the powerful rending claws, and some retain the The mihidir hate Hyshkorrid, who they see as direct
odd, glistening skin riddled with popping veins and competitors. They dislike ashtarth, as the ashtarth
tubular growths of the pureblood Thargonid, but it is have magics that they like to use to gain control of
muted, more human in the Mihidir. the mihidir and use as thralls. Some mihidir are not
Mihidir as a species dwell in the Under Realms, inherently evil, but merely unscrupulous. Such trolls
usually seeking to exploit their fellow humanoids in can be made in to nebulous (part time) allies of
any way possible. They have developed a deviant prospective delvers looking for some assistance in
mercantile society, and are dominant forces in such the caverns of the Under Realm, though any
underworld realms as the Cavern-City of Bargan, and adventurer with an ounce of brains should know
in the warrens beneath the human city of Lancaster never to turn his back on a mihidir.
in Octzel. They are excellent architects, thieves, trap-
makers and schemers. The mihidir like to be the one
behind the action, pushing the buttons. It seems to
be a deviant trait they all share.
Mihidir forge guilds in the Under Realms, and
through these guilds they fight turf wars over their

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 earlier). This includes: Darkvision 60 feet, spell
resistance 9, Immunity to fire and acid, infernal
damage, planar gating, special movement (flight),
resistance to physical, non-magical attacks (takes
half damage), and level 6 wizard casting ability.
Shape shift: succubi can appear as beautiful women
(or men, as incubi) or revert to their more terrifying
demonic form with wings, claws, tails and hooves at
will.
Habitat: Succubi are Abyssal denizens, but they are
often summoned to the mortal plane, and are the
most reluctant to return, finding ways to stay and
wreak havoc.
Organization: The succubus is a solitary beast, who
prefers to align herself with those she can ensorcel,
though she will take a fancy to powerful wizards and
other beings able to resist her magical charms.
Treasure: Succubi love treasure, wealth, and all the
things that go with greed, lust and envy. They usually
have a horde somewhere and sundry valuables on
their person totaling 2d6x100 GP in value.
Description: Succubi are versatile social climbers
within the devonin hierarchy, and are found at all
levels. The male counterpart is the Incubi, and they
Succubi are the humanoid, bat winged harbingers of lust and
envy, as well as other plagues of the heart.
(Devonin) Both succubi and incubi appear as startlingly
# ENC.: 1 (solitary), 1-4 attractive men and women who can materialize
HD: 6 (D8) wings. In fact, the wings are always there, they just
MOVE: 30 ft, 60 ft flying remain hidden from sight any spell which can
AC: 16 penetrate illusions will reveal their true images as
ATTACKS: two claws (1d4) and bite (1d8 plus bat-winged, clawed, hooved and tailed
special) or by weapon (whip) monstrosities.
SPECIAL: soul drain, charm, devonin Succubi are eternal schemers, and several famous
qualities, shapeshift ones have wandered the lands of Lingusia,
SAVES: P, M manipulating their villainous cohorts in to great acts
INT: superior of evil. They thrive on destruction, and a succubus
ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil who goes for a week or more without committing an
TYPE: outsider act of pain or deceit will start to lose 1 Str a day until
TREASURE: 8 she is too weak to do anything but collapse in to a
XP: 990+6 torpor. Such a state is reversed when she senses an
Soul drain: Succubi who make a physical attack, bite, act of cruelty or deceit within one mile of her
or kiss a target may drain 1d6 Int from the victim presence. It is rare for this to happen, but a succubus
immediately. Charmed victims do not even realize stuck on a deserted island is known to suffer greatly.
this is happening unless they make a Wisdom Save
to snap free of the spell.
Charm: Succubi may cast the charm monster and
charm person effects at will.
Devonin Qualities: Succubi have all of the special
qualities of the greater warrior devonin (see entry

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Nvidia the Troll Queen
Thargonid Trolls
Thargonid trolls share the standard statistics of the
common troll in M&T.
Habitat: The thargonid trolls once ruled a terrible
empire in the Thargonid Mountains, but thanks to
Empress Phyxillus Usyllyses they are scattered
throughout the lands of Hyrkania and beyond.
Organization: Small groups, working in secret to
restore the glory of their lost empire.
Treasure: Usually 3d6x20 GP in valuables on the
leader, and about half that spread among his
followers.
Description: The Thargonid Trolls are hulking brutes,
massive beasts that look like they are made of
spongy material held together by sap and ichors,
with roots and tubular growth sprouting across their
bodies. They vary in overall form and shape, but all
are equally hideous to behold. Imagine for a
moment if H.R. Giger had illustrated The Hobbit,
and you know where Im going here.
Thargonids take their name from a legendary
creator, a Prehunate wizard named Thargon who
supposedly created their species thousands of years
ago. It is said that trolls were devised to be his
thralls, a vast army for him to play war games with.
When the Prehunate Empire was annihilated, the
thargonids were left as little more than beasts in the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
wild, who spent centuries in primitive, barbaric
communities until they began to form a new
civilization, based on their roots of warfare. Early
man, of the Fertile Kingdoms, fought the Thargonids
and drove them to extinction, but thousands of
years later the secrets of their existence were
rekindled by the Champion of Chaos, Xauraum
Vestillios. He brought them forth as a great army out
of the Under Realms and though he was eventually
defeated, they were able to found the city of
Hoggoth in the mountain range that would
eventually be named after them.
Eventually, in a great crusade, the elvish-empress
Phyxillus Usyllyses, daughter of the human king of
Hyrkania, led a great war to expunge the trolls from
their mountain kingdom. Led by the troll-queen
Invidia, greatest of their kind, the crusade was
fought to a standstill in the very streets and tunnels
of Hoggoth, where the troll queen, rather than
accept defeat, cast a powerful spell that froze both
armies in chronomantic crystals, locked forever in
the throes of combat.
Centuries later, the woman named Mellisana,
avatar of Phonatas, the goddess of love, lead a troop
of adventurers to the haunted city and found the
means to free Phyxillys and defeat the troll queen,
that the Empress could stand against new, more
terrible foes to the Empire. In turn, the thargonids
were scattered to the four winds, though many have
gone to join the armies of chaos amassing at the evil
city of Trog.
Tryskas
(Devonin)
# ENC.: 1
HD: 12 (D10)
MOVE: 10 ft
AC: 15
ATTACKS: 4+1d6 tentacles (1d8), bite (3d6)
SPECIAL: grapple, immunity to fire and
cold, resistance (weapons),
darkvision 120 feet, planar travel
SAVES: P
INT: low
ALIGNMENT: chaotic evil
TYPE: outsider
TREASURE: 5
XP: 2,500
 Grapple: If the Tryskas lands a tentacle attack gap or another and take pursuit, moving with an
successfully, it may try to grapple a foe with a limb incredible swiftness on its many loping tentacles.
(it has 4+1d6 limbs). The foe must make a Dex Save The Tryskas are unwaveringly loyal to their Demon
to slip free or a Str Save at 2 to break away. If either Lord. They belong to the first layer of the hierarchy
or both are failed, on the next combat round it drags (serflings), and none have ever advanced to the
the foe over to its maw to deal full biting damage second layer.
(3d6). The foe may continue to try and escape each
round, if he lives after the first mauling. Velboshia-Lok Nodivia (Guardians of
Immunity: Like many devonin, the Tryskas is
completely immune to fire and cold damage. the Old Kings)
Resistance (weapons): Tryskas are very tough and # ENC.: 2-4
take half damage from all nonmagical weapons. HD: 8 (D12)
Darkvision 120 feet: Tryskas operate well in total MOVE: 30 ft
darkness and have unnaturally wide range of vision AC: 20
in lightless regions. ATTACKS: claws (1d8); greatsword (2d6) or
Planar Travel: Like all devonin, tryskas can gate to eyes by effect
the Abyss at will. They use this spell in the Abyss like SPECIAL: Eye attacks, all around vision,
a teleport, in fact. darkvision
Habitat: The abyssal realms are the sole habitat of SAVES: P, M
this beast. It has never (so far as anyone knows) INT: average
been seen outside of the Abyss. ALIGNMENT: any evil, neutral or chaotic
Organization: These are solitary creatures, doomed TYPE: undead
to a mundane task as living bridges in the Abyssal TREASURE: 7
Kingdoms, a dead-end workers job. They love eating XP: 1,175+8
those who try and pass over them. Eye Beams: Each of the beings eye beams radiate
Treasure: None, usually, except what gets stuck in deadly magical attacks. On any given combat round
their gullet. the Velboshia can make an attack and use one of its
Description: The Tryskas are gate and bridge eye beams randomly. If it does not attack, it uses
guardians of the Abyss, many limbed demons with 1d4 of its eye beams all at once. The attacks are (roll
st
equal skill with all limbs. Usually star-fish shaped, 1d4): 1: 1 eye casts Transmute Flesh and Stone; 2:
nd rd
they are amorphous at the core with wide, toothy 2 eye casts Feeblemind; 3: 3 eye casts Fireball at
th th
maws. Each appendage is a rope-like tentacle with a 7 level (7D6 damage); 4: 4 eye casts Disintegrate.
three-fingered grasping claw at the end that tries to Undead: Immune to mind-affecting magic, and no
snag foes to drag to the maw at the center for vital spots!).
devouring. Tryskas have the unique ability to stretch All around vision: eye-stalks provide full field of
their huge bodies out in to rigid lengths, allowing the vision in all directions. Likewise, they have darkvision
devonin of the Abyss to pass over the numerous for 60 feet.
clefts and lava-filled canyons of the planar realm. Habitats: The Slithotendan Mountains, the Ruins of
When in these rigid states, a casual observer needs Hoggoth, and Old Galon are popular places to find
to make a Level 1 SR vs. Int or Lk to notice that the these rare and dangerous guardians.
Tryskas is, in fact a living being and not a strange Organization: none; 2-4 usually found in task of
bridge made out of some form of chalky grey rock. guarding tomb
A Tryskas can always sense when non-devonin are Treasure: As tomb guardians, they are usually armed
crossing its expanse, and will always begin an with enchanted or ancient weapons of fine
assault with all but to of its immense limbs (those craftsmanship. Some are armored in plate mail, or
two limbs keeping it suspended, of course). Its maw carry shields, but their heads cannot bear a helm
is usually on its underside when so suspended. On of any sort.
rare occasions a Tryskas will let loose one side of a Description: Ancient guardians of the Tombs of the
Gods, these desiccated corpses were once the proud
Temple Guards of the Divine Palaces in the mythic

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 city CortiZahn. When the War of the Gods
destroyed the early Fertile Empires of Hyrkania and
laid low the mortal forms of the divine lords, the
temple guardians who died in the conflict against the
demons were mummified and submitted to a
terrible necromantic process to revive them as
eternal tomb protectors. Something horrible
corrupted the spells of reanimation, however,
seeping in from the Chaos Energy which permeated
the land in the wake of the war, and grew like a
fungus in the bodies of these undead guardians. The
bodies became covered in a moss-like green
substance, which tinged their skeletal forms, ate the
mummified flesh, and devoured the skull-caps of the
bodies, from which then extruded four tendril-like
appendages, each with a hideous blinking, sickly eye
attached at the end.
Many of these corrupted tomb guardians remained
eternal guardians, but some were freed for reasons
most suspicious, and certain Necromancers found
them useful for guarding other things, as well.
However, the geas of duty upon the Velboshia-Lok
Nodivia is so strong that, the moment the
necromantic control slips over them, they will
immediately seek to return to a tomb and continue
guarding (a different tomb, if they must!)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Vessilante
# ENC.: 2-24
HD: 7 (D12)
MOVE: 30 ft
AC: 15
ATTACKS: claws (1d6) or by weapon
SPECIAL: magic, possession, telepathy,
darkvision 60 ft, levitation
SAVES: P, M
INT: superior
ALIGNMENT: neutral evil
TYPE: undead (outsider)
TREASURE: 8
XP: 810+7
Possession: the target of this ability suffers the
immediate effects of domination by the vessilante. If
the target fails a Save vs. Int, he becomes the
unwilling puppet of the creature and may attempt
another save to break free every turn. The
possession allows the vessilante total physical (but
not mental) control over the subject.
Telepathy: may detect thoughts as per the spell at
will.
Levivate: The vessilante has the ability to levitate at
will.
Darkvision 60 ft: Vessilante can see in total darkness
(as most nasty things from the depths can).
Habitat: Vessilante are often found in the service of
chaos mages and necromancers, but insane
vessilante roam the land, and have sometimes
struggled to carve a niche for themselves in the
world if they escape the bonds of their creator.
Organization: Usually solitary beings, vessilante
rarely seek out the company of others of their kind.
Treasure: Vessilante are privy to dark secrets and
magics, and often acquire powerful artifacts from
hidden domains throughout the world with which to
serve themselves and their master, if any. They
almost always have an enchanted weapon (usually
with triple-dice damage enchantments).
Description: The Vessilante are a rare sort of entity
which is created magically through the bonding of a
corrupted Devonin or Seraph in the form of a mortal
human. These great monstrosities are usually culled
from freshly dead corpses, often pieced together if
there was damage to the original body. The process
of habitation heals the damage and changes the
nature of the body such that it must shun the light or
suffer excruciating pain. They therefore usually wrap
 themselves in heavy garments when walking
beneath the sun. The Vessilante never sleep, and
they hold a special bond to their creator. Usually, the
fallen spirit is drawn from one of the little-known
domains of their lands, purgatories for the failed
spirits of their otherworld domains who would find
this sort of entrapment in the material world
preferable to the tortures inflicted upon them by
their kin, but that is not always the case, and if a free
spirit is trapped, it can go insane and the creator
may lose control. Vessilante sometimes retain
some of their old sorcery, but are always gifted with
a limited power of telepathy and possession, as well
as magnanimous fighting talents and levitation. Their
loyalty to their creator make them excellent
guardians, and their immortality makes them
everlasting.
Vyrkasha Wolfen
# ENC.: 2-4, 8-64
HD: 2 (D8)
MOVE: 40 ft
AC: 13
ATTACKS: bite (1d4) or by weapon
SPECIAL: twilight vision, enhanced hearing
and smell, shapeshifting
SAVES: P foreigners.
INT: average
ALIGNMENT: usually neutral
TYPE: shapechanger (humanoid)
TREASURE: 1 years ago harnessed primitive magics to bring the
XP: 27+2
Twilight Vision: Wolfen see exceptionally well under
starlight and darkness with some minor light source
(moon, torch, etc.).
Scent: Vyrkasha receive the scent ability (see M&T).
This may stack with tracking modifiers for Wolfen
rangers.
Shapeshifting: Vyrkasha can spend one combat
round transforming in to a humanoid wolfen or a full
blood wolf. As a wolf they gain all of the creatures
special attacks and abilities, but retain hit points, hit
bonuses, and other qualities of the base creature.
Wolfen Player Characters: Wolfen may be chosen as
player characters. They receive the base hit dice of
their chosen class, but gain the twilight vision, scent,
and shapeshifting abilities described above. In
addition, they receive +1 to Str and Dex, and 1 to
Int and Cha. Typical classes include barbarians,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
rangers, rogues and clerics. Rangers get the +2 scent
modifier as a bonus to tracking. They are medium
creatures and get to choose from the following
languages: common, gnome, goblinoid, orcish,
gnollish, elvish.
Habitat: The vast untracked Northern Wilderness
Organization: Tribal packs of 40 to 100 members
Treasure: The vyrkasha are simple folk and favor
primitive weapons and barter. They like gold and
jewels for ornamentation but are poor metal smiths.
The Vyrkasha Wolfen inhabit the Northern
Wilderness, a nearly impenetrable region of
unkempt woodland that no civilization has tamed in
ten thousand years. To the south, along the coast
are various Hyrkanian and Octzellan colonies,
working to harvest natural resources and operate
mines, while to the north are the jarldoms of
Autrengard, a community of barbarian kingdoms.
Nestled in between are thousands of miles of
woodland and mountains where the Vyrkasha rule.
The land is awash with the primal forces of nature,
and in the midst of this many races, including the
Dock-Alfar, Gnolls, and Vyrkashans stand out. The
Vyrkashans are dealt with on suspicious terms by
humans, and are seen as natural spirits of the forests
by those Autrengard, to be respected and fairly
dealt with. Vyrkashans are a menacing people to all
Vyrkashans are what some might consider natural
lycanthropes, but they are in fact shape shifters,
from a tribe of men and wolves that ten thousand
two together, into a primal mixture of beast and
man. Their natural form is that of a humanoid wolf,
but some can even alter their forms to the extent of
passing for a normal human; most are too shaggy to
be mistaken for anything but barbarians. They can
also shape shift at will (taking about twenty seconds
to do so) into pure wolves. This magical heritage is
shared by the whole species.
Vyrkashans have night vision, in which they can see
fine under moonlight. They have keen hearing,
allowing them to detect noises and locations with
uncanny accuracy. They have a keen smell as well,
and are used to harsh northern climates. All
Vyrkashan know their own language and the
language of wolves.
Wolfen are most often found as warriors and
rogues, with no wizards among their kind (though a
 few specialist healers as shamans to the beast-god
Wolfon can be found, and an occasional ranger
dedicated to the huntsmans god Zingar).
Vyrkasha have guttural, feral-sounding names.
Players who pick a vyrkashan character should
choose two names, the first being the true name as
it sounds to non-vyrkashan (Fhegrol, Nero, Luchas,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
etc.) and the second name being what it actually
means (Goatkiller, Orchunter, etc.). Wolfen name
themselves after deeds, and the names of children
are discarded when they become adults by proof of
the action which names them. Examples include:
Slayer of Fargnolls, Blood Drinker, Pig Killer, and
Master of Carving.
 House Rules with Castles & Crusades
I have a few house rules I like to use for
Castles & Crusades, and one or two house
rules that are specific to the Keepers of
lingusia setting. Use them if you like!
The House Rules:
1. Critical Hits
I like critical hits. Since the theme of C&C
is more gaming, fewer rules, I stick to the
easy formula of: if you roll a natural 20,
then you have made a critical hit. You are
allowed to roll a second time. If you roll
another 20, you have made an instant kill.
NPCs and monsters may also do this.
If you make a critical hit, you multiply your
dice and adds by two, so a 1d8 longsword
swung by a fighter with +3 strength would
get 2d8+6 damage. If a spell requires an
attack roll to hit.and gets a 20.it may
also crit!
2. Critical Fumbles
If you have one, you must have the other.
A natural 1 means a possible disaster for
the roller. Roll a Dexterity check, and if the
character fails, he has fumbled horribly. This
is usually a CK call of the moment, you
can also check this handy chart:
1D20 Result
1-4 fall down, lose a round
5-8 lost weapon!
9-12 jammed weapon into ground
13-15 mud in your eye! Blinded
16-17 weapon broke!
18 hit random target
19 hit ally!
20 hit self!
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
3. Initiative
I like it when everyone rolls once for
initiative, adds their Dexterity modifier, if
any, and then keep the same Init. for the
combat. I used to like the roll every round
method.but I find that as the years go by I
get lazier, and the one roll to rule them all,
modified by Dex works for me.
4. Ressurections are Very Difficult
In Lingusia, returning from the dead is not
easy. Few local clerics have the ability, and
fewer still would use it out of hand or
without good cause. Evil clerics are much
likelier to use it.but corruption of the risen
can happen, and anytime an evil cleric
raises someone there is a cumulative 3%
chance that person will rise as a powerful
undead, instead!
5. Multiclassing is Good.
I like multiclassing, and so it is assumed ot
be available in the campaign. Many NPCs
could not function without it, at the very
least. In any case, if you havent picked up
Castle Zagyg yet, go buy that book; it has
excellent multiclassing and secondary skill
rules within!
6. Famous Dungeons
I have placed many classic modules in
Lingusia, so if youre interested in where to
set a few of these locations, here are the
official spots they exist in:
The Tomb of Horrors: Deep in the
Slithotendan Mountains
White Plume Mountains: somewhere in the
Hettanar mountain range, south of Zarn
 territory. Not too far from the Barrier
Peaks, actually!
Tomb of the Lizard King: Near Eornin,
north of Hyrkania along the coast.
Secret of Bone Hill: In central Hyrkania,
near the Bullow Lands.
Keep on the Borderlands: just west of
Mitras Forest.
Caves of Chaos: In the Chaos Mountains of
Mitras Forest, south of their larger cousins,
the Caverns of Chaos.
That little keep in the Otus Basic Set: A ruin
southwest of Hyrkanien.
Isle of Dread: One of many islands south, in
the island-region of Karaktu.
Isle of Darksmoke: somewhere in the
Baldric Sea.
Dungeon of the Bear: in the mountains just
northwest of Estonia along the Inner Sea.
Castle Zagyg: Near the eastern shores of
Lingusia, south of Starthias and north of
Cymeer.
I am presently working on locations for
the other C&C modules out there; most will
probably be clustered around Zagyg, I
suspect!
7. Spell Points
I used Spell Points for years, from the time
I started running 2nd edition AD&D right up
to the arrival of sorcerers in 3.0. With C&C,
Id like to make my spell point formula
available again. Its easy, and very flexible:
Number of Spell Points Earned per Level:
This is an easy formula. Each spell slot is
worth a number of spell points equal to the
spell level it would be used to cast. A 1st
level spell is worth 1 spell point. A 5th level
spell is worth 5 spell points. Zero level spells
are worth a half point under this method.
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Thus, a 5th level wizard with Int 18 (a
bonus 1st, 2nd and 3rd level spell worth 6
spell pts) who could memorize 5 zero level
(2.5 sp), 4 1st level (4 sp), 2 2nd level (4 sp),
and 1 3rd level spell (3 sp) would get 19.5
spell points to cast spells with.
Spell Point Cost to Cast:
Likewise, spells themselves cost a number
of spell points equal to the level cost of the
spell. Thus, a 1st level spell costs 1 spell
point, and a 9th level spell would cost 9 spell
points. The big limiting factor in casting
spells is that your class level dictates the
upper limit of what sort of magic you can
cast; if you havent gotten spell points for
5th level spells yet because you wouldnt get
them, then you cant cast fifth level spells,
plain and simple. There is an exception (see
below).
Recovering Spell Points:
Under this system, wizards and clerics
alike are casting on the fly. They dont
need to prepare spells in advance, though
they do need to spend time in the morning
praying or prepping their mental
mnemonics. Likewise, they need to spend
time resting to recover spell points. A
resting spell caster recovers 1 spell point for
every ten minutes of total rest. A spell
caster who is walking or hiking about
recovers 1 spell point every hour. And a
spell caster running all over the place,
fighting, riding a horse, and so forth
recovers one spell point every six hours.
Multiclassed Spell Casters:
Its up to the CK; you can either keep
spell points and piety points separate
for priest/wizard mutliclassed characters, or
 let them heap both point totals together. I Mystery Theatre to it all. Even with
suggest keeping the points separate. allowing for the idea of a guy who does
nothing but pump out magic missile
Casting Spells of Higher Level and Off the after magic missile.its ultimately his
Cuff: loss if he never uses bigger and neater
This option allows a caster to fire off a spells. In any case, try this system.you
spell he does not know or which is higher just might like it!
level than he is permitted to access. If you
allow this, then the character may do so Spell Point Advancement Charts:
with the following stipulations: These charts will let you figure out how
Casting a spell which the caster does many spell points and your caster limit by
not know or which is of higher level level for the Cleric/Druid and
than the caster requires expending Wizard/Illusionist charts:
spell points equal to the level of the Wizard / Cleric/ Max
Level Illusionist Druid Level
spell multiplied by itself. So a fourth st
1 4 2.5 1
level spell, for example, would cost 2 5 4
16 spell points. 3 7 6 2
nd

Casting a higher level spell requires 4 9 9

rd
an Intelligence check (or check on 5 13.5 12 3
6 18.5 17.5
the relevant stat governing magic, th
7 22.5 22.5 4
like Wisdom for clerics). There is a 8 29.5 29.5
penalty to the target number equal 9 37.5 36.5 5
th

to the difference in levels of caster 10 47 45.5

th
ability and spell level (so in the 11 56 56 6
12 67 67
previous example, that would be a th
13 80 80 7
1 penalty). Failure means the spell 14 94 93
goes poof and the spell points are 15 110 109 8
th

lost. 16 125.5 125

th
17 144.5 144 9
18 163.5 163
The main advantage of this system is
19 175.5 175
to provide spontaneous casting options 20 194.5 187
to your players. I developed this system
in response to the spells we all like but Bonus Spell Points by Attribute Modifier
never memorize because we dont think Relevant Stat Bonus Spell points
well need them, and then go doh! 13-15 +1 at 1st level casting
When we find out we do syndrome. 16-17 +2 at 2nd level casting
This allowed players to use spells more 18 +3 at 3rd level casting
creatively in interesting situations, and
kept the pace of the game faster, with
more pulp action and less PBS

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 The Gazetteer of Lingusia
Note: This gazetteer is, of course, hardly
complete, and some of the regions below
have a great deal more about which can be
or has been written, but they shall receive
full treatment in their own chapters in due
time. For now, this will provide an adequate
introduction to the many splendored lands
of Lingusia and the unique places to go to.
Some entries include kingdom profile
information and others do not. Generally, in
those areas for which such information has
either not been authenticated, is suspect,
or cannot be readily verified by appropriate
scholars and explorers, it shall be left out.
Autrengard
Frigid land of dour northern jarldoms
Population: 1.2 million
Government: regional fiefdoms ruled by
jarls
Capital: No unifying capitol, though
Minathor has been a seat of power at times
in the past.
Rulers: the greatest ruler is Drosos UlDrom
of Minathor. The jarl Grohan Vor of Urstad
is prominent, as is jarl Meridas Tadaman of
Shargarad.
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Religions: The northron pantheon.
Hargameth is revered above all others,
followed by Phonatas, Wishupar, and
Ashturak.
Language: The Northron Tongue
Social Titles: outcast, thrall, commoner,
professional tradesman, warrior, skald,
landowner, merchant, lesser jarl, common
jarl, greater jarl.
Allies: The Autrengardians are haredly
unified among themselves, but they do
trade with the Zarnians when they arent at
war with them, as well as the Nakivk and
the Steppelanders. The Autrengardians
claim to have trade routes to fabled
IlMadhar, but they do not share these
routes with outsiders.
Enemies: Almost all border kingdoms are at
war sooner or later with Autrengard. They
are very hostile to the Middle Kingdoms at
large, and are always at war with the
Vyrkashans in the untamed Northern
Wilderness.
Background
The ancient settlers of Autrengard are
said in tales to have been the most dour
and unpleasant of all men. They were once
of a distant southern tribe, which was so
warlike and unruly, that they driven from
the home of man in a particularly fearsome
war, exiled from the Middle Kingdoms for
all time. The tribes wandered north, and
some found the mountainous wilderlands
of the Nordaman Coast to their liking,
founding the lands that would one day be
called Yllmar, Hettanar, and Zarn. The most
 die-hard tribesmen were unsatisfied with
these lands, and did not stop until they
looked upon the harshest =, most frigid
realm of the north, where they were at last
content. Thus the tales of the jarls of
Autrengard claim that the people of this
land were content only with a life of
perpetual hardship.
The lands of Autrengard have, indeed,
been settled for many millennia now, but
the people of the land are so remotely
connected to their southern cousins that
very little remains in terms of cultural
similarity.
Life In Autrengard
The northlanders of Autrengard are Nordic
in appearance, burly, hairy men and robust
women of fair complexion with blonde and
red hair being most common.
The northern style of dress is warm. They
go for heavy furs, hides, and plenty of
insulation to keep the cold out. The
Autrengardians are also very practical, and
even the nobility tends to favor more useful
garb or decorative. Colors seem to be in
absence among the Autrengardian lifestyle;
everything is grey, brown, dark. Only the
furs themselves tend to have a little color in
them, assuming the animal in question had
a colorful pelt.
The Autrengardians live in stone and
wood houses which are built on solid
earthen foundations. These long houses
have been common practice for ages, and
only the most prestigious of domiciles in
major cities along the coast have any
serious stone fortifications. The
Autrengardians favor a straight-up fight
over siege defense; they dont like to hide
behind walls.
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Major Geography
The Baldaric Sea: The northern sea which
provides the principle source of trade,
commerce, and war for the Northron
Kingdoms. The Baldaric is a frigid body of
water in the northern regions, and during
the winter periods its northern tracks
stretching deep inland freeze over and
remain such until spring thaw, at which
time the great chunks of melting icer break
up and create a whole new set of obstacles
and dangers for seafarers.
The Untamed Tracks: A great expanse of
largely uninhabited wilderness, the Tracks
are the site of many small jarldoms and
communities, as well as of the wildermen
called the Uriks. The Uriks are a harsh
culture of barbarians who live like beasts,
engage in cannibalism, and fight both the
Autrengardian towns of the north and the
Vyrkasha beastmen of the south. They are
said to worship the spirits and recognize no
god.
Ethak Mountains: The northern mountains
provide a great barrier between northern
and southern lands for trade and war. The
Ethaks are riddled with mountainous
species, especially the giant kin, who often
engage in war with the distant dragon lands
further north as well as the Steppelanders.
Aelen Pass: This is the safest pass through
the western Ethaks. The city of Drakal acts
as a lone defense of the pass, and is the
only overland city along the northern trade
route.
The White Plains: The enigmatic NakIvk
have their southernmost tribes in this great
wintery tract, which is frozen year round,
endless tundra land walled in by the frozen
Ethak Mountains. The NakIvk are a
mongoloid people who are extremely
 reclusive and do not like to interact with
outsiders. They have a complicated
hierarchy of spirits that they worship, and
seem to revere a version of the god
Trimelin, as well.
Important Sites
Minathor: The largest city of Autrengard,
ruled by the great jarl Drosos UlDrom, a
warrior without peer who rules most of the
coastal land along the Baldaric Sea.
Minathor is one of the few Autrengardian
cities to contain great stonework
battlements, but visitors of some
knowledge have observed that the oldest
foundations of the venerable city show an
unknown architecture of some forgotten
culture, which was probably destroyed by
the first Autrengardians to arrive.
Urstad: The coastal city off of the fabled
Northern Ocean is ruled by the great jarl
Grohan Vor. Vor is a brutal and efficient
leader, whos rulership is feared by all but
contested by none, lest he impale you on
his stockade battlements overlooking the
sea. The city of Urstad is known for its sea
raiders and merchants, and when the
raiders are not plying their trade up and
down the Endless Coast, the merchants of
Urstad are welcomed for their rare and
valuable metalwork, hides, and art. Urstad
is also known for its direct trade with fabled
IlMadhar.
Kalazar: The northernmost city of the jarls,
ruled by Kozos Drumon, a dour and classic
Autrengardian as any, but one who dislikes
war and sees himself as the peacekeeper of
the north. Kalazar is a major source of trade
with the enigmatic NakIvk, as well as a
principle source of whale meat and blubber.
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Shargarad: Ruled by Meridas Tarmadan, the
most powerful of warrior queens among
the jarls. She founded her little kingdom
after slaying the former jarl, who would
have taken her as his bride after she was
seized in a raid on the city of Artaeus where
her family was slain in battle Meridas rose
up, supported by a strong following of the
cult of Phonatas, who saw her as divinely
appointed, and she has kept her rule ever
since.
Drakal: This is the northernmost overland
trade city, ruled by the lesser jarl Homgrun
Urthk, a disciplined warrior and scholar who
is at once ruthless and protective with his
people. Urthk is said to worship strange
gods of which only ancient tablets left over
in the ruins of the pre-Autrengardian city
which Drakal was built atop speak of. He
permits a certain amount of trade with the
remote Sylveinurien elves of Eilen in the
Ethak Mountains, and his military tactics for
dealing with the hostile giants of the
mountains are legendary.
Eilen: A remote elvish colony of northern
Sylveinurien elves, sometimes called the
Authreinuriens (or Elves of the North). The
community of Eilen is nestled in a sylvan
valley within the Ethaks that is well-
protected from the hostile environment of
the lands around it. The queen of the
Authreinuriens is a gentle elvish woman
named Aelyth Mithyr, a priestess of
Phonatas.
Avilin
Wilderlands of forgotten sorcerer kings
Population: 1 million
Government: a mix of city states, ruled by
warlords and magiocracts.
Capitol: The spiritual capitol is Foreven.
 Rulers: Foreven is ruled today by Queen
Riethe Amanielle and the immortal
sorceress Zyida.
Religions: A mix of belief: The Eight
Immortals of Takkai in Kozaka, the Cult of
the Seraphim in Foreven, Poltrieti worship
in Koetralli, and Kathack in the Scabren
Lands.
Language: Avilinian (a strange Esperanto
dialect, with strong Northron Tongue ties),
Thaygiri (the ancient dialect of sorcerers),
Kozakani
Social Titles: variable, but most commonly;
slave, serf, commoner, wealthy commoner,
knight, baron, lord, highlord, king, sorcerer
king.
Allies: The Zymhar are regular trade
partners, as are the Khozakani and distant
Zued.
Enemies: Starthias has always been
opposed to Avilin and engages in regular
sea battle; TaiKong has mandated that
Avilin is an enemy, harboring the renegade
families of the YiChang political prisoners
as it did.
Background
Avilin is a region stretching across more
than fifteen hundred miles of of largely
untamed northern land. Located on a sub-
continental region along the northern
shores of the Salien Sea, the first men of
Avilin settled here five thousand years ago,
as part of the Thaygirian civilization that
sprang up during a very early period of
cultural migration in Linguisia. From the
Thaygirian civilization arose a magiocacy of
scholars, a society dedicated to esoteric
studies in arcane and the divine. This
culture, though ready to defend itself from
foreign incursion, was more skilled in
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
disguising its presence from those who
would seek to pass through their lands.
The Thaygirian Empire was strong in its
early years, as it developed powerful
magical teachings in elemental and planar
lore. About three millennia ago, a great
conflict described as the Elemental Wars
occurred, and the land was blasted by the
magic of its sorcerer kings in terrible
conflict. The Thaygiri suffered, and the
empire crumbled.
Over the millennia, the Thaygirian city
states grew progressively more decadent
and insular, and its people grew scarce, for
too many of the Thaygiri were addicted to
their planar studies and arcane
experiments, lost to the daily affairs of their
own land. Eventually, they suffered a
devastating blow when a great horde of
barbarian Steppelanders plundered the
region, and slaughtered most of the
thaygiri. The Streppelanders, oddly, did not
stay, driven back to their wintery plains by
unknown fears of the haunted Thaygiri
lands they had wronged.
For centuries, a handful of men, some
descended from Thaygirian blood,
continued to dwell in the remove vastness
of Avilin. At last, about a thousand years
ago, new colonists began to arrive.
Avilin is now marked by a diverse cultural
assemblage, brought forth by the migratory
descendants of several migrant groups
which all arrived in the region over the last
millennia. Over the course of these various
migrant incursions, the land has taken on a
distinct flavor and look that is unique to the
region, as eastern and southern cultural
groups mix with the original northern
colonists.
 The first migration was brought about by
Zarnian and Caelernin tribes which were
driven from their native lands in a period of
great war. They arrive about a thousand
years ago, and for a century they built their
towns and communities in a rough,
unexploited land, safe from the war of their
own native soil.
About one hundred and fifty years later,
colonists from the Middle Kingdoms
arrived, led by the queen Therenile, a
Hyrkanian woman who was exiled from her
native land for heretical practices in the
name of the esoteric pantheon of the
Seraphim. She was followed by an elvish
paramour and his kin, who founded the
elvish communies of the Koetralli Forest.
Therenile and her kind occupied the ruins
of ancient Foreven, with the blessing of its
last living Thaygiri inhabitant, the ancient
sorceress Zyida. A new era for Avilin had
begun, and the name of Avilin was coined
to describe this land at that time.
Over the centuries, the other lost cities of
the old Thaygirian kingdoms were
reoccupied by various settlers, and about
six centuries ago, an eastern incursion of
invaders led to the founding the the coastal
city states of Kozaka.
Today, Avilin is a mixture of city states,
some ruled by Thaygiri descendants, others
by the blooded colonists who inhabited the
lands they fought so hard to attain. Avilin
has no common unity, but most people look
at Foreven as the figurative center of the
kingdom, its heart, if you will.
Major Geography
Koetrali Forest: vast tracks of forestland
which hold the kingdom of the enigmatic
Koetralithian elves. The Koetralithians are a
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subtle but important presence in the age-
old politics of the land, and are said to have
migrated here from their elvish homelands
in the Middle Kingdoms about nine elvish
generations ago (approximately 9
centuries). In the founding tales of their
kingdom, it is said that the first king of the
Koetrali was named Eridas Sylvinaris, and
that he was smitten with the human queen
Therenile who founded the first city of
Foreven. He followed her, and with him
came many kinsmen to explore the new
land. Eirdas is said to yet live, but in a
hidden enclave of worship for the forest
god Poltrietie.
Fragghulen Mountains: Within these great
rocky mountains are the hidden kingdoms
of the northern dwarves, who are said to
have dwelt inside their subterranean lands
for as long as time. The Fragghulen dwarves
(called the Fraghendur) are of iron dwarven
stock, and are locked in a permanent
regular war with the giants of the mountain
peaks, most of whom are migrant tribes
coming from the westerk Ethaks and
Dragonmounts. Many other subterranean
species are to be found in the Fragghulens
Mountains as well, especially kobolds,
goblins, troglodytes, and orcs.
Shanghir: Dominated by the Shanghir
Horselords, a cultural branch of the great
Takkain horseclans, the Shanghir plains are
ruled by the so-called horselords. The
Takkain clans arrived about four centuries
ago, during the last great conflict and
migration of their people to struggle
westward, and their hordes fell upon the
battlements of Avilinian defenses until they
were at last shattered. Those who remained
behind founded the new clans of the
 Shanghir Plains. Their current ruler is the
Khan Grhatos.
Palladorn: Known throughout Avilin as the
Swordsmasters, the people of Palladorn
claim to have been descended of the very
first colonists to come here a thousand
years ago, men who were of mixed blood
from Zarnian and Caelernin lands, driven
from their native kingdoms by warfare and
civil strife. The Palladorni are very
mercenary, warriors and merchants who
will sell their services and wares to the
highest bidder. Among the city states of
Avilin, they are prized for their mercenary
nature.
The Scabren Lands: The predatory,
insectoid Scabren are rulers of this region.
The Scabren seem to group themselves in
ant-like colonies surrounding hereditary
kings and queens which are distinctly more
monstrous then their thralls. But for the
constant warfare they engage among
themselves, the city states would be in dire
danger of the Scabren hordes. There is a
legend among the Scabren that one day a
Great Queen of their kind will be born, one
whos will is so great she will unite all of the
colonies in to one nation and rise up to
destroy the humans, whom the Scabren
describe as foodbeasts. Needless to say,
Scabren are one of the few threats that
instantly unite all of the diverse people of
Avilin in to a united force.
Kozaka: The men of Kozaka first came to
the eastern shores of Avilin in a failed
invasion about six centuries ago from the
Khozakani kingdom of Takkai. The warlord
of the time, Jun Hayako, was slain in his
attempted invasion, and the armies were
defeated. The Avilinian king at the time,
Carto Vasper, offered amnesty to the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Khokani survivors, who had already been
entrenched for years, and whos ships had
been burned in battle. In exchange, they
swore allegiance to the Avilinian king and
eventually took Avilinian brides.
About four centuries ago, the Kozaka
people rebelled in a civil war brought on by
the warlord Nogura, who sought to reclaim
his peoples heritage. His rebellion
succeeded, and the people ruled under him
for a generation.
About three centuries ago, political
refugees from distant TaiKong, called he
YiChang, arrived at Kozaka and petitioned
the land for sanctuary from the wars of
persecution in their own empire. This
brought an influx of TaiKongese in to the
land, bringing with them the teachings of
the Eight Immortals.
The end result is a unique mix of Takkain
and Lingusian cultures, a blend which has
persevered for six centuries now. The cities
of Kozaka have been at times under the rule
of Avilinian kings, but presently are under
no single rulership, instead divided up
amongst a variety of warlords, all seeking to
bring their land under one rule.
Important Sites
Blackwell: In the Burning Wastes, Blackwell
exists as one of the only safe passages
through this region said to be a relic of the
Elemental Wars. Blackwell is a strange city
state, and has the most traffic of merchants
and cultural exchange of the Avilinian cities.
Blackwell is also home to an ancient
Thaygiri sorcerer-king, who dwells in a five-
hundred foot tall obsidian tower about five
miles south of the Great Oasis. There, the
self-proclaimed god-mage Tabirius the
Contemplator engages in arcane research
of the planes, rarely dabbling in the affairs
 of men save when he needs something of
importance. Blackwells king, Koldar
Makvaris, fears Tabirius, for he has been in
the tower and knows what horrors it
contains.
Foreven: Westernmost of the ancient
Avilinian cities, Foreven has a strong
presence of migratory Shanaghir
horselords, who set up temporary camp
outside the city wall during the summer
months. The city itself is a great center of
trade and barter for the western lands of
Avilin.
Nestled in the center of Foreven is a squat
but immense pyramid, around which is an
ancient, cultivated garden of eden. It is here
which the immortal sorceress Zyida dwells.
At the eastern base of her pyramid is the
great palace of Foreven, where Queen
Riethe Amanielle dwells.
Foreven is nestled along the edge of the
Anklian Mountains a small but rocky range
which is rife with mines of metal and gold.
Nestled at the height of the tallest Anklian
peak is the citadel of the god-mage
Shandhirn, Imparter of Wisdom, a great
immortal Thaygirian prophet. Said by some
to be the one who has seen all history and
time pass in the lands of Avilin, he is known
to answer important questions for a price.
Some daring souls who entered his domain
have noted a large volume of writing which
was identified as being in the ancient
Prehunate script by the legendary
antiquarian Lord Chalidane of Midas.
Donikkar: Called the City of a Thiousand
Demons, Donikkar is located in the northern
periphery of a region called the Beastlands,
Donikkar is a city of chaos and sin, where no
pious soul of goodness sets foot. Once a
bastion of Chaos, Donikkar was hardly
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slowed by the Great Reckoning, and indeed,
it seems as if the esoteric chaos cults of this
land are unimpeded, as they seem to be a
strong as ever in the City of A Thousand
Demons.
At the center of the city lies the eight-
sided tower of the immortal god-mage
Spikratus The Insane, a terrible Thaygiri
immortal who is said to be the source of
chaos and corruption both in Donikkar and
the Beastlands.
Shazalin: This cold northern city is isolated
by its location from the rest of the land.
Said to have been built and then
abandoned by the Thaygirians after the
Elemental War, Shazalin has become the
home to northern colonists, outcasts, and
those seeking hardship in the extreme
north.
Though none in the city communicate
with the god-mage of the glacier, about ten
leagues from the city dwells Bastapar the
Artificer, a Thaygiri sorcerer locked in a
great, ancient glacier which has formed
over and around his ancient fortress. Within
this glacial expanse is said to be buried the
most ancient and immense city of all, built
by the Thaygirians to be a great capitol of
their empie, and destroyed by the
Elemental Wars. Shazalin is said to be but
the tip of it.
Balladrast: This city state is ruled by a
council of local land owning nobles, most of
whom claim territory along the Greylore
Mountains. The population of Balladrast is
mixed, containing descendants from all of
the various cultures which came to dwell in
the lands of Avilin.
Bellspont: The people of Bellspont are a
mystery which no historical documentation
can solve. They appear Takkain, perhaps
 even of mongoloid descent from the
Horsetribes or the Shanghir, but they are
culturally advanced and dedicated to a
civilization which seeks to restore the glory
of the ancient Thaygirian Empire. The city
itself has a Great Library, in which a great
repository of ancient Thaygiri lore can be
found, and the city itself is built upon the
ruins of an even older Thaygiri ruin, though
no immortal dwells nearby. Bellspont
emulates the old empire, by maintaing a
magiocracy and respecting the practicioners
of arcane arts first and foremost. Those
who cannot practice magic are relegated to
rolls as workers and warriors, never to
climb in social rank.
Belladas
The Great Jungle Kingdom of Amech
Population: 6 million
Government: feudal chiefdom with a high
king.
Capital: The Capitol is Kichattamek
Rulers: The Great King, Arushmana.
Religions: The Amechian Pantheon.
Language: Amechian
Social Titles: Various, but common social
stratification breaks up among slaves,
commoners, the wealthy, warriors,
warlords, chieftains, and the great king.
Coinage: no common coinage, plenty of
trade.
Allies: Hyrkania, Covarte, and Cretea, as
well as Zued in the east, are all known allies
and trade partners.
Enemies: The Hotepsalans, Codam TKezzu,
and Hadrosians are all regular enemies.
Background
The kingdom of Belladas is centered in the
Amechian forests, where the venerable
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
kingdom struggles against the encroaching
Hadrosian Empire in the south, the Codam-
Tkezzu in the east, and the slavers of
Southern Hyrkania and Trog in the west.
Belladas is part of the greater culture of
the Amech basin that was descended from
the Kadantanian Empire, and although it is
not ruled by sorcerer-kings, the spirit
shamans of the land are venerated as being
just as powerful.
The people of Belladas rever war and
strength as a matter of survival, and every
child of the land is taught the art of combat
and the ways of war. Despite this focus,
Belladas is also a rich trading nation and it
harvests the many lucrative resources of
the Amech Jungles for sale and export to
the Middle Kingdoms and beyond. Immense
caravans of two or three hundred servants,
traders and beasts can be found heading
out from Belladas, guarded by the fiercely
dedicated Order of Hanahook, the
guardians of the land.
Major Geography
Lake Hoderion: The largest local body of
water in a basin land pock-marked with
cisterns and hidden lakes (there are
thousands of lakes and bogs in Belladas),
Lake Hoderion is a centerpoint of village life
for many belladasians. Rumors abound that
beneath the deep lake waters lies
submerged an ancient, prehuman city.
KiIndi Mountains: Dominated by
Amenanyu orc tribes, these mountains and
the KiIndi valley in between are a major
southerly trade route. Every year, dozens of
skirmishes and some full scale battles
Take place between the Order of Hanahook,
the militia regulars of Belladas, and the wild
tribes of the orcs. Even more recently, the
 garrisons have been reinforced in the wake
of invading Hadrosians.
Important Sites
Kichattamek: The capitol of Belladas, seat
of the High Kings throne. A diverse
metropolis built upon the foundation of
much more ancient cities, with ancient
Kadantanian architecture poking out from
more modern designs. The Arenas of
Hanahook are a sight to behold, and daily
drills with the twelve hundred elephant
cavalry of the king are spectacles many
travel to see.
Caelernin
The Wildmen of Vagendars Woods
Population: 200,000
Government: loose clanships.
Capital: None.
Rulers: The current great Clanlord is
CullDhalug.
Religions: The Caelernin worship Zingar,
Wolfon, Hargameth, Phonatas, Set, Haro,
Seth, Mitra, and Niras.
Language: Caelernin
Social Titles: outcast, thrall, commoner,
professional tradesman, warrior, skald,
landowner, merchant, lesser jarl, common
jarl, greater jarl.
Coinage: No common coinage; they prefer
trade.
Allies: The Caelernin are hostile and insular.
They trade a bit with the Zarnians and the
Zymhar, but not much.
Enemies: The Caelernin see everyone
around them as a potential enemy, and
especially despise civilized men, including
the city of Karan, which they feel it is the
destiny of their people to destroy.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Background
Caelernin is an ancient woodland
dominated by twelve major tribes of
barbarian men, united by culture and
religion. The region is volatile and
dangerous, and in two thousand years of
recorded history, the chiefdoms of
Caelernin have never shown civilization or
ceased hostilities against foreigners.
Though the tribes lack unity, one chief
amongst them stands out. He is called
Brannak Damon, and he rules the largest of
the tribes, the Ael. His word is respected by
all others, and his force in the woods keeps
the peace.
Major Geography
Vagendars Woods: These ancient woods
are named after a legendary wizard of the
ancient past, a man who is revered by the
Caelernin for being the founder of their
culture. To this day, it is said that a
mysterious keep in the woods will appear to
those questing for eldritch knowledge, a
keep belonging to the ancient Spirit of
Vagendar.
The Sylvan Vales: The network of valleys
running from the eastern mountains of
Caelernin are home to many strange and
mysterious fae being. The tribes avoid this
area as much as possible, though
Sylveinurien elves who dwell in the region
will periodically trade with men.
The Draugan Spear: An ancient and
mysterious mountain range which stands
apart in the woods, The Draugan Spear is a
haunted land, feared by the ancient tribes.
Rumors of demons are often proven by
questing warriors who venture forth and
engage in combat with the mysterious and
hostile beings of the mountains.
 Important Sites
Ael Lands: The region dominated by the
largest Caelernin tribe, the Ael. Uosos is the
chiefdom from which Brannak Damon rules.
Even as the largest such tribe, the total
population of the Ael is not more than
twelve thousand.
Chigros Tribelands
The Barbarians of Southern Amech
Population: 100,000
Government: loose chiefdoms with no unity
Capital: No major cities or capitols
Rulers: A variety of lesser chiefs
Religions: Amechian Pantheon
Language: The Middle Tongue
Social Titles: none; warriors, workers,
chieftains, shamans
Coinage: No coinage used (trade and barter
only)
Allies: Loose trade with Belladas,
Naminthia, Cretea
Enemies: The Hadros, who seek to conquer
the tribes.
Background
The Chigros are an ancient alliance of semi-
nomadic tribelanders in south eastern
Amech, where the more arid, dryer
landscape makes for harsher living
conditions. The Chigros are truly aboriginal,
and are a people descended from
indigenous groups who were living the
simple life long before the Kadantanian
Empire arose.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Important Sites
Urdanne: This independent, ancient city is
now ruled by Hadros, but it still trades with
the Chigros when possible.
Babrakalu: This ancient subterranean ruin is
the remains of a much more ancient
prehunate tomb, from which many more
ancient horrors have been released over
the centuries. Lord Chalidane once traveled
this region, and recorded tales of a hideous
beast beneath the ruins which may have
been one of the dreaded Krakens.
Kharkon: This ancient citadel in the
mountains is ruled by an exiled Hotepsalan
lord named Vaskadro, a were-jaguar who
rules the local tribes in a strange sort of
alliance.
Codam Empire
Reptillian Empire of Evil
Population: about 100,000 Codam TKezzu
and as many humanoid slaves
Government: supreme rule by the High
Theocrat.
Capital: The Capitol is Tizkon.
Rulers: The High Theocrat Erzkt Kvakatha
Religions: The Codam TKezzu worship
Language: The Codam language, a
bastardization of old Kadantanian; Codam
TKezzu also write their arcane books and
spells in Old Kadantanian, and draconic.
 Social Titles: Vkazr (slaves), Tkezzu
(commoners), Kaled (warriors), Erkzar
(mages and priests), Zhrik (nobles), Erzkt
(high theocrat, king).
Allies: None, save for some mercenaries
among the Terkithyi and Talanabros, and
some minor trade alliances with Hotepsala.
Enemies: All surrounding them, especially
Belladas.
Background
Probably the foulest serpentine species to
ever spring forth from the cesspools of
creation, the dreadful Codam TKezzu
(Codam means kingdom in their language,
and TKezzu means sons of Kezzu) are said
to be mutated beings spawned from the
laboratories of the ancient Kadantanian
sorcerer kings. With elongated necks lick
ostriches, immense heads with beak-like
snouts, and powerful, spurred legs balanced
by spiked tails, the Codam are fiersome
warriors and masters of magic.
The cunning and intellect of the Codam
allowed them to eventually break free of
the shackles of Kadantian slavery, and forge
a small but powerful kingdom east of
Belladas. There they found the ruins of an
ancient TKomode city and established their
new city of Tizkon.
The Codam TKezzu have long relied on
shock troop mercenaries from the Terkithyi
and Talanabros, and occasionally even the
Amenanyu (though they prefer them for
food stock). They prefer taking slaves from
their neighbors, and rely on their drug-
controlled slave power to keep things
running.
While the Codam lust after power, they
desire security and hedonistic pleasures
even more. Rather than seek to expand
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their empire, the Codam have sought to
reinforce their existing power base, and
protect themselves from all enemies.
The Codam have a strange religion. They
venerate a deity called Kezzu, which is said
to be the immortalized god-king of the first
of their kind to break free of Kadantanian
shackles. Kezzu is worshipped by a small but
powerful cult of priests, who advocate the
interests of the people and the exploitation
of all non Codam TKezzu. The High
Theocrat, Erzkt Kyakatha, is the current
ruler of the land and head of the
priesthood.
Major Geography
The Codam Empire is itself nestled within
a mountainous valley that is a great,
swleting swamp land and mud pit. They
have cultivated many damns and diversions
to bring water in to the valley, and cleared
many trees to open up the land, making it a
very unpleasant domain for non-Codam to
dwell in.
Covarte
The River Kingdom
Population: 100,000
Government: feudal monarchy.
Capital: The Capitol is Carapas.
Rulers: King Mezhyr Droman,
Religions: The Covarte revere many gods,
especially the Amechian deity Nanoktin,
but their patron god is SheSek, the river
serpent.
Language: The Covarte speak a bastardized
form of Amechian with a lot of Middle
Tongue influence; its Covarte for all
purposes, but a speaker may make a
intelligence check at DC 15 to see if he or
 she understands a speaker of Amechian or
Middle Tongue in their native language.
Social Titles: There are no slave castes.
There are commoners (eseki), land owners
(marusek), barons (katus), high lords
(retukus), and the king (Elevus).
Coinage: the copper zinj, the silver draem,
the gold pilaek, and the amber trukk. They
engage in barter.
Allies: The Covarte trade with the
Yllmarians, Plainsmen, Belladas, and
Hyrkanians. They have close alliances with
the Belladas and Plainsmen.
Enemies: The Covarte are a friendly people,
and avoid making war when possible. They
have nonetheless come to mistrust the
Tolohagros, Hadrosians, Uthadans, and
Starthians.
Background
Covarte is a quiet community of rivermen
who ply their trade up and down the great
north-flowing river of SheSek. Named after
the serpent god of the rains which is said to
dwell within its waters, the rivermen
provide an important link in the trade
networks from south to north.
Covarte is ruled by a king named Mazhyr
Droman, a kindly man who despises war
and seeks only to protect his people.
Dromans strengths are in his ability to
negotiate treaties and trade agreements
with almost anyone, and his cultural
familiarity with so many other lands.
The Covarte people are reverent to many
gods, especially the thousand gods of
NanokTin, but SheSek, patron of the very
river that is Covartes lifeblood, is most
venerated of all.
The people of Covarte are a mix of
plainsmen, Amechian, and Hyrkanian
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
cultures and language. They are of both fair
and dark skin, intermarry with Belladasians
easily, and wear garb which is somewhere
between the simple outfits of the Amech
and the more ornate style of the
Hyrkanians. They are a friendly people, by
and large, but prone to superstitions, and
not a warrior culture, preferring to flee or
negotiate over fighting.
Major Geography
The River SheSek: This great half-mile wide
river runs northward, pouring from the
highland Lake Hoderion and pouring out
eventually in to the Lake Vurilek, which in
turn eventually empties in to Lake Kaos, and
atlast in to the Marshes of Mist. This
passage allows for a flow of river trade from
the Yllmarian city of Majord all the way
back to Belladas. Overland traders at Rajam,
off lake Vurilek, make their way to the
Uthadan territory, the River Lords, and
other cultures of the plains.
Lake Vurilek: This ancient lake is dotted
with river towns on its southern and
eastern shores, but bereft of life in the
west, where the haunted city of Sylmaran
lies. The lake itself is said to hold the spirits
of the dead soldiers of Covarte who foght
off the ordes of Anharak many centuries
ago.
 Important Sites
Rajam: This is the port city along Lake
Vurilek. Ruled by lord Droman Vir, Rajam
has the strongest navy and a formidable
cavalry, for it is expected to defend the land
should Uthadan raiders threaten the
kingdom. Rajam is a central trade port for
the passage of goods to the plainsmen and
Yllmar.
Sablen: This river port is a central
community of the Covarte kingdom, and is
the location of the chief temple to the god
SheSek. It is a place of pilgrimage for
Covarteans who are down on their luck.
Carapas: The capitol of the land and seat of
the kings palace, Carapas is a beautiful city
of fine architecture, built on both sides of
the half-mile wide river.
Cretea
Population: 500,000
Government: Confederacy of democratic
city-states
Capital: Each city of Cretea has its own
body of rule. The Senate of the Land meets
at Helios.
Rulers: Each city has an elected governor.
The Regent of Cretea is a position held for
five years, then filled by a citizen vote of the
city states. Current regent is Kryitos
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Hyapides.Religions: Creteans revere a
curious mix of myths, some of which are
heard of nowhere else save in their lands.
Creteans revere their hero-figures more
than any gods, and venerate these
immortalized ancestors, including Derigos
the Bull, Rachivar the Unstoppable, Aleema
the Seductress, Taliva the Stormbringer,
and Esheba the Gorgon.
Language: The Cretean language
Social Titles: The people of Cretea claim not
to have special roles, but their society is
stratified in to the roles of slaves, landless
commoners, property-owning citizens,
governing elected rulers, and the regent.
Coinage: The Dramas (gold), the silver
(kryt), and the copper (tuk). Platinum is rare
but called mynat.
Allies: Cretea is allied with Sendral,
Naminthia, and sometimes Zued. Trading
with most coastal nations is frequent.
Enemies: Cretea is at war with Hadros and
Argosea.
Background
Cretea is one of the most benevolent, and
possibly quietest regions of Lingusia. The
coastal kingdoms of this lush,
Mediterranean land are a series of city-
states ruled by a common democratic
process. Each city state has a body of
elected voters, citizens who participate in
electing governors and making laws. These
citizens must own land and have wealth,
allowing them to vote. Women are not
allowed to participate. Through their
efforts, a governor and representatives are
voted on and elected. In turn, the
representatives of each city-state meet at
the city of Helios, where an elected regent
rules. The collective body at Helios dictates
 laws considered common in all city-states,
though disagreements between different
cities are common, leading to regional
warfare and sometimes even civil war.
Cretea is as much a coastal seafaring
culture as it is landed, and is one of the five
great seafaring empires in Lingusia. They
are always at war with the Argoseans of
Karaktu, but manage friendly trade (most of
the time) with all other Lingusian kingdoms.
Major Geography
Thracyllia: This island off the coast is the
heart of the Thracyllian League, which
refuses to participate in the rule of the
regent. It is also the center of activity for
the rarely seen culture of Mishrag bullmen,
who rule a quasi-subterranean realm on
this island.
Mount Heliossar: Upon this mountain rests
an ancient city atop which the immortals of
Cretean myth are said to have retired to
rule as envoys of the goddess GaThika.
Near the base of this mountain is the
Cavern of Enlightenment, where the Oracle
of Cretea dwells, providing mystical
knowledge to the regent and those in need.
Important Sites
Necropolon: The ruined city of Necropolon
fell centuries ago to a dark invasion by
otherworldly forces, and is now a demon-
haunted ruin. Little is known of its
mysteries, though the tales say that the
city-builders unleashed the darkness upon
themselves when an excavation for the
governors palace unwittingly opened a
hidden passage that led to a subterranean
realm beneath the city, from which
countless horrors emerged
Helios: The capitol from which the regent
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
rules, Helios is a mecca of civilization and a
boon to monumental architecture
throughout the world. The Library of Helios
is said to be as magnificent as the Librarium
of Midas in Octzel. The Temple of the
Immortals is said to be as grand as the
Temple of Naril in Hyrkanien. The palace of
the regent is said to be more impressive
than the Emperors Palace of Persedonia.
Helios is guarded by a military dedicated to
the regent, but the city is considered a civic
monument shared by all of Creteas city
states.
Cymeer
Population: 1 million or less
Government: Rulership by steward
Capital: The Capitol is Bodlon
Rulers: The current steward is Lord Eraman
Religions: The Spirit of Amehwy
Language: The Eastron Tongue
Social Titles: commoners, lesser nobles,
knights, greater nobles, lord governors,
steward, the prophetic king.
Allies: Cymeer hold alliance with Karan,
Zymhar, Naminthia and Zued.
Enemies: Cymeer is perpetually at war with
Hotepsala and the Confederates of Draskis.
Background
Cymeer is an ancient land, founded long
ago by the ancient Zuedian tribes which
colonized most of the eastern coast, a
curious mixture of local people and
somewhat more complex eastern Takkain
belief systems. The tribes which founded
Cymeer worshipped a monotheistic deity
named Amehwy.
Cymeer ruled in various forms for two
thousand and more years, eventually
becoming the kingdom it was recognized as
 about five hundred years ago. Its crusading
knights were famous throughout the lands,
and its pious dedication to the destruction
of evil within Draskis, Hotepsala and beyond
was tireless and effective.
Draskis was a diabolical kingdom which
sprang forth from the demonic worship of
Belphegor. The cults of Draskis began
somewhere in the west and moved out of
the old Kadantanian Empire, eventually
assaulting and taking control of the lands
which Cymeer once ruled. The war between
these two kingdoms would be centuries
long.
The war ended when, in a climactic battle,
the demiurge Amehwy materialized on the
battle field to stop the physical summoning
of Belphegor. The demon god appeared and
killed the demiurge, and Cymeer was
crushed when its protector was slain. Not a
full deity (but still immortal) Amehwy
materialized as a sort of protecing spirit,
providing guidance but with no ability to
thwart the evil in his lands.
During the time of the Reckoning, The
Lords of Chaos were thwarted, and
Belphegor was entrapped within his own
Necropolis. The Cymeeri rose up and
overthrew the Draskis oppressors, many of
whom where struck with the curse of the
sherigras. The kingdom of Draskis fell
overnight. This was four hundred years ago.
Cymeer has been a new kingdom ever
since.
Because Cymeer is so dedicated to its one
deity, very few priests exist in this land.
Paladins and monks are far more commonly
found serving the protector spirit, but only
truly talented men (Wisdom of 16 or better)
are found as real clerics of the god-spirit.
This is partly due to the fact that, as the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
centuries go by, the essence of the dead
demiurge fades, and one day will be
nothing more than a memory. But as will all
things divine, the fervor of worship keeps
the spirit alive.
Major Geography
Kinisthare Forest: This mysterious forest
holds tribes of wild elves, sylvan elves who
appear long ago to have severed ties with
more traditional elvish culture, and indeed
have embraced the life style of the
KahuniLakwha plainsmen.
The Cliffs of Law: Here, at the great mouth
of the Nardurha River, are etched the laws
of Amehwy in a Lex Talionis. The two
hundred laws have been preserved forever
in great letters by the ancient founders of
Cymeer, and these laws remain unchanged.
Even when Draskis ruled, efforts to destroy
the laws were met with horrible misfortune,
as powerful magic protects the region.
Important Sites
Stealindor: The central city of Cymeer is the
heart of military activity and trade. The
Shrine and Tomb of Amehwy can be found
here as well.
Bodlon: The capitol and founding city of
Cymeer, Bodlon exudes a venerable aura
about it. Here, the steward of the land
rules. It is said that the true king of Cymeer
will be a child who will be born with the
reincarnated spirit of Amehwy, and that
that child will become the next true
immortal king of the land.
Mordain: Formerly a capitol of Draskis,
Mordain is now a hive of thievery and dark
magic. It is ruled by force, and the governor
appointed to manage the city allows his
pureblood soldiers of Cymeer to abuse the
 largely Draskis-descended population.
Necropolis Draskis: Here lies the awakening
body of Belphegor. See the deity entry on
Belphegor for more about this dark god,
which begins to awaken in the wake of the
Red Dragon Comet.
Drain
Haunted Kingdom of the Middle North
Population: about 55,000
Government: loose confederacy of city
states.
Capital: The principle city is Yvisk.
Rulers: Danadon is ruled by Draem Orivales.
Matreer is ruled by Draem Dhurvik Kharam.
Yvisk is ruled by Quaetor Cheram Treador.
Religions: The people of Drain are a
curiously godless lot, with a nominal
dedication to Zingar, the Wid Hunt, and
Death, the Nameless One.
Language: The Middle Tongue and
Northron Tongue are common. Many
merchants know tradespeak and the
Plainsspeak.
Social Titles: Murdos (commoner), Dan
(Knight), Elas (Baron of lesser noble), Draem
(Duke), Quaetor (lord ruler, king).
Allies: Drain maintains many alliances with
the plainsmen, as well as the River Lords,
Yllmar, and the fabled Free City of Karan.
Enemies: Drain is always at war with the
Jannen across the Ladarallis Expanse, as
well as the orc hordes of the Silver
Mountains.
Background
Visitors to Drain describe the land as
haunted, both by demons and other foul
beings. The fairly modest stretch of land is
not more than 250 miles across, walled in
by the Silver Mountains to the south, the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Laddaralys Expanse to the north, and the
Alfar Mountains to the west.
The fertile belt of woodland created by
the mountain ranges of the region are the
center of the townships and baronies which
dot the land. Drain is dominated by three
city-states, each ruled by a noble who
proclaims hereditary rulership, but the king,
Quetor Cheram Treador, of Yvisk is seen as
rightful ruler. However, Yvisks military is
weak, and unable to enforce the kings rule,
and the other city states nominally
recognize his right while ignoring all taxes
and requests. Local conflicts between
nobles and the cities are common, but
rarely amount to more than posturing. It is
as if no single nobleman can muster an
army strong enough to do more than look
threatening.
The legacy of Drain is centered in
antiquity. At many times over the last
thousands of years, Drain has been
occupied and ruled by different forces, both
from the north and the Middle Kingdoms,
and occasionally from the kingdoms of the
Great Plains to the east. Always, the valued
lands of Yllmar have been a prize, and when
war would come, the conflicts would bet
settled in the region of Drain.
Over time, the land became rife with the
haunte dead of countless battlefields, and
cults dedicated to these spirits arose. The
old druids of the land built many stone
monuments, the henges, which were used
to commune with the dead. In turn, the
worship of the hunt lord Zingar came in to
practice, as did the Nameless One.
Some five centuries ago, Anharak the mad
wizard sought to destroy the kingdoms of
the Silver Dwarves in the southern
mountains and amassed a great army of
 orcs. He sought to find the True Forge of
Ashturak and unleash untold evil on the
land. This conflict spilled over in to the land
sof Drain in the north and Covarte in the
south. The southern lands were decimated,
rendering all cities ruinous graveyards right
up to the edge of Lake Vurilek. In Drain, the
fighting was intense and constant, but it
was the fortune of the men in that land that
they pushed back the hordes until Anharak
was at last consumed by his own madness
and destroyed. The hero of that day was
Erik Kharam, first Quaetor of the land, and
ancestor of the current king of Yvisk. He and
his many men who died were all eventually
buried with their ancestors and the
countless warriors of prior generations in
the Barrow Lands north of Yvisk.
The tales of this victory are not
unblemished, however, for the bards of
Drain say that Erik Kharam earned his
victory by making a pact with the Banshee
Liawnenshe, a diabolical spirit of the Silver
Mountains who knew the secrets to
Anharaks defeat. She offered them to
Kharam, for a price. He was to take her as
his wife, thus freeing her of her curse.
Kharam agreed, but could not bring
himself to marry the hideous spirit, and
reneged on his agreement after Anharak
was defeated (some say Anharak was
defeated by a knight errant of the Yllmar, as
well, and that Kharam didnt even
accomplish this much). Liawnenshe was
mortified, and cursed Kharam and his
kingdom to an eternity of haunted strife. So
it is said, the tale goes, that Drain became
the damnable place it is.
In fact, Drain might not seem so terrible
to those who have visited some other,
harsher realms, but the troubles of living in
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a domain where all warriors seemed
doomed to fall in battle and rise as restless
undead seem very much difficult to an
everyday peasant. The people of the land
are fearful of their very shadows, and take
special measures to seal corpses in to
coffins, or enact elaborate rituals to put the
restless spirits to rest. The dead return to
life all too easily in this land.
Major Geography
Laddaralis Expanse: The great expanse of
Ladarallis is an immense canyon carved
deep in to the earth by the fast-running
waters below. Difficult to navigate by boat
due to the rapids and rocks, the Ladarallis is
more a hindrance than aid, but it serves the
purpose of providing a barrier for Drain
and Yllmar from the warlords of Jannen. A
famous castle is built in the walls of the
expanse, called Gastelheim. Gargoyles are
said to guard this castle which is built
impossibly along a great cliff, and no
adventurers who have entered have ever
returned. Bards tell plenty of tales about
the place, but no one knows if any are true.
The Silver Mountains: The great circular
mountain range which once held the seat of
the Suethendur Empire is now a wasteland
of warring orcish tribes and smoldering
volcanoes which erupted as a result of
Anharaks blasted magic.
The Silver Mountains are riddled with
subterranean caverns, mines, dwarven
fortresses, and orcish cities. The center of
the mountains is a volcanic valley centered
on the great Mount Kiurgst, in which
Anharak supposedly dwelled until his
demise and the eruption of the mountain.
In the east of the range is the Valley of the
Dwarves, where the largest number of
 abandoned and overrun suethendur cities
and mines can be found. Here, many
centuries ago, the silver dwarves were
driven from their homes forever more, and
nearly destroyed as a race and culture.
The southern mountains contain the
orcish stronghold of Chagenkor, and the
western range contains the Temple to the
demon god Vaprak. Three major tribes of
orcs wander the land, being the Halkgraen,
the Spittgamor, and the Gustornin tribes.
Finally, in the mountains to the north, the
dreaded immortal banshee queen
Liawnenshe dwells.
Tinurn Forest: This forested land in Drains
heartland nestles up against the Alfar
Mountains. The forest is dominated by the
venerable heirophant Meledarchus, who
leads the druidic cults of the dead that
pervade the land. These druids have
adopted a strange form of cultic undead
worship, and for their unusual pagan
beliefs, they have been cast out of the more
conventional druidic circles. The cult of the
undead endorses the return from undeath
as a natural process, which is thwarted by
the living, and that the ultimate goal of the
cult is to force the world of the living and
the dead to merge in to a synergistic whole.
Most of the cultists in Tinurn dwell in a
network of caverns along the foothills of
the Alfars, but there are a handful of
sympathetic villages, very supserstitious
peasantry under the rule of Elas Donner
Treledon, of Lanangan Keep, a baron of the
land who oversees much of the logging in
the area. His men are constantly in conflict
with the mischief of the druid cults.
The Alfar Mountains: This dense, high-
peaked range is a jagged and nigh-
impassable expanse at the western edge
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and center of the Drain region. The Alfars
are haunted by many hideous beasts, and
the mountains are said to contain a dense
network of ancient caverns, inhabited by
Darendur, Ashtarth, and other underworld
denizens, as well as a number of goblin
tribes which almost never leave the
darkness of their lairs save for an occasional
raid in to the Tinurn Forest.
The Defiled Henge: The focus of the druidic
cults of death, the great ring of stones
comprising the Defiled Henge is said to be a
principle gathering place for the hideous
cultists to carry out their many sacrifices in
worship of the dead. It is said that
Liawnanshe herself attends these
ceremonies on occasion. The region is
haunted with ghosts and other undead, and
is said to have been founded on top of a
battlefield dating back to the War of the
Gods. It is said that several divine beings
fell in battle here, and that a powerful lord
of chaos, perhaps even Dalroth himself,
died in his corporeal form upon the
unhallowed ground. Rumors of a hidden
entrance to a terrible catacomb beneath
the henge persist, but none have ever
found it. Tremors beneath the earth, and
occasional,inexplicable earthquakes rock
the land.
Lake Spirit Trap: This deep lake is said to
have gotten its name from the time of the
War of the Gods, when the armies of order
forged northward to contain the abyssal
spawn which erupted from the region.
During a fierce battle against the demonic
dragon Alkuvar Destriganumos, the beast
was slain and plunged in to the earth,
forming the deep crater that became Lake
Spirit Trap. The tale goes on, saying that
the blood of the dragon tainted the waters
 which filled the crater, turning it red on
certain evil days, and that the ghosts of the
soldiers which fell in battle against the
dragon were trapped forever more, unable
to escape their watery graves. Indeed,
strange things seem to haunt the lake, and
the handfulof men who ply their trade as
fishermen and bargers on the lake are a
nervous, stoic lot. Even stranger rumors
suggest that the draconic, undead form of
the dragon still dwells within the lake,
surfacing on those days of Sanguine tide, to
seek out new victims to sustain its unlife.
The Barrowlands: This immense sprawl of
ancient burial grounds covers miles and
miles of terrain. It is said that here, in the
final days and hours of the great War of the
Gods, fell over three-hundred thousand
soldiers both divine and infernal, mortal
and immortal, in the war to end all wars.
The bodies of these warriors on all sides
were interre in large,standing graves and
barrow mounds erected in honor of their
sacrifice. The bodies of the soldiers of
chaos and the devonin that fell were buried
in immense mass graves, and it is said that
blackened, deathly sink-holes opening in to
fetid, charnel caverns of the damned
formed from these burial sites, creating a
qeird netwrok of caverns and tombs in the
region. Rumors also persist of a small
congregation of humans, ashtarth and
sherigras that dwell in the area, operating a
reclusive temple to the highly secretive
Order of the Black Circle. Here,
necromancers learn their trade in the midst
of one of the most corrupted sinkholes of
evil and undeath known. They are enemies
of even the druid death cults, which see
necromancers as blasphemers that would
seek to control and use undead, rather than
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let the undead overrun the world. The
leader of this order is the necromancer Olan
Devar, a half-ashtarth whose human
mother was also a necromancer, and whose
father was a slave purchased from the Alfar
Mountain ashtarth. His father was slain in a
sacrificial ritual performed by his mother to
imbue her son with more power. The
seneschal of the orders keep is a sherigras
named Loparin Dom.
Important Sites
Estoar: The only notable community in the
Alfar Mountains is Estoar, located in the
lowest habitable valley. This community is
dominated by a clan of silver elves who call
themselves the mithireinur, which
translates in to the first ones who seek
knowledge. Their clan descended from
wandering suetheinuriens who left their
homeland long ago and settled within this
valley, to found an impressively elaborate
and maze-like monastery along the lengths
of the rocky canyon dedicated to Huaarl,
the lord of time, and Nistur, the lord of
knowledge. Some members of the Order of
the White Robe trek to this monastery to
study the library and meditate, and a
handful of such humans have never left. In
addition to the elves and men, a small clan
of gnomes dwells here, who have been
mining the valley for precious metals now
for a thousand years. The lord of Estoar is
the elvish knight, Elas Drymarin Syldanar.
Lanangan Keep: The chief barony of the
Tinurn Forest, where the modest but vital
logging trade prospers. Ruled by Elas
Donner Treledon, Lanangan Keep is a
bastion of safety in the middle of a hostile
region of reclusive, backwoods villages and
hidden druidic cults. The keep is usually
 reinforced by a garrison of mercenaries
supplied by Yvisk to insure the safety of the
local workers, and to fight the local cults of
the dead.
Yvisk: The unofficial capitol of the region,
Yvisk is a sprawling metropolis by local
standards, with a population of some
12,000 people in the immediate region. The
city is surprisingly large for its population,
and there are whole neighborhoods with
only a handful individuals, and some are
completely abandoned. Once, Yvisk was a
much larger urban center, but time, war,
and the lingering sense of dread inspired by
the curse of Erik Kharam have combined to
drive many prospective settlers away.
Yvisk is divided in to six districts, including
the Quateors District where Kharam Palace
lies, as well as the Merchants District, Lake
District, the Commons, Industrial District,
and Old Yvisk. Old Yvisk is the largest
percentage of sprawl, where whole
neighborhoods lie fallow and empty save
for handfuls of roving squatters. More than
half of the city is desolate and unkept in
thie manner. The Quaetor has been known
to provide for his army using this empty
housing, though the lack of maintanenace
over time makes many of the vacant
buildings dangerous structures to inhabit.
Furthermore, the locals will tell tales of
persistent hauntings in these areas by the
undead, both ghostly and corporeal, a side
effect, it is said, of the curse of Liawnanshe.
Yvisk has two primary temples in the
Quaetors District, one dedicated to Zingar,
the lord of the hunt and patron of Yvisk,
and the other to the death god Kothos, the
Nameless One. Death is seen as a patron of
the land as a whole, the guardian of the
gates whose efforts to contain the undead
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released by Liawnanshes curse keeps
Drain from being overrun. The Walkers of
Final Night who operate the temple are all
fierce Templars and knights of the land,
sworn in to duty by the Quaetor to destroy
the undead and find, one day, a way to end
the curse on the land, even if it means
destroying Liawnanshe herself.
Yvisks most famous establishment is the
Skull and Bones, a tavern and inn which
caters to the rougher crowd and
adventurers. Mercenaries, undead hunters,
and proepsectors alike will meet at the Skull
and Bones for a drink and to swap tales, as
well as seek employment. Most merchants
and caravaneers know to frequent this
tavern if they need hired muscle.
Danadon: Ruled by Draem Lenire Orivales,
Danadon prospers in the heart of a
dangerous land primarly as a means of
providing protection for those overland
caravans which travel the great trade road
to the east and back. Danadon is as much a
military encampment, a squat stone
fortress surrounded by a thick moat in what
is regarded as perpetually hostile territory.
The community of 4,300 serves primarly as
support for the overland trade network,
offering a stable local garrison of troops to
defend against orcish attacks from the
south, undead threats from the forest, and
Darendur, goblin, and Ashtarth threats from
the Alfar Mountains. Of the many
precarious regions the east-west trade
route passes through, this region is
regarded as most dangerous.
Draem Lenire Orivales is a widowed lady,
whose father and husband died in an
attempted orcish invasion three years ago.
She has four young sons, and some have
suggested she seek the hand of commander
 Gulmaden in marriage (for she is yet young Caravans heading to and from Zymhar and
at 33), but Orivales cannot bring herself to Starthias can also be found, carrying exotic
remarry, and so her stewardship of the oriental goods, as well.
fortress is tempered by sound advice from
her council of soldiers and local barons. Dahik
Danadon itself is a sturdy stone fortress Little is known of the mysterious
with a modest local township built around it underworld kingdom of Dahik. Ruled by the
and defended by a shorter, very long stone Black Circle, a society of thaumaturges and
wall for defense. The inner fortress is necromancers dedicated to chaos, the
surrounded by a deep and wide moat off of Ashtarth dark elves of Dahik are united only
the local river, and the fortress is said to by their common hatreds. Rumor is that the
hold at least 800 soldiers at any given time houses of Dahik are currently in service to
for local defense and patrols. The Lord Xauraun of Trog, but others claim that
commander of the Danadon army is Elas a civil war has broken out, between those
Trevor Gulmaden, a young but blooded houses who are dedicated to Dalroth and
veteran who is regarded as a tactical genius Slithotep, and those who choose to cast
for having repelled a massive invasion of away the old Lords of Chaos in favor of the
Gustornin orcs three years ago with only a new.
few hundred stout volunteers encamped in
Chambers Pass, the narrow and precarious
route in to the heart of the Silver
Mountains. His bold action in stopping the
horde before it reached the city saved the
community from being razed to the ground.
Matreer: The city of Matreer rests on the
eastern-most edge of the region of Drain,
guarding the eastern edge of the Gap of
Sonnen, the only safe place of passage
across the steep walls of Laddaralis Canyon.
Ruled by Draem Dhurvik Kharam, the direct
descendant of the founding Quaetor,
Matreer is a local center of trade and
culture for the Plainsland kingdoms and
Drain, which serves as a tether to the
Middle Kingdoms. Within Matreer, friendly
merchants from Jannen and Sjenrak,
entrepeneurs from the clans of the River
Lords, traders from Karan andother Galonia
plainsland kingdoms such as Uthadan, Population: 1.3 million
Covarte, Evarios and Colhan can all be Government: Oligarchic rule by ancient
found offering goods for trade to the west. monarchs called pharaohs.

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 Capital: Bezantor is the seat of power.
Rulers: Pharaoh Anuktan III
Religions: Language: Galonian (A Southron
variant)
Allies: Galonia is currently a client state to
Persedonia, and is in service to that more
politically and militarily active land.
Enemies: Galonia has always been opposed
to the Karaktuan kingdoms of Argosea and
Shillarth. Galonians really dont like
anybody, actually.
Background
Galonia is one of the most ancient
kingdoms in the world. Said to have been
the birth place of Xauraun Vestillios in his
first incarnation, Galonia has long been
identified with its ancient line of pharaoh-
kings, who aspire to demigodhood. The
heyday of Galoniai is long past, however,
and the land is usually thought of as two
parts: Old Galonia, mostly in the north,
where the impressive pyramids of the
ancient pharaohs can be found, and New
Galonia in the south, where most of the still
living cities life. The astounding ancient
architecture of Old Galonia, rivaled only by
Hyrkanias ancient monuments, are a site to
behold.
Today, Galonia is a client state to
Persedonia, and the pharaoh has given his
land and people to that empire after a brief
and largely bloodless invasion.
Major Geography
The Dead Sea: This ancient sea of salt is
known to flood once in a generation, but
the harsh land quickly dilutes it in to a salty
sludge. Still, it is the best place in the world
to export for salt.
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Important Sites
Bezantor: The capitol of Galonia, this
ancient city stands in the midst of greater
and more impressive monuments from
thousands of years ago. Bezantor is steeped
in mystery and intrigue, and is a dangerous
place for a foreigner to visit.
The Necropolis: This is the venerable burial
land of the dead, where thousands of
tombs and monuments lie in the shadow of
the most impressive pyramids of Old
Galonia. The Necroplois runs literally the
length and breadth of the Western and
Eastern Galon rivers. Many strange,
haunting tales can be heard and
experienced about these tombs.
Galvonar
The south-western people of the Middle
Kingdoms are a rough, arabesque lot
divided between the cultured coastal
farmers and traders, who dwell in beautiful
cities which depend entirely on trade along
the coast, and the inland, rugged nomads
who struggle daily with the rigors of a harsh
life, coupled with a firm sense of
independence. There are many ancient
ruins and landmarks throughout Galvonar,
which was long ago the site of an ancient,
forgotten civilization to rival Old Galon in
the east.
The Great Plains
The people of the great plains are a diverse
lot of small city-states and minor kingdoms,
sometimes interspersed widely in regions
where no law or ruler presides. The sparse
resources of the Great Plains make for a
hard life, and as a result, few conquerors
see it as a fitting domain for rule. The
politics and culture of the region often
 change due to local incursions of nomadic
groups, and the southern nomads of the
region, called the Kahunilakwa, are known
to be the strongest force in the land, even if
they are united only as clans and culture.
Hadros
Little has yet been revealed about this
young upstart nation of dark sorcerers led
by the mysterious king Hatanak. Rumors
abound as to its intent, which is presently
to engage in border warfare with the
Belladasians while enslaving local tribes of
Amechians, and it is said that the city of
Baraka has been taken and made as the
capitol, but some suspect that the founders
of this strange horde sweeping the eastern
jungle kingdoms stem from the southern
Chigros lands, and that a great many of the
fanatical soldiers in the service of Hadros
are driven as much by their need for dark,
addicting hallucinogenic drugs produced
from the leaves of the Black Lotus as they
are out of any sense of loyalty or patriotism.
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Other rumos suggest that the Hadrosian
elite believe they are rightfully descended
from the ancient Kadantanian Empire, and
seek to restore its long lost glory.
Hazer-Phennis
Population: 250,000
Government: The magiocracy of the Cult of
Set
Capitol: Hazer-Phennis is the capitol, and its
underworld realms are held in thrall.
Rulers: The current lords of Hazer-Phennis
are General Zypharis Halistrak, High-Priest
Phaegra Servauntis, and the Serpent Queen
Elehysria Zinthanna.
Religions: Set rules supreme.
Language: The serpent tongue.
Social Titles: slaves, warrior-thralls,
minions, warriors, merchants, priests,
templars, inquisitors, high priests, generals,
the queen.
Coinage: The copper asp, silver serpent,
gold cobra, and platinum constrictor.
Allies: Hazer-Phennis has been known to
ally itself with the forces of the Caves of
Chaos, as well as Dahik, on occasion.
Enemies: The Hyshkorrid are strongly
opposed to Hazer-Phennis, Dahik is prone
to backstabbing them (and vice versa), and
the City State of Trog is on a jihad against
the kingdom dedicated to the evil lord of
order, Set.
Background
In the predawn mists of time, Set, the
dark lord of evil and deception, was born in
to the world, and he is said to have tricked a
mortal human woman in to birthing his first
sons, a horde of serpent men which sprang
from her loins and devoured her. These
were the first of the setite, the serpent-race
 which owes its perverse existence to their
dark god.
Set is a lord of order, and is opposed to
chaos, for the lies of his creed are
meaningless in the face of chaos. Sets
power as a deceiver and corrupter cannot
exist without a firm foundation in the rules
of order and the will of the good. As such,
Hazer-Phennis has ever sought to
undermine and corrupt the lands of men,
but never to seek their destruction. Indeed,
the greatest wars of Hazer-Phennis have
always been fought behind the scenes,
through assassination, backstabbing,
political coups, and other deviltry. The great
force of warriors and thrall slaves stationed
in the immense pit of Hazer-Phennis serve
as the defense of the city against those
whom the setite would seek to undermine,
such as the dark elves of Dahik, the
Hyshkorrid, and the chaos forces of Trog.
Hazer-Phennis is a great, subterranean
city built around an immense rift in the
earth, a crater nearly a quarter-mile wide,
dug in to the earth and downward, around
which the countless hives of the city spread
out in to the underworld. This great crater
is similar to the one in Trog, also a great
trench of earth hollowed out in a crater-like
cone. It is said in the annals of dark lore that
these great trenches are remnants of planar
rifts which opened in the earth during the
War of the Gods, and from which hordes of
planar beings surged forth to fight for or
against the forces of order and chaos.
Indeed, it is said that there is an immense
capstone in the heart of Hazer-Phennis that
seals a permanent entry in to the Infernal
Domain of Hell, where Set and his devilish
minions dwell in a desert palace made of
human bones.
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Hazer-Phennis is a magiocracy, and those
with the sorcerous powers rule with an iron
fist. All sorcerers of Hazer-Phennis must
also belong to the priest sect, and no setite
is allowed to worship any god other than
Set; commoners who seek to follow other
gods are usually rooted out and killed, if
they do not try to escape and impose exile
on themselves. The priests and mages of
Set have been known to suffer terrible fates
if they go against Sets will, and it is said
that any being which defies his worship will
be inflicted with a vampiric curse, insuring
that they perpetuate Sets will forever
whether they want to, or not. Some setite
and human followers of Set willingly
petition the god for this infliction, to
become members of his Chosen flock.
Hazer-Phennis has three major rules,
each sharing power in tandem, in a
treacherous web of deceits and intrigue.
General Zypharis Kalistrak, of the Kalistrak
clan, has maintained his power for decades
by honing his serpent men armies in to a
mean force to defend against encroaching
chaos cults. He is descended from the
famous line of his forebears, which go back
to his ancestor, a general during the War of
the Gods, who is said to have first secured
the ancient empire of Hazer-Phennis for
setite rule. The Kalistrak clan has fallen in
and out of power many times, but Zypharis
is the strongest general in many
generations.
High-Priest Phaegra Servauntis is a direct
descendant of the elder Serpent King
Servauntis, who helped fulfill the prophecy
that led to the Reckoning by bringing down
the nascent seed of the Moon-World of
Poltrietie, Phaegra is not as grand in vision
as his elder, but he is a true servant of Set,
 and is said to have hundreds of hidden
minions, both setite and human, seeded
throughout Hyrkania and Octzel, seeking to
undermind the human kingdoms.
The Serpent Queen Elehysria Zinthanna is
the new queen of Hazer-Phennis. She
earned her title and position by first
marrying, then assassinating the elder
Serpent King Servauntis in a hidden pact
with his nephew, Phaegra. Since then, the
two have secretly shared power, working
sometimes at odds with the more
practically-minded Zypharis. Elehysria seeks
to perpetuate the glory of Set everywhere
in the world, and has grand plans of the
subjugation of men, elf, and dwarf. She is
worried about the recent return of the
forces of chaos, and efforts tore establish a
spy network and discover what happened
the setite embassy in Trog have met only
with failure, or the hideous return of
twisted, mutated setite minions attempting
to wreak havoc in Hazer-Phennis.
Important Sites
The Great Pit: This is the immense, quarter-
mile wide pit in the desert of Hyrkania
which spirals down, like a cone, to the
bottom, where the capstone in to the
infernal realms can be found. Nestled in the
western wall of the pit, like a great blemish,
is the impact crater of the Hammer, the
great meteor which the Serpent King
Servauntis called down upon the land to
destroy his foes and reclaim his throne
during the era of the War of Strife.
The City of Serpents: The maze of passages
and grand tunnels which comprise the living
quarters of the Hazer-Phennis underworld
is usually called by this name. Here, the
safest and most prominent underworld
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domain for trade and commerce can be
found, second only to the city of Bargan in
Mitras Forest.
The Temple of Set: This is the grandest of
all temples to Set, an immense cavern
containing a colossal pyramid, deep
beneath the very bowels of the City,
protected by a thousand undead beings and
cared for by the Chosen of Set, an army of
setite vampires.
Hettanar
The people of Hettanar are borderlanders, a
culture of warring chief-kings who hail from
the northern tribes of Zarn and beyond, but
who have adopted some of the southern
ways of civilization in the Middle Kingdoms.
The Hettanar are often at war with Drain,
Yllmar, and the territory of Karan. They
trade (and sometimes fight) their northern
brethren in Zarn.
Hotepsala
The Hotepsalans are a north eastern
jungle kingdom that is dominated by the
worship fo the darker Amechian deities
such as Lako. They are a priestly hierarchy
of divinely appointed kings who drive the
local population into religious frenzy. They
are a xenophobic lot, and war regularly with
their only local enemy, the vicious
cannibalistic Bloodpoint Indians. Some of
the darker elements of Draskis, to the east,
are said to have been influenced, aided and
abetted by the priest-kings of Hotepsala.

Hubinde Tribelands
Not much is known of these aboriginal
tribelanders in the south western lands of
Amech. They are a fierce lot, and while they
willingly trade with outsiders, they maintain
an insular culture that shuns outside
interference.
The Hubinde are in close proximity to the
Beast Lands, where the Neanderthal lords
of that land maintain a constant state of
war with the Hubinde. Rumors abound that
the Terkithyi lizard men have conquered
some of the Hubinde lands, as well, as the
Hadrosian Empire grows.
The Hubinde prefer to live in towns along
the riverine regions, where the huts are
built on stilts to avoid flooding, but some
maintain extensive communities on the
strange plateaulands of the region, a side
effect of the ancient devestation that
created the great sink-hole basin of the
Amech lands. These towns on the plateaus
are especially defensible, and provide the
best protection against Beast Man, Terkithyi
and slaver encroachment.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
The Hubinde region also contains some of
the last Baltorklani (Ape Man) tribes, who
struggle to survive as a species. The
Baltorklani are very passive and do not like
war, though they are certainly capable of ti
if necessary, but it is said that their species
suffers from an ancient curse cast by the
Kadantanians, who despised the Baltorklani
for a revolution that led to the downfall of
that ancient, evil empire. Interestingly,
Hadros must believe some of the myths, for
their soldiers actively seek to hunt down
and kill Baltorklani, as if they fear the ape
men are capable of doing the same to their
own aspiring empire.
Finally, the Hubinde have long fought the
encroachment of Southern Hyrkanian
slavers in to their lands, as their people are
regularly plumbed for fodder in the thane
armies of Blackholm.
The Hyrkanian Empire
The First Empire of Man
Population: 3.5 million
Government: imperial monarchy dedicated
to a blessed emperor or empress. Hyrkania
has operated on the principle of
imperialism for as lomg as history has been
recorded, even in the most ancient tales it
is said that the Hyrkanian kings sought
dominance or recognition as imperial rulers
of the Middle Kingdoms. This claim to the
land has diminished, and the glory of the
ancient empire receded two thousand years
ago with the War of the Gods, but Hyrkania
itself remains the strongest single empire in
the world.
Capitol: The Capitol is Hyrkanien, where
the fable Emerald Palace can be found.
 Rulers: Former regent Taelyias Mandragora,
and returning immortal Empress Phyxillus
Usyllyses
Religions: The Church of Naril is the
dominat religion, but all gods of the Middle
Kingdoms pantheon are venerated.
Language: The Middle Tongue
Social Titles: Rahe (slave), Rathenan
(indentured servant), Eslas (commoner),
Midan (land owner), Edas (Knight), Kelan
(Baron of lesser noble), Gonn (Duke),
Sacrimori Eleva (high priest), Kalan
(praetor), Hyrkanakalan (grand magistrate),
Dysamkalan (chief generals), Elevasos (King
or Regent), Elakalam (Emperor), EleKahil
(Empress).
Coinage: Kantad (royal crown), Dakur (gold
piece), Benem (silver piece), Krip (copper
piece).
Allies: Hyrkania has close alliances with
Yllmar, Belladas, Sendral, Sylvias, and the
Iron Kingdom. It has mixed relations with
its chief competition, Octzel, and is open to
trade with the northern kingdoms, even if
war occasionally erupts.
Enemies: Persedonia, Trog, Southern
Hyrkania, Hadros, and Zarn are regular foes
of Hyrkania, and the empire is actively at
war with both Persedonia and Trog at this
time.
Background
Hyrkania is regarded as the most
venerable of all human realms. The most
ancient of tales speak of Hyrkania as the
cradle of human civilization for ten
thousand years, the nation from which all
other lands of men were birthed. In the
days before the War of the Gods, the vast
tracts of the Hyrkanian Desert were instead
known as the Fertile Kingdoms, and the
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fabled city of the gods, CortiZahn, was a
living, breathing monument to the divine.
Hyrkania as a realm was founded in 5,400
bw, a small cluster of united city states
which grew up around the Nyarlith River,
stretching through the land to unite the
Inner Sea with the Baldric. These ancient
cities founded the first dynasty, and over
time, the old kingdom spread outward, in to
the Fertile Lands, to become a much greater
kingdom.
The old kingdom of Hyrkania grew strong,
and was at its height, some say, when the
War of the Gods commenced. This year-
long event devastated the empire, and it
was decades before the land recovered.
Thereafter, the empire was factionalized, as
the will of the people was damaged by the
loss of their mortal gods and the sacking of
the city CortiZahn. Evidence of this
appeared in 500 aw when the Wars of
Religion were fought. The Church of Naril
would eventually emerge as the principle
religion of the and, but not before much
conflict and dissention. It was during this
time that the penal colony of Octzel fought
for freedom and provided a sanctuary for
Hyrkanians seeking escape from
persecution, eventually forming the
western kingdom of Octzel.
Hyrkania has long been the subject of
Xauraun Vestillios fascination. This
immortal agent of chaos has manifested
and attempted to conquer Hyrkania
numerous times, and was responsible for
many of the disastrous conflicts in the
nations history. He had a hand in the Wars
of Religion, and was responsible for the
eventual sundering of Northern and
Southern Hyrkania in to two distinct
empires. He became aware of his status as
 immortal champion of Chaos and made his
greatest bid to unleash the hordes of the
Abyss upon the mortal plane in 1960 aw,
and later initiated the War of Strife in 2085.
His greatest act ever was to restore the
power of the Lords of Chaos in the city of
Trog, about which more can be read in that
entry.
Hyrkanias legacy of rule had been one of
divinely appointed leaders, recognized for
their ancient heritage stemming from the
greatest surviving warriors of the War of
the Gods. The last great king of such a
heritage was Usyllyses, who proved unable
to bear further children. The elvish king of
Slyvias granted Usyllyes his youngest
daughter as an adopted child, and so
Phyxillus, greatest empress of Hyrkania,
came to the land. The unorthodox rule of an
adopted elvish daughter was endorsed by
the Sacrimori of Naril at that time, for the
prophecies of the Idean Codex of Light
stated that such a queen was destiny, proof
of the cyclical nature of Naril (lord of man
and the sun) and Selene (goddess of elves
and the night).
Phyxillus chose the avatar Gilrad to be her
regent emperor, and during the period of
their reign, the Lords of Chaos were greatly
diminished, and even Southern Hyrkania
was subdued and brought back in to the
kingdom for a time.
When the immortal avatars were
eventually called away by the will of the
gods, they left their son, the half-elven
scion Aroth Usyllyses, who seemed for a
time as wise as his mother and father. The
empress and her regent consort, at that
time sailed off in to the outer realms on the
divine Ship of Dreams.
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Unfortunately, Aroth was not as wise, and
grew fascinated with the whispered
promises of a woman, Lady Etheriel
Strallikus, of Kymir, who lured him in to the
worship of the Divinate and the Courts of
Chaos. Aroths fall in to diablerie brought
the kingdom with him, and the unity
between Northern and Southern Hyrkania
was ended. Not long thereafter, Aroth is
assassinated (by agents of Etheriel, some
claim) and the empire erupts in civil war
around 2050 aw.
By 2083, new forces of evil were at work,
all part of an unseen and little known
prophecy that, misinterpreted by many,
was supposed to lead to the conclusion of
the war between Chaos and Order. The
Lords of Chaos were certain that their
minions would insure they won, but in fact,
the prophecy would lead to the Reckoning,
and the triumph of Order. The empire was
very important throughout this period of
conflict, beginning with the War of Strife in
2086. By 2114, the empress Phyxillus had
returned, but Gilrad was no longer with her,
and she initiated a great crusade against the
Troll Queen Invidia, who had supposedly
killed the emperor-regent. Phyxillus fel in to
a trap, and her crusaders and the troll city
fo Hoggoth were all locked in a powerful
spell of chaos, which froze the greatest
Hyrkanian soldiers and knights of the land
in a magical suspension that lasted until
2475.
The wars continued, culminating in the
final war between the two divine factions
and their mortal minions in 2116. When it
was over, the very nature of the land had
been irrevocably altered, it seemed. The
southern city states of Hyrkania were in
disarray and leaderless, the Solarian Knights
 of Naril were devastating the armies of
chaos that had survived the Reckoning, and
the empire was triuphant.
But not all worked out as expected. The
Hyrkanian Empire prospered, but many of
its greatest warriors traveled south, to the
Sendral Basin, where the general Davin
Kormak waged a war against the surviving
bastion of evil in the south. During this
time, the only leadership on the throne was
given to Nerevan Hyrador, a man who made
a better politician than general.
In 2130, Hyrkanien, the Capitol, was
sieged by an encroaching horde of northern
invaders, called the Nordaman, comprised
of the many kings of the north who were
united under the great warlord Sigurd. His
horde takes the city, then overwhelms the
war-weakened and unprepared Hyrkanian
Empire.
Sigurd renamed the Capitol Sigurdien,
and placed his warrior-princess, Agrimias, in
control of the southern lands while his
Horde turned to the Great Plains kingdoms,
saving the Southern Hyrkanians and
Octzellans from a great war. Agrimias ruled
for many years until her death in 2184, and
during this time, a new cultural infusion of
northern and southern attitudes mixed in
the venerable empire.
Agrimnias eldest son, Githrard, had
married a Hyrkanian noblewoman named
Hylanys, and when he took the throne, her
influence on him led to a series of policy
changes in which many of the restrictions
placed on Hyrkanian rights were lifted.
Githrard was also a convert to Naril, and
adopted the Empires religion as the state
religion again, after decades of Agrimias
veneration of the northern gods. Ironically,
this switch in faith to the traditions of the
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empire was met with less enthusiasm than
expected, for the northern religions were
popular among commoners, and over time,
the mystery cults of the north would
continue to dominate the faith of the
common man. Phonatas, Hargameth, and
other northern gods continue to have a cult
following in Hyrkania to the present.
By 2253, a new war of Religious
Presecution erupts, as the Church of Naril
comes to conflict with the explosion of
mystery cults dedicated to the new
demiurges of the land. This conflict lasts for
decades, and strengthens the Inquisition of
the church.
By 2330, the arrival of he first Persedonian
invasion alon the coast of the Inner Sea
gives a new focus for the fighting, as the
Southern Hyrkanian city states beg for aid
from the Empire. The first invasion is
stopped, but Eastonia remains in
Persedonian control.
By 2470, the greatest threats seemed to
be the incursions of warbands from the
mysterious Amechian kingdom of Hadros.
But by 2474, the Hadrosian and Hyrkanian
armies have fought to a standstill, and
suddenly, the Persedonians begin to renew
their interest in conquering the Middle
Kingdoms. During this time, many events
transpire which mark the coming of a new
age of conflict and adventure.
Xauraun Vestillios, most ancient of
Hyrkanias foes, returns, his arrival
presaged by the ill omen of the Red Dragon
Comet. Xauraun conquers the factions of
the monstrous city of Trog, and assaulting
forces by Empress Taelyias Mandragora of
Hyrkania
Are shattered, and the empress is
presumed dead.
 Phyxyllus Usyllyes, also long believed
gone, is reawakened from her magical
slumber, along with her army of crusaders
from centuries past, by a new band of
Chosen Ones, avatars of the gods.
By 2476 Phyxyllis' first act is to siege and
regain control of the city Hyrkanien, and
return the Emerald Throne to the rule of a
proper Empress. She Refuses the throne for
herself, however, and insists that it be
handed to Prince Hovalos Mandragora, who
has ruled at Hyrmyskos in the wake of his
mothers defeat at Trog. The Nordaman
kingships have little fight left in them after
a century and more of assimilation and
complacency. Prince Hovalos' first act is to
restore the Hyrkanian Calendrical System,
and restore the family rights of lost territory
to disenfranchised Hyrkanian Houses. This
instigates a brief civil rebellion amongst the
Nordaman, which is quickly put down. In
Honor of this time, the new Emperor
declares this period the Era of Rebirth, and
(er) is used to mark this period henceforth.
Life In Hyrkania
Hyrkanians are a mix of swarthy, tanned
men and women of dark complexion, with
auburn, dark hair, often running black and
rarely red. The Nordaman infusion has
added to the number of fair skinned,
blonde Hyrkanians there are.
Hyrkanian dress is pragmatic, and it seems
that the empire as a whole favors washed-
out colors, in greys, dusky blues, soft
earthen reds and browns. The average man
dresses in a tunic and shorts, while many
women wear a loose shift or toga.
Hyrkanian nobles can afford extravagant
garb, often decorated with jewelry,
especially head, neck, and arm bands. The
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noble form of dress favors stronger colors,
as well as the integration of much
ceremonial pomp.
The Hyrkanian Empire, being the northern
domain of the greater Hyrkanian realm, is
located along the balmy, warm coast of the
Baldric Sea. The highlands of Niras are
forested, and often much cooler in climate,
while the western regions north of the
Slithotendan Mountains remain fertile farm
and grass lands, but with a dominance of
bogs and marshes in the northern
Tedermisha Peninsula.
The Slithotendans are seemingly the most
desolate, hard-bitten mountains in the
world, but south of this range is the
forbidding Hyrkanian Desert, a blasted land
of shifting sand dunes and hidden entrances
to the Underworld that supports no living
civilization of men, and hides many
monstrous kingdoms. The deserts are
littered with the ancient ruins of Hyrkanian
cities that existed before the War of the
Gods, as well as occasional ruined
fortresses from the time when the Empire
sought to contain the menaces of the
deserts.
The social system of Hyrkania is similar to
the Octzellan system, but noticeably more
complex. Even within specific social ranks,
there are additional sub ranks and
deferential notations according to the age,
wealth, and history of ones family.
The knighthoods of Hyrkania are famous,
and are some of the principle defenders of
the Empire. The Emerald Knights are the
Imperial order, an army of cavalry
dedicated to the protection of the land. The
Solarian Knights are an order of Paladins
who revere Naril and uphold both the
empire and the church in the name of the
 sun god. The Order of Kasdalan is a small
sect of knights, but they serve the cause of
justice, and work as the wardens and
protectors of the empire, metting out
justice in the name of Kaviskhar, god of
judgement in the afterlife.
Major Geography
Slithotendan Mountains: The ancient,
immense mountain range that was once the
northern border of the ancient Fertile
Kingdom, and now serves as a great
tombsone to CortiZahn. Filled with
demonic beings left over from the War of
the Gods, riddled with the tombs of the
gods mortal bodies, the ruins of lost cities,
and more. It is a vast trove of undiscovered
adventure and nearly certain death.
The Hyrkanian Desert: This region of
blasted lands and shifting dunes contain
many evil underworld empires, such as
Hazerphennis of the serpent men, Dahik of
the ashtarth dark elves, and the
subterranean kingdoms of the Kattachi
scorpion men. The city of Trog is nestled in
its southwestern reaches, where the new
demigod of Chaos rules, and countless ruins
fo lost cities can be found, submerged in its
sandy reaches. For all of its desolation, the
desert is a cold region, with chilly winds and
sand storms year round, and a harsh sun
beating down in a region where no rain
ever falls.
Niras Forest: The incredible expanse of this
great forest is difficult for any one person to
track and measure, and within its depths
can be found the cultural group of the Niras
people, the druid circles of Treeholm, the
hobgoblin kingdom of Saggrahoth, the
ranger enclave of KomHuandyr, and the
mythic Cave of the Gods, from which all
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mortal avatars are said to have sprung.
North of the forest and partially
enshrouded by it are the Troll Mountains.
Troll Mountains: Here was the greatest
Troll Empire, the Thargonid Empire, ever to
exist. Now collapsed in to ruin and a place
for explorers, pilgrims, and treasure
hunters, the ancient ruins of Hoggoth and
other troll fortresses ar slowly being
encapsulated by the immense trees of the
forested interior of the mountains.
Important Sites
Hyrkanien: The immense capitol of
Hyrkania, nestled along both banks of the
great river delta, and site of what may
possibly be the cradle of civilization. Over
the centuries, Hyrkanien has been divided
in to three regions: Sigurdian, the northern
city which received much influence from
the time of the Nordamani invasions; New
Hyrkanien, the seat of the throne of the
Empire and center of the impressive
Emerald Palace Dome; and Old Hyrkanien,
the center of commerce and trade in the
land, and host to the Empires great naval
yards, as well as the fabled Temple of Naril,
where the Solarian Paladins train.
Nevalien: The site of one of the greater
seaports of Hyrkania, and center of the
Order of Kavishkar, the justicars and road
marshals of Hyrkania who enforce law and
order.
Hyrmyskos: The center of the great empire
and chief city along the southern great
road, as well as the defense point for
Anaryk Pass over the lowest point of the
Slithotendan Mountains. Hyrkyskos is
known for its impressive arenas, which are
said to host dragons in their festivities.
 Kymir: The western city of Kymir was once
the ruling center of th Strallikus clan, and
the source of rebellion which sparked the
War of Strife. It was here that the northern
lands were pressed by threat from the
Lords of Chaos and their minions during
that time, and even today the city is
wracked with the haunt of its ancient
reputation for evil.
The Iron Kingdom of Undermount
Kingdom of the Dwarves
Population: 300,000 dwarves
Government: hereditary monarchy of the
Underkings.
Capitol: The Capitol is Halvanor, the City of
Undermount.
Rulers: The present king is Egos Volmarhan.
Religions: The dwarves venerate Ashturak,
the forger god, as well as Hargameth, lord
of war.
Language: The Maddendur dwarven
tongue.
Social Titles: commoner, laborer, merchant,
warrior, knight, baron, lord, king.
Allies: The Iron Kingdom is allied with
Sendral and the Hyrkanian Empire, and
trades with Cretea, Octzel, Jhakn, Zued and
Shillarth.
Enemies: The forces of the Black Tower, the
Southern Hyrkanians, Persedonia, Argosea,
and most anyone the dwarves dislike are
enemies. They are cool about Sylvias, and
avoid the elves if they can.
Background
The dwarves of the Iron Kingdom have a
great record hall in the deepest bowels of
Hagor where it is said that the lineage of
every dwarven clansman has been chiseled
since time immemorial, when they sprang
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from the fiery sparks of Ashutraks Anvil in
to the world. Since that forgotten age, the
maddendur, the iron dwarves, have dwelt
in the depths of the greatest mountains of
the world, and their kingdom has centered
in the Iron Mountains.
The Iron Mountains are too treacherous
for any army to cross, too difficult for trade
passages, and so inhospitable that no one
would want to live there, anyway. The
northern range, near the vicinity of the
eternal Black Tower, harbor untold armies
of goblinoids, orcs, troglodytes, and trolls
locked in a perpetual struggle in the
underworld of the mountains. This great
horde has been kept at bay for millennia
now by the dedicated warriors of the Iron
Kingdom, which holds all southern
territories of the peninsula of the Iron
Mountains. This stalemate of power has
lasted for as long as the city of Hagor has
kept its watch.
Throughout the Middle Kingdoms and
Lingusia as a whole, iron dwarves may be
found in small kingdoms beneath the earth.
Although many of these communities are
fully independent and consider themselves
independent kingdoms, all pay at least
ritual homage to the true king of
Undermount, the high king of Halvanor and
ruler of the Iron Kingdom. That dwarf is
presently Egos Volmarhan, a taciturn
warrior, the hero of the battle of
Glimmerrift.
The maddendur value gold and the wealth
of the earth above all else, and each of the
lesser kingdoms throughout the realms of
the underworld and beyond are expected to
send tribute at least once in a decade to the
Iron Kingdom of Undermount. Those which
seem defiant or imperious eventually earn
 the wrath of the king, and war results. It is
said that the Darendur were once defiant in
this manner, and their exile led them to the
path of chaos.
The Iron Kingdom is almost all mountains
and treacherous underworld passageways,
punctuated by massive dwarven
architectural marvels and mines. The heart
of the peninsula includes some open-air
communities as well. There is an exterior
fortress on the face of the Undermount
capitol of Halvanor, for example, and the
seafaring dwarves of the isle of Vedron
have all taken to living in outdoor coastal
towns. The maddendur of Vedron are
sometimes called the minuendur, which
means means something like those who
are touched in the head, in dwarvish. In
fact, the dwarves of Vedron are said to have
started as a colony of maddendur who did,
indeed, suffer from something considered
most dangerous and maddening to
dwarves: claustrophobia.
Major Geography
The Black Mountains: Called such by the
Sendral men, and known as such for the
goblinoids which hold them, the Black
Mountains are the northernmost range of
the Iron Mountains. Countless conflicts and
wars have been fought by crusading
dwarves attempting to drive the goblins
forever from these ranges, and in addition
to countless subterranean monter lairs, the
ruins of many maddendur fortresses can be
found.
Vedron: This isle to the east of the
peninsula is the heartlands of the
minuendur dwarves, the small but
noteworthy communities of dwarven kind
who have chosen the life of the sea and
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open air. There are dozens of small coastal
towns, and one large community, a well-
known harbor town called Port Shoalin.
Valley of a Thousand Mines: This great
valley in the heart of the Iron Mountains is
said to have a thousand mining entrances
to some of the greatest veins ever
discovered. Though the dwarves have
mined out many of these veins over the
generations, the valley is still heart of many
dwarven towns.
Important Sites
Hagor: The fortress of Hagor is the second
most ancient city of the dwarves, and the
training ground of the Iron Guard, the
dwarven knights that perpetually defend
against the threat from the Black
Mountains. Hagor is ruled by Lord Halen
Grimor, a venerable warrior of the Iron
Guard and a well known diplomat. He has
personally hammered out many friendly
treaties with the kingdom of Sendral. Hagor
is also the site of the dwarven Hall of
Records, where the clan ancestry of every
dwarf is recorded in stone.
Halvamor: The capitol of the Iron Kingdom,
and seat of the Palace of Undermount.
Here, the great king Volmarhan rules, along
with his wife Erisa and seven sons (indeed,
his is one of the most prolific of dwarven
clans on record). Halvamor is famed for its
immense halls, stonework monuments to
the dwarven gods Ashturak, Hargameth,
Elisin, Trimelin, Zingar, and The Nameless
One.
Gorath: The ancient ruins of Gorath mark
one of the forgotten dwarven cities, sacked
and pillaged five centuries ago by the forces
of the Black Tower in the name of Xauraun
Vestillios. Gorath has since been
 abandoned, never to be reclaimed by the
dwarves, though young dwarven war
parties regularly enjoy entering the ruins to
try and purge the monstrous entities which
lurk within.
The City-States of Jhakn
Ancient Republic of the Middle Kingdoms
Population: approximately 1.1 million
Government: Local Democracy operating
under Octzel as a client state. Jhakn were
the first to devise a republican democratic
system (not unlike republican Rome) in
which a ruling body was elected by the
people to make decisions for the good of
all. The Ruling Council would elect a regent
who held a position for five to ten years as
the spiritual and political figurehead. Today,
the Jhaknians still maintain this structure in
its essence, but Octzellan nobles have a rule
of veto over the regional elected officials.
Likewise, since Octzellan occupation, the
King of Octzel may choose to veto any
choice of local regent, or appoint his own
man as he sees fit.
Capital: Jnril
Ruler: Maddaros Gonn Hasperat is
appointed Regent, but Gavin Dalespis is the
Popular Leader.
Religions: Jhakn follows a unique druidism
of elemental spirit worship, and shuns the
gods as being too remote and uncaring for
human interests. This tradition harkens
back to the ancient origins of the Jhaknian
way, adopted from indigenous natives who
integrated with the original colonists of
Jhakn.
Languages: Southron Tongue, Takonori,
Tradespeak, Glythanyu.
Social Titles: Jhaknians are simple in social
dynamics, and you are either a slave or a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
freeman. Among freemen, landowners are
more powerful, and merchants can become
princes through wealth. Nomads in the
region, and the cultural group of the
Takonori are considered second-class
citizens by Jhaknians.
Coinage: Drenari (gold piece), Capiri (silver
piece), Dumi (copper piece).
Allies: Jhakn is a client state of Octzel, and
so is supposed to receive its protection.
Jhaknians have long had an alliance with
the Nomads of Galantyr, and the people of
Ocentash, as well as good trade relations
with Silvias, Cretea, Karaktu, Porondor, and
the Colonies of Mataclan.
Enemies: Jhaknian patriots see Octzel as an
invader. Internally, Jhaknians have always
been in conflict with the indigenous
Taknonorians. Persedonia is a threat, but
considered welcome compared to rule
under the regent of Octzel.
Background
Jhakn was founded in the early years of
Hyrkanian expansionism, sometime around
500 awi, not long after Octzels roots took
hold. The tales of old claim that the first
colony of Jhakn, founded around the city of
Jnril, was created by shipwrecked sailors
who took quickly to the local barbarians
and brought a mix of civilization and
regional barbarism in to a unique synergy.
With time, as more colonial efforts from
Hyrkania and elsewhere arrived, the region
became populated with a small but
independent menagerie of people. The local
sense of community and spiritualism was so
compelling to all arrivals, however, that
most colonists readily shed their old ways
and embraced the new.
 Jhakns cultural development reflects two
cultural groups over time (more if you
count the other neighboring tribal powers
in the region, from which the Galantyri,
Cimmerans, Persedonians, and
Ocentashians sprang). The Takonorians are
most prevalent in the southern lands, and
are regarded as deterministic, old-world
descendants of the native cultures who did
not embrace the colonials. The Jhaknian
cultural element reflects the progressives,
the culturally flexible people who even
adopted a form of republican government,
the first of its kind in the Middle Kingdoms.
The history of Jhakn has been one of war
and conflict between these two groups, and
culminated in the 2000s with the utter
collapse of the Takonorian people during a
period of widespread conflict fueled by
especially fanatical religious cults. The
Jhaknians are not proud of this time, as
their warriors went to battle against the
Takonorians in a crusade, and many
atrocities were inflicted on their peculiar
neighbors. In the end, the Taknonorians
survived, barely, as a mixed culture with
only a few strong, independent tribes in the
south still clinging to the old ways and
trying to stay as far away from Jhaknian
lands as possible while still maintaining a
necessary harmony.
During the Two Hundred Year War, Jhakn
became the focus, numerous times, of
Octzellan interests, and many battles were
fought, some with great forces commanded
by Valance, Halale, or the King of Octzel
both with and against the Jhaknian forces.
In the end, Jhakn was conquered by
Valance. Now officially a client-regency of
Octzel, the people of Jhakn are seething
with rebellion. Civil conflicts against their
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Octzellan conquerors erupt every year.
Some deposed rulers of Jhakn are even
suggesting an offer of fealty to Persedonia.
Such an alliance would allow the much
greater empire to destroy Valance and
sever the connection to Octzel, although
whether or not Persedonia would be a
greater threat is a different matter entirely.
Life in Jhakn
Jhaknians are a very Mediterranean
people, with rusty, sun-darkened skin, black
beards and long hair being most common.
Still, many different variations in
appearance mark the mixed ancestry of
Jhaknian people. The pureblooded
Takonorians are darkest and swarthiest of
all, and are reminiscent of somewhere
between the Basques and Spanish Moors in
demeanor and appearance.
Jhaknian clothing is a mixture of whites
and other light colors. They dress loosely,
with a tendency towards the plain and
unadorned. The balmy, perpetually warm
seasons of Jhakn insure that only in the
short, stormy winters do the Jhaknians have
need of warm dress.
Jhakn is located in a seasonally temperate
region, not unlike the Puget Sound of
Washington, in which perpetually warm
winds blow up through the Endless Ocean
and in to the land-belt between the coast
and the mountains to create a lush, fertile
region for farming. The temperature is
always humid but comfortable, and on the
winters the great storms that come south
almost never deposit snow anywhere
except in the mountains. Because of its
good weather, this means that Jhakn has
some of the finest crop exports in the
 Middle Kingdoms, and is famous for its
vineyards.
The Jhakians have a simple social class
system, determined by their system of
politics. Men are defined by their value,
measured through family, wealth, and
holdings. Property owners are granted
voting rights; a nobleman in Jhaknian terms
is simply a wealthy and generous man.
Property holders can vote people in to
offices. These offices include the Ruling
Council, which has one representative from
each region (totaling 23, presently), as well
as more regional offices, such as Chief
Protector, City Mayor, Justicar, and so forth.
The Chief Protector is the elected ruler of
the military arm of a regions militia, and is
usually chosen from one who pursues the
path of the warrior as a living.
If you are a woman, do not own property,
have been cast out of the process due to a
crime, or are a foreigner, than you are not a
voting citizen, and have no participatory
rights. The communities of Jhakn do allow
slavery, and slavery plays a role in Jhaknian
imports and exports, but it is dependent on
the slave either offering his or herself in to
slavery, or being placed there by a justicar
due to a crime. Slaves also come from
captured warriors in battle, and a thriving
black market brings slaves in captured
illegally in Octzel.
Jhaknian religion is a form of spiritual
animism, but is entirely unrelated to the
more conventional deity worship of the rest
of the Middle Kingdoms. The old traditions
of the first barbarians to dwell in the region
have persisted throughout the ages, and
the people of Jhakn have resisted efforts at
conversion to other faiths.
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Jhaknians worship spirits of conventional
things: the trees, land, ancestors and the
dead, animals, and so forth. This animism
stems from a belief that all such beings are
extensions of GaThika, the mother-spirit of
the land, and that all such beings are
moving onwards to the lands of the dead.
Some spirits are already there, and so are
revered for having ended their journey.
Such spirits are appeased on three annual
holidays to venerate the fallen in battle, the
ancestral dead, and the dead who are lost,
as a way of fending off their interests in the
living, since it is felt that the dead are often
either envious of the living, or eager to
bring the living with the,. Ultimately, in the
great spiritual circle of life, the dead will
transit back to the earth-spirit and be
reborn; such is the wheel of creation as the
Jhaknians see it. To the Jhaknians, the gods
of the Middle Kingdoms are just powerful
spirits who are too enraptured with power
to let go and move on along the Wheel of
Life. That is why they do not choose to
worship these gods.
Major Geography
Macabeths Mountains: The ancient range
of Macabeths Mountains were named after
the venerable scholar and alchemist,
Macabeth, first civilized man to have dwelt
within the misty range thousands of years
ago. Some claim he was not a man, but
some lesser demigod sentenced to life in
the mortal realm, expunged from the
heavens for his cowardice in the War of the
Gods. Others claim he was merely an
eccentric alchemist who had discovered the
secrets of the Philosophers Stone and
immortality along with it, but whos quest
for greater and greater knowledge drove
 him to distraction. No one really knows; the
natives have always revered him as a spirit
of the mountains.
The mountains themselves are steep,
harsh, and difficult to cross. The mountains
create a sort of elemental barrier against
the hurricanes of the Endless Ocean, and
the backwash creates a lush environment
for the Jhaknian region, a fertile band of
perpetual growth and rainfall year round.
Small groups of men and dwarves ply the
mountains for previous metals in the
highlands, where little villages of these
hardy folk can be found. The city-states
seek wealth in the lower lands, and rely on
a brisk trade in lumber for the famous
Jhaknian shipyards.
The Nakamura Islands: Off the coast of
Jhakn, the Nakumra Isles are a stretch of a
dozen or more small islands inhabited by a
hearty sea folk. The Nakamurans are a
ruddy-skinned, jovial sort of people who a
re clearly descended from the original
natives of the mainland. They thrive on
their trade relations with passing ships, and
live peacefully with their neighbors, a bird-
like humanoid species called the Araek.
Nakamurans are also known for their
famous capoieira-like style of fighting.
Porondor is the largest of the islands in
the chain, with an active volcano at its
center. The Freeport of Porondor is a
sprawling seaport that profits from being
centered along the center of the north-
south currents of the ocean; it gets sea
traffic going both ways from its
advantageous center point. Porondor is said
to have a hidden Temple of Set on the
island, near the volcano, which draws some
odd attention from adventurers or
suspicious worshippers once in a while.
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AlAd Hills: The southernmost end of the
Jhaknian territory, The AlAd Hills are the
dusty, dry domain of the angry and
independent Takonorians who have
withdrawn in to their own nomadic
communities. The AlAd Hills are an
essential point of travel for those moving
overland to and from the south, but the
danger of raids is high. Haikyndyr lizardfolk
are also known to dwell in this region, and
rumors abound of a hidden city of a fabled
lizard king being hidden beneath the hills.
Cimmeran Mountains: Easternmost along
the Valley of Ocentash, the Cimmeran range
is as harsh, tall, and unforgiving as the
Macabeth range to the west. The
Cimmerans cover much more territory in
the highlands, however, and so a more
active local ecosystem thrives. The
Cimmeran barbarians are a rough mountain
folk, given to an ages old dislike of
civilization. The dozen or so Cimmeran
tribes have united often to strike against
Persedonian incursions in to their territory,
just as they once did against Eastonians
when the city was still unconquered. Mining
interests will still work hard to send
expeditions in to the mountains and try to
negotiate prospecting rights in exchange for
valuables and goods, however, as the
Cimmeran range remains a largely
untapped wealth of resources. It is also said
that the depths of the mountains contain
another subterranean underworld of
unexplored wonders and deviltry, one that
is only peripherally connected to the other
subterranean kingdoms.
Valley of Ocentash: The Valley of Ocentash
contains many different co-habitating
groups, all relying on the river lands for life
in this harsh, dry dust belt between two
 great mountain ranges. The Glythanyu
beast tribes are a largely docile orcish set
converted to peaceful ways by the worship
of Set. They are even said to maintain a rare
order of paladins dedicated to Set. Cities in
the north are a mix of Valancians and
others who seek to subjugate the land.
Cities in the south are a mix of Jhaknian
independents and Galvonarian
entrepreneurs looking for tax-free trade
and safety from the Persedonian empire.
Meanwhile, Dedderashi Horseriders,
relatives of the Cimmeran tribe landers, ply
their horse trade and gather for annual
events at their only established community
in Dedderash. Frequent minor conflicts and
occasional large-scale battles erupt
regularly in this hotly contested land.
Important Sites
Jnril: The great capitol city of Jhakn, seat of
the Council, and center of rule for the
established Regent Madderos Gonn
Hasperat. Jnril is centered on an island
formed between two forks of the great
delta of the Meddari River. More of an inlet
carved deep in to the land than a river, the
Meddari runs right up to the northern tip of
the mountains, and is fed from multiple
cascading waterfalls which descend from
great heights. It is considered a true
wonder.
Jnril itself is divided in to eight sections,
two of which are currently suffering from
erosion where the delta has shifted course
and now cuts through the island. The center
of Jnril holds the Great Pantheon of
Discourse, where all debates are held in
public. Other famous regions of the city
include the Spiritwood Sanctuary, where
the shrines of the old gods are held, and the
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Grand Markets, where goods from a
hundred lands can be found.
Grastes: The second largest city in Jhakn,
Grastes is very cooperative with the rule of
the regent, but in fact strongly independent
and well defended. It keeps the peace
through cooperation, and so it keeps its
strength. Grastes is located along the coast,
and is the site of some of the most
impressive shipyards in the Middle
Kingdoms. Even Hettanar nobles have come
this far south to commission Grastes-
crafted vessels.
Valancar: Built near the ruins of old
Takonor, this enterprising effort is
sponsored by the house of Kaspalos, which
has long been charged with the duty of
protecting the southern trade routes from
banditry. In spite of the suggestion that the
lands near Takonor were cursed long ago by
Devonin, Valancar was founded and has
thrived for more than a century. Visitors do
tend to agree that there is an aura of
unease about the community, and the park
at the center of the city with the strange
statue of an unspoken spirit god which
looks disturbingly like Orcus send some
more pious individuals packing.
Old Takonor: Only a dozen miles from
Valancar, the Ruins of Old Takonor are a
great wasteland of a once fantastic city
brought low by treachery, warfare, and
perhaps even a dire curse. The legends of
devonin worship to Orcus and other foul
darklords might well be true, as an
immense collapsed idol to the demonlord of
death rests in the center of the ruined city,
and the necropolis is plagued with monsters
and the undead. Takonorian exiles gave up
hope of repopulating their sacred city long
ago. Rumors abound that the ancient curse
 relates to the substance of the ancient
statue, a black ore that was mined from a
forgotten land deep in the southern realms
across the ocean.
Jherigist: This community is one of the only
Jhaknian cities to allow Takonorian nomads
entry for trade and commerce. The leading
families of Jherigist are believed to have
mixed blood among them, and this helps
promote a tentative peace. It is also the
only city at the gateway to one of the few
safe routes east across the mountains.
Artalia: At the southern end of the Valley of
Ocentash, Artalia is a relatively new city,
once nothing more than a meeting place for
caravan traders and local tribes. Now,
Artalia is a sprawling city with rapid growth,
ruled by a council of families from both
Jhaknian and Galvonarian lands. Most of
those who come to Artalia have fled either
Octzellan or Persedonian incursions in their
own kingdoms, and now seek to ply their
own trades without interference from
foreign invaders in a land which is widely
regarded as not worth conquering.
Ocentash: The city of Ocentash is smaller
than it once was, and whole sections of the
city are abandoned, left for squatters and
beasts to inhabit. A determined but small
population of locals, men and glythanyu,
still dwell in the dying city, which suffers
regularly from draught. The temple of Seth
is still prominent on the hill overlooking the
city, as is a small order of orcish monastics
that become paladins in the service of Seth.
Argus: This northern fortress-city
represents the heart of Valancian interests
in the Ocentashian region. In recent years,
efforts to conquer the rabidly independent
cultures of the land have given way to trade
and acceptance, as the futility of militant
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control has been at last recognized. Now,
Argus main military interest is in looking
out for the threat of Persedonian incursion.
Tower of the Alchemist: The esoteric order
of the Alchemists is widespread but very
secretive throughout the Middle Kingdoms
and even in to the Eastern Realms. The
order gets its origins here, in a tower atop
one of the highest peaks of Macabeths
Mountains, where it is rumored that the
immortal wizard Macabeth might still live
(rumors of his death in 1980 aw not
withstanding). At its peak, this order was
almost a cult, as it attracted followers
willing to do anything to achieve
immortality.
Today, the Alchemists do not like visitors,
and their tower is as much a ruse to
dissuade unwelcome guests, as it is a
symbol of their venerable power. The real
complex of the order lies beneath the earth,
where a handful of dedicated servants to
the pursuit of alchemical magic seek to
recover the lost knowledge of forgotten
age.
The Free City of Karan
City State of The Council of Twelve
Population: 45,000
Government: A magiocracy in which
commerce and trade are favored over all
else. The ruling body is the elite Council of
Twelve.
Rulers: The Council of Twelve
Religions: various religions are worshipped
at this intersection of kingdoms and
cultures.
Language: The Middle Tongue and
Northron Tongue are both common here.
Allies: Karan is, on the surface, allies with all
and enemy to none. It has especially
 favorable relations with Hyrkania, Yllmar,
Drain, Zarn, Avilin, Zymhar and Autrengard.
Enemies: Karan has often had trouble with
Starthias, which would love to capture the
city. The standing army of Karan regularly
spars with the Caelernin tribes. Some of the
southern kingdoms of the Great Plains are
not friendly to Karan, disliking the tariffs
and control on trade it holds from north to
south.
Background
Karans venerable history begins a
thousand years in the past, when it was a
small regional kingdom of hearty folk who
were descended from a mix of northern and
Hyrkanian stock. The city grew around the
appearance of a great tower, commissioned
by the eccentric and (some say) mad wizard
Therias Karan. Karan founded his tower as a
center of thought, a place to unite the
diaspora of sorcerers and wizards across
Lingusia with one voice. The Council of
Twelve was created to provide this
instrument of communication and shared
knowledged, and Karan was the first wizard
to host it.
A thousand years later, the city has
become the principle center of overland
trade, and is the meeting point between all
regions of the continent and beyond. Karan
is an impressively large city, and is the
thriving centerpoint to a sort of perpetual
renaissance in magic and technology.
The orcish kingdom of Starthias in the east
has attempted many times to conquer
Karan, but each time the active military,
mercenaries and war mages of the city have
driven the attackers back. Still, the coffers
of the city are known to be replete with the
most fabulous treasury in the world, and
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raiders, orcs, and other beings driven by
greed would desparately like to get their
hands on it.
The current Head of the Council of Twelve
is the wizard Cheridas Karan VI, descendant
of the original Karan. He is a kindly man in
his late forties, though his true age may be
much greater. He is respected by almost all
of the other council members, who herald
from all over the world. The growing crisis
in the city fo Trog with Lord Vestillios
return is currently foremost on the minds of
the council.
Mataclan
Mataclan is a distant continent in the
utter west, beyond the Stormy Expanse of
the Endless Ocean, where Octzel, Hyrkania,
Autrengard and even Galvonar now have
outposts and colonies. The land itself is
ruled by several cultures, including the
Haxitol, Talay, Talanabros, and others, who
worship a unique pantheon. Mataclans
lands are currently riven with strife as the
eastern colonizers arrive and seek to gain
political or military ties with the local
kingdoms. The foreigners are sometimes
embraced, other times fought vehemently.
The Mataclani people are very alien to
Lingusian cultures, and efforts to civilize
the locals are frequent but usually fruitless.
 More about Mataclan can be found in its
own treatment elsewhere.
NakIvk
Sacred Clans of the Distant North
Population: probably no more than 50,000
Government: loose egalitarian clans
Capital: none. The NakIvk dwell in semi-
nomadic communities.
Rulers: No common rulers, though a great
shaman called IrhitYakul is revered by all
for his wisdom.
Religions: The NakIvk worship the spirits,
and revere Trimelin for being the lord of
their land. They call him Isakwa.
Language: NakIvk.
Social Titles: No social titles. There are men,
women, shamans, great men (heroes,
leaders), and tribal chiefs.
Coinage: The NakIvk do not take coins, and
engage only in trade.
Allies: They trade with those they trust,
such as the Autrengardians of Kalazar and
some Steppelander tribes.
Enemies: They war against rival clans and
any outsider they do not trust, as well as
the giants of the Ethak Mountains, The
Dragons of the north, and the sea-dwelling
beings they contend with for food.
Background
The NakIvk are a reculsive race of
primitive people, northern barbarians who
have taken to a life on the frigid tundra
lands of the Endless Northern Coast. They
live a life of perpetual hardship and strife,
susbsisting off of their coastal hunting for
seal, whale, and polar bear while seeking to
understand the mysteries of the northern
spirits.
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The NakIvk are unrelated to all Lingusian
people, and are believed to have once
descended from the eastern Khozakani
lands of Takkai, hardy souls who migrated
here long ago across the northern bridge
between the two continents, to eventually
settle down in a land that, compared to the
rest of the distant north, seemed quite
hospitable to them. Their reasons for
migrating are unknown, though their
worship of strange spirits may have had
something to do with it.
Life In NakIvk
The people of this land do not use metal
tools, unless they get them in trade, and
lack the skills to make such implements.
They are excellent hunters using bone,
some wood, and the hides and parts of the
animals they kill for food. They use sleds,
raise great, wolf-like hounds for pets and
guardians, and are excellent skiers. They
craft fine boats, and are respected by the
Autrengardians to the south for their
willingness to take on killer whales in
canoes.
Major Geography
The White Plains: This region of flat tundra
land is the southern-most expanse of
NakIvk territory, and some hearty clans
dwell in this region.
The Ukhar Lakes: This region of perpetually
frozen lakes rests along the southern
stretch of the Dragonmnounts in the north.
Inspite of the presence of numerous
dragons which wil descend to hunt the
icelands for polar bear, whale, and seal as
food, the NakIvk ply the region for their
hunt anyway, and are professional ice
fishermen.
 The Northern Coast: Most all of the NakIvk
can be found in this region, small coastal
clans which make ice huts and hide long
houses, and move where the game is thick.
They migrate up and down the coast year
round, making their southernmost stop not
many leagues from the city of Kalazar, and
their northernmost range an unknown area
beyond the Dragonmounts. Many aquatic
beings contend with them for food in this
region, including Sahuagin which dwell
beneath the waters, and sea skrags.
The Dragonmounts: bordering the northern
expanse of NakIvk is a great, impenetrable
range of glacial mountains which prove to
be a seemingly impossible and very
dangerous range to cross. In the heart of
the mountains rests the Valley of the
Dragons, a nearly legendary land said to
contain a kingdom of Marlack dragonkin
which serve a northern dragon lord called
Kazhistarak Erekoniums, the Great White
Wyrm of the North.
A few NakIvk are famous rangers and
claim to know paths through the
Dragonmounts which are relatively safe,
although most NakIvk would tell you to
travel along the coast.
Important Sites
NakIvk as a land has no urban cities, no
permanent communities, and no easily
identified regular gathering spots. Finding a
clan in this region means knowing their
path of seasonal migration, and a lot of
patience and luck.
Naminthia
Population: 43,000
Government: The Vizier Aramud Vashran
and his dynasty rule Naminthia
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Religions: Naminthia recognizes the
Zuedian Eastern pantheon
Language: The Eastron Tongue
Allies: Naminthia pays tribute to Zued, and
is allied with Cymeer and Cretea. It has
strong political ties to Aljhira.
Enemies: Naminthia is opposed to Starthias,
and has bad relations with Kozakan and
Zymhar. It has cool relations with Argosea,
but trades anyway.
Background
Naminthia was founded some seven
centuries ago by the first of the Vashran
lords to travel south during a time of
exodus and rebellion from Zued. Long after
the conflict had died down, the budding city
had sprung forth, and good relations with
Zued allowed it to blossom. Today,
Naminthia remains one of the premiere
independent ports in the Blood Sea region,
and is a major gateway to the Takkain
kingdoms.
The Northern Wilderness
Population: perhaps 20,000 humans, and
maybe 1.8 million native Vyrkashans, elves,
marlacks, and others.
Government: Local governors of small
colonies, and lots of local clanships ruled by
chieftains and warlords.
 Capital: none.
Rulers: Eredas Gonn Vestos is the Octzellan
noble who has invested the most in the
Northward expansion. Lorgahr is the
greatest Vyrkashan warlord.
Religions: The Vyrkashans worship Wolfon.
Language: The colonists speak the Middle
Tongue; other languages include elvish,
Vyrkashan, draconic.
Social Titles: The titles of Octzel and
Hyrkania apply among the colonists. The
Vyrkashans identify themselves as warriors,
hunters, priests, traders, warlords, and
chieftains.
Coinage: Middle Kingdoms coinage in the
colonies, barter only among the Vyrkashans
and wild elves.
Allies: The colonies get all the help they can
from their homelands.
Enemies: The Vyrkashan are an unending
force of opposition to the colonies, as are
the marlacks, their dragon masters, and the
wild elves.
Background
The Northern Wilderness is a vast,
perpetually untamed track of land which,
while rife with natural resources, is so
impenetrable and hostile to foreign
incursion that it has never, in four thousand
years, been successfully colonized by the
men of the Middle Kingdoms. At times,
colonists have successfully built whole
towns and occasionally even fortresses and
cities, but these are inevitable swallowed
up by the great wilderness after a
Vyrkashan horde, a great dragon, or
uprising of wild sylveiurien elves sweep
down upon the impudent humans and
annihilate them. This has been attemted,
time and again, always with the same
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results. Some suggest that the Vyrkashan
beast god Wolfon might well have cursed
the land against men, to insure that no
humans ever inhabit the sacred territory of
his chosen people. Others, usually scholars
and mages, suspect that the dark queen of
the dragons has worked Machiavellian
schemes over the ages to insure that the
land and brood remain undisturbed. Many
cite the great rampage of the dragons in
1964 aw as proof of this, when mercenaries
allegedly stole in to the heartland of the
Dragon Queen and stole any eggs away; had
the Avatars of the Gods not returned the
eggs, the elder dragons might well have
burnt the lands of man to the ground.
The Great Northern Wilderness is divided
in to regions occupied by different
prominent native forces. The western
coastlands and northern forests are
dominated by the shapeshifting Vyrkashan,
beast-men who can transform in to wolves
at will. The Vyrkashan are a fierce race, who
claim their heritage as rightful rulers of the
land by warring against all other species
that seek to claim it.
The Vyrkashans trade on occasion with
the Autrengardians to the north, whom
they grudgingly respect, but they despise
the gnoll clans and attempt to kill the
colonists of the Middle Kingdoms whenever
possible. They leave the dragon lands
alone, and often pay homage to the Dragon
Queen.
The southern forests are dominated by
fierce gnoll tribes, immigrant beasts who
came to the Northern Wilderness millennia
ago, led by a prophet of Wolfon to the so-
called promised land. Here, they have
struggled with glee against the Vyrkashans
and other denizens to carve out their
 territory. They are ruthless, and will take no
quarter against anyone, going to so far as to
even attack the Marlack dragon men,
though they will not penetrate the dragon
brood territory.
Tempest: The Ashtarth have a small but
dedicated group of their kin who dwell
deep in the Northern Wilderness. This
enclave, called the Tempest, is dedicated to
discerning the hidden secrets of the
Northern Wilderness, where they have
found some evidence of a very, very ancient
civilization, which might even have existed
and fallen before the Prehunate empire.
Major Geography
Harshwood: The Harshwood is a famous
track of uninhabited land, which many
aspiring young Autrengardian jarls have
sought to conquer over the centuries, but
the ancient wood remains impenetrable,
even to Vyrkashan tribes, which consider it
taboo and will not enter. The only colonies
in the region are supported by dedicated
Hyrkanian merchants at Kharamain and
Asterlain, two fairly new colonies which
trade regularly with local coastal towns of
Autrengard. They are expected to
eventually whither and die as the many
horrors of the Harshwood hunt them down.
The legends of the Harshwood claim that
somewhere in its heart lies the fabled
breeding ground and palace of the Queen
of the Dragons, a beast said to go by many
names, but called Tiamat by some and
Tiraniskis by others. She rules her lands and
her clutch with a single-minded
determination, and seeks to destroy all who
would seek entrance to her domain.
The Bitter Coast: This rough, unpleasant
coastland contains no friendly harbors, only
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jagged, rough rock and a coast which is
beaten by the rough water and storms of
the Baldaric. Only a few colonies have
persevered in this region in recent years.
The Endless Coast: This great stretch of
rocky coastland along the shores of the
great Endless Ocean marks the principle
paths of trade for the Middle Kingdoms to
the northern Autrengardians and back.
Many small coastal towns spring up along
this coast, though few last more than a
generation before being abandoned or
destroyed.
Sielwood: The Sielwood is a fierce track of
land in which some human settlers have
now established towns. There is a tense
peace between the men and the
sylveinuriens of the wood, but so far, no
violence has erupted since a treaty was
established.
Important Sites
Tempest: The Ashtarth have a small but
dedicated group of their kin who dwell
deep in the Northern Wilderness. This
enclave, called the Tempest, is dedicated to
discerning the hidden secrets of the
Northern Wilderness, where they have
found some evidence of a very, very ancient
civilization, which might even have existed
and fallen before the Prehunate empire
Kharamain and Asterlain: These two
Hyrkanian colonies, ruled by the nobleman
Praedas Hyrlakam, are the most successful
Hyrkanian colonies in years. Both are well
fortified, defended by hired mercenaries,
and protective of a local population of some
ten thousand settlers who seek to prospect
and farm the land. The sylveinuriens of the
Sielwood have fought at times with the
 colonies, but Praeas has negotiated a treaty
with the elves, and trade is now common.
Northshore: The island on which this
prosperous island rests is the most
venerable of all settlements. The harbor
town has been active for three centuries,
and was built on the ashes of earlier efforts.
It remains a favored stopping point for ships
moving southward for trade from
Autrengard.
Kalatnay: This old community has been
active for two generations, and is
dominated by antiquarians of the Guild of
the White Robes, servants of Nistur. The
town was built after the discover of nearby
ruins, buried in the earth and stone of the
Sielwood valley, which predate mankind
and possibly even the Prehunates (of which
only a handful of scholars in all the world
can say anything about, anyway!) The
leader of the community is the guildsman
and senior member of the Council of
Twelve, Randivas Questarios. Randivas is a
man in his mid forties, very fit and
adventurous, and not nearly as dottering
and elderly as many of his guild tend to be.
His proficiency in magic lies with divination,
and his fascination for history is limitless.
Old Hazyks Brood: The domain of Hazyk is
famous, for this elder dragon is said to have
been a favored son of Tiamat in the days
before men had even met dragons, and
when time came for him to mate with the
greater queen, it is said that he defied her,
and instead stole away with the finest
young daughters of Tiamat that he could
find. He started his own brood, with himself
as a king, and in spite of a great war of their
kind to annihilate him, Hazyk held fast. At
last, Tiamat herself rose from slumber, and
sought out the errant breeder king, to
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destroy him. Hazyk tricked her once more,
revealing his three young brides and
threatening to kill them, her daughters, if
she did not let him be. Tiamat could not
bring herself to kill her favorites, and so a
compromise was passed.
Now, ten thousand years later, Hazyk lies
dreaming in his eons-long sleep, while his
sons and daughters stir ever so quietly,
preparing to awaken for a new time of
hunting and migration.
Mirudon: The Fortress Mirudon is an
indominitable tower in the heart of the
Northern Wilderness, built by a sorcerer so
ancient and evil that none even know his
name. Though the sorcerer passed on, the
experiments of his work still live, and his
ghostly presence can be felt. A liche named
Erigast took up residence in the tower
centuries ago, and has sought to uncover
the dark secrets it holds, though all that has
happened is his slow descent in to madness.
Mirudon is said to contain planar
gateways, as well as a great illusory map of
the world which also shows the lands as
they were centuries and millennia ago.
Aelyspar: The elvish city of the wild
sylveinurien elves of the Northern
Wilderness, Aelyspar is a great enclave of
sculpted trees and stone architecture to
rival the works of more civilized elves. The
sylveinuriens of this land renounced the
ways of their more civilized folk long ago,
and have reverted to barbarism and druidic
worship of Niras long ago. They disdain
writing, and maintain only an oral tradition.
Their tales suggest that they came to the
Northern Wilderness sometime shortly
after the War of the Gods, led by an elvish
prophet who spoke of a new, untouched
land of pure forests for their people.
 Botan: This daring colony is located in
territory disputed by boith gnolls, ashtarth,
and marlacks alike. It rests on the northern
tip of the Bitterwood, a forest land which
has swallowed all settlers who entered it,
and is said to hold the lair of a legendary
hag, known only as Eregas, who is said to
have tamed a brood of green dragons from
Hazyks domain. It is also known that trolls
are rife through the Bitterwood region.
The people of Botan are almost all
cutthroats, wanted men, pirates, smugglers,
and slavers who find the land as safe a
harbor as any. The city has been sacked by
denizens multiple times, and each time it
has come back to life within a few years as
new scoundrels seeking a safe harbor
return to populate it. The city of about
2,000 is called home by all sorts of beings,
and its current lord is a half-orc wizard
named Kalagar Despon, who claims to have
been the bastard son of the king of Octzel,
though none take him seriously. His wife is
a tiefling woman named Legenre, a
sorceress in he own right and former meber
of the Hyrkanian thieves guild of the Black
Fang, who was driven out for being too
cruel in her ways. In Botan, she has formed
a society of pain-worshipping cultists
dedicated to Baragnagor.
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The Kingdom of Octzel
The kingdom of renassaince
Population: over 2.2 million
Government: Republican Monarchy; an
established body of noble houses nominate
key representatives in to the Senate, and
the Senate provides council and votes to
the King, who is part of the royal line. Each
province provides a voting body, which in
turn casts its vote and presents its opinion
to their representative senator. The king
maintains final veto power, but the nation
has two other regions, Halale and Valance,
each with a recognized local Regent, second
only to the King in decision making.
Capital: The Capitol is Octzel in the north.
Rulers: King Arvale Octzoron-Tendrosos VI;
Tinaro Drakanis is Regent of Valance;
Halales Regent is Alderos Hroder.
Religions: The State religion is the Church of
Enki. Second most worshipped deity is
Mitra. Others are Amasyr, Haro, Herme,
Ogron, Seth, Trimelin, Set, Slithotep, Hella,
and Death.
Language: The Middle Tongue
 Social Titles: Dan (Knight), Elas (Baron of
lesser noble), Gonn (Duke), Impera
(senator elect), Elevasos (King or Regent).
Coinage: Kantad (royal crown), Dakur (gold
piece), Benem (silver piece), Krip (copper
piece).
Allies: Jhakn is a client state of Octzel.
Galvonar is a long time ally. The city-states
of Porondor are unreliable allies. Trade
alliances with Argosea, Al'jhira, the Colonies
of Mataclan, Sylvias, Cretea, Autrengard,
TaiKong and Zued exist.
Enemies: Persedonia is a major enemy for
territory and sea travel. Hyrkania has
always been an unsteady opponent. Zarn,
Hettanar, and Yllmar have always been
antagonistic. Galonia and the Cimmeran
Tribes are long time enemies.
Background
Octzel was founded nearly two thousand
years ago, as a small penal colony used to
transport prisoners from Hyrkania during a
period of strong religious persecution. The
Capitol was the first major colony
established in the untamed wilderness of
the time, and was mans first foray in to
regions previously held only by monstrous
beings.
Octzel received its name from its
founder, a young priest of Enki named
Octzel Venn-Ta, who led the revolt which
brought freedom to the colony, and created
a safe haven for those who were being
killed and imprisoned for their beliefs in
war-torn Hyrkania. Fortune and
circumstance allowed the region to remain
free and grow strong, and the rest is
history. (See the City of Octzel setting
material for a detailed historical account of
the period and beyond.)
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As a kingdom, Octzel was founded
through grassroots efforts, and so it has
always held some tribute to that heritage.
There are approximately 100 noble houses
throughout Octzel, each house able to trace
its roots to the founding families of the
kingdom. While Octzel adopted a system of
nobility and feudal interaction for many
centuries, it retained a clear and different
mechanism for the management of law
making. Each house was allowed to vote in
public bodies, and then send a nominated
senator to the Council, in which the Court
of the people would serve as a voice to the
King. Over time, the Council became the
Senate body, and of that body, twelve
senators were to be elected from amongst
their peers to join the Council of Twelve,
which became the Kings Council (The
Council of Gonns), a much more personal
body of representatives.
The purpose of this voting structure in
Octzel was to allow the founding houses of
the kingdom to have a say in the political
direction of the land, but it was never
doubted that the King would always have
veto power. Nonetheless, the notion that
the King would disregard the will of his
closest supporters was always seen as
unlikely at best. Unfortunately, most
periods of political strife and civil war over
the last millennia have been due to just this
sort of schism between the King and his
Council.
The most recent such schism led to the
Two Hundred Wars, a lengthy period in
which the country was divided in to three
regions, being the Northern Kingdom,
Halale in the east and Valance in the south.
This conflict began with the opportunistic
intentions of House Draskis in Valance,
 which began to conquer the southern lands
of Ocentash, but soon used its might to fan
the fires of old conflict between its
supporting houses and those in the
provinces which became Halale. Halale
eventually was forced to unite against the
Valancian assaults, and soon all three
regions were embroiled in conflict. Only
within the last few years has this conflict
receded, and a unity returned, at least
tentatively, to the now reunited kingdom.
In its place, a new power structure has
risen, with each region granted a Regent
who serves as the principle local ruler of the
area, but subservient, at least in theory, to
the King himself. Nonetheless, each Regent
still claims strong local support and
maintain active legions for defense.
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Life in Octzel
Octzellans are an Iberian sort of people,
ranging from dark and swarthy skin tones to
fair and very Caucasian. Octzellan hair
colors are wide and varied, but its in vogue
for noble women to dye their hair blonde
and keep it very curly. Men tend to prefer
goatees and other shaped beards, and often
have rather long and curly manes of hair, as
well. Still, Octzels major position in sea
trade insures that a wealth of cultural
variety comes to its seaport shores, and so
fashions can change more frequently than
elsewhere.
Octzellans favor loose, comfortable,
colorful and finely tailored clothing. As it is
a rich nation, even the lowliest commoner
tends to be at least nice looking. Octzellan
standards of dress for women are
reminiscent of Earths Crete, and a womans
finer dresses tend to have a push-up
bustier, which exposes and accents her
bosom, but does not hide it. This has often
been an embarrassing circumstance for
people of more prudish regions such as the
Northern Kingdoms.
Most of Octzel falls within a warm,
temperate climate, and much of the nation
consists of low hill lands, plains, and a few
sparse mountain ranges. The lands of
greatest habitation have long since been
cleared of forest land, but in the East,
towards the Nyarlith Delta, the great and
untamed expanses of Mitras Forest loom,
an untapped reserve which is the home of
the Orcish Nations.
Summers in Octzel are warm and humid,
but far and away more comfortable than
the forbiddingly hot inland climates of
Hyrkania. Winters are driven by harsh
western storms and rains, and can include
 vast snowstorms which blanket the land in
winter white, but tend not to last more
than a few days before warmer weather
blows in. Octzel is possibly gifted with the
best year-round weather in the Middle
Kingdoms.
Octzels social structure contains
commoners of a variety of stations, but
most men are either freemen who can work
a trade or landed commoners who own a
small plot of property and owe fealty to a
local Elas, or lesser noble. The man (or
woman) who earns a rank in the military or
who is born of a lesser house becomes a
Dann, an equestrian knight who is expected
to serve his or her Elas devoutly. The
greater nobles of the old houses, the
Gonns, are the upper class, and own most
of the wealth of the land.
Women do not receive the traditional
rights of men, but may receive them by
becoming emancipated. An emancipator
woman is said to be a Manatyr, and she is
expected to adopt the role of a man in all
respects. Most Danns who are women are
Manatyrs, although noble kin are exempted
from this requirement (and can vote if they
wish). Manatyrs must also pay taxes and
vote, but are not expected to marry. This
right of women to choose one or another
life is inherent in the religious doctrines of
the kingdom, which worships two female
deities and therefore honors the role of
women in family and society.
Octzellan religious beliefs focus on Enki,
the goddess of life, birth, the sea, and good
will. The Church of Enki is pervasive and in
control of all schooling for young children,
and many young priests spends their first
years teaching to the children of
commoners or nobles (schools are
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segregated by social class). On the other
side of the fence is Mitra, the goddess of
chance, ill will, bad happenings, and
misfortune of all sorts. She is seen as the
antipathy of Enki, and the counterpart to
the good will of the goddess. A small cult of
followers honor her, and once in the past
she was blessed with a great temple in the
heart of the forest named after her as a
warning to any who would dare tame that
land.
Finally, Enki and Mitra have a small group
of gods, which are worshipped by smaller
cults, seen as relatives, sons and daughters
of the divine pair. Amasyr is Enkis husband,
while Ogron, Trimelin, and Seth are her
children. Mitras brood are called the
Nemesis Gods, and include Death, Set,
Slithotep, Haro, Herme, and (oddly) Hella.
Hella, goddess of healing in Hyrkania, is
seen as a blessed god, but forces a price to
maintain cosmic balance.
Major Geography
Faerie Woods: On the westernmost
peninsula of Octzel, these deep and
untamed woodlands are the home to the
 Kythian Elves, as well as many undiscovered
Fae secrets. Vellsothien Manor is located
here; the great secluded Keep of the
legendary adventurer and Kings Man
Wormi Vellsoth. In the heart of the woods
rest the Fae Mountains, where it is said that
a perpetual struggle between Kythians and
goblins has gone on for centuries.
Verragen Mountains: East of the Capitol lie
the rich Verragen ranges, a great circle of
active volcanoes in which most of the
kingdoms wealth has been mined from
over the last millennia. Great veins of silver
and gold are still found untapped within the
mountains, which are laced with tunnels
from Suethendur who have sought out
wealth in the mountains for centuries. The
mountains are also riddled with beasts,
including a venerable great red wyrm,
which has not been seen since the last
major eruption of the mountains about
three hundred years ago. Devilspire is a
major secluded keep in this area, a fortress
of mystery that has been owned by many
unusual wizards over the centuries. No one
has approached it in more than a decade,
however, as the spire atop which it rests is
guarded by terrible fiends.
Loroden Hills: A great expanse of rough hill
lands cut through what would otherwise be
fine farmland, creating unsuitable farming
turf. Instead, shepherds run their flocks and
ranchers keep their cattle in the region,
which itself is still a dangerous land, even
this close to the heart of civilization, as the
vast network of volcanic tunnels beneath
the hills have been expanded and modified
by the ancient Mihidir Troll race which still
dwells in darkness beneath the earth.
Kedrion Forest: Beautiful forestlands and
some of the oldest inhabited land of the
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entire Kingdom are found here. The locals
are a proud, ancient folk who can rightfully
claim ancestry that predates anyone who
dwells in the Capitol.
Umian Hills: Vast tracts of jagged wild hill
lands, filled with volcanic tunnels and rife
with all sorts of monsters, the Umian Hills
are the remains of a massive caldera, said
to have been a bubbling sea of lava eons
ago during the fall of the ancient Prehunate
Empire. Now, it is a dangerous territory,
which has never been successfully tamed in
two thousand years, and marks the frontier
boundary between human lands and orc
territories.
Mitras Forest: This is an immense untamed
wilderness, in which no fewer than thirty
great tribes of orcs and other monstrous
beings dwell in both peace and war. Long
ago, the whole of the Octzellan land was
like Mitras Forest, but men managed to
drive the beasts back as far as they could,
and then they would budge no more. Much
like the Hyrkanian Deserts to the east,
Mitras Forest is rife with Underworld
tunnels and complexes, and so while many
orcish tribes can appear on the surface,
most all of them are in fact found
underground. Some of the more famous
subterranean communities include Kordon,
Blaarg, Levant, Arkalor, Anarak, Chegga,
Kragath, Basar, and Bargan, not to mention
the riddle of mazes inside the Chaos
Mountains (see next). Bargan is especially
famous, one of the largest communal
gathering sites of the subterranean realms.
In addition to the many underground
complexes, Mitras Forest is riddled with
the ruins of fortresses, settlements, and
castles from past ages of men, which tried,
and failed, to conquer the untamed lands.
 The Chaos Mountains: If ever there were a
single, more famous maze of caverns and
dungeons, this is the land to hold it. The
multitudinous Caverns of Chaos were so
named for the persistent worship of the
Courts of Chaos by its denizens, and the
supposition that the dread gods did, indeed,
once use these very mountains as their
thrones in the days of yore. In fact, there is
a peak for each of the gods of the Courts of
Chaos, and it is said that when a new god
emerges, a volcanic eruption sprouts forth a
new mountain in that gods honor. The
Caverns themselves consist of thousands of
miles of corridor, chamber, and worked
area, containing perhaps more foul beasts,
orcs, and other creatures than Halale has
men.
Ocentash: This great corridor between two
mountain ranges was once a land of loosely
aligned city-states and communities, but
Valance conquered it and brought the
people of the land under Octzellan rule.
Ocentash is a mixture of humans and
glythanyu orcs, the much more timid and
somewhat less malevolent orcish sub race,
which was converted to the worship of
Seth, the agrarian god. This land is still
troubled by civil conflict, and its people are
not granted the same rights as Octzellan
citizens. Worse yet, it is said that Valancians
have dabbled in the slave trade, selling
Ocentashians to other kingdoms.
Important Sites
Capitol Octzel: The great Capitol of the
North is so important that it gets its own
section (see the City of Octzel Setting). With
a population of nearly 300,000 and a prime
location for all trade in and out of the
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Baldric Sea, the Capitol is a turbulent,
exciting place to adventure.
Lancaster: The city of Lancaster has long
served as the principle garrison of defense
for the northern lands, and is where the
Danns of the King receive their tactical
experience in the fields of war. Lancaster is
home to several companies of soldiers and
mercenary companies which specialize in
rooting out and destroying the Mihidir
Trolls that infest the region of the Loroden
Hills.
Baldric Castle: Near Lancaster, Baldric
Castle stands, a powerful memorial to the
conflict of old between the great Immortals.
A powerful saurian gold dragon known as
Drakanis Smygaunus is said to make its
home deep beneath the castle.
Drama: This island city has a quiet and
secluded demeanor, but it is said to have
ancient secrets and a network of water-
carved grottos that go deep in to the island
and harbor ancient aquatic secrets. Drama
contains an ancient, possibly prehuman
temple to Trimelin, lord of the deep.
Galent: The Capital of Halale, the Hroder
family has ruled here for many generations.
Alderos Hroder has become the most
recent in a long line of rulers to ascend the
local throne. Galent is well fortified, as it
has always been the first line of defense
against the inimitable threat from Mitras
Forest. Other threats can be found within
its graveyards, where it is said an
infestation of vampires once erupted; some
even say the Hroder family is cursed with a
legacy of vampirism that goes back to a day
when Karukithyak, an ancient Haikyndyr
priest of Set came to the land, cursed with
vampirism, and settled in nearby Old
Chegga. The first Hroder to seek the defeat
 of this being was bitten and brought the
curse to the Hroder clan.
The Temple of Mitra: Within Mitras Forest,
this great tower is an abandoned place of
worship, surrounded by four orc-built lesser
temples to the Nemesis gods. It is said to be
guarded by an abominable undead dragon,
and that the tower itself is haunted, visited
only rarely by the solitary priestly servants
of Mitra.
Pheralin: Capital of Valance, here rests the
seat of power for the Draskis family.
Pheralin is the chief benefactor of overland
trade routes, and is built along the expanse
of the Great Old Road, the monumental
architectural remnant of an ancient
civilization from long ago. Pheralin is known
for its Temple to Amasyr from which the
Paladin Order of the Sewn Earth comes.
Midas: The resplendent city of Midas is said
by some to be the seat of knowledge, and
the Grand Palomar Librarium of Midas is
perhaps the greatest such archive of
knowledge in the world. The Antiquarians
Guild, as well as the Astronomical Union are
two local societies of sages and wizards
who gather semi-annually within the walls
of Midas to speak of matters both cosmic
and profane.
Pelsetern: A peaceful and quiet city,
located in a narrow but deep bay. Pelsetern
receives many vessels from the south that
wish to conduct business with Octzel, but
avoid the bureaucratic hang-ups to be
found in Urlu and the Capitol. Such vessels
appreciate the clean, well-run shipyards
and docks of the city. Enkis second largest
temple, the Temple of Plenty, is found here.
Dagger Falls: Once the capital of the
provincial region, Dagger Falls suffered
horribly during the Two Hundred wars. It
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has changed hands, been occupied and re-
occupied by invading armies, and brutalized
by conflict so often that little of its old
character remains. To this day, the locals
who have survived are a tough, mean-
spirited lot who dislike all factions of the
war intensely. A great legacy of the Two
Hundred Wars stands here, the famous
Dragons fire Fortress, from which a dozen
mercenary companies of the king insure
peace in the south. Many ruins, graveyards,
and sullen battlefields dot the region, and
the desiccated mansions and keeps of the
old, extinct ruling families can be found,
said to be haunted by the vengeful undead.
Persedonia
Empire of a new age
Population: About 1.5 million in the
heartland, with another 2-3 million in
conquered territories.
Government: An imperial monarchy ruled
by Emperor Denedan Palithas V. Each
region is appointed a different regent by
the Emperor, who is usually a general of
prominent politician of Persedonia. The
emperor receives council from a politician
of each territory, the governor or regent of
that land, or an appointee. While the
council can discuss, vote upon and advise
the emperor in any matter, the emperor
has final say and veto on all decisions. The
 Emperor is considered a divine position,
and the Persedonian Scepter of Law is said
to be a sacred artifact of Order, given to the
emperor in a dream, but manifested in
reality. With this scepter, his rule is
considered absolute and predestined, and
his dreams dictate a mandate of conquest
of the world, and the enforcement of the
rule of Order.
Capitol: Archades
Ruler: Emperor Denedan Palithas V.
Regents appointed to conquered lands,
including Tamalian Canosus of the Inner
Seas region, Maladar Panhitas of the
Galonian region, Dromedan Parthenor or
the Galvonarian region, and General Kerkak
Chor of the Harad Region.
Religions: The Persedonians venerate only
their emperor by decree, but conquered
territories are allowed to maintain existing
religious practices so long as the emperor is
also venerated. All gods of order are
permitted under this system, but worship of
chaos gods is forbidden, and efforts are
made to demolish places of worship and to
subjugate, covert, or destroy the followers.
This includes chaotic good deities popular in
the Middle Kingdoms such as Phonatas,
Herme, and Hargameth. Gods seen as the
spiritual advisors of the emperor include
Vishannu, Ashturak, Naril, and Huaarl.
Female gods are given little precedence, as
Persedonians are male-dominant.
Languages: Southern (spoken in Harad,
Persedonia, and Galvonar), and Old
Galonian.
Social Titles: Commoners, Landed Men,
Centurions (soldiers), Decurians (captains),
Equestes (knights), gentry, generals,
governors, regents, Emperor.
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Coinage: The Drake (gold piece), Wyvern
(silver), Imp (copper), and Dragon
(platinum). Persedonian coinage is some of
the finest, purest mint in the Middle
Kingdoms.
Allies: The only current Persedonian allies
are distant at this time: Zued, Naminthia,
Argos, and AlJhira all have trade relations.
Enemies: Hyrkanians, Octzellans, Jhaknians,
Suetheinuriens, all are enemies of
Persedonia.
Background
While founded in Eastern Galvonar,
Persedonia owes its roots to the influence
of Southern Hyrkanian sailors and
explorers. These early travelers from the
Inner Sea region would pass through the
riverine deltas that connect the Iron Seas to
their native waters, and en route would
make regular stops and trade with the
coastal communities of Eastern Galvonar. A
mix of Galonian and Harad heritage, these
original people were called the Menedi.
Over time, the Menedi became heavily
influenced by the regular contact with the
Hyrkanians, and during the time of the
 Third War or Faith in Hyrkania, an exodus of
disenfranchised merchants and pilgrims
traveled to the coasts of Eastern Galvonar,
welcomed by the Menedi people with open
arms. This cultural infusion created a
distinctly new people over time, which
came to call themselves the Persedonians.
The first truly Persedonian city of this unity
to be founded was Archades, which went
on to become the eventual capitol.
The Persedonian lands were rarely more
than a loose collection of city-states up until
around 1,980 aw, when the rise of strife in
the land with the coming of a new war
between the avatars of order and chaos led
to conflict in the Southron lands. Old Galon
was the site of the tomb, which held
Xauraun Vestillios last buried remains, as
well as his apocalyptic Armor of Chaos. His
minions subjugated the will of the
Galonians once more, and they in turn
assaulted the Persedonians and
Galvonarians to build a labor pool to begin a
new conquering army for the old Lord of
Chaos, while excavating his lost tomb.
During this time, the Persedonians were
severely persecuted.
When Warenis and his avatars sought out
and destroyed Xaurauns resurrection, they
also freed the people. Warenis sacrifice
had a profound effect on the Persedonians,
and in subsequent years, missionaries of
the Middle Kingdoms once more were able
to rekindle the faith of the gods in the
Persedonians, who developed their own
church, dedicated strongly to the Rule of
Law.
In 2115 aw, the end of the old era with
the Time of the Reckoning proved to be a
predominantly joyous experience for
Persedonia. The clearly divine signal of
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triumph from the Divinity of Order was a
sign from the people that they were the
blessed chosen, and a national sense of
pride united the people in to a true
kingdom. They proclaimed their first ruler,
Therados, as Emperor.
Within a decade, a young prince was born,
Palithas I, who claimed he had a vision of a
great unity of order. In he dream, he was
granted a Scepter of Law, an artifact of
order left behind by the passing of the
pantheon of gods in to the realms of higher
divinity. When he awoke, the scepter was
with him, no longer merely a dream, and
through it he could channel great visions.
Palithas I did indeed bring order and
security to the land, and worked hard to
secure the empires borders from invasion
or threat. But it was not until Palithas III,
when the scepter was handed to him that
an Emperor with visions of conquest came
in to power. Under Palithas III, Galonia was
conquered, and became the first client
state. A war against Southern Hyrkania was
mounted, and Malas and Eastonia fell, but
all advancement was halted at Hyrendan.
When Palithas V took the throne, he
revealed a vision of conquest unlike his
predecessors, and spoke of the guiding
voice of the Scepter, as well as his destiny
as god among men. It was time for anew
order of gods, he said, one to carry the
tradition of the venerable pantheon, which
had won the war against Chaos.
Furthermore, he said that Chaos would
return, and an army of strength was needed
to oppose it. He prophesied the coming of
the Red Dragon, the great comet that would
descend upon the earth, and initiated a new
war of conquest, taking Galvonar in the
west and remounting the assault in to
 Hyrkanian lands. When the Red Dragon did
indeed appear, and then rain a thousand
meteors upon the earth, his people were
bolstered in to a true belief of his divinity.
Today, Persedonia is the single most
dangerous warring nation in the Middle
Kingdoms, driven by the will of the
righteous and the determined.
Life In Persedonia
Persedonia is a militant land. It is
dedicated to the well-oiled machine, which
is designed to carry out the vision of the
Emperor, and the people (by and large)
believe strongly in this vision. Children are
taught in disciplined schools about the
destiny of their people. Teens are
conscripted in to the military, nobility
receiving officer training, and commoners in
the general ranks. All men must serve for a
minimum of four years in the service.
Women are not expected to serve in any
service, but do carry a burden at home
while the men are on duty. Many men do
not return, opting for a permanent,
lucrative military career.
Persedonians are a rugged mixture of the
distinctly Middle-Eastern appearance of the
Galvonarian people and the more
Mediterranean, Romanesque Southern
Hyrkanians. There is a strong look to the
men and women of this land, with sharp
edges to their features. While they can
readily grow thick beards, Persedonian men
prefer to go clean-shaven, and often bald.
The women let their hair grow long,
preferring to keep it braided or curled. Most
Persedonians are dark of hair as well as
skin, but women often dye their hair
blonde.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Clothing is loose, white, and sometimes in
the form of a wrap or toga. They have a mix
of clothing styles, both Galonian and
Hyrkanian in form. The men wear skirted
armor, shaped plating with a stylistic
suggestion of the human form.
As a practical people, the Persedonians
are not easily bothered by matters of
religion. The state religion is recognized,
and indeed a driving force in the lives of all
the people of the land, but as much so for
their sense of patriotism as their theistic
faith. The thought that their emperor is a
god on earth, chosen by the Scepter of Law,
is enough for them. The temples of the land
are splendid affairs commissioned by the
emperor to venerate him and the handful
of gods he chooses to have recognized as
his divine council. The priesthood is almost
exclusively picked from young nobles, men
and women. Still, no Persedonian will ever
let a sense of piety get in the way of
practicality.
The practical attitude of the people also
applies to magic. There are a handful of
magical orders in the land, and the one
endorsed by the emperor is the Guild of the
Ebon Fist, a society of battle mages who
have learned to hone their spellcraft to the
art of war. They are considered elite officers
and living artillery for the Persedonian war
machine.
Major Geography
Hidden Lands: The blasted, craterous basalt
hills of the Hidden Lands are considered
nearly uninhabitable by most. Still, rumors
of ancient ruinous cities half-buried under
ancient lava flows, miles of lava tube
tunnels inhabited by degenerate half-men,
and other tales abound. Few people are
 crazy enough to venture in to this hellish
land, however. In the southern regions, in a
valley region only just barely passable is the
Valley of the Dead Kings, the sacred stretch
in which the old Menedi kings and chiefs
first buried their dead in hidden tombs. The
tradition continued right up until the time
of the first Persedonian Emperor, when the
Ziggurats of Archades became common
practice to bury the divine rulers.
Haunted Pass: This is one of the safest
passages through and around the rough hill
lands of the Persedonian Empire. The
Haunted Pass was the site of a major battle
during the days of Old Galonian rule, and it
is said one hundred thousand men died
here in a battle between ancient sorcerers.
It is a powerful necromantic site.
The King-Deserts of the Hashykaristyr
Segami: The only successful resistance to
Persedonian rule in their homeland has
always come from the Hashykaristyr
Segami, the desert-dwelling lizardfolk of the
King Deserts. It is said that there are
countless lizardfolk dwelling in caverns
beneath the shifting sands of the deserts,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
and that they suffer no man to pass through
or claim rulership of their land. The
Persedonians learned long ago to bypass
this region, and leave the Haikyndyr
beneath the sands well enough alone. They
do occasionally come to the periphery and
offer trade goods and valuables in exchange
for mercenary services, which the lizardfolk
will offer, enjoying warfare for its own sake.
Face of the Mountains: This great pass
from north to south, a relic of Old Galonia,
contains immense carved figures along the
walls of forgotten pharaohs, ancient gods,
and even more venerable figures lost to
time. Many tombs are found in this pass as
well, though many have been looted
already.
The Nomad Drifts of Harad: General Kerkak
Chor was assigned regent of this land, and
he continues a long-standing tradition of
operating the military garrisons out of the
Oasis of Memnech to keep the warlike
Harad in check. The Harad are the single
greatest source of new troops, both
conscript and mercenary, for the
Persedonian armies. The people of this
region are rough, nomadic, and dedicated
to Seth. They dislike all outsiders, but only
the persistent threat of force from the
Persedonians over time has kept them in a
cooperative spirit.
The Coils of Set: This labyrinthine stretch of
river valley is a deadly place to raft down,
and is another famous site of ancient
Galonian tombs and monuments. A
legendary Temple of the Damned,
dedicated to the Galonian dark gods, is said
to rest in the mountains along the valley,
but none have ever found it. On clear
nights, a strange, luminal energy can be
seen cascading like northern lights from the
 mountains along the valley, and this
celestial ghostfire keeps local villages very,
very frightened. When the Red Dragon
comet crashed to the earth in pieces, it is
said a piece of the comet landed in the Coils
region.
Important Sites
Archades: Seat of power for Persedonia,
the capitol Archades is a wondrous city to
behold. Three hundred years of emperors
have worked hard to add their touch to the
land, each building bigger and better
monuments to top the last. The Emperors
Palace, the Coliseum of War, the Pantheon
of Law, and the Emperors Temple are some
of the more amazing sites to be found.
Outside of the city, the Necropolis of the
Divine can be found, which contains over a
dozen monumental ziggurats and pyramids
dedicated to the Persedonian Emperors of
the last three centuries. Countless imported
slaves and laborers from conquered lands
were used to craft each great temple,
though none are as large as the smallest of
the ancient pyramids of Old Galonia.
CorlisDalral: The second greatest city of
the Persedonian Empire, CorlisDalral is the
center of the Empires Military Training
Center, where the ground forces of the
centurions are trained to become lethal
fighters. CorlisDalral has a prominent state
temple, as well as a Temple of Vishannu,
lord of war, which is operated by sacred
prostitutes to the god. They are a pale
shadow of the Vyrindian Amazons, who
would be horrified to see this variant of
Vishannu worship.
Dabbania: The smallest of the coastal cities,
Dabbania is a place of retreat and
meditation for the emperor, as well as
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
other nobles. Twice annually great
conferences are held among the advisory
council of politicians for the emperor in the
Dabbanian Palaces of Debate.
Trastoria: Trastoria is the heart of the
Persedonian naval yards, and the shipyards
of the great naval fleets are here. Trastoria
is very well defended with a great artificial
sea wall.
Meneden: The northernmost native city of
Persedonia, Meneden is a bustling city of
commerce and trade, and the port from
which all northern and southern traffic in
the war against Hyrkania sets sail. Meneden
is also the center point of western overland
traffic, to Harad, Jhakn, and Galvonar.
Nylaladinia: Southernmost city of
Persedonia, Nylaladinia was once Hephar,
of Old Galonia, but was annexed in a
dispute centuries ago, even before the rise
of the Empire. Nylaladinia is a city far caster
in size than its population, a monument to
the excess of building, which the old
Galonians once were known for. The city is
filled with tombs, monuments, and
structures, the meanings of which have
been lost to time. Now, it is the chief port
to the south and west, and heart of the
imperial garrisons which stand ready to
keep the peace against any Galonian or
Galvonarian uprisings.
The Regional Territories: Persedonia holds
control through regents over several
territories. Each of these conquered lands is
dealt with in their own sections, but they
include Eastonia, Malas, Galonia, and
Galvonar. Harad is mentioned in the Nomad
Drifts section, above.
 Sendral
Population: 300,000
Government:
Capital: The Capitol is nominally Blackholm,
but the city-states are all considered
indendent
Rulers: The Dark Queen of Blackholm,
Religions: The Church of the Divinate, Order
of the Red Robes, and the Cults of the
Kraken
Language: The Middle Tongue, orcish
Social Titles: Dan (Knight), Elas (Baron of
lesser noble), Gonn (Duke), Impera
(senator elect), Elevasos (King or Regent).
Allies: Southern Hyrkania was at war with
Persedonia, but is struggling to make an
alliance. Trog, by virtue of its ruler, is an
ally. The Hadrosian Empire is allied to
Hyrendan and Blackholm.
Enemies: Northern Hyrkania and Sendral
remain strong enemies, as they seek to
bring the Southern Hyrkanian city states
back in to the Empire.
Background
The Sendralites were united centuries ago
by crusading Hyrkanian Knights, and a
people who had long suffered under the
vile leadership of the Black Tower came to
be free at last. The founder of Sendral was
Davin Kormak, an Emerald Knight, who
eventually became regent of the land. His
heirs were later proclaimed proper kings.
Sendral is a curious mix of Cretean and
Hyrkanian culture. The people dress in a
mediteranean style, but conduct business
and politics much as the northerners of
Hyrkania. They see themselves as a unity of
two distinct cultures.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
The threat of Velvithron Sitor:
Lord Sitor (Human Liche; Wizard Lvl 23;
Chaotic Evil) is the last true inheritor of the
legacy of Xauraun Vestillios. Born in 1889
aw, Sitor was taken in as Xauraun Vestillios
apprentice and taught the sorcerous arts by
the Eternal Master of Chaos himself. Sitor
learned to harness sorceries most sorcerers
are only vaguely aware exist, and in time,
he came to command his own military
garrison, acting as overlord of the Sendral
Basin in 1962, when Xauraun began his
conquest of the Hyrkanian Empire.
Eventually, Xauraun was defeated while
excavating the seat of his ancient Throne
and Tomb in Old Galonia, and would not
reappear in a new incarnation until the
2080s, but Velvithron Sitor managed to
retain control of the Black Tower, and
negotiated an alliance with the forces of
Hellgate Keep. He managed to retain an
iron grip over the land until it was broken in
rebellion by the Emerald Knight Davin
Kormak in 2120. It was during this time that
Sitor fell in the field of war, while seiging
Allendar, at the hands of Kormaks elvish
wizard and advisor, Saralys Nathylien.
Sitor had long prepared for his death,
however, and the Cult of the Undying, a
group that had formed over the last century
of mages who worshipped him, held the
phylactery into which his spirit transferred
on death. Unfotunately for him, this cult
was hunted and nearly destroyed by
Emerald Knights, and the phylactery wa
deposited in an ancient tomb for safety.
Nowe until 301 ne was the tomb looted and
the unwitting tomb robbers posessed by
the ghosts of the Cutists of the Undying.
Seeking to restore the greatnes of their
demigod wizard, they continued the ritual
 of rebirth. The sacrifice of a young, virile
body was made that he might inhabit the
new form.
Now an undead liche, Sitor has plotted
quietly, residing within the ruins of the
Black Tower (Called Azerathe in the Old
Tongue). He has seen Davin Kormaks
descendants carry on their rule, and still
Sarayls Nathylien walks the earth, serving as
aide to the line of Kormaks.
Sitor seeks revenge as well as he recovery
of his lost territories. His minions have
sought to negotiate an alliance with the
scattered Mihidir tribes that once held
Hellgate Pass. He has also worked to
negotiate favorable deals with the shadier
nobility and Prince of Thieves in Blackholm,
though he fears the Dark Queen, who is
much more powerful than him.
One of Sitors major quests is to recover
lost artifacts of his mentor, Xauraun. He
seeks to locate the diary of Kalidane
Riftspar, the son of another apprentice
mage to Xauraun who fell in the first great
War. Kalidane sought to recover the
scattered pieces of the powerful artifact,
the Helix Throne, but what happened to
him and his quest in unknown. Also,
Xaurauns armor, which embodied the
Armor of Chaos, as well as the captured
essence of Xaurauns magic, was Sitors
biggest prize until the armor was recoverd
and Xauraun was resurrected as the new
dark god of Chaos. Sitor has now sent
diplomats to Trog, where is has pledged his
loyalty to Xauraun once more, although he
secretly despises his former master and
seeks to topple him from his position as
deity.
Sitor has many cronies which he uses to
accomplish his dirty deeds. His major
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
minions have limited summoning abilities,
and often hold devonin summoning charms
to use if they need assistance in their
sundry quests. The major minions of Sitor
include:
Vaeger NySaghan, Mihidir Prince of the
Trolls
Troll, Fighter 10, Rogue 8; CE
The only living descendant of the old
NySaghan family which ruled Hellgate Pass,
Vaeger and his scheming cohorts have
placed their alliance with Sitor for now.
They dwell in the Ruins of Maddendrei, the
Dwarf Home, old seat of the Northern
Kings Power, and have also pledged
allegiance to The old Dragon King
Pyranothare who drove the dwarves away
centuries ago.
Darksed, Death Knight commander of the
Black Tower.
Death Knight, Fighter 10, Rogue 6, Mage 6;
CE
Darksed is an old Chaos Knight serving
Xauraun Vestillios from the Great War of
the 1960s. He has long since passed on into
the greater service of Dalroth and Slithotep
as an undead servitor with arcane magics.
Darksed was present during the rebirth of
Xauraun from his incarnation as Serivan the
Prophet in 2084, and was later thought to
have been destroyed. Sitor called his spirit
back to service, and he now inhabits a half-
flesh, half-metal body concocted out of
dark necromancies, and acts as commander
of the Black Tower. Darksed was scared
severely in trans-dimensional events about
a century back which granted him freedom
once more from the abyssal realms and to
walk the earth anew as an undead being.

Baskabulos, Baron of the Abyss, enslaved
by Sitor
Balor, CE
Little is known of this lesser Devonin
noble, save that his soul gem is in the
possession of Sitor and has been for four
centuries. Baskabulos is said to have ruled
beneath Degalthor at one time, but lost
favor in the Abyss and now hold territory
only on the first layer. His image is that of a
great, black night-gaunt with four
screaming heads, a nine-tipped tail, and
four great membranous wings. He appears
in human form to Sitor, as a dwarf that
seems to constantly shift in an out of
reality, and only speaks in broken Old
Tongue.
even sublimate herself to him at times,
something a noble ashtarth woman would
never do.
Unknown to Asyndra, Sitor was once
betrothed to her grandmother several
centuries ago, but he killed her in a jealous
rage when she was found to be pregnant
with another ashtarths seed. Her mother
was the child born, sent away to grow up to
be her mother, and elder in the Black Circle.
Asyndra would desire revenge if these
secrets were discoverd by her.

Aegeris, Thief Lord of Blackholm

Aegeris seeks to undermine the Prince of
Thieves position of power in the city of
Blackholm, and has been granted many
followers and magics by Sitor in order to
accomplish this task. He is a cunning half-
elf, of mixed Ashtarth and Sylveinurian
descent, whos mother died in childbirth.
Aegeris is a cruel machine-like assassin, as
well as leader of thieves.
Holdings
Asyndra Malythir, Mistress of Chaos Velvithron Sitor has many specific
Asyndra is Sitors Ashtarth wife, and liason holdings, including the following:
with the Black Circle. Other agents of Sitors
inner circle suspect her of being a clever spy The Black Tower: His center of power, it is
who takes advantage of the wizards from here, which the Cult of the Undying
loneliness, but in truth, she is as devoted to operates, and the dark forces of Sitor have
him as she is to her Ashtarth house. long held power.
Asyndra sees Sitor as a means to an end, The bulk of his undead and living armies
admittedly, but it also appears to be a very are used to enforce the ruins of the Tower,
long road, and she has worked herself into which are slowly rebuilding it using freshly-
believing strongly in him, going so far as to aquired slave labor.

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 The Ruins of Maddendrei: Actually ruled by
the Dragon King Pyranothare, but currently
the base of the Mihidir tribes, the Ruins act
as a gathering point of Sitors Chaos Forces.
The Rogues Guild of Aegeris: This rival
guild in Blackholm serves Sitors interests
implicitly.
The Merchant House of Agraketel: With
operations in Easton, Blackholm, and even
the Sendral Basin, the Merchants of
Agraketel are loyalists to the Cult of the
Undying, and its core members are granted
longer life through their loyalty to Sitor.
They are undicovered so far, and work
behind the scenes, appearing outwardly to
be a normal spice trading company.
The Murokoni Mines: These Mines are
owned wholly by Sitor, and are the major
exploiters of the Bluesky ranges for gold
and other precious metals. They are also
slavers.
Southern Hyrkania
Population: approximately 1.1 million
Government: feudal cluster of city-states
with regents who pay loose homage to the
dark queen of Blackholm.
Capitol: Blackholm is the center of power.
Rulers: Queen Nialle of Blackholm and King
Religions: Language: The Middle Tongue
Social Titles: Dan (Knight), Elas (Baron of
lesser noble), Gonn (Duke), Impera
(senator elect), Elevasos (King or Regent).
Coinage: same as Northern Hyrkania
Allies: Blackholm seeks tentative alliances
with Hadros, The Black Tower, and is trying
to negotiate peace with Persedonia.
Enemies: Despite some common goals,
Blackholm stands defiant against the rule of
Trog, and is staunchly opposed to any
alliance with Northern Hyrkania or Octzel.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
They war with all Amechian tribes, the Iron
Kingdoms, and Sendral as well
Background
Southern Hyrkania is really best described
as two city states united by common threat
and interest. To the south, Blackholm lies
nestled in a well-defended mountain-
shrouded port and is ruled by the Dark
Queen who is sometimes called Nialle, a
sorceress who has lived for centuries
beyond her normal life span and who some
claim is a liche. The Regency of Blackholm is
an alliance united by the mutual fear each
lord of each city feels for the rule of the
Black Queen. Her ageless reign has kept the
small unity working for decades at a time
before rebellion rises, and she has squashed
more than one rebellion. The Regency
currently alternates between trade and
warfare with Persedonia, depending upon
the season and the generals involved.
To the northern end of the Bluesky
Mountains lies Hyrendan, recently ruled by
the surprisingly gentle king DanNasharab, a
reformer who has struggled mightily to
bring law and order to a city which was long
the heart of the priesthood of Chaos, called
the Divinates. The city has come under
siege from both the Persedonians and the
forces of Trog, and in an act of desperation,
the king made a pact with the demon lord
Pazzuzzu to defend the city from its
attackers. In exchange, he agreed to give up
his daughter to the demon, but later
recanted and had her spirited away to
possible safety. In turn, Pazzuzzu betrayed
the king and let the Persedonians overrun
the city, which is now under provincial
control of the southern conquerors.
 Southern Hyrkania has long been marked
as a center for Chaos worship and evil cults.
The Order of the Red Robes are centered in
the region, the enigmatic sect of chaos
mages who broke away from the Wizards
Guild long ago. Elements of the Black Circle
can be found in the region, as can other vile
cults such as the Nihilists.
Starthias
Little is known about the eastern Orc
Kingdom of Starthias. Said to have been
named after the first orcish king to unite
the eastern tribes, Starthias has remained
apart from much of the politics and war of
the recent ages. Still, Cymeeri and
Zymharian bordermen would beg to differ,
and more than a dozen wars have erupted
between these nations and the orcs of
Starthias over the last two hundred years.
While most of the threat from Starthias
comes from raiding, the fact that it remains
the only continuously united empire of orcs
in the land is a forbidding thought to many.
Spies of Karan regularly seek to infiltrate
the kingdom, to keep watch on its activities.
Likewise, piracy along the coasts of the
Blood Sea dominated by Starthias is
rampant, forcing most merchant vessels to
travel through the region well-armed.
Though little is truly known about the
kingdom, Starthias is known to have a large
population of blyskanyu and thyzzakoni
orcs, as well as refugee thargonid trolls who
are now in exile with the collapse of their
ancient empire near Hyrkania. Goblins and
kobolds are also rife within the borders of
Starthias, as well as the mysterious Varakun
minotaurs and Kolgathir shape shifters.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Steppelands
Another land about which more mysteries
than truths can be told, the frigid northern
Steppelands are a broad expanse at the
northernmost region ofLingusia, and even
include the great land bridge that stretches
out to connect Takkai and Lingusia
together.
The steppelands are home to a handful of
fierce northern tribes, which in Lingusia are
mostly a sort of Nordic,rough blonde and
dark haired sort who are known for caribou
herding, and in the easternmost end are
more Siberian and regarded for their
horses. These many tribes form a sort of
superculture of barbarians who are united
by their common struggled with the frigid
environment.
The steppelands are also home to the
Marlack dragonkin, humanoid descendants
of true dragons who make their home
within the Dragonmounts, and claim to
serve the enigmatic King of the Dragons.
Many Fell Manorg tribes of orcs also roam
the steppelands, warring with the human
barbarians of the north.
One of Hyrkanias legendary kings was a
foreign steppelander named Gilrad
Hyradson. He traveled from the frozen
north after his tribe was assaulted and his
father killed by a minion of the Divinate,
and eventually joined the ranks of the
Chosen Ones, thwarting Xaurauns rise
around 1960-1980 aw. He eventually
married the adopted elvish daughter of
 then king Usyllyses, and together he and
Phyxillys became two of the first and
greatest foreign-born rulers of Hyrkania.
Sylvias
Sylvias is the southern coastal kingdom of
the silver elves, the Sylveinurien. Much
about the silver elves and their many
houses can be found in the section on
player character races.
Sylvias is divided in to a number of high
houses, each representing a specific tenet,
philosophy, or elemental force which the
elves feel they preside over as a legacy fo
their ancient fae heritage. The kingdom of
Sylvias is similarly aligned with quiet,
natural communities of ancient architecture
intermingled with naturally grown houses
and structures from the very trees to create
a unique symmetry of nature and design.
The current capitol of Sylvias is
Thylanilien, a coastal port where trade and
commerce with the outside world is
regularly conducted. The elves rule by a
council of elders, one from each of the
great houses, and every one hundred years
select a leader from among the council
elders to represent their people. The
current lord of Sylvias is Sylas Nathilien, a
venerable general of the Dark Wars, who
has earned the trust of Sylvias at large due
to his many military victories against the
Ashtarth of BaalHyriath.
Indeed, several centuries ago, during the
time of the prophet Sherzade, an uprising of
Ashtarth dark elves migrated to the shores
of Sylvias, unwelcomed by the local people
at first, to seek the forgiveness of their kin
for the chaotic ways of their kind.
Unfortunately, unscrupulous agents of the
Black Circle saw the opportunity, and used
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
this innocent migration of defectors to
instigate an uprising, and gained a foothold
in Sylvias at BaalHyriath, which they have
held to this day. In the early days of the
Dark War, the ashtarth used the hordes of
the marsh goblins in the western Systilien
Forest and delta region to siege and lay low
many elvish cities, including the old capitol,
Thystivianis, which now lies in ruins, a
goblin-infested, demon-haunted city
tentatively held by some ashtarth and orc
forces, but said to be too dangerous even
for them.
There are many other unique features of
Sylvias, but the ever-present sense of the
fae nature of the realm is considered eerie
and oppressive to all but its native. Few
humans travel the region, and few are
welcome.
Eflin is a neighboring region worth
mentioning. The quiet sylvan land of the
elves known as Eflin are a dense, forested
region surrounded by a thick ring of
protective mountains on the easternmost
end of Sylvias. Here, the sylveinurien elves
thrive as a small but proud culture of
inquitive elvish folk who make their homes
in the trees and abstain from as much
civilization as possible. It is an idyllic life,
which is ironically the reason so many
woodland elves make their way out in to
the wide world at a young age, as their
curiosity and wanderlust exceeds the limits
of the natural paradise their elders crave.

Trog
Population: 125,000 various species
Government: autotheistic monarchy
Rulers: Xauraun Vestillios is supreme ruler
Religions: Language: orcish, ashtarth elvish,
hyshkorrid, setite, kobold, abyssal
Trog is most easily reached by sailing
vessel, braving the deep canyons of the vast
Nyarlith Riverine Delta which cuts like a
deep knife through the Middle Kingdoms
and serves as the only bridge between the
Inner Sea and the Gulf of the Baldric.
It is possible to travel to the city of chaos
overland, but such a journey would be
taken in the chilling wastes of the Hyrkanian
Desert, following ill-marked nomadic trails
which are intentionally left unkempt. The
underworld denizens of the land make
regular hunting forays in to the night, and
death is a strong risk.
The city itself is small, not much more
than a squat stone castle of about 600x900
feet in dimension with walls reaching 60
feet. The four great towers stretch almost
90 feet in to the sky. It rests atop an ancient
tell mound, on which countless millenia of
debris from prior cities has been heaped. It
is said that Trog was first founded by the
Cults of Chaos in the wake of the First War
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of the Gods, but some believe it did not
appear until centuries later, atop the ruins
of the older Hyrkanian cities beneath. Either
way, it is evident that the mound
represents at least ten thousand years of
ancient occupation.
The occupants of the last two millennia
have been many and varied. Four hundred
years ago, before the Great Reckoning
when the War of Law and Chaos ended, the
forces of the city were equally divided
between the Hyshkorrid, Ashtarth,
Blyskanyu, and Settee. Four centuries later,
the politics of the region have become
much more confusing. Part of this is due to
the terrible damage that was done to the
servants of Chaos during the Reckoning.
Another part is the rise of the squabbling,
competitive Demiurges of the land. And
lastly, the newest event in the night sky, the
return of the Dreaded Red Dragon Comet,
not seen since the collapse of the
Prehunate Empire, has created a great
upwelling amongst the masses of those
chaos followers who seek redemption and
revenge.
The Layout of the City
The city is layered in several areas.
Because its denizens are often injured or
adverse to light, much of the city is actually
layered in the ancient catacombs which run
through countless millennia of older
buildings, all caved in, hollowed out, and re-
used indefinitely. In the deepest levels of
the catacombs are passages, veritable
roadways, which carry denizens and
merchants to and from other regions of the
underworld.
On the surface, the squat stone castle
rests atop the mound, surrounded by
 cavernous entrances riddling the earth.
Further from it, along the reverie stretch
that runs from it to the Nyarlith Delta
(about a thirteen mile stretch) is the sprawl
of crude villages, not much more than
squatters camps, founded by the accursed
Sherigras.
Harbor town
At the deeps along the Nyarlith coast, a
small but well-established community of
hardy pirates, rogues, and truly scurvy
individuals dwell, providing a way point for
any who are willing to brave the
community. The town is called Harbor
town, and it is ruled by Balo Strallikus, the
sherigras ancestor of the long-dead Bellasco
Strallikus, who died in the War of Strife.
Balo is a dedicated servant of the old
gods, and believes that Slithotep still speaks
to him. He knows of the rumors that the
Mad God still dwells as a living structure in
the deserts, and he has tried twice to find
the elusive god-city. He has lately
discovered that the immortal Xauraun may
yet walk again, and serve as harbinger to
the return of the Chaos Lords.
Squattersville
From along the coast to the rough riverine
finger that stretches to within a mile of
Trog, a great sprawl of thousands of
outcasts, criminals, and dangerous folk have
accumulated, all lured by the siren call of
promises that they will, soon, be restored
to glory and granted the right to join the
new Armies of Chaos. This shantytown is a
mix of humans, sherigras, blue and grey
orcs, half-orcs, hobgoblins, trolls, and giant
kin of all sorts. By far the largest
concentration of humanity in Trog can be
found here.
The fervor of religious worship is evident
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as you move through Squattersville. Crude
shacks serve as homes, while ornate shrines
to the many gods of Chaos are scattered
around, lovingly tended to by sherigras
priests and others who have taken up the
faith of what was once called the Divinate.
Countless pilgrims await an opportunity to
enter the walls of the city and pledge their
devotion to Dalroth himself at his blasted
idol which peers longingly from its mount as
if it seeks escape at last.
Catacombs
The actual viability of the great fortress-
like castle is compromised by the hundreds
of tunnel and cavern entrances riddling the
city mound. However, an army trying to
siege the catacombs would quickly be
devastated by the countless thousands of
proficient subterranean warriors from many
species, as well as traps, pitfalls, collapses,
and other siege defense tactics in place to
protect the catacombs should an army
attack,
The catacombs themselves are a massive,
confusing warren of tunnels, chambers, and
"hubs" (large, neighborhood hollows)
linking together a complex society of
numerous underworld denizens. Each hub
has a series of primary tunnels radiating out
from the center, called the Spokes, and all
are joined in the city center where a great
and ancient tunnel that some say goes
through the heart of the world can be
found. This hole is called the Maw of Chaos,
and the great, ominous winds which roar up
from the unseen depths sound like a
perpetual howl from the Abyss. By day, city
dwellers above go about their business, and
at night, the gates of each subterranean
hub is opened and the hordes of the dark
are released to conduct their inhuman
 business, rites, and politics.
There is one common factor linking most
all of these otherwise hostile and dangerous
beings: their need to promote their
religious values and restore the faith of the
forgotten gods. Now, with the coming of
the new Courts of Chaos and Xauraun's
ascension to godhood, this unity is stronger
than ever before.
The Catacombs break up in to the following
"types":
Warrens-Dens of activity for a particular
neighborhood or species. Often built in the
remnants of older, submerged ruinous
expanses of the upper city that have since
been buried. It is possible to get lost in the
warrens and never escape.
Hubs-Large market/temple districts,
hollows beneath the earth several hundred
feet across, bustling with commerce and
worship.
Spokes-Each Hub is connected to several
spokes, subterranean tunnel-streets along
which the communities, businesses, and
temples of the dark reside.
Chambers-Individual residences, shops, or
centers of a community with a variety of
purposes.
The Maw of Chaos-The central hollow that
runs straight in to the depths, along which
great stone stairs run along the length of it
to each gated entry in to one of the many
hubs.
The Castle
The Castle which is the center of Trog has
the appearance of being heavily guarded,
laden with a mix of dedicated volunteer
troops from each of the four dominant
powers, and with only a single, heavily
defended entry way, it would be a perilous
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army indeed that would try to siege such a
fortress.
At one time, a Council of Four ruled the
city, but no longer. The city has been ruled
for many years now by a single child and his
mysterious caretaker. The child is known
only as Pale, which means "The Trueborn"
in the Old Tongue. His caretaker is a strange
individual called Pelgaster, and some claim
he was once the last king of the city of
Kymir before it fell to siege.....which was a
very, very long time ago, so it is also
believed he is undead.
Though few realize this in Trog, Pale is
actually the child-god Dalroth reborn, the
infant conceived from the wake of the
Reckoning and protected by Slithotep.
Pelgaster was chosen by Slithotep to be his
Avatar, and he wields the Scepter of
Madness to validate that fact!
Pale and his court rule from the The
Bubbling Tower, the tower which appears
to constantly flow and melt in the moon
light. It is Slithotep's strongest tether to the
mortal real plane, and while Balo looks for
the mythic city of Slithotep, it is in fact here,
in this tower, where the essence of the Mad
God dwells......
In 2476, Xauraun Vestillios remade the
Courts of Chaos in his own image, first by
recovering his ancient armor and regaining
his powers, then using his powers to siphon
the godling Pale's energies in to his own
form, and directing it at the Red Dragon, a
great and ancient comet from the dawn of
creation, filled with the primal force of
entropy. The comet was gutted, and
spewed forth a rain of chaotic energy upon
Lingusia, and inundated Xauraun. He
declared himself the Lord of the New Order,
and now rules from the entrapped form of
 Slithotep as his throne, using the forces of
Trog to amass a great army of darkness. He
keeps Pale, a shadow of Dalroth's former
self, as a pathetic boy-servant by his side.
The other three towers are each ruled by
the remaining three forces of the city, and
all now swear fealty to the god who walks
among them. The Ashtarth have long held
sway in Trog, and continue to rule from the
Tower of the Abyss, atop which rests a
great gargoyle-like entity sculpted in the
likeness of Orcus. Once blasted in to
oblivion during the reckoning, this statue
has been restored and is now the guardian
of the tower, a Golem of immense strength,
ready to swoop down on any who would
assault the city. Displaying his sense of
egotism, Xauraun has sent forth his dark
minions to uncover the true Orcus, that he
might bond the demon lord who once
served him to become permanent guardian
of the city.
From the Abyssal Tower, the ancient and
very evil Mistress of the Black Circle, the
High Queen of the Ashtarth Magi, continues
to rule. Eristra Colanon, Referred to by
most citizens as "The Bitch of the Gallows,"
continues to maintain he lengthy and
charnel rule from the tower, and she is
considered the most loyal servant of
Xauraun.
The Tower of Serpents is the headquarters
of the Setites and their representative of
the Council of Four, the serpent sorceress
Dysadda Gyristia, great great grand-
daughter or the long-dead Dysadda Benn.
She is a cruel manipulator, sorceress, and
schemer, and has for the time being sworn
her undying loyalty to Xauraun, that she be
spared, as thousands of her kin were
slaughtered or driven from the city on the
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day he ascended to power. She is now
considered a traitor to Set, and has begun
to develop vampiric traits as fits the curse
which overcomes Set's most loyal minions
who betray him.
The third tower, the Tower of the Ibis
belongs currently to the forces of the Chaos
Tribes of the Blyskanyu, and the General
who sits upon the council is Lord Kerogg
Beshgalor, a humongous Black Anyu
assigned to represent the best interests of
the tribes. This tower once belonged to the
Kattachi, who have lost much of their
power and representation in Trog over the
last century, and have been reduced to
second class citizens is the slums of the
city.___ Now, thanks to Xauraun's need
for a great horde to begin his war anew,
Beshgalor has become a senior general in
the armies of the damned.
There is some interesting history behind
the Throne Tower, the Bubbling Tower.
Once, this tower was held by the ominous
and mistrusted Hyshkorrid of the
Slithotendan Mountains, dreadful brain-
eaters who have the backing of the Black
Circle, and some claim are the most
diabolical threat to come into the midst of
the Forces of Chaos in centuries, due to
their unscrupulous lust for power. Their
presence was small, though more of the
tentacled mollusk-faced beings arrived
every day, backed by their twisted
Helkyrion guardians (hybrid warriors,
usually hooked horrors and lion-vampire
beings). When Pale arrives, however, the
Hyshkorrid presence was destroyed in civil
war, and the ancient inhuman beings were
driven from the tower.
Centuries ago the tower belonged to the
troll lords, who had lost much interest in
 the city and abandoned it over four
hundred and eighty years ago. The
Thargonid troll-lord Corlabon was
persuaded to leave the tower to the
Hyshkorrid after being bribed a healthy
sum. He now dwells in a ruined castle about
twenty miles distant into the desert, hidden
mostly by the sands. In his place, the
Hyshkorrid had elected Karvax, a
particularly frightening-looking Hyshkorrid,
to represent them on the Council of Four.
When Pale and his servants encroached
upon the tower, a civil war erupted and
Karvax and his minions were driven in to
the darkness, where he and a handful of
loyalists continue to plot and scheme in the
under city.
Another prominent, lesser force in the
city, which is a longstanding presence, is the
Miniglir tribes of Kobolds. The squat,
diminutive beast men are horribly
deformed, and naturally leprous looking but
are habitual workers as city maintenance,
and they willingly sell themselves out as
servants and aides, seeking forever to
advance in status and rank by snagging on
to the potentially successful and rich. The
leader of the Miniglir tribes is a Greater
Kobold named Cajoin, whom some claim
can physically transform into a lesser
dragon. He dwells deep within the Kobold
Catacombs, and some claim qualifies as a
fifth member of the Council of Four.
Vyrindia
The mysterious, secluded mountain
kingdom of Vyrindia is actually as much a
vast city of temples and priestess-warriors
dedicated to Vishannu, god of war, as it is
anything else. The mysterious amazons of
Vyrindia live a society dominated by women
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in all ascpects of life, while men are
subservient cattle. Once every few years,
the god Vishannu demands that the
amazons seek out a new male to be his
mortal vessel, through which the possessing
spirit of the war god may act in the mortal
plane. Through this bond, he provides a
human mate for the able and ready
amazons to give birth to a new generation
of warrior women. The Amazons
themselves, born of the divine aspect of
Vishannu, are immortal beings, and some of
the Vyrindian Amazons have become
famous throughout Lingusia for having the
greatest prowess of all beings in battle.
The Vyrindians rarely venture out in to the
rest of the world save on personal quests of
fulfillment. Occasionally, a war party with a
specific goal, usually provided by Vishannu
in the form of a dream or vision, will
venture out. Once in a while, the warrior
women will amass an army some ten
thousand strong and march out to battle
the Codam TKezzu, Hotepsalans,
Hadrosians, Terkithyi or Amenanyu orcs.
These battles serve to honor the god of war
as well as remind the world that they are
not to be messed with. The Vyrindians have
an ancient alliance with Belladas and
Covarte, and will honor any pleas for help
from these long-standing neighbors and
trade partners.
Yllmar
Yllmar is a cluster of coastal cities ruled by
the regent Karish Denevar, who is
appointed by the Emperor of Hyrkania to
hold and protect the land. Yllmar is
effectively a client state of Hyrkania, though
few think of it as being anything other than
an extension of the empire. Yllmar itself as
 a region has changed hands many times, as
it is centered along the land and sea
cooridor for invasion by Hettanar forces and
any other irate northerners who come
down along the coast. As a result, the
Yllmarians have become famous for two
professions: mercenaries and traveling
merchants.
The region is noted for the famously
impenetrable Marshes of Mist, haunted by
strange beings and lizard men. At the center
of the marshes is the Temple of Naril, a
magical location dedicated to the god of
man and the sun. This temple is situated
atop a mountainous spire that erupts from
the land as a most unnatural formation, and
at its height is a temple and tomb, where
Narils body was lain to rest after the War of
the Gods. When no avatar of Narils walks
the land, his fabled artifcact, the gauntleted
Star of Naril, is taken to rest here until
another Chosen One is called to claim it.
Currently, the gauntlet lies unclaimed. A
mysterious elite priesthood and order of
paladins, separate from the Hyrkanian
church, maintain this temple.
Zarn
The northerners of Zarn are a brutish lot of
barbarian kings and chiefdoms who inhabit
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a long stretch of coastland and
mountainous regions. They are of such a
diverse lot that few ever have a chance to
unify in to a coherent kingdom for long, and
only the Nordamani ever succeeded in
doing so. The Zarnians are firm believers in
the hard and unfortunate nature of life, and
live it to the fullest in as brutal a manner as
possible. They revere the gods of the north,
especially Hargameth.
Zued
Much can be said of the eastern kingdom
of Zued, ruled by the great Caliph and a
massive center of trade for the Bloodsea
region. As such, more shall be provided
later on this immense power in the east of
Lingusia.
Zymhar
The Zymharians are mounted along the
northeastern coastlands of Lingusia,
southern neighbors to the realms of Avilin,
and frequent traders with the eastern
kingdoms of Takkai. While there is much yet
to be explored and discovered in this
region, few Middle Kingdoms scholars have
written upon this mysterious track of land.
 Atlas of the Middle Kingdoms:
The City of Octzel
Original Documents by Lord Sid, Dean, Palomar Librarium
Updated by Valedar Gonn-Maskeros of
the Phaelernin Cartographic and Historical Research Society

I: A Short History

The northern most lands of Octzel are The Dawn of Octzel

located on the Tedermisha Peninsula, a land
upon which can be found the Veraggen
Mountains, the Forestlands of Andesor, and
the Capitol itself. Tedermisha, in the Middle
Tongue and Old Tongue, means
"homeland," for indeed the Capitol marks
the homeland of most all Octzellan people.
Octzel was founded around 500-530 by
Hyrkanian Naval forces of the time during a
period of mass insurrection and religious
conflict. It was suggested that this was a
time marke dby the rise of the first son of
House Vestillios in Hyrkania, who seized
control of the throne from Abernan

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 Usyllyses II, and insitgated an exclusive
policy regarding the multitudinous lesser
religions and cults which promulgated the
coastlands of Hyrkania. His rulership
favored the Divinate, and while war was
initiated by the supporters,of Abernan II
who would not back down from the support
of the Sacrimori, most of the lesser cults
were caught in the bloody middle. This
conflict would eventually be resolved by the
likes of Hodon Systalien and Wakaris
Nebaram, but until their intervention, the
Faith Wars were truly bloody.
Octzel was believed to have existed in
some form prior to these events, as a
remote colonial garrison for sea vessels of
the time. During these early years, the
colony was called Noenday, or "No Man's
Land." This was entirely true, for in those
days, the lands of Octzel were savage, rife
with the tribes of the Anyu, Mihidir, and
more dreadful beasts. Kythians were said to
have been more prominent as well,
dwelling freely throughout any forested
land they could claim for their own.
Fifteen hundred years ago, the most
advanced ships of the time were longships,
and travel southward was both costly and
dangerous. Octzel was initially founded to
support such expeditions, but was very
shortly seen as a viable means of ridding
the core Empire of unwanted religious
dissidents by Vestillios I.
Had this not been the case, Octzel might
have remained as it were, to eventually be
the source of a great expansion into the
savage lands for the Empire. Instead, with
the import of so many persecuted followers
of faith, events were set in motion that
would. forever change history.
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One of the most seditious and strongest
cults that opposed the Divinates' official
status were the Followers of Enki. Their
leader was a doddering old man who took
ill and died, but in his place, a young acolyte
who had been so vocal and charismatic in
Hyrkania that they dared not execute him
for fear of great public riots beyond
imagining, was offered, and accepted, the
role of spiritual leader. His name was Octzel
Venn- Ta.
Venn Ta spoke to the people of the penal
colony. He spoke of perseverance,
tolerance, and the right of all men to
worship any and all gods. The naval garrison
was lax in its efforts to quench any such
talk among the prisoners. They were
employing the labor of the colony to-found
a much larger community and to harvest
the wood of the forest lands to better use.
The admiral in charge was disaffected with
the events of the Empire, and so there was
no perceived need to question the religious
practices and interactions of the prisoners.
Eventually, Venn Ta united all of the
prisoners under his charismatic leadership.
They believed in him, whether they
followed the ways of Enki or not. Even the
excommunicates of the Divinate, or purists
of Slithotep who worshipped their god in
ways too unacceptable to the Divinate
would stand behind Venn Ta.
When at last Venn Ta decided to take
action, he was met with the resounding cry
of victory by all of the prisoners. Thousands
had been deported to Noenday, and
thousands rose up, swinging wide the gates
to the garrison, and completely engulfing
the naval base with almost no resistance.
The Admiral, a man named Kasyrtan,
 willingly pledged his own services to Venn
Ta, swayed by the man's amazing charisma.
Noenday could only grow from here.
When word of the colony's freedom
reached the shores of Hyrkania, reaction
was swift on the part of refugees who
sought escape from the bloody civil war,
Caught up in the conflict, the two sides of
the Empire were unable to come to a
coherent resolution, nor were they able to
spare forces to quench the unrest and
revolution in Noenday.
It is said that, years later, Venn Ta
returned in disguise to the lands of
Hyrkania, and walked among the people,
teaching the ways of Enki and speaking of
the great new temple which was being
erected to the west, at Tedermisha.
Gradually, pilgrims would flood to the
western free land, to escape the oppression
of the Empire.
Venn Ta had come to Noenday in 513. By
523, the Faith Wars had cooled off, as
Vestillios was deposed and revealed for the
Immortal of Chaos he was. By 527, Noenday
had expanded to the size of a small city, a
frontier fortress beyond reckoning. The first
foundations of the Temple of Enki had been
lain upon the Sacred Island off the coast.
The Garrison had been converted into a
keep, from which Venn Ta's trusted
councilors ruled.
While pursuing his wanderings, Venn Ta
came to study magic, and coupled his
studies with the divine teachings of Enki.
History does not record the name of his
teacher, but this does mark the beginning
of the end for his sanity, as years later,
Venn Ta would have visions which he
claimed were from Enki, speaking of the
conquest of the Holy Land. He received this
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vision in 545, after having returned home
from his wanderings, teachings, and
tutelage in magic. By 557, he had forged a
crude army of the most devout, who sailed
onward to Hyrkania, and to the glory of
Enki's might. In the course of passage, a
terrible hurricane struck, and decimated
much of the fleet. Venn Ta himself was lost
overboard, never to be seen again. Some
ships that survived this saw this as a
warning from Enki, that Octzel Venn Ta was
misguided, and turned back. Those who
went on were destroyed by the Naval
Garrisons of Krythia, Kymir, and Kentoth.
After his death, the supporters of Venn Ta
immortalized him as a martyr, and taught
that his lesson was one of humility and
humbleacceptance of the way things are.
This resulted in the establishment of the
doctrine of Enki, which is that change will
occur without the hand of man, and that all
things must be allowed to pass. This policy
of noninterference on the part of the
church, while violated at times in the past
and present, has been the founding
element of its philosophy ever since.
Octzel Venn Ta was given immortality by
his actions, and also by the election of his
proper name to the new city. Noenday is, to
this day, still used to describe the garrison
section of the Capitol, but Octzel itself, as a
name to the city, and to the nation, serves
to remind the people of the land where
their roots are.
The Time of Challenges
Around 700 aw, a man named Donn-
Dadera was able to seize control of the
Council, voted in as Elevasos by the land-
holders and High Priests who had come to
 represent the land. The previous ruler,
Queen Nemen Seia, had died with no
identifiable heirs. Donn-Dadera was the
man who created the Great Palace, a
fantastic structure which remains, largely
intact and unchanged, to this day. Donn
Dadera was also a worshipper of Slithotep,
and the strange symmetry of the Castle was
maddening to some. In the centuries since
his strange rule, the castle has been
modified quite a bit internally, but more
than once, a mad king's folly has been
blamed on Donn Dadera's legacy.
Furthermore, there have always been
rumors of extensive catacombs, secret
passages, and other hidden secrets within
and beneath the palace walls.
Until 858 aw, no stone wall graced the
Capitol. When Queen Dellon Vellos took
control, the wooden walls used to protect
the inner city were cast down, and great
quarries out of the Veraggen mountains
were used to construct the Inner Wall of
the city. This was also the time of the War
of Territory, in which countless Anyu were
slaughtered as southern lands were
gradually claimed by the greedy
landowners, prospectors, and settlers. The
Savage Lands were slowly shrinking.
The Great Outer Wall of Octzel was built
late in the history of the Capitol, by
Octzoron Andor. Around 2000 to 2020,
Andor was the magical pawn of the
Wizardly Advisor Quirak, who sought his
own dark plans. Fueling a great war
spawned by territorial rights, trade conflict,
and rutheless privateering, Andor, under
Quirak's control, forged a powerful military
and naval force. The Great Outer Wall was
constructed at this time, as well, and
master architects crafted the immense
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canal ducts and parapets that stretched out
to protect the city bay. While much damage
was done in the war, Octzel itself was never
directly seiged, and the war effort cooled
down after Quirak was killed by Wormi
Vellsoth in 2021. Andor, once freed of
Quirak's control, spent the rest of his reign
correcting the damage he had done, and
working long and hard to make amends to
the Hyrkanians for the damage done to the
coastal trade lanes.
The Rennaissance
Octzel's Rennaissance period began under
the auspicious rule of King Octzoron Vellos,
with Queen Kimote-Thon Vellos at his side.
Octzoron-Vellos was crowned king in 2068,
and by 2100, he at almost seventy years
old, he had brought peace to the realm and
a perido of flourescence in the kingdom
which was sharply contrasted by the
flagrant crusading wars of Hyrkania to the
east. Kimote Thon-Vellos was approaching
fifty at this time, though she remained
startlingly youthful. They had a single
daughter, Ariandra Vellos, who by 2100 was
thirty one years of age, and would become
Queen in 2106. Queen Ariandra Vellos
engaged in a great deal of court intrigue,
political maneuvering, and clever
manipulation of what was a largely geriatric
court at the time. Her youthful career as a
troublemaker blossomed into a political
tyrant who's force of will brought about
much social and political change. She was
aided by the long-standing Court Mage,
Lord Summunan, who himself had forever
looked to be ancient, over 100 years old, for
as long as he served Ariandra or her father.
Summunan disappeared in 2172, in the
 service of Ariandra's grandson King
Galovarus Vellos, who was a nominally
competent successor who prefered hunting
and tournaments to politics and the
economy.
The Reckoning
In 2116, The Divine Forces of the Heavens
and the Abyssal Realms once again
manifested in a cosmic war, but this time
the conflict resulted in a a decisive victory
for the Lords of Order, and the Courts of
Chaos were smashed in to oblivion,
through betrayal and lack of organization.
Luckily, most of the conflict manifested in
Hyrkania, but the back-wash of power as
the Balance swayed in favor of order
affected all beings of chaos and it's dark
servants. Many discreet nobles and citizens
of Octzel's lands who secretly worshipped
the Courts of Chaos were exposed as they
were marked forever more by the Curse of
the Sherigras. Most fo these cultists were
killed or hanged, but some escaped to live
on, and carry the faith forward in to a
dangerous era for them.
King Galovaros was the first ruler to see
the great changes begin in the land as a
result of the Reckoning. First, the Great
Movement of the Purge of Man which had
filled crusading warriors with bloodlust in
Hyrkania has not escaped Octzel. Many
warrior companies engaged in wholesale
slaughter of the orcs within Mitra's Forest,
much of this brought on by regional conflict
at Lancaster and abroad with the Mihidir
Nation (The only Trollish kingdom left after
the Thargonid Empire fell in the wake of the
Hyrkanian crusades). The religious crusade
added a sense of rightness to the lives of
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many warriors, who saw their looting and
pillaging as putting them right into the
Heaven of War. This wholesale slaughter of
chaos-kin would free the land from
concerns over these dangerous non-human
threats until the present day, when their
numbers, hidden deep beneath the surface,
would upswell in to a horifying force of
newly awakened chaos and evil.
Expansionism
During this period throughout the 2100's,
much effort at expansion in to the Northern
Wilderness was also underway, and many
conflicts with neighboring kingdoms doing
the same ensued. The change in this event
happened when the knight Margda Dan
Malik and the Duchess Catea Gonn Aleric
discovered a western route through the
Endless Oceans to the previously
undiscovered lands dubbed Mataclan.
Within three decades, more than seventy
percent of all colonial exports, imports, and
development were going to this land. Even
when activities dried up in the later period
sof warfare, Colonial Mataclan remained
strong.
Also during this time, forces in southern
Octzel out of Cuordos and Pheralin began
an expansionist policy into the fertile Valley
of Ocentash. The regional governments,
lacking unification, coupled with the high
density of Glythanyu humanoids who dwell
here, made this a fierce local conflict. This
did not contributed fondly to the relations
which Jnril, either, which saw those lands
aspart of its own, even if they didn't
maintain garrisons for regular defense.
Furthermore, the Cimmeran peoples
reacted with great anger to what they saw
 as a violation of sacred territory. Lastly, the
prospectors and Mine owners of Easton
actually appealed to Southern Hyrkania for
aid, fearing that this was a move on the part
of Octzel to seize control of the Eastonian
Mining Guilds and their territory, which was
without any argument the richest land for
all metals in the Middle Kingdoms.
Ironically, the southern provinces of
Octzel formed a tentative coalition under
the rule of the Duke of Pheralin, Gonn
Drakanis, who in turn used his political
maneuvering to declare a civil war against
the rule of Ariandra Vellos on the eve of her
father's death. Though the initial civil war
was only two years long, Valance
established itself as an idependent
cecessionist state, and this would
eventually lead to the end of the
rennaissance and centuries of war.
The Dark Ages
The Dark Ages are marked by the arrival of
war in the 18 provinces as a way of life, and
the continuous lack of unity between the
Octzellan people. Although some claim that
the cecession of Valance marked the
beginning of the Dark Ages, most attribute
it to the appearance of Valances's first
declared king, Mendakar Gonn Vorst, who
was crowned by the Order of the Southern
Church in 2200 aw in a great ceremony.
Married to Calea gonn-Drakanis, a scheming
manipulator who was said by some to be
the real force behind the throne, they
imediately declared war against the Eastern
peoples of the Halale provinces, unleashing
centuries of pent-up agressiveness against
the ethnically older cultural groups settled
in those regions. Meanwhile, they
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continued to push for the unity of the
southern territories. This was at last
realized in 2,258, when all of the old
territories of Ocentash were conquered by
Valance under Vorst's son, Baledar Vorst-
Drakanis. A viscous, futile war with the
Cimmeran barbarians, backed by Eastonian-
paid mercenaries, lasts until 2274, however.
The Two Hundred Years' War
By 2,274 King Drozathon came into power
in Octzel after managing a coup on the
Vellos-Aleric hold of the crown, and sought
to conquer Valance in the south. War
erupted after years of minor conflict and
civil war, and an innefective
approach held toward reuniting the
kingdom by a series of unsuitable kings.
Thus began the Two Hundred Years War.
The Two Hundred Years' War was the
lowest point on Octzellan history yet. Torn
by constant internal strife, the three major
factions (Royal Octzel, Valance, and Halale)
were also ripped with internal strife, and
other territories, such as the Cimmeran
Barbarians, the Ocentashians, Jhkanians
 and even Taknonorian lands were
enmeshed in the conflict. Even Hyrkanian
military garrisons found themselves in
conflict more than a dozen times with local
agressor lords seeking to expand their
power across the ancient and sacred barrier
of the Nyralith Riverlands.
By 2,324 a new power came in to play
when Easton was conquered by Persedonia
and became the new Northern Capitol of
this southern young power. The
Persedonian appearance took Valance by
surprise, as a whole new warfront opened
up to the distant South. By 2329, Malas fell
to Persedonian forces, and the Valancians
sought to gain an alliance with the Southern
Hyrkanian states as a mutual defense
against this new threat. Fortunately,
Hyrkanian and Persedonian warfare
deterred any Persedonian efforts to attack
Valance.
By 2,339 the war was everywhere and
even Jhkan's capitol, Jnril experienced its
first sack and pillaging under the two-
hundred years war. Border skirmishes and
territorial disputes in the Macabeth
mountains were common, but the upstart
Valancian Generals who tried to force Jnril
to bow before them only forced the
Jhkanians in to a belated alliance with Royal
Octzel.
Now fighting a war on three fronts,
Valance agrees to enter in to treaties of
peace with Octzel in 2389. The treaty talks
last two years, and end in a disaster as the
territories of Halale become enraged at the
prospect of losing coveted land to the
Valancians in th agreement. The Lords of
Halale declare official independence as a
result and arm themselves against the
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Octzellan Royal Armies. The Two Hundred
Years War continues.
At last in 2,469 Arvale became the new
king of Octzel. Arvale immediately sued for
peace and then gained fealty immediately
from the regency of Halale, granting the
provinces of the region tax relief, aid, and
the recovery of territories taken by the war-
weary Valancians. In 2,471, after the
coronation of Bennaras Drakanis IV in
Valance, Arvale Octzoron-Tendrosos VI sued
for peace, and Drakanis IV accepted,
recognizing that his Valancian kingdom was
on the verge of collapse from internal
conflict, starvation, disease, and discontent
as well as serious attrition from
Persedonian, Jhkanian, and Galvonarian
hostilities. Halale reluctantly backed off for
the time being, but local grudges continued
to threaten peace.
Octzel Recently
By 2,474, the Octzellan Kingdom was a
loose alliance of the Three Great Provinces
of Royal Octzel, Valance, and Halale. The
Royal Council is divided in to three voices,
and much effort on the part of King Arvale
is spent in keeping the unity of his war-
weary lands together. Local conflicts
continue to erupt, but in the agreement of
unity, Valance's former king is now Regent
of his territory, and Bennaras Drakanis IV
keeps the peace in his lands. In exchange,
the full might of Octzel's Royal Army
worked regularly to protect the southern
provinces from Pesedonian incursion.
Meanwhile, the Halale provinces chose
Davin Gonn Hroder as their regent, and his
task had been an onerous one, for the
orcish chaos-kin of Mitra's Forest had
 recovered their strength in the last two
centuries, and are now said to be in thrall to
a powerful new Lord of Chaos in the city of
Trog, who is providing them with the
training and resources to mount a powerful
army. For the last couple of years now
frequent and vicious conflicts stemmed
from the onslaught of seemingly endless
waves of orcish warriors led by dark
commanders and generals out of Trog. And
then, unexpectedly, everything changed.
Octzel Today: The Cataclysm
In 2,476 the cataclysm changed
everything, everywhere all at once, even in
lands fairly distant from the source point of
this great event such as Octzel. The
cataclysm was caused when the last vestige
of the ancient forces which created the axis
of law and chaos between the gods were
lost forever, and the legendary artifact
called the Orb of Oblivion destroyed the
great god-city of Nekrozahn and with it the
Well of Creation, a gateway to the infinite
worlds. This magical cataclysm vaporized a
large chunk of the island of Laibros, and
wrecked through tidal waves and
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earthquakes the vast bulk of Karaktu and
the southern coast of Lingusia proper. It
wiped out the Persedonian Empire and the
city states of Caratea overnight. It sent the
elvish lands of Silvias in to disarray and gave
the high elves an opportunity to drive out
the long-standing invasion force of ashtarth.
The celestial and metaphysical
repercussions of the cataclysm were felt all
over the world. The old powers of law and
chaos, already diminished with the Age of
Reckoning, were now forever gone. The
world of Linguisia was held in place by a
great network of lay lines of force, which
stemmed from the Well of Creation. These
ley lines were gone in an instant, and it
turns out they were there for a reason: the
ancient prehuman star gods, called by
scholars Krakens, were in fact held across
the world in ancient prisons erected by the
gods and powered by these ley lines.
Without the lines of force, the prisons
began to falter, and these ancient gods
have begun to awaken. Finally, the power
of the ancient gods, already diminished as
they ascended to the celestial realms of the
planes, became even more distant as the
loss of the powers of law and chaos were
removed from the mortal plane. The world,
for the first time ever, was no longer
tethered to the divine influences. It was
cast away on its own.
In Octzel, the cataclysm had the following
effects:
Persedonians stopping being
invaders and instead turned in to
pilgrims, refugees and settlers
The orcs of Mitras Forest lost
leadership, but remained strong and
hostile, and worship of a new dark
god in the woods, one of the
 Karakens beneath Old Chegga is said
to have awakened
The city of Trog in Hyrkania lost its
evil overlord, who was overthrown
when his divine powers of chaos
evaporated
The coastlands of Octzel suffered
unsually turbulent activity, but were
fortunately far enough away that no
appreciable damage was
experienced
Earthquakes wracked the land,
causing untold damage inland,
though not nearly as damaging as
regions close to the epicenter of the
cataclysm
Despite the many upheavals in the wake
of this distant event, the main change in
Octzel has been more social and religious
than anything else. The kingdom remains
divided in to three warring provinces. The
people remain a determined folk, as ever,
but now a new sort of desperation has set
in, as priests of the old gods no longer seem
able to perform miracles as they should,
and gods previously relegated to minor cult
status are suddenly becoming very popular.
It is a time of great change for the religious,
as lesser powers, demigods and minor
deities who had not left the world suddenly
find themselves the most powerful beings
left. Likewise, the very old, evil, and
otherwise inimical entities called the
Krakens, of which at least one is known to
dwell in the lower Dark beneath Octzel,
begin to attract followers, especially those
races who once worshipped the old chaos
gods.
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Active Power Groups in
Octzel
As the center of sea trade and overland
commerce, as well as the political center of
the land, Octzel has attracted a lot of
attention from groups focused on change.
In terms of the city, this ranges from local
groups, such as the various guilds, regional
councils, and other groups which are
primarily interested in looking out for their
own interest and local events, to the more
insidious organizations and lobby groups,
such as the Fire Knives, the Order of the
Blade, and the Geomancers. These are
groups with greater political backing and
clout than your average craft guild, and
usually they have greater aspirations.
In an effort to provide a faily definitive
picture of the Octzellan scene, all well-
known, insidious, or extremely powerful
groups shall be discussed as follows.
Beware this knowledge, for to speak of
certain groups in the presence of a member
could be signing your own death warrant.
This information has been acquired from
many different sources, and not a few lives
have been lost in the gathering.
Reading the Profile:
Group Alignment: This entry reflects the
alignment of the group as a whole, and its
members specifically. You're not going to
find a lawful good member of the Black
Lotus Guild, for example!
Membership: The actual average number of
members in an organization, and its spread
by species.
Leader: The principle leader (and any
special secondary leaders) of thr group.
 Headquarters: The main building, district,
or region you can expect to make contact
with the group.
And now....
Organizations of the Capitol:
Black Lotus Guild
Group Alignment: Unaligned
Membership: Approximately 250 humans,
75 elves, 20 gnomes, 17 orcs, 10 half orcs,
about 6 ogres, and a handful of oddities
(one gorgon, a tiefling or two, some
hobgoblins, and one very angry dwarf.)
Leader: Colwyn Arandor (presiding); Wormi
Vellsoth (supreme)
Headquarters: Vellsoth Estate, Tavern over
the Inn
Possibly the most infamous and powerful
Thieves' Guild in Octzel, this organization
was established around 2025 by the
legendary Sylveinurian Wormi Vellsoth.
Short, youthful, and clever, Wormie was
responsible in his earlier career for
defeating the Magelord Quirak three times
successively. When Quirak was finally killed
the pallor which had been cast over octzel
was lifted, and the ruling king was able to
move on to other, better things. In his
thanks, he granted Wormie a special title,
Vellsoth, which is a lot like "Auslander,"
except with an aura of dignity and respect
about it. Wormie's original Einurian title in
known only to himself, and is presumably
not used by the adventurer to prevent
retaliation for his nefarious deeds on his
homeland family. In the centuries since,
Vellsoth has become a title unto itself
amongst Sylvan Elves, and there are many
descendants of the legendary Wormi.
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Wormi, with an estate and an old
mansion, settled down in Octzel and set
about uniting the local thieve's guilds,
which previously he had been at odds with
because of then Guildmaster Spleen, who
was later found dead. Before too long, the
three major guilds had been united, and
were under the indirect influence of
Wormie Vellsoth.
Wormie struck a deal with king Octzoron
Vellos, to act as an information supplier and
informant on illegal activities which would
affect the crown. By allying his organization
with the King's own pool of informants and
spies, Wormie insured that the Black Lotus
Guild would stay a permanent resident. To
this day, the Black Lotus guild has
maintained at least a nominal allegiance
with whoever is in power, and has often
been seen as a sort of loose espionage
service for the throne. This has almost
never changed, and on only two occasions
in the last couple of centuris have the Black
Lotus members been castigated or cut
loose, but always to return to grace with
the next regime.
The Guild has, because of its role as an
information supplier, become the target of
groups such as the Fire Knives, the Black
Society, and the Hooded Brothers.
Periodically, when a regional Guildmaster
under gets offed by some subversive group,
local turf wars flare up and all hell breaks
loose.
The Black Lotus guild has six districts,
which work the local territory in their own
special way. By keeping the trust between
the six guild lords and a good relationship
with all, the Inner Court of the Black Lotus
Guild remains a strong and loyal
organization. Wormi Vellsoth himself
 retains the title of Guildmaster to the Black
Lotus, but he has not been seen in Octzel in
over a century, haven taken a ship to the
west across the Endless Oceans, never to be
heard from again. In his place, Colwyn
Arandor, said to be one of his sons, is the
official Guildmaster.
The Black Lotus guild used to get much of
its income from peddling the Black Lotus in
its granular, smokeable form, to the
wealthy upper class of Octzel, but with the
absence of its founder, the control and
trade of such hallucinatory substances has
been lost, and lesser independent guilds are
in control of the black lotus plant trade
now.
The Black Lotus guild also provides
enforcement protection to local merchants.
This process is nebulous as to the legal
nature of the racket. If you don't pay, then
your a target of robbery, but if you do pay,
and someone else robs you, the Guild will
track them down, bring them to justice, and
recover your stolen goods, if possible.
The Black Lotus Guild has Six districts, and
while no single district has a permanent
base of operations, there are four areas
which are known to be frequented by the
Guild. This includes The Maze in the sewers,
where raw recruits are dumped for fun and
experience. There is an abandoned Bath
House in the Inner City which has been used
as a gathering place for guild members.
There is the Vellsoth Mansion where
Colwyn Arandor dwells, which is actually
used very infrequently by the guild, and is
garrisoned by forty of the meanest
mercenaries that money could buy. Finally,
there is the place where "The Seven" meet,
at the Tavern Over the Inn. This is Octzell's
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most famous establishment, and more on it
can be found in the area descriptions.
Personalities:
Colwyn Arandor (Half Elf Rogue-Wizard
12, unaligned) is one of Wormi's many
sons. Born of Lady Grisaudia, a barmaid
Wormi once fancied, Colwyn was their only
son, and was largely raised by his mother
while seeking to become like his father. He
is almost 150, and is three quarters elf
(Grisaudia was half-elf herself). He send
several years as a mercenary under the
Employ of the Caperishus Trade Company in
Hyrkania, and is said to have once been
offered a princess' hand in marriage in the
northern kingdom of Zymhar. Colwyn is
much like his father, but perhaps slightly
more dour and disposed to frequent
wanderlust. He has considered following his
father to the west, but loves his native
lands too much.
Wormi Vellsoth (Sylveinurien, Level 20
Rogue-Wizard, unaligned) is a legendary
personality of Lingusia. He was the
controller, founder, and backer of the Black
Lotus Guild. More than 500 years of age,
Wormi was one of the few Sylvan Elves who
never recovered from their youthful
wanderlust, and he has been to almost
every corner of the world. Presently,
Wormie is known only to have travelled to
distant Mataclan and beyond. No one in the
Guild has heard from him in over a decade.
Gabrios Celoth (Human Level 8 Rogue,
evil) is the Guildmaster of the Black Lotus
Slums District. Gabrios has led a hard life,
and his cunning mind was stunted by
terrible looks from leprosy, caused by an
ancient curse his family suffers from going
back to his ancestor, Jensturn Celoth.
Outcast from society, Gabrios loves to lurk
 like a haunting spectre in abandoned
dwellings and ruined remains. He is very
clever and capricious, and vindicative to his
enemies.
Vytaria (Human woman Level 10 Rogue,
unaligned) is the mistress of the Red Light
District. Within the "Dark Town" of Octzel,
as that section is called, the delights of man
and woman alike can be found. Vytaria's
women still peddle the black lotus, and her
call girls work the streets for both cash and
information. Unlike her predecessors,
Vytaria is not truly insane, but she cares
little for right or wrong, and delights in
murder when given the opportunity. She
has been known to instigate a street war
with other guilds, especially the Fire Knives,
on more than one occasion.
Rancor Madagsen (Half Orc, Level 12
Fighter-Rogue, chaotic evil) is the product
of an orcish mother and a human father,
which is a really rare combination, if you
catch my drift. He is the purveyor of the
Mercenary District, and is often called upon
by the other five guild districts to provide
muscle in times of need. Rancor is arguably
the most legal proprietor of all guild
operations, as his enforcement actions are
really nothing more than hired blades
working for someone who pays the right
price. The difference between his
organization and, say, the Heroskod
Company, is that his Blades will work for
anyone, perform any task, no matter how
illegal.
Damien Cordellos (Human Level 9 Rogue,
evil) is the Guildmaster of the Docks
District, and runs all of the seaside rackets.
Damien is a Captain of the Royal Navy, and
sails on the Royal Naval Ship Goldensky.
Damien was once a well known pirate, but
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in his capture, he was granted privateer
status for his Black Lotus connections, and
he later assassinated the former
Guildmaster of the Docks District to achieve
his new position. Damien is untrested by al
of his fellow guildmasters.
Brutus Kanorn (Half Ogre Level 8 Rogue-
Fighter, evil) is the guildmaster for the
Market District. He runs operations with a
tight hand, and is a ruthless abuser to his
men. The other members of The Seven have
come at odds with him more than once, but
Brutus still runs things in good order, and
never challenges anyone's authority except
in the market District. He brings in a lot of
cash from enforcement rackets, and runs
the best casinos in the City.
Shadditha Elas Lenorn (Human Level 14
Warlock-Rogue, unaligned) is the only
noble member of the Seven, and is the
guildmaster of the Inner City district. She is
a specialist in spying, court intrigue, gossip,
and blackmail. Her select and small staff of
ladies and gentlemen act as professional
escorts to unwed or widowed nobility, and
are the principle source of information
which Shadditha relays to her royal
contacts. Shadditha is considered Colwyn's
right arm, as she is arguably the most
powerful member of the guild outside of
him.
There is a rumor amongst certain factions
within the guild (started, probably by
Rancor Madagsen who has a grudge against
Shadditha for being spurned one too many
times) that she has employed a band of
assassins to track down the errant lord
Vellsoth and have him killed. No one
worries too much about this, however, As
Wormi Vellsoth is widely regarded as a
near-immortal in the eyes of his fellow
 guildsmen. Even his years-long absence
doesn't dissuade their faith in his presence
throughout the world.
Black Society
Group Alignment: evil
Membership: A very mixed compliment, of
about 70 or 80 undead (vampires, ghouls,
and wights, mostly), a couple hagarant
lords, a lich or two, 25 or so lycanthropes of
all types, and a medley of truly spooky
oddities.
Leader: Esidria Elas Phalliskoskis
Headquarters: Lady Phalliskoskis' estate in
the Inner City, or House Markovin.
If there were an award for "Most
Villainous Organization of the Millenium,"
the Black Society would get it. The name is
informally used to refer to the elite core
group, which marks its private covens with
two ancient cuneiform runes from the
Prehunate Script, meaning "Black, Dark,
Dreadful,," and "Society." These two
symbols, when found together are a clear
sign that the unwary or unprepared should
turn and flee, lest his life be forfeit.
The Black Society has grown up over
several centuries, and has spawned out of
the lonely interaction of outcasts, the
Damned, and victims of magical disease. As
Octzel grew to its vast and bloated size,
more and more such kindred of the night
were attracted to its walls, as they found
that in the immensity of the city, it was easy
to prey off of the weak and the unwanted.
Ironically, when the Time of the
Reckoning struck, the Black Society was
largely unaffected. A few members went
made, some were changed horribly or
turned to stone, and still more simply
passed on, their immortal souls of chaos
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destroyed and sent to oblivion. Alas, far too
many such beings were not of a chaotic
origin, and in the wake of the Reckoning,
many cursed being, Sharigras especially,
would come to cause the ranks of the Black
Society to swell to new heights.
The Black Society is also filled by the ranks
of a special group, led by members who
seek a cure to their affliction, or some form
of pennance that will release the curse the
gods have placed upon them. Such
members are more honorable and
trustworthy than others, but beware! They
still suffer from their natures, and there are
those among the Black Society who prey
upon even them, seeing these members as
hopeless romantics who fail to embrace the
true nature of their abominable existence.
The Black Society also has links to the
Order of Set which is sponsored by House
Markovin, a noble clan which has a legacy
of vampirism. This branch of the Black
Society has come to clash with the
hardliners of the inner group, led by Lady
Phallikoskis, which seek political power on
the High Council, to better their dark
machinations.
The Black Society has several locations
which are likely to be inhabited by their
kind, or which are used as places of
gathering. The manor house of Lord Castor
Markovin is where his own faction gathers,
and it is located outside the Inner City, in
the south section of town. Lady Phallikoskis
and her brood have an ancient mansion
which is located in the Inner City, and is
surrounded by its own vast wall. This
mansion borders the Inner City Mausoleum,
coincidentally, which is another favorite
hang out. The Royal Gardens have long
been a romping ground for loose Loup
 Garou who dare to trod upon the sacred
gardens of the Geomancers in search of
young lovers out for an evening's walk. The
Biles, as they are called, where the Garbage
dumps are located, are said to be crawling
with the Lycanthropic Ratmen. In the
northern quarters of the Inner City is the
nearly vacant Mansion of House Dadera,
the last remnant of the fallen family which
worshipped Slithotep. Its dreadful crew are
said to have followed and served Quirak
when he was alive, and to now reside
within the mansion and even Quirak's tomb
as part of the Hagarant Lords, the undead
sorcerers who live only on hatred.
The majority of the Black Society appear
to have a vampiric origin, and only
thelycanthropes seem to come in at a close
second. There are three known ways to
become a vampire, according to those
specialists who are necromantic students of
the undead. First, followers of Set who
betray the dictates of their accursed god
can be damned with Setitic Vampirism,
which has been seen in the Serpent Mage
Karukithyak and his followers (See the
section on Galent and Old Chegga for more
details). Vampirism can be brought down
on someone who was so evil and villainous
in life that they are grabbed by Devonin and
offered a second chance to walk the land of
the living, as a stalker in the night. Usually,
such vampires are less potent than the ones
cursed by Set, and are often tricked by the
Devonin into accepting their resurrection.
When they return and experience their
new, beastly life, they are either terribly
repentant, and seek to end their affliction,
or driven mad. A few, like Lady Phallikoskis
and her brood, embrace their horrifying
nature and revel in it. Finally, a vampire can
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
be created when they bite a mortal and
share blood, rendering the blood of the
mortal impure. This is not always effective,
and the process creates a special master-
servant bond between the vampires, which
has such psychological ramifications that it
is done rarely. Old vampires who have
traveled the land for centuries often have
as many as two dozen vampiric spawn they
have created.
While more about vampires and other
creatures that belong to the Black Society
can be found in the Bestiary of Lingusia, the
relevant details of their appearance in the
Capitol and connection to the Black Society
can be found here. As such, Lycanthropes,
another ancient magical curse that has
afflicted man since time immemorial, have
also come to belong in the society.
While the lycanthropes are not immortal,
it is suggested that they are part of the
society to serve as lackeys, assassins, and
warriors for the vampires, who often
display impressive mental control over the
shapechangers. There are believed to be
over forty Ratmen in the Biles of the city
dumps, and at least fifteen loup garou can
be accounted for. Certainly, there are more
beyond the city, dwelling in seclusion or as
hidden murderers among man. All
lycanthropes are somehow bonded to the
moon, of course, and some speculate if they
are not linked also to the divine relationship
of Selene, the Moon, and her son Slithotep,
madness.
The third major party of evil in the Black
Society is the Hagarant Lords. These are the
descendants of House Dadera and otherevil
people who, in their corruption, lost their
souls entirely to the temptations of chaos
and evil. Now, they are undead husks of the
 people they once were, lurking in the Thanks to her, Quirak secretly live son as a
shadows of the dwellings they once owned possessing spirit, and has been responsible
or places they frequented, thriving on for many tragedies in the last few centuries.
corruption, evil, and hatred. They are
psychic vampires, after a fashion, for they
must feed on these dark emotions in order
to fill their empty selves. Though it is
unknown if they would wither and
disappear if they were kept from human
contact, it is clear that they can survive for
centuries at a time in isolation. The
Hagarant are also attracted to people of
great evil, basking in their nature. It is for
this reason that they follow Lady
Phallikoskis, and that others followed and
worked through the decades to try and
resurrect Quirak from his mysterious grave
(See Plot Lines for some ideas).
Other dark kindred belong in the Black
Society, but are almost always a minority.
An Ashtarth Vampire, the lucid Shadow of a
man ,who prowls the abandoned watch
tower on the Fifth District Wall, and the
changeling son of a noblewoman who was
spawned from the loins of a devonin high
lord, and claims his "father" tells him to do
horrible acts, are all examples.
Personalities:
Esidria Elas Phallikoskis (Vampire Level
14 Wizard, evil) is The Queen of the Black
Society, and is over seven centuries old. She
has a brood of dozens of vampires, ratmen,
and loup garou which she calls upon to Castor Elas Markovin (Vampire Level 13
enforce her control over the Black Society. Fighter-Wizard, unaligned) not as bad a guy
She dabbles in necromancy and divination, as one might think, but he is remarkably
as well as thaumaturgy. Lady Phallikoskis is clever. Markovin has connections with the
also known to have had relations with Circle of Necromancers, and is directly tied
Quirak, although the nature of their affair is in to the Order of Set which operates within
undetermined. She once worked with the this region. He seeks, some believe, to
Hagarant lords to attempt to resurrect perform an act which will grant his family
Quirak from the grave, with partial success. freedom from the curse which Set has

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 placed upon him, although the nature of his
curse and its origins are lost in time, and
only he knows. Some suspect Markovin to
be as old as Octzel itself, but that is
unproven. He has a core group of thirteen
highly loyal vampires serving him, and two
Vessilante, the Death Guardians, stand
protectively in front of his manor gates. He
is the sonof his tragic father, Tevel
Markovin, who was destroyed in the
machinations of Catea Gonn Aleric, who
unleashed the Reckoning upon the world in
her attempt to steal the Orb of Chaos from
Mataclan.
Moria (Ashtarth Vampire Level 9 Ranger-
Rogue, unaligned) is the ashtarth vampiress
who has fled to distant Octzel from her
homeland, where she was cast out of Dahik
for her curse. She is a mistress of insects,
and commands a horde of giant spiders,
venemous centipedes, and black scorpions
which guard her catacomb lair beneath the
graveyards in the Royal Gardens. Moria
holds no personal allegiance, and goes with
whatever side she sees fit to serve. Her
curse is a mystery, for she is not known to
have worshipped Set, but some believe that
she was bitten by a Setitie Vampire who
once served Karukithyak, and for such
shame, she was forced to leave her
homeland.
Grath Donn Hashanak (Human werewolf,
Level 8 Rogue, good) is an unwilling
werewolf who was cursed in a bloody back-
alley brawl with some werewolves looking
for dinner. He has since been indoctrinated
into the lower ranks of the Black Society,
and made friends with Moria. Unbeknownst
to the Society, he is also connected to Kavar
Elabam, The King's Mage, and feeds the
Wizard information on the movements of
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
the dark kindred. Grath hopes this will
make up for the wanton acts of evil he has
committed under the full moon, when the
change takes his body and the beast
emerges.
Fire Knives
Group Alignment: Neutral Evil.
Membership: approximately 200 humans,
30 elves, 40 ashtarth, 60 orcs, 30 half orcs,
10 trolls, 8 ogres, 5 gnomes, 10 lizardfolk,
and a handful of others. This is only the
Octzellan membership.
Leader: Minaria Augustus-Sorinos
Headquarters: An anonymous guild hall in
the Guild District
The Fire Knives are an international
organization of illuminated conspirators
who have supporters within Hyrkania,
Octzel, and Jhakn. Rumors indicate that.
There are even members operating within
the empires of Galvonar to the south. The
Fire Knives are a vicious predatory political
organization, motivated less by religious or
moral principles than they are by political
gain. The mysterious Council of Thirteen are
an unknown council of dissident political
radicals from across the Middle Kingdoms
who Work together to maintain long
distance ties and support. Their agendas are
many and varied. Some employ magical
prowess which is often learned from the
Cabal of Southern Hyrkania, while others
practice bastard magic, culled from the
books of Blue Robes and Geomancers who
dared to cross their path. Most members of
the guild are common men and kindred folk
who rely on stealth and swift assassination
to accomplish their nefarious deeds.
At its roots, the guild looks like some sort
of thug-enforcer type of thieves guild that
 seems to have little direct connection to
their action. In some cities, such as Octzel,
their movements are silent and unobserved
by most people. In Krythia, they wear their
shield of stars surrounded by weapons
symbol proudly, and are believed to be a
mercenary's guild by most people. In Jhakn
the existence of the Fire Knives is unknown,
as their movements are go carefully
concealed and hidden that not even close
allies. know who they are dealing with.
Allies of the Fire Knives include the Riders
of Ocentash and the Tower of Macabeth in
Jhakn it is believed that the dissident heir to
Takonor is a member of the Thirteen, as is
Macabeth II himself. In Octzel, they have
few allies and many enemies, with
numerous competitive skullduggerous
guilds such as the Black Lotus Guild and the
Guild of the Spheres. The Order of the Blade
is also a direct competitor, but in a neutral
and friendly way. Halshaggin's raiders claim
to have several members who are or were
Fire Knives, but their true relations to the
guild are unknown.
The Fire Knives have the primary support
of three Barons, and possibly other nobles,
in Octzel. House Boron, House Killaman,
and House Agrapor are the primary backers.
House Boron, of the Merchant Lord
Shadulos Elas Boron, and his wicked
daughter Teylayurana Sorinos are the most
dangerous members. Hallergan Blacknails is
another famous Anyu assassin.
Beside the illegal and secretive activities
which likely take place in the shadowed
chambers of the manors of each noble
house, the Fire Knives own property
through indirect channels throughout the
city. They own a trade and import shop in
the Marketplace which leads to a secret
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
meeting place. They own a Guild Hall that is
rented out regularly, except on dark,
moonless nights when they convene for a
recap of their actions. They own
warehouses by the docks, where imports of
special relation are often kept, or where
bodies can safely be dumped. Members of
the Fire Knives learn as much as they can
about the back alleys, secret passages,
sewers, and catacombs beneath the streets
of Octzel.
Some would say that the Fire Knives go
beyond being a society of political
assassination and into the realm of a secret
society for the sake of secretiveness. Much
of this is due to the fact that the three
barons behind the house lack the backing or
funds of a major political interest, and it is
believed that none of them belong to the
Thirteen. Yet, since some claim that Fire
Knives in Hyrkania such as Dame Magna
Mordent say that there is a member of the
Thirteen in Octzel, then who is he or she,
and what are they planning?
Personalities:
Minaria Augustus-Sorinos (Human Level
19 Rogue, evil) is queen of the Octzellan
Fire Knives, who despises the clamp of the
Black Lotus guild and the meddling of the
Guild of the Spheres in her own businesses,
which are already semi-legal at best. She
backs slavers, imports dangerous and
sedctive foreign drugs, and her husband is a
member of the Society of Necromancers.
Minaria's heritage comes from great Fire
Knife blood, and it carries on to her own
daughter, who is the most famous assassin
in the city, and is feared and respected by
all.
Kristos Admandar-Sorinos (Human Level
8 Necromancer-Rogue, evil) is the aging
 necromancer husband of Minaria who
dabbles in necromancy and thaumauturgy
to try and extend his own life. He is a
villainous cur, and the marriage between
the two has been formal only for better
than a year now. Still, they respect each
other, and assist each other on dark
ventures periodically.
Talia Augustus-Sorinos (tiefling Level 13
Rogue, chaotic evil) is the illegitimate
daughter of Minaria, born to her after a
liason with a summoned infernal being.
Talia was nurtured and cared for by her
mother, until she was taken away by Fire
Knives to be put through such severe
training, insuring that she was physically
and emotionally scarred. She became the
guild's premiere assassin in Octzel.
Hallergan Blacknails (Blyskanyu Orc Level
10 Fighter-Wizard, chaotic evil) is Minaria's
right-hand man. He is an accomplished
mage, a tough fighter, and a tricky devil.
Hallergan is approaching middle years, but
has worked hard to keep a lean figure, and
avoid the bloatedness so characteristic of
his people. His snout is stubbier than usual,
perhaps due to some forgotten human
blood in his ancestry, and he will often pass
without question in the city streets if he
wears heavy robes like a priest. He is a
master tactician when it comes to weaving
his magic, and he can bring down some
rather impressive foes with little difficulty.
Cult of Slithotep
Group Alignment: chaotic evil
Membership: A handful of evil agents,
about 50 humans, 30 Sherigras, and 20
ashtarth, along with a handful of plane-
trapped devonin, tieflings, and hyshkorrid.
Leader: Kalus Elas Ansevernorn
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Headquarters: Various, including the
catacombs, sewers, and especially the
Maze.
Slithotep is the god of madness, insanity
in all forms, and is the patron of schemers,
destructive spirits, arcane power, and the
will of the Id in the mind. The followers of
Slithotep in Octzel embrace all of his
darkest qualities and participate in devious
games of life with the unwitting populace
and themselves.
Slithotep was dwelling in the mortal
plane, actually as a living fortress-temple
deep in the Hyrkanian Deserts, when the
cataclysm struck the world. He is now one
of the few elder gods to still dwell in the
mortal plane, and has gained a strong surge
of followers amongst former chaos cultists
as a result of this.
Slithotep is worshipped in secret because
of the purile and horrifying nature of occult
practices related to him. The people who
see Slithotep as the embodiment of their
souls are usually sick, twisted, and prone to
all forms of madness and dementia. The
cursing, spastic beggar who spits on you
and runs into the darkness of an alley is
probably touched by Slithotep and finds his
only moments of lucidity when he worships
the dark god. The wicked old merchant who
beats his servants, rips off his clientele, and
kicks puppies probably harbors a secret
enclave beneath his home from which
dreadful practices are performed.
Slithotep's devout followers are
sociopaths, madmen, and nihilistic
murderers dedicated to extremes of
depravity.
Within Octzel, Slithotep's worshippers
have a long and secretive life. They are
disconnected, with the broad scheme of the
 Cabal and the Black Circle of Hyrkania,
which are powerful organizations that hold
Slithotep among the Lords of Chaos which
they worship. Rather, the Octzellan
worshippers are culled from the exiled
dredges of the ancient past, and can find
their earliest worshippers in the form of the
Dadera family and kin who were pivotal in
the early stages of Octzellan history.
Although the legacy of the Daderas has
since fallen to their descendent Hagarant
Lords (see the Black Society for more
details), the followers of Slithotep who
were first united under their banner of evil
and madness continue to prosper in the
nooks and crannies of society to this day.
The Daderas came to Octzel because they
were fleeing from the tyranny of a united
Hyrkania backed by the Church of Naril.
They also fled because they were exiled
from the Cabals of the north for performing
magics and acts too heinous to be allowed,
even for the chaos priests of Hyrkania. This
is a hard thing to imagine, for the society
from which they came advocates total
corruption, acceptance of evil, random acts
of violence, self mutilation, baby sacrifice,
and other terrible things.
But the Dadera family had a source of evil
which they worked from, an ancient Codex
which was said to have been written even
before the first Idean Codex was thought of.
This tome, in its modern title, is called the
Inferus Maelificum, and it was supposedly
written by the first true follower of
Slithotep, over six millenia ago. The few
people who even know of this codex claim
that within its ancient sheets, there are
three languages, including the cuneiform of
the ancient tongue, the glyphic symbols of
an ancient empire far to the east which has
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
been dead so long it is forgotten to
memory, and most important of all, it holds
a strange, almost undecipherable script
which is rumored to be the original writings
of the Prehunate civilization. The thought
that even one volume of writings speaking
of Prehunate magical secrets might exist is
a thought too horrifying to imagine. The
highest priest of Slithotep Kalus
Ansevernorn, claims that the scribe of this
book, who's name is never mentioned, was
not the first worshipper of Slithotep as
some claim, but the last Prehunate follower
to survive the apocalypse which the gods
rained down upon ,the heads of the ancient
prehuman empire.
If this is true, then it is small wonder that
the Octzellan cult is to be feared and seen
as-far worse. While it is suspected that the
Dadera family might well have been able to
decipher some of the oldest writing in the
codex, it seems that the modern cultists
have only managed to glean information
from the more recent ancient languages
transcribed therein.
The Infernus Maelificum has been copied
several times, and the original codex was
damaged, part of it being lost in an early
conflict between cultists, while other panels
have been destroyed by priests of Naril,
Enki, or anyone else who simply
understands the need to rid the world of
the book. Ansevernon, in Octzel, is believed
to have had a partially complete copy of the
book, and rumors of an almost complete,
intact original from centuries earlier have
surfaced in the southern province of Rithias.
Only time will tell what comes of these
rumors.
The priest of Slithotep practice chaos
magic, thaumaturgy; and are masters of
 demonic lore. They are usually able to
harness devonin and other more dangerous
demons to guard and protect their
domains. Within the Capitol, there are at
least three meeting areas, and a handful of
perhaps a hundred worshippers. The first
meeting site is located north of the city,
about forty miles or so, on a secluded beach
where nine ancient standing stones have
stood the test of time. Each stone was
placed to represent a different gate into the
Abyssal layers,, and the terrible demon
lords who rule within. The second site is in a
portion of the old catacombs of the city,
that run beneath the docks. Here, it is
believed at night the worhippers
occasionally commune in terrible, charnel
rituals with the Kraken race beneath the sea
(more on Krakens in the Bestiary). Finally,
within the twisted maze of the slums,
several abandoned or little used buildings
have been the site of sacrificial worship on
the Warding day, when the followers of
Slithotep seek to call down the power of
demons to run amok in the city.
The cult is not affilated with any other
group, and it is at odds with many. The
Black Society is opposed to he cult of
Slithotep, which seeks to capture vampires
so that they may cull strange potions from
their blood. The lycanthropes of the society
are neutral, however, and some members
of the cult are also lycanthropes, seen as
gifted by the dark god. These are the Most
dangerous of the weres, for they revel in
their bestial nature. The Hagarant Lords
have worked with the cult on occasion, but
the ones allied with Lady Phallikoskis will
not. The Order of the Blade is aware of the
cult, and seeks to stop it whenever possible,
as do the Sentinels. The Black Lotus guild
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
simply wont deal with them, and the Fire
Knives could care less.
Personalities:
Kalus Elas Ansevernorn (Human Level 16
Cleric of Slithotep, chaotic evil), commonly
seen as a scheming socialite in the circles of
the aristocracy, is a baron who owns a fair
amount of property within the city walls.'
While it is unknown to all, he is an
illegitimate descendant of old Gonn-
Dadera, who was responsible for the
construction of the palace.
Ansevernorn became obsessed with his
family history and learned of his ancient
connections. He spent years searching for
more knowledge, and eventually found a
copy of the Infernonomicon in the library
of a scholar in Hyrendan. He killed the
scholar and took the book, to learn of the
teachings of Slithotep. He eventually
became aware of the cult in the Capitol,
and managed to gain control over it in short
order. Now, he is one of the most skilled
and terrible followers of the dark god since
Bellasco Strallikus in the Hyrkanian war of
strife.
Ansevernorn has learned of the secret
passages and catacombs which his ancestor
built into the palace, and has established a
network of his own spies to prey upon
unwitting nobles. His exact motivations are
unknown as yet, but dire results could come
about if he chooses to take action against
the King.
Guild of the Spheres
Group Alignment: Neutal evil, Lawful evil
Membership: About 100 humans, 60 orcs,
20 elves (some Naelythian), 20 or more
Black Shambler enforcers, 10 gnomes, and a
small body of golem laborers and enforcers.
 Leader: Lichelord Krenkin
Headquarters: An office in the warehouse
district, a secret hall in the sewers
When the Guild of the Spheres first
appeared in Octzel over three centuries
ago, it sent shockwaves through the
criminal underground. The Sphere was fast,
efficient, resourceful, and somehow always
managed to cut a better deal than the local
criminal guilds. A turf war erupted and for a
time, the rogues and scum of Octzel were
close to wiping one another out.
The war ended after about a decade, but
mostly because the Guild of the Spheres
faded in to the background and seemed to
lose some of its potency, though no one
outside the guild knew why. Its members
who were present in the city continued on,
but seemed to become just another
member of the pack. After a time, the guild
disappeared entirely, and only dusty,
encrypted logs of its presence wee left in
hidden Black Lotus Guild archives.
Now, several centuries later, things seem
to be heating up again, and old faces
thought long dead have returned. No one
knows for sure just why theyre back, but
the Guild of the Spheres is definitely up to
their old tricks again...
Rumors abound that the old crime lord, a
being called Halistrak, has disappeared. In
his place, his former lieutenant, a scalawag
mage named Krenkin, is now the boss. He
has assembled a new crew to work for him,
and once again the streets are filled with
odd folk and the occasional Black Shambler.
Too, stars in the night sky once again fall
from the heavens, and occasionally, rise up
to meet them, too.
The mystery ships which once again sail in
to port after a night of shooting starts carry
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
strange and desirable cargo, including
drugs, slaves, and masterwork weaponry of
high quality, along with the odd black
market magic item. The Guild of the
Spheres seems especially interested in
acquiring mithril, as well as specific rare
magic items. They are also prone to picking
up great amounts of imported spice, opium,
and both black and blue lotus powders.
The harbormaster and the taxmen love
these arrivals, for they briefly provide an
amazing boost to the economy, but the city
officials despise them, for they flagrantly
purchase illegal and exotic goods, which
they then try to smuggle by to avoid
confiscation of goods through odd tariff
laws. The rival guilds are angry, because
they see the Guild of the Spheres as
hogging a specific market, and often, the
product being transported on to these ships
were ripped off from their own black
market stock.
The Guild of the Spheres works out of the
merchant district, primarily, and is said to
own several warehouses, and now some of
the run of the sewers and catacombs for
their own use. They are believed to also
own warehouses in Drama, where the odd
ships have also been seen.
The Guild of the Spheres also is small in
number, but has access to immense
humanoids that have been nicknamed Black
Shambers, due to their slow, rambling walk.
These giant thugs are believed to be
magical constructs, huge ebony men that
seem to be covered in black ichor, with
corded muscles that can break a man in
two. When killed, the dissolve into black
tar. Krenkin claims they come from a realm
called Canopis,a land which hovers in
darkness, and makes up one of the shining
 lights which compose the constellation of
Set.
Personalities:
Grendak (Level 17 elite Adamantite Golem,
unaligned) Krenkins personal enforcer is a
monstrous golem which annihilates
whatever he sends it after. Grendack is
implacable, and seems to have a
personality, although this is in fact a magical
perturbation, a homunculi, hiding within his
form.
Drosis Kar Nedan (Doppelganger Level 10
Rogue, evil) Krenkins right hand man and
negotator is a tricky shapeshifter. Drosis is a
Doppelganger, and has already been used
at least twice to forward a local deal or
agreement by replacing the disagreeable
party. Drosis does not work for cheap,
however, and Krenkin knows hes not too
trustworthy, so he keeps a careful eye on
him.
Lich lord Krenkin (Human Level 23 Wizard,
evil) Krenkin began his career as a rogue
who had a promising talent which was
nurtured by the arcane liche Halistrak. He
became an Ether Mage, a practitioner of
divination, ethermancy, and traditional
sorcery, and a lieutenant in Halistraks
army. Krenkin helped found the Guild of the
Spheres, and used it to provide valuable
resources to Halistraks interstellar empire.
Then, one day something happened to
Halistrak (no one knows what) and the
empire fell. Krenkin was eventually able to
make his way to Halistraks distant
stronghold on the seventh planet of the
system and broke in to his vault of secrets,
where he learned much about magic, and
how to prolong his life as a liche. Centuries
later, Krenkin has returned to Lingusia,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
undead and scheming to start a cosmic
empire of his own.
Krenkin is a follower of Set, and revels in
evil, lies, and deceit in all forms. He is the
one who controls and orders the Black
Shamblers, and his ultimate control over
them insures that none will ever mess with
him. Krenkin insures this control through
the use of Black Bane, a special substance
which is culled from alien plants of an
unknown system. The Black Bane, a sticky
black paste, is fed to the Shamblers to
insure their obedience. It can also be fed to
prisoners and enemies of the build, or
applied to a wound. The effects on humans
and humanoids is such that they become
Very susceptible to suggestion, lose violent
impulses, and forget to restrain themselves
in their speech (by speaking honestly,
without lies). Only Krekin can make the
Black Bane.
Hooded Brothers
Group Alignment: chaotic good, unaligned,
but any who have been wronged..
Membership: varied, but about 500 or
more humans are dedicated to the cause,
along with a handful of elves, half orcs,
 gnomes, and other kin, including some
centaurs driven from the Verraggen region.
Leader: Gustavo Athenar
Headquarters: Never the same place twice
While there are many politically
subversive groups and individuals in Octzel,
the Hooded Brothers are not merely active
within the city, but abroad, throughout the
land as well. They are branded outlaws and
thieves by the common man and the City
Guard, but the Order of the Blade knows
that they are really desperate men and
women who have bought into the idea of
anarchism and the overthrow of the king.
Admitting or being identified as a member
of the Hooded Brothers is an instant death
warrant, and the members of this society
are hunted by bounty hunters with great
fervor. Other outlaw bands dislike the
Hooded Brothers because they fear being
implicated in the actions of these
anarchists, therefore being condemned to
death rather than imprisonment, hard
labor, or something less permanent.
The Hooded Brothers are so widespread,
having appeared in other provinces as well
as the streets of Octzel, that they are
believed to be funded by a prominent noble
who seeks ends antithetical to the current
regime. Others speculate that the Hooded
Brothers are backed by foreign powers, and
point to the desperate lords of Ocentash, or
even Southern Hyrkania. A few have even
noticed a possible connection to the Fire
Knives, and think that the mysterious,
unidentified member of the Thirteen might
be behind their actions, as well.
Whatever their underlying scheme, the
Hooded Brothers, at the front of the
conflict, are desperate men and women,
usually convicted criminals who have
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
somehow evaded a death sentence, or
political dissidents who have been wronged
by the policies of the High or some senator
and now seek revenge. They are as likely to
be found speaking of treasonous concepts
in darkened, radical pubs as they are to be
setting fire to military wagons, or tossing
plague-ridden dead cats into the office
windows of the City Guard. They have no
single, permanent base of operations, but
move fluidly through the city to avoid being
pinpointed. No one knows how many there
are, but the order of the Blade suspects
there may be thirty or forty such members
in the Capitol alone. The few who have-
been captured speak nothing of their
brethren, and accept the torture and death
they receive at the Gallows and the Tower
of Inquiry.
Personalities:
Gustavo Athenar (Human level 7 Fighter
unaligned) Gustavo is as radical as they
come, and he is driven by the death of his
family by a cruel lordling named Castaran.
Castaran rules from a small castle to the
north, near the channel that runs between
the mainland and Picadore, and when his
taxmen went to collect, he doubled the
expected taxes from those who had
particularly good harvests. Gustavo refused
to pay, unable to produce the money or
goods to make the tax, and Castaran had his
family beaten. The men who did the deed
were overzealous, and killed his family
before his eyes. Gustavo killed the men, and
slew Castarn, and was later taken prisoner
and brought to the capitol for sentencing by
the grand justicar. While held in the Tower
of Inquiry, sympathetic aristocrats who
despised Castaran freed him, and he fled
into the slums. Eventually, a mysterious
 man approached him about joining the
Hooded Robes, and he signed on. Since
then, he has come to be their leader in the
Capitol, and he still communicates with the
mysterious man who brought him in to the
fold.
Alista Krone (Human Level 3 Rogue, good)
is, like Gustavo, a woman wronged by the
system. She was wrongfully accused of
diabolism, and was tortured extensively by
agents in the Tower of Inquiry before
Priests of Enki arrived for a testimonial, and
discerned through their divine magic that
she was free of the taint of chaos. She was
released, but no recompense was given.
Since then, her beautiful features were
forever marred by the tortures of the Tower
of Inquiry. She has fallen in love with
Gustavo and works with him and his crew to
bring anarchy to the system.
North Sea Pirates
Group Alignment: plenty of evil, chaotic of
all sorts, neutral evil especially.
Membership: very mixed, perhaps as many
as a thousand different pirates of all types
and persuasion claim immediate
membership in the North Sea Pirates union.
Leader: Captain Draskos
Headquarters: Draskos sails on the Merry
Dogs, a great galleon armed with dwarven
cannonshot.
The so-called North Sea Pirates are
actually an informal coalition of senior
captains and scurvy dogs of great repute,
who earned their fame and fortune by
plundering the sea lanes, either for the
empires, or against.
The North Sea Pirates are regarded as a
mobile, yet significant political force within
Octzel and its coastal cities principally
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
because by far over two-thirds of the
coalition are Octzellan in descent.
Furthermore, many of them, such as
Captain Draskos, have sworn fealty to the
kingdom and pursue treacherous piracy in
Hyrkanian of Jhaknian seas. As a result, it is
very likely that
roving adventurers who get involved with
famous, independent-minded captains
might in fact be dealing with members of
the North Sea Pirates.
Personalities:
Captain Abelman Draskos (Human Level 7
Rogue-Fighter, evil). Draskos is a scurvy
dog, a worshipper of Set and Haro, and
consorts with the Black Society (through he,
in fact, is not in any known way
supernatural). He is a principal supplier of
the Pirate Coves in the Northern wilderness
coastlands, and knows more about the
coasts of the north Baldric and Endless
Ocean on up to Autrengard than anyone.
He is a daring, chivalrous sort of fellow,
until you get to know him real well or find
yourself on the opposite side of a conflict.
Draskos maintains a manor house and
small amount of land in which his wife, Lady
Estrela Huvirian-Draskos resides (Human
Level 7 Rogue-Warlock, evil). She was a
famous piratess who wooed him into
marriage and retired after a conflict with
Hyrkanian bounty hunters left her crippled.
Her reputation preceded her, and the
Curatorium of Hella refused aid. She is a
minor practitioner of divinitism and
necromancy through the worship of Set.
Order of the Blade
Group Alignment: Lawful good, neutral
Membership: 300 soldiers, 60 officers,
mostly human, some elves and half elves
 Leader: Herod Dann Morn
Headquarters: The Tower of Inquiry (active
investigations), The Military Garrisons
(standing duty, main forces).
Long ago it was realized that a powerful
kingdom required a powerful fist, an
organization which could do the dirty work
necessary for the King without
compromising his majesty in the process.
Founded to be the key espionage service of
the throne, this special Knighthood is
known as the Order of the Blade.
Located in the Military Garrisons (training
grounds) and the Palace (Offices), the
Blades are a selection of handpicked men
under the control of Herod Morn. His duty
to the King has been to keep the order in
top running condition, and to serve as the
hub of the King's own spy network. The
military aspect of the order, in the form of
fifty highly talented knights who are often
not suspected of belonging to the order by
commoners and nobles, used to assault the
enemy whenever a chance arises. The web
of intrigue in the palace is immense, and for
its own purposes, the Blades serve as both
information gatherers and an immediate,
personally directed fist from the King.
A group of adventurers looking to
participate heavily in city affairs, politics,
and schemes, yet who are noble of heart,
might find the Order of the Blade just their
cup of tea. This knighthood serves to allow
adventurers a chance to get into the thick
of the plots and deviltry, and do something
about it, all in the name of the King.
Advancement and rewards can be strong,
too, for those who uncover really deadly
schemes.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Personalities:
Herod Dann Morn (Human Level 10
Fighter-Rogue unaligned) is the most
famous of the Blades. Morn personally
tricked one of Valances staunchest
supporters and generals in to a one on one
duel, after slipping behind enemy lines, and
slew the man, thus forcing Draskis to
consider suing for peace. Morn started as a
palace guard, who accidentally uncovered
an assassination plot against the queen. His
efficient means of handling the situation
brought him into the Order of the Blade,
and from there, he has managed to earn
the ire of almost every thieve's guild,
brotherhood of assassins, political dissident,
and supernatural being in the city.
Morn maintains a contact with the local
thieve's guilds, but does not enjoy relying
on the information net of the Black Lotus
gangs.
Order of the Crown
Group Alignment: lawul good, neutral
Membership: 2000 soldiers, 600 elite
cavalry
Leader: The Chief General (Dalus Gonn
Mastakar, presently)
Headquarters: The Military Garrisons, and
abroad, as well as a station in the Castle.
The Order of the Crown deserves
mention, for while it is not a motivating
organization, it is the most powerful branch
of knights under the King. The Danns of the
Crown are all dedicated to the King, and to
a lesser extent the Appointed Chief General.
They have sworn a code of chivalry that
requires they partake in very customary
activity on the battle and in combat, and
that they uphold truth and justice in the
name of the King wherever they travel. The
 services of a Knight of the Crown are highly
prized by greater nobles everywhere; many
such knights will seek a time of wandering
in the land, acting in the best interests of
whatever region of the kingdom they are
passing through to resolve disputes. They
are regarded as the equals of the senate
Justicars with regards to their rights to
dispense justice, although this liberty is
generally only granted to senior knights of
the order (Level 6 or better).
There are four hundred such knights that
form the core of the mounted cavalry of the
King's armies, and there are two-thousand
additional warriors who are part of the
general mounted cavalry units that have
been trained as Knights of the Crown. They,
above all else, are one of the principle
reasons that the Capitol has not been
sieged in centuries.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Personalities:
Castelus Dann Kastrad (Human Level 9
Warlord, lawful good) is a wandering
knight, who dedicated himself to the Crown
years ago, but has traveled through many
lands and been on many adventures. His
personal wisdom is suspect however, as he
has a deeply troubled spirit from a mission
he failed years ago, in which many
innocents were killed by mihidir trolls. He
has not, as yet, found forgiveness in his
heart through his current actions, though
he tries. Castelus most recently aided in
repelling a fleet of privateers hired by the
Persedonians which tried to bombard
Porondor Isle.
Antiquarian Society, The Order of the
Enternal Seekers
Group Alignment: varied, but mostly lawful
Membership: about 12-15 members
Leader: Cuthan Dann Melidor is meeting
oranizer
Headquarters: They meet in the Librarium
of the Capitol.
Also called the Eternal Order, the Eternal
Seekers are a special knighthood which is
principally located in Midas. However,
several members of the order dwell within
the Capitol, and carry out the dedicated
pursuit of knowledge that their kind are
known for. For more on the Eternal Seekers,
look in the Atlas section under Midas. This
information will provide you with the
specific members of that order that are
relevant to the Capitol.
For now, realize that the Eternal Seekers
are a rather secretive collage of different
men and women who have discovered
unusual or new information, either on
 people, places or things, which has had an
effect on the world at large, or might been
seen as having a long term effect. The
founding member of the order, the late but
revered Lord Sid was reknowned for his
lengthy roamings across the Lingusian
continent, and his lengthy accounts of the
lifestyle of the Karaktuan empires. within
the Capitol, it is rumored that Wormi
Vellsoth is a member (or was approached),
and it is believed that other famous
adventurers have been asked to join.
Personalities:
Cuthan Dann Melidor (Human Level 9
Wizard-Rogue, lawful good) is an aging
scholar who served many years in the
Octzellan Navy and saw a great deal of the
far east. His experiences and careful diaries
have earned him a place in the Eternal
Seekers. He is now retired, and works in the
Librarium of the Capitol, where meetings
between the dozen or so members of the
order meet to discuss new finds, argue over
old ones, and speculate about what is to
come. He is a great source of information,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
especially about the Far East, for interested
adventurers.
On occasion, the order will become fairly
obsessed with some bit of knowledge or
lore which is escaping them, and will usually
take time to pool some resources together
to hire and equip a part of adventurers who
can secure the desired knowledge, artifact,
or tome for them. These often result in
some enormously long treks, but the
handful of men and women who have taken
such jobs become very well traveled,
indeed.
Order of the Land
Group Alignment: lawful
Membership: 50,000 total throughout the
land, 6,500 within the capitol province
Rishaad
Leader: Brego Dann Astarik, others
Headquarters: varied, chapters at every
major keep and holding.
This knighthood is seen everywhere, for
they are part of the Provincial Militia, and
those landless knights who have sworn
fealty to the regional barons, dukes, and
other varying powers of the provinces. The
order of the Land is seen as one large entity
with many different heads by the High
Council, and this is partially true. The order
is actually broken up into dozens of local
chapters, with their own prescriptions on
the code of the warrior, treatment of the
peasantry, and so forth. They do not have
the power of a justicar until quite late in
their career (level 10), so only the oldest,
wisest Knights of the Land are given to
legally executing legal matters.
Within Octzel's Capitol and its province,
there are at least thirty chapters of the
knighthood, each one sworn to a different
 major noble. Some chapters are composed
of several groups, all dedicated to one
Gonn, and also dedicated to one of his
vassals. According to court records, there
are a total of sixty-five hundred Knights of
the Land within the province of Rishaad
alone, of which four thousand are
dedicated to members of the High Council
who hold property interests within the
Capitol or its province. When assembled,
the Order of the Land can mount an army of
over fifty thousand man in two weeks time.
Personalities:
Bregor Dann Astarik (Human Level 12
Warlord, lawful good) is the senior
commander of the forces pledged to
protect the lands owned by House Dor, a
staunch supporter of the King. Astarik is a
dedicated man, who is content with his
position, even if he is unhappy with the lack
of action seen by his troops in recent years.
Damios Gonn Dor is a pacifistic man, and
while he has insured that his troops are in
total service to the King, they are rarely
ordered into action for anything else.
Astarik periodically will personally oversee
the votary activities of the local villages and
farm communities in the north-coast
region, or accompany tax ventures, just to
alleviate the boredom. The rural lands of
Gonn Dor's duchy are empty of any real
threat, however.
Order of Set
Group Alignment: lawful evil
Membership: unknown; perhaps as many
as a thousand cultists of all sorts hidden in
the city
Leader: Skiskatitkan
Headquarters: old mansion in the slums, a
temple in the catacomb sewers
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Set is an ancient god, a corruptor and the
embodiment of the serprent, which holds a
special place in Middle Kingdom's
symbolism. His followers are those who
become entranced with the idea of power
in the mastery of lies, deceit, and
corruption. They are dedicated to the
articulation of the power they see as
inherent in their corrupted beings. To this
end, they seek spiritual, necromantic, and
political vessels by which to execute their
desires.
The Order of Set is long-established in
Octzel, as some of the city's earliest
occupants were worshippers of the evil god,
sent here under the guise of being more
benign pilgrims. They are a cunning, patient
lot, and are willing to work through multiple
generations, if necessary, to achieve some
distant yet highly desired end. They are also
heavily involved in the preservation of the
immortal soul from its entrance into the
Realms of the Dead, and utilize devices
called spirit traps to harbor their souls until
they can one day regain their lost body or
possess a new one.
A modern day cultist of Set is likely to
have many spirit jars, containing the
warlock and witch ancestors of his family
that have pursued the worship of Set.
Similarly, there are always hidden
graveyards and catacombs, secreted in
unexpected and carefully hidden places
where cultists bury their dead, carefully
embalmed and wrapped to insure
mummification. Thus, should Set come to
rule, or new dark magic be discovered, the
bodies of the servants of Set will arise once
more. Such places are often rife with
undead as it is; restless spirits will inhabit
the bodies, and become trapped within the
 confines of their mortal shell, doomed to
roam the location of their burial. A hasty
spirit seeking return to its body, freed from
a spirit jar, will also become covetious and
predatory toward the living, or its buried
treasures, and seek to slay any threat, while
coveting those who have what they do not.
Within the Capitol, there is a small,
seemingly loose sect of the Orders of Set,
which have three principle followers.
However, it is in the interests of the cult to
look small, and conceal its true size. In fact,
there are far more tendrils of the cult firmly
entrenched in other groups and areas of the
City than anyone could dare imagine. The
Necromancers Society, The Black Society,
certain members of the Fire Knives, and
indeed everywhere else, cultists of Set lurk
in the shadows.
While it is unknown what the total goal of
the cult is, each of the three main leaders
have seperate interests. There is also
believed to be a higher order of leaders
within the cult, although it is unclear if
these mysterious figures dwell within the
City, or in the countryside, near the Arellian
Hills, as some have claimed in the past,
based on the ancient Tomb-Complexes
found in that area which have the mark of
Set upon them. Only dedicated, foolish
adventurers are likely to discover the truth!
Personalities:
Skistatikan (Setite serpent-man Vampire
Level 9 Necromancer-Cleric of Set, evil) is a
former follower of Karukithyak and a
tortured soul. Banished from Hazer-Phennis
the underworld empire of the Setite
serpent men, he fled a decade ago to the
Octzellan lands, and eventually found his
niche within the Capitol. He is a dedicated
servant of Set, and does not understand
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
why he was transformed into a vampire by
his god. He believes that if he can find the
duty that Set wishes him to ultimately
perform, then he will be relieved of his
symptoms. In the meantime, he has
adopted a cunning and vicious lifestyle,
dwelling out of an old, gutted mansion in
the slums of the old city, and has concocted
an elaborate place of worship in the
catacombs he found beneath. Dark horrors
serve his beck and call, and many unwitting
followers are also his victims. He employs
discreet mercenaries to search for signs of a
cure, or the key to his great deed, within
the ancient tomb-complexes of Set in the
Arellian Hills.
Aloron Dann Castik (Human weresnake
Level 8 cleric of Set, evil). Once a young,
professional warrior of the Crown, Castik
was riding through the badland trails of the
Arellian hills when he discovered a small,
unnamed community of farmers that had
been plagued by evil serpents. He
discovered the source of the evil in a tomb
of Set which had been disturbed, but inside,
the vengeful spirit of the forgotten priest
Kathakul possessed him, and corrupted his
mind. Since that time, Castik has been in a
terrible mental struggle with the possessor,
who generated within his body the
lycanthropy of a serpent. Dwelling in
comfort, disguising himself as a public
servant and man of good, Kathakul uses
Castik to work on generating a new body for
himself, and establishes his power base
within the city's cult network.
Jydaeth Moristone (Human Level 12
cleric of Set, evil) is a cruel priestess
dedicated to Set. She dwells in a tower
about fifty miles south and east from the
Capitol, in the forest lands, where-her
 people live in shunned horror of their
mistress. Jydaeth is not a creature of the
night herself, but many follow her
obediently, created through her Setitic
magic. She is deeply interested in Octzellan
politics, and dreams of one day ruling the
throne. He activities in civic matters keep
her living in the city, within a mansion and
estate just outside the outer gates, most of
the time. When she is not here, her dark
servants prowl the mansion's halls, and
periodically escape to commit murder if
they think they can get away with it.
Overguild of the Merchant Societies
Group Alignment: unaligned
Membership: at least 1,200 individual
merchants, 15 merchant houses, and over
13,000 laborers belong to the overguild
Leader: Guildmaster Corden Elas Masakor
Headquarters: chief office in the guild
district
The Overguild of the Merchant Societies is
a master guild of sorts, which oversees the
fair trade policies that have been agreed
upon by the primary guilds of the city. It is
considered by some to be an informal
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
extension of the royal government, and by
others to be a sort of ultimate racketeering
guild, with the power to bring pressure of
magnanimous proportions down on anyone
who strays from its chosen path. The guild
has numerous office locations throughout
the city, as well as the country side estate of
its current senior head master.
Personalities:
Guildmaster Corden Elas Masakor (Human
Level 7 Rogue, unaligned). Corden is a
dedicated man who is, if anything, a fair
man with an honest dedication to fair trade.
He is a known nemesis of both the North
Harbormaster Lithadros, who Corden has
had under investigation twice for bribery
and racketeering, with no proven crimes
revealed. Corden is an honored member of
the Royal Court, and has been invited to
several High Council meetings. The power
of the overguild is purely political, and the
need for military service has rarely arisen,
although many investigators are employed
to look into the accounts and affairs of
those who are suspected to be in violation
of trade or tariff laws as established by the
merchant houses and trade guilds.
Adventurers might well be appointed the
task of investigator, or they may be hired as
bodyguards if the possibility of violence is
foreseen.
Rillian Mining Guild
Group Alignment: lawful
Membership: about 40 merchant house
and a laborer membership about 10,000
strong
Leader: Rodvis Elas Kolhuan
Headquarters: head office in the Inner City
 The Rillian Mining Guild is perhaps, next
to the Spice Guild, the most powerful single
merchant enterprise in the entire city, let
alone the province. Even the timber
industry of the Capitol Province is not as
influential as the Rillian Mining Guild.
The Guild maintains offices in the Capitol,
out of which vast quantities of records are
kept, orders are issued, and decisions
regarding the mining activities of the guild
are made. It coordinates for more than fifty
different affiliates in the Guild, all of whom
rely on the Rillian Guild to insure fair trade,
work relations, and legal regulation. The
Guild keeps its member s happy by insuring
that the authorities almost universally
overlook the issue of slavery or the abuse of
indentured servitude with regards to the
larger operations, and that all of the
principle owners of a given business
venture, as well as the guild itself, get the
best possible cut from any valuable cache.
The Rillian Mining Guild is dominated by
five major operations, which are all
principle suppliers to the realm, and as such
tend to got the greatest return on their
product. Smaller operations within the guild
are generally directed toward public market
affairs, which have never paid as well as
noble purchases.
Personalities:
Rodvis Elas Kolhuan (Human Level 3
Rogue, unaligned) is the current
representative of the Guild, chosen for his
undying charisma and promising diplomatic
talents. He is respected in the Royal Court,
and is believed to be a fine choice by the
five primary guild members. Kolhuan is, of
his own purposes, out to satisfy everyone
and collect as much personal gain as he
possibly can on the side. When he is not
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
biribing oficials, playing lobbyist, and
getting away with murder, he is known to
pay good money to hire adventurers to do
uncouth but necessary deeds for him to
benefit his guild.
Slaver Societies
Group Alignment: unaligned and evil
Membership: mixed, probably about 600
active slavers in the region
Leader: no unifying leader
Headquarters: no central headquarters
The Slaver Societies are not organized into
guilds, or even recognized as such by the
law enforcers of the city or the Thieve's
Guild. Rather, they are independent
operations which are usually funded by
foreign interests or local profiteers seeking
to get a hefty foreign profit. The core
leaders of these different slaver groups
periodically meet in informal gatherings, in
which they cautiously assess the progress of
their peers and trade information that will
be of mutual benefit. More than one such
meeting has erupted into conflict, and the
slavers have almost universally proven to be
incapable of the sort of unity seen in the
Black Lotus Guild.
 Personalities:
Regenak Altair (Human Level 5 Rogue, evil)
is a native who owns his own galleon and
works with the Fire Knives periodically. He
sells slaves to foreign interests in southern
Jhakn and further on down, to as far as
Galonia, where he gets the greatest profit.
Regenak has a company of dedicated men,
many of whom were Galvonarian
Mamalukes whom he purchased and then
freed, offering them good wages for utter
loyalty Some of. his men have gotten quite
rowdy during shore leave, however if a man
gets in terminal trouble with the law, he will
abandon them, or even have the audacity
to attend the hanging, shouting with the
crowd. This cold-heartedness serves to
remind the crew that they are still his men,
even if not war slaves.
Spice Traders Guild
Group Alignment: lawful
Membership: 70 merchant houses,
approximately 22,000 membership in
merchants and laborers
Leader: Esedria Moonstar
Headquarters: chief office in the guild
district
The largest and most prominent import
guild is the Spice Traders, Guild. With more
than seventy different members, it is
arguably the largest mercantile force in the
city, let alone the
rest of Octzel. Many of its members are
foreign interests, who import to Octzel
spices and other rare goods that are
unavailable save through their channels,
and these interests use their power
through the guild to squelch the possibility
of competition, or to at least moderate
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
what competition would dare to tread upon
their territory.
While one might imagine that the cut
throat import business would reflect its vile
nature in the guild, the Spice Traders Guild
is alarmingly neutral and fair-minded,
keeping well within legal and morally
acceptable parameters. This might well
have a lot to do with Mitraic influence from
the church among core guild members, and
it may also have to do with the fact that
when it comes to 11legaI trade among the
spice traders, they tend to be secretive
about it and work to avoid letting anyone
else in on the deal lest they have to share
the profits.
Personalities:
Esedria Moonstar (Human Jhaknian Level 4
Rogue, evil) is the present spokeswoman of
the Guild. A Jhaknian, she was a primary
dealer for the Moonstar Trading Corp, run
by her father out of Jnril. Her consistent
reliability, goodwill, and amazing charisma
earned her the respect of her peers, and
she was voted to replace the aging former
spokesman. Unfortunately, this is all a
clever act, and Esedria is planning to scam
as much money from the business as she
can and funnel it in to illicit activies.
Velvet Blades
Group Alignment: neutral
Membership: 50 humans, 14 half elves, 2
elves, 4 gnomes, 3 half orcs, 3 nymphs, 1
ashtarth
Leader: Mindara Nestros
Headquarters: The Velvet Blades Brothel
The Velvet Blades are an escort and
bodyguard service of professional mantyr
(emancipated) women who are blades and
militant sorceresses. They are principally
 hired by nobles seeking the company of a
lovely woman without the burden of burly
guards accompanying him for a night out on
the town. The Velvet Blades are, though
small in number, all highly proficient in both
armed and unarmed combat, while
remaining courteous and lady-like.
Personalities:
Lady Mindara Nestros (half elf Level 7
Rogue, good). On the side, several
members of the Velvet Blades, including
Lady Nestros, the leader of the group,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
participate in a certain amount of thievery
and smuggling, especially with connections
held in the city of Urlu and Midas to the
south.
Mistress Kamina Entenere (human Level 9
Rogue, unaligned) is the main agent for
these purposes, especially when it comes to
the import of opium and hashish from
Galvonar and the southlands, which the
Blades will also supply to interested parties.
 Locations in the City of Octzel
Octzel is huge and ancient. It has a history
dating back to the first colony, Noenday,
and like all great and ancient cities, its
character is one of antiquity. People have
been living on this same site for almost two
thousand years, and the city has weathered
countless conflicts, storms, earthquakes,
eruptions, insurrections and sieges.
Through it all, Octzel has stood firm.
Because of this antiquity, describing
Octzel is not merely about letting you know
where all of the good taverns and weapon
shops are to be found. There are ancient
mysteries, forgotten districts filled with
haunted ruins and undiscovered treasures,
and even stranger things to be found within
its great walls. The city is populated by all
sorts of heroic and villainous people, as
likely to be allies as enemies of any visitors.
Some are new arrivals; many have a
heritage going back countless generations.
One thing is certain, however: adventurers
have been getting in to all kinds of trouble
on the streets of Octzel for centuries now,
and theres no end to the mischief to be
had.
Each section of the city is divided into a
major district, and each district has a
number of interesting locations described
regarding it. Suggestions for random or
planned encounters will be provided, and
specific entries will include background
information and suggested NPC encounters
you can employ as you see fit. Keep in
mind, however, that for every described
location or NPC, there are a dozen nearby
about which nothing is known; Octzel has a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
population of close to half a million citizens
within the city limits, so it is a large city
even by modern day Earth standards. There
are yet again those numbers of people
dwelling throughout the province of
Rishaad.
Area A: The Bay and Expanses
The ancient Bay of Octzel was chosen in
the founding days of the city for its lush,
deep waters and ease of access to land. It is
also a magnanimous location for fishermen.
Even in the present, Octzel's bay is choice
for seamen.
The bay itself has been protected by the
construction of extensive balustrades built
on running piers out into the central
opening of the bay. At the center of these
great walled piers are the Sea Gates,
through which all ships must beg for
passage before being allowed entry. In
theory, these great walled defenses will
greatly facilitate the defense of the city
from sea in the event of a conflict.
Encounters
Characters in the bay are on a ship or
boarding a boat to sail ashore. The only
encounters they are likely to have is with
neighboring vessels seeking passage in or
out, and the Harbor guard, which would
flag-signal or lamp-signal for identification
and intent of approaching vessels.
 A1. Isle of the Grand Temple of Enki
Twelve miles from shore is a small island
on which the Grand Temple of Enki has
been built. This immense, towering
structure to the goddess serves as a major
navigational point for sailors, and is an
architectural marvel to behold. The
priesthood treats it very well, and the island
itself is a special retreat for the holy men
and women of the faith.
The Church of Enki
Group Alignment: lawful good
Membership: 2,500 strong, mostly human
Leader: Kistennia Delevaris
Headquarters: The Temple Island of Enki
The Church of Enki is without a doubt the
heart of Octzel. More than seventy percent
of the citizenry follow the teachings of the
church, and at least fifty percent follow
Enki's path to the exclusion of any other
god. The church is about sixty percent
women, as Enki is still recognized as a
fertility goddess. The church is a passive
organization, and no member of the church
belongs to any sort of established militia.
The church advocates a process by which
acolytes go through a period of rigorous
training to enforce their piety and increase
their knowledge, after which they learn to
appreciate the goddess as missionaries. The
length of time which a missionary is allowed
to wander depends on two things, being the
faith of the acolyte in his or herself, and the
desire of the acolyte to settle down or
advance in the church. Many missionaries
eventually join regional churches, or found
their own church in the kingdom and
abroad, once they have completed at least
five years wandering. Some missionaries are
out there forever, and have to be found and
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
told to return to their studies, and to impart
their knowledge to the next generation.
Aspiring missionaries return to become part
of the inner clergy, and work their way up
the social ladder of the ecclasia.
There are more trivial, specialized-
purpose ranks than anyone can imagine in
the ecclasia. Someone working their way up
the ladder of the church has a long climb
ahead. This organization keeps the High
Priests of the church safe and secure in
their positions, which are granted by their
own personal wishes, alld not the system of
achievement.
The church-was founded on a principle of
non-interference, but that principle would
seem to have been violated time and again,
as the Church of Enki is closely involved in
the affairs of the High Council and all
Provincial Councils.
The Church has a major temple that is
beautiful to behold on a small island twelve
miles from the coast of the Capitol. It is
used as a navigational reference at sea, due
to its towering spires and flags, and is a
welcome sight to weary seamen who've
been away from land too long. Enki is a
goddess of the waters, and is therefore
revered by most all seafarers.
On land, the church has a smaller temple
in the Inner City, and numerous local
temples in each district. The local temples
act as places of learning, and common
knowledge is dispersed from here by the
priests to anyone they can get to attend. It
is considered the law by writ of Octzoron
Vellos that the children of all freemen and
journeymen attend at least five years
tutelage in a teaching house of Enki. Many
of the priests and missionaries strive to
 bring knowledge to the commoners and where he periodically spends time assisting
servants, as well. in the gardens. He has no monetary
While it is true, what was said earlier, that worries, for the stipend from the church
the church is non militaristic, there is a and the King (he was knighted to the
special temple, located in Midas, which Crown) keep him in plenty. He is Kistennia's
teaches defensive combat to missionaries most fervent ally, and will train any young
who feel they need it. At least two such knights who come to him in the ways of
teachers dwell in Octzel, and offer their Paladinhood to Enki.
knowledge to priests or anyone who would
ask for it.
Personalities:
Kistennia Dalevaris (Human Level 16
Cleric of Enki, lawful good). Kistennia has
become the High Priestess to represent the
Church on the High Council, in the wake of
several members being demoted due to
scandal involving the support of armed
conflict to protect church lands in the
region of Halale. Instead, she has charged
that Knights of Halale who wish to petition
Enki for the divine right to defend her lands A2. The Sea Gates and the Watchtowers
may do so, but no priest shall spend the The Sea Gates are the several-hundred
church's wealth on a standing army. Her yard expanse through which ships must
conviction to the doctrine of Enki has pass to gain entry to the Bay of Octzel.
insured that the church will remain on its There are two main entry points, and no
advisory, non-action oriented course. ship can pass through without coming in
Benhurst Dann Malkor (Human Level 19 range of the heavily-fortified watchtowers,
Paladin of Enki, lawful good) is the most which are said to pack enough firepower in
famous of the masters of defensive combat. arbalests, ballistae, and bombards to
He has settled down to retire in the capitol, decimate any rogue vessels.
but will teach any who come to him and are
worthy. He is the master of the pole-arm, A3. Wreck of the Old Mariner
trident, and has studied and perfected his
In the bay of Octzel, about midpoint from
own version of Nakamuran fighting
the towers to the docks, is a navigational
techniques. He specializes in tricks like
hazard. The reefs of the bay are sparse, but
disarming a foe with a dagger or sword
guideships lead larger vessels through. One
using only a silk cloth, and how to turn your
vessel, about twenty years ago, sank below
opponent's attacks in on themselves, using
the waters after running astray and
their own force against them. For all of his
scraping her bottom off on a reef. The ship,
knowledge, he is a surprisingly gentle man,
the Old Mariner, sank below waters, then
and he is a friend of the Geomancers,
dislodged and sank three hundred feet to

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 the bottom of the bay. Salvagers worked
hard to try and get what they could, but it
was far too deep to easily get to, and water
pressure was too much for deep divers.
Some claim that there was a king's ransom
in gold on the Old Mariner, and that the
captain, who disappeared had a way of
retrieving the wealth after the vessel had
sunk. The truth remains unknown as yet.
The Secret Entrances into the Old Grottos
Along the coast land and at one point
beneath the docks are small caverns
burrowed from the earth by splashing
waves that lead into the many grotto
networks of the cost land. Children often
find these networks and explore them, but
occasionally one does not return, and
superstitions about primal fish-men who
live in the grottos keep old sea dogs from
searching them out. Ancient markings have
been found on the walls of some explored
grottos. Some secret societies use them for
meeting places.
Area B: The Rural Expanses
Beyond the great outer wall of Octzel can
be found the vast expanse of rural farms
which comprise the estates of the king and
his immediate dukes. Boundaries in the
form of county regions are complex and
intermixed, so defining the property of the
high lords in no easy task.
In this region, farmers, herdsmen, local
craftsmen, and other jobs of a rural nature
abound. One! of the most wellknown
businesses to craft carriages is stationed
outside the city, about a quarter of a mile
away, and designs carriages by comission
only. Encounters Farmers, pilgrims,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
traveling merchants or caravans peddling
and entertaining the rural folk are common
encounters. Avernan nomads, who never
make camp any closer than this to the city,
can also be found encamped out here.
So close to the city, few dangerous
encounters occur, but bandits, members of
the Hooded Brothers, insane mendicants, or
very brave wolves seeking sheep are
possible encounters.
B1. The Keep of Lellard Gonn Vinosi
Lellard Vinosi (Human Level 5 Warlord,
lawful good) is duke of the rural estates,
the King's personal manager of all royal
properties. Vinosi is also the head of the
Regional Council for Rishaad, and a member
of the High Council. His keep, which is a
large castle that is heavy understaffed most
of the time, is also used as a meeting place
for the Regional Council of Rishaad.
B3. Vellsoth Manor
Wormi Vellsoth, the secret leader of the
Black Lotus Guild and an adventurer
extraordinaire, was granted this estate by
the late king of the realm, and he continues
to use it as a base of operations. The
Mansion is almost a fortress in its own right,
and is protected by a garrison of loyal
mercenaries and thieves. There are rumors
of catacombs and dungeons used for dark
plots beneath the mansion floors, but no
one knows for sure. The mansion itself is
located up on a hill, in a very defensible
location that is hard to approach without
being spotted.
B4. Mansion of House Zellman
Several miles from the capitol is the
famous mansion of house Zellman. More
 about this location can be found in the
description of the province of Rishaad.
B5 The Temple of the Golden Seeker
This is another esoteric religious order
located beyond the outer walls of the
Capitol. Dedicated to the strange and little
known god Huuarl, the lord of time and
change, the order follows a series of
Codices that are unrelated to the codices of
Hyrkania, and which are said to predate
these codices by many centuries. They are
highly reclusive, and all the priests or being
the most proficient astronomers land. Some
traveling priests of the order forty members
of the order) are contracted caravaneers for
their services. Others are prophecy
concerning the stars. The temple includes a
celestial observatory from which the stars
can be observed with magical implements.
It is rumored that certain members of the
Guild of the Spheres have approached the
temple for advice or information from time
to time, but there seems to be no direct
connection.
The temple is also known for an immense
golden statue of their god, which has never
been stolen, although rumors of bandits
who plotted to do so and then befell a
horrible death abound. The temple is a
small affair otherwise, but has a private
library and a retreat into which all good and
learned souls are welcome. Only thirty or so
priests belong to this order, with a few on
leave to travel as missionaries in distant
lands.
The Oder of the Golden Seeker
Group Alignment: lawful
Membership: 18 priests of mostly human
origin, and a couple of unknown species
Leader: Ambor Liselin
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Headquarters: The Golden Temple
This is another esoteric religious order
located beyond the outer walls of the
Capitol. Dedicated to the strange and little
known god Huuarl, the lord of time and
change, the order follows a series of
Codices that are unrelated to the codices of
Hyrkania, and which are said to predate
these codices by many centuries. They are
highly reclusive, and all the priests or being
the most proficient astronomers land. Some
traveling priests of the order forty members
of the order) are contracted caravaneers for
their services. Others are prophecy
concerning the stars. The temple includes a
great hippodrome from which the stars can
be observed with magical implements. It is
rumored that certain members of the Guild
of the Spheres have approached the temple
for advice or information from time to time,
but there seems to be no direct connection.
Personalities:
Ambor Liselin (Human Level 8 Cleric of
Huuarl, unaligned) is the leader of the
temple. He is a quiet man with little interest
beyond his studies of the stars, and rarely
enjoys being bothered. He does have a kind
soul, however, and will take pity upon the
needy.
Adventurers looking for a means of
traveling in to Etherspace can approach
Ambor for information. He is well-
researched on the matter, and can speak of
known instances when such magic has been
performed successfully. He will usually
point such curious folk to tomes discussing
the golden age of ancient Hyrkania before
the War of the Gods, the ancient
Kadantanian Empire of the Amechian
region, and other such lost knowledge.
 Recently, Ambor has been receiving
strange visions of an apocalyptic scene, a
city being destroyed by a leviathan of the
sea. oddly, the city of his dreams is no
coastal community he has ever visited, but
the sense of urgency he feels about finding
out what city is imperiled is great, and he is
tempted to hire adventurers to escort him
on a quest to learn the true meaning of this
vision.
Area C: The Residential District
More accurately thought of as the rich
and wealthy district, it is here which the
men of power and money dwell in the
Capitol. Bordering and overlapping the
markets and Inner City, the residential
district is one of the most highly patrolled
regions.
Businesses in this area cater to the
inhabitants, and include public bath houses,
tailors who specialize in ballroom
adornment, and housekeepers of all sorts.
Offices dedicated to medicinal healers,
private alchemists, and scientific
researchers are also found in this upscale
region. Encounters
Aristocrats of all sorts, dandies out on
stroll, young women of the evening hoping
to catch a gentleman's eye, and large, well-
armed city guardsmen are all likely to be
seen here. In spite of the city guard,
muggers will make there way into the
residential district to stake out alleys and
other sites, hoping to catch a foolish man
with a fat purse.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
C1. The House of Grand Justicar Vindella
This is the stately mansion of the Grand
Justicar of the city. His estates are walled in
by thick iron bars and are heavily guarded,
as he is not a popular individual with some
people.
C2. House of Xarbos
Xarbos (Human Level 9 wizard NG) is a
practitioner of sorcery in all forms, and
offers, his services, usually as a diviner, to
the aristocracy. His astrological readings
and personal divinations are highly prized,
and his strange mansion, full of exotic
artifacts and strange paintings are a
tantalizing site to the youth of nobility.
C3. Merchant Houses, Houses of Wealthy
Midan
There are literally dozens of houses for
each street in this district, and each one is
immense, belonging to a sing wealthy
family of Kelan or very prominent Midan
status. Commoners who can get permission
to pass through this area without being
hassled marvel at the wealth and prestige
involved in belonging to the upper class of
the Capitol.
 C4. The High Teaching Temple
The High Teaching Temple is a major
school in which most noble children are
sent to study until their teen years. it is
segregated, and is extremely strict, but
imparts a rich
education to those who attend, one which
makes the teachings of the lesser schools to
the commoners look like drivel.
C5. The Third Temple of Enki
This temple is the favored location for the
pious aristocrats who want to avoid dealing
with common folk when attending prayers
and ceremonies. It is a clean, extravagant
temple that was built less than fifty years
ago, and much of the interior mimics, in
smaller scale, the Grand Temple. Behind
this temple i's a small rectory.
C6. The Temple of The Middle Church
A temple of the Middle church is located
in this district, with a conservative
aristocratic priesthood that insures all
services offered here are oriented toward
the nobility alone. The temple also includes
a quiet hall, for use by any who wish to
study and utilize the private library of the
middle church.
The Church of the Middle Gods is found
throughout Octzel and abroad. In a way,
Octzel's founder was responsible for the
success of this church as much so as he was
for the Church of Enki. The priesthood of
the Middle Gods was founded on the
principle of tolerance and the equality of
faiths. All beliefs are tolerated within the
halls of the church, save for those which
defile the others.
The church has three small temples in the
city, including one Ancient temple in the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Inner City, and a fairly large monastery,
located at the base of the Veraggen
Mountains. This monastery has about a
hundred holy men engaging in personal
worship, scriptural duties, or other minor
ecclesiastical matters. At least fifteen such
priests are sent into the city monthly to
maintain the temples and offer worship
services.
The church of the Middle Gods recognizes
the many different deities of the Pantheon
of the Codices, and its members are on
good terms with both the Church of Enki
and the priests at the Temple of the
Codices. Interestingly, no relations exist
with the Temple of the Golden Seeker,
which itself worships Huaarl, who is
undescribed in any of the common codices.
Estarlun, the Senior Priest of the monastery,
knows that Huaarl is mentioned, in the
codices found in Hyrkania under care of the
church of Naril, but that the Golden Seeker
is spoken of as being a Prehunate, of the
ancient order of prehuman sorcerers.
Estarlun (Human Level 9 Cleric of Naril,
lawful good) is formerly of house Random,
and was a Baron before renouncing his rank
and willing his holdings to his brother.
Estarlun took up the path of enlightenment,
seeking the teachings of the Temple of Naril
in Hyrkyskos, where he studied for eight
years before growing discontent with the
intrigue and political maneuvering of the
church. After three years in a remote
monastery to the esoteric order of Nistur in
Hettanar, he returned to his native land,
where he joined the Church of the Middle
Gods. Here, he studies as he wishes, and
extends his beliefs beyond that of any single
god in the pantheon. In spite of at least two
times in which he has had to assist or deal
 with trouble caused by his younger brother,
Estarlun leads a peaceful life. He is a friend,
also, of the Dabblers of Devilspire, and
communicates with them through letters.
He is also in good standing with the Order
of the Eternal Seekers in Midas.
Area D: The Fish Markets
The fish markets are technically a part of
the dock district, but they have been so
long of such a particular character and
nature that they are now considered a
district unto themselves. The fish markets
are marked by the vast quantities of
fishermen who drag in their catch of the
day, then sell them off in a flurry of furious
bickering with tavern owners, family cooks,
housewives, and store proprietors.
Numerous businesses here specialize in the
making of all sorts of pemmican, to be sold
locally or shipped abroad. Businesses
catering to the well-to-do fisherman or
fisheries offer products (nets, line, hooks,
boats, manpower, etc.) or advice (diviners
or charmers who claim their magic will
improve one's catch). Fishing is big business
in the Capitol.
Encounters
So close to the docks, you can have a lot
of strange encounters here. Sailors,
fishermen, hucksters, customers of all sorts,
swindlers, foreign merchants purchasing
pemmican or pickled sardines, and the
cooks of noble families buying dinners are
all possibilities.
D1. The Fisheries
Worth mentioning in and of themselves,
because there are so many of them along
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
this area, and because the stench from this
cluster of businesses far outdoes the fishy
stench anywhere else.
D2. The House of the Elemental Lords
Within Octzel there is no formal Guild of
Magic which stands out, but rather,
numerous smaller guilds. While the
Elemental Lords are not known to have
guild status, they are recognized as a small
but noteworthy sorcerous organization.
The Lords are located in a three-story
building which they own in total in the Dock
District, near the Southern Gates. There are
perhaps five students of the art, and all
seek the wisdom of Three old men, who
study tirelessly and without a moment's
pause on translating the Southern Tongue
script of Galvonarian, Galonian, and
Karaktuan tomes into the, Middle Tongue
for The Grand Librarium. The Palomar
Librarium in Midas also benefits, once the
copies have reached the Grand Librarium.
In their spare time, the three old masters
will stop, take a moment to teach
something of vague importance to their
apprentices, and then move on to more
scribal work, esoteric studies, or such.
These are hard men to gain knowledge
from.
The Elemental Lords will also periodically
inscribe sorcerous enchantments upon
scrolls for sea captains. Such enchantments
allow the appearance of a strong wind, the
control of that wind, or the combating of
encroaching storms.
While they do not belong to any particular
guild or society in Octzel, the Elemental
Lords and their select students are still
considered a group for purposes of
identification. They have been known to
 attend Council meetings, and are friends
with Lord ' Summunan and other mages
about town. Their service of transcription of
Southern texts are also invaluable, adding
an immense body of knowledge to the
Grand Librarium.
Resoras, Lendenestar, and Abshiran, all
of Clan Puthkin (Human Galvonarian Level
15 Wizards, good) are a most curious lot. As
described above, they are ultimate scholars,
and while likely to have valuable services or
knowledge, direct aid is unlikely. They
specialize in elemental magic. All three
belong to the same Galvonarian clan,
though their father was Octzellan. They are
members of the Galvonarian Sarakani, and
make return trips to their homeland once
every two years. During this time, it is likely
that an adventurer could find employment
as a body guard with them.
D3. Tavern of the Stonymen Barrens
The rough, rowdy tavern frequented by
fishermen and others in the business. The
name comes from a legend, of an ancient
string of Islands that some claim sank
beneath the seas long ago, on which sailors
were killed and turned into statues by ,A
gruesome basilisk. It hardly matters,
however, and the proprietor, Jorlon Wells,
has no personal connection to the myth,
and bought the business five years ago
when the older keeper died.
Expect a fight to break out in this tavern
at least once a week, and expect a lot of
drunk and rowdy fishermen most of the
time. The Barrens also sells its liquor bulk.
D4. The Orlon Gambling Halls
The gambling halls of Delos Orlon are
some of the finest in the city. Orlon is a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
trustworthy man, and is firmly against
cheating. A priest of Mitra, Orlon is part of
that most secretive and rare brotherhood,
and. his aknowledgement of that fact to his
patrons leaves them with confidence of a
fair deal.
All sorts of sports, all legal, are available
here, and thirty men and women are
employed behind the tables or as
arbitrators. he city guard rarely has to come
here due to rowdiness, even though plenty
of drink is served, as Orlon keeps three
members of the Heroskod Company on
regular employment.
Area E: The Open Markets
The open markets, ringing the Grand
Avenue of Octzel, are the core of the
merchant activities and the hub of all city
business on a day by day basis. The open
markets are divided out in terms of the
nature of their establishments, and
according to Guild Writ, all like businesses
must convene business in areas close to one
another, to insure that there is no
favoritism in terms of location or
advertising.
What this grouping results in is a process
by which an entire street will be the
"Leatherworking District" or the
"Freemason Lodges," and those
businessmen true to the spirit of the Guild
Writ will actually turn down a customer and
send him or her to a less fortunate guild
partner if business has already been
favorable for that day. This doesn't happen
that often, however.
Non-guild regions of the open markets are
rife with competition between the few
businesses of like nature, and crowded with
 establishments of all types and varieties.
Many specialized shops are supported in
Octzel, due to the enormous wealth of the
aristocracy and the influx of foreign trade.
As a result, dwarven watchsmiths, ornate
armorers who specialize only in metal
engraving, toy shops, shoe shiners,
glassblowers and all sorts of sevice oriented
and specialized business abound.
The open markets and Grand Avenue are
usually the first sight to be seen by a
newcomers traveling overland to the
Capitol, and they are readily acessible from
the docks, so the impact of this wild,
seemingly insane mess of businesses and
customers can easily overwhelm a first time
visitor. Many thieves, guild-sponsored and
independent, take advantage of this to rob
the innocent and confused. Con men are
also frequent, and sideshows are
everywhere. Roadside bards who seek to
gain a large enough audience to gain
sponsorship in a taven sing their tales of
adventure and love Call girls who feel
themselves too good for the dark town
Come out in the evening and lurk about the
taverns, seeking honest and wealthy men to
snag.
Encounters
Many have already been named. Thieves,
merchants, beggars, bards, mendicants,
confused visitors, con men, sideshow
artists, thugs, peddlers, city guardsmen, and
just about ay other encounter in such a
metropolis can be encountered right here in
the open markets.
E1. The Tavern Over the Inn
This is the place to go if you are seeking
employment as an adventurer of any sort.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Now into its 485th year as an
establishment, the Tavern over the Inn is a
favorite place for thieves, mercenaries, and
eccentric people to gather and drink.
Walking into this tavern, you are likely to
see a coalition of infamous thieves from the
Black Lotus gang kicking back for a drink
and a game of darts, while plotting their
next evil deed in some strange thief's cant.
Nearby, a band of orcs stir their grog and
chat with a recruiter from Halshaggin's
Raiders, who has just about convinced them
that the mercenary guild can offer them as
much violence as they crave. Adventurers
rest in another corner, surrounded by a
crowd of urchins who listen to their tales of
discovery from a journey to the Chaos
Mountains and the gold sought therein. A
one-eyed ogre rests in another corner,
eating an entire roast mutton for himself. A
serpent man surrounded by guards eyes
everyone else warily in another corner.
Patrons, desperate for help, rest at different
tables as they try to recruit someone with
the answer they seek. And when you finish
your drink and stew, you find that your
purse is missing all of its gold....
The Tavern over the Inn does, indeed,
have a wealth of comfortable rooms, and a
common room to crash in if you're feeling
cheap. The tavern itself is a one-story affair;
and the basement contains the forty two
rooms of the inn, said to have been built
out of the sub-basement of and old
warehouse that burned down more than a
century ago. The reconverted basement
rooms are cool comfortable, and charge up
to 9 gold for the finest suite (or a silver for
the common room).
The secret truth of the basement rooms
went to the grave with the original tavern
 keep of the establishment. They were there
long before the old warehouse burned
down, and even before that, they had been
around for centuries. old runic script in the
old Tongue marked them for catacombs to
worship Slithotep. Followers of that dark
god have been known to come here to
perform rituals, and pay healthy sums of
money to gain private access to rooms with
no questions asked.
Several maidens and a few burly men are
the servants of the tavern. Two large half-
ogres, named Oberos and Glimmer, are on
permanent staff as bouncers. Ogrish
bouncers have been a long-standing
tradition at the tavern, and the two
brothers faithfully carry out the tradition.
In the rear of the upper quarters are
spacious stables to accomodate even the
most delicately preened steeds. The
stablehands, a handful of young boys and
the elder stabelmaster Gin Dranos (gnome
commoner 6, NG) are considered the finest
stablehands in the city. Furthermore, no
theft has ever transpired in the stables, as it
is protected by Gin Dranos' secet surpise, a
guardian Djinn names Kalos which he
acquired in a game of chance. It lives in his
jeweled ring, and serves as permanent
guardian of the stables.
The owner of the tavern is a kythian
woman named Grisaudia (Kythian Level 8
Rogue Level 16 Expert LN). Grisaudia was
involved with the bar in its youth, and was
willed it by the former tavernkeep. Now,
she has turned it into a major and highly
profitable business enterprise. She is
affiliated with the Black Lotus Guild, and
lets them participate in meetings here. She
was also known to have liasons with Wormi
Vellsoth and soem say she is the only one in
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Octzel who knows where he now is.
Grisaudia no longer handles the business
directly. When she is not living in her
palatial country estate, she is touring the
kingdom in her private coach with her
personal guards.
E2. The Alchemist's Guild
The guild of the Alchemist's operates from
here, which serves both as an office
location and as laboratories for the
members of the guild. They own some
warehouse property and private land
outside of the city as well. The guild
operation allows for community property
use among guild members.
The Alchemist's guild centers its opeations
in the Open Markets, where the new
Laboratories have been recently
constructed, and out of which most
apprenticeship teachings occur. A
neighboring office and storefront hold most
records and account. Once, the Alchemists
had offices abroad through the city, but too
many unfortunate accidents prompted
them City Watch to cite them for fire risk
violations and they had to move to the
Open Markets.
The Alchemist's guild is not the seething
center of magical goods that a roving
adventurer would like it to be. By far, the
majority of Alchemist's studying here are
seeking clinical solutions to problems they
are employed to solve, or driven to solve by
greed. The Rillian Mining Guild, for
example, has long been a major purchaser
of magic smoke powder from the
Alchemist's guild, utilizing it in their mining
ventures in the Verragen Mountains and
Loroden Hills. The Guild has in its employ a
number of silver dwarven artificers.
 Alchemists with sorcerous knowledge
tend to specialize in the brewing of potions
and concoctions for purposes of divination,
general sorcery and artificing. They have
produced, for example, a liquid which,
culled from the spittle of a dragon and
mixed with meteoritic ore, then forged in
dwarven fires for hours and folded over on
itself a thousand times produces a flaming
sword of terrible magnitude. However, only
one such weapon has been crafted to date,
by the Enigmatic Lord Dablios Random,
since he has been the only one gutsy
enough to ride into the den of a dragon and
cull some spittle.
There are nine old masters who run the
guild, and a body of eighty students, of
whom less than a tenth are likely to excel
with their masters. Of these nine old
masters, only two ever show any interest in
publicity or representing the guild, as the
others are lost in study, trying to convert
lead to gold and what not.
Nalar Navornin (Human, Level 15
Alchemist, lawful good) is the principle
speaker of the Alchemist's Guild, and
represents it when necessary at the High
Council meetings. He owns most of his land
in about 100 acres of suburban property, on
which he has a private mansion, and a
noteworthy body of serfs to till local fields.
His lust for alchemical -knowledge prevents
him from exploiting his more natural
sorcerous talents.
Dalen Kor (Human Level 3 Wizard, good)
is a bumbling alchemist who operates at the
front desk of the Inner City offices. He is
said to have been homeless for two years
now, since burning his house down in a
failed experiment. He's a nice kind of fellow,
but lacks coordination and common sense.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
He's likely to give adventurers the run
around who approach the guild about
special projects, or offer to do it for them at
little or no cost, if he's personally intrigued.
Adventurers who foolishly take him up on
their offer will suffer the consequences
when it blows up in their face!
E3. Murmering Inn
An inn which specializes in fine food and
good wine, the Murmering Inn attracts a
wealthier clientel than usual. It is a fairly
boring place with regard to events of
interest, but to eat here is a sign of prestige.
Galon. Kenarnos, the-owner, hopes one day
that his Inn will be as popular and
prestigious as the Royal Crown Inn.
E4. House of Augustus-Sorinos
Minaria Augustus-Sorinos (see
organizations on Fire Knives) dwells within a
walled, fortified estate in the open market
district, and operates her numerous
business interests directly from here.
Minaria and her other family members are
Fire Knives, and beneath her estate are
catacombs that serve as meeting halls for
the political assassins. Minaria is a ruthless
assassin as well as a member of the guild,
and the bulk of her business activities have-
earned the hatred and fear of many
suspecting merchants in the area.
Illegal slavery, in which servants are
bought in the city and then shipped out to
lands such as Galvonar or Hyrkania as
permanent slaves are also carried out here
and in several neighboring buildings, also
owned by Minaria. While she has never
been directly implicated in the slavery rings,
Minaria is suspected by the Order of the
Blade.
 The mansion itself is a true fortress with
many armed troops of great skill, willing to
throw their lives away for the family.
Penetrating this structure would be a
monumental task.
E5. Teaching Temples
Several teaching temples of Enki, aimed at
the Midan, are located in the open market
region. These temples usually have a small
rectory with them as well, and the temple
halls serve as local places of worship as well
as teaching. It is difficult, without the
cooperation of Midan families, to get the
children and urchins of the city to attend,
but every morning the halls are full, even if
the priest-scholars don't always see the
same child present more than a few times a
week.
E6. Szymalyns Opium House
One of many opium dealers in the city,
Szymalyn (Haikyndyr lizard man, Level 7
warlock, good) sells his wares from a smoke
house, where people come not to drink but
to inhale the opium. It's at expensive place
to get into, but the most decadent of
Octzel's social circles frequent this place
often. Szymalyn himself sells opium to any
who will buy it, and espouses it as an
excellent cure for screaming children. It is
packaged in small ceramic vessels shaped
like poppy seeds, and is imported from
Galvonar and Argosea.
E7. The Nevill Bodyguard Service
Founded long ago by two ogre brothers,
The Nevill ogre clan has been offering their
remarkably civilized coutenances for
protective service now for as long as
anyone can remember. The original
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
brothers came to Octzel when the Agency
of Bargan was established. They eventually
realized their true worth as bouncers and
enforcers, and left the agency to become
their own bosses in the city. They invited
many comrades from their homeland to
join them, and also met with the few
disparate half-ogres of the city, mostly living
in squallor and under persecution of their
natures.
The service is currently operated by
Smiglar Nevill (Ogre Level 13 fighter
unaligned), a descendant of the original
brothers. Smiglar offers the meanest
looking, strongest, most fearful hired blades
in the city, including a couple minotaurs,
half ogres, a squat hill giant, and several
bugbears. The Nevill Bodyguards have
thwarted extortion efforts against
merchants on several occasions, and this
has earned them some enemies among the
organized thieves of the city. Unbeknownst
to many, Smiglar is actually a member of
the Order of the Blade, and his position as
head of the bodyguard service is used to
deter the various protection and extortion
rackets that the many thieves of the city try
to carry out.
The price of a bouncer is usually 5 gold for
two day's services, more if the place as a
reputation for rowdiness. Their bodyguards
go for as much as 30 gold a day. To get
Smiglar himself is 100 gold a day, flat rate.
E8. The Merchant House of Brutus Kanorn
Brutus Kanorn is one of the ringleaders of
the Black Lotus gangs (see organizations
section), and he operates his extortion
rackets from this seemingly innocent
establishment. The business front is a
glassblower, and the operation is real, but
 behind closed doors on the second level,
Brutus and his cohorts work to extort as
much money and servitude from the
merchants as benefits them, while trying to
elude and outwit the City Guard, the Order
of the Blades, and other rivals. More about
Brutus and the Black Lotus Gang can be
found under organizations.
Area F: The Dikelands
Rising tides and the need for more local
farmland in the face of escalating
populations, as well as a touch of madness,
provoked the old king Andor to decree that
great dikes wall up the dikelands area,
which was subsequently drained through
the channel drainages already used to
dump the sewage of the Inner City into the
outer bay areas. The result of this
monumental task was a large, fertile area of
sandy soil used to grow root and tuber
crops.
The dikelands are actually an example of
gross High Council spending to no good
purpose, but they did prove that it could be
done, as dikes of this size had never been
built before. this knowledge has benefited
other cities since,' which risked losing
valuable land to the slowly rising tides (tide
levels have risen an two and a half inches in
the last century, but no one can account for
this).
The dikelands are now filled with root
farms manned by eslas who hold fealty to
the king's noble court, and the channels
which carry both sewage and water out to
sea.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Encounters
peasants, drunken sailors, birds stealing
crops, urchins, ratmen or other horrors
from the sewers.
F1. The Farmlands
The eslas of this region are a sullen,
reclusive lot, and are removed from much
of the inner city activities. Many of them
are here because they had no choice, and
the environment of the dikelands is
miserable. Many commute from work to
their homes in the slums. The rich and
wealthy are not welcome here.
E2. The Entrances to the Inner City Sewers
The city sewers were built by long dead
genius architects who took such liberties in
their designs that no map today of the
sewer foundations really matches with
what is down there. Built in the eleven
hundreds, the sewers were a welcome
addition to the growing inner city problem
of human waste, and they were extended
into much of the wealthy residential area
during the sixteen hundreds. No other
region of the city has a proper sewage
removal system.
Many areas of the city open up into the
sewage canals, but this location in the
dikelands is where it all runs out. The
sewers themselves were largely covered,
and while many tunnels are too small for
men to fit through, most of them are at
least big enough to enter crouched. Some
areas open into wide and tall tunnels, and
some are said to border or even break into
old burial catacombs or the grottos along
the coast. Somewhere in these regions are
meeting places for both the Fire Knives and
the Servants of Set.
 F3. The Biles
The garbage of the city gets dumped here,
in the biles, where some of it gets churned
into the land, and most of it sits and rots.
The biles are a horrible place, and only the
rathe are given the task of garbage men.
There are valid rumors of lycanthropic
wererats living in communal nests in the
Biles.
F4. The Abandoned Watchtower
In the crumbling northern walls along the
Dikelands is an abandoned watchtower
which is said to be haunted by anancient
Ashtarth spirit. on certain dark nights, some
people can claim to see the ghost flittering
back and forth along the ramparts.
Area G: The Docks
The Docks are more than just the
shipyards, naval docks, and bay-side
stretches which cater to the constant
business of a major port such as the Capitol.
It includes the stretches of local property
owned by interested lesser nobles and
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
principally used for small businesses,
peasants and barons in the sea trade, and
warehouses.
The docks are arguably the most colorful
region of the city, next to the foreign
quarter, but beside the temporary foreign
sailors who frequent the region on business
or pleasure, it contains one of the oldest
expanses of true Octzellans. The fishermen
are the heart and soul of the Octzellan
community, and are rigidly given to the
preservation of antiquated or highly
traditional ways of life. These families,
along the Docks, are at once exposed to the
greatest influx of foreigners and react with
a closer dedication to their own values than
any other portion of the expansive city.
Encounters
Fishermen, vendors, dealers trying to hock
wares or other valuables fresh off the in-
port ships, drunken sailors, naval men on
patrol or leave, fishermen back fro a
successful or big catch, wealthy patrons
preparing for a journey or arriving from
one.
G1. The Naval Yards
The naval yards are considered the pride
of the city by many individuals who have
heavily invested in the efforts of the
Octzellan sea trade. The naval forces of
Octzel secure the authorized trade routes
from pirates and foreign influence. They are
considered honorable and dedicated men,
all of the highest dedication to the land and
the king. The officers of the navy certainly
fit this description, but save for those who
are part of the officers candidate school
located in the most pleasant section of the
fairly expansive naval yards, most of the
 men you will meet in this region are vicious
salty sea dogs of astounding disrepute. Cut-
throats who sought mamaluke slavery in
the naval militia, viscious, predatory
seamen who found the uncertain life of the
pirate too risky for their sensibilities, and
any number of desperate men (with a very
rare woman of the Manatyr status who has
joined the ranks of the Navy's sea bitches)
all compose the real Navy of the land.
Nonetheless, stern officers and hardened
task masters who use the whip as well as
the cutlass keep the navy in order.
The Naval Yards are principally training
and maintenance grounds. There is a large
open area for royal receptions of various
sorts, and there are four major lords of the
realm in this area which have a principal
vested interest in the fighting power of the
navy. They all have estates nearby, in this
district. Most famous among them is
Hederos Gonn Palador (Human Level 10
Warrior Professional), an esteemed admiral
who earned his reputation through the
point of his sword and the wit of his word.
G2. Office of North Harbor master
Lithadros
The harbors are so large and rife with the
private industries of both dock owners,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
shipbuilders, and specialized mercantile
companies with over sea interests that they
are
divided into two areas of control. In the
north quarter, bordering the Naval Yards
are the elegant and artfully decorated
offices and estate of Baron Lithadros, the
North quarter Harbor master. Lithadros is
an old man, and is aided to a great extent
by his younger, inestimable companion
Matapan Kelevornin, who has made
obvious his intentions to succeed the North
Quartermaster in his duties after death.
Both men are in fact good friends, even
though their public displays are often
argumentative and disagreeable. This public
display is easily mistaken for disharmony,
but in fact is considered friendly disputation
among the two men. Lithadros intends to
make certain, through bribery and favor,
that Kelevornin succeeds him.
In truth, this bond between the two men
is also shared by their staff and their private
guards, all hired on a private basis, and
commissioned for contracts five years in
length. The nature of their contracts insures
secrecy in all matters conducted by the
North Quartermaster, and those who are
privy to Lithadros, inner council will soon
learn why.
In fact, Lithadros runs his own
racketeering scam, and does so with great
and secret efficiency. He avoids any sort of
labeling, and works hard to eliminate any
identification as a guild, organization, or
society. Rather, Lithadros and his men
should be seen as outstanding profiteers
who utilize the judicial and legal system of
the land to their utmost effect. They also
manage to profit a great deal from the
exploitation of foreign trade and tariff-
 enforcement. They might, for example,
allow certain trade items from the east into
the port, provided they gain some sort of
return, or a cut on the take for the product
once it is sold in the city. They engage in a
certain amount of selective trading, and are
more than acquiescent to bribery from
mercantile companies seeking to increase
the harassment of rival companies. This sort
of inter rival encouragement has made
Lithadros excessively rich, as he and his
cohorts prey off of the foolish efforts of
competitors to affect each other's business
interests.
G3. Shipwright Yards
The shipwright yards along the docks of
Octzel are plentiful, and the majority of
them are officially sanctioned by the King's
decree. Those which are operating without
sanction are usually small affairs, and have
often gained a temporary Pardon from
whichever dock master they operate under,
until their business has become prominent
enough to validate authorization.
Shipwrights who specialize in building the
great galleons of the sea are few, including
only six major producers, all of which are
located in the region of the north harbor,
save for one. The exception is Paladom
Ships and Woodcraft, operated by the
Suethendur craftsman Gengard Hambrose,
who is a noted friend and confidante of
South Dockmaster Sevenfingers. As such, he
is considered an ally or even and member of
the Black Lotus Guild by some, but is in fact
a neutral party who simply holds strange
relations.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
G4. Seaman's Respite: The Sailor's Way
Within the walls of this salty old tavern
are a collage of the most interesting, long-
lived and audacious storytellers of the sea
to be found in any portside city. The tavern
itself is a quaint and gloomy locale, with
seating enough for no more than forty or
so, all very compact and personal. The
barmaids are by no means pretty or young,
but all have a certain kind of misbegotten
charm about them that brings back the
predominantly older and retired clientele
time and again, to flirt endlessly with
Grisma, Deledina, and Myraki. Myraki is an
especially appealing sort, for while she is
not especially beautiful, she is light blue in
the tone of her skin, with opalescent eyes
marking her for elvish kindred. Her skin
tone, some suggest, places her with the
merfolk of the sea, said by some to be the
most magical of the elvish races. Myraki
speaks little of this, however, claiming only
that her mother and father believed her to
be a changeling, and that she was deposited
at the Church of Enki to be cared for when
young. A sadistic priest of the order scarred
her face at an early age, reducing what
might have been unfathomable beauty.
Myraki feels no anger or regrets, however,
and prefers to talk about other stories.
"Such tales of my youth are long forgotten
in the past," she says. "I will not keep them
alive."
The proprietor of the tavern is a hulking
old man named Kalwart (human Level 7
Rogue Level 3 Expert LE), who gives no last
name and bears scars where a tattoo
marking him a criminal might once have
been located. He established the bar fifteen
years ago when the former owners died. It
was a more popular Inn for dandies back
 then, seeking pleasure and fun along the
wharfs. Now, only the scurviest sea dogs
and naval personnel hang here, and all of
them are friends or acquaintances of
Kalwart.
The tavern is very safe to conduct private
business, unless it involves the thieve's
guilds, in which case Kalwart will pull out his
heavy crossbow and threaten to plug the
conspirators with it. There are rumors that
Lithadros and his crew have been known to
come drinking here on occasion, but never
to discuss business.
G5. Selenic Temple
Selene is a goddess of the sea in these
lands, with only minor import among the
Church of the Middle Gods with regards to
the keeping of time and the seasons.
Among the sailors and shipmen of the
Endless Ocean, however, she is a symbol of
good luck, a guide for navigators, and the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
keeper of time. Selene is therefore given to
a small but impressive temple with over
thirty priestesses, half of which are either
einurian or can claim some descendant
Kythian blood. The nature of the templ~e is
such that anyone can enter and worhsip,
but only the navigators and the helmsmen
of the seaside ships docked in this area tend
to appear, usually to prostrate themselves
before the goddess and beg for advice or
pennance.
The matriarch of the temple is a half-
kythian woman named Pestereba
Dindovoron (half elf Level 12 Cleric of
Selene, unaligned), a stern task mistress
who sees to it that the temple and the small
retreat behind it are kept in fine running
condition. She is a rigorous adherent to the
Process of Prayers, as described in the
Idean Codices, and has an accurate copy of
the particular codex which details all myths
and processes of worship for the moon
goddess.
Recently, Pestereba has received visions,
which she has transcribed from her dream-
states into a new text, called the Codex
Infinitus Selenium. These dream states have
revealed to her obscure and mysterious
implications of the New Moon in the sky,
described by most as Selenius Minor. Some
of the women in the priesthood suspect
that she is the receptacle of visions for the
voice of the new god, and that she may well
be chosen to walk the land as a new sort of
prophet, bringing
forth the word of the newly born god.
G6. Office of South Harbormaster Damien
Cordellos
Damien Cordellos (see Black Lotus Guild in
Organizations) has long been famous as the
 South Harbor master of the Naval Yards.
Cordellos own establishment is the
domicile out of which he both lives and
secretly operates his sideline gambling
operations. His personal involvement in the
affairs of the Guild are actually quite
minimal compared to other members of the
Seven. He also carries out a lot of side deals
with mercantile companies, usually those
who have been screwed over by the North
Harbormaster Lithadros. He and Lithadros
are unpleasant bedfellows, and dislike
having to maintain professional public
relations.
Cordellos own confidante and bodyguard
is an ogre named Galathos Rorn (Ogre Level
10 Ranger NE). Galathos is a magically
mutated monstrosity with gargoyle-like skin
and a penchant for crushing his enemies'
heads with his bare hands, but he is also an
accomplished hustler and deeply enjoys
reading imported Aljhirian poetry. He can
play the lyre as efficiently as he can kill with
his massive two-handed cleaver.
Area H: The Warehouse District
Near the Naval Yards can be found the
warehouse district. District of Flames is a
name some might hear this region called by
the sarcastic locals, for it is true that more
fire .have been started in this area than any
other. Carelessness, rivalry, and fraud have
all contributed to the destruction of
storehouses and loss of property. There are
also many great stretches of housing in this
area, much of which is substandard and
owned by the baron Gemnor Markovin, a
relative of Tevel Markovin, which have been
intentionally withheld from use by the
commoners for mysterious purposes
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Rumors of ocult practices within these
abandoned structures abound, and the
though of macabre practices are a common
tale to scare people with among the
inhabited quarters .of this area.
The warehouse district is also the center
of much common activity, as the majority of
great storehouses are owned by private
merchants or trade companies, and are
often used for great auctions and markets,
as well as storage. Mercenaries from every
company and plenty of private institutions
abound, as they keep careful watch on the
wares of their masters.
Encounters
Suspicious locals, warehouse guards,
strangers among the abandoned quarter,
dock workers hauling product, and thew
occasional cultist are all possible likely
encounters.
H1. The Temple of Akuuris
This strange temple is certainly not
welcome anywhere else in the city, and it
has found its peculiar, unadvertised home
here, within the desolate warehouse
region. The priests of Akuuris are a strange
and often foreign lot. They are periodically
given to receiving visitors who have
traveled neither by foot nor by sea to reach
this destination, but have instead
participated in the complicated ritual of
dreamwalking through Ethenur (about
which more can be learned of in the Tales
of the Bloodsea Avenger).
The two guardians of this ill-advertised
den of mystery are two of the immense
Tenatai, humanoid insects from the distant
domain of Karaktu. The Tenatai, seen only
by those who penetrate the inner demense
 of what would seem to be an abandoned
slum on the outside, are fearsome four
armed, twolegged Thri Kreen with fighting
prowess to rival the fiercest Hyrkanian
gladiators.
The lord of this priesthood is named
Marakan, and he is a mysterious man who
cloaks himself in darkness and secrecy from
his followers, so that not even his race is
known. Some believe him to be a Beast
Lord of the Amechian lands, but even this is
uncertain, as other speculate his powers of
illusion. What is clear is that Marakan's
control over the dreamlands is staggering,
and he has been known to inflict crushing
nightmares on his enemies.
H2. The Curatorium of Hella
The Curatorium of Hella in the warehouse
district is sometimes referred in derogatory
fashion as the "Little slum," for it is true
that the deviants and transients of the city
cumulate in droves around it, seeking the
kindness of the priestesses within.
The Curatorium itself is a single massive
great hall, stretching for several, hundred
feet like some ancient bunker or long house
of the past. With great arched walls
depicting the seraphs of Hella in their quest
to allieviate the suffering, the halls are
always busy with the caretaking efforts of
the priestesses. The Curatorium itself
contains, in the rear chambers beyond the
great hall, many cubicles for the priestesses
as well as an ancient library of arcana that
can be found nowhere else, dealing
exclusively with the annals of the church.
The faith of the benevolent goddess Hella
is widespread throughout the land, and
while many smaller temples of devotion can
be found across the Middle Kingdom, only
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
four great temples, called Curatoriums,
have been constructed to honor the
goddess. The other three are in the Capitol
of Hyrkania, Krythia, and Jnril. The fourth is
here, in the Capitol of Octzel.
About nine hundred years ago, the faith of
Hella was limited to small enclaves of
women who dwelled in nunneries in
Hyrkania, with one located in Octzel. Their
faith was quiet, withdrawn, and esoteric,
but people knew that the goddess granted
miraculous healing powers to her followers,
and leprosy victims who forswore
debaucherous and uncontrolled lives were
granted asylum and treatment by the
nunneries. Eventually all of that changed
with the first of the great plagues.
Hella is an eccentric goddess, who
oversees the dualistic nature of peace and
suffering, and sees to it that a balance is
forever maintained. Her priestesses are
benevolent pacifists, nonviolent in the
extreme, who learn to defend themselves
with their bare hands and staves. Whenever
the plague breaks out and spreads across
the land like wildfire, people come to the
nunneries in droves, begging for a cure.
The Curators of Hella do, indeed, offer a
cure, and administer to the ill and dying,
treating the terrible, bleeding boils that
cover the plague victims. The plagues,
usually spwned of chaos, are believed to be
unnatural, caused by minions of chaos such
as the Sherigras, who are said to be carriers,
if not themselves affected.
The Curatorium in Octzel is a large, semi-
oval building with an immense arched roof
that is ornately decorated with stained glass
depictions of the saints, avatars, and
servitors of the goddess. It is arguably as
beautiful and well-crafted as the Temple of
 Enki, and built in a comparable architectural
style. Behind the main temple is a nunnery
in which the studies of the Curators are
ceaseless, and the treatment of the pious
and sick unending.
The presence of the Curators in the
Capitol means that disease, pestilence, and
sickness are not so widespread as they are
in other lands and cities. Those who are
willing to foreswear the freewheeling
lifestyle of the city and adopt pious values
can receive treatment, and tithings are
especially expected of the wealthy. Many
people are turned away, however, for
reasons having to do with the cosmic
balance, and while the curators can heal the
injuries and sickening spirits of people, they
cannot undo the scars or regrow lost limbs
resulting from such maladies and wounds.
Priestess Deneba Moors (Human Level 14
Cleric of Hella, good) is the elder curator of
the Temple. She is a shrewd, taciturn
woman who's scrutinizing eye can
penetrate the soul and read volumes about
the true nature of anyone presented to her.
She believes in orderly conduct, and runs
the curatorium in the strictest fashion. Her
priestesses are almost all last-born noble
daughters, or the finest women of the
commoners. She and her curators also run
the Orphanage.
Area I: Mercenaries' District
Since time immemorial, warfare in Octzel
has been very martial to the use of
mercenary companies. Such organizations
insure that the coffers of the king and his
servants are not drained in maintianing
constant large standing armies, and in the
old days, mercnary bands were often
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
formed by nobles themselves, working for
profit in other lands, or even other
provinces.
Today, mercnary bands are limited by
king's decree to no more than 500 men in
an order. The rule was established during a
period in the Two Hundred Wars when
some mercenary companies were doing a
little too well, with armies numbering in the
thousands, and troops paid very well in loot
and plunder. To avoid the threat of a
mercenary general becoming too cocky, a
decree at that time forced the larger orders
to break up in to smaller units, and those
that did not comply were shattered in
battle.
Now, the heritage of a milennia of warfare
has made the Mercenaries' District a
popular place for aspiring hired blades. As
the time of warfare in Octzel seems to
receed, the use of such bands for low-level
conflicts in place of local forces is remaining
a steady source of work. Increased tension
along the Jhaknian borders, threats of new
orcish war bands emerging from Mitra's
Forest, and rumors of strong military build-
ups in other lands such as Persedonia and
the Hyrkanian Chaos-State of Trog are
practically guaranteeing good work for
hired blades.
Encounters
Roving bands of young men who are in
training, on leave, or looking to get hired
are not uncommon here. A lot of bar fights
in this area erupt in to violence.
Occasionally, press-gangs can be found
looking for easy marks to roll in to some
service (although this is supposed to be
illegal). A lot of illegal slave trade is carried
out in this district, as well.
 I1. Halshaggin's Raiders
The company headquarters of the Raiders
is a patchwork affair, a building which has
been gutted by fire several times in the past
due to strange conflicts from within, only to
be rebuilt anew. The building stinks of
sweat, leather, and grease, and no one
inside looks like anything less than a rough
desperado.
For centuries, Halshaggin's raiders have
been the fiercest, most despicably bunch of
bloodthirsty curs that the provinces have
ever known. Human, orc, ogre, troll, and
half breeds are all part of this legendary,
highly mobile and utterly ruthless
mercenary company.
Halshaggin's raiders are almost seven-
hundred strong, and Cord Halshaggin
himself, direct inheritor of the company,
has been known to raise as many as fifteen
hundred militiamen from little more than a
few coffers of gold. The core of the
mercenary group is about ninety die-hard
veterans of bloody combat, who have plied
their services across the provinces and even
into southern Hyrkania and Easton. Cord
himself maintains a small estate,
recruitment office, and training ground in
the suburban expanses of Octzel, a
testament to his cumulative wealth over
the years.
Cord, and his crew have been branded
outlaws in some provincial regions, heroes
in others. His close connection to the High
Council and the King has been decried by
those who would have his head, and
commended by admiring generals of many
a regional army. In the Manuals of Tactical
Warfare, where the companys founder, the
great-great-etc. ancestor Halshaggin is
quoted numerous times, and is the author
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
of one of the volumes, and Cord has
memorized it. Cords ability to take a
handful of mounted riders, an army of ill
equipped foot soldiers, and a lot of guts to
siege a heavily fortified castle--and win--is
considered legend among military circles.
The Raiders are an expansive military
organization, and they are considered for
practical purposes to be part of the King's
own militia, as no one doubts that in any
fight, the Raiders will always back the royal
army. However, the Raiders have hired out
to provincial lords in numerous civil
conflicts, and are most famous for the
battles they have fought both for and
against the orc Tribes along the main roads
near Mitra's Forest. Cord and his crew were
most famous for the Recapture of Dagger
Falls in the turn around of the Two Hundred
Wars. Their successful actions in Dagger
Falls vindicated them of previous crimes in
the sacking of Pelsetern, where they backed
the troops of Halale who were trying to
repel Valancian occupying forces, but
managed to rack up a high civilian body
count in the process.
The Raiders employ a large number of
indentured servants, prisoners, and foreign
mercenaries as well. These men are offered
a chance to prove themselves on the bloody
battlefield, and earn their freedom in doing
so.
Cord Halshaggin (Black Orc, Level 19
Fighter unaligned) is an industrious and
potent fighter, a worthy heir to the legacy
of his kin. He is the twentieth commander
to bear the Halshaggin name, and is a direct
descendant of the original Halshaggin, who
is believed to have died on his final quest in
to the kingdom of Hotepsala to steal from
the Fountain of Youth about a century ago.
 Cord is respected for his cunning, vicious
mind and his mercenary attitude towards
life. Like all members of his family, he was
born of the Black Asp tribe in the region of
the Umian Hills. Cord has been serving as a
Raider since he was six. Now, at the age of
3, hes considering following his ancestor on
a quest to Hotepsala.
I2. The City Watch Tower of Inquiry
The city guard is a constant presence in
Octzel. The City Watch is charged with the
duty of keeping the peace and insuring the
safety of the citys citizens. Most of its
members are on rotation from the militia,
and in some circumstances it works with
the Order of the Blade. The City Watch is
not uncorruptable, and there are plenty of
guardsmen who have been bought off by
one criminal syndicate or another. The City
Watch operates out of two principle
locations, being the Twin Towers of the
Inner City, where the officers garrison is
located. The central prison for noted
criminals and nobles who have been
sentenced to imprisonment, in the
Mercenary District is the famous Tower of
Inquiry. Here is where political prisoners are
held, and where torturings, confessions,
and executions are handled. The garrison at
the Tower of Inquiry are a scary and sadistic
lot.
The average city guardsman is armed with
a lamellar suit, broadsword, dirk, buckler,
short helm, and ceremonial cape. Most
patrols also carry crossbows. Patrols are in
groups of 2 to 8, and are usually mounted
when on a task or trying to show off. Foot
patrols are usually most common in
merchant districts.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Bender Gown (Half Orc Level 13 Fighter
evil) is the Captain of the Watch in the
Tower of Inquiry. He is a brutal man, who
started his career as a watchman but
quickly became chief executioner and
eventually captain of the tower. He
operates on the principle that everyone is
guilty until proven innocent, and teaches
that credo to his operatives.
I3. Heroskod Company
The Heroskod company is a mercenary
company with a lengthy history, much like
the Raiders, but with a flowing chain of
command that holds its founder, Heroskod,
in honor without really remembering who
he was or what he did. Herosokod Company
was pronounced an independent militia five
centuries ago, and became famous during
the Two Hundred Wars. Heroskod himself
was spoken of as a great tactician, and he,
too, has been quoted many times in the
Books of Tactics in Warfare.
The company specializes in escort
services, and provides limited units to
special interests, such as a town which has
been assailed by hostile orcs, and which is
not able to generate its own militia but can
afford to pay for one. Caravans, including
the Caravaneer's Guild, seek out the service
of the Heroskod company with great
frequency. Men and women who served
and were discharged for dubious reasons
from the Royal Militia or, provincial militias
will seek out Heroskod Company if they
want to continue military employment. the
Company will take any able bodies.
Heroskod Company is responsible, lately,
for the supply of men to Lord Vethroven, an
entrepeneur who is forging a new colony in
the Northern Wilderness. This has proven a
 costly affair, however, and Captain
Gustavor has made efforts to see to it that
only the least valuable men are shipped to
Vethroven. Heroskod Company is also the
primary contractor for the Spide Traders
Guild, and receives many lucrative contracts
from the guilds affiliates and members
every year.
Captain Gustavor (Human, Level 10
Fighter, good) is the archetypal myrmidon,
an efficient and responsible warrior who is
filled with a strong sense of duty. He was
brought into the company after he was
discharged from the Midas Militia for
sleeping with the commander's wife. He has
since made a formidable name for himself
in the company. Gustavor will usually send
sub-commanders out on minor jobs; getting
him to participate is expensive.
I4. Blades For Hire
The Mercneries' Guild of the Blades for
Hire is also a hidden front for Black Lotus
Gand activity. Here, Rancor of the Black
Lotus Guild maintains his offices and small
garrison of professional thugs, who hire out
regularly to merhants looking to scare the
competition. On the surface, they try to
keep the operation legitimate, but behind
the scenes, a lot of skulldugery is going on.
The Fire Knives know this is a Black Lotus
branch, and have attacked it on more than
one occasion to send a message to the
Black Lotus Guild. Rancor likes it that way, it
keeps things interesting.
Area J: The Seaside Barrios
This region of the city includes a number
of useful locations including: 1 The
Hyrkanian Consulate, 2 Mansion of the
Hyrkanian Consul Magistrate, 3 The
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Jhaknian Consulate, 4 The Tai'Kong
Consulate, 5 The Aljhirian Consulate, 6 The
Zuedian Consulate, 7 the offices of the
Coristan Spices Guild, 8 High Pier Imports, 9
The Argosean Consulate (which is
effectively a refuge after the events of the
Cataclysm), and 10 The Temple of the Jade
moon.
J11. Temple of the Solar Codices
This modest religious order with a very
small, non-descript temple is a dissident
branch of Narillian followers who are no
longer part of the Sacrimori Church as it
exists in Hyrkania, yet continue to follow
and worship Naril and the Lords of Order in
a fashion typical of that eastern kingdom.
Their worship is modest and oriented
toward benign and nondescript activities.
Several member of the order do practice
templar-like military skills, and perceive
themselves excommunicate Solarians,
belonging to the esoteric Order of the
Excommunicates.
Personalities:
Golan Mar (Human, Level 3 Paladin,
good) is one of the warriors of this peculiar
order. He is a passive man, but well known
for his combat prowess which he has
displayed in certain public contests when
challenged. He is highly regarded among
this tiny priesthood. It is believed he was
excommunicated from the Hyrkanian
Church for dereliction of duty, but does not
elaborate on why.
Pentaran Moore (Human Level 6 Cleric of
Naril, lawful good) is the principle priest
and scholar to support the church. A
modest middle-aged man, he is a wealth of
esoteric and blashphemous information
about Hyrkanian religion and politics. He
 loves to discuss the subject, and is highly
critical of the entire Hyrkanian ecclasia,
both the Sacrimori and the Divinate.
Moore also maintains an obsessive
interest n collecting copies of the complete
Idean Codices. He presently has nineteen of
the books in a near complete state.
Area K. The Inner City
The Inner City is the oldest core of the
great Capitol, surrounded by the original
wall built almost a thousand year ago.
Within these walls can be found the
wealthiest quarter of the city, as well as the
haven of the decadent rich. The palace, the
royal gardens, and the most antiquated
great structures are ail prominent sights
when traveling through the Inner City.
Were an adventurer visiting this city to
travel to the Tavern Over the Inn, and
inquire about where, in this city, one could
find the most possible adventure for the
least amount of effort in searching, he
would undoubtedly be pointed in the
direction of the Inner City. It is here that the
Black Society is known to hold its dark
meetings within the mansions of its
greatest members. The great tower of
Quirak once stood in the heart of the Royal
Gardens, and now only crumbled remains
and the tomb of the ancient sorcerer can be
found. The catacombs of the city are said to
have the greatest number of entrances
here, and some are even said to lead into
the forgotten network of tunnels to the
palace. Toward the heart of the city, around
the palace, security is tight, and the royal
guard will readily detain, incarcerate, and
harass anyone who does not have sufficient
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cause to be there, or meet the profile of the
area.
Encounters
Nobles, dandies, high-priced consorts,
bards, and the city guard are all readily
encountered at night on the streets of the
Inner City. By day, merchants on their way
to petition the palace or dole out taxes are
all over the place, carriages and guards of
the aristocracy travel about, and
large units of the royal guard march
through the streets on parade. Encounters
in the Royal Gardens become more sinister,
as haunting creatures emerge by night, and
by day the
Geomancers maintain the gardens with the
strictest care.
K1. The Royal Gardens
Probably the greatest supernatural
attention in the city has been concentrated
in the vicinity of the Royal Gardens. Long
ago, in the founding of "Noenday," the
region where the gardens now lie was once
a sacred grove containing stone altars of
the Geomancers. Here, they conducted the
rituals of their ancient people under the
solstice and equinal moons, and other
particularly special astronomical moments.
Throughout time, and in spite of the efforts
of many foreign influences, these original
stones, or new ones have been maintained
in the same spots throughout the gardens
for centuries; you just have to know where
to look.
The gardens themselves weave through a
bewilderingly lovely sylvan setting, with
flora and fauna to accompany it. The
lushest, most splendrous and pleasant
region is in the west and outer perimeter,
 and is referred to as the Outer Gardens. The
inner circle, closer to the section where
Quirak's castle once stood, is overgrown
with weeds, darker, and less hospitable to
young lovers on a day's jaunt. The Inner
Gardens, as these areas are called, have
been the site of many murders in the last
few decades, and many chalk it up to the
restless spirits of the earth which lie buried
in the cemetary. Others note the canine
nature of at least three recent murders and
cry lycanthropy. They're all right.
K1a. The Geomancer's Retreat
The Geomancer's Retreat is, in fact,
considered one of the most pleasant
regions of the woodland gardens, filed with
the finest sculpted terrain and gardening
imaginable. The outer court is a great maze
in the sculpted gardens, formed over the
centuries by the Geomancers, and seeming
to forever change shape. Young aristocrats
delight in learning what strange new,
magical direction the mazes have twisted
and turned each year.
The heart of the gardens are laden with
ancient stones and sculptures, carefully
shaped by the geomancers over the years
with their earth magic The newest stones
are rough'; unformed, or simple geometric
distortions, while the oldest are superb
sculptures of human, animal, and unknown
form. Three of the most popular such
sculptures are "The Dragon," "The Fox," and
"The Nymph." There is a story behind each
one, held forever in the runic writing of the
geomancers at the base of each stone. Each
such sculpture was crafted over the
centuries a bit at a time by generations of
geomancers.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
The Retreat itself is a fine pallisade with a
great auditorium, surrounded by a cluster
of smaller marble houses. Here the
practicing geomancers, the elders and
promising younger generation of the clans,
meet to perform their arcane magic and
learning. Many strange and wondrous tales
and pieces of knowledge are spoken of each
day, and all are welcome to join in the
auditorium to listen. When guests are
present, most of the day's lessons are
imparted in the Middle Tongue, but when
none are about, the speak in their own
special dialect.
Order of the Geomancers
Group Alignment: unaligned
Membership: About 80 mixed humans,
elves, half-elves, gnomes, and some
oddities (dryads, satyrs, a nymph, some
centaurs)
Leader: Maharius Netsapor
Headquarters: In the Royal Gardens
Some people claim that the Geomancer
were here before even Noonday was built.
Scholars who study the ancient records of
the founding regime cite references such as,
"Thrice a month, long ships laden with
prisoners would arrive, to dispense their
human cargo upon the shores of Noonday.
The soldiers would escort them out, and
geomancers would see to their comfort,
saddened at the coming days of hard labor
for these faithful folk," and an earlier
reference, "The soldiers relied heavily on
the compassion and good relations which
the geomancers had long had with the
beastly men of the forest, these orcs.
The argument is that many early
references to the geomancers not only
indicate they were there when the colony
was founded, but had been there prior to
 the construction of Noonday, and had
established relations with the local
blyskanyu orcs. Sadly, the early accounts do
not speak of the initial construction of
Noonday, or what was found there when
the soldiers arrived. The earlier accounts of
explorers And/or and Cordon do make
some references, however, to men who
dwelled along the coast, in harmony with
the goblinoids, but they apparently spent
little time with them, having already made
enemies of the orcs. If this is true, then the
geomancers are Octzel's oldest citizens, and
date to a time when they were either some
mysterious forgotten tribe of man, or were
the descendants of even earlier people who
came to the shores of the Tedermisha
peninsula before Hyrkania was united
enough to send out explorers in the savage
lands of the time.
The geomancers of the present are a
society of sorcerer priests, who practice
elemental magically. especially those
dealing with the earth, and carry out a
quiet, ancient practice of worship to
Ga'Thika, the earth goddess who is said in
the Codex of Creation to be the founding
mother goddess, and the embodiment of
the world. The geomancers worship her
through quiet practice, meditation, and the
maintenance of the Royal Gardens. There
are no more than three hundred such kin,
and they have a special section in the Inner
City called Charisma, which is their own
personal district. The people of the
geomancers are close nit, live their lives in
isolation, and almost never marry out of
their own family groups. As a result, their
lengthy heritage has been preserved.
The people of the geomancers are said to
have a different language of their own kin,
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which none have ever studied, nor has it
ever been written down. They learn this
language in their own households as
children, and learn the language of the
middle kingdoms when dealing with those
outside of their community. While they are
tutored by their own sages and learned kin,
they do also attend the temple schools of
Ink. All teachings in the community are oral,
and they hold no written language. The
geomancers pass their knowledge down
through oral tradition, and none other. This
is why so little is written about them.
There are about forty older men and
women who study the path of geomancy in
their temple at the Royal Gardens. Their
duty is the maintenance of the gardens, and
some also believe they seek to purge the
land of magical scars, caused by the
centuries of evil actions from Quirk and his
followers. they are devoted exclusively to
the King of Octal and have always served
the ruling lord, even when they felt he was
wrong. The eldest spokesman for the
people attends High Council meetings, if
infrequently.
Periodically, geomancers have taken
action if something terrible called for their
attention. The event must be harmful in the
extreme to the land, the people, or the
fabric of the cosmic "lance. It is then that
the geomancers will look to themselves to
find a representative to assist in healing
damage done, and preventing further harm.
Personalities:
Maharius Nestapor (Human Level 12 Druid-
Wizard, unaligned) is a potent geomancer
who has been said to lift great waves of
earth into the form of a house, giant, or
other mobile form. He is the current
 spokesman of the geomancers for the High
Council, and a close friend of the King.
Sendra Peridas (Human Level 4 Druid,
good) Sendra Is a young member of the
geomancers, who at twenty has learned
much about the art already. She is tempted
often, however, by the expanding world,
and seeks to gain the permission of
Maharius to travel for a time. She is being
courted by a dandy named Cale Windar
(human aristrocrat 3, LN) however, who
does not want her to go.
K1b. The Graveyard
Some unlearned sods might suggest to
you that dread Quirak built his immense,
octagonal keep with only four windows
atop the gardens, and that when it
crumbled to dust, they buried the dead
bodies found within on the same land, and
so the cemetary came to be. The truth is
that Quirak himself built the keep over a
much older graveyard, which had been used
by orcs countless millenia ago, and later by
the geomancers and then the colonists. The
necromantic energy was immense, and
deep beneath the catacombs of the land
were the remnants of the Hagarant lords,
dark and cursed minions of Slithotep who
had once belonged to dread House Dadera.
The Hagarant lords and their undead ilk
were highly receptive to the freedom
Quirak offered in exchange for unwavering
loyalty and dedication.
When Quirak's domain was destroyed and
Lord Vellsoth of the northern property and
king of the Black Lotuses became a
permanent and noble resident of the city,
all believed Quirak dead. He had been killed
twice, Wormi was heard to say, by his own
blade. The first time, he had the audacity to
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return from the Abyss on the lifeblood of
his own dread followers, a spectral master
of evil. The second time, Wormi mused, he
must have destroyed the body, but not the
corrupt spirit itself. The third time, Wormi
learned just what dreadful energies were
keeping the sorcerer alive, and found it to
be a pact with Koschtie, whom Wormi
bribed with diabolic knowledge and freed
from Quirak's control, allowing the Devonin
monster to unleash its fury on the wizard,
and bring down the keep as it did so. But it
didn't kill Quirak, so much as rip his spirit
asunder and banish it to Limbo, a hellish
purgatory which even demons feared. The
rip in space which Koschtie left behind hung
menacingly in the middle of the ruined
castle.
In answer to this, the architects of the
city, comissioned by the Elemental Lords
and the Alchemists Guild under direction of
the king, sealed the entrance into Limbo
away, within the tomb of Quirak, and
disposed of all relevant body parts and
pieces as the could speculate might have
been his within. Additional tombs and
mausoleums were erected to restore the
disturbed dead to their natural resting
places, and the Hagarant Lords were forced
back into their darkened subterranean
chambers and sealed away from humankind
again, if not forever.
Since then, disturbances have come from
the site of the graveyards, and even under
daily watch and the scrutiny of the
geomancers, strange things happen. Most
people avoid that small but devilish section
of the gardens, and wisely so. Most who do
lurk about might be desperate for the
solitude the region brings, enough so to risk
the tales of vampires and werewolves and
 ghoulish sub humans Still others might
indeed be these very beings, coming from
the Black Society. Some also come, claiming
that there are certain graves which lead
into older catacombs that in turn open up
into the mazelike city sewer and water duct
system, which is a complicated, over-built
mess.
K2. The Wall of Dreams
When visitors arrive at the Wall of Dreams
in the Inner City, they are greeted with one
of the greatest works of modern and
antique art that the Octzellan people have
to offer. The Wall of Dreams is a great
ballustrade separating the richer quarters of
the Inner City from the Common Quarters,
and along its great wall is a plethora of
murals done in relief depicting the life of
the common man in contrast to the
aristocratic rich. The murals are strange,
sometimes surreal, and other times
startlingly life-like. New ones are
periodically added over the remnants of
older works that have been destroyed by
vandals, and the Guild of Fine Artisans are
paid a healthy sum by the City to maintain
the wall and its depictions.
Some people claim that Destellan, one of
the original artists of the wall some four
centuries ago, was mad, and a secret
worshipper of Slithotep, and that if you can
locate or uncover some of his murals, they
hold strange and horrifying secrets, clues to
the darker nature of the city hidden within
the otherwise brighter, cheerier depictions
he was known for. The purpose of these
revelations was unknown, but in the text of
the period called "Falling Men," by the
author and scribe Manascris Gonn Lenhon,
he suggests that Destellan used the
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paintings as an unconscious release of the
dreadful knowledge he knew, and that
certain cultists of Slithotep claim he still
lives on, in some other-worldly state, in his
own murals. At least one or two acts of
vandalism are attributed to chaos cultists
seeking to reveal the hidden, older
paintings of Destellan in an effort to free his
mad soul.
K3. Urian Row
The oldest and greatest of the Inner City
roads, Urian Row is the through-way by
which the outer and inner cities are
connected. It runs through the heart of the
wealthy quarter, right up to the Wall of
Dreams, and continues on to the heart of
the old commons and the Fountain of
Urian.
The antiquity of Urian Row is easily felt,
and anyone passing through might well be
able to tell by the nature of old storefronts
that the Row was once the hubbub of the
city, the center of ail trade and commerce,
both legal and illegal. Now, it is a curiosity,
and a place by which the commoners can
watch the nobles go about their business.
The Beggar's Guild love to work the Row.
K4. The Walkers of Final Night
Octzellans do not like the dead. Too often,
as is the case throughout the Middle
Kingdoms, the dead get restless and return
to haunt the living. As such, even in a land
that is favored by the benevolence of Enki,
there is a need for theworhsip of Death.
The Temple of Final Night in the Inner City
is built atop the primary entrance to the old
catacombs, and it is said that many magical
wards are in place to guarantee that the old
catacombs are never disturbed again. The
 temple is a somber affair, reminiscent of a
classic mortuary, and is curiously absent of
garish or exemplary decoration for a
temple. The multistory affair includes
rooms for the handful of priests who ply
their unsavory trade here in the upper
levels, though it is said that many rooms in
the complex are empty or sealed forever.
The Walkers of Final Night
Group Alignment: Neutral
Membership: 50 humans, 5 half orcs, 3
sherigras, and a handful of others
Leader: Benelar Elas Greylore
Headquarters: Temple of Final Night
The Walkers of Final Night are the elite
order of the Pantheon of the Dead in
Octzel. They are dedicated to the full range
of the gods of the dead, and in the Eighteen
Provinces, it is their duty to preside over the
burial and mourning process of lost ones. In
Octzel, death is a process which is seen as
the transformation of the soul into the next
world, where it will go on to a new meaning
and a new beginning in another domain,
and the gods of the dead are there to
preside over this transition. Symbolically,
the priests do the same, overseeing ritual
mourning and inhumation. The priesthood
is structured, and some priests are
dedicated to common burial practices,
while others specialize in elite burials.
The Walkers of Final night worship The
Nameless One, Kavishkar, Karsyllym,
Herme, and certain other less well known
demigods. Each member of the order tends
to focus on a specific deity and orients his
studies towards appreciating the aspects of
the dead that that deity presides over.
Thus, a priest focusing on the Nameless One
is likely to oversee the burials of warriors,
while one who observes Karsyllym will
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
oversee women, children, and victims, and
one who serves Kavishkar will oversee
executions, and those who are justly
brought to death.
Personalities:
Benelar Elas Greylore (Human Level 7
cleric of Kavishkar, good) is one of the
principle leaders of the church in the
Capitol. Benelar is a proud and arrogant
man who focuses on his god Kavishkar,
works closely with the City Guard in the
Watchtower, and has the full status of an
honorary Justicar.
Benelar has an unsavory sense of humor,
and is rarely invited to any formal matters.
He always insures that he reminds those
who come to him with deceased loved ones
to tithe generously.
Recently, Benelar has discovered that
several wards in the catacomb entries have
failed, and he has sought out mercenaries
to guard the entrances while he looks for a
new wizard of sufficient skill to aid in
resealing the entrances with new magic.
K5. The Royal Crown Inn The First
This Inn caters to the passing royalty of
the land, and merchant princes both near
and far who fancy themselves above the
common man. The price of admission is
steep (the lowliest rooms are ten gold a
night!) and the food extravagant.
Nonetheless, many a wealthy adventurer
has sought out the Royal Crown Inn to
satisfy their craving for a taste of the good
life.
K5. The Palace
This is the location of the rather fabulous
palace of the king, of which so much has
been said and read, and so little is
 necessarily true. That the palace is riddled
with secret passages is a known fact. That
some of them were build in other
dimensions and placed by the mad architect
Dadera is less well known.
Adventurers traveling to Octzel at the
behest of the king will usually be presented
to him in a grand atrium which is also his
public center of affairs, and is filled with the
cages and aviaries of the many exotic birds
which the king delights in collecting. Those
who wander off the beaten path can easily
get lost in the complex maze of the palace,
if they are not careful.
K6. The Tower of the High Blades
This is the location of the order of the
High Blades, a knight order in the service of
the throne specifically tasked with the
protection of the capitol and its people
from pirates, brigands, and other foes
throughout the province.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
K7. The Halls of Justice
The halls of justice are the seat of judicial
activity, such as it is, for those who have
been accused of crimes. In front of the halls
are the gallows, with a wide open viewing
space for the daily audiences.
K8. Mansion of Gonn Aleric
Here resides the house of fabled house of
Aleric. This is the family whose daughter,
Lady Catea Gonn Aleric, was known to have
committed dark heresies centuries ago, and
who was banished from the land for the
necromancies she performed. Some claim
she survived her deviltry and dwells today
as a liche, though none can say where.
K9. House of Tevel Elas Markovin
Here resides the private abode, guarded
by extremely loyal soldiers, of Markovin,
about whom more can be read of in the
orders section under the Black Society
entry.
K10. House of Lady Phallikoskis
Here resides the cruel and ancient leader
of the Black Society, a location which often
serves as the hub for stange caballistic
actrivities for the secret order. More can be
read of its dreaded owner in the section on
the orders of Octzel.
K11. The Grand Librarium
The Grand Librarium is second only to the
Librarium of Midas, and filled with ten
thousand tomes of ancient lore. It is a trove
of ancient and esoteric lore for scholars and
wizards.
One of the more notorious features of the
Librarium is the Spiraling Watchtower, one
 of the highest points in the city. It also
contains an ancient planar portal, which can
be attuned to whatever planar dimension
the wizard is familiar with.
K12. Abandoned Bath House
The abandoned bath house no longer
runs, and is filled with sewage that has
backed up. It is a regular meeting point for
guild events by the Black Lotus.
K13. Royal Bath Houses
These bath houses are some of the finest
in the land, and it costs one gold for an
hours admission. Much business is
conducted here.
14 The Royal Crown Inn The Second
This is the second building of the Royal
Crown Inn. It is much like the first, but
usually only caters to extremely rich
foreigners.
K15. The Mausoleum
One of the older mausoleums, this is
where many of the rich and wealthy citizens
of the capitol prefer to be buried, even if it
is rumored that this is a primary location of
reanimated undead in the city, due to the
illegal corpse theft of necromancers and the
Black Society.
K16. Ruins of House Dadera
This compound and its mansion within
contains the century-old remains of the
supposedly haunted Dadera manse. Some
same it is the original Gonn Dadera himself
who frightens the living away, but many
feel there is a more sinister element to the
compound. Rumors also abound of a cult to
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Slithotep hidden in catacombs beneath the
property.
K17. The Twin Towers
The twin towers are old light towers and
watch posts for the bay area, but they too
are considered haunted, by a mysterious
being named Moria.
K18. Embassy of Silvias, and Headquarters
of the Protectorate
The embassy of Silvias is organic, a rustic
villa overgrown with naturaly sculpted
gardens and beautful abstract sculptures
grown from organic crystals. It is
remarkable to behold in its uniqueness,
and a popular site for star crossed lovers to
visit.
Protectorate
Group Alignment: good
Membership: approximately 30 elves and
half elves
Leader: Coradus Redlord
Headquarters: Einurian Embassy
As a by-product of the four hundred and
seventy year old trade alliance with the
nation of Silvias along the southern coast
off the Iron Sea, the Einurians were granted
land and an embassy, with the right to
maintain their own sovereignity on this soil
for purposes of conducting just and proper
affairs with the Kingdom of Octzel. While
the embassy of the Einurians remains a
truly political affair, there are a handful of
agents who were later sent here, and who
have since increased in number at the
request of the Order of the Blade. Officially,
these elves are considered bodyguards and
enforcers to the magistrate of the embassy,
but within their unofficial capacities they
are honored guests of the highly secretive
 and extremely elusive Protectorate.
Dedicated for millennia now to the
extermination of the Chaos which seeds the
land in many different forms, the
Protectorate consists of specialists in divine
and sorcerous evil. The value of such agents
in Octzel was seen early on, and while the
protectorate consists of only a handful of
very specialized Einurians, they have proven
more than effective in aiding the fight
against the corrupting evil which lies in the
deepest catacombs and darkest slums of
Octzel.
Personalities:
Coradus Redlord, (Elnurian Level 7
Fighter-Wizard, lawful good) along with
Pristia Golam (Half Elf Level 6 Fighter-
Druid, good) and a handful of agents are
working vigilantly to expose and destroy the
Black Society.
Area L: The Guild House District
L1. Beggar's Run
Located along one of the busies street
sections on Octzel, the infamous Beggar's
Run has become the home of countless
professional peddlars, entertainers, and
simple peasants seeking a hand out. Day by
day they pour out of the slums and the
Maze, coming here to seek a pittance for
some trick, offer of service, or just plain
kindliness. It works, at least often enough
that they come again and again, and over
time, a crude sort of Guild of Beggars has
arisen, headed presently by the best of
them all, the so called Beggar King Ton
Vodos (Human male Rogue 5, unaligned) a
man who tries to keep the beggars under
some control, to insure that they aren't
overstaid in welcome and run out, and that
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
no one hogs the wealth. He also deals with
the thieve's guilds, as both the Spheres and
the Black Lotus are known to try and roll
the Beggar's Guild on occasion.
L2. Bath Houses
The Bath Houses are an open institution in
theory, made available to the public for any
who wish to bathe. The common area is
truly open and enjoyed by all, but a special
quarter of the houses is offered only to the
rich and noble of the community. The bath
houses are a place in which illicit affairs can
be conducted, business deals managed,
social events are held, gossip is passed
about wildly, and occasionally one even
takes a bath. The steam rooms are
especially popular, but a charge of one gold
is placed on entrants, so it is usually only
frequented by the upper class.
L3. Caravaneers' Guild
The Caravaneer's Guild is the sponsor and
representor of all major overland trading
companies which seek representation
before the High Council. Overland travel
and trade is an important commodity to
Octzel, which is predominantly an inland
kingdom. The Caravaneers' Guild seeks the
betterment of road warden protection for
the safety of the caravans, the lessening of
inter-provincial taxes and restrictions, and
the funding of mercenaries and militiamen
to take back the lands around Lancaster
from the Mihidir Nation.
The Carvaneers' Guild is a major building
located in the Guild District at which local
representers meet constantly to discuss
matters. Trading Companies which rely on
the caravans for overland distribution of
 imported goods from sea are also part of
the guild.
There is a large, hundred-acre area of flat
land outside the city walls which is owned
collectively by the guild for the use of their
caravans, distribution of imported wares,
and the establishment of temporary
marketplaces to display wares direct from
the caravan. This plot of land is also rented
out to interested parties, including nonguild
caravans, Performance Troupes, and
Mercenary Companies.
Kestron Kelan Medashir (Human Level 7
Rogue, unaligned) is a portly, large man
with an expensive appetite. He is the Voice
of the Guild, and is the man with whom any
adventurer worth his weight in salt should
approach regarding jobs or information. If
you can get on his good side, then he's
more than likely to give you first shot at the
really cushy or interesting caravan jobs. The
Guild has always maintained an open-
market attitude toward hired hands and
protection for caravans, refusing to cater to
any single locate mercenary company or
guild.
L4. Craftwork Guild Societies
The Craftwork Guild Societies is a mega-
guild, which serves to represent the
interests of craftsmen and artisans
throughout the city. The guild elects new
speakers every six months to present the
requests and desires of the unified guilds
and societies before theHigh Council.
Each guild or society which belongs to the
Craftwork Guild has its own meeting hall in
the Guild District, the Warehouse district, or
whatever Commoners Hall is available for
rent if they're not that fancy or wealthy.
The difference between a society and a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
guild here is that a guild represents
common interests based on profession
(Shoemaker's Guild, Leather Tanner's Guild,
etc.) and the societies reflect the groups
who have special lobbying interests or long-
term goals that extend past profession
(Society for smaller Leather Taxes, Society
for a Safer Warehouse District, Society of
Retired military men who are now
merchants, etc.).
The Grand Guild Hall, largest of all halls,
and available for rent to all members of the
Craftwork Guild Societies, is located in the
center of the Guildhall District.
As there is such a frequent turn-over of
representors, it is suggested that whomever
the adventurers meet, should they have a
strong cause, be a fairly self-interested
lobbyist type who boasts of his concerns for
the common man and the decadence of the
High Council, and ooze the feeling of
corruption or greed (or both). He will then
try to squeeze the PCs for all they're worth!
L5. Thiefs Point
Once, long before the Guild District was
cleaned up, Thiefs Point had a bad
reputation as a meeting point between
criminal guilds, usually to contest one
another in turf wars. Now, its a quaint
bistro that caters to the local wealthy
clientele, and provides a comfortable place
in which to discuss business.
The bistro is is run by Measkar Dormin
(Mishrag Minotaur Level 6 Expert LG), a
retired mercenary who made a fortune in
spice investments and decided he was
through with fighting. Measkar can claim to
have served under both Ashtarth and Silver
Elf employers at one time or another, and
has some amazing tales to tell. He is a
 senior member of the Spice Traders Guild,
and get a lot of business from his fellow
merchants.
L6. Necromancer's Guild
The hall of the Necromancers Guild is
sandwiched between the Tanners
Guildhouse and the monthly meeting site of
the Sail Makers Guild. t is unadvertised,
and highly nondescript, as befits its
inhabitants. Unknown to most, the guild
house contains an entry to the sewers, and
from there in to the deeper catacombs and
grottos beneath the city.
Within the aristocracy of Ocztel is a small,
secretive coven of women and men who
practice necromancy. Their aims are all
unique, and their hearts are all dark. They
are almost always political schemers, and
some have a connection to the Black
Society. None of these cabalists are nice
people, but they're not necessarily villains,
either.
The necromancers are presided over by
their elder magician, Trebiha Gonn
Chastetor. She utilizes necromancy and
scapulimancy from arcane texts for
divinatory purposes, and as most of the
knowledge of her students come from her
teachings, their foci are similar.
The necromancers usually meet in
spatious yet private rented halls in the Guild
District or at the Royal Inn, where if you pay
for discretion, you get it. The members of
the aristicoratic cabal are better thought of
as participating in a devious little social club
rather than movers and shakers.
Trebitha Gonn Chastetor (Greater
Mummy, Level 18 Necromancer NE), an
ancient woman who owns fully one third of
the warehouse district and almost ten
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
thousand acres of land in the Smalton
community to the south, Trebitha is a great
schemer, but does not seek power,
eventhough she could take it if she wished.
Trebitha cheated death long ago, after
dying, by returning as a greater mummy.
She has taken many pains to enact free will
and mobility on herself, and to keep herself
disguised for polite company. Only a
handfulof her disciples know the truth of
her condition. She sees her coven of
necromancers as useful pawns.
L7. Spice Traders Guild
The greater portion of this city block is
composed entirely of the vast, multistory
network of offices, meeting halls, and
warehouses belonging to the numerous
clients and members of the Spice Traders
Guild. Regular protection is offered thanks
to the paid services of the Heroskod
Company, and this is widely regarded as a
safe haven for spice traders everywhere.
With more than seventy different
members, the Spice Traders Guild is
arguably the largest mercantile force in the
city, let alone the rest of Octzel. Many of its
members are foreign interests, who import
to Octzel spices and other rare goods that
are unavailable save through their channels,
and these interests use their power through
the guild to squelch the possibility of
competition, or to at least moderate what
competition would dare to tread upon their
territory.
While one might imagine that the cut
throat import business would reflect its vile
nature in the guild, the Spice Traders Guild
is alarmingly neutral and fair-minded,
keeping well within legal and morally
acceptable parameters. This might well
 have a lot to do with influence from the
church among core guild members, and it
may also have to do with the fact that when
it comes to legal trade among the spice
traders, they tend to be secretive about it
and work to avoid letting anyone else in on
the deal lest they have to share the profits.
Esedria Moonstar (Human Jhaknian Level
4 Expert, LE) is the present spokeswoman of
the Guild. A Jhaknian, she was a primary
dealer for the Moonstar Trading Corp, run
by her father out of Jnril. Her consistent
reliability, goodwill, and amazing charisma
earned her the respect of her peers, and
she was voted to replace the aging former
spokesman. Unfortunately, this is all a
clever act, and Esedria is planning to scam
as much money from the business as she
can and funnel it in to illicit activies.
L8. Rillian Mining Guild Headquarters
The Rillian Mining Guild is perhaps, next
to the Spice Guild, the most powerful single
merchant enterprise in the entire city, let
alone the province. Even the timber
industry of the Capitol Province is not as
influential as the Rillian Mining Guild.
The Guild maintains offices in the Capitol,
out of which vast quantities of records are
kept, orders are issued, and decisions
regarding the mining activities of the guild
are made. It coordinates for more than fifty
different affiliates in the Guild, all of whom
rely on the Rillian Guild to insure fair trade,
work relations, and legal regulation. The
Guild keeps its member s happy by insuring
that the authorities almost universally
overlook the issue of slavery or the abuse of
indentured servitude with regards to the
larger operations, and that all of the
principle owners of a given business
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
venture, as well as the guild itself, get the
best possible cut from any valuable cache.
The Rillian Mining Guild is dominated by
five major operations, which are all
principle suppliers to the realm, and as such
tend to got the greatest return on their
product. Smaller operations within the guild
are generally directed toward public market
affairs, which have never paid as well as
noble purchases.
Rodvis Elas Kolhuan (Human Level 3
Expert LN) is the current representative of
the Guild, chosen for his undying charisma
and promising diplomatic talents. He is
respected in the Royal Court, and is
believed to be a fine choice by the five
primary guild members. Kolhuan is, of his
own purposes, out to satisfy everyone and
collect as much personal gain as he possibly
can on the side.
L9. Headquarers of the Overguild of the
Merchant Societies
The Overguild of the Merchant Societies is
a master guild of sorts, which oversees the
fair trade policies that have been agreed
upon by the primary guilds of the city. It is
considered by some to be an informant
extension of the royal government, and by
others to be a sort of ultimate racketeering
guild, with the power to bring pressure of
magnanimous proportions down on anyone
who strays from its chosen path. The guild
has numerous office locations throughout
the city, as well as the country side estate of
its current senior head master, but its
central headquartes contain the office of
records, the Master Bursars Office, and
Employment Offices.
Guildmaster Corden Elas Masakor
(Human Level 7 Merchant Professional) is a
 dedicated man who is, if anything, a fair
man with an honest dedication to fair trade.
He is a known nemesis of both the North
Harbormaster Lithadros, who Corden has
had under investigation twice for bribery
and racketeering, with no proven crimes
revealed. Corden is an honored member of
the Royal Court, and has been invited to
several High Council meetings. The power
of the overguild is purely political, and the
need for military service has rarely arisen,
although many investigators are employed
to look into the accounts and affairs of
those who are suspected to be in violation
of trade or tariff laws as established by the
merchant houses and trade guilds.
Adventurers might well be appointed the
task of investigator, or they may be hired as
bodyguards if the possibility of violence is
foreseen.
M. Dark Town, The Red Light District
M1 The Velvet Blades
Nestled within this large, run down
building lies the first brothel to covert to a
mercenary company. The Velvet Blades
became registered mercenaries of the king
two decades ago, and have been a popular
resource for nobles and wealthy visitors
seeking escorts who double as entertainers
and bodyguards ever since.
The Velvet Blades are an escort and
bodyguard service of professional mantyr
(emancipated) women who are not only
courtesans, but talented blades and wizards
as well. Most of the women who join are
commoners seeking a better life, often with
a talent for arms or magic that they could
not find proper tutelage for elsewhere.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Services at the Velvet Blades are charged
by the hour, and the rates are based on the
skill of the escort and the risk level of the
client. Typically, 100 gold will get you an
evenings escort for fairly mundane duties,
of two or three levels of experience. The
most expensive escorts include Lady
Mindara Nestros (half elf Level 7 Rogue,
Level 8 fighter GOOD), who is the Madame
of the Blades. Lady Nestros is also known to
dabble in a bit of smuggling, especially with
her connections in the city of Urlu and
Midas to the south. She is a good friend of
many of the City Watch.
Mistress Kamina Entenere (human Level 9
expert courtesan, Level 6 fighter NG) is the
most desirable and popular member of the
Velvet Blades. She does not come cheap,
and one evening of her escort services can
cost upwards of 1,000 gold pieces.
M2. The Inn of the Golden Succubus
Another brothel, this one famous for it's
oracular golden statue of a succubus. The
beautiful statue is said to have been stolen
from the Abyssal realms, and that it is
actually a polymorphed succubus who seeks
escape. Men come here to pay homage to
the statue with coin and prayer (a
sacriledge and a scandal if they are caught!)
and in exchange the succubus grants them a
vision of the woman they seek, and the key
to finding her. More pedestrian customers
simply partake of the lovely ladies who run
the institution, who maintain a demonic
motif to their establishment (which has
been raided by the City Watch more than
once for illegal activities). The lady of the
house is Ryddera Sitor (Tiefling female,
Sorcerer Level 4, Rogue Level 3 LE), a self-
serving mistress who may or may not have
 actually stolen the golden statue. Ryddera
has been known to hire some of the best
body guards in town when traveling abroad,
out of fear of assassination.
M3. The Torchlight Tavern
Among the brothel-taverns of Dark Town,
the Torchlight Tavern is regarded as the
most friendly and charming. The women
(and some men) of this huge old
gaminbling-hall turned brothel are well-
paid, live in luxury compared to the sort of
grime they might one have been used to,
and are offered medical services by
Honsable just down the street. The
Torchlight is also a secret temple to
Phonatas, the goddess of love and ecstacy,
and in the inner courtyard rests a beautiful
fountain of worship to the benevolent (but
sacrilegous) goddess. The matron of the
house is Amania Verasada (Human female,
Cleric of Phonatas 7, Rogue 3, GOOD), a
very giving and kind woman who's religious
philosophy is very permissive and giving.
She seeks to reform the more troublesome
and risky elements of Dark Town's brothels,
and has earned the ire of some other rvials
(especially Ryddera Sitor of the Golden
Succubus).
M4. Honsable the Chirurgeon
If you've got a broken limb, sword cut,
impaling wound, or anything else that's
going to kill you if you don't get treatment,
and you can't seek out the Curatorium or a
legitimate healer, then Honsable is where
you go. Creverlan Honsable (Human male,
Wizard (Necromancer) 10, Rogue 2, LE) has
been running his business for decades, and
he's a fine man, but people who get to
know him too well notice he's got a bit of a
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
mad streak. Honsable charges modestly for
his services, but he's not the most efficient
chirurgeon when it comes to difficult
injuries; an alarming number of his patients
lose limbs, and he seems powerless against
gangrene.
Unfortunately, Consable has a hidden
element to his business. He belongs to the
local Necromancer's Guild, as well as the
Grand Fraternity of Necromancers, an
international order of wizards who seek to
illuminate the dark arts, and some claim he
is descended from the dread necromancer
of the Chaos Mountains. Either way,
Honsable practices his art in his complex
beneath the city in a section of the sewers
which his undead minions have rebuilt. He
is especially fond of flesh golems, and
custom builds them from "left-overs" of his
patients. He employs Grafkin (goblin male,
Rogue 5, NE) to work as his grave robber.
Grafkin is an exiled goblin, once of Mitra's
Forest, but branded with a permanent scar
of exile on his forehead. Honsable offers
him safety for work.
 M5. The Esderlen Casino
The grand halls of the Esderlen Casino
(named after it's long dead founder) are the
stomping ground of Vytaria, mistress of
gaming and member of the Black Lotus
Guild. Vytaria runs the casino as a
legitimate operation, but also has an active
high-profile prostitution ring which caters
to the discreet rich. The front of her casino
helps keep her clientele feeling legitimate.
Some of the gambling events here have
been known to be illegal, however. Private
fights (usually brawling combat, which
requires no lisence) are sponsored, and the
occasional duel of honor is conducted here
with bets aplenty.
The most famous lady of the evening at
Esderlen's Casino is Dromari Lahanne (half
orc, half elf, half human female, Rogue 3,
Expert 4, GOOD) an exotic beauty of truly
unusual looks who's half orc father and half
elf mother are perhaps a unique
circumstance.
M6. The Charnel Pits
The source of illegal pit fighting is the
Charnel Pits. Here, captured or summoned
wild beasts, professional gladiators, and
desperate bravados gather to fight for big
money. Many are sponsored, and some
come alone, but all agree to the one rule:
Once you get in the pit, no one gets out
until only one man is standing.
The fights are brutal, no holds barred, and
sometimes either rigged or altered at the
whim of the Pit Master Jendargan Los
(Dwarf male, Fighter 13 Rogue 4 NE) and his
chief ally Krabback (Fiendish Orc Male,
Fighter 6 Sorcerer 8 CE), an orc with
devonin blood from a bastard union
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
between his father and a summoned
succubus.
Together, Jendargan and Krabback send
out parties far and wide to import deadly
animals, recruit famous warriors, and
sometimes dabble in slaves to spice things
up. They are known to pay the City Watch
for prisoners from the dungeons who would
otherwise become lost in the sometimes
cruel prison system for an even mor
inglorious death at the hands of wild beasts.
The Charnel Pits have been raided and
shut down on occasion. Each time, its
proprietors make good an escape and then
move to another location where they can
refurbish a warehouse or open up a section
of the sewers to continue their deadly
sport.
N. The Caravan District
When visitng the caravan district you
could find yourself fighting in, or gambling
at N1. The Arena Pits. You could seek out
employment or find a caravan to travel with
at N2. Carnival and Parade Grounds, and if
you want to join the local army you can
head to N3. The Militia Barraks and Training
Grounds. Finally, for a good deal on
indentured servants, rare goods, and seized
property you can find your way over to the
N4. Auction House.
O. The Slums
Lots of rogueish business goes on here,
although amidst all that chicanery very
impoverished people struggle to survive
every day. Some noteworthy locations here
include O1. Collection House of Richtaven,
an elderly scholar and professional retired
monster killer who loves selling strange
equipment to adventurers seeking the same
 trade. The O2. Temple of the Middle Gods
can be found here as well, with its
imprecise and nondenominational worship
seeking to avoid offending anyone. The O3.
Opium Houses are thick in this area, and
while many merchants and businessmen
gather here, little business gets done. O4.
Street Gang Turf is where young thugs hang
out, looking for ways to get in with a
thieves guild or join a crew on a ship, and
finally there are O5. the Humanoid Barrios,
where orcs, goblins, kobolds and other less
savory humanoids make their homes
segregated from the demihuman and
human populations of the city.
O6. Agents of Bargan
The commercial-minded agents who
represent the Underworld city of Bargan
are minor but still influential lobbyists who
have worked hard to gain decrees from the
Council forbidding the unjust taxation of the
humanoids at Bargan, or the levying of
unfair taxes against their exports. Bargan is
responsible for the exportation of rare silk
products that are spun from the abdomens
of the Great Wyrms, which dwell in
blindness beneath the southern lands of
Mitra's Forest. The entrepeneurial orcs and
Ashtarth who have collectively turned this
into a vast money-making venture under
the just and intelligent leadership of the
Wizard Geblos Donn Bargan have managed
to integrate their cloth-wares into the
Octzellan lifestyle. As a result, their safety,
even in the face of the new risk of war
against the Chaos Tribes of Mitra's Forest, is
guaranteed by Octzellan decree.
Bargan also produces strange, potent
venons from the spider-kin of the
underworld, and harvest this for the seedier
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
groups of Octzel. This insures that they will
be supported by such groups, and gives
them some indirect contacts to call upon
should the need arise. The Fire Knives are a
major purchaser of these goods. Members
of the Black Lotus also come to them.
Finally, the Agents of Bargan are registered
and belong to the Craftwork Guild Societies,
as a charter Society member.
Baskyrd Donn Managan (Thyzakkoni half
orc, Level 6 Warrior, Level 6 Expert, LN).
Managan is the Voice to the Grand Council
when Bargan needs representation. He
operates in the Slums out of a renovated
two story house. He rents out other rooms
in the complex to people willing to pay
good money to sleep in a lousy place, and
pockets the extra cash. He is a great
spokesman, and is periodically approached
by commoners to speak for them at local
council meetings for the district. He is older,
and bloated, much like most orcs get when
middle age hits. He has seen many
professional chirurgeons in the land to
straighten his naturally crooked teeth, until
they now line up perfectly, a smiling set of
white choppers.
Managan employs eight Thyzzakoni
understudies whom are also from Bargan,
and are all eager to serve him (all are Level
1 or 2 warriors). He also receives periodic
visits from Kesselanta Mynorn (Ashtarth
Level 3 Warrior Level 3 Sorcerer, LE). She is
one of the major sales representatives of
the Wyrm Silks of Bargan, as well as a
covert supplier of poisons to the Fire
Knives. She passes through Octzel at least
four times a year, and has tempestuous
relations with Managan. She specializes in
Divinational magic, with a smattering of
Chaos Magic.
 O7. Entrance to the Maze
The Maze is the terms coined by the
streetwise to refer to the vast slum district
which inhabits a fair portion of the Outer
City. Here, the downtrodden, homeless,
desperate, and downright dangerosu all
gather to engage in illicit acts, larceny,
gambling, bootlegging, drugs, murder, and
even plain old survival. The Maze is an
inhospitable land. The City Watch avoids it,
as no tax-paying citizen can be found
within. The thieve's guilds see the Maze as a
tool to be used, filled with cheap bravaods
for hire, easy marks who spend money
faster than they make it, and urchins ripe
for recruiting. The Black Society's members
prey upon the folk within the Maze, as they
know that no one will be missed who enters
the Maze. The Maze is the center of
lawlessness within the city.
The construction of the Maze is likewise a
mystery, for the getto of Octzel has a
seemingly unique life all it's own. The
buildings seem to violate contruction laws
as a rule, either being to dangerous, too
tall, or too narrow for common sense. Many
buildings are ancient, and have been here
since the time of the mad ruler Donn-
Dadera. It is a little known fact that the
heart of the Maze contains a Temple of
Slithotep, the mad god, operated by a
terrifying priest named Xig Yon (Hyshkorrid,
Sorcerer Level 8, Cleric of Slithotep Level 12
CN) who was once a favored pet of the
forgotten mad king. Xig Yon has managed
this ancient temple nearly two thousand
years now, and has trained many selective
followers in the secret arts of the
priesthood. This is perhaps one of the
greatest secrets of the Maze, and also one
of the reasons it persists, with no hope of
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
development or redemption. Xig Yon
appears in public as Draevus Elas Tospalar,
a human sorcerer and elder land holder of
seemingly limitless financial means, and
greatest property owner in the slums. He
uses his powers to insure that no one tries
to reform or tear down the Maze, and
instead uses his resources to continuously
tear down and rebuild substandard and
dangerous housing himself.
Xig Yon employs the mihidir trolls which
dwell in the city sewers as his personal
enforcers. He will send them out to rough
someone up or make them disappear if he
feels threatened. The trolls, having the run
of the sewers, can appear just about
anywhere in the city.
O8. Black Lotus Turf
This is the territory of the poor quarter
protected by the Black Lotus Guild (see
their Order entry for more on the Guild).
They have fought many turf wars here, and
have long established their residence here.
Within this poor quarter (which is near the
Maze, but not a part of it's dark influence)
are the underground Guild Hall of the Black
Lotus, as well as the section of the sewers
which have been turned in to a Thieve's
proving ground, a venerable tradition going
back the founding of the gang many
centuries ago. Thieves which fail to pass the
test of the thieve's run are never allowed
entry in to the inner circle of the Black
Lotus.
O9. Daggers Rest
A famous bar and soup kitchen where the
down and out gather to tell each other tales
of woe and horror, Dagger's Rest is
managed by Kaleen Drimari (Half Orc
 female, Expert 6 Cleric of Hella 1, NG) who
operates the joint as a sort of half-way
house, soup kitchen and bar all rolled in to
one. She receives much of her support from
anonymous donors, usually wealthy
socialites who once fell from grace and
found Kaleen to be a helping hand. Kaleen
herself was once a priestess of Hella, but
could manage only the rudiments of the
divine art, and so decided to turn her
interest in aiding others to a more practical
means.
O10. Stronghold of the Slaver Societies
From the outside, this collection of
shoddy complexes appear to be nothing
more than another wing of the slums, but
once you wind your way inside and past the
foul guards, it becomes evident that this is a
bastion of evil. Here, thanks to the constant
need for slaves in other lands, rests the
black market for human flesh.
The Slaver Societies are not organized into
guilds, or even recognized as such by the
law enforcers of the city or the Thieve's
Guild. Rather, they are independent
operations which are usually funded by
foreign interests or local profiteers seeking
to get a hefty foreign profit. The core
leaders of these different slaver groups
periodically meet in informal gatherings, in
which they cautiously assess the progress of
their peers and trade information that will
be of mutual benefit. More than one such
meeting has erupted into conflict, and the
slavers have almost universally proven to be
incapable of the sort of unity seen in the
Black Lotus Guild.
Slavers in Octzel are marked men, for it is
a forbidden trade. Unfortunately, Octzellans
still adhere to the lowest class, the rathe,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
which are lower than peasants. Rathe are
convicted criminals, men who have fallen in
to severe debt and cannot pay, women who
have been estranged by family and friends,
and other luckless people who are unable
to repay their losses to recover their rights.
As often as slavers seek out these people,
these same people willingly come to the
slavers, offering themselves to indentured
servitude in the hopes of a better life when
theyve served their time. Through this
manner, the slavers find a loop hole that
lets them operate legitimately, but all too
often those same rathe are shipped off
shore to lands where they never see
freedom again.
Regenak Altair (Human Level 5 Rogue, NE)
is a native who owns his own galleon and
works with the Fire Knives periodically. He
sells slaves to foreign interests in southern
Jhakn and further on down, to as far as
Galonia, where he gets the greatest profit.
Regenak has a company of dedicated men,
many of whom were Galvonarian
Mamalukes whom he purchased and then
freed, offering them good wages for utter
loyalty Some of his men have gotten quite
rowdy during shore leave, but if a man gets
in trouble with the law, Regenak will
abandon them, or even have the audacity
to attend the hanging, shouting along with
the crowd. This cold-heartedness serves to
remind the crew that they are still his men,
even if not war slaves.
P. Sprawl of the Commoners
P1. The Commons
The great commons is a twisted network
of lamp-lit streets, looming multi-story
tenament complexes, and periodic homes
 of the slightly more well to do, jumbled successful, enough so to make their way in
together in a great suburban sprawl. Most to the Inner City.
people of the commons would be Most wizards, merchants, and specialists
considered nominally well-off, but far more in the city are likely to have a residence or
often than not, it is an illusion produced by private shop in the affluent neighborhoods.
the persistance of its inhabitance, who Any number of wealthier middle ot upper
struggle daily to maintain their tenuous class encounters can spring from this area.
connection to wealth and affluence. A
merchant might have a nice house one day,
and go bankrupt the next. The commons
are simply a stepping stone for most to
either wealth, or more often poverty.
Some local gangs are known to roam
through the commons, trying to make a
name for themselves. Usually, the best of
these young gangs get recruited in to the
real thieve's guilds, but some thrive in the
commons and lurk here, dealing in illicit
goods, roughing up local shopkeeps or
otherwise innocent citizens for money. The
most famous of such punks currently is
Grole Durm (half-orc Level 4 Rogue, NE),
leader of the Maple Avenue "Fists." At 19,
he's getting a bit old for the role of ganger,
but his last petition to the Black Lotus Guild
was rejected when he failed, miserably,
P3. City Watch House
their entry test. Since then, he's been taking
his anger out on anyone who he can find on The City Watch House is the center of the
Maple Avenue that isn't too well armed. Watch Guard for the Capitol, in which the
standing militia and constabulary for the
P2. Affluent Neighborhoods region work to keep the peace. During
times of war, the City Watch is filled with
The Affluent folk are really not far
recruits and training activities are a regular
removed from the commons; they just
event. During times of peace, they tend to
happen to be able to afford a personal
be short staffed, overworked and
guard or two, some gates and fences, and a
underpaid.
few servants. In spite of such wealth, they
Cassios Dan Verok (Human Fighter 4,
are still struggling, mostly wealthier
Ranger 1, Rogue 2 LG) is the current Captain
merchants and lesser nobles trying to
of the Watch, and a devoutly lawful man
insure they don't go too deeply in to debt
who seeks to maintain the peace of the city.
and end up living in the commons (or
He is also well known for his investigative
prison), all while trying to get truly

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 talents, and has made a name for himself
over the years by solving some high profile
murders, including the case of Gamos, the
serial-killer werewolf with a taste for young
elvish women. Cassios has gotten
dangerously close at times to exposing
elements of the Black Society, which reviles
his presence and occasionally seeks to
assassinate him.
P4. Mainland Temple of Enki
Not all men can afford to take a weekly
pilgrimage out to the Island Temple of Enki,
and so the temple of the mainland serves as
the religious center for most common men
and lesser noblity. Daily ceremonies are
conducted here, and major holiday events
are centered around the temple. The
temple grounds contain the seminary
where a generation of young priests learn
the sacred teachings, and the complex also
houses the school in which the children of
Octzel's upper class receive tutelage.
Bimara Elas Vesada (human female, Cleric
of Enki level 12, LG) is the High Priestess of
the mainland temple. She is elderly, at least
70 years of age, and revered by all who
know her. She is known for her generosity,
and an eternal optimism. Bimara
encourages all of her priestly understudies
to seek out their own path, and to do
missionary work as a form of learning
experience.
Q. Fort Noenday
Q1. Training Grounds
On any given day, hundreds or even
thousands of troops in the King's Armies
can be seen training here. Most young men
of Octzel spend two years in the King's
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Army as a matter of course; unlucky ones
spend two years in the Royal Navy. All of
them pass through here for basic training at
some point.
During times of peace, few soldiers are in
training. In times of war, this is where you
go to see where all the able bodied young
men in the city are located.
Q2. Officers Camp
The officer's camp is a fairly pleasant
neighborhood of housing for the lesser
nobles, knights, and officers who remain a
part of the standing army or have chosen
the military as a career. Most any officer of
the Crown may be found holding residence
here.
Q3. Keep of The Order of the Crown
The Order of the Crown (see the entry on
this order) holds headquarters here, and it
is presumed that most members of this elite
order will pass through it's gates sometime
duringthe course of a year. While many
members of the order are always on special
assignment or abroad, a standing garrison
of forty men, as well as senior members
who now participate in strategic planning
and tactical studies are always stationed
here.
The Captain of the Garrison is Golan Dann
Vagerosos (Human male, Fighter 6, Paladin
2 LG), a warrior in his mid-fifties who was
once a Paladin of Enki. He resigned his
Paladinhood in his early years when he
suffered a nealry crippling blow while trying
to defend a community near Lancaster from
Mihidir Trolls. Only a handful survived, and
he felt too shamed to continue as a paladin.
He later joined the Order of the Crown
when his singular talents were exposed
 during the Siege of Midas, and he managed
to lead an elite team behind enemy lines to
detonate all of the black powder in the
hands of the enemy in their camp. Golan
walks with a permanent limp due to his not-
quite healed leg.
Q4. Primary Stockades and Q5. Barracks
The stockades are the heart of the King's
Army, where the standing troops are
garrisoned day to day. Most young men
who reach age 14-16 in Octzel are expected
to serve in the standing army, and this
requirement is only relaxed in times of
peace (which has been rare of late).
A special barracks exists in the stockade
for the manatyr (emancipated women) who
join the army, and who are part of their
own unit. Additional specal barracks are
available for recruits of orcish descent,
garrisoned mercenary forces under the
king's employ, and foreign troops who have
come under the banner of the king for
some reason or another.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
A Travelers Guide to the
Kingdom ofOctzel
The Northern Province: Rishaad
Rishaad is the heart of the Kingdom of
Octzel. Consisting primarily of the
Tedermisha Peninsula and the island chains
north of it, Rishaad has long been regarded
as one of the most fertile regions for
farming and produce. The expansive
Andesor Forests, Veraggen Mountains, and
large northern isle of Picador are all part of
its lush bounty.
Rishaad's lush farmland is its principle
resource, but its major secondary resources
include the mines of the Rillian Mining
Operations in the Veraggen Mountains, the
prospector mines on Picadore, the major
fishing operations along the coast by local
fishing villages, the logging trade from
Andesor Forest, and the bustling sea port of
the Capitol itself.
Capitol Octzel
By 2476, Octzel is one of the ten largest
metropolises in the world of Lingusia, with a
population of nearly 500,000 diverse
beings. It is a center of wealth and
commerce, and has a two thousand year
legacy to lend to its immense antiquity.
Octzel receives its own special treatment in
the section on the Capitol.
The countryside beyond the limits of the
Great Wall are a slowly expanding expanse
of urban blight running in to the rural
farmlands and pastures. Dotted throughout
this great mass of habitation are a variety of
 wealthy country manors and estates
belonging to the wealthier citizens of the
Capitol, both nobles and businessmen.
Some of the more interesting estates shall
be mentioned below.
Mansion and Estate of House Zellman
A stately manor house on three hundred
acres of farmland property, just ten miles
south and east of the Capitol. Randolf
Zellman (Human Level 9 Summoner NG) is
the latest in a long line of mages to lord
over the household. He is an accomplished
practitioner of summoning magic, and
belongs to the Guild of the Blue Robes.
Zellman has continued his familys pursuit
of lost knowledge, and is considered one of
the foremost authorities in the world on
lost civilizations. It is said that he uses his
familiarity with outsiders from other
dimensions to aid in his quest for forgotten
lore.
The Zellman estates are rife with
hauntings, and in fact a well-known devonin
has prowled the fields and moors of the
region for centuries, released by one of
Randolphs ancestors long ago. It becomes
most active in the month of Lashiden
(during the festivals of the dead) and seems
inimical to all communication.
The King's Retreat and the Royal Hunting
Grounds
East of the City, about thirty miles or so, is
the palatial Retreat. It is a beautiful castle,
small in scale, that was first built by the
roving king Gremna-Lubidosi, in 1420. The
castle walls hold a finely constructed
manor, which contains elements of elvish
engineering, archaic architectural styles
that reflect the palaces of the ancient
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
empire of the Fertile Lands (as seen in the
texts and codices preserved from that age),
and more modernistic styles of the period,
which from that type were startlingly
baroque.
The Retreat is where the King goes when he
wishes a respite from his duties to the land.
The huge towers with multiple spires house
a constant garrison of the finest soldiers the
royal army has to offer, and these in turn
are kept in order by a garrison of dedicated
Knights of the Crown. For forty miles
around the estate in the forests of Rishaad,
the land has been declared Royal Hunting
grounds, and is protected by foresters from
poachers and anyone who would dare cross
into the private lands of the King.
The wildlife is, indeed, plentiful here as
well. Geomancers have, by request of the
King, maintained permanent residence here
to tend to the estates and serve the land.
The need to protect the retreat from
poachers and other brigands is great, and
mercenaries are sometimes hired to do the
job which would sully the hands of proper
nobles and true warriors.
The Keeper of the Estate is an old baron
by name of Jonin Elas Haskor (Human Level
12 Warrior, LG). Jonin is an old forester of
the land, who knows the terrain better than
anyone. He has roved through the forests of
Andesor longer than anyone, and knows its
secrets like the back of his hand. He has a
son, but the son is disinterested in his
father's life and pursues a court life in the
Capitol. As a result, Jonin has worked hard
to impart his knowledge of the land to the
Knights of the Crown who serve under him,
and seeks to discern which among them will
make the next good keeper of the estate.

Andesor Forest
Andesor Forest is not particularly large,
although it used to me. Once a great,
expansive land of green stretching out over
the low-lying foothills leading up to the
Veraggen Mountains, the forest has been
plied for the timber trade for seventeen
hundred years, and that has had its effect.
Picadore island, bare of trees, the northern
stretches of Loroden Hills, and the valley of
Lancaster, all barren grasslands due to the
centuries of logging.
The once vast Andesor Forest suffers from
the fact that the fast-running Shallink River
runs in its midst, and provides a quick and
ready means for transporting logs. While
much of the southern loging trade has dried
up and concentrates on the eastern
forestlands now, it is still a fact that any
hardworking commoner who wants to forge
his own house is most likely to come here
for his timber.
Andesor Forest is named after a man who
lived more than nineteen hundred years
ago, although only the most studious of
ancient scholars could tell you this.
Andesor's name went down in history when
he sailed westward on behalf of one of the
ancient Hyrkanian kings and saw fit to land
in the inviting bay where Noenday and later
Octzel would rest. His treck inland cost the
lives of many hirelings, and he discovered
the ferocious, protective lands of the
Blyskanyu tribes. In his quest, however, he
and his companion Kedrion charted much
of the coastland of the then Savage Lands,
and came back with this knowledge. Both
explorers named forests after themselves,
and when, centuries later, colonies were
constructed, the leaders of these
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
expeditions relied on the discoveries of
these earlier travellers.
Andesor forest is not a particularly
dangerous place, but it does hold at its
heart the rocky Veraggen Mountains, and
that's where adventurers want to go. Also
within Andesor is the town of Bethlow,
described below.
Bethlow
Bethlow is a logging town which plies the
northern forest lands for the finest , most
ancient wood with great strength to it.
Bethlow has about a thousand people
dwelling in and around the town core. It's
location is primarily a matter of
convenience, to exploit the Kelred river that
flows from the mountains and carries
lumber out to sea where waiting barges at a
nameless riverside
installation can tow the wood to the Capitol
or beyond.
Bethlow's main source of law is the Baron
Kestral (Half Kythian Level 5 Warrior, LN).
Kestral is a quiet man, who is studied in the
ways of forestry. Kestral is preoccupied with
the forest lands near the mountains,
seeking signs of the last of the Kythians to
dwell in the forest. His father was a
mysterious Kythian who wooed his mother,
and Kestral has sought out the identity of
his father for some time. He now fears that
the Kythians of the forest have finally left,
perhaps to the south, and maybe to the
east, due to human encroachment.
Kestral lets most of the decisions of his
small domain go to the Justicar Tramondin
(Human Level 7 Expert, LG) who has been
appointed in the same position for thirty
years now by popular demand, and the
Warden Crevestar (Human Level 4 Warrior,
 unaligned). Crevestar is a rough and tumble
man who can handle the loggers woodsmen
of the area with no difficulty. Together, they
make an impressive team to manage the
rowdy, independent logging community.
Veraggen Mountains
The Veraggen Mountains were an early
attraction to settlers of this land. The fight
to exterminate or drive out the Blyskanyu
tribes was driven largely by the discovery of
intense concentrations of gold in these
mountains. Centuries later, the lands have
been conquered, and the mining guilds
have discovered that the gold was not as
plentiful as everyone thought. Rather, iron
ores and other useful metals have been
found in quantity here.
The mines of Veraggen stretch
everywhere. You can't really go more than a
few miles before bumping into a prospector
or an active operation. Most mining
operations consist of hearty digging crews,
which are either cheap labor or slave teams
from the Royal Prisons. Many private
mining groups actually purchase slaves or
indentured servants from the prisons. While
slavery is illegal in the provinces, this is
usually overlooked with regards to the
mining guilds.
The recent development of gunpowder
and its application in mining has led to a
frenzy for the he stuff. The only current
supplier of the still enigmatic product in all
of the eighteen provinces, however, is the
Alchemist's Guild of the Capitol (see their
entry in organizations and groups for more).
The King has sanctioned the use of the
powder to the Rillian Mining Corporation,
and other independents must apply for
purchase rights.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
There are also ancient tunnels that have
been found and periodically exploited by
the mining companies. These tunnels
stretch into caverns that were once
inhabited by the orc tribes as their principle
homelands. The tribes, now utterly
exterminated or driven south, have left the
legacy of their people behind in these
cavernous mausoleums. Adventurers are
periodically employed to explore and chart
the passages of newly uncovered passages.
Many of these sites open into natural
caverns with fantastic natural formations
that are meticulously exploited by the
mining companies for the minerals and
crystal formations. Culled into jewelry,
these products have a high sale value
among the elite of the provinces.
There is a legend among local folk which is
usually believed by some miners, that the
Veraggen mountains do, indeed, contain
hidden gold veins which are incredibly
valuable, but which lead to the lair of the
guardian of the mountains. This guardian is
an immense dragon, which is said to have
been sighted in 1230, and again in 2114.
The tales say that the Queen of the realm at
that time, Emeni-Vellos, was a worshipper
of the Devonin who called upon a dreadful,
dark-red dragon that had crystals encrusted
across it's metal scales. The dragon told of
in the history records matches the
description. It supposedly appeared and
destroyed towns and castles which opposed
her rule, and was said to have returned to
its lair, mortally wounded, when
insurrectionists rose up to drag the queen
from her throne and burn her at the stake.
Then men who fought the dragon were
almost all killed, and no account from these
men is ever given, though any number of
 local folk in the mountains will claim they
had an ancestor there, who usually survived
with a missing limb or toasted complexion.
Whether or not the legend is true, and
whether or not the dragon spoken of in the
history records still exists, it is a rumor
which keeps miners on their toes, and ever
wary of any rare gold veins they find.
Beside the prospecting and mining, there
are four interesting locations about the
mountains. This includes Mendeshore,
Devilspire, the Lake of Woes, and the
Monastery of the Middle Gods.
Mendeshore
In the ring of mountains, at the shores of
the Lake of Woes, is Mendeshore. This is a
rowdy mining community, which reaps the
profits of wealthy miners, trappers, and
loggers who are looking for a good time but
don't want to make the two-and-a-half day
trek to the Capitol. Mendeshore is filled
with gambling establishments, pubs, inns,
three houses of prostitution, and two
temples, one to Herme, who is seen as a
patron of miners, and the other to Mitra,
who is seen as the patron of hidden wealth.
Mendeshore has a local Warden and
Justicar who are recognized as official, but
are paid for by the Rillian Mining Company
to enforce law in the town. The justicar is
Goran Redspeed (Human Level 4 Warrior,
Level 4 Rogue, unaligned), a salty dog who
retired a few years ago from the navy and
now bashes heads with his mallet. He's a
ruthless guy who's easily bribed if you give
him good reason to accept your offering.
His warden is Kolan Macdagor (human
level 3 Warrior Level 2 Rogue, evil), a
beastly man who once served as the
executioner of Boloron before he got bored
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
and decided to move on to better things. In
Mendeshore, he is a veritable tyrant, and
refers to himself as baron of the land.
Goran tolerates him, as long as he gets the
job done. Both are Rillian stooges.
Finally, both the Black Lotus guild of
Octzel and the Guild of the Blade are said to
work within Mendeshore. The gambling
establishments are suspected to be run, or
at least dominated by the Black lotus Build.
Mercenaries who work to protect valuable
mines are usually members of the Guild of
the Blade, though there are three other
local companies who do so as well.
The Lake of woes
Crytosar Burnistis, a sage from Midas,
once said this about the Lake of Woes,
"Were I to set eyes upon, dwell close to, or
even think about this sordid lake, I too
would be filled with woes!" He's right. The
lake is filled with the garbage and debris of
miners along the edges, and the water is
uncharacteristically dark. This his is actually
because of how deep the lake is in the
middle. It actually drops almost seven
hundred feet down at the center! This is
immensely deep, and while no one yet
knows this fact, the sage Crytosar
attempted to determine the depth with
rope and anchors on a sailing boat, and
discovered only that he couldn't buy
enough rope to do it.
Over the centuries, rumors of lake
monsters have abounded, but in recent
years, the occasional miner who turns up
missing is thought to drown and sink
beneath the waves. Local fishermen and
lake dwellers say they do see sea serpents,
and that these are the spawn of the dragon
of Veraggen.

Devilspire
The tallest mountain of the ring is called
Devilspire, for it is at the top of this great
mountain that the ancient castle of House
Karo is built. The castle soars into the sky,
and is a mass of towers clustered around a
central round body. It is almost impossible
to siege, though angry miners once thought
about using dynamite to blow the thing off
of its perch. In any case, the castle is nearly
magical in its construction and placement,
and the Geomancers are said to have been
involved in building it.
The Karo family is hundreds of years old,
and is a long line of scholars, lorists, and
mages who provide divination and advice to
the desperate. The current member of the
family to dwell here is Artonian Karo, the
Dabbler on Devilspire (Human Level 10
Sorcerer, Level 2 Aristocrat, unaligned). He
is a riddler, a poet, and a practiced magician
who will occasionally grace the shining
courts of the Capitol and woo the ladies.
He's said to be a friend of Wormie Vellsoth.
In either case, Karo is opposed to any
mining on Devilspire, and will send troops
from his small garrison to beat errant
miners into submission. The local people of
the lake see him as strange, but appreciate
his stand on the miners, as it makes the
east side of the lake more tolerable.
The Monastery
On the outer, western edge of the
mountains is a walled, stone and wood villa
which houses the monastery dedicated to
the Church of the Middle Gods. Two dozen
followers work within these halls, serving
the interests of many different compatible
faiths. More about the monastery and its
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
leader can be found in the section on
Organizations and Groups in the Capitol, as
this establishment is closely tied to the
church affairs in the city.
The monastery does not have any
defenses beyond its stockade wall, and its
men are all highly monastic, seeking their
own quiet studies. They participate in
scribal pursuits, and the monastery is
believed to hold a great trove of previously
unseen texts of religious import.
Morison
This is a small logging town of little real
import. It is built near a fair sized river
opening, and as often as six times a year,
ships stop and cast anchor. The town no
longer serves as a major source of logging
exportation, although this is still major
trade of the town, but competition from
Bethlow has made things tough around
here.
The town has a prominent baron named
Bendesar (Human level 1 Warrior,
unaligned). Bendesar is a nondescript man
who lets the people do as they will, Find
relies on the trickle of logging product to
keep him satisfied. He spends much of his
time travelling to Chudeza, where he is a
well known carouser. During these times,
the keep is left in the hands of his Warden,
Krenan (Human level 2 Rogue, evil), a real
scurvy dog who likes to push people
around.
Three miles down the coast of Morson is a
small bay which is partially hidden from the
sight of the sea. This bay contains the
remnants of a ghost town called Benor,
which long ago dried up and was
abandoned when the loggers moved
 elsewhere. To this day, pirates have been
known to maneuver their ships into the
cove to hide from pursuers or to rest and
recuperate. They usually make the three
mile trek to Morson during this time, and
that is when things get exiting for the town.
Beyond Morson are about a dozen or so
communities of fishermen, foresters, and
farmers, stretching out along the coast and
into the forest. Morson itself has a
population of about eight hundred, and
there are perhaps another six hundred
people along the coastland.
Firegrove
Picadore island is a heavily exploited
chunk of land. Mining operations in the
mountains of Picadore search for the
occasional rare or valuable vein. The forests
have all been cut down, and three major
cattle barons let livestock roam free. In fact,
Firegrove is the primary source of beef for
the Capitol.
With a population of eight thousand,
Firegrove is nothing to laugh at. The land is
rich with farms near the town, and beyond
that are the cattle lands, running up into
the mountains. Ranchers --spend a fair
amount of time protecting the cattle up
there, as ogres still dwell deep in the
highest peak, and prey upon livestock. How
these ancient humanoids have survived so
long in the heart of man is anyone's guess,
but they manage.
Stealing cattle is a problem on Picadore,
which is usually caused by pirates. In fact,
the local militia are specialized in dealing
with pirates. Three drakkhars are kept to
dispatch the small but efficient militia if
pirates should attack.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
There are a number of barons on the
island, but the major barons include
Kasador, Roman, and Belegan (the cattle
barons), and in the city rules Lord Manshin,
with a number of baronets beneath him.
Firegrove gets its name from the dusky
red grass that covers much of the island.
This grass, green with firey red stripes,
creates almost red fields from its beds, and
is a curiosity to the island. Removing the
grass to try growing it elsewhere has been
unsuccessful, and the Geomancers claim
that the island has special properties which
allow the grass to grow. This might have
something to do with the volcanic nature of
the mountains, and the vast amount of
basalt and volcanic soil which the grass
grows in.
Chesterlun
Sitting between Picadore and the
mainland is Chesterlun, tightly squeezed in.
This rocky little island is nondescript and
holds no life save for that of the watchman
and the light tower. This great beacon was
built to assist ships in navigating through
the waters of the channel between the
island and the mainland, which cuts about a
day off of travel time by sea. It also guides
many fishermen who ply the channel for
product, and the barges which haul wood
from the river mouth the comes from
Bethlow.
The keeper of the light tower is Reves
Anderon (Human level 1 Expert, awful
good), a youthful man who earns his living
by fishing and drying the product for
pemmican. He knows a lot of interesting
tales about the two islands of the coast, and
has seen a lot of strange things in his time.
He has a hobby of star watching, and has
 documented many interesting phenomena
that have crossed the night sky, including a
meteor which fell into the channel about
three years ago.
Smalton
This is an insignificant community. In the
area of Smalton over a thousand farmers,
fishermen, and herdsmen dwell, but in the
so called town itself, only Maluk Colman
(human level 1 Expert, unaligned) resides.
Maluk is the sole occupant of the town.
He's not even a nobleman.
Maluk operates the Smalton Inn, a bed
and board establishment that is quite nice,
though it can't handle more than ten guests
and twelve horses at a time. He employs
some local youths to perform chores for
him, and Maluk himself is proprietor and
cook.
About once a month, Smalton is invaded
by debutantes and bored young nobles
looking for something fun to do, so they
take a day's journey on he cobblestone road
south to Smalton to get away from the city.
Maluk has gotten to where he can predict
their visits, and hires extra help at that
time.
The nobles spend their time in the late
evening by the sea shore, looking for signs
of mermaids and other marvelous sites,
which in stories spread along the coast are
said to appear here on moonlit nights.
While it seems that no noble visitor has yet
glimpsed them, Maluk knows this to be
true, having seen creatures emerge from
the waves more than once. However, the
beings that appeared were not gentle
mermaids, but terrible, fish-like humanoids
who left massive tracks on the upper shores
of the beach. Their saucer eyes reflected
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
the moonlight, and when they spotted
Maluk, they chased him for a mile before he
got away. Now Maluk wonders and worries
about what will happen when his naive
guests finally do see creatures from the
water.
Indor
Another community of farmers and
fishers, Indor is also wellknown for its
wineries, which cull the finest wine in the
land from grapes of its own fields, and
imported from Diom and Locknor, Indor is a
community of about twenty-two and is
ruled principally by baron Koget, a mild
mannered man who leaves most of the
governing to his gossipy wife, Flores.
Indor has never been known for much in
its life beyond the vineyards, but it is the
place of residence for the family Perilan,
which dwell in a manor outside town. The
family of Perilan is looked at suspiciously by
the locals, for they are known sorcerers.
Arcus Tallus-Perilan (human liche level 25
wizard, unaligned) is the last line of the
family, and he has traveled far and wide in
his time, bringing back tales from lands as
distant as Tai'Kong. He preserved his life
through undeath, though he hides this fact
well, and remains a quiet scholar and
alchemist, pursuing planar discoveries and
unfathomable secrets. He is known to hire
adventurers to recover obscure tomes and
artifacts.
Stetson
Were Stetson and Indor placed side-by-
side, they might disappear into a single,
slightly larger entity. Stetson is a
community of about three thousand,
spread out over a large area. The local
 community is dominated by fishing,
farming, and vineyards. Unlike Indor, there
is no noteworthy family dwelling here, and
it is ruled by Baron Krestos (Human level 5
Fighter, lawful good), a stalwart man who
served as a commander in the Kings armis
for years, and waits for the chance to do so
again. He has many stories to tell those who
are interested, and in hi's youth, he fought
the Agents of Set that dwell in the Southern
Loroden Hills.
Krestos dwells in a stately manor
decorated with military symbolism atop a
plateau at the outskirts of Stetson. Once
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
adventurers get past this, they will
encounter a guard house along the
cobblestone road running south along the
coast. Here, caravans are checked for
proper records and evaluated for taxes for
any owed taxes according to Rishaadian
law. A few miles south, and the borders of
the province await. There are four wardens
employed by Krestos to patrol the hill-lands
to the east, and to see if any Caravans are
seeking to avoid the guard station.
 Appendix I: The Dragon Lords of Lingusia
A Note about the appendices: These are
excerpts, bits, articles and scenario
outlines which dont quite fit anywhere
else, and which have languished unseen
for decades sometimes. I thought it
would be fun to include some of the
more useful bits here, in the appendix.
Thousands of years ago the dragon lords
and their massive hordes of warriors
entered the prime material plane of
Lingusia to wage war over the control of
this dimension. They all too soon found
out that Lingusia was some sort
dimensional trap, having very few ways
out and plenty of ways in. But, being of
the type of species that enjoys a good
fight, the dragon lords bashed it out
anyway. This war left quite a few scars
on the planet surface and the native's
history. Eventually the dragon lords
settled down into their long hibernation
and let their armies wander. The
grounded dragons, or chargun margraks
roamed across the world to be
discovered by civilization as being an
excellent beast of war. These ground
dwellers slowly spread out and hid from
the world around them in dark deep
caves. The serpentine dragons took to
the water and have resided there for
ages now, serving as beasts of war for
the undersea kingdoms. The dragon
lords, majestic winged kings of the
draconian, simply went to sleep, with
occasional reawakenings. The marlacks
and other dragonborn kin appeared as
humanoid dragon headed, tailed, and
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
sometimes winged humanoids. They
dwell in the curetn era mostly in the
Silver and Cimer Mts feeding on
anything they can get their claws on.
The chargun margraks have been rarely
seen anywhere except in the armies of
primeval warriors in Amech as great
riding beasts, and appear as a cross
between a tyrannosaurus and a
deinonychus. The serpents are very-long
and coiled beasts, capable of wrapping
themselves around a Hyrkanian war
galley. The dragon lords are probably
the largest existing creatures on
Lingusia, extending several hundred feet
in any direction. There are several
known dragon lords, being as follows
with above stats. All dragon lords have a
distinctive color and humanoid
appearance.
Necronimus Damniskovus (purple):
Necronimus is one of the younger and
more adventurous of the dragon lords.
He collects great quantities of platinum
coin and has an incredible horde of it
stored in his den. His lair is in the cone
of an active volcano in the Cimer mts.
He takes on the human appearance of
an incredibly tall old man in his fifties.
Krokinimor Guru (green): Guru awoke
from his deep and hidden lair among
the flatlands of the Great Plains. Since
he awoke, he has lumbered across the
plains terrorizing orcish peasants and
eating livestock. Guru cannot fly due to
an old war wound. Gurus favorite sport
 is combating daring Cymeeran and
Ocentashian knights who think they can
defeat him.
Draggo Yshtralik (yellow): Yshtral is
known only in the myths that come
from traders of far off lands to the east.
He is said to be a great dragon that
dwells on the mythical isle of TaiKong.
His form is said to be that of Khozakani
warrior.
Draviskus Barauchanus (black): Barauch
is a terrible stalker of the night in the
Amech jungles. He inspires fear in the
locals and forces them to worship him
as a god. He is cruel, powerful, and the
most cold-blooded of all the dragon
lords. His only wish is to rend his foes
limb from limb. His humanoid shape is
that of a primitive Neanderthal man.
Garkonik, son of Drako Charolisk (red):
Gar is the youngest son of the late
Charol. Gar has gone and begun his
studies in the art of human wizardry,
since his mother cannot teach him the
art of dragon wizardry. He has found the
magic of Lingusia to be incredibly easy
to learn and is already reknowned for
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
his talent. Gar takes on the appearance
of an impish young man in a long grey
cloaks.
Drakonus Smygaunus (gold):
Smygaunus is undoubtedly the most
racial, snobby, and self centered dragon
of them all. He spends his time lying in
on his bed of gold in the Lone Mountain,
occasionally deciding to teach the lesser
beings a lesson by getting out and
eating a few local peasants. Smygaunus
has no humanoid shape, feeling too far
above the "inferior beings of humanity.
Drakon Shaikor (gold): Drakon is the
kindest and most considerate dragon
lord of the lot. He long ago left his
hidden lair in Zued to roam the world, in
an effort to learn of the world's
cultures. His form is that of a young
warrior in golden armor.
Draskino Crassimos (copper): Crassimos
is a rare dragon lord and little in known
of him. He is said to appear as a wizened
little ancient man in his humanoid form
and spends all of his time in
philosophical studies.
 Appendix II: THE ISLAND OF THE WATCHING
GODS
West of Karaktu, about 250 miles
south of the coast of Galvonar in an
isolated region where the ocean
streams tend to run only from the
Mataclani coast is an island marked by
its curious watching-gods; traveling
along the southern regions of this
volcanic island you can see dozens,
perhaps as many as a hundred colossal
statues staring with stone-carved white
eyes out into the Endless Oceans.
Beyond that can be seen the single,
massive volcanic cone which dominates
the eastern end of the island.
In fact, this fifty mile island is the
epicenter of a remote cultural group that
some say could trace its roots to the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Nakamura islands, and others believe
can find its origins in the natives of
Karaktu. Either way, it is clear that the
small ecology of this remote island has
given rise to a unique form of worship
unseen anywhere else.
The humans who dwell on the island
have remained culturally untouched for
centuries, perhaps even millennia, and
have developed their own lifestyle,
religion, and system of government. The
island, being so remote, has long since
been stripped of most natural resources.
At one time it was rich with trees, but the
obsession of its people with the creation
of their ancient idols led to the eventual
deforestation of their land, as they drew
great stones from the quarry at the base
of the volcano, using stripped logs to rol
the carved stones to the beach. Ritual
burning and a steady need for resources
that was outstripped by the growing
population have turned much of the isle
in to a barren track of land.
The wise priests of the Watching Gods
might well have stepped in and
prevented this decimation, seeing the
devestation their people wrought in
zealous furor, but were in turn
confronted with the discovery of a rival
god by tribes not in favor with the
followers of the Watching Gods. These
tribes instead found a follower within an
ancient monument that could be traced
to the Pre-historic empires of ten
thousand years ago. This god, called
the Water-Devil by the non-worshippers,
manifested itself directly and promised
magic and prosperity in exchange for
total devotion. Its interests had nothing
 to do with sparing the land.
Within the last decade, dissident
tribesmen have turned to a new cult,
seeking aid from the heart of the
volcano, which is seen as a mystic
center of power. There, a new priest
named Akumas has claimed to discover
a new god, a Bird-God called Serethak
who is the King of the birds. These new
cultists have attempted to subjugate the
other tribal groups through their new
bird magic, and use their control of the
feathered folk to sustain themselves.
The sacred monument at the height of
the volcano is protected by fierce
thunderbirds, sent from the heavens by
Serethak himself, the cultists claim.
The three religious-tribes are therefore:
The Tribes of the Bird-King
Serethak, led by Akumas, and
dwelling in the Mystic heart of
the Volcano.
The Tribes of the
Watching-Gods, who are also
called the Wind-Lords. The
oldest religion of the land, these
tribes are united by Hotumak, a
fierce warrior who believes the
Sea-Devil to be a demon, and
has the back-up of the priests to
support him. These tribes dwell
on the western end of the island,
using the rocky cover of the
beach heads and cliffs to avoid
detection from their enemies.
The tribes of the Water-Devil,
whom they call H'edolin. Led by
Hesemerath, the chosen
priest-chief of the Water-Devil,
they are centered aroundan
ancient ruin, excavated from the
earth in the northern regions of
the island. There, the cultists
practice cannibalism and work
their water magics against the
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
other tribes. The Water-Devil is
said to take terrifying form within
the ancient temple ruin, and is
suspected to have lived there
since before the pre-history of
the ancient empires of the world.
Difficulties on the Island of the
Watching Gods:
Intertribal conflict. The island's
resources are drained, and the
ancient quarries of the volcanoes
have been shut down, but the
tribes of the Watching Gods wish
to return to the old way of living,
no matter how unlikely. Travelers
could find aid here if they enlist
to protect and serve against the
actions of the other tribes.
Raids. The tribes of the
Water-Devil have taken to
cannibalism for survival, and see
other tribes as subhuman. They
also still have access to the
knowledge of how to build sea-
worthy vessels useful for
crossing the ocean, though they
lack the resources to make one.
Thunderbirds, Rocs, and
other bird problems. There are
many strange birds which the
volcano tribes have gained
control over, and the most daring
warriors of the bird cult have
learned to ride these fantastic
beasts as war mounts.
The Sea Devil. Dwelling
beneath the waters are more
horrid abominations like the
creature lurking in the ruins,
including a race of Kuo-Toa that
prize the skins of humans. On
Those rare occasions when the
sea dwellers raid, is is one of the
few ways all of the dissident
tribes will unite for a time.
 Encounters on the Island of the Roll Encounter
Watching Gods: 1-5 Sea Wolves (1d6)
6-10 Kuo-Toa (2d8)
Encounters on the islands are 1 in 6 per 11-40 Tribesmen (2d12)
eight hours; tribal encounters are 41-50 Striges
subject to the location the PCs are at. 51-53 Rocs
Some encounters necessitate being 54-67 Land Sharks
near the shore-line. 68-77 Sharks
78-79 Aboleth and Kin
80-82 Undead
83-88 Weresharks
89 Foreigners
90-00 Wild Dogs

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 Appendix III: Quest Seed: Search for the Orb of Oblivion
Note: This was the introduction to the latest
campaign arc of Lingusias long tale. It eventually
leads to a period known as the Time of Cataclysm,
when the Orb of Oblivion is used by the last of the
prehunates to destroy the Well of Ceation at the
center of the world. This act destroys Karaktu and
devastates coastal lands of the world, as well as
disrupting forever more the planar portals across the
world, trapping outsiders in Lingusia permanently. In
the course of this campaign arc, the sacred orbs of
Order and Chaos were lost in the planes, effectively
ending all remnants of the law/chaos war. The
campaign arc set up the next major story arc for
Lingusia, which will deal with the consequences of all
this, and a much changed world, 1,100 years in the
future from the time of this campaign setting. Ill
probably release that material as a supplemental
book that stands alone sometime in the future!
Background
Two years after the defeat of Queen
regent Taelythia Mandragora, her most
trusted advisor and general, Lord Callisto
Darkarav, is wracked with guilt at his failure
to protect her. While he led the retreat
against the overwhelming forces of Trog,
the regent stayed behind, and used her
battalion of elite paladins and knights to
hold off the hordes long enough for the
remaining army to escape.
Since then, Lord Darkarav has sought
many avenues for revenge in her name, and
to reclaim what he sees as his lost honor at
the retreat. About two months ago, a
mysterious being called Erzak of
indeterminate species and nature appeared
before him, and offered some insight in to a
power source capable of annihilating the
newly risen Lord of Chaos: The Orb of
Oblivion! Unbeknownst to anyone, Ezrak is
a servant of the Prehunate Diannysos, who
has dark intentions with the orb.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
The Orb has been lost since the Day of
Reckoning, when the orbs of Life and Chaos
were brought together and fused with the
Orb of Oblivion. Many thought a new orb
had been created, and in a manne rof
speaking, they were right; the Orb of
Oblivion is no longer the same, all-
comsuming madness-inducing object that
looks upon the true nature of loss and
death that it once was. The orb, all three of
them, are coterminous in one object now,
and the right user can evoke the right
element; life/order, chaos, and
oblision/death have all fused in to one
mass, essentially.
A new priesthood was charged by the
wounded god Aurumurvox with stealing the
orb away to a secluded location. The orb is
a focal point of creation; it can never leave
the prime material plane, and Auramurvox
could not wander the celestial realms while
he healed, free of his old task, and still care
for the orb. As such, he recruited an elite
priesthood of dedicated priests, most from
the Church of the Middle Gods, to do his
bidding.
They found an ancient subterranean
complex in the Great Desert, found beneath
a buried ziggurat which was once a temple
of the ancients. Here, they restored the lost
complex and placed the orb in its sacred
place.
Over three centuries, many events
happened which led to the downfall of the
priesthood and the abandonment of the
temple. Not many decades after it was
created, an army of demons led by the
Shadow Lord Helvarak tracked down the
location of the orb. As it turns out, the
 strange energies of the orb were creating
rips in the fabric of the prime material
plane. The priests accommodated by
integrating these gaps in to limbo and
beyond in to the architecture and
protective traps of the complex, but could
nto close these portals. Unfortunately,
Helvarak discovered the gate to the Plane
of Shadow and passed through it with an
army of demons to lay waste to the priests
of the temple. Only a handful of the most
powerful priests and paladins fought them
back, and the high priest Aramach bound
the demon lord to A Silver globe. The
demons did try to steal the orb, and almost
got it; but the nature of the orb prevented
it from being taken in to the outer planes,
and it released a great wave of energy
which destroyed the demons and many
priests.
Aramach, mortally wounded, instructed
his surviving followers to devise traps and a
mechanism of securing the temple heart
from intrusion. He even used the soulbound
demon lord as a guardian against one of the
entry mechanisms as a bit of irony. When
he was about to die at last, he ordered his
survivors to seal the complex and abandon
it, and to never speak of the location again.
He knew no planar being could take the
orb; he had only to insure no mortal would
try, either.
To this day, Aramach haunts the temple as
a spectre seeking to warn good beings away
and to frighten or slay evil beings, but his
power has waned in time, and he finds he
can hardly manifest any spectral power
now.
The Present
Now, Lord Darkarav sees a way to restore
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
his honor and gain revenge for his queens
death at the same time. By recovering the
orb, he can master its power, and use the
artifact to slay the Chaos Lord of Trog,
Xauraun Vestillios, and set right the many
wrongs committed upon the world. He
commissioned his most favored legionnaire,
Commander Eldar Dann Kravos, to take his
legion of soldiers in to the Great Desert, led
by the map of Erzak, and recover the orb.
This was two months ago; the legion was
never heard from again.
Unbeknownst to Darkarav, the entity
Erzak (who is really a minion of Slithotep)
sold his information to three different
entities. He went to the Beast Assassin of
Xauraun and told her of the legend, and
how it would make her favored. Lady
Tenira, warped by Xaurauns magics in to an
awful engine of destruction, took a moment
from her conquest of the Southern
Hyrkanian lands to dispatch her most
trusted soldiers, orc captain Voge Maradon
and orc assassin Yladda Kraem to
investigate if the orb was real.
Simultaneously, Erzak spoke to the Black
Circle agent Kalta Dymassiris of the orb.
Kaltas is a member of the Black Circle
faction which opposes Xaurauns reign, and
continues to venerate the Demon Gods,
whom Xauraun is spending most of his time
subjugating to his rule in bloody combat in
the Abyss. Kalta sees the orb as a means to
an end for her faction, and a way to attain
true necromantic power for her and her
followers.
The legionnaires of Darkarav did get close
to the temple, but were ambushed first by
the orcs and then the necromancers
ashtarth and undead. The second battle left
all but a few for dead, and commander
 Kravos was mortally wounded. Kravos has a
small gem, a Gem of Finding, which is
attuned to the sole relic Erzak gave him: a
small stone statue depicting the god
Aurumurvox. This came from the temple,
and with it, the gem can find the origin in
the statue.
The Patrons
PCs have several lead-ins to the quest:
Lord Dale Ravan
Dale Ravan is the high-wizard and Mage-
Councilor to young Kalterys Mandagora, the
daughter of the fallen queen and regent of
Hyrmyskos. When Copmmander Kravos left
his post with his men, it was against the
orders of the regent. Ravan discovered
through his spies and magic that General
Drakarav sent Kravos in to the desert, and
he wants to know why this happened. He
will pay each PC 100 gold (per PC) up front
to equip theirselves and 250 gold each on
return with the info of the commanders
fate and destination. He also enigmatically
hints that he will pay an additional sum of
2000 gold to the party if they bring him
whatever the commander sought. He
seems not to know what it was,
though.just that he did seek something.
He will also give the PCs three healing
potions and one potion of invisibility, along
with a Letter from the Regent granting
them investigative and official powers as
Justices of the Court.
Friend or Family Member
One or more of the PCs were co-
legionnaires, friends or family to Kravos,
and have been trying to learn of his
whereabouts when the mysterious Erzak
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comes to them and offers some information
and a map, explaining that the commander
was on a quest for an unspecified nobleman
to find an ancient holy relic.
Seeking the Orb as Well
One of the PCs may be on a quest for the
orb. The Order of Justicars, pledged to serve
the powers of Kavhishkar and Karsyllym,
have been made aware of the fact that the
orbs location has been compromised (Ezrak
set off alarms when he found the temple).
The order is where descendants of the
secret society of the Priests of Aurmurvox
took residence, and they have dispatched
loyal allies to seek out the temple and
insure it is kept safe. Such allies will be
given 100 gold to aid them in their journey,
and told that they may be able to trust Lord
Ravan as an ally, but no one else they do
not hand pick.
The Current Situation:
The orcs and ashtarth have been sparring
for control of the temple. The most recent
push was by Voge and his men, who had to
fight a second wave of undead legionnaires
to secure the temple once they found it,
where the ashtarth priestess Kalta was
using the soldiers to excavate an entrance
to the temple (only its spire was visible
before). The orcs drove the ashtarth away,
who decided to make a hasty retreat and let
the orcs do the dirty work for them, anyway
now that the temple entrance was exposed.
This excavation delayed the foes enough
that the PCs are able to first find the
slaughtered battlefield of legionnaires, with
evidence of ashtarth and orc foes, and to
find the barely alive Commander Kravos,
who informs the PCs of his quest and gives
 them the gem, demanding that they see the
quest through in the name of the general
and on their honor as Hyrkanians.
When the PCs make it to the temple, the
orcs will have sent a contingent in to the
complex; a garrison of soldier orcs are
camped outside, to guard against ashtarth
incursion. The smaller force led by Voge and
Yladda have entered already, and
depending upon the benevolence of the
DM, the bodies of more than one orc can be
found within the temple as warning against
specific traps. The key thing, though, is that
the orcs went the wrong way and got hung
up investigating (and trying to remove) to
shadow orbs, echoes of the orb of life and
Appendix IV: An Adventurer's Guide to Karaktu
Karaktu is an island cluster located south
of the Iron Sea, beyond the shores of
southern Lingusia and the Middle
Kingdoms. The northern regions of the
Karaktu Islands are swept by an
east-moving gulf-stream, while the south is
touched by the returning westerly stream.
These creates an ideal circumstance for
overseas trade in Karaktu; it has become an
excellent center of trade and commerce for
both the west, east, and other more distant
realms that are only rumored to exist in the
civilized Middle Kingdoms.
The island cluster was not always isolated
from land. At one time in the distant past,
before the cataclysm that erased he original
empires of ten-thousand years past,
Karaktu was a continent unto itself,
connected to the southern reached of
Lingusia. At one time the great Iron
Mountains were landlocked, part of this
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chaos in antechambers leading up to the
central temple. They have not even got a
clue as to how to open the main chamber
doors, and have been dealing with the
threats from strange extraplanar beings
wandering in from the portals to limbo and
beyond.
Meanwhile, a very large force of zombies
and a smaller contingent of ashtarth lurk on
the periphery of the encampment and
temple, waiting for the orcs to reveal their
prize so that Kalta can take it. When the PCs
show up and throw a monkey wrench in to
the entire affair, Kalta decides now is the
time to move, and she proceeds to head in
after the PCs penetrate the temple.
vast expanse that was to sink, creating
Karaktu. This cataclysm erased the ancient
empires of the time, and now little, if
anything, is recalled of their ancient
splendor.
Karaktu's people are the distant
descendents of the survivors from that
cataclysm, as are the original peoples of
Galvonar and Amech. Unlike other
survivors, however, the kingdoms of
Karaktu have retained much of their ancient
heritage, and have not totally forgotten the
twisted, decadent ways that once angered
the gods enough to annihilate their
empires. Much of this is due to the ancient
God-King, Karaman Teskulos. Twelve
hundred years ago, he was a priest who
worshipped the ancient ways, and
uncovered the secrets of the last great city
of the ancient Karaktuan Empire. Utilizing
these secrets, he learned the ways of the
 ancient magic that could be used to contest
the wills of the very gods, and though this
deception attempted to rise to power in the
sea-kingdom of Argosea. At last, his power
was secured when he gained control of the
Magical Helix, the source of unlimited,
exponential magical energy that so many
have sought over the centuries, but never
found, or controlled.
The Helix gave him an unlimited base for
magical domination, but his mortal form
could not contain it without total burn-out.
Furthermore, to successfully integrate it
would it entail rising to godhood, and that
would draw the undesired attention of the
very beings that had destroyed the ancient
empires thousands of years before, for just
this very reason. Prudentially, Karaman
Teskulos chose to draw from it as
necessary, and developed a complicated
hierarchy of followers who worshipped him
as a god. He utilized the Helix to grant them
powers, and now rules Argosea through its
power, maintaining an army of loyal priests,
a complicated network of spies among the
lords of Argosea, and a foreboding army of
magically-armed troops who are loyal to the
death.
In the last two centuries, internal strife
has caused a weakening of power, and
Argosea was never quite able to recover.
Laibros, its closest neighbor to edge ward-
east, is an Amazonian society that utilized
the security of their jagged mountain peaks
and vicious jungles to thwart the efforts of
Teskulos' conquering. Likewise, the
free-roaming herder tribes of the Plains of
Talanabro never, no matter how hard
Teskulos tried to subjugate or exterminate
them, succeeded. But the worst event came
when the western cities of Argosea, as well
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as several other city-states in different
areas (Hollinthe and Sablin among them)
united in a revolt against the God-King.
Taking the name of Shillarthe, the
city-states struggled, successfully, to
overthrow the rulership of Teskulos, only to
find itself trapped in a conflict that has not
yet ended. The main problem was that the
city-states of Shillarthe never united, and
have so remained tentatively in alliance, a
few of them even reuniting with Argosea.
The wars that are carried out by the many
and varied polities of Karaktu are not the
main cause of death and conflict, however.
Rather, the age-old sport of gladiatorial
combat is the main form of justice and
resolution in the islands. Originally going
back to the pre-united tribes, the
gladiatorial combats were later exploited by
Teskulos, and provided as a valid means of
dispute and conflict resolution. It was far
more profitable to train a few skilled
gladiators and send them in the area to
defeat your opponents warriors, rather
than spend costly money on sieges,
property, or other major efforts.
The gladiatorial combats became so
popular, and were built up so much so in
Argosea that even minor nobles train at
least a small group of warriors to act as
their personal "representatives of justice."
single warriors will hire out as gladiators to
the highest bidder, and free-agent warriors
have become very popular. Mostly serving
the middle-class who cannot maintain their
own warrior stables, these free agent
warriors are given an immense amount of
status throughout Karaktu. Only in the
island-state of Hollinthe is this process
considered abhorrent.
There are other strange influences in the
 Island chains, such as the ruins of the
ancient Empire which existed eons ago still
maintains crumbling remnants across the
land, much of it buried beneath the earth or
under the sea. Some of the most intact
structures have become the cities and
dwellings of the strange kingdom called
Bakeno, which translates into "Devil Lands."
Bakeno is an even more vicious realm which
is ruled by an elite caste of sorcerers who
have twisted their subjects into horrid
beasts (or perhaps, some say, they have
done the reverse to animals). These
sorcerers are inhuman, said to have bred
with demons, and some even believe them
to be the last living remnants of the ancient
empire of the past.
On the island of Tenetor, the Fire
Salamanders, called Kitaz, dwell in and
beneath the earth, reveling in the power of
their volcanic island. These horrid beasts
surge out of their cavernous dwellings every
decade to pillage and plunder their
neighboring island communities, and
occasionally trying for a major coastal city.
All across the islands, in smaller numbers
but with a past as extensive as that of the
humans on the islands are numerous
minotaur clans. Some think they migrated
her thousands of years ago from Cretea,
others think they have always been here,
but the Mishrag are definitely a fearsome
force. Most of the Mishrag are loyal agents
of the God-King, serving Teskulos with a
fury and piety that allows their most devout
to become members of his elite cult. Small
tribes, however, go against their societal
grain and fight Teskulos vehemently,
serving another god, called Seth. Still others
have left the land entirely, to seek their
peace elsewhere. A good Mishrag is a kind
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
and benevolent soul who seeks pacifistic
answers over violent ones, but do not let
their demeanor lead you to think they are
anything less than violent killers under the
right circumstances.
Two and a half millennia ago, the elves of
the Middle Kingdoms suffered a split, in
which a portion of the population which
worshipped the dark forces of Dalroth were
excommunicated from their native land and
people of Silvias. The people of Hyrkania
believe that these outcasts, branded with
dark skin and called Ashtarth, migrated to
the Hyrkanian Deserts to dwell beneath its
cold sands. They are incorrect, however; an
even stranger portion of the Ashtarth
headed south, to take up residence in the
southern tip of Karaktu's main islands.
These twisted dark elves followed the Black
Dragon Lady Shattakona, who wished to
harness the demonic nature of the outcasts
into her own brood. A breeding program
began, that eventually created a bizarre
society in which dark elf and dragon would
mate, to create twisted offspring such as
the Were Drakes and the Proto-drakes.
Eventually, these people came to be known
after the name of their land, the Yenetai.
They have adapted well to the culture of
the island kingdoms, and maintain
favorable but sometimes tense relations
with Argosea.
Other species that have a play in the
affairs of the islands include the undersea
empire of the Aquatic Deep Lords, who are
hated by all land-living races. In the plains
of Talanbros and on some small islands exist
twisted animen called the Wemics, believed
by some to be the product of Bakeno
experimentation from long back. Cyclops
kin, Fomorian Giants, Harpies, and
 Jackalweres have all taken to living in the
islands, although only the jackalweres are
believed to be native. Bugbears,
interestingly, have often come in
Dwarves also dwell here, old tribes who
once lived in the Black Mountains of the
Middle Kingdoms, and who renounced
allegiance to the Iron Dwarf kin of the
neighboring mountains and migrated to this
land.
In the midst of all this conflict and
violence, the island kingdoms stand out as
the center of trade in the Left Parallax.
Karaktu has a rich trade with the rest of the
world, which allows it to support a larger
population by far than an ordinary island
chain would be capable of. It relies greatly
upon its imports, as well as the trade
brought from exports, and so all cities
within Karaktu strive for good foreign
relations. Aljhira, Easton, Galvonar, Crates,
and Argued are the nations with the
strongest trade ties to Karaktu. Octzel,
Jhakn, Zymhar, Hyrkania, Tai-Kong, take,
and Kin'Tatsu maintain partial trade with
Shillarthe, Laibros, and/or Amasses, but not
all three, or even more than one. Some (like
Avilin) have no formal agreements; their
free traders make relations on an individual
basis.
Character Guidelines in Karaktu
Characters may belong to the following
races and classes listed below in Karaktu.
Some of the following guidelines include
details from AD&D 2nd edition, and I have
left them in just for the heck of it, but C&C
details will follow as well.
Note that these cover natives only, and
foreign travelers are not only not restricted
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
to this, but are frequent enough to allow for
frequent crossovers.
Warriors: Fighters, Rangers. Kits: Amazons
(of Laibros), Beast-Riders (of melanomas),
Gladiators (anywhere), Myrmidons (of any
city), Noble Warriors, Pirates/Outlaws, and
Spell casting Warriors (new kit), Assassin
(from Dragon).
Priests: Priests of Rulership (Agents of
Teskulos), and priests of most Aljhiran and
Middle Kingdoms religions. Especially:
Vishannu, Hargameth, Ashturak, Seth,
Elisin, Phonatas, Miles, Damon, Enka,
Kathack, Wolfon, Golan, Marc, Death,
Dalroth, Shaven, Sumitra, Daigano, Retire,
Shalikuriva. Talanbros herdsmen are
Shamans who draw their magic from the
elemental forces. Kits: Amazon (of Laibros),
Nobleman (any city), Outlaw (anywhere),
Peasant (anywhere), Prophet (anywhere),
Savage (Shaman of Talanabros).
Wizards: All mages, specialist and
otherwise. Elemental mages are especially
common. Kits: Amazon (of Laibros), Militant
Wizard (of any city), Mystic (anywhere),
Patrician (any city), Witch/Warlock
(Bakeno).
Rogues: All. The Merchant class is also open
(from Dragon). Kits: All kits are appropriate.
Psionicists: The psionicist and wild talents
are uncommon but avaiable in Karaktu.
Many lords will pay handsomely for their
gladiators to go to Aljhira and study under a
great master, as psionics, magic, and
granter powers are all seen as acceptable
weapons in the Gladiatorial combats. Only a
few teachers of psionics are found in
 Karaktu proper, however, and the God-King
places heavy restrictions on their
movements in the Capitol city.
Castles & Crusades Classes: Assassins are a
common and almost noble class down in
Karaktu, and can be found among many
cultures, though especially in Argosea and
Shillarthe. Knights are found down here as
well, though they tend not to be so virtuous
and lawful. Yenetai may choose to belong
to either of these classes with no special
story explanations required.
Proto-Dragons and other
Karaktuan Races
Proto-dragons of the yenetai appear to be
large dark elves with scaly, reptilian
features. They stand from 7-10' in height
on average, with shiny black, metallic skin.
The typical yenetai has at least one
distinguishing draconic feature, such as a
thick plated skull with two protruding horns
and definitely draconic aspects, or wings
and horns, maybe a tail, and sometimes
even claws and black, scaled skin covering
their entire body. As a free action, a yenetai
can change from a pure blood elf form to
their scaled half-dragon form at will.
Likewise, they can also spend one round
at will turning in to their fully half-draconic
form (called the marlack form in the Middle
Tongue). When not focusing on either the
pure dark elf or pure half dragon form,
yenetai will naturally slip back in to their
mixed-breed appearance. Finally, on nights
of a visible moon, the yenetai may change
in to a pure were-dragon form, that of a
horse-sized black dragon.
To build a yenetai, use the following
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
template:
The Half-Blood Yenetai:
This form of yenetai is most common.
Such yenetai have draconic blood, and can
shape change in to the draconic and half-
dragon forms, but cannot manifest as a full
were-dragon.
Elf form: The base yenetai (the ashtarth
form) is the same as the ashtarth elf. Use
this as the default for designing a yenetai
character, with the following changes: they
are not light sensitive anymore, but lose all
magical talents except the ability to cast
faerie fire once per day. Yenetai exchange
the usual ashtarth ability modifiers for the
following: +2 Strength and Constitution and
-2 charisma and wisdom. The feral instincts
of the dragon aspect make them less
sociable in civilized realms.
Yenetai are a form of lycanthrope, so they
are susceptible to silver attacks, which
cause double damage. Unfortunately, they
were created by alchemical means, not the
magical disease, and so are not immune to
normal attacks. However, every time a
yenetai changes form they heal 30% of
damage done to the previous form.
Likewise, yenetai heal faster, 1 hit point an
hour in damage done.
Yenetai can choose to be fighters, mages,
priests, rogues, bards and any multi-classed
combination there-with. They often favor
kits for gladiators, nomads and desert-
dwelling cultures. If you have the Shamans
book or Barbarians they may choose classes
from those, as well.
Proto-dragon form: when the yenetai
changes to an elvish form with draconic
traits, he gains the following perks: +1 AC,
winged flight (60 movement) or claws (1d6
 plus strength damage) and heat/acid
resistance (absorbs the first 5 points of
damage from each). About 20% of yenetai
in this form also get the tail.
Half Dragon form: gains both the wings and
claws as above, plus a bite (1d4 damage
plus strength), tail with tail slap attack
(1d3+strength damage) and a +3 AC bonus.
Half dragons can either belch flame or spit
acid three times per day, doing 1d4 damage
per two levels of the base character. So, a
12th level yenetai fighter could belch 6d4
damage acid attacks, for example. Each
attack has a 15 foot range.
The Full-Blood Were-Dragon Yenetai:
Perhaps one in twenty yenetai (usually
spawned from the relations of a half-blood
with a full black or red dragon, or born from
alchemy), lead to this special breed. To
create a true were-dragon, use the rules
above for creating the other forms, then
add the following additional form:
Full dragon form: yenetai manifest this form
only under the full moon. In this form, the
yenetai adopts the features of a very young
(age category 2) black or red dragon. The
statistics for this dragon are as described in
the Monster Manual, and suppress the
physical traits of the yenetai from other
forms. This particular form is a dragon in
miniature, not an actual very young dragon,
so the yenetai do not grow larger for a very
long time; yenetai who live to be a five
hundred years old or more advance to age
category 3 in their dragon form, and yenetai
who reach the venerable thousand years of
age are age category 4. No one has seen
any larger; yenetai lead rough lives.
Were-Dragons are the rare but desired
offspring of black dragons and Yenetai.
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These shape changers learn to harness their
innate ability by their third level of
experience, as it requires time and practice
to manifest. Once it becomes possible, they
may alter themselves into a small (12-16')
dragon-like form that looks like a small
black or red dragon. In this form they have
full speech and communication abilities.
Were-Drakes may muster up the strength
to shape change into their forms three
times a day, increasing by one per level
after third.
In their elvish form, the Were-Dragons
look like normal Yenetai, but they have
reptilian, yellow eyes, and usually have a
shiny tone to their skin. They have all
modifiers of normal Yenetai, and also age at
the same rate.
Certain were-dragons prove to be true
Dark Dragons, usually manifesting as such
sometime after puberty (which, for elves, is
about 80-100 years of age). These true
dragons eventually manifest sorcerous
powers unparalleled in most mortals. Such
creatures are not playable as PCs, but as
creatures, treat them as Black Dragons with
unlimited self-polymorphing between their
two forms, and an additional 1d10 levels in
mage or cleric. A few (about 30%) might
manfest 1d10 levels of psionicist instead.
Other Races of Karaktu:
Aavions Bird-men Dwelling in the many
mountain ranges of the Fractured Islands
Beastman more commonly called animen,
and they are found everywhere
Firbolg rare, but coveted for their use in
the Great Arenas
Gnoll rapacious desert nomads and a
bane upon all neighbors
Lizard Man found throughout the
 southern islands
Minotaur the classic fierce breed dwells
strong down in the south
Mongrelman cast off experiments of the
old sorcerer kings
Wemic proud centauroid race, with a
strong sense of justice. Lingusian wemics
call themselves the Zedranai, and may also
choose to be rangers of up to 12th level.
Laibrosi The amazon women are
otherwise human women, but with a
strongly matriarchal culture
The Fate of Karaktu:
In 2488 or thereabouts, the last of the
Prehunates trick a party of adventurers in
to tossing the Orb of Oblivion in to the Well
Appendix V: Galent, Old Chegga, and Karukithyak
Note: This text comes from a module, The Doom in
Old Chegga which I ran as a tournament adventure
of marathon lengths at conventions. It was a real
hoot to run, and I really wish the whole content of
the module was still intact, but unfortunately I only
have these excerpts below, which I extracted from
very old saved files surprisingly intact. I have done
minimal editing, so apologize in advance for any
oddities.
Excerpted from "An Observation on
Neighborly Influence," The Book of Sid, in
Palomar Library, Midas.
One fine example of a foreign individual
significantly influencing certain aspects of
our early history lies within Karukithyak.
With a name meaning "The Damned Lord",
one would presuppose that this serpent
man Necromancer was held in high esteem
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of Creation, a world forge of planar energy
in the southern reaches of the island of
Laibros. This meeting of two potent but
oppositely charged artifacts leads to a
cataclysmic shockwave of destruction that
severs Lingusia from its normal planar
tethers for centuries, and sends devastating
earthquakes and floods through the islands
of Karaktu. The devestation is so severe
that almost no major coastal population
survives, and many smaller islands are
completely immersed by the repeating tidal
waves of destruction. In the wake of this
time period is left a lawless expanse of
devestation with a handful of survivors to
pick up the ashes.
among his comrades. But, indeed, my
research has indicated anything but .....
Born of the Haikindyr woman Sillist and
the Setitie warrior Hyllusk, Karukithyak was
one of the few chosen damned. As anyone
of a learned nature knows, there are a small
percentage of infants born into the world
with a physical quality unique to them
alone, a "gift" which is often powerful and,
simultaneously, horrifying. Karukithyak was
born with the rare malady of Vampirism.
Karukithyak's inherent nature led him to
constant misery as he strived to maintain
his thirst for blood, despite the general
hatred of him by the tribe. He studied
maguc under the Wandering Mage Killinysk,
a Haikindyr sorcerer who cared not for
 Karukithyak's nature .... or perhaps, saw the
advantages of befriending one with it.
As time passed and the Vampyric Lizard
Man grew to adulthood, his full potential as
a mage was revealed. With awesome
magical prowess, Karukithyak murdered (or
so he believed) Killinysk once he had
learned everything the ancient sorcerer
knew. He then raided the ancient Tomb of
Collhuandyr, the legendary Necromancer
Haikindyr of Galvonar, and deep within the
bowels of the sculpted earth he found
massive tomes from which he could learn
the dead one's knowledge of Necromancy.
Historical archives within the more
civilized areas of Galvonar indicate that
Karukithyak eventually went on to enslave
many human and Haikindyr races with his
awesome knowledge, until massive revolts
and other untold circumstances resulted in
his overthrow. What is known for a fact is
that, in 1350, ten years after being driven
from his native lands, Karukithyak traveled
to the lands that are now known as Octzel.
At that time in history, the Kingdom of
Octzel was no greater in size than the
Duchies of Rishaad, Alutoz, and Craidas.
Thus, little can be said about what
Karukithyak did for the two decades that he
resided within the demesne of Chegga, a
then new and formidable underground
fortress constructed within Mitra's Forest.
Chegga was originally no more than a
series of hallowed caves and rooms used by
many a primitive orc for residence when
Karukithyak arrived. Local archives, in the
form of petroglyphs, have been deciphered
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
by some historians, indicating that
Karukithyak was not, at first, accepted by
the local orcish tribes, and that the
necromancer was forced to use his dark arts
to subjugate the population. This historian,
however, had the advantage of befriending
the Gohondash tribesmen, and to my
delight, they allowed him to enter the
sacred Barrow of their most powerful
shaman, Gunuggush-. Despite the bestial
and grisly pagan practices of the orcs, I was
able to get direct transcripts of the ancient
shaman's writing skins, preserved forever
within his burial mound with all of his other
possessions (and, of course, the shaman
himself).
Analyzing these writings, I found a more
or less complete, if sketchy, history of the
times, including the arrival of Karukithyak.
The Setitie Necromancer did, indeed
subjugate the population and in grisly
details. Apparently, he also expounded at
great lengths as to Karukithyak's
worshipping Slithotep, a most peculiar
circumstance, as most Setities are sworn
from the earliest possible age to obey and
follow the mystical desires of Set.
As outlined in our own Octzellan history
texts within the Palace, Karukithyak
eventually forged an army out of the tribal
orcs of the time, and they marched on the
human colonies and towns. If not for the
most unusual circumstances to follow the
first few weeks of this one-sided war,
Karukithyak would have won. But thanks to
the sorcerer Herdonak, then Wizardly
Advisor to the king, this was not to be.
According to the preserved diary of
 Herdonak, he was possessed by the
vengeful spirit of Killinysk, determined to
bring ruin upon the head of his former
pupil. The double-bond of two powerful
mages to one body, accompanied by a
dozen battle-hardened veteran warriors
and other skilled individuals, was enough to
defeat Karukithyak, in an epic battle.
The details are not entirely clear, but
according to Herdonak, Karukithyak's true
defeat came at the hands of Set, whose
wrath was called down upon the heretical
Setitie by Killinysk. An enchanted shaft of
lighting struck wood impaled Karukithyak,
killing him. Before the body could be
permanently destroyed, however, it was
spirited away by Karukithyak's high priests,
and a laborious effort was made to remove
the wood and resurrect the body. The
serpent men, unable to touch the wood
themselves without meeting a swift death,
was unable to remove it. Meanwhile, the
great army of orcs and undead were
crushed, their leader gone.
The God Set, disappointed in his minion's
failure, cursed Karukithyak to remain
transfixed in a "half death", the wooden
stake keeping the body dead but the soul
trapped for seven centuries, at which time
the Necromancer could rise again to this
day, no one has seen or heard of him. All
they know is that on the night of the Blood
Red Moon, Karukithyak will return to the
realm of the living.
The Town of Galent
Galent is a long-established trade center
for both the neighboring tribes in Mitra's
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Forest, the local residents, and foreign
merchants from other duchies. It has seen
little foreign trade, however, and despite a
relatively good location, it has not grown
overly large as southern towns have.
Galent is located within the Barony of
Hroder Kratim. The Kratim family has
maintained its control for almost as long as
the town has existed, and has never seen
any under its family name elevated beyond
the title of Baron. The present Baron,
Hroder, lives a solitary life within his keep
as he slowly approaches middle age. There
is some rush on the part of his cousins and
relatives to get him to marry, but he refuses
(see the character files for more on Hroder).
The town itself is tour typical, relatively
boring location. There is not a lot going on
at any one time worth the interest of an
adventurer, although, lately, things have
been perking up a bit. Galent has most
everything one could hope to look for,
without an excess or real choice, of course.
For a typical town ruled by what would
seem to be a typical Baron, it is surprisingly
low on really poor districts, beggars, and
the like. Most people who live within the
town or general area are employed, or can
readily find work as farm/ranch hands and
so forth. In any case, the bulk of the town
revolves around its trade, and is the center
of life for families from miles around. It has,
a brothel or two, yes, but is largely a
"wholesome" community.
The following list provides you with a
ready way to look up just where the various
locales and residences can be found within
the town. FOllowing it are a few buildings
 that have been elaborated upon, but for the The Cobbler
most part, I will let you add detail as Hunin the Scribe
necessary: Carpenter's Services
Ambroshe Gambling Hall
Kimurian Troku, Geomancer Gryphon Butcher & Imports
Grocer Market Arena Sport Pits
Ancheron's Noble Hostel General Tenement (vacancies)
Chithirdan Coppersmithy Garkin Loans & Debt Collections
Chuinor the Astrologer The Ropemaker & Twine
Messolar the Linguist Serpent's Coils
Fletched-Feather Inn River Tavern
General Smithy Chonuskin the Armorer
Scriptorium Basket Makers & Weaving
Hotompon Legal Services Leatherworkers
Temple to Mitra Papermaking
41. Vishannu Weaponsmithing Pig's Day Open Market
7. Kul-Homen the Scholar Grain & Feed Distributor
Liandra's Inn Morning Star General Store
Mastielle the Healer The Cobbler
Galent Bakery Binn the Cabinet Maker
Shop of Fine Scents Shizahn the Sorcerer
Leatherworking Johon's Stables
Drommer's Pottery The Southriver Mason
The Horseman Chutuskin Tailoring Shop
General Court House Cronin the Barber
Open Market-Jonin's Purple Sky Winery
Cattle Auction Stables Dyes, Herbs, & Tailoring
Weaver & Tapestry Menolosk's Charms&Potions
Hindia's Pleasure Hall The Locksmith
Open Market-Tullisken's Linolle's Clothery & Dye
Hausturin's Fine Skins Crossroads Tavern
The Tap Winery & Imports Boar's Tusk Tavern
Redeye Pawnshop Jailhouse & Law Offices
Loorin's General Store & Trade
Vacant Building Special Notes
Honusk the Scribe Crossroads Tavern: This is the place most
Meera's Winery & Tavern adventurers are likely to frequent. Located
Vacant Building at the old Crossroads (back when Galent
Slum Hall was nothing more than the Keep), this Inn
Jon the Sharpener and Woodcutter and Tavern caters to most out-of-town
Honosh Leatherworking customers. Its owner, An Ogre Magi of

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 indeterminate age, purchased the business
from its prior owner who built the Tavern
some fifty years ago on the very spot where
a huge tree grew, off of which dozens of
criminals and despots had been hung,
either by the neck or in cages, to die. Since
then, such public executions have moved
south to the new crossroads, but the
memory of the former still remains.
In fact, the Tavern & Inn was built around
the old tree, the base of which can be seen
taking of a sizeable portion of the Tavern's
center. The four rooms which touch upon
the tree on the second level are rarely used,
except to intentionally humiliate someone
unfamiliar with local tales, or by those one
betting dare. This is because the tree is
haunted in a most unusual way.
In Octzellan burial customs criminals are
hung on specially marked trees, so that
their spirits are trapped within the tree.
These trees are "undead", so to speak; they
have no dryad, or spirit, within them, yet
they live. Instead they take the soul of
those killed on or close to them, preventing
the criminal from reaching the afterlife.
Lokenze, however, was so insane and
vengeful that the tree actually took his body
as well, and since that time, his skeleton has
lived within the tree, and occasionally
emerges to either taunt and torture those
who are beneath the branches of the tree
(which stick out of the tavern) or to kill
them.
Lokenze never comes out during the day,
or when the Tavern (on the first level) is
populated, but he does roam the lower
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
level and four upper rooms around the tree
(with locked doors) at night. The Magi
Tavern Owner, who often acts as Barkeep,
has developed a kind or relationship with
the dead man, and will stay up nights to talk
to him. Lokenze can hear and see a lot of
stuff no one else can, who isn't dead....
The Magi himself has no name, but he has
a seemingly endless number of stories to
tell about his prior adventures, and the
scars (and muscles) to prove it. He keeps a
massive, seven foot long spear hung above
the wine racks, with a rubies encrusting it,
and has often showed off his skill at
wielding it.
The tavern offers numerous sports, such
as dart-throwing, arm-wrestling, and the
like. It has a fine selection of drinks and
meals, cooked eitehr by the Magi or his
Woman Friday, a plump elderly lady named
Hichia. The prices are reasonable, and the
twenty rooms available on the second story
(not counting the four bordering the tree)
go for 5 GP a night.
Serpent's Coils: This is a brothel/ tavern/
arena/ exotic circumstances locale all rolled
into one. The building itself is pretty
innocuous, but walking inside reveals a very
seedy, scum-of-the-earth center of business
for such disreputable people as would like
this place. There are numerous exotic
dancers with flair of Southern Styles that
weave in and out of the Tavern T-ables, and
in the center of the establishment is a vast,
seven foot deep hole in which resides the
biggest serpent anyone has ever seen.
Some thirty feet long, this fellow is th-e
property of Histeria, the woman who owns
 the Serpent's Coils.
Histeria raises snakes, and has dozens of
them available for sale, as well as assorted
items made out of their skin. She has
potions from snake's innards and scales that
supposedly eliminate impotence and'
increase male vigor. She has snakes trained
and bred to kill, or to act as pets. She has all
this, for healthy (but negotiable) prices.
The tavern also has numerous "private
booths where just about any carnal
activities with one or more of Histeria's
dancers can go on, for a fee.
Menolosk's Charms & Potions: Menolosk is
an aspiring young Mage from Hyrkania who
moved here three years ago, convinced that
with his skill he picked up at a Wizard's
College, he could make a killing in a town of
"simple- folk". Instead, he found that his
tricks and abilities were not that
uncommon, and so he struggles along,
making what he can, and selling it. He has a
30% chance of having the ability to produce
a potion, talisman, or other item that might
be requested, although the procedure could
take several days, or even weeks, and he
cannot perform very complex magic (A
potion of Invisibility is just possible, or one
of Healthy Plant Growth is very reasonable,
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
but a potion of vampire killing is beyond his
ken). His prices are reasonable, from 50 to
500 gold as per the difficulty involved.
The Legacy of Baron Hroder & Karukithyak
Baron Hroder was the ruling baron of
Galent before he was turned into a Vampire
by the mad Karukithyak. The campaign
consequences left him quite dead, as well
as several others. Subsequently, his next of
kin was appointed ownership by the
residential judge, and then affirmed by the
King. However, none were discovered, and
by popular demand and the judge's own
decision, custodianship of Galent was
awarded to Kul-Homen, who was granted
the Barony for his courage and dedication
to Octzel during the crisis. Kul-Homen was
the scholar who uncovered the vampiric
plot, and has previously been knighted for
his researches. Working with him, now in
charge of reconstructing the damaged
barony's forces, is Val Sidiri, a fierce
commander in the Royal Army elevated to
Baron and given military charge in Galent.
There is some strife between her and
Kul-Homen.
 Appendix VI: The Temple of Mitra
Revised and Excerpted from "The Doom in
Old Chegga"
The Temple of Mitra is an ancient religious
complex located in the heart of Mitras
Forest, not far from the Chaos Mountains. It
is a large, tall tower situated in an open
clearing, with four temple houses, each
aligned in one of the four cardinal
directions around the tower base.
No one knows exactly what mysteries lurk
within the tower, and only Wormie Vellsoth
is said to have ever breached the tower and
lived to tell the tale, but the four temple
complexes on the outside have some
interesting details:
House of Chaos: This is the first house of
Mitra. Dedicated to the Father of the Gods,
it has served as the center of worship for
orcs throughout the forest for centuries. A
well-worn road from the north leads up to
its always open entrance. Inside is a vast,
open cathedral like area, with torches that
never seem to quit (or which are kept alight
by the priests at Haggedash). The walls are
at sloping angles up to the roof, and the
overall interior architecture does not seem
quite right to the naked eye; the place
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
oozes with magic.
At the end of the House a set of steps
stairways leads up an end wall. It is set at an
almost impossible angle. Although anyone
using the stairs will feel as if they are caught
in an Escher painting, going up the stairs
poses little problem. At the top is a single,
plain altar. There are no decorations, for
that matter, throughout the entire House of
Worship. On the altar, however, can be
found numerous fetishes, food offerings,
minor gifts, and the like all presented to
Mitra and Chaos in the hopes that its owner
will get the luck or wish he requested.
House of Huriggii: This is the Second of the
Great Houses. Dedicated to the Elder
Dragon Huriggi, this temple is open on all
sides with vast, intact stain glass depictions
of ancient history. The roof is held up by
colossal, decorated pillars in the form of
dragons swirling into the air. In the center
of the House is a huge tomb which takes up
most of the free space. Carved in stone,
upon the tomb, is the form of a sleeping
dragon. The only entrance is firmly closed,
and would require chipping through the
rock to open.

This is the vast temple dedicated to
Mitra's first lover, the Great Huriggi. Now
slain by the Warlord Kohandorn of Zarn,
this magnificent Dragon Lord has been
entombed in this, the Fourth House. There
are few items in the way of offering here,
and what is here is meant to pay homage to
the great dragon of the past.
Temple of Bargan: This is the House of
Southern Worship, to the southern orc
chieftains of Bargan, where once there was
a great deal more civilization in the past.
However, the orcs whom once traveled
here frequently have long since forgotten
their old beliefs, and the House has fallen
into disrepair. Like a standard cathedral, it is
a vast hollow structure with large pillars and
a great deal of decoration in the form of
frescoes, tile, and stained glass. Careful
observers will note that someone has been
slowly repairing the damages.
Haagdash: This is a small, nine hut
community of orcish monks who have taken
a vow of silence and servitude. Dedicated to
Mitra, they have returned to her Place of
Worship and acted as caretakers for the last
100 years now. Living in constant poverty
and providing themselves with little
sustenance, these orcs are quite pathetic
(and pacifistic), but do know some minor
magic.
The Hill of Kudishy Themigorin: Kudishy
Themigorin is an other-worldly creature,
part serpent, part animal, and part human,
with no permanent shape. With multiple
legs and a long, sinuous body, Themigorin
dwells within this private hole and acts as
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
the protector of The Temple of Mitra.
Legends say that Themigorin was a man,
or perhaps an orc, who defiled the Temple
of Mitra, and to pay for his crime, the
Goddess transformed him into its eternal
guardian. Others say that any creature
which defiles her Temple will become yet
another part of this spliced together being.
Themigorin will attempt to kill anyone
who tries to enter the actual Temple of
Mitra, and will threaten anyone of ill repute
who displays an interest in doing so. Play
this thing as very nasty, and give it a cryptic,
perhaps psychotic ring to its speech.
Graveyard: It is an honor of the greatest
kind to be buried within the Temple
Graveyard; many orcs from as far as a
hundred miles will come here in ceremonial
procession to bury their dead, hoping they
will be granted access. On arriving, a burial
procession must perform a complex ritual,
followed by a sacrifice worthy of the
honored dead. If they do it right, then the
spirits of the graveyard will open the gates
and allow them to enter. If they are closed,
then everyone came for naught and must
turn around, dejected.
In Lingusian death rituals, it is important
to bury the dead as far away from the place
of death, or the deceased's residence as
possible, lest the spirit not continue on to
the Land of the Dead and stick around. If
you can get your dead relative into the
graveyard of Mitra that means the spirit is
taken in; unfortunately, only those worthy
of Mitra's good will get in; those who don't
are stuck with another long journey home,
 and an increased risk that the angered spirit
will not leave and stay, instead, to torment
its relatives.
Dead heroic orc PCs might do well to be
buried within, IF they have earned Mitra's
favor!
House of Chegga: This is the House of
Chegga, dedicated to the once great
Gechkhana tribelanders, then corrupted by
Karukithyak and abandoned after his death.
Most recently, it was used by Karukithyak
after his rebirth in an effort to summon
Mitra with a Magical Helix that he might
steal her life's energy and become a god.
The temple itself is bare of anything
except the following: Every four feet, inset
in the walls, can be found grooves and
niches for statues. In each groove and
niche, still as death, can be found a Lizard
Man Warrior turned Vampire! It is possible
that PCs might not notice these things are
alive until they start moving in for the kill.
While many of them were killed after
Karukithyak was destroyed by the
adventurers who defied him, well over two
dozen have remained here, bound in their
undeath to defend the House.
In the center of the room could be found
a circular pillar of stone, blackened by a
searing heat. Above the stone is a bizarre
crystal formation, hanging in mid air but
burnt out, almost like a shed skin.
Finally, there is a single double door exit
at the far end of the hall, probably open if
Karukithyak is off to cast his spell!
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
The Temple of Mitra: Located at the center
point of the four Houses, this huge tower
rises 500 feet into the sky. There is a single
entrance at its base, sealed by an ancient,
Cold Iron door that no magic can touch, by
the will of Mitra. It is said that anyone who
gets it open and enters as a defiler will die
horribly, anyway!
Over a century ago, a band of vile and
profane orcs broke into the temple, when it
was still open and quite abandoned. A
chosen warrior unwittingly did the bidding
of Mitra and destroyed them, then
summoned her; she appeared at that time,
thanked him for his services, and sealed off
the interior from prying mortals forever.
Supposedly, the most wondrous,
spectacular architecture in the world can be
found within, and its defiling by the orcs
embittered Mitra against the open door
policy.
There is a single set of stairs winding
around the temple, big enough for about
three people to walk side by side, all the
way to the top of the Temple. It is at the
very top that Karukithyak will have gone,
with the released Helix, to summon and
enslave Mitra.
When Karukithyak defiled the top of the
tower, his body was left there, impaled and
disintegrating, upon the shaft of wood
cursed by Set to destroy him. Since then, all
that is left is a blackened stain, and the
shaft, lying there. Periodically, unusual and
often horrific things happen at the top of
the tower, where excess energy from the
magical helix he created, accompanied by
his restless soul, are still to be found
operating and plotting.

Appendix VII: the Dreamlands of Ethenur
There are three ways to discover the lands
of Ethenur: First, you dream yourself there,
second, you can breathe deep the Blue
Lotus and enter by hallucinogen, or third,
you can stumble upon a pre-historic Well of
Dreams, found in the most ancient of ruins
and most arcane castles.
Ethenur has a strange history. Some claim
it is the home dimension of Akuuris, the
Dreamlord of the Middle Kingdoms, given
the fact that Ethenur is the secret heart of
all dreams and nightmares. Others believe
that Akuuris is merely an overseer, and that
Ethenur is a sort of "cosmic fuzz" which
clusters at the corners of every coherent
reality, and that this fuzz has built up into a
pseudo comprehensible universe whereby
all things possible can border. Finally there
are the esoteric cultists who travel by
dream and drug to manipulate the weird
magic of the land, that they might divine
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)


things unknown and unknowable These
people believe that Ethenur is the heart of
creation, and yet only a step away from
entropy. They see it as the first attempts of
Malakor at the formation of order out of
chaos. In a way, all three of these theories
are correct.
What is clear is that the heartlands of
Ethenur seem to share the characteristics of
order and entropy, dreams and nightmares,
reality and illusion. Nothing is truly stable in
Ethenur, and only a small body of "regular"
locations, some of which are described
below, can be said to have existed for a
worthy length of time. Perhaps event these
are merely the bizarre dreams of alien gods
somewhere in the cosmos.
Time in Ethenur
Time is relative, as are spatial relations. PCs
entering Ethenur could return at the exact
 moment they left or perhaps days later.
Furthermore, when inside Ethenur, the days
are formless and random; constant, dense
clouds cover fills the very fabric of the sky,
and the notions of night and day exist only
in the mind. Sleep is impossible in Ethenur,
because the travelers are, in effect, already
engaging in such activity in order to be
there. However, the need for rest and
recovery is still necessary, but all of this is
without actual sleep.
Landmarks of Ethenur
Yes, technically there is or can be a map of
the Dreamlands, but it is ever-changing, and
the locations of its many fabled locations
can shift with but a passing vision or dream.
As such, those who attempt to navigate the
Dreamlands with a map will quickly find
themselves going mad.
Noteworthy locations include:
The Wells of Dreams: These wells, dotting
the formless gray grass and cloud
landscapes of Ethenur, are portals leading
to wells that exist in ancient ruins
throughout the world of Lingusia. There are
many such holes, and those unfortunate
enough to find them usually do not return.
The Monoliths: A century ago, or perhaps a
millennia the infernal Demigod Zaldare
escaped from his eternal prison in Limbo by
ripping the fabric of space and time into
Ethenur. Conquering the city of Nith,
Zaldare exiled or imprisoned the Monks
who ruled the city, called Absticators, to the
edges of the Dreamlands. Other dissidents
of the new regime were also dealt with.
Those who were too dangerous to exile or
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
destroy were trapped within the Monoliths,
forced to contemplate a puzzle, task, or
some other aberrant schemata that would
eternally occupy them. Only a few have
escaped.
The City of Nith: This huge center of planar
attention is dominated by demons, angels,
devils, Insectoids of the Insect Kingdoms,
the "ghosts" of those hallucinating in the
real world with Blue Lotus, priests of
Akuuris, and those who have been sucked
into Ethenur through the Wells of Dreams,
and not allowed back through. Nith can be
horrifying in its complexity and nonsensical
organization to those who travel here, and
the locals take eager advantage of the lost
and lone.
The River Eldarion: Known by many other
names, such as the River of Death, the River
Styx, and a thousand other incarnations
throughout the Planes of Existence, this is
merely a portion of something that winds
through the cosmic scheme of things. The
Ferryboat of Death, a colossal Steam
powered ferry of the Lord Death,
sometimes known as Charon, and always
the one who gives passage across his river
can be found winding through, with the
parties of entities beyond mortal imagining
transpiring on board. A frightening thing to
encounter!
The Monastery: This is the last and most
durable of the Absticators' monasteries,
uncorrupted by Zaldare, and recently
restored by an Absticator who escaped
imprisonment, supposedly, from his
monolith.
 The Fields of Dreams: Amidst the formless
expanse of grassy gray fields manifest huge
areas of "psychic dream energy," where the
masses of dreams of both individuals and
communities, of an especially strong sort,
manifest and maintain effect for hours,
days, or even years. Some say that the rift
into Limbo was created by a dream of
Zaldare's which manifested in this eternal
"field," a dream so powerful it became
"permanent." These fields of dreams are
the most dangerous, unpredictable and
terrifying places to be in all of Ethenur.

Valley of the Insect Kings: Nestled within a

valley of mountains so large that, even
though the edge of the chasm leading to
them shows only tops, they are in fact
dozens of miles in height, is the Valley of
the Insect Kings. It is there that the
Centipedes and other intelligent insects
hold their empires; almost any monstrous
insectoid can be found here with an
intelligent counterpart, operating their
conspiratorial empires against the ways of
both Ethenur and beyond. The Thri-Kreen of
Aljhira who are dedicated to Akuuris
constantly seek to injure these scheming
empires in any way possible.
The Rift of Limbo: Here the dreamlands are
interrupted by a colossal rift that leads into
Limbo, from which Zaldare and his devils
escaped their eternal imprisonment from
Limbo to rule Nith. This is a dangerous place
to stand around and see what happens....
Major Powers of Ethenur
The Priesthood of Akuuris, especially those
of the Thri-Kreen, is a sort of vigilante Police
force of the Dreamlands.
The devils of Zaldare claim to rule Nith, but
can anyone really rule in a land dedicated to
the entropic change of illusions?
The Insect Kings, especially the Cilbadrin,
Centipedes, Spirit Centipedes, and Phase
Spiders.
The serpent men of the mortal world seem
to have branches or perhaps even origins
here, where small groups organize into
powerful driving forces which manipulate
dreamland effects toward their own ends
on the Prime Material Planes.
Absticators, the mysterious Monks of
Ethenur who were deposed by Zaldare.
The Lords of Nothing, who manifest out of
the Divine Wind of Nihilism, are driven
toward pursuing the goals of the
Armageddon Church, a monolithic cathedral
which is said to contain the clock that
counts down toward the end of creation.
Their aims are mysterious and they often

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

 work as assassins for arcane mages who
manipulate the energies of Ethenur.
Denizens of Ethenur
Observers
(alignment: any; HD 5D12+8, Attacks: by
weapon (usually swords; 1D6 dmg) or
psychic blast (stuns target for 1D4 rounds),
AC 19, Primes: M; Special Attacks:
Eye: The observer's eye can cast, once per
turn, Charm Person, Charm Monster,
Truesight, Infravision, Detect Invisibility,
Know Alignment, Detect Lie, Detect
Good/Evil, and Detect Charm. Other: Can
teleport once/hour without error, and may
fly at will.
The Observers are a race of green skinned
humanoids who are otherwise normal save
for the lack of any facial characteristics
except a single large eye. They
communicate telepathically at will, and
maintain strange, unusual alliances within
Nith that often serve to contradict the goals
of their species at large; they might, for
example, take alliance with two sides on a
dispute, and work to gain from each side,
therefore hurting each other in the long
run. They always appear in groups of three,
with a neutral member and two other
members who are opposed in alignment.
They serve in Nith as the judges of the loose
judicial system.
Absticators
AL Chaotic Neutral, HD 7D12+3, Attacks:
Chill Touch at will, weapon (usually
daggers+1, 1D4+1), AC: 20, Primes: P and
M; Special: Absticators always have 1D6+1
levels in Illusionist, Wizard, or Cleric;
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Immunities: +1 or better to hit; cold iron
will also work. Special:
Pyramid Head: Once per round the strange
pyramidical head of the Absticator will emit
one of the following: cloud-kill, lightning
bolt level), Heal, or Harm. Once per day it
may emit Disintegrate.
Levitation: May levitate at will.
Noted for having a phantom energy body,
one with no substance other than kinetic
energy (imagine a phantom limb on a total
body scale, but with the ability to have
effect as if it were never gone) and a single
strong pyramid for a head, these mysterious
monks are driven by the need to find an
object of interest, one they can focus on
and attempt to unravel, whether it be a
puzzle box, a riddle, or a human body.
However, they are doomed to meet this
with an equal and opposite task, which is
one they must eternally pursue but must
never allow themselves to complete; to do
so entails their death.
Many Absticators were trapped by Zaldare
at monoliths with puzzles that he forced
them to take as their focus, in either way,
such that if they complete it, it will kill
them, and if they take it as an anti-focus,
then they will never escape, for to solve the
puzzle means death anyway.
The Absticators seem to be monks of no
particular cause; it is unknown who or what
they worship. Their speech is always
difficult for sane, coherent beings to
understand.
The Lords of Nothing
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, HD 6D12 (40
HP), Attacks: 2 hands (1D6 each),
scrambled face, mental blast; AC 17,
Primes: M; Special: All Lords of Nothing
 have 1+1d4 level as Illusionists; Special:
Ethereal weapons do double damage,
normal weapons do half, and magical
weapons are normal damage.
Scrambled Face: May induce Phantasmal
Killer or Feeblemind once per combat
round.
Mental Blast: Target suffers 1D6 INT loss
(recovers at the rate of 1 per round; brain
dead at 0 INT), useable at will.
The Lords of Nothing are the mysterious
heralds of the Nihilistic Monastery that
holds the Doomsday Clock. They appear as
bulky, robed figures with faces not unlike
TV static and silver hands; their inner
masses are a rib-work of strange and
crystalline tissues. The Lords of Nothing
travel in packs, and often train Thought
Eaters to serve as Ethereal Hounds. Some
packs of Lords have been seen riding
Nightmares and working with Mind Travers,
Priests of Dalroth, and other Nihilistic
agents.
The Lords of Nothing act as the
mercenaries of doom, seeking out anything
and anyone who would possibly do
something to set back the Doomsday Clock.
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Whether they are a real manifestation of
reality's end, or a strong, lasting impression
of a potent dreamer is unknown.
Other Creatures: The Beasts of
Vestikauntus, huge long-legged riding
beasts that graze the grey grasses of
Ethenur. They have, amazingly, stats not
unlike that of the Tarrasque, but are totally
docile and can be killed by a Slay Living
spell. Animates are not unlike golems,
undead, and other animated creatures;
their forms are many, and they proliferate
Ethenur with wild abandon, often gaining
intelligence that they could never have in
reality, but not always.
Illusions in Ethenur
All illusion magic (Phantasmal Force, etc.)
has the effect of seemingly changing, in the
reality of Ethenur, whatever it was cast
upon into whatever it pictures.
Furthermore, all illusion magic always has
maximum effect in Ethenur. This is a
disturbing fact for many creatures and
travelers.
 A Note About The Maps
I have made a lot of maps for the world of Lingusia over the years. In fact, I have maps going back to the
early eighties, and I have maps I drew yesterday. Its a weird compulsion, something that afflicts a lot of
world building GMs, I suspect. I make no excuses! Well, except for my hand writing. Perhaps someday Ill
make a digitized, clean copy with legible print, but for now these maps are all that exist.

The definitive core maps for Lingusia are the densely packed ones featuring the western and eastern
quarters of The Middle Kingdoms. Most of the game tends to happen in these regions, and elsewhere is
where there be monsters. Actually, there are an alarming number of monsters in the Middle Kingdoms,
but thats a whole different issue.

The maps (and how they go together) work like this:

The Middle Kingdoms:

Octzel, the Western Side; Hyrkania, the Eastern Side
Yllmar/Draiin map: just north along the coast from the eastern side Hyrkania and Middle Kingdoms map

The North:
Zarn and Autrengard, north of Yllmar/Draiin map
Vagendars Woods/Caelernin just east of the Zarn map

Amech and the East:

The Hubinde Lands map is the western side
The Cymeer map is the north-eastern side
The Zued/Naminthia map is the south-eastern side
Cretea is at the bottom of it all, the southern-most map

The World Maps:

Two parts, the west and the east. The west also depicts two continents that are effectively mysteries.
One is IlMadhar. The other is..unknown.

As I indicated, I have made a lot of maps. I have many, many more and will scan them and place them up
for use on my web page at http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/ancientworlds, so look there for more maps
to come, including Avilin, Galvonar, Karaktu, and more!

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)

Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)
Joseph Conaway (order #5438615)