The Adventurer’s Guide to Toinen (Version 2.0)
Toinen is a world of gods, dragons, and all kinds of adventure. The three known continental regions of Altisia, Fabeldyr, and Umoth contain many mysteries and legends. Journey through a world where ancient powers seek to adapt to changing times, where upstarts and new radicals seek to reform the old order in their image. You might even press the boundaries of civilization into lands of unknown mystery, where ruins lie fallow and a long-forgotten tale seeks to entice the curious and the foolhardy.
A rich, diverse world full of mystery, intrigue, and top tier fantasy adventure awaits you. Welcome to Toinen!
Table of Contents
Altisia: Factions and Locations
While some cultures believe Altisia to be the first place the Gods entered Toinen, others speak of histories that stretch across the seas to a prehistoric era. While the past is debated, the present is much more clear: several nations and confederations compete against one another for limited land and resources after a catastrophic flood reshaped centuries of coastlines and power dynamics alike. Centuries of relatively peaceful order stand teetering on the edge of chaos. In the west, the twilight of the alliance between humans, elves, and dwarves is upon the land. Total war is closer than it has been in a millennium. In the east, backwater settlements ascend to prominence as the stranglehold of the merchant’s guild is loosened, opening the doors of trade (and piracy) to anyone with a boat and motivation to get ahead in the world. The problems in the west loom over the continent like a foreboding shadow. Opportunity abounds in an atmosphere of political tension with histories longer than most living memory. What will you find in this land of intrigue and adventure?
Altisia: Factions and Locations
Fortare (map)
Elven Wood Realms
Stouthammar
Salal Adan
Coastal Farm Alliance
Splitriver Mercantile
The Molten League
Deepdalin
Bergholm
Frostbay
Grosh Narok
Homlet
Pompen
Lycanthropy in Pompen
Bowlock
The Wildwood (map)
Fabeldyr: Factions and Locations
The earliest written legends speak of the dragons as if they were already ancient. The largest, most cunning, and most wicked among them was Rugotorix, the avatar of the negative divine Asna, once known as Jormungandr. He ruled the continent through the Court of Scales, an empire stretching to every corner of the land. During the Founding Era, Zane the Slayer led the Blackrock Revolt, a violent revolutionary war that freed the land from their oppressors. Five nations arose from the ashes of a landscape obliterated by magic and depopulated from many great and terrible battles. They have been held to a tense peace by the waning power of the Blackrock Company, an army of mercenary companies led by the Slayer himself, whose fortress in the center of the continent has long been a bastion of security. The cracks were already beginning to show when the Great Flood plunged the continent into chaos. Conflict is inevitable, and long slumbering adversaries may awaken to take advantage. Will you seek to prevent it, avoid it, or use it as a stepping stone to fame and glory?
Fabeldyr: Factions and Locations
Kingdom of Alia (map)
- Lexum (Map)
- Comment (Map)
Alian Points of Interest
Alian Factions and Organizations
League of Angaland (map)
- Dunstead (Map)
- Twinforks
Angalandian Points of Interest
Angalandian Factions and Organizations
Flaksja (map)
- Vogurok (Map)
- Skild (Map)
Flaksjan Points of Interest
Flaksjan Factions and Organizations
The Golden Dynasty (map)
- Damingtu (map)
- Daibo (map)
Golden Dynastic Points of Interest
Golden Dynastic Factions and Organizations
Perkansa (map)
- Kikarsa (map)
- Sisu (map)
Perkansan Points of Interest
Perkansan Factions and Organizations
The Blackrock Company
- Rugosfall
Rugosfall Points of Interest
Rugosfall Factions and Organizations
Gronstrom
The Wildlands (map)
Parnorium (map)
Umoth: Factions and Locations
Umoth is a vast, primal, and largely unexplored continent in the southern hemisphere of Toinen. The northern edges of the continent are growing in population, however, and have become home to a handful of emerging factions as adventurers and refugees alike travel to the region. The city of Forgeland looms tall over the northeastern coastline, nestled in the flooded karst landscape. In the northernmost region, the High Elves of Altisia seek to establish a new home. To the west, the township of Nineveh is home to many adventurers and explorers who seek a life free of the conflicts between great powers. The continent is dotted with ancient temples, massive natural wonders, and mysteries worthy of only the greatest and most thorough dedicants.
These powers primarily act along the northern stretches of the continent. The lands south are left largely undefined for GMs wishing to run an exploration-based or West Marches style campaign, with players moving between a “home base” in the north and into the various locales to the south. What mysteries will your party find as you explore this lavish, wide-open land of wonders?
Umoth: Factions and Locations
Forgeland
Kalapa
Kalapa Factions and Organizations
Nineveh
New Thresh
Other Locations
Realms of Manala
Altisia Manala
Fabeldyr Manala
Umoth Manala
Submanala
Factions of Submanala
Kingdom of the Hidden Sun
Deep Elves
The Ordning of Giants
Unilats
Extraplanar Realms
The Ark Institute
Positive and Negative Divine Realms
Elemental Realms
Pocket Dimensions
Laukku Talo (map)
Appendices
The appendices contain information covering the extensive history of Toinen, the gods and their enemies, the calendar used in the world, maps of the various continents and planes of the universe, and a listing of noble and notable houses of the world by continent. It also houses the Character Creation Guide.
Appendices
History and Lore
The Gods and their Enemies
The Positive Deities
Blix
Dvarg
Fisk
Hest
Kraka
Krum
Kverulant
Moderna
Morgon
Rettvisa
Tekare
Vokat
The Negative Deities
Asna / Jormungandr
Vard
Luutzi
Fortni
Orm
Grotspin
Glom
Odel Agga
Veneration of the Three Pure Ones
Divine Rivalries
Lesser Powers and Demigods
The Planes of the Universe
Toinen: Calendar & Holidays
Timeline of Toinen
Holy and Sacred Days
Toinen: Maps
Maps of Altisia
Maps of Fabeldyr
Maps of Umoth
Toinen: Noble and Notable Houses
Altisia
Fabeldyr
Umoth
Table Expectations & Resources
Includes expectations and resources for my table, both for home games and online games. While this information is ultimately meant as a personal table resource and therefore not prescriptive, I have included it to give those just starting out a peek behind the curtain for whatever benefit it can provide. It has been my experience that the core assumptions and guidelines outlined in the included resource do a lot to improve both the in-game experience as well as the metagame experience.
Character Creation
Character Creation guide intended to help players understand the core assumptions and basic information about the world of Toinen, as well as useful tips for building a compelling backstory nestled within an ongoing story.
Generating a Character
Core Assumptions
Continent of Origin (map)
Hometown
Ancestries of Toinen
Class and Background
Toinen Backgrounds
Fleshing out a Backstory
Family
Family Size (Village)
Family Size (Town)
Family Size (City)
Family Member Traits
Powerful Family Relationships
Family Relationships Table
Fateful Moments
Credits and Author’s Notes
Art Credits
Author’s Notes and Changelog
Altisia: Factions and Locations
Historically cut into only two pieces by a great ocean river, the Continent of Altisia is said by some to be the first place the gods entered into Toinen. The raw power emanating from them split the land in two, shattering the Worldspine Mountains and causing a great deal of collateral destruction, at least according to the old legends. The gods realized they must be gentle with this world lest it crumble in their grasp. In their compassion, three of them elected to live upon a great island at the head of the river. Hest, Rettvisa, and Morgon each left their mark upon the freshly established city of Fortare, with Cayden, Avatar of Morgon, electing to live among the mortals as a demigod and king while the others retired to their own domains: Morgon to a palace of fire within the sun, Rettvisa to a chateau on the moon, and Hest to the Platinum Keep, a draconic paradise hidden away in an unknown place on the material plane.
In 883 CE2, a Great Deluge was unleashed upon the land, devastating nations and upheaving the social order alongside the very face of the continent. The continent is now a series of disconnected islands and the boundaries of nations are being redrawn as powers compete for what is left of their ancient home. As this plays out, many choose to seek their fortunes in faraway places, emigrating away to Umoth in hopes of escaping inevitable warfare.
Fortare (map)
Full Visitor’s Guide
Once, a great ocean river bisected the continent of Altisia. At the western head of the river, a raised islet stood vanguard over the waters. It was here that the founders of Fortare, said to be near-gods in their own right, set out to build the greatest city the world had ever seen. For nearly nine hundred years, the city has flourished under the rule and stewardship of the reincarnating god-king Cayden. While his exact origins and lineage are blurred by legend and propaganda, most scholars agree that he is either an avatar of Morgon the Father or at least deeply touched by his divine radiance. Cults of devotion to both The Father and Cayden, his “son” are common throughout the social strata. Adherents perform The Sign of the Star, drawing a five pointed star in the air with two fingers on one hand, as a sign of devotion before entering any building with a roof that blocks the sunlight.
As the centuries dragged on, the monarchical administration largely shifted to the side, with the purported god-king content to spend his lifetimes drinking and making merry with favored allies and a sycophantic entourage. The reasoning for this is debated. Pragmatic citizens believe that the signing of the Deepdelver Accord, a trade alliance and defensive pact between Fortare, Strillwyn, and Stouthammar, caused the king to become complacent and lose interest in managing foreign affairs. Some believe that after a terrible tragedy in the Silent Era, Kind Cayden chose to retreat in grief from the public eye. Others believe that the king’s divine powers have corrupted him and that he seeks only to fulfill his own whims. Whatever the intention, a powerful, bureaucratic body of Magistrates, Governors, and their myriad aides and attendants has grown to represent and provide for the needs of the citizenry, though there is also debate as to which citizens are really being represented. Few can deny that connection with a high ranking official precedes successful business affairs or a favorable diplomatic or military posting. Public sentiment over this system is mixed: while the majority of the city is able to make a living and provide for their needs, it is generally accepted that the system is competitive and sometimes even cutthroat. Most are taught that while some rise to the top and some fall by the wayside, this way of doing things creates a burgeoning middle class between them where the many can thrive. To the proponents of this philosophy, success is regarded as the reward for hard work while failure is the penalty for poor decision making.
When the Great Deluge visited the western coast of Altisia, the island city of Fortare was further alienated from its shores. 95% of the arable land around the city was swallowed up by salt water as the great ocean river further bifurcated the continent. Fortare is now a city in decline. The wealthiest and most famous inhabitants have been moving elsewhere, promoting middle and lower class workers to managerial roles that oversee estates and assets in their absence. This disruption in the order has created a sense of opportunity in the disenfranchised, many of whom treat these managerial roles more like ownership. While it is smaller than it was at its height, Fortare is still the largest city in Altisia. It is home to eight designated Regions containing a sum total of twenty-nine Districts where citizens live, eat, shop, worship, and carry on about their daily lives to the best of their ability.
The Deepdelver Accord
In the first centuries of the Demigod Millenium, there was a great deal of tension in western Altisia. The Elven Wood Realms had been growing and expanding their territory, shepherding the trees and causing the forests to flourish. There was considerable concern from the free cities between Fortare and Strillwyn that unchecked expansion could cause economic harm to non-elven aligned merchants and traders. If the elves owned all of the inns and supply stations, rather than ones independently operated, they could favor their own merchants and edge out the existing traders, swooping in to take over their failed shipping lanes in the aftermath. The people of Fortate did not take this threat lying down. Elves began to report highway robbery increasing at an alarming scale. The back and forth continued, with both sides buying great amounts of metals from the Dwarves of Stouthammar, who were quite happy to turn a tidy profit from the conflict.
The tensions continued to simmer, with Elvish armies expanding territory and setting up checkpoints and outposts to protect their new trade lanes. Shockingly well equipped “bandits” lurked in the forest, occasionally picking a fight with the wrong trader who had hired mercenaries of their own for protection. In one of the in-between towns at the base of the Deepdelver Range, a place known as Deepdalin, a group of heroes worked together with a dwarf exiled from Stouthammar to find an ancient magical forge used to create several famous artifacts. The cavern where this forge was found sat right on the precipice of the Altisia Manala, granting access to untold potential riches in the form of rare minerals and gems. But it was not without danger. The realms of Manala contain many untold dangers. The adventurers who had found the forge petitioned King Cayden IV for assistance with managing the emerging threats to their new found fortunes. While the value of the treasures was undeniable, the king could not spare his forces underground and still guarantee the safety of the roads for their traders and merchants. It was decided that a truce council would be formed between the humans, the dwarves, and the elves. The dwarves were persuaded to trade metals with the humans and elves for the first time, in exchange for the Elves agreeing to cease their expansion and aggression, and for the humans' assistance in operating the mines and sealing off the places where evil could creep up from beneath the earth. Each party was able to negotiate for something they wanted and a loose peace was formed, upon which over 600 years of trade and prosperity was able to grow.
Population: 25,000 (60% Humans, 12% Half-Elves, 9% Dwarves, 19% Other Ancestries)
Government: King Cayden rules the city-state, managing high level affairs through the Council of Governors and matters of foreign policy personally. Internal affairs are handled primarily by the Magistrates of each district who meet with their respective Governor from the council. Because the interests of each district are unique, not all of the councilors are elected officials. Districts with a higher focus on business or religion typically send a high ranking member from one of their more influential institutions to represent affairs.
Defense: The Confluence is a divinely-powered arcane defense grid that surrounds the perimeter of the city of Fortare. It has stood vigil over the city, protecting it from all manner of external threats since it was completed in 215 CE1. It currently acts as a flood barrier, holding back the worst of the destructive waves from overtaking the city completely.
Fortare is a massive city, with people from all over the continent of Altisia enjoying the safety of the massive defense structures around the city. Armies and dragons alike have fallen before the walls of Fortare, which has never been sacked since its founding.
Commerce: Fortare is home to multiple robust trade quarters with goods of all varieties available to scrupulous buyers. The Ruby Bazaar stands out as one of the finest open markets in all of Toinen. Exotic goods are imported from every corner of the world and purchased by various citizens of every economic class. Despite the overall downturn since the flood, the Ruby Bazaar continues to act as the city’s economic lifeline.
Organizations: Temples to the prime divines are located within both the Platinum Keep and the Arcane Quarter. Minor cults also hold presence throughout the city, with varying groups having goals oriented to their own districts.
The city has varying tiers of quality, with the “upper crust” coming to be a term used by denizens of the southern half of the city to criticize the extravagance of the northern half. All of the upper scale services exist on the northern half, it being the oldest portion of the city and where the historic sources of power originate. As such, the southern half of the city is home to varying gangs and criminal organizations seeking to rise above their lower station.
Story Hooks for Fortare
Levels 1-4
A shipment of rare herbs and spices destined for a local merchant has gone missing, and the players are asked to retrieve the stolen goods.
A series of bizarre and deadly accidents have been occurring around the city, and the players are asked to investigate and discover the cause before anyone else is harmed. A sinister force is behind the events, and the players must stop it before it is too late.
Levels 5-10
A group of powerful mages have been using dark magic to summon demons and other supernatural beings, causing chaos and destruction throughout the city. The players are asked to uncover the mages' motivations and stop their dangerous experiments.
A mysterious and powerful artifact has been discovered in the city, attracting the attention of various factions who all want to get their hands on it. The players are asked to find the artifact, determine its true power and purpose, and keep it out of the wrong hands.
Tinkertown
Once a sprawling metropolis southeast of Deepdalin, Tinkertown now lies in a sunken ruin after a terrible accident in the workshops beneath the city. Raging elementals run rampant throughout the many districts, with the survivors having fled to Fortare and taken up residence in The Baitbox district. After the Great Deluge of 883 CE2, the ruins were further buried and many ancient gnomish secrets are now considered lost to the ages.
Population: 1,000 (Survivors have fled to Fortare and are represented in its demographic statistics)
Government: None.
Defense: The elementals who destroyed Tinkertown now guard its haunted depths.
Commerce: None.
Organizations: Most who travel to Tinkertown do not return. A group of Gnomish investors seeks to retake their homeland from the elementals that destroyed them. They work with the Adventurer’s Guild in Fortare to find suitable candidates to liberate the city. All efforts so far have ended in failure.
Levels 5-10
A group of adventurers, who traveled to Tinkertown in search of treasure and glory, have gone missing. Their benefactor has hired the players to travel to Tinkertown, find the missing adventurers, and bring them back to safety.
A powerful and malevolent elemental entity, believed to be trapped in the ruins of Tinkertown, has been sensed by powerful diviners. The players are asked to travel to Tinkertown, discover the truth about the entity, and either stop it from being released or defeat it if it has already been freed.
Elven Wood Realms
The High Elves of the forests in southern Altisia are both infamous and highly mysterious. Most common folk know little of the Emerald Emperor and his forested domain. Those who speak of it do so in hushed whispers and reverential awe of its beauty and majesty. They tell of buildings weaving through the trees and floating masses of land with stone castles built on top, holding fast in mid-air over great valley gorges and enormous waterfalls. Such marvels hide the brutal reality of the realm where a strict hierarchy based on seniority leaves little room for newcomers and upstarts. Noble families have lineages tracing back long before the dawn of the Demigod Millenium, to a time when the elves were still young in the world. These blue-blooded ones are not shy to remind their associates of this fact, and gatherings of High Elves often involve spending the first minutes determining who is the most senior in the room before any business can be conducted. Their strong emphasis on the family and lineage has led to a ridgid society with little imagination for social mobility. Those who have ambitions beyond their station must also possess a great deal of cunning (and good fortune) to succeed. Failure means imprisonment, enslavement, or banishment. Execution is a mercy not afforded to such criminals. Every class is subject to this rigidity. The colonies of Thresh and New Thresh, along with the exile city of Ishne Dorei, are filled with as many nobles and generals as they are miners and blacksmiths. These places provide ample incentive for citizens to toe the line.
The Great Deluge of 883 CE2 was not kind to the Elven Wood Realms, consuming large portions of their territory and leaving only the central regions of the forest intact, with the middle circuit of trees acting as a barrier to calm the ocean waves. The result is a ring of lifeless swampland that surrounds what remains of the once-glorious realm. Dead and dying trees crawl up from the salty marsh for hundreds of miles, their bases covered in brush stacks dozens of feet tall. The once verdant realm is barely an echo of its former glory, and in many places the forest itself rises up in furious outcry, making the roads unsafe for traders and travelers.
Despite the destruction visited upon the buildings, farms, and mines of the land, few of the elven citizens themselves were killed, with nearly all of them able to make it to higher ground or into trees. Their slaves and prisoners, however, were not so fortunate. Most of the noble houses lost critical amounts of their wealth, never to recover. Such a great loss of territory immediately pushed existing political tensions to the brink. For the first time in centuries, the Emerald Emperor released a decree to be read beyond the borders of the forest. The decree stated that the continent of Umoth was the ancestral home of the Elves and as such, they were making territorial claims. The announcement sparked a feverish excitement in the empire. The promise of a new land meant a rare chance for the elves to earn their place in the new order. In one stroke, the Emerald Emperor united political adversaries under common cause, diffusing the internal tensions, at least for a time. Goals of conquest and expansion have caused New Thresh to grow rapidly, which has led to border conflicts with neighboring Forgeland, a city of machine-people who command a great army of their own.
Strillwyn
According to the most ancient legends of the High Elves, the divines that founded Fortare inspired other gods to make their own marks on the world. The expansive forests of Southern Altisia were of particular interest to The Warrior, Krum: a lofty, elegant, and bellicose deity. His previous experiments in the The Fey Realm had resulted in an explosion of creatures of all varieties, some even turning to shadow and evil. Krum longed to further develop his progeny and in doing so took a special interest in the various Elven peoples of the Material Plane. Of all fey and fey-touched creatures, the High Elves most resemble the form and ethos of The Warrior, at least in their own estimation. However, scholars outside of the Elven Wood Realms characterize this legend as propaganda rather than history, claiming that the High Elves and their Wood Elf cousins come from a common ancestry stretching back to time immemorial.
Regardless of their origins, the High Elves of Strillwyn had claimed the entire southern forest as their own by the end of the first decade of the Dawning Era, expanding as they desired and driving out all others before them. Their might was unchecked until the signing of the Deepdelver Accord in the third century, at which time a cautious peace began to spread between the elves and their western neighbors. This cooling of tensions did not spell an era of openness and migration, as some had hoped. The High Elves instead became seclusionary and isolationist, allowing trade only for necessary economic benefit at first. As demand grew for restricted goods of High Elven make, rules were relaxed such that many High Elven craftsmen rose to prominence and established an elite class of merchant nobility. Younger Elves who do not come from crafting families tend toward mercantilism or military service, as social mobility is extremely rare in this rigid and hierarchical system.
Trade is open between settlements within the realm, however special licensing is required to import goods from other nations and cities. Merchant guild representatives can be found in every border town, with the majority originating in Ishnei Dorei, buying goods of all kinds to take over the border and sell in the capital markets, whose merchants turn around and sell for exorbitant prices throughout the empire. This tight grip on access to markets has cemented social ranks and opportunities, creating extremely favorable conditions and disincentivizing any changes to the system. For those who do not benefit, this creates a rather bleak outlook on life and the consequences of this are not unknown to the people, especially in more densely populated regions.
The realm tends toward a natural architecture, with many buildings constructed in and around ancient and mighty trees. There is very little iron or steel in the construction, however mithral imported from Stouthammer features heavily in buildings owned by the state. Great spires, winding towers, and sprawling villa complexes are said to be spread throughout the trees around Strillwyn. The legends speak of the heart of the city as a great waterfall, at the base of which sits the palace of the Emerald Emperor, a great and majestic estate on a floating landmass.
Population: Unknown, estimated 18,000 (97% High Elf, 2% Half Elf, 1% Other Ancestries)
Government: The Elven Wood Realms are ruled over by the mysterious Emerald Emperor, a figurehead who works from within the fortress walls. His power is supported by dozens of sycophantic governors, the chief of which rules over the city of Ishnei Dorei. Military and administrative positions are filled by family members of the emperor and loyalty is purchased from those who commit to maintaining the status quo.
Defense: There are four branches of the military of the realm. The guards follow the name of the seasons. The Spring Guard is made up of the newest recruits and least experienced fighters. They oversee construction and engineering projects as well as other low-risk ventures. The Summer Guard is the primary fighting force, made up of proven warriors over the age of 200. Despite the low minimum age, no elf under three hundred has ever been admitted. The Autumn Guard is the most elite fighting force, consisting of upper-tier generals and the Commander of the Force, who reports directly to the Emerald Emperor. The Winter Guard is a shadowy and secretive organization consisting of the eldest and wisest warriors, battlemages, and other veteran secret forces. Membership in the Winter Guard is a closely guarded state secret.
Commerce: The Elven Wood Realms export the finest wood-carved products, with the trees in the forest serving as the highest quality hardwood for construction and many other kinds of lumber for every other crafting purpose. It is rumored that some small pockets of Glidebark are also found in the Elven Wood Realms, though no one foolish enough to seek it out has ever returned from the venture.
Organizations: Religion is the Elven Wood Realms tends toward a sole devotion to Krum, the legendary deity who created the Elves and blessed their realm. The secretive nature of the realm has stopped all but the most connected scholars from gaining access to the specifics of how the elves worship Krum, however in recent times it has become known that the Emerald Emperor is not merely an elf of longevity, having ruled for nearly one thousand years, but in fact is an avatar of Krum himself in the same manner as King Cayden of Fortare. This lends credit to previously-ignored theories that the Elven Wood Realms is, in fact, a theocratically governed society instead of merely a despotic one.
Story Hooks for Strillwyn
Levels 1-4
A young half-elf servant is falsely accused of stealing from a merchant and is sentenced to work in the penal colony of Thresh. The characters are hired by a mysterious benefactor to find a way to prove the servant’s innocence and clear their name before it's too late.
A group of orcish bandits have been terrorizing the roads north of Strillwyn, attacking and robbing merchants and travelers along the borders between the Crater Wastes and the Elven Wood Realms. The characters are hired to track down the bandits and bring at least one of them back alive to face justice.
Levels 5-10
A non-elven sorcerer has discovered a way to enter the Trance, a connection held by all fey-touched creations of The Warrior, Krum, and is using it to gain immense power by draining elves of their ability to use magic. The characters must find the sorcerer, uncover the secrets of their power, and stop them before they become too powerful.
Ishnei Dorei
As the might of the empire increased, an issue of particular consequence arose: everywhere the elves expanded, half-elven progeny were soon to follow. These half-elf children were not looked upon kindly, however, for they possessed less-than-desirable traits in the eyes of those who ruled their society. Their lives, though longer than an average human, would not be as long as their pure blooded peers. Though they can see through darkness, their senses are not as refined. Worst of all, they cannot enter into the Trance, a connection held by all fey-touched creations of The Warrior, Krum. These bastard children were persecuted at every turn and eventually driven out of the greater forests to a place for “lesser elves” or “ishne dorei” in the high elven tongue. For some it is the city they call home. For others it is a prison, a hermitage-in-exile. Inmates of every variety languish in the dungeons beneath the bastion. The ordinary people press on, however, with some seeking to edge out enough money to make a new life elsewhere and others doing their best to make it from one day to the next. Life in Ishnei Dorei can be bleak for most unless you’re a merchant on the ascendency. Licenses and contracts to import goods into the empire offer a rare step up on the social ladder, though the position and material wealth do not always bring a more free or peaceful life.
Ishnei Dorei is a natural stop for the many traders coming up from Salal Adan or the other southern settlements of Altisia. Rather than sail directly to Fortare, the caravans journey up the coast, stopping in the towns along the way as they go. This serves dual-purpose: the ships avoid paying an import tax on goods brought into Fortare by boat and they are able to acquire goods from craftspeople unable to make the long and often dangerous journey up the road to the city. Many humans have set up their business in the city, moving goods alongside the half elves and at times causing tensions between wealthy foreign merchants and the historically oppressed local population. The government is happy to keep this tension in play, even if it makes them somewhat reliant on these merchant caravans. If the two local factions were to unite against the government it would be difficult to retain power over the malcontent masses.
In terms of design, the city is a mixture of elven and human innovations, with the former generally serving as a foundation for innovations by the latter. As such, cobblestone streets weave between stone buildings intertwined with tall and old trees. Despite the density, the natural elements create a warm and inviting atmosphere that matches the lively and passionate culture of the citizenry. Despite the overbearing governing authorities, the people find ways to enjoy the moment and the taverns are never quiet at night.
Population: 6,000 (70% Half Elves, 18% Humans, 6% Dwarves, 6% Other Ancestries)
Government: Ishnei Dorei, literally translated “Lesser Elves” from the Elven tongue, is a kind of exile city outside the barrier of the realm. The city is ruled over by a Governor, a High Elf appointed by the Emerald Emperor himself. The position is extremely envied and as such, many assassinations have dotted the history of the town governance. The current ruler, Governor Tanathil Gilmaris, has held power for longer than any other in history. He is an autocratic despot, given free reign by the emperor to rule as he sees fit and remind the denizens of their true place in the world of the Elves.
Defense: Around two thousand Summer Guardsmen and a council of ten officers of the Autumn Guard are assigned as a protective force under the direction of the Governor. These elite units are mobilized in defense of the city from both internal and external threats to the Governor’s power.
Commerce: Ishnei Dorei serves as the primary point of economic access to Strillwyn and is home to hundreds of merchants constantly competing for the next big contract.
The extremely high demand for refined and worked mithral, especially that of dwarven origin, has resulted in many laborers on the lower end of the social hierarchy in Stouthammar fleeing their ancestral mines in hopes of finding a more precious treasure: social mobility. The Newhammar District serves as both housing and workshop space for the few hundred who constitute this community.
Organizations: As is typical of oppressive societies, religion is a double edged sword in Ishnei Dorei. The official worship of Krum, fabled patriarch of the elven people, is decidedly less popular amongst those considered to be bastards of their heritage. As such, many illegal, godless cults centered around resistance and even revolution have emerged in the city’s underground. The Daggerists are the largest and most notorious gang in the city, operating a widespread drug distribution network as well as smuggling all manner of contraband into Strillwyn, all at truly exploitative prices. Their name is taken both from a common slur used against half elves (“dagger ears”) and their propensity for assassination via stabbing
Story Hooks for Ishnei Dorei
Levels 1-4
A group of smugglers are looking for new recruits to help them sneak illegal goods into the city. The characters must decide whether to join the smugglers or betray them to the authorities.
A mysterious figure wearing a masked hood approaches the party, emerging from a dark alley. They ask for the adventurers to distract the guards at the gate while they slip away with vital information for the rebellion. If successful, they give a meeting place where payment (and possibly more work) will be provided.
Levels 5-10
A group of half-elven rebels are planning to overthrow the Governor and gain independence from the Elven Wood Realms. The characters must decide whether to support the rebels or remain loyal to the existing order.
An ancient and powerful dragon has awoken from its slumber in the forests around Ishnei Dorei and is wreaking havoc on the region. The characters must find a way to escape the dragon and get word to the capital to protect the people of the realm.
Thresh
After years of importing fine grains from Fortare, the Elven Wood Realms grew tired of paying the high cost of importing the goods. The forests, despite being rich and full of life, were more suited to foraging than mass scale farming, the elves not daring to cut a single tree from their sacred forest. However, the terms of the Deepdelver Accord were explicit: no conquest for the annexation of territory would be permitted by the signatory nations.
The Emerald Emperor was displeased with this arrangement, caught up in a fit of temperamental jealousy. A plot was devised to infiltrate the city of Thresh, learn its secrets, and then manipulate those as leverage to purchase the town and incorporate it into the territory of the realm. Legal experts were summoned from all three signatory nations. No fault could be found in the plan, there was no provision restricting the purchase of land, only the conquest of it. And so, the Emperor’s plot was put into play. Within three decades, the documents were signed and the Elven Wood Realms expanded its territory outside of the woods themselves for the first time in recorded history.
Today, the town is no longer inhabited by the descendents of those who lived there before. High Elves and the political and civil prisoners used as labor in what has become a penal colony for the realm make up the population instead. Tensions are high in the empire. Because of the protectionism practiced by the crown over the economy, there is never a shortage of smugglers and thieves being introduced into the prison. The rest of the inmates are violent offenders, prisoners of war, and those failing to hold the right opinions about the rulers. The prison interior is a brutal environment where only the most clever survive. It isn’t common to meet someone who has served time in Thresh on the outside as no one has yet to survive long enough to finish their sentence and gubernatorial clemency is unheard of. The prison is guarded by a detachment of the Autumn Guard, an elite fighting force made of the Emerald Emperor’s fiercest and most loyal soldiers.
Population: 200 Autumn Guard (100% High Elves), ~1,000 prisoners, fluctuating monthly (60% Half Elves, 25% High Elves, 15% Other Races)
Government: The penal colony is overseen by Governor Warden Ithilian who commands the soldiers and works the prisoners to meet the quotas assigned by the Realm.
Defense: The Autumn Guard sees to the defense of the colony and keeping the prisoners in line. Insurrections are rare because they are swiftly put down. There has been a single escape in this history of the prison, with the elves choosing to decapitate those deemed responsible for the escape and erasing both the escapee and the guards killed from their history books. They now flatly deny that any have ever escaped, and holding or espousing this view in the empire is punishable by imprisonment within the colony.
Commerce: The former citizens of the town now live on the outskirts of the prison colony, seeking out what sustenance they can from the riverlands and milling a poor excuse for barley and wheat from the reeds growing out of the banks and side streams. The rivers themselves make for easy milling, with houses often having their own small water wheel and grinding stone attached on the side facing the water.
Organizations: Several criminal elements have been squashed by the empire by execution of leadership and imprisonment of the membership. These hardened criminals have separated into various gangs representative of their former criminal enterprises. The political prisoners rarely have violent backgrounds and are typically shuffled into these gangs upon arrival. While smuggling anything in or out of the prison is believed to be impossible, certain resourceful individuals on the inside have found ways to re-create some of life’s missing luxuries, for the right price, of course.
Story Hooks for Thresh
Levels 5-10
The Governor Warden of Thresh seeks the assistance of mercenaries to resolve a dispute between two prison gangs: The Daggerists and the Brutes, each known for illicit activities throughout the realm. The Governor Warden seeks to ease the tensions before things escalate beyond control.
The Elven Wood Realms have recently come under threat from a neighboring power who has been encroaching on their territory. The Emerald Emperor has conscripted all able-bodied warriors to join the fight and defend the realm against this aggression. The party has been hired as mercenaries to fight in auxiliary with the Summer Guard and push back the enemy's forces. The captain of the enemy army is cunning and will work to stop the adventurers from attaining their goals.
Stouthammar
The Dwarven city-state of Stouthammar (STAU-tham-mar) is perched high in the Stoutpeaks, a range of mountains that borders the northwestern coast of the continent. A great forest lies between the Stoutpeaks and the Worldspine Mountains where the dwarves source lumber for the massive forge fires beneath the mountain. The city is shaped like a large cone, with the upper tiers of the city housing the wealthier citizens and the aspirations of those seeking to climb to their level. This leaves the poor and less fortunate to descend to the deeper levels within the mountain. While there are more dangers in the deep such as those of natural cave ins or creatures climbing up from the depths, there are also undiscovered ore veins which could yield great wealth to any prospector lucky enough to find one. A sudden influx of gold in a dwarven clan would almost inevitably lead to members rising above their current station in the social ranks. Noble families not only provide a life of means to their descendents but also provide a great deal of pride and honor to the people themselves, inspiring them to create greater and greater works.
But not every dwarf of Stouthammar is driven by such a desire for glory and honor. Some leave their ancestral home, either by their own volition or as punishment for severe criminality, usually changing their names and making their way in the world in a similar fashion to what got them removed. The Deepdelver Clan is one such famous reinvention. Despite making up the majority of the population, the Gnomes of the city have also provided great assistance in the finer points of engineering and a natural affinity towards the arcane, a trait often lacking in the average dwarf. The city is also famous for the coliseum at the center in the middle sections, warriors travel from all over to participate in the games, earning fame and fortune along the way. The city is watched over by the Dwarven demigod Smaragd, an avatar of Dvarg, creator of the Dwarves.
The city enjoys several beneficial trade arrangements, having entered into the Deepdelver Accord with Fortare and the Elven Wood Realms to provide peace of the western coast of Altisia, Stouthammar saw value in extending the hand of friendship to others into the area, forming trade relations with any and all who could make their way into the mountains. As such, Dwarven-made steel can be found all over Toinen and simple smithed objects are rarely in short supply.
Worked stone, marble, and feats of metallurgy are the foundations of all Dwarven architecture. The city utilizes many tall arches, columns, bridges, all carved from the heart of the mountains themselves. This trait caused Stouthammar to emerge undamaged from the Great Deluge of 883 CE2, with news of the global flood arriving via messenger rather than a great tidal wave.
The Grand Clepsydra
The Stouth clan of dwarves are renowned for their mastery of crafting and engineering. Their greatest achievement to date is the grand mechanical clepsydra, a massive water clock that serves as the central hub for tracking official time. This marvel of engineering boasts finely calibrated gears and escapements that allow it to keep precise time, and is powered by a system of water wheels and levers driven by a constant flow of water. The clepsydra is capable of marking intervals of time down to the subsecond level.
The Stouth clan built the clepsydra deep within their mountain home, in a grand chamber filled with the sound of gears and cogs turning. From this central location, they are able to accurately track the passage of time and synchronize all official clocks and calendars.
The grand mechanical clepsydra is a source of great pride for the Stouth clan, who guard it jealously and allow only their most trusted artisans and engineers to maintain it. It is said that the plans for the clepsydra were a gift from the god Dvarg, and that the tools used to construct it were imbued with divine magic, allowing it to run smoothly indefinitely without the need for repairs.
As the years go by, the Stouth clan flourishes, and the grand mechanical clepsydra becomes a symbol of their wealth and power. It is consulted by dwarves from all over Toinen, who come to check the time keeping of their own hold and make necessary adjustments. The time here is considered the most accurate and reliable in the land and is used to great effect in matters of chemistry and engineering. The clepsydra stands as a testament to the ingenuity and skill of the dwarves, a shining beacon of their greatness that will endure for generations to come.
Population: 13,500 (77% Dwarves, 10% Gnomes, 8% Humans, 5% Other Ancestries)
Government: A council of Paragons debates law and justice, presiding over court matters and fighting for a fair outcome that brings honor to the city. The cultural concept of “face” is very important here.
Defense: The war-ax that swings in defense of Stouthammar has two heads: the Mithral Cohort, professional fighters that serve in general defense of the city and to guarantee safety in the markets. The other is the Banished, consisting of exiled criminals, bastards or other such “black sheep” of noble houses. This group, confined to the lowest tier of the city as the Wardens of Depth, is charged with repelling threats and serving as the last line of defense before a breach could be attempted into Stouthammar.
Commerce: While mineral refinement and the production of various fine metal crafts are obvious contributors to the relative economic power of the city, the gladiatorial arena at the bottom of the funnel serves as a massive attraction with warriors battling for glory in front of thousands of fanatical followers, hopeful gamblers, and many others looking to enjoy their time in the city.
Organizations: Flags are very important to the organizations of Stouthammar, with each group taking great care to ensure its insignia is representative of the values and objectives put forth by the group. This is true on every level of society, from the smallest gangs in the lower tiers of the city to the Mithral Cohort and the Palace of the Paragons itself.
Story Hooks for Stouthammar
Levels 1-4
A group of gnome inventors have developed a new and innovative piece of technology that they believe could revolutionize the way the dwarves of Stouthammar mine for ore. However, their plans have been stolen, and they need the help of a group of heroes to retrieve them and prevent their ideas from falling into the wrong hands.
A group of goblinoid bandits has been terrorizing the trade routes in and out of Stouthammar, causing disruptions and losses for the city's merchants. The heroes are hired by the city to track down the bandits and bring them to justice.
Levels 5-10
A group of dwarves from the Stouth clan have gone missing while prospecting for ore in the depths of the mountain. The heroes are hired by the clan to search for the missing dwarves and uncover the truth behind their disappearance.
The gnomes of Stouthammar have developed a new type of clockwork construct that they believe could be used to automate many of the city's tasks and free up more time for its citizens. However, the constructs have begun malfunctioning, causing chaos and destruction in the city. The heroes are hired to investigate the malfunctions and find a way to fix them before it's too late.
Salal Adan
The coastal merchant town of Salal Adan is home to the largest land-based merchant guild in Altisia, the Magnanimous Return. Partnered with the Golden Company in Fortare, the Magnanimous Return is the primary competitor of Splitriver Mercantile in the east for trade supremacy on both land and sea. While their roots are ancient, the Return only came to prominence during the opening years of the Golden Era. Tobias Salal, a wealthy merchant, used his gold to build a fortress-like palace in the southwestern desert region of Altisia. He was a gluttonous and indulgent man, and though the complex he built for himself was glorious, he came to an ignominious end, choking on his dinner in 412GE.
Because of the shame of this iniquity, it was decided that the city would be ruled next by a Governor-Regent, an anonymous citizen who is made into a masked figurehead and charged with forsaking their own life and identity to serve the interests of the city. A Governor-Regent is expected to have no external attachments and therefore nothing that can be used as leverage against them and no ulterior motives. The system has worked well and there have been fourteen Governor-Regents since the city was founded in 410GE. Their identities are closely-guarded state secrets and so far, none of their names have been discovered.
While the land bridge between Salal Adan and the rest of Altisia was convenient for traders of a lower class, the wealthier merchants were already deeply invested in building their navies, both for trade and the securing of it. While some would say the flood destroyed the deserts north of the city, many of the citizens see the flood as a great boon, with their ships having an easier time protecting their new island kingdom than any land army they could muster. The need for trade of basic goods worldwide has surged, and the Governor-Regent has been wise to ensure that Salal Adan always gets their cut of the goods moving through the city at a greater pace than ever before.
Population: 6,000 (68% Humans, 12% Half Elves, 9% Gnomes, 7% Orcs, 4% Other Ancestries)
Government: The Governor-Regent serves a lifelong post of anonymous rulership. While they are intended to be divested from the front-lines trade affairs of the city, it cannot help but be noted that certain noble merchant families tend to flourish over others each time the figurehead changes.
Defense: A volunteer militia protects the roads from bandits and operates a town guard where each citizen serves a number of weeks per year assisting with matters of security, be it front-line guard work or other administrative tasks.
Commerce: Salal Adan is the hub of all western ocean trade, primarily serving the city-states of the Deepdelver Accord (Fortare, Stouthammar, and Strillwyn). Large warehouses fill the docklands containing goods that will travel across the entire continent in search of a buyer. The city is economically prosperous and trade is a reliable source of income for anyone seeking to make a living.
Organizations: The Magnanimous Return is a massive trade conglomerate, acting as the middle man between large scale operations and consumers. The organization subcontracts requests for goods procurement and delivery, often never directly handling the materials they are purchasing. As such, the Magnanimous Return is sometimes vulnerable to criminal elements seeking to launder money or fence stolen wares.
Story Hooks for Salal Adan
Levels 1-4
A local shopkeeper has recently reported that their inventory has been going missing. Additionally, messy black goo is found where the items that have gone missing should be. They suspect that one of their employees may be stealing from them, and they ask the adventurers to investigate and catch the culprit.
A wealthy merchant is looking for a group of skilled thieves to break into the stronghold of a rival merchant and steal a valuable item. They are willing to pay well for the job, but the rival merchant is well-guarded and the job will be risky.
A group of smugglers is looking for a group of adventurers to help them transport valuable and highly illegal cargo through the desert and across the ocean to the mainland. They are willing to pay well, but the journey will be treacherous and the adventurers will need to be careful not to get caught by the authorities.
Coastal Farm Alliance
A family of halflings makes their way to a park, parents corralling young children. Farmers gather under a common roof to share information from their properties and resolve disputes and issues. Wagon trains pulled by beasts of great magnitude trawl south to the city and the fruit of a hard summer’s labor. Flanked by the ocean and the mountains, the northwestern region of Altisia is home to many different communities. The three largest towns in this region have banded together to form the Coastal Farm Alliance, an agricultural-cooperative-turned-provincial-government that seeks to represent the interests of the region on a continental level. Most of the dealings are commercial in nature as the Golden Exchange in Fortare draws a significant percentage of its yearly intake from farms in this region. Many organizations in the larger cities recruit heavily from this area as there is never a shortage of young people discontented with a future in farming, seeking a better life in the world at large.
While the flood waters consumed much of the territory of the northernmost reaches, the hinterlands up to the mountains were left relatively untouched. Used to the seeming wrath of The Tempest on the open plains of the east, the Giantkin simply moved the herds inward and rebuilt their tents in the fields. Seeing their southern counters so nonplussed by the disaster, the people of Sikuaq also moved inland, rebuilding their town and replanting their fields, growing back toward their former glory in time.
Northam
Halflings have historically made up the majority of the population of Northam, it being one of the many ancestral homes established by the god Fisk in Altisia. In recent centuries, however, many peoples have immigrated to the town in pursuit of a slow, peaceful lifestyle. Humans are now the most populous ancestry, though the Halflings still follow in a close second. Farming constitutes the majority of the economic activity in the region, with a great market being held every week to share goods, swap news and rumors from the hinterlands, and bond as a community. Incidentally, this is also the source of a lot of tension, with rival farmers engaging in heated debates over their craft that can even spill out into fist fights. These scraps are quickly broken up by the onlookers, at least once one of the fighters has sufficiently beaten their opponent and settled the argument.
Population: 1,200 (35% Humans, 30% Halflings, 12% Dwarves, 10% Freeforged, 7% Half Elves, 6% Other Ancestries)
Government: A rotating council of overseers serves the needs of the community, with an election taking place every other new moon to decide on major issues involving the entire town, and a yearly election for the council of overseers, where no councilmember can serve two years in a row.
Defense: A local militia consists of every person capable of bearing arms. Group training is conducted quarterly with a larger excursion into the wilderness taking place once a year, staggered throughout the year.
Commerce: Northam grows all manner of staple goods, both for sustenance as well as export via the Coastal Farm Alliance’s trade arrangement with the Golden Exchange. Fishing also makes up a large portion of the enterprise. While no one goes hungry and everyone’s needs are met, the people of Northam have little interest in the acquisition of wealth or the building of many monuments and temples. Simplicity is a value held in high regard by most citizens.
Organizations: The People’s Farming Coalition represents the interests of Northam within the Coastal Farm Alliance. Historically, this society has been resistant to the tides of progress and generally finds the use of magic or arcane technology to aid in farming distasteful. This restriction has been challenged by a small group of Freeforged who made their way up from Umoth. Their unerring precision and untiring efficiency has caused some in the community to become more open to other ways of increasing their farm’s yield, while others believe the old ways are better and seek to persuade the Freeforged who will listen to operate differently. This has also caused some split in the Freeforged community, as some have found the old ways to be meditative and even calming, pretending to be bound by things like sunlight for labor and using carts to haul things instead of dragging them.
Story Hooks for Northam
Levels 1-4
A representative of the People’s Farming Coalition is hiring adventurers to deal with a nuisance in the hinterlands: rabid wolves. The specimen they present is large, about twice the size of an average wolf. It shows signs of foaming at the mouth in addition to strange juts of bone protruding from the shoulders and hips, though eyewitnesses report its behavior was in keeping with the known rabid condition. The PFC would like the rest of the pack showing signs of infection to be exterminated. Additionally, if a cause can be located and dealt with there will be additional reward.
Quegrine
When the nomadic Giantkin peoples in the east grew large in number, a division in leadership arose. One side wanted to expand their raids to land and sea, while the other wanted to expand inland to farm the rich land. Unable to resolve their differences, the families wishing to depart began to leave one by one. Those last to leave had to travel furthest to find suitable land, but eventually the town of Quegrine was established. In time, peoples from all over eastern Altisia settled in the area as well, leading to a diverse community focused on farming, raising animals, and personal growth.
Most of the finer cuts of meat available in the Fortare Kernelier district’s upper class dining establishments originates in the farmed herds that run the inland fields. Key contracts with nobles who patronize popular restaurants also keeps a steady flow of gold coming into Quegrine, allowing for the hiring of Dwarves from Stouthammar to build fine stone barns and outdoor edifices like grooming stations and feeding centers. The Dwarves who first arrived were confused, thinking these buildings would replace the tent dwellings used by the citizens of the town. They were quite offended when livestock were first driven into the buildings, pulling carts of hay behind them. Securing payment for their work smoothed out a lot of the issues, but it has spawned a local saying. If someone is surprised by something others find obvious, Quegrinians will say that person is “stone surprised”.
Population: 950 (40% Giantkin, 30% Humans, 15% Dwarves, 8% Halflings, 7% Other Ancestries)
Government: A Herdmaster is elected for a two year term. The eldest members of the community offer their expertise on everything from tending animals to matchmaking for young couples.
Defense: The lifestyle of the Giantkin peoples around Bergen is harsh and rigorous. Despite moving to more bountiful shores, a disciplined lifestyle and a deep commitment to training remains a strong cultural value that has spread to all of the citizens of the town. The militia is moderately armed and leads the military training exercises put on by the Coastal Farm Alliance.
Commerce: Meat exports constitute the majority of commercial trade. The animals cultivated by the people of Quegrine are sought after by discerning palettes worldwide. The revenue alone from this business provides for almost all (admittedly meager) material needs in all three cities.
Organizations: When the first settlers from Bergen began to transition their tents into permanent structures, they were known for wearing all-bone armor and clothing. The hunters who were first spotted in the region became known by a menacing moniker: Ivory Blades. However, interaction proved this group to be more concerned with hunting and a peaceful life on the coast. Today, the Ivory Blades act as herdsmen, scouts, and rangers in service to all of the peoples of the Coastal Farm Alliance.
The disciplined lifestyles of the people have also led to a center of flourishing spirituality. The monastic Order or the Resting Bull has made their Grand Pavilion in Quegrine where they serve to assist the town, guide the people, and ensure their legacy is well protected in the next generation.
Story Hooks for Quegrine
Levels 1-4
A heap of livestock was found riddled with Goblin arrows. Tracks and blood trails lead southwest toward the Cabbage Wood. The Herdmaster is hiring adventurers to track the missing animals and return them alive from the Goblins if possible. If not, they would also accept a theft-in-return from any livestock the Goblins might have trapped in their camps.
Sikuaq
In the northernmost regions of Altisia, people have long found ways to make a bountiful life. Fishing, trapping, and cold-climate crop cultivation has led to a small but vibrant northern community. Sikuaq leather is revered worldwide for its resiliency and quality. The region’s harsh winter climate gives way to a mild summer. Large fishing vessels bring along tourists from Fortare in addition to seasoned veterans seeking to land the day’s catch. Sikuaq was the last town to join the Coastal Farm Alliance, watching for some ten years in anticipation for some horrible fate to befall Northam and Quegrine. When none came, progress could be delayed no longer and the agreement was signed between the People of Sikuaq and the Coastal Farm Alliance.
Population: 600 (40% Humans, 40% Dwarves, 15% ethereal Dragonkin, 5% Other Ancestries)
Government: There is no established central authority in Sikuaq. Each family seeks to protect its own interests in the community while following the ethos “from each according to their ability, to each according to their need”.
Defense: Roaming monsters from the ocean and the land threaten this remote settlement. It is not uncommon for a group of adventurers to be contracted from a larger organization to protect the town for a season, most often in exchange for a cut of proceeds from the sale of goods.
Commerce: Whaling, fishing, fur trapping, lumber harvesting, and tundra horticulture sustain the local economy. Life takes on a slower pace in Sikuaq. Gold has little value, as there is nowhere to spend it. Merchants looking to sell goods from this region in major trade centers are wise to bring desired luxury goods to trade with instead of currency.
Organizations: An enclave of ethereal Dragonkin from Fabeldyr sought refuge from persecution in their homeland, arriving in 781FE. The voyage was bitter and beset by hardships. Half of the thousand able-bodied people committed to make the journey arrived on the frozen northern shores. Of those, most died of a strange disease within weeks. Around one hundred survivors have managed to create a new life in the harsh northern climate, integrating into the local society over the past two centuries. They take no official name or title as a group, instead seeking only to be “of Sikuaq”, as they refer to themselves if traveling abroad for any reason. This has served to ingratiate them with their anarchistic fellows and creates a certain air of legend to the town in the tales and songs, despite its rather mundane nature.
Story Hooks for Sikuaq
Levels 1-4
Briffolk Pethey, head of Sedwick’s Tradepost in Fortare, is hiring adventurers to accompany a caravan to Sikuaq. The caravan contains supplies as well as a wagon train full of settlers excited to start a new life in the north. There are challenges, however. The wagon train will have to pass near Cabbage Wood, a notorious goblin hideout. Additionally, there are some reservations in the existing community that a large influx of people may disrupt the current balance in their way of life. Adventurers will need to guard the caravan from threats both external and internal on this journey to a new land.
Splitriver Mercantile
In the distant past, Northbridge stood alone at the mouth of the great river that splits the continent. The city was constructed around the beginning of a mile-long bridge. The megastructure, made of worked stone, was constructed by unknown builders and much speculation has gone into who could have possibly made such a massive feat of engineering, a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. The city was founded by two primary families: the Bramante and the Petroni.
Perched at the river’s end, the city became a major trade hub for ships circumnavigating the continent in hopes of striking their fortune. As the ruler grew in power, a revolt by the Petroni family led to a mass departure from the city. Many of those discontented with life in Northbridge fled south, across the river, where a well defended port was established to rival the great shipyards of Northbridge. Believing these radical upstarts to be nothing more than a distraction, and having no desire to commit the necessary resources to break through their defenses, the Bramante ruler of Northbridge left them to their own devices. Southbridge was able to grow slowly over time as they poached contracts from their careless northern rivals.
Over the course of two centuries, the balance of power began to shift as the rivalry between the two families and their respective cities continued to heat up. Ambitious merchants in Southbridge began to infringe more and more upon long-standing contracts held by Northbridge merchants and accusations of piracy began to be bandied about. In Southbridge, the Splitriver Mercantile had grown to an influential place of leadership, one of their unique qualities being that their family members were of both Bramante and Petroni lineage. Rather than turning to hostile takeovers and outright piracy, Splitriver Mercantile struck deals directly with Northbridge organizations. This turned out to be as scandalous as it was profitable, but within fifty years there was peace and unity through trade agreements between the cities for the first time, with Splitriver Mercantile at the top of it all. This period of peace proved vital to seeing the twin cities through the Great Deluge of 883 CE2, with the disaster not only destroying most of the hinterlands but outright changing the face of the landscape from a contiguous landscape to an archipelago. The merchant marines rapidly grew their ranks and their position of prominence within the overall organization. This also upset the traditional rivalry structures between the noble houses, with many ranking members of both families occupying a position of prominence within the navy. With the new rank came expectations of leadership. The admirals resolved to leave the past in the past and push everyone in the Twin Cities toward a united future, rich from the bounties of the oceans.
Northbridge
Being several centuries old, Northbridge is an established city with many worked stone and metal-reinforced structures. A castle complex stands highest in the skyline at the center of the city. Known as The Assembly, it is both a communal home and the seat of government to the ruling nobles and their beloved families. The noble electors gather every five years to select a new Elected King, but someone from outside the Bramante family line has yet to gain the highest office. While this family has known power for a long time, the winds of change are sweeping about town as Splitriver Mercantile’s influence grows. Noble Electors whose business interests have been overtaken by the Splitriver faction now find themselves compromised and therefore able to be influenced. For the first time in the history of the city, the outcome of the upcoming election is uncertain: will the Bramante family retain control or will their Petroni rivals finally overcome them from the South via their organization’s influence?
The city has an enclave of High Elves who bought their way out of the Elven Wood Realms roughly two centuries prior. Their portion of the city is kept incredibly clean and is generally regarded as the place to go for fine dining, entertainment, and other high-skill crafts. Their attempts to get a small merchant operation off the ground, however, have been somewhat beleaguered, with their rivals in Splitriver Mercantile gobbling up contracts before anyone else can get a chance to make an offer. Their saving grace has been certain key contracts with the Elected King, whoever that may happen to be. The clever contracts ensure their deals are with the title rather than the person holding the title, thereby prolonging them into perpetuity in some cases. The stability of these operations in upper class business and mercantilist shipping has allowed for a certain level of comfort for these expatriate elves, but their ambitions do not stop there. Instead, they would extend ever upward toward the halls of power, with the leader of the enclave having the goal of gaining entry to The Assembly, and one day, unseating the Bramante hegemony in place of a new Elvish one.
Population: 7,000 (70% Humans, 10% High Elves, 8% Half Orcs, 4% Giantkin, 8% Other Ancestries)
Government: Elective Monarchy. The elected ruler is king for all intents and purposes, however the requirement of re-election is meant to act as a restraint on their actions. Those not originating in Northbridge may be surprised to find that both the Nobles and the King can be of any gender. There have been several female kings in the history of Northbridge, most notable of which was King Helene Bramante II, who staved off a barbarian horde in the Golden Era. While the king wields a high degree of authority in the public mind, cooperation from the Elector Houses is necessary for any real action to take place in the city. The King and their family live in the highest reaches of The Assembly, closest to the Court where governmental affairs are conducted. Though the other Nobles living in the Assembly are not that much further of a walk away, this is more to do with prestige and tradition than outright efficiency.
Defense: Splitriver Mercantile makes use of Blackrock Company mercenaries for peacekeeping and defense from external threats. These forces are kept in service by way of bounties on raiders from the Bergen region. A group of Giantkin and Half Orc defectors have made their residence here, making a living by leading expeditionary groups into the wilds to betray their former kin. While Northbridge has no official standing army, it does have a plentiful naval capability. The fleets at the service of The Assembly have a notorious reputation of coastal bombardments, so much so that the barbarians in the north and the orcs in the west have learned to stick to raiding inland caravans, leaving the coastal paths relatively safe for travel. The events of the Great Flood have only increased the reach of the navy and improved their effectiveness.
Commerce: If it goes on a ship and people buy it, it most likely will get to Northbridge at some point. Hundreds of ships move goods through the region by way of this port each day bringing grain, salted meats, equipment, medical supplies, plants and herbs and other mundane trade goods in addition to things like weapons and even magical shipments bound for the wizards of Fortare or some other place. Most citizens of the city either make their money from shipping or have a family member who makes money from shipping, making this industry quite central to the function of the city.
Organizations: Apart from the dozens of merchant family guilds and adventuring organizations in the city, the religious citizens of the city have a great passion for Morgon, god of Light and Trade, Partner to Rettvisa and Creator of all Humans. His cult has thousands of faithful adherents who offer prayers regularly in his great temple. A marble and gold statue of the god stands tall in the center of the massive chamber, reminding the faithful to follow his tenets and inspiring the masses to a life of good and lawfulness.
Story Hooks for Northbridge
Levels 1-4
A group of pirates has been attacking ships in the waters around Northbridge, and the city's rulers are desperate to put a stop to it. The PCs could be hired to track down the pirates and bring them to justice, or they might even be recruited to join the pirates on their raids.
A group of thieves known as the "Northbridge Nightingales" have been stealing from wealthy noble houses in the city. The player characters are hired by a wealthy merchant to investigate and put an end to the thievery.
Levels 5-10
A mysterious plague has been spreading through the city, causing widespread illness and death. The player characters are hired by the ruling Bramante family to investigate the source of the plague and find a cure.
A powerful sea monster has been attacking ships near the city, causing fear and panic among the citizens. The player characters are hired by the Splitriver Mercantile to hunt down and defeat the monster, and restore calm to the city.
The Grand Cathedral of Morgon stands tall over the city of Northbridge, shining like the sun
Southbridge
Under the guidance of the Petroni family and the Splitriver Mercantile organization, Southbridge grew from a bastion of malcontents into a thriving trade city in its own right. What was once a rivalry built on political foundations has now escalated into one built on economic tensions in addition to the existing political ones. While the Retracting Era led to a major gap in trade power around the continent, Splitriver Mercantile made smart investments in key shipping lanes, somehow doing so at just the right time. Southbridge was able to fill the gap, buying up contracts with the crestfallen allies of the Deepdelver Accord. Splitriver Mercantile masterfully utilized their newfound financial power to reunite the divided cities under the guise of mutual growth via trade, simultaneously occupying a large portion of the market not only on the eastern coast of Fabeldyr but along the southern reaches as well, dipping into even the Elven Wood Realms at some times. At times, one could say the ambitions of the Petroni family extend beyond the island that now contains the Twin Cities. While there is still a King in Northbridge, they answer to the merchant nobility class to secure re-election. These noble electors now answer to Splitriver Mercantile, whose international ambitions have in turn eclipsed their national achievements.
The abundance of ships bringing goods to the burgeoning city also has brought a number of diverse denizens who decided to stay and call the city home. While Southbridge is still majority human, as most cities and towns in Toinen tend to be, it is far more diverse than its northern neighbor. This has led to a diverse offering of accommodations and dining options for those who call the city home. Because Splitriver Mercantile makes no distinction between human or other ancestry when it comes to membership, instead caring primarily about gold and trade potential, it has been relatively easy to recruit top talent and invest back into the overall business operation. This supportive environment has created many unique relationships, with Splitriver Mercantile often able to dispatch emissaries representative of the population they wish to trade with, a practice that has proven effective in many cases as their clientele and their claimed trade territory increase in size.
Population: 5,500 (55% Humans, 25% Catkin, 20% Other Ancestries)
Government: Splitriver Mercantile is led by the senior-most member of the Petroni family. The Prince-Merchant oversees major financial arrangements and is charged with continuing the growth and prosperity of the Petroni family. While anyone may join Splitriver Mercantile as a member and even progress through ranks of district or regional leadership, the top tiers of leadership are all held by tenured Petroni burghurs and barons.
Defense: Splitriver Mercantile makes use of Blackrock Company mercenaries for peacekeeping and defense from external threats. Most of the troops are kept in Northbridge, as there is little threat from the south due to the efforts of both the Elven Wood Realms and the Molten League.
Commerce: While most of the actual exchange of goods happens in Northbridge, the administrative work occurs in offices on the south side of the river. Hundreds of foremen, managers, and other representatives of the myriad trade organizations spend their time split between the two cities to meet their fellows and go about their dealmaking. Several districts have cropped up around town, each appealing to different factions and consortiums throughout the town.
Organizations: Southbridge’s religious population has a strong affiliation with Rettvisa, partner deity to the patron of their northern sibling city. Southbridge is known as a bastion for her Paladins and Clerics, with many of them enlisting formally in her cult of mercy, compassion, and redemption. It’s not uncommon for these religious converts to come from less than honorable backgrounds. Smugglers, thieves, and even crime-of-passion murderers are allowed to exit the dungeons and their prescribed punishments if they take an oath of service to Rettvisa in one manner or another.
Story Hooks for Southbridge
Levels 1-4
A group of smugglers are using the city's well-defended port to bring illegal goods into the region, but they refuse to pay the port authority a bribe to look the other way. The player characters are hired by the city's authorities to shut down the smuggling operation and bring the smugglers to justice.
A series of strange occurrences have been happening in a nearby abandoned drydock, including objects moving on their own and strange noises at night. The player characters are hired by a group of curious dockworkers to investigate and find out what is causing the disturbances. The local authorities insist there is nothing to worry about.
The Molten League
The southeastern region of Altisia is rocky, desolate, and mountainous. The Magma Mountains gurgle with volcanic activity and noxious clouds of gas that dot the landscape. Skeletal remains of the dragons who once occupied this region dot the landscape across the region, left as a testament to the might of the Molten League, however small they may be. The salt flats along the coast contain the towns of Magstone and Soderberg. Magstone is a small fishing and salt mining village that exports much of its bounty south to Soderberg, a medium sized town known for hot springs and a thriving tourism business.
While, once upon a time, this region was harsh and unforgiving, it has been developed in such a way that the natural beauty of the region has been largely preserved. Many nobles from the key nations of the Toinen have vacation homes in the foothills surrounding the city. These luxuries do not come cheap. A steep property tax benefits the Molten League by increasing revenues and ensuring that those who take hermitage here are of a certain level of wealth, and therefore, a certain level of clout. It is not uncommon for retiring heroes and adventurers to be seen in the markets of Soderberg alongside families of wealthy nobles and other high profile individuals from Altisia and Fabeldyr alike.
Magstone
Magstone was founded by a confederation of Dwarves and Halflings seeking opportunities involving mining the many salt flats in the region as well as the bountiful, large fish common to the coast. The salt flats sit perched high above the town, necessitating the use of large mechanisms to ascend and descend the workers. A great series of chutes and funnels directs the salt through processing until it is dropped directly into the barreling systems at the base. Residents are given a barrel each per season, with the option to purchase more at cost before the remainder is sold on to The Molten League. The proceeds from these sales have opened up several investing opportunities inside the town, with a small but popular fishing enterprise beginning to draw more attention to the region’s goods. The population now supports these two ventures primarily, with some other professions being filled as needed by itinerants or the occasional immigrant. There is a strong cultural ethos of respect for one’s elders and the city is governed by a conclave of those both well advanced in age, often marked by their experience, in the community.
Population: 400 (40% Dwarves, 25% Halflings, 15% Gnomes, 12% Humans, 8% Other Ancestries)
Government: The city is governed by a Council of Elders; anyone over 75% of their ancestry’s average life expectancy and with the ability to do so is automatically expected to vote on issues pertaining to governance. Civic duty is culturally valued by the people of Magstone and the time leading up to joining the Council often passes with great anticipation by those ready to join, especially the longer-lived races who must wait a much longer time to fully participate in local governance.
Defense: The Molten League is a joint venture between Magstone and Soderberg to protect local economies and defend the people from threats, external or internal. The League governs the city of Soderberg and deputizes members of the local community to serve as guards and militia. In times of great tension, emissaries seek to hire the Blackrock Company to assist the town by way of the forces under contract with Splitriver Mercantile to the north.
Commerce: The salt flats around the city provide a yearly return in the hundreds of tons, which is then sold on locally to fishermen for preservation of their catches as well as being exported to Soderberg, where it is then taken and re-sold worldwide. The fish is equally renowned, with the local Giant Salt Bass from the region being something of a delicacy in finer societies.
Organizations: The Molten League recruits occasionally from this city, however the population is small enough that not many families can afford to send their laborers away as guards. While some who reside in Soderberg find this an unfair arrangement, the people of Magstone are quick to argue that the business enterprises of their small town are likely funding the very enterprise the soldiers are venturing on.
Story Hooks for Magstone
Levels 1-4
A group of salt poachers have been stealing from the local flats, causing a decrease in production and profits for the town. The Council of Elders has asked for help in tracking down the thieves and bringing them to justice. One of the thieves has offered to turn over his compatriots in exchange for mercy from the Council, which should be granted if the operation is successful.
A wealthy noble from a nearby town has asked for protection while they visit the hot springs in Soderberg. The Molten League is seeking a group of capable adventurers to act as bodyguards for the duration of the noble's stay.
Levels 5-10
A group of dwarves from a nearby mine have gone missing, and their families suspect they may have been kidnapped by a rival group or stolen away by underground monsters. The Molten League is seeking help in rescuing the missing dwarves and bringing them home safely.
A group of cultists have been spotted in the region, attempting to summon an ancient and powerful dragon. The Molten League is seeking a group of strong adventurers to infiltrate the cult and stop the summoning before it's too late.
A group of powerful undead have been spotted in the region, causing widespread fear and panic among the population. The Molten League is seeking a group of strong adventurers to track down and destroy the undead before they can cause any more harm.
Soderberg
Once an Orc stronghold, Soderberg was conquered by Giantkin raiders several centuries ago. Not being content with settling down, it was subsequently abandoned, with the Orc survivors and the weakest amongst the Giantkin herd left behind in confusion. The Orcs, unbroken from a decade of subjugation, had compassion on the sick and elderly left behind by the marauders, incorporating them into the Nystam, a new tribe formed under a banner of Hope. When the colonists of Magstone were first encountered, they offered fair terms for peaceful trade and relations. The Nystam understood the potential for economic benefit was great and split itself into two orders: one open to outsiders, created for governance and the other for the spiritual sustenance of the people and the maintenance of a cultural continuity for the old ways. The new organization was called The Molten League, named for the volcanic mountains and the hope for economic eruption. The hope did not go unfulfilled, as the Molten League has led the region to an unprecedented period of growth and development. The Nystam continued under the same name, handing governmental operations over to The Molten League and building a Cultural Center to teach the people their history, be it by birth or choice.
The region of Soderberg has hundreds of hot springs that have been developed into a tourist destination, with dozens of hotels serving customers from all over Toinen, catering to all kinds of cultural norms and offering a range of experiences. Several mountain getaways have also been constructed for some of the world’s wealthier denizens, with many diplomatic treatises starting as a backroom deal in one of the casinos or fine restaurants in the city. These villas are also some of the most secure locations in the world. Residents bring their own security detail to supplement the guards that report to the Molten League. The remote location makes aggressive action more costly than most forces are willing to pay for, as well.
Population: 2,000 (40% Half Orcs, 20% Orcs, 20% Humans, 8% Dwarves, 5% Halflings, 4% Giantkin, 3% Other Ancestries)
Government: The Molten League is led by a council of elected members who see to the affairs of the city, managing major trade deals and guaranteeing the outcomes always benefit Soderberg instead of any individual family. The elections are conducted by The Nystam to maintain airs of impartiality, but the same families can only win so many elections before people start to feel as if their “choices” aren’t as free as they’re meant to feel.
Defense: The Molten League is a joint venture between Magstone and Soderberg to protect local economies and defend the people from threats, external or internal. To that end, soldiers are recruited from the local populations and trained up to defend the region. In times of severe threat, the Molten League seeks assistance from the Blackrock Company forces under contract with Splitriver Mercantile to the north.
Commerce: Imports of salt, fish, and combinations of the two from Magstone are resold to merchants from all over the world. They travel to Soderberg to purchase the exotic fish and fine salts which, in the right season and at the right volume of sale, can yield a small fortune. Tourism has also brought in a small banking sector, with many seeking to store valuable wares in the secure mountain vaults of the Nystam. This sudden rise in prosperity has also created a sense of pride in some of the people of the city, especially as compared to their rural and less economically advantaged neighbors. People who live in the city sometimes put off an air of aloof condescension toward the “less fortunate” who did not have the privilege of being born into their great society.
Organizations: The Nystam are a monastic, shamanistic order that teaches unity, both within nature and within the mind. Their teachings attract many aspirants who wish to renew themselves and find balance. A lifelong path is not required, however, and many who come do so temporarily as a way of short term treatment for addiction or to escape harmful situations. A scholarship fund was established to take 5% of the gross income of the city and invest in paying for transportation to the center as well as to build a new life in a new location after completing the program.
The Molten League also hires adventurers and other sellswords to deal with larger threats the local militia cannot contain. Ethereal Dragons, behirs, and other fearsome mountain creatures can be found in the deeper places of this region, and the populations are plentiful enough that open bounties exist for all manner of these creatures.
Story Hooks for Soderberg
Levels 1-4
A group of mischievous kobolds have been causing trouble in the town, stealing food and causing general chaos. The Molten League is seeking a group of adventurers to track down and stop the kobolds before they cause any more problems.
Relatives of a wealthy investor have been reported missing in the region, and the Molten League is seeking a group of adventurers to help find and rescue them so as to gain the favor of the investor instead of incurring their wrath.
Deepdalin
In the fifth year of the First Confluent Era(205 CE1), a dwarf of Stouthammar was banished from the city on accusation of corruption most foul: the unlawful acquisition of mineral rights by way of document forgery. The innocence of this dwarf mattered not, though the land was rightfully his father’s, and thus his own by inheritance, the noble laying claim to the land held significant sway over several other key nobles and manipulated the entire scenario to their own benefit. The exile forsook his family name to the winds of history and took a new one: Kundrin Deepdelver. Roaming as a vagabond, he eventually traveled south to Fortare where he reinvented himself as a prospector and master stoneworker, neither of which he dealt with much in his previous employment as a stablehand in the Stouthammar rookery. Being clever and resourceful, however, the young master Deepdelver was able to ingratiate himself with a group of adventurers looking for the illustrious Wavecrash Cavern, where the legends posited the gods themselves constructed their finest artifacts.
The gods had favor upon the party and the legendary cavern was found, the forge fires long burned out but the primary anvils still intact. A fearsome eyebeast had taken up residence within the cave, but the party was able to lay him low, though one amongst them did fall to the beast. Kundrin managed to convince the survivors to settle down and build a stronghold north of the cavern region, which to this day is known as Deepdalin. Today, the town is most famous for the signing of the Deepdelver Accord, a non-aggression pact and trade agreement between the three western city-states of Altisia: Fortare, Stouthammar, and the Elven Wood Realms.
The town is small but being close to Fortare helped in the acquisition of several master builders (Kundrin’s charade long having been found out and forgiven by his fellows) who ensured the town’s buildings would last until the end of the millenium, if not longer. After the events of the Great Deluge of 883 CE2, the town also opened a burgeoning port project which was often favored by smugglers seeking to move goods into the region without undergoing Crown inspection in Fortare.
Population: 2,000 (70% Humans, 10% Halflings, 9% Dwarves, 8% Half Elves, 3% Other Ancestries)
Government: Deepdalin is administered by a Mayor, who is elected by ballot vote once every four years. The elected leader is supported by a flexibly staffed cabinet who advise on matters requiring various areas of expertise as well as a council whose job is to hold public hearings and understand the needs of the people.
Defense: Deepdalin, being the neutral location of the signing of the historic Deepdelver Accord, enjoys the security of knowing an attack by any external party to the Accord would ensure their swift desolation at the hands of three of the world’s finest military powers. Additionally, any treachery on behalf of one nation toward Deepdalin would invite lawful retaliation by the other two nations. Despite the prosperity of the Accord, there are parties in each nation that might take pleasure in a free pass to attack their western rivals.
Commerce: Deepdalin trades ores and mineral goods from Wavecrash Cavern, in addition to fine steel weapons and armor. The town services many adventurers on their way into the Deepdelver Range or the Salt Swamps, offering both provisions and funerary insurance, with several wooden coffins lying open in the shop window, waiting for resale or to conceal an unfortunate fate beneath the dirt.
Organizations: The Adventurer’s Guild of Fortare operates a lodge in this city, with senior members of the guild having access to its services, including both upper-tier magic provided by the guild as well as training of every variety.
Story Hooks for Deepdalin
Levels 1-4
The mayor of Deepdalin has been found murdered, and the characters are hired to investigate the crime and bring the killer to justice. As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover a web of corruption and intrigue that threatens to shake the foundations of the town.
The characters are hired to protect a group of merchants traveling from Fortare to Deepdalin, but they are ambushed by bandits on the way. As they fight for survival, they uncover a plot by the bandits to destabilize the Deepdelver Accord and ignite a war between the three western city-states.
Bergholm
Since their creation by Blix, god of the Tempest, the nomadic Giantkin have roamed the plains, making their dwelling beneath the stars in the shadow of the great sacred mountain of Bergen. Massive thunderclouds wander through the region, dropping the occasional bolt of lightning onto the unsuspecting below. The tent city of Bergholm existed as a tribal chiefdom for several hundred years until the assassination of High Chief Harlan the Gray by Sigurdr the Usurper. The Usurper began an expansive reign of terror, brutalizing merchants and carrying out a expansive kidnapping and ransom campaign targeting the vulnerable citizens of Northbridge along their southern borders. Those who could not pay or provide other value were typically eaten by the Oni warlord and his henchmen, who are said to have loved the taste of children the most. In time, Sigurdr met his rightful fate at the hands of a group of adventurers, leaving the town in a brief period of turmoil as the power vacuum pushed a new leader to the fore. Unlike his predecessor, this individual has little interest in feasting on the flesh of humans, much less feasting at all, at least according to rumors. The mysterious new leader operates through a series of Generals and Quartermasters that oversee the affairs of the various peoples of the town. Despite the militaristic and utilitarian naming conventions, the rulership is quite benevolent and many of those who previously made their money raiding have left the city, moving into the plains to live as nomads and marauders once again.
Population: 2,000 (60% Giantkin, 20% Humans, 11% Wood Elves, 9% Other Ancestries)
Government: Benevolent Despotism describes the current conditions in Bergholm. The servants of the mystery-king ensure the needs of the people are well met and the raiders who left their ranks do not infringe upon their old stomping grounds.
Defense: Since the old times, every citizen is required to serve for one year in military service to the town, be it for defense or conquest. In recent times, with a focus on defense, most are happy to offer their services to the city.
Commerce: Without the raiding parties hauling in the spoils of war, jewel encrusted loot, fine art, and slaves, the city has fallen on lean times. The region is not suited for a great deal of farming, though large herds of animals can be kept and grazed in the grasslands. Trade is minimal, as few have a strong desire to purchase goods from a historic pirate port despite the change in ownership. The only saving grace is a mineshaft discovered after the death of Sigurdr containing many large emeralds. These gems are mined by the government and sold to provide for the needs of the people of the city, with many having the impression that the supply is limited. There is much speculation and debate about what the town will do next to sustain itself.
Organizations: While most of the raiders elected to leave Bergen and take up the nomadic life once again, some chose to remain, calling themselves adventurers instead of raiders. Operating in groups, they seek out ancient burial sites and hordes belonging to the bygone kings of Bergholm, hoping that acquiring their hidden treasures might fuel the regrowth of the town.
Story Hooks for Bergholm
Levels 1-4
A group of merchants arrives in Bergholm, seeking to establish a trade route through the city. However, they are met with resistance from the town's Quartermasters, who are wary of outsiders coming in and disrupting their economy. The adventurers are hired by the merchants to help negotiate with the Quartermasters and smooth the way for trade.
The adventurers discover a hidden underground chamber beneath the city filled with ancient treasures and artifacts. However, as they explore the chamber, they are confronted by a group of ghosts who are guarding the treasures and will stop at nothing to protect them. The adventurers must find a way to peacefully resolve the situation and come to an agreement with the ghosts.
Levels 5-10
The adventurers are hired by representatives of the mystery-king to track down a group of raiders who have been causing trouble in the surrounding area. The adventurers must find and defeat the raiders, but they soon discover that there is more to the situation than meets the eye as political tensions flare in a struggle for power.
The adventurers are approached by a group of nomadic Giantkin who are seeking their help in reclaiming the city of Bergholm from the mystery-king. The adventurers must decide whether to help the Giantkin, or to try to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Frostbay
Deep within the Wildwood, an ancient Archdruid awoke one day from a vision, covered in ice. She had seen a great bay, the winter snows falling heavily on the landscape. The ice became brittle and ruptured into a great lotus flower blooming from within the lake. The Archdruid rose, moving from a three hundred year meditation to leave the forest for the first time in an age. She found the bay of her dreams, the snow falling just as she had seen it, though no supernatural power ruptured the ice or caused rapid growth of life in the area. She knew that hard work and more people would be needed to make this place live up to her vision. Instead of trying to bring an entire clan, the Archdruid instead found a few from each clan willing to leave their old lives behind and take up a commitment to building something new.
Though it was not without some conflict, the generations have flourished and the population has grown to several hundred members. Now, fine silks are grown from worms that spin a soft but pliable cocoon. These insects have been domesticated from hundreds of years of breeding, becoming a valued and beloved member of the community. Keeping these tender and fragile creatures involves a lot of meticulous care. Too many of them and the worms cannot grow properly, weakening the silk. Too few of them and they don’t produce at all as they’re highly social and need one another’s pheromones to craft their product and breed the next generation.
Population: 800 (50% Wood Elves, 18% Gnomes, 14% Halflings, 10% Humans, 8% Other Ancestries)
Government: The Archdruid oversees major affairs and has deputized several trusted Dryads to handle matters not needing her full attention.
Defense: Once, a group of raiders made the mistake of wandering too close to Frostbay with ill intent. The trees themselves sprung to the defense of the town, showing that years of friendship and cultivation had earned her more than just the respect of the various clans of the Wildwood. Word quickly spread: Frostbay is friendly to those who are friendly to it. Otherwise, enemies take their lives into their own hands when moving against a powerful and ancient Archdruid.
Commerce: While trade is not a strongly valued trait in the culture of Frostbay, the fine silks created here are coveted by every court and noble family in the world. The materials created here rank amongst some of the finest in all the world, with Frostbay Silk being renowned as the material of preference for anyone with the connections and coin to obtain it. Unfortunately, the amount produced each year is in extremely limited supply and the Archdruid has little interest in gold and gemstones dug from the earth, making acquisition both intensely difficult and a major point of pride for the lucky few able to accomplish it.
Organizations: In addition to the many druids who have moved to the city in hopes of receiving training from the Archdruid, several master tailors and weavers have also migrated here on the miniscule chance of working with the world’s rarest and finest material.
Story Hooks for Frostbay
Levels 1-4
The Archdruid of Frostbay has received a vision of danger coming to the town, and has enlisted the help of a group of adventurers to investigate and defend against the threat that is coming.
A notorious gang of thieves has been stealing the valuable Frostbay Silk from merchants departing the town, causing economic hardship for many as merchants have become wary of traveling the northern roads due to the danger. The adventurers are hired to track down the thieves, retrieve the stolen goods, and bring the perpetrators to justice. But all is not as it seems, and the adventurers may find the reasoning for the theft compelling as they uncover more details.
Grosh Narok
Massive craters pushed up next to mountainous boulders marr the landscape of this blighted desert. Archaeologists and scholars in the Etheric Council believe that when the Worldspine Mountains were shattered, the debris fell primarily upon Grosh Narok, sending it into a spiral of destruction and spawning one of history’s most feared adversaries: the orcish peoples. The history books have long spoken of Odel Agga, the Ruinous Defiler, and how he shaped the orcs from this chaos, cursing their blood, and thus their lineage, with unnatural hatred and aggression. Orcish raiding parties, driven by what they believed to be this affliction, sparked the deployment of several security efforts by the nations of the Deepdelver Accord.
While some Orcs and Half-Orcs may feel a certain pull toward violence and aggression, as with any other mortal ancestry, the reality is that there is no curse of Odel Agga. No power from beyond drives orcs to evil. Rather, they are simply victims of the same selfish, violent impulses that corrupt all mortal beings. The cults of Vokat the Judge around the world have even begun to ratify the claim that orcs and goblinoids were made by their own master before being stolen away by Odel Agga. In recent times, brave adventurers-turned-ambassadors have taken up residence in the sprawling desert city to attempt to understand the orcs as they are and establish peaceful relations with the outside world. While the effort is ongoing, progress has been slow, the orcs being slow to trust due to this fraught history.
The city of Grosh Narok is arranged in five spires built into the side of a sheer face cliff. Each spire is the stronghold of a historic family faction living in the city. Between each of the spires, a common area contains markets, ale halls, gymnasiums, and other buildings of industry, commerce, and dense residential spaces. One of the five spires lies fallow, once being occupied by a matriarchal tribe who betrayed the city in a ploy to take control for themselves. From a distance, the architecture resembles a hand with fingers curling up.
Population: 13,000 (56% Orcs, 20% Half-Orcs, 9% Hobgoblins, 8% Goblins, 6% Bugbears, 1% Other Ancestries)
Government: Grosh Narok is Orcish for “Fist of Fingers”, meant to denote the ideal of power gained via unification. The tribes are led by their respective chiefs, with each region of the city belonging to a different tribal nation. Historically, the presence of a high chief has led to militarization and efforts toward conquest. With a hope for peaceful relations and an end to the endless bloodshed, Grosh Narok is moving to a new form of government where no single Orc holds all the authority, instead forcing the various chiefs of the clans to work together to establish consensus and form compromise.
Defense: Though the peoples of Grosh Narok dream of a brighter future, the nightmare of war is not far behind them. Shields and weapons are still manufactured daily in the many smithies of the city, with each peal of the forgemaster’s hammer reminding him of glory and battle in years of yore. Some in the city harbor a deep seated desire to begin these actions again while they bide their time against the tide of reform.
Commerce: Despite being arid and desolate, the deserts of Grosh Narok are incredibly rich in iron and coal. While exports are still minimal due to quality concerns, Orcish Steel is believed by some to be the next hot commodity in the industry, with speculators beginning to buy up supplies and other resources to subsidize these efforts.
Organizations: In the absence of perpetual war, the Orcish peoples have turned to shamanism and monastic study as a means of spiritual sustenance. It is not uncommon to see groups of twelve or more orcs with shaved heads and combed, braided beards wandering the city and helping the poor or practicing their unique form of martial artistry, which involves a lot of ground work and grappling techniques.
Story Hooks for Grosh Narok
Levels 1-4
A gang of goblins is stealing rations from one of the noble families. The party is hired to find these goblins and determine if they are being put on by another noble house or acting of their own accord. Because of the delicate political situation, it is preferred that the thieves be brought in alive for questioning.
An orcish mining guild has located a secret tunnel leading to a lost underground node of platinum. They are offering a sizable reward for any group of adventurers able to clear the threats from the tunnel so that mining operations can commence.
Homlet
Founded at a crossroads between the road to Fortare and the nearby Rumble Peaks and the ruined city of Rumbletree, Homlet has historically been a sleepy, quiet town. The farmers have toiled on in their lives for generations, content to leave the bigger affairs of the outside world to the outside world.
It seemed as though this idyllic life was drawing to an end when in 515RE the neighboring town of Rumbletree attracted the attention of a treacherous Poison Dragon. Fearing their own demise under the noxious and toxic poisons emanating from the creature, the people of Homlet fled to Deepdalin as refugees alongside the survivors of Rumbletree. They persisted in the town as field and day laborers for a little more than ten years when a party of brave adventurers arrived to rid the wyrm from the region and access its growing treasure hoard. While they were successful in the task, the city of Rumbletree itself had been completely destroyed by the dragon, making it uninhabitable for future generations. Homlet welcomed the remaining people of Rumbletree to restart their lives in the sleepy village.
Merchants who previously traveled from Fortare to Rumbletree expanded to more distant locations beyond Homlet such as Pompen and even the lands belonging to Splitriver Mercantile in the east. A burgeoning hospitality and supply business has grown from Deepdalin and taken root at this “last hearth” along the southern road and the thirty or so travelers they see per month constitutes the most activity this town has seen since the time of the Rumbletree Incident.
Population: 150 (60% Humans, 15% Half Elves, 25% Other Ancestries)
Government: A mayor oversees the needs of the citizens and business owners serving the travelers coming through the village. There is little need for a ruler in this quiet village, but administrative skills are essential to make sure that resources are shared properly amongst the needy and that the good of the town is put first.
Defense: The town has no immediate standing defenses, relying on the goodwill of the many adventurer travelers and the promise of retaliation from key contacts in Fortare. While the lack of a standing guard might be cause of concern for some, the number of merchants and adventurers on the roads provide easier and more numerous targets than the village itself, making it a relatively safe place for most.
Commerce: Homlet’s primary income source is from travelers passing through or spending the night before returning to a long journey. As such, inns, taverns, and a cabaret brothel operated by The Crook in Fortare have popped up in the town. Many of the town’s older citizens have resisted these changes, but most of the folk see the benefit in taking coin from the city dwellers at the cost of a few sacrifices toward modernization.
Organizations: The farmers of the town put together a yearly Almanac for eastern Altisia, which has come to be loved by the citizens of Fortare and the Coastal Farm Alliance, especially. Homlet’s Almanac has become a staple for anyone seeking to get the most out of their farming establishment. Information on lunar cycles, weather predictions based on the prior years and boosted by wizards of divination, druids who conduct direct interviews with crops and herd animals with tips and tricks on how to best care for them, and more are contained within this wondrous book.
Story Hooks for Homlet
Levels 1-4
The town is struggling with a crop blight that is threatening their main source of income and food. The mayor is offering a reward to any adventurers willing to help find a solution to the problem.
A wealthy merchant passing through Homlet has had a valuable and sentimental family heirloom stolen from them. They are offering a large reward to anyone who can recover the item, a valuable gemstone set in a gold casing worn as a brooch.
The town has recently seen an increase in strange occurrences, including strange noises at night, missing livestock, and sightings of strange creatures. The mayor is worried that these events could be the start of a bigger problem, such as a monster infestation or an invasion by a rival town or group. They are seeking adventurers to investigate and put a stop to the strange occurrences before they escalate.
Pompen
Fortuitously seated just off the main road across Southern Altisia and only a short distance to the north from edges The Elven Wood Realms, Pompen has achieved quite a lot since the days of the Deepdelver Accord. Before peace and trade were the norm in the region, Pompen was a quiet, unknown village. The people languished without the ability to grow beyond their crops and their fields, hemmed in by the major powers with little access to precious resources like metals and lumber. It was not uncommon for recruiters to come from Fortare seeking soldiers who knew the regions around the Elven lands, promising great adventure and honor to be gained in the struggle against their rivals. Too many young people were swept into this conflict and used as pawns in a series of shadowy conflicts prior to the signing of the Deepdelver Accord. This dark history serves as a reminder to all of the benefits of diplomacy and the people of Pompen tend toward diplomacy as they know a return to times of conflict would not bode well.
Today, merchants and their shipping fleets stocked with goods of incredible quality pour into the town on their way south into the Elven Wood Realms. Many merchants moved to Pompen seeking a permit to enter the Elven Wood Realms and sell goods in Strillwyn or the surrounding settlements. Not every aspirant leaves Pompen happy, however, as goods that could spoil or cannot be returned are disappointingly sold off to local merchants who have less urgency. As a result, many grandsons of the farmers are now wealthy merchants who are shaping the town into an economic powerhouse and becoming a kind of secondary gatekeeper in the region to rival Ishnei Dorei. It is rumored that brokerages between the governments of the Elven Wood Realms and the city leadership have allowed for certain exiles to be banished here instead of Ishnei Dorei, having undergone horrendous experimentation as punishment for their crimes against the state. Regardless of the truth of these rumors, when the moon grows full each month, the howling of wolves and the occasional shriek of terror can be heard in the forests around Pompen. This apparent danger has not deterred the greedy people of the city, who brush off reports of missing livestock and even the occasional missing child, blinded by their mountains of gold and precious gemstones.
Population: 1,500 (60% Humans, 15% Half Elves, 25% Other Ancestries)
Government: The merchants who run the city do so in a continuous dance of infighting, backstabbing, and self-dealing. Each of them is greedier than the last, and just as devious, seeking to do all they can to solidify support behind themselves and secure position over all the others. So far, their infighting has kept them all at bay, with any getting too close to securing the ultimate prize being quickly cobbled down by a coalition of the others, only for that coalition to fall apart into bickering and revolt once the task is accomplished. Most citizens do their best to keep away from the bloodsport of the nobility.
Defense: The wealth of trade in recent times has allowed for Blackrock Company mercenaries to be contracted in defense of the town and to enforce the law on criminals. Because they are paid by the merchants rather than via tax revenues, the soldiers sometimes act outside the prescribed laws of the town in the interests of their employers.
Commerce: A lot of money flows through this area. The city is established, with many buildings upgraded and converted into clubs and taverns for travelers. A strong criminal underground pushes cheap and addictive drugs on crestfallen merchants denied access to the realms. Many of the poor and vagrants in the streets are such people: once bright eyed and hopeful, now a consumed byproduct of the city they sought to profit from.
Organizations: The Lucky Hands are the chief gang in town, acting outside of even the hired mercenary guards. They run several card houses and other gambling efforts and control much of the alcohol trade in the burgeoning city.
The architecture of the city draws heavily on designs from Fortare, with many stacked apartments that create a high population density.
Lycanthropy in Pompen
If a Player Character is from Pompen, roll on the following chart or choose a result of your preference, subject to GM approval depending on your campaign:
d100
Result
01-75
No Lycanthropy
76-80
Wererat
81-85
Werewolf
86-90
Wereboar
91-95
Weretiger
96-100
Werebear
Information on Player Characters as Lycanthropes can be found in the 5e Monster Manual.
Story Hooks for Pompen
Levels 1-4
A group of merchants in Pompen have received threats from an unknown party, warning them to stop trading with the Elven Wood Realms or face consequences. The merchants are seeking the help of adventurers to protect them and find out who is behind the threats.
A wealthy merchant in Pompen has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. The merchant's family is offering a large reward to anyone who can rescue them from the abandoned fort where the kidnappers are holed up, and bring the kidnappers to justice.
Levels 5-10
A merchant in Pompen has hired the adventurers to retrieve a valuable and rare herb that is said to have the ability to cure lycanthropy. The herb is guarded by a powerful lycanthrope who lives in the forests outside the city, and the merchant believes that obtaining the herb could make them rich. However, the herb is also the only thing keeping the lycanthrope who possesses it from turning into a monster with each full moon. The adventurers must choose between destroying the creature or finding an alternative solution to the problem.
Bowlock
The tiny hamlet of Bowlock is tucked away on the edge of a large, coastal forest in the southeastern portion of Altisia. The village was founded by a faction of Material Dragonkin fleeing persecution in Fabeldyr. After the Meteor Bay Incident in the Breaking Era, some former citizens of the Nystam seeking a different path moved here to work in the bountiful coal mines and live in the shadow of the great forest, trees being rare in the Magma Mountains. The occasional vagrant has settled in this region as well, leading to a relatively diverse population despite their humble origins.
Population: 300 (60% Material Dragonkin, 10% Half Orcs, 5% Orcs, 25% Other Ancestries)
Government: The differences in cultural backgrounds have led to several conflicts in the history of the town. It was decided that a Sheriff should be elected from each faction to represent them in debate, with an odd number of Sheriffs always being required. Currently, there is a Dragonkin Sheriff, an Orcish Sheriff, and a Human Sheriff who is tasked with looking out for all non-Dragonkin and non-orcish needs. Few envy this third position, though it is commonly held as a vital piece of the system.
Defense: Far away from the many major troubles of the world, the village of Bowlock is able to operate in relative peace. The occasional orcish raiding party might make its way this far east, but the exhaustion from the journey makes them easily pliable with meat and ale, which they heartily accept as they boast about returning for another “raid” the following year. The tradition has evolved into something of a game within the town, with women and children pretending to run screaming and hide from the orcs, who laugh at their pathetic yelps as they haul on toward the dining halls. This unique ritual has attracted the attention of several anthropologists from Fortare who study the ritual proceedings with great interest.
Commerce: Bowlock is primarily a farming and coal mining community, with wealth being a distant dream for some and a happily avoided catastrophe to others. Many residents are perfectly content with their simple lives and those who are unhappy are free to leave at any time. As such, not a lot of wealth is created from the coal exports due to no drive to expand the operation above a sustainable capacity.
Organizations: A sport known as “handball” is wildly popular amongst the citizens, who have split and formed into several teams with their own colors and symbols. They compete yearly on a thirty game season, with the remaining weeks devoted to training and rest, after the harvest duties are complete, of course. Despite the love of sport, the citizens of Bowlock believe that chores come before entertainment.
Story Hooks for Bowlock
Levels 1-4
The village of Bowlock is facing a crisis as a powerful storm is approaching, and they are not prepared to weather it. The adventurers are hired by the village to gather supplies and help the villagers prepare for the storm, and possibly even rescue anyone who might be in danger. This could involve anything from helping to repair and reinforce the villagers' homes, to finding shelter for those who are displaced or in danger.
Levels 5-10
A group of adventurers are hired by the Sheriff of Bowlock to investigate the sudden disappearance of several of the village's miners. It is believed that they have been taken by a group of bandits operating in the area, and the adventurers must track down the bandits and rescue the miners. Along the way, they may discover that the bandits have been working for a larger organization or have a personal grudge against the village.
A group of adventurers are hired by a wealthy merchant from Fortare to retrieve a rare and valuable mineral that is only found in the coal mines of Bowlock. The merchant is willing to pay a large sum for the mineral, but the adventurers soon discover that it is guarded by a powerful and ancient dragon who has been sleeping in the mines for centuries. The adventurers must navigate the treacherous mines and find a way to obtain the mineral without waking the dragon or causing any other harm.
The Wildwood (map)
From the massive oak and birch trees in the southern portions to the frosty pines of a treacherous taiga, the northeastern region known as The Wildwood serves as the ancestral home to many Elvish, Giant (Primarily Hill and Stone), and Ravenkin peoples of Toinen. Many other ancestries have taken up residence over time in this bountiful and ancient region. The eldest trees here span over one thousand years in age, dating back even to the proto-historic era of Toinen before the founding of Fortare and the involvement of the gods in mortal affairs. Over the history of the region, some thirty different clans have called The Wildwood home, though their common placement has not created any kind of accord between them. There is no unified government within The Wildwood, with four primary factions either looking to their own isolationist interests or seeking alliances from outside the woods.
To the northeast, the Snowlimb Treants protect their sacred groves and persist through a bitter, year round frost. Young ones from every tribe are warned against traversing these woods. If the cold weren't dangerous enough, it is not uncommon to hear of a bitter, old tree snatching up a small living creature and flinging it high into the air before leaving it to its eventual fate. Most people agree that the trees do this for entertainment, wicked as they are. In the northwest, the Twin Courts of the Diopatra contain many of the fey and faerie creatures of Toinen. Rumors have it that a strong connection to the The Fey Realm exists in this region of the Wildwood, with many intruding fey creatures and spillover effects lending weight to this theory. Some even see the Twin Courts as mirroring the Seelie and Unseelie courts of the The Fey Realm, though the differences are prominent enough to make a distinction. There is no authoritative correlation between the Twin Courts and the Fey Courts. The lack of understanding most have for the The Fey Realm combined with the fey proclivity toward deception have left most academics and scholars scratching their heads as to the true nature of the Diopatra.
Central to the region are the Wood Elf clans: Clan Eldrin, Clan Enn, Clan Fel, and Clan Mot among the current prominent factions. The members of these clans are most likely to depart the realm and travel as many young elves are wont to do. The Clans work together in matters of agriculture and defense, sharing fields and foraging territory between them while fighting back against Giant and Orcish incursion. Each group has its own leadership and laws. Even religious expression carries variation from clan to clan. Being naturally long-lived, the Elves of The Wildwood do not take exception to the differences in their worship. Some who travel beyond the Wildwood explain that they believe all the gods to be expressions of different traits that every mortal can aspire to, though special affection is held for Krum, also called The Warrior, who is the creator of all elvish peoples.
Clan Glynn of the Wood Elves once held vigil over the southern lands before falling to the Branchbreaker Tribes, a martial and nomadic group of orcs who have adapted to life in the forest, even making a key alliance with the Grubrog Hill Giants, now a respected tribe amongst the Branchbreakers. This alliance spelled a time of trouble for all residents of the realm. The orcs are ravenous in their appetite, moving through the forest by instructing their Hill Giant allies to rip trees from the ground, roots and all, to clear pathways wide enough to march two giants abreast. These tunnels through the forest have turned into natural pathways used by survivors of the raids carried out by the orcs who march behind the giants. The Branchbreakers are marshaled by a brutal warlord who is said to have made a Warlock’s Pact with an unknown entity of great power. What else could explain these orcs' ability to rally great numbers and make war on the long standing peoples of the Wildwood?
The borders between the various factions are constantly contested, with groups working to enforce claims and keep resources and production active for their people. Be it by conflict, trickery, or some other means, the Wildwood earns its name in the eyes of each who crosses into its boundaries.
Population: Unknown, Clan sizes vary depending on represented ancestries, with the Orcs and Wood Elves representing the largest groupings. Fey creatures and treefolk are also known to walk the woods. It is unheard of for people to travel to this region for any reason. No one moves here, even those fleeing the barbarians to the east or the orcs to the south know that crossing the line into the forest is worse than whatever they are running from.
Government: Disassociated Clans and Tribes of varying histories. There is no unifying accord between them, with each faction having its own form of governance, law, and even religion.
Defense: Each clan looks to its own defense, be it from another clan or an external threat. Some alliances exist in the complex political arena, though the trustworthiness of any arrangement is often called into question. The Wood Elf Clans use their knowledge of the forest to drive their opponents into Snowlimb territory when possible, allowing for an entertaining, albeit macabre, end to the fight.
Commerce: Each clan produces the goods it needs. Merchants who desire to travel here are often rebuffed from even entering. This is not to say that foreign goods do not make it to the Wildwood. Many a foolish merchant or looter looking to offload goods and make a bit of coin finds their mission to be successful as they watch their carts and belongings carried off into the woods from a makeshift gallows branch. It did not take long for the learned to understand: you do not go into the Wildwood uninvited.
Organizations: The different clans utilize intricate flags and symbols to designate territorial markings, planned usage, current status, and more. One symbol has been appearing more and more of late: a hand with fingers from five different ancestries clenching a crown. Rumor has it that they believe a hero will come and unite the Wildwood, merging the clans into one and leading them to an age of prosperity and global renown. Salacious as the idea may be, no one has yet come forward to claim responsibility for this message or to lead the realm into a glorious heyday.
Story Hooks for The Wildwood
Levels 1-4
The Kaskos Tribe is in need of a new source of water after their well dried up. They have heard of a hidden spring deep in the forest and are seeking a group of skilled scouts to lead them to the spring and help them set up a new water supply.
Pinecone, a leader of the Snowlimb Treants, has asked for help in defending their sacred groves from a group of poachers who have been stealing their rare and valuable plant life.
The Snowlimb Treants have been plagued by a series of mysterious fires that have been breaking out in their sacred groves. They are seeking a group of brave heroes to investigate the cause of the fires and put a stop to them.
Clan Mot has received word of a group of bandits planning to attack their village. They are seeking a group of skilled defenders to help protect their village and drive off the bandits.
Clan Eldrin is in need of assistance in negotiating a trade agreement with a neighboring human village. They are seeking a group of skilled diplomats to help facilitate the negotiations and ensure a fair and mutually beneficial deal.
Levels 5-10
The Sakgu Tribe has recently come under attack from a group of prowling worgs. The tribe's chieftain has asked for a group of brave adventurers to help fend off the worgs and protect their village.
House Achilia, one of the two courts of the Diopatra, has recently come into possession of a rare and powerful magical artifact. However, they have received word that a group of thieves is planning to steal the artifact and are seeking a group of skilled guards to help protect it.
House Morella, the other court of the Diopatra, is in need of assistance in negotiating a peace treaty with a neighboring fey tribe. They are seeking a group of skilled diplomats to help broker a deal and prevent a costly and bloody war.
Clan Fel has recently discovered a group of bandits operating in their territory. They are seeking a group of skilled warriors to help root out the bandits and bring them to justice.
Clan Enn is in need of a rare and valuable herb to use in a sacred ceremony, but the herb only grows in a particularly dangerous part of the forest. They are seeking a group of brave and skilled foragers to brave the dangers of the forest and bring back the herb.
Fabeldyr: Factions and Locations
The continent of Fabeldyr was dominated by dragons for over 700 years. The dragons made mortals their playthings and gathered unbelievable treasure.
A hero named Zane the Slayer gathered adventurers and started a revolution which culminated in the death of Rugotorix, king of the Court of Scales and the end of the Draconic Hierarchy, the lineage of all the Ethereal Dragons.
After the revolution, a civil war broke out between the emerging nations. Zane the Slayer brought an end to this conflict through a famous private meeting with the leaders of each faction.
Zane the Slayer is widely respected by nobles and commoners alike, though the Blackrock Company is not always treated with such admiration.
In the Dawning Era, when The Bjornum still inhabited the Wildlands, the mightiest and most ancient Ethereal Dragons ruled as despots over the land of Fabeldyr. The mortal peoples of the land were under their subjugation and no other creatures dared to challenge their supreme rule. The Ancients ruled atop their mountains of ill-gotten gain while the people below languished in the dirt. One dragon would make war against another, an embodyment their immense greed, gathering slave soldiers and either conquering their enemy and taking their wealth and servants as spoil or perishing in the attempt and forfeiting their own realm to the victor. These dynamic exchanges of power resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of mortals and a lack of any stable society outside of the noble class and the dragons themselves. The nefarious offspring of Jormungandr made a plaything of the unguarded world and there was much suffering in the land.
After seven hundred years of oppression, a liberator rose to free the people from their draconic masters. Zane the Slayer earned his moniker by leaping a great height and piercing the liver of the greatest dragon, Rugotorix, with a twisted and mighty lance that had been dipped into acerbic waters of the Abyss by the demigod Strixus, son of The Tempest.
Once Rugotorix was laid low, soldiers from the ranks of the scattered draconic legions became turncoat heroes, united under the banner of Zane the Slayer. They rebelled against the Draconic Hierarchy of the Court of Scales, driving their tyrants deep into the mountains, deserts, swamps, and other hidden and wretched places of the world. Those who survived the insurrection came to be known as The Blackrock Company, named for the obsidian black stone in the mountains around their stronghold. Their number was like the multitudinous sands of the great ocean floor, hardened from years spent under the thumb of their masters, and they spread across the continent like a wildfire leaving scale and slaughter in their wake. Despite their victory over the dragons, the end was not yet in sight. Conflicts over territory rights, access to resources, and other such affairs became commonplace. Open conflict broke out between the people shortly thereafter, with many tens of thousands dying in great battles that exterminated entire houses at once. The flame of freedom was quickly diminishing. The War of Grumbling was brought to an end by Zane the Slayer, who gathered all of the kings of Fabeldyr together at Rugosfall, where a private meeting was held. No one knows what happened in the meeting, the highest leaders and Zane all swearing oaths of secrecy to the grave, but a loosely held peace agreement was formed and the war was brought to a grinding halt.
Today, five nations have emerged from the survivors of the wars for liberation. Though they bicker and jockey for position over one another, there has yet to be open conflict between any of the nations since the War of Grumbling. This is largely credited to the influence of Zane the Slayer, who continues to serve as an official diplomat and elder statesman of the realms. After learning the weight and potential of his words, he dedicated himself to working toward preserving the freedoms he, and thousands of others, fought so dearly to achieve. Few would dare to openly cross the Slayer, not for fear of his retribution, but that of the common people who love him so dearly. The Blackrock Company, however, does not always receive the same reverence.
Kingdom of Alia (map)
“Where the Mountain Meets the Sea”
The Kingdom of Alia has a strong textiles economy due to the presence of a special blue plant called Crownflower.
The society is ⅔ Human and Elf, ⅓ being a mix of everything else. Mixed ancestries are common as well as polyamorous relationships.
Major religions include (in order): Morgon the Father, Rettvisa the Mother, Vokat the Judge, and Kraka the Keeper.
While the culture is generally warm and open, the people in the rural areas outside the capital are the most hospitable.
The Kingdom of Alia is politically aligned with the League of Angaland due to family ties between ruling noble families. This makes them a formidable confederated power on the continental stage.
Constantin Touzet I, the first king of Alia, was a veteran of Zane the Slayer’s war of liberation and befriended a family of Air Dragons who now live in The Brows, mountains north of the capital city.
Alia (AY-lee-uh) is a land of sweeping coastal mountains, rocky plains, and a thinly forested swampland. The capital city of Lexum is known for a unique local flora, the Crownflower, which creates a magnificent and unique shade of blue pigment when crushed. This famous component is especially coveted in the dyeing of fabrics and mixing of paints in noble courts worldwide. The nation has become a kind of incubator for artisans of all kinds, with a litany of weavers and tailors contributing to a thriving textiles industry.
Humans and Elves make up two thirds of the people of the realm, with the final third being a mixture of the many Half Elven children, a large community of Halflings, and a selection of the other myriad ancestries of Toinen. Mixed ancestry relationships are common in Alia, as is polyamory. This relaxed attitude toward relationships creates the expected level of drama, both in the royal courts and upon every rung of the social ladder, with gossip and rumor mongering being some of the best paying work in the capital.
When the Court of Scales dominated the continent of Fabeldyr, worship of the gods was suppressed in every populated city. After the War of Liberation and the subsequent freedom brought by the Blackrock Company, several competing religious interests have taken up residence within the nations, Alia being no exception. Servants of Morgon the Father, Rettvisa the Mother, Vokat the Judge, and Kraka the Keeper can be found regularly in the streets of Comment and Lexum both, making alms for the poor and offering religious rites and rituals to any wishing to undertake them.
The culture of Alia is warm and open, with people freely greeting one another in the streets and joining together in common song at night in the taverns. The prosperity brought on by production and trade has sparked a general goodwill amongst many citizens. This vivaciousness shapes the people of Lexum, especially, as the city has become quite wealthy in a short manner of time. This sudden burst of prosperity does not always have a positive effect, with some of the newer nobles choosing to take a more aloof stance to the plight of the less fortunate among them. Without the trappings of city life, people in the countryside tend to be generally more lawful, interested in the common good and living in simple service to the gods.
Alia has long had a mutual affection for the League of Angaland, their ruling families descending from the same lineage, the illustrious Houses Touzet and Nain-Touzet. Their mutual defense pact has done much to keep the peace on the eastern edge of Fabeldyr, for any army foolish enough to attack one state must face their combined wrath. With no other two nations sharing as close of a bond, the arrangement has also led to a unique place of success and strength in the new, post-flood world for the two relatively young powers.
Legends walk amongst the people of Alia: the northern peaks of the nation, known as The Brows, contain the roosts of a family of Air Dragons. These magnificent and benevolent creatures were discovered and befriended by King Constantin I during his time as a Blackrock Company soldier in Zane the Slayer’s War for Liberation . An arrangement made with the city allows for the dragons to be called upon in times of great need, in exchange for the promise of safe haven, a seat at the table for every festival, and a copy of every tome of history or tale of fancy written by the magisters, bards, and archivists of the crown. The entire brood was present, in full dress and regalia, for the funeral of the late inaugural King of Alia. If you happen to see a cheerful looking family of silver-scaled Dragonkin in blue and yellow robes, be forewarned: you may be witnessing the common affairs of great beings. It’s generally regarded as appropriate to greet them politely and refrain from asking favors or too many questions.
Rondewood, 02/2021 - licensed from Joe Johnson thejoejohnson.com
Lexum (Map)
While the shining silver accent features and the upward, sweeping architecture of the city of Lexum enchant the eye and inspire the imagination, the open air amphitheater at the center of the city is the true attraction for most visitors. The Lexum Band is a massive conglomerate of acting troupes, musical acts, jugglers, poets, and other entertainers of all varieties. These groups participate in the yearly Admiration Games, where acts compete for votes from the audience, with the finalists typically receiving continental or even worldwide acclaim whether they clench the final trophy or not. Merely advancing to these final stages means fame, wealth, and everything that comes along with it.
There are three primary elements of the Lexum textiles industry. The farmers, predominantly in the fields south of the city nestled beneath the Barrier Ridge, grow flax and cotton. This is sold on to merchants or representatives of workshops in the city proper, where sheep wool is imported from Comment as well. The craftspeople turn it into various refined goods, which are then sold to the citizens of the city as well as merchants from all over the world, who take it to their various territories to turn a tidy profit. These three groups (farmers, craftspeople, and merchants) operate in relative harmony, with each benefiting from the industry according to their labor. Most people living in the city work in some level of this industry, with other kinds of business forming around the niche markets in the city as people have need. The only exception to this is a thriving silversmithing industry that has emerged after the flood. The discovery of several dense silver veins in The Brows by former farmers and other dwellers of the lowlands kicked off a burgeoning industrial shift in the nation. This boom has brought many new peoples to Lexum from all over Fabeldyr in hopes of striking it rich on one of the princely sum bounties offered by the crown for discovering a new vein.
Population: 10,500 (32% Humans, 28% Elves, 15% Half Elves, 25% Other Ancestries)
Government: Monarchy. The pure line of House Touzet has had a member on the throne since the beginning of the liberation, the current king being Constantin II, the son of the first king, Constantin I.
Defense: The Alian navy has four hundred warships and a professional army six thousand strong.
Commerce: The Brows north of the city have several rich silver veins owned and operated by the crown. Wools are imported from Comment while flax and cotton are brought in from the surrounding country. High quality fabrics are commonly found here.
Organizations: Alia is one of two places where The Etheric Council keeps an ambassador in Fabeldyr, the other being Rugosfall at the Court of the Slayer.
Story Hooks for Lexum
Levels 5-10
The yearly celebration of the Admiration Games is ever present in the minds of many citizens, be they looking to compete for fame and fortune or for an excuse to engage in a level of festivity that could be described as debaucherous. Crownflower Holdings, one of the most illustrious and wealthy patrons of the games, is sponsoring a caravan of fine wines and preserved foods to be made available for the events. They are looking to hire a security detail of adventurers to complement their own forces on the road to Dunstead in Angaland and for the return journey to Lexum. Payment will come in the form of gold and special access to the Admiration Games. Payment is dependent on timely arrival.
The Bay of Graves offers a constant, eerie reminder of the destruction visited upon Fabeldyr and the world in the last age. The flooded landscape is filled with hostile spirits, ghosts, and undeath. The wind carries a natural, howling wail that has grown to an unbearable intensity in recent days. The Crown is hiring adventures to travel into the region, determine the source of the corruption, and resolve it. The Way of the Raven, an organization of itinerant monks, are also active in the region working to investigate and alleviate the unrest.
Comment (Map)
Surrounded by fields of golden wheat and barley, flax and cotton, the walled farming town of Comment (Koh-MEN) serves both as a major supplier of farmed materials such as wheat, barley, and tobacco as well as the last major stop on the main road across Fabeldyr before coming to either Lexum, or south to Perkansa. The town is a preferred destination for many seeking a slower pace than the action-packed streets of Lexum without sacrificing too many of the conveniences that accompany life near a major trading port.
Most of the residents live in one or two bedroom cottages built along a spider’s web of dirt roads, back streets, and unnamed avenues in Wheat Alley. The roofs are often a golden thatch, with some living in Ivystreet able to afford nicer tile shingles to lay overtop the thick arrangements of straw. A trio of barracks in the Fish Docks also serves as intermittent housing for seasonal laborers that come to work the fields during harvest. When not used for hospitality, the barracks are converted into storage for various goods waiting to be moved on throughout the continent.
The Beerway, a stretch of breweries, restaurants, and taverns between the docklands and the residential district, came to be known as such only in recent times. A tavern owner experienced a season of unusual popularity, the benefits of which enabled him to begin buying out competitors but keeping them in place to make his brew instead. This caught the attention of the governor, an appointee of the king and member of the Royal House Touzet. This curious and watchful gaze turned out to be a boon for the owner of the tavern chain, as the rumors of this exquisite brew began to run rampant through the royal courts. Today, a steady supply of Beerway Exports finds its way into the royal larder and the Beerway operates unimpeded in Comment.
Many dream of fame and the trappings that come with it in the capital. Unfortunately, few awake from this dream to find it a reality. Whether an artist has fallen from grace with the crowd, succumbed to their vices, or just needs to retreat from the hustle of the city, Artist’s Church has something to offer. The beautiful, rolling hills and crystal clear lake serve as a muse worthy of the greatest creators. The diverse peoples of the town always have a new story to tell. Most importantly, the crowd has much lower standards here, allowing weak or developing acts to find their feet before moving on to tougher audiences in larger cities.
Copperrock Enterprises represents the local place of interest for adventuring parties looking for contracts and connections, especially for those reluctant to join a larger and more involved organization such as the Blackrock Company. The guild is run by a trio of retired adventurers who do their best to offer wisdom and guidance to the adventurers in their employ as well as some of the youth of the town. The guildhall sits just outside the West Gate along the Main Road.
Population: 4,200 (50% Humans, 20% Elves, 15% Halflings, 15% Other Ancestries)
Government: Monarchy. The governor Robin Touzen from the illustrious House Touzet holds a Lordship over the region with a mandate to keep the people safe and return a certain amount of crops and taxes each year. The taxes most often come from the Royal Share of each Adventuring Contract by Copperrock Enterprises, reducing the burden on the citizens of the town and garnering a great deal of good will for the adventurers.
Defense: The Alian army keeps a reserve of eight hundred soldiers in a fort on the perimeter of the town. With the ease of access to major roadways, the army is able to keep a close watch on the region as well as quickly mobilize to defend against threats. The residents of Ivystreet funded an effort to wall off the interior of the city, creating a haven for those outside in times of trouble.
Commerce: The trade of all manner of farmed goods sustains the people of this region. Though they do not generate great wealth, they lead lives of simplicity and richness of a different quality. Most people of means in Comment are retirees or en route to another location. That being said, many of the residents consider themselves benefactors, with a large focus of their time and effort going toward guiding the city into the next era. This generosity is not always well received, however, with cultural differences between the rich and the poor seeding a growing rift between the classes. Some have talked in private about taking collective action, but no one has risen up to lead them as of yet.
Organizations: An academy was founded to benefit the less wealthy citizens of Alia, sponsored by a previous winner of the Admiration Games, Yui Bouldervalor. While artistic pursuits are a primary track in the program, the school also offers courses of a practical nature to students of all ages with topics ranging from blacksmithing and farming techniques to introductory magical techniques, though nothing beyond a set of very simple cantrips.
The Cult of the Dragon, an ominously named but divinely-inspired organization in service to Hest has found a degree of acceptance here. Their holy charge to defend the defenseless, exhibit honor and just action, and offer the path of redemption to the fallen generated a sweeping popularity during the early days of the ninth century. The town celebrated a groundbreaking to build a magnificent temple at the turn of the ninth century, expected to be completed sometime in the next fifty years. While this construction is underway, a wealthy citizen in Ivystreet has opened up an emptied wine cellar to be used as a makeshift shrine.
While efforts are made to provide for the poor and the needy, not everyone in Alia is cushioned by wealth and family status. Social mobility is hard outside of adventuring, and those unable to take on the challenges of the wild often find themselves on the fringes of society. It started small, with only a handful of people living beneath bridges over streams or in the forests on the edges of town. They would wear tan and teal bandanas, with a cresting wave sigil crudely stitched to the outside. These pretender-knights, calling themselves The Merged, valued integrity and righteousness more fanatically than the Cult of the Dragon, seeing the knights of Hest as having a greater affinity for talk than action. The Merged watch closely over the laborers and contractors doing the real work of construction, seeing that any who make a habit of mistreating their workers would have their sins revisited upon them.
Story Hooks for Comment
Levels 1-4
A member of The Merged, a group of vagabond knights pledged to the cause of justice for the poor, has gone into Midlake Swamp in search of a Manticore that has been eating sheep from the local farms. He has not been seen or heard from in a fortnight and the farmers are starting to lose more sheep. Copperrock Enterprises will pay a bounty for the head of the Manticore and representatives of The Merged are offering access to a supply of potions for information leading to the recovery of their missing knight.
The Cult of the Dragon operates a quarrying mission at the base of The Brows near the La Rue highway. The most recent shipment of stone arrived half-fulfilled, the wagon driver gravely wounded by many arrows. With his dying breath, he told of a group of wilderness raiders that had surprised the encampment, killing the guards and most of the workers. Copperrock Enterprises is contracting a group of adventurers to journey to the quarry, find the bandits, and bring them to justice.
Alian Points of Interest
Barrier Mountains
The Barrier Mountains divide the continent of Fabeldyr into two portions, with the eastern section becoming a lawless and uncivilized land. The mountains themselves are home to the last enclaves of the Court of Scales, Ethereal Dragons that previously ruled over the entirety of the continent. They are hunted day and night by ambitious soldiers of the Blackrock Company looking to earn a promotion through valor in the field.
Bay of Graves
Before the Great Flood of 883 CE2, the fields to the south of Lexum were filled with farms, orchards, and small hamlets belonging to the farmers that worked them. The tidal waves broke across the coast at the base of the Barrier Mountains, crashing into the low-lying land in a great deluge of destruction. The bodies were unable to be recovered before something foul set in. Now, the Bay of Graves moans and wails audibly at night, with locals saying the sound reaches a peak at the new moon each month, when ghosts and ghouls rise to take vengeance on the living.
La Rue Highway
The destruction leading to the forming of the Bay of Graves also destroyed a great portion of the Kingsroad that connected Lexum to the Main Road and Comment. Constantin I made it his final priority in life to complete this highway. It was a lofty plan, to build a paved cobblestone road fifty miles long, curving around the base of the mountain so as not to venture near the haunted waters. Work was done quickly and efficiently, but the King’s health declined as the project neared completion. It fell to his son, Constantin II, to dedicate the highway in honor of his father upon completion three years after his reign began.
Lake Sharptooth
Alia’s largest body of freshwater, Lake Sharptooth is home to a species of highly dangerous but incredibly meaty and delicious fish. The carnivorous beasts detect blood in the water immediately, swarming upon whatever is unfortunate enough to be torn asunder by the onslaught. The people of Alia hunt these creatures in large boats with iron nets, drawing up large clusters and binding them together, the nets causing lacerations on the fish that attract even larger swarms. The fish seem to repopulate as quickly as they can be harvested and no limit has yet to be placed on how many can be taken for food. While the regulations are heavily relaxed on harvest, the people of Fabeldyr are not swarming to take a bite as the work is very dangerous and unforgiving: a single slip often results in loss of limb, at best.
Midlake Swamp
The marshy land between the lakes hums and buzzes with insects of all kinds. Farmers with small, purple lights can be seen walking through the myriad of rice paddies, plucking large crickets from the air and collecting small fish that can be easily fried.
South Road
Once the Main Road dips south past the Deadroad, it is referred to as the South Road. This road leads directly to Kikarsa, capital of Perkansa, and is sparsely traveled by trade caravans.
The Boots
The lesser freshwater lake in Alia has a recreational boat dock and beach front, carefully manicured each day by caretakers before throngs of people from all over Fabeldyr come and enjoy the waters. The caretakers who watch over the lake live in small cottages around the area, generally preferring to keep to themselves.
The Brows
North of Lexum, The Brows stand tall atop the face of Fabeldyr. This ancient mountain range does not climb as high as the Barrier Mountains but the northern climate still brings a wicked wind and icy snowdrifts. After the flood of 883 CE2, former farmers and dwellers of the lowlands south of Lexum chose to abandon their agrarian lives and seek their fortune or their end in the depths of these mountains. What they found there changed not only their lives, but the lives of every citizen of Alia: dozens of abundant and accessible silver veins tucked away in caverns and crevasses throughout the region. Now, small bands of scouts and prospectors search diligently for their own claims that can be re-sold to the crown at an exorbitant price.
The Deadroad
After the ghosts and ghouls emerged from the Bay of Graves, parties of adventurers were hired to drive them back into the waters. Efforts were first focused on the region planned for the La Rue Highway and while these were successful, the delay in attention to the road on the south side allowed for a wickedness to settle into the land along the old road. Today, skeletons and wights patrol the road and create a real danger for any seeking passage through the region. Fortunately, the new highways have provided little reason for any to traverse this region. Only foolhardy adventurers or treasure hunters dare traverse The Deadroad.
The Main Road
The Main Road runs in a U-shape through Fabeldyr, starting near Comment, arcing through Rugosfall, and then dipping south to a terminus in the territory of the Golden Dynasty. The road is well traveled by merchants of all manner and patrolled regularly by Blackrock Company Marshalls, an elite division of rangers and survivalists. These warriors seek out reports of brigandry, bringing their full attention to tracking and hunting these thieves day and night, with survivors being shipped off to work the granite mines of Skild in the far northwest.
The Rondewood
A dark fog hovers in the space between the needles of the evergreens, obscuring vision and creating a bone-chilling cold. The Rondewood is a circular cluster of forest that sits at The Joining of The Brows, where the divergent tail ends of the range meet again to stretch northward. While the locale seems dark and uninviting, the forest itself is not home to any great evil or imminent threat. The Rondewood is the most dense source for wild Crownflower in the Kingdom, a byproduct of the mass growth being the dark fog emanating off of the trees. This has come to be a signal of sorts for weavers and dyers looking to source a particular blend of pigment, with shops exhibiting foggy windows often being the best places to find it.
Alian Factions and Organizations
Barmhart Convent
The Barmhart Convent is a religious order devoted to Rettvisa, a god known for mercy and healing. During the War of Liberation, the silver draconic lineage of Rehkinda became aligned to this deity and after taking up residence in The Brows north of Lexum, a large number of devotees began to flock to the region, settling all around Alia. Their leader in Fabeldyr is Alma Mater Kerienne, an enigmatic and charismatic figure in the region. Her motherly influence has brought thousands of souls to the kingdom, with many swearing off their wealth and success after arriving at their new homes. The sizable donations to the Convent generated from these vows have simultaneously facilitated the creation of dozens of humanitarian efforts in the land as well as a direct ascension of the Convent’s leadership to the elite political class.
Crownflower Holdings
Crownflower Holdings is a conglomerate of textiles operations. They operate the single largest collection of grazing lands for sheep and other shearable livestock. Their leadership is composed of several mysterious figures, nobles who prefer to stay in reclusion from the common folk. Those who deign to walk the streets can be seen with their hoods pulled long over the heads, obscuring their faces while allowing them to see through slots in the fabric. The business itself is extremely successful. It is said that Crownflower gold is weighed rather than counted. The company has connections to the high and mighty throughout the kingdom, often affording them the ability to skirt the law or other regulations that those with less money must deal with.
Cult of the Dragon
Hest the Dragon embodies the execution of justice and the fruit of humility. Currently, the Knights of Hest are primarily engaged in a long term construction project. They operate a quarry near Lexum and transport stones to Comment for use in the construction of a magnificent temple project. The project still has approximately fifty years of work until completion, but once finished it will be one of the most magnificent buildings in Fabeldyr, rivaling the great Five Points Temple in Rugosfall itself. The Hest Cult hires adventurers and Blackrock Company soldiers as security detail for the stone trafficking and has even attracted the attention of master masons from the Dwarven city of Stouthammar in the far-off continent of Altisia.
L' Societe Bureau
A newcomer to the aristocracy of Comment, Gabriel Bureau operates a dyeing and weaving business in Comment in partnership with Crownflower Holdings to supply an artisanal form of cloth that can only be acquired in small batch orders. Popularity of the cloth has exploded, bringing the business and its namesake to great prominence and wealth in a short time. The company has ties to powers in Angaland and it is rumored that Bureau himself is actually in a great deal of debt to these investors despite the overnight success of the business.
The Argent Lineage
When Constantin Touzet returned home to Lexum from the War of Liberation, he did so on the back of a mighty and ancient Air Dragon: Severillia d'Argent. Severillia is a vivacious force of life and power and became a dear friend of the now-deceased first monarch of Alia. Her brood inhabits a secret system of caves in The Brows whose entrance, according to legend, will only reveal itself to those of good heart and pure intent. The d’Argent brood is quite communal and it is extremely rare to see a Air Dragon unaccompanied by either family or closely trusted allies. The brood has taken on a kind of parasocial celebrity status in Alia with many people forming fan clubs and other such associations to dedicate themselves to these benevolent beings.
The Diplomatic Corps
Rumors of the War of Grumbling began to stir almost as soon as the War of Liberation was concluded. Zane the Slayer knew that communication between the nations was vital to the preservation of peace, and more importantly, freedom for the people of Fabeldyr. The Diplomatic Corps is an organization of statesmen and linguistic peace-makers who serve in the royal and noble courts of Fabeldyr. People of every ancestry and culture are trained in legal matters and in the art of debate and negotiation, with compromise being held aloft as the goal to aspire to. The nations have largely averted conflict through the efforts of these oft-nameless representatives of the diplomatic state. In Alia, the Diplomatic Corps seeks a closer alliance with the Barmhart Convent in the interests of helping steward their newfound wealth and power. Some rival interests view this project in a more cynical light, claiming the Diplomatic Corps would not be investing without some promise of a princely return.
Copperrock Couriers
The monarchical tax system calls for the payment of a certain total of tax from a region rather than from individuals. Because of the many prosperous enterprises bringing wealth to the nation, royal taxes have remained relatively low. In Comment, a special ordinance was passed by the local population to place a tax on all adventuring bounties and what has been considered “vagrant” work, meaning those hired were under no compulsion to stay in the town upon completing their tasks. The money collected from these taxes is used to pay off the sum total required by the crown each year, creating both a thriving freelancer’s market with many jobs available to be claimed and a general positive sentiment toward the adventurers paying the taxes, at least when times are good, that is.
Way of the Raven
After the events of the Great Flood in the Second Confluent Era (CE2), a great Divine Gate was sealed around the material plane, blocking all travel in or out of the material plane. This included the souls of the departed, much to the horror of mortals and gods alike. Without free passage to the afterlife, spirits become bitter and malevolent, lost in a physical world no longer meant for them. The Servants of Kraka were given a great boon as the need became most dire: her chosen servants are able to open rifts in the Divine Gate that allow for the passage of souls out and into the paths. These locations must be opened in certain places or prepared at certain times, particularly when great tragedies such as war, famine, or plague take hold of the land and death becomes common. The order has a conclave in The Stairs in the city of Lexum.
League of Angaland (map)
The League of Angland is the oldest ally to the Kingdom of Alia apart from the Blackrock Company.
It is a diverse climate wetland with a large ocean bay in the north and rich farmland in the south.
The League is governed by Ambassadors, powerful merchants who earn their positions through sponsorship by two existing members and can be disassociated from the League by way of a majority vote.
The Ambassadors have generated an enormous amount of wealth since gaining power and they continually plot and scheme to maintain their dominant position
Angaland’s citizens are mostly Dwarves, Halflings, and Gnomes and the size of the oldest buildings in the city reflect this. Magical implements allow tall creatures to re-size to a more appropriate height.
The events of the Great Flood (883CE2) were catastrophic to the region. The city of Twinforks was completely destroyed and along with a large portion of farm land. This has led to tough times for the nation, though a recovery is being made through the construction of a state naval force crewed by mercenaries.
Angaland is a diverse climate wetland, with the northernmost regions once sporting a thriving naval shipping lane. Evergreen timber forests run to the mountain range shared by the Kingdom of Alia, the oldest ally to Angaland aside from The Blackrock Company. The riverlands are prime for fishing and the shipment of goods, with trade lanes running up from the capital, Dunstead, into the oceans and the world beyond. South of the capital, stretching toward the shared and disputed central territories, rich farmland stretches out under an open sky. This fertile valley is home to several small agricultural hamlets and trading outposts along the Main Road as well as the occasional minor criminal element looking to benefit from the labor of others before retreating into the woods or the mountains.
The League is a governing body of noteworthy Ambassadors; a trade consortium that has assumed ownership of the nation. Ambassadorship is granted when sponsorship of two current Ambassadors is recognized via formal vote by a majority of remaining current Ambassadors. Ambassadorship can be lost much more easily: sufficient political scandal or financial setback could be cause for removal, though this has been rare. Few are interested in making enemies vengeful enough to orchestrate such a reprisal. The relative peace between the national powers of Fabeldyr has been good for The League, with many key trade deals being inked in the early days leading to prosperous businesses and a growing economy.
While some may consider prosperity a sign of success and put their feet up, The League sees success as the harbinger of failure. As such, they constantly scheme and plot for every possible contingency to ensure that a plan is available no matter what contingency is thrown at them. This predilection toward planning has served the nation well, launching them into a premier position in terms of continental trade. Caravans of merchants and their mercenary bodyguards traverse the main roads between nations, hopeful to combine the adventure of the open road with a fruitful return on their investment. Many of the more recent Ambassadors gained their status after one such fortuitous venture.
The citizenry of the League is primarily made up of Hill Dwarves, Halflings, and Gnomes, with most buildings made to suit. While settlements in Angaland have districts designed with the taller folk in mind, allowing for both ambassadorships and trade ventures in these quarters, ancestries on the shorter end of the height spectrum are advantaged in this nation.
The Great Flood of 883 CE2 devastated Angaland. The town of Twinforks was completely destroyed by the tidal wave that ran up the rivers known as The Forks, the murky waters now grimly referred to as Forks Grave Bay. Despite the many contingencies in place, none of the Ambassadors were prepared for the destruction visited upon their nation. While more optimistic powers hoped the shortage of farmland would lead to increased trade, which they could take a cut of, this fantasy has not proved factual so far. Instead, the League is having to compete on a military level for the first time, and many question the martial abilities of the silk-laden merchant folk in a time of open warfare.
Dunstead (Map)
The city of Dunstead is the largest in Fabeldyr, positioned near the main road that runs through the land. Wetlands stretch in every direction, with a great highway running south to the main road and a lesser thoroughfare stretching north toward the port town of Twinforks. The skies are often grey and rain is common, the people of the city learning to adapt and continuing with their affairs.
Dunstead has two primary sections: Big Dunstead and Little Dunstead. Contrary to most naming conventions, Little Dunstead is both home to many of the smaller ancestries of Toinen as well as where the most important state buildings and affairs are held. When the League first voted to confirm an Ambassador from the taller folk, a tinkerer proposed they craft a special Ring of Reduction to be made (and sold) by his business. It was a resounding success, with anyone who’s anyone in the city purchasing one so they can venture into the esteemed halls of Little Dunstead without issue. This creates a rather confusing spectacle for newcomers who might be surprised to see people of all shapes and ancestries reduced to a size somewhere between that of a halfling and a dwarf while still maintaining things like limb proportion.
In the opening days of freedom after the War of Liberation, the people of Dunstead were unsure what to do with the great hoard of the dragon that had previously ruled over them. It was agreed to use the gold to rebuild the city, both figuratively and literally. Today, golden accents are common on every signpost and the buildings are made of expertly masoned dwarven stone. There are several statues of great heroes and various Ambassadors around the city, all beautifully made and featuring fine golden inlays.
Long ago, the dwarves of House Hopscythe made up the majority of the Ambassadors. They were subservient to the dragons that ruled over the region of Angaland, loyal to their machinations and at times even complicit in them. It was the marriage of a Hopscythe Dwarf to a Touzet Human stolen from Alia in 267 CE1 that resulted in one of the Court of Scales’s most intriguing discoveries: viable offspring could be made from mixing the mortal races, though those offspring could conceive none of their own. While the mortal races had understood this since their earliest times, the dragons reacted with novel interest as the fad of breeding subjugates for purposes of labor, entertainment, and even warfare spread across the continent. Many of the elder Ethereal Dragons found the act distasteful and tried to ban the practice outright, but the dragons that ruled Angaland continued with these twisted unions, tirelessly seeking a way to restore their fertility. These experiments guided the creation of the Nain-Touzet family line: famously having all the hardiness of a dwarf and all the ingenuity of a human. They quickly replaced their Hopscythe cousins after their fall from grace in the time leading up to the victory over the Court of Scales.
Population: 19,000 (35% Humans, 30% Halflings, 15% Gnomes, 10% Dwarves, 5% Other Ancestries)
Government: The government operates much like a Merchant Republic, reinvesting tax revenue from each member Ambassador into the development and growth of the state. The Ambassadors make up a General Assembly, from which committee memberships are gained based on election within the General Assembly. These committees are responsible for the various enterprises and projects undertaken by their members. It is not uncommon that an Ambassador is recruited specifically for their potential to serve on a specific committee, gaining sponsorship from the members who would benefit most from their joining. This mutual benefit creates a level of cohesion amongst committees, though at times tensions can flare into something resembling factionalism and must be calmed by members of another committee.
Defense: The League has a long standing contract with the Blackrock Company, employing them as town guard and protector of trade endeavors in the region. This arrangement has been extremely fruitful for the League, with few foolish enough to thwart, let alone threaten, a shipment stamped with the Seal of the Slayer. After the loss of Twinforks, funds previously spent on the guard were swiftly reallocated toward the emergency construction of a navy in which ships are crewed by a new contingent of Blackrock Company marine soldiers. These patrol boats keep watch over the bay and the region’s coastline, weeding out threats before they grow into real problems and promoting a sense of safety amongst residents in these regions.
Commerce: All trade is subject to an excise tax, which most businesses tend to pass on to outsiders. Expect to pay 10%-25% more for goods if you’re not local to the region and have no personal connection to a merchant or an Ambassador.
Organizations: The rivers running through the center of the territory of the League are good for more than just fishing and trade. Each spring, people come from all over Fabeldyr to compete in a raft making and racing competition, with each team of entrants given a collection of materials to build a boat to race against the others. All entering members must be able to board and finish the race in the boat and there is much debate over whether adding more people to build better and faster is more effective than less people moving faster overall. The winner’s circle fails to pass a verdict, with results coming out fairly even year over year.
Story Hooks for Dunstead
Levels 1-4
The local boat racing tournament is soon to begin and the competition is really starting to heat up! No, seriously, there was a fire at the docks and the ships of several top contender teams were completely destroyed. The only clues so far are a black scarf and a mysterious scroll with a wrench printed upon it. A local consortium of Ambassadors is hiring adventurers to track down these leads and find the arsonist before the big race.
A shady figure in a back alley will pay the adventuring party to smuggle in a crate of goods from outside the city walls in order to avoid taxes and inspection. They could sneak in through the sewers or take a more straightforward approach and try to sneak it past the guards. If they can bring the crate to the shady figure, they will receive a large purse of gold, however failure will earn the ire of more than just the city guards. Losing these goods is not an option.
Twinforks
Before the great flood, Twinforks was a fishing town, warehouse and drydock for larger ships, and a major source of revenue for the realm. When the flood waters rose, the town was entirely consumed, with fortunes and hopes swept away in an instant. Most of the survivors took up residence in Dunstead, with a small group choosing to try and rebuild in the coastal region along the bay. No successful township has yet been re-established but the survivors can be seen taking expeditions from time to time into the bay to recover lost items from the pre-flood era.
Story Hooks for Twinforks
Levels 5-10
A representative of an Angalandian Ambassador is hiring adventurers to clear threats from his coastal claim and locate a lost family fortune: an heirloom item of great power. However, his contract speaks of using the heirloom to kickstart the military operations of Angaland, something that may upset the balance of power in the region. Will you align yourselves to Angaland or look to the greater interests of Fabeldyr to prevent outright conflict?
Legends from the draconic times tell of a lost cargo ship filled with treasure. None of the crew survived and no one knows exactly where it sank. A shadowy figure has been hiring adventuring parties to locate the missing vessel. Once per month, the figure arrives at a tavern near the southern edge of Forks Grave Bay and hires a new group to travel into the ocean and locate the lost treasure of the ancient dragons. Of the previously hired parties, none have returned. Now, the shadowy figure stands before your party, beckoning you to succeed where others have failed and stake your claim on fame and fortune.
Angalandian Points of Interest
The Amberfields
The Amberfields is a verdant, black earth paradise. Rolling hills and fields of golden grain seem to stretch on forever to the south toward the central mountain range. Nestled among these fields are the charming villages and hamlets of the region, each with its own distinct character. Amberdale is the largest and most prosperous of these communities, with a bustling market square and a thriving trade in locally-grown crops. While the residents of this region are not growing materially wealthy, there are relatively few who go hungry. People of different worldviews debate the success of this system.
Despite the harsh realities of farming - from unpredictable weather to ravenous pests - the hardworking farmers of the Amberfields persevere, coaxing a bountiful harvest from the earth each year. Their fields yield a great abundance of food, enough to feed the entire region and even leave a surplus for export. Amberfield grain is found on shelves as far away as Flaksja and is widely loved by many in Fabeldyr.
But the Amberfields is not without its dangers. The icy nation of Perkansa to the south poses a constant threat to the peace and prosperity of the region, and the farmers of Amberdale are often called upon to defend their land and their way of life. However, they remain loyal to the Ambassadors of the city to the north, determined to protect their homes and families. Blackrock Company mercenaries are often found in the region, either protecting a grain caravan or moving along to secure another important site.
The Bloody Harbor
The Bloody Harbor is a grim reminder of the devastating flood that hit the League of Angaland in 883 CE2. Nestled in the northernmost region of the nation, this natural bay was formed when the floodwaters rushed over the land, destroying entire hamlets and leaving behind a trail of destruction. The clay roofs of the houses, painted in honor of the Ambassadors, were left floating in the waters, giving the harbor a reddish hue that resembled an open wound.
Since that fateful day, the people of Angaland have referred to this place as the Bloody Harbor, a symbol of the tragedy that befell their nation. Despite the passage of time, the memory of the flood remains fresh in the minds of the people, and the Bloody Harbor serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the power of nature.
Forksgrave
Forksgrave is all that remains of the once thriving trade hub of Twinforks. Once the meeting point of two forking rivers, the icy region now lies fallow as a testament to the power of nature and the fragility of life. Despite the passage of time, the people remember the area fondly in their hearts and toast to the day when the sun shines on Twinforks again.
The Flushwood
Once per year, the melting of the peak snow combines with a rainy season and brings a great amount of water to the mountains southwest of Dunstead. The resulting runoff creates a temporary but still formidable river which flows from the upper mountains, through the Flushwood, and into the western portion of the Bloody Harbor. Because locals know of this perennial danger, the Flushwood is roped off at the borders and dozens of signs are put up each year warning potential visitors of the dangers. Local evidence shows a great deal of variation in each year’s flooding and much is made of predicting the outcome each year by almanac writers and fortune tellers alike.
The Frostshelf
The Frostshelf is a mysterious and foreboding place, located northwest of the capital city of Dunstead in the League of Angaland. It is a vast expanse of frozen floodwaters, turned into an enormous ice bank that never seems to thaw. The surface of the Frostshelf is smooth and featureless, a blank canvas of ice that stretches out as far as the eye can see.
Many tales and legends surround the Frostshelf, some saying that an evil wizard was trapped and cursed beneath its icy depths, while others claim that a mighty snow dragon slumbers in the frozen wasteland, waiting to awaken and reclaim its old territory. Some say that the Frostshelf is haunted by the ghosts of those who were lost in the Great Flood, their spirits trapped forever in the icy embrace of the ice bank.
Midling Grove
Midling Grove is a tranquil and peaceful place located north of the Flushwood in the League of Angaland. It is a dry, forested region filled with tall trees and the somber songs of the Midlings, a bird the size of a small pigeon known for its mournful but soothing melodies. The forests have always been a place of reflection, sobriety, and contemplation, but it wasn't until the destruction caused by the Great Flood in 883 CE2 that the song of the Midling became associated with funerary rights. Since then, the Midling has been adopted as a symbol by the local devotees of Kraka, the goddess of transition to death. This symbol can be found on banners and funeral garments crafted by the priests of Kraka. The Midling's mournful song serves as a fitting dirge for those who have lost their lives, and the peaceful, contemplative atmosphere of the grove provides solace for the grieving. Despite the sadness that surrounds it, Midling Grove remains a place of beauty and tranquility, offering comfort and peace to all who visit.
Owlsgrove
Owlsgrove is a secluded region located on the far eastern side of Angaland's territory. It was largely untouched by the Great Flood of 883 CE2 and has become a popular retreat for the wealthy elites of the nation. The Ambassadors who govern Angaland are known to build their luxurious estates in the secluded forests of this region, taking advantage of the natural landscape and the security provided by the nearby Kingdom of Alia. This sister nation state often sends troops to protect the region as a gift to Angaland.
The ambiance of Owlsgrove is one of luxury and exclusivity, with lavish mansions hidden among the trees and surrounded by immaculately maintained gardens and grounds. The air is filled with the sound of birds singing and the rustling of leaves in the breeze. It is a place of peace and relaxation, a world apart from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the nation.
The Palewood
The Palewood is a frozen forest north of Midling Grove in the League of Angaland. It is avoided due to its reputation as a haunt of undead creatures, rumored to be rotting bodies drawn from the Bloody Harbor by a dark force. The Palewood is eerily still, with frozen trees standing like sentinels and the only sound being the crunch of frost underfoot. It is a place of great danger, where even the bravest warriors must tread carefully. Despite its reputation, the Palewood is also a place of great beauty with ice-covered trees that glisten in the sun and a frozen landscape that is a wonder to behold. Some say it is a place of great magic, but its true nature remains a mystery. The Palewood should be approached with caution, as it is both a place of danger and beauty.
Angalandian Factions and Organizations
The Ambassadors
The Ambassadors are the governing body of the League of Angaland, a trade consortium that has assumed ownership of the nation. They are powerful merchants who earn their positions through sponsorship by two existing members, and can be disassociated from the League by way of a majority vote. The Ambassadors have generated an enormous amount of wealth since gaining power, and they are known for their constant scheming and plotting to maintain their dominant position. They have a reputation for being cunning and ruthless in their business dealings, and are feared and respected by many within the nation. In addition to their role as the rulers of Angaland, the Ambassadors are also heavily involved in trade and commerce, negotiating deals with other nations and overseeing the shipping lanes that bring goods into the country.
The Loyalists
The Loyalists are a decentralized group of citizens within the League of Angaland who are fiercely loyal to the Ambassadors and their rule. They do not have a specific leader or hierarchy, but instead represent an ethos that has been cultivated by the Ambassadors in the class of people who support their rule. This ethos is one of obedience and loyalty, and the Loyalists are known for their unwavering support of the Ambassadors and their policies. Many Loyalists are merchants or business owners who have benefited from the Ambassadors' policies, and they are willing to go to great lengths to defend the status quo. Despite their lack of formal organization, the Loyalists are a powerful force within Angaland, and the Ambassadors often rely on their support to maintain their rule.
The Reformists
The Reformists are a group of citizens within the League of Angaland who seek to challenge the corrupt rule of the Ambassadors. For years, the Ambassadors have relied on their economic superiority to buy the loyalty of their subjects, but the Flood of 883 CE2 damaged their power in a way that makes them more vulnerable to the peaceful protests of the Reformists. Encouraged by this shift in the balance of power, the Reformists are taking action to try and bring about change, using tactics such as protests, civil disobedience, and campaigning for political office. They believe that non-violent resistance and the power of public opinion can bring about positive change in their country. While they are a small group, the Reformists are a significant force within Angaland and are working to create a more democratic and just society.
The Fisherman’s Union
The Fisherman's Union is a group of fishermen and their families who have banded together to protect their livelihoods and demand fair treatment from the ruling Ambassadors. Led by a charismatic and determined leader, the Union is known for its strong sense of community and its willingness to stand up to the powerful Ambassadors in order to achieve its goals. Despite facing challenges and setbacks, the Union has managed to gain significant influence and respect within Angaland, thanks to its tireless efforts to improve the lives of its members and stand up for what is right. Some may question the true motivations of the Union's leader, who married a relative of an Ambassador, but the Union remains a force to be reckoned with, fighting for justice and fair treatment for all those who make their living on the water.
The Sea Raiders
The Sea Raiders are a group of pirates and sea-faring thieves who operate along the coast of Angaland, preying on merchant ships and terrorizing the waters. Led by a ruthless and cunning captain, the Sea Raiders are feared and hated by the people of Angaland, who have suffered at their hands for many years. Despite their reputation for violence and lawlessness, the Sea Raiders are highly organized and skilled at what they do, making them a formidable force to be reckoned with. Many have tried to bring them to justice, but the Sea Raiders always seem to stay one step ahead, evading capture and continuing to wreak havoc on the seas.
Flaksja (map)
Flaksja was ruled by Blood Dragons, Korugov the Blazing Nightmare being their king. High Chief Jorian II Kurzheim now rules the realm from the capital city of Vogurok.
The penal colony of Skild is run by the Blackrock Company and serves as a prison for the worst criminals in Fabeldyr. Similarly, the guards selected for duty here are either being punished or disciplined in some manner.
Flaksjan culture is direct and to the point, passionately independent, and fiercely loyal.
Much of the region’s fertile soil was swallowed up in the Great Flood of 883CE2 and the people have had to turn to trade to make up the loss in food production.
Setting out to the northwest from Rugosfall, traveling past the tomb of Amon Khan, through the old Orcish lakelands, you will find the realm of Flaksja. The Flaksjan people were once dominated by Blood Dragons, who dwelled in the peaks that border the northern reaches of the territory. The capital city of Vogurok was given its name after Zane the Slayer killed Korugov, the Blazing Nightmare in an epic bout of single combat. Having lost an arm he would later regain by magical means, the Slayer put his Abyssal Lance deep into the belly of the beast, snuffing out his fire and ending his life. The people, having suffered long under the thumb of Korugov, reversed the letters of his name as a symbol for their nation’s new work in undoing the evils of the past. To this day they work to redefine their own distinctive culture as they explore their long lost history. From the lineages of barbarians and warriors, archaeologists and artificers have arisen to take back what was stolen from them by their former oppressors.
Flaksjan culture is direct and to the point, with few wanting to spend time exchanging pleasantries in the frigid outside air for longer than needed. Children are taught to hunt and fish from a young age, expected to help with providing food for the family and creating a generally recognized culture of collective contribution. While it can be difficult to get someone from this region to open up concerning their past or the deep secrets of the heart, the people of this land are remarkably loyal to those they are connected to. If you’re fortunate enough to make friends with a Flaksjan, you can typically count on that friend for life. Conversely, a sense of honor runs deep in the people, and to betray sacred trust is to eternally seal yourself outside of it.
The penal mining colony of Skild provides a steady supply of good iron and coal for steelmaking, as well as a trickle of rubies for the realm. The majority of the local work is performed by prisoners of the Blackrock Company serving sentences for various crimes. Additionally, several mining ventures have invested in the region as the mountains are long and there are still plenty of opportunities to find a bountiful vein. As such, the people are never short on quality weapons, and much of the Blackrock Company arsenal is sourced from Flaksjan blacksmiths, whose quality materials have attracted some of the most skilled smiths in the world enough to call the realm home and take on apprentices.
While Vogurok and Skild both are ancient settlements, they have only recently come under the rulership of House Kurzheim, granted as reward by Zane the Slayer after the downfall of the previous house in the War of Grumbling. The first leader, High Chief Jorian Kurzheim, ruled well before falling to a mysterious disease. His son, High Chief Jorian II, now rules the realm, steadily working to expand their capabilities and attract more residents from overcrowded nations on the continent. This is not without great challenges, as it is not easy to get people to leave everything behind and move to a cold and hard land. It takes a certain toughness to live in Flaksja, and while not everyone has what it takes, those who do produce some of the noblest members of society, some of the finest warriors, and the most loyal companions anyone could ask for.
The Great Flood of 883 CE2 consumed large portions of southern Flaksja, with much of the farmable land being swallowed up by the sea as it pressed inward. Fishing enterprises have supplemented some of the lost food supply, but the population now relies heavily on imports from The Golden Dynasty, creating a natural affinity between the two nations in these turbulent times. House Solsten has also risen to prominence, their shipping fleets previously used to move prisoners to Skild by the hundreds now being used to move large stores of grains, potatoes, salted meats, and other such preserved foods into Flaksja from around the wider world.
Vogurok (Map)
While the rest of the continent celebrated the downfall of Rugotorix, the meteoric rise of the Blackrock Company, and the hope for a new world, the people of Vogurok found themselves locked in a new struggle. As plans of expansion were being developed gleefully in other nations, raiding parties from the orc clans began to move against Flaksjan interests, looting caravans and razing dozens of farms and hamlets. The loss of food would mean a harder winter on already pressed people. While the Flaksjans were skilled warriors, they were much fewer in number compared to their sister nations. The harsh climate of the north is not hospitable to sustaining large populations of humans or elf-kin. The orcs, however, seemed to spawn in endless numbers, with each felled warrior replaced by two more.
Entreating the nearby fortress of Zane the Slayer for assistance, the Orc Wars were short and devastating. Not interested in carrying on an extended operation, a brash Lieutenant took to the air on his gryphon, joined by his compatriots. Using magical artifacts acquired from the wizards of Gronstrom, fire was unleashed from the sky upon the columns of orcish soldiers. The once abundant legions of terrifying destruction were reduced to rubble and burning ash. While the survivors regrouped to mount a final effort, most of them were slaughtered against a Blackrock shieldwall in the only battle of the war. The rest dispersed into the mountains. Captives were taken as exiled hostages into Vogurok and over time have assimilated into the local culture. This surviving contingent of Orcs and Half Orcs demonstrate a fierce loyalty to Flaksja, having grown up in reeducation camps where they were taught Flaksjan language and culture. While people debate the ethical nature of these actions, there are none who question their efficacy as there has been no threat from the orcs since the end of war. Those who are sympathetic to the lost culture of the orcs work to preserve what knowledge they can for those who would choose to investigate it, but the gaps in knowledge and understanding make any such pursuits difficult for those who cannot devote years to the study.
In the center of the city, a three acre field of green stands out amidst the icy snows and cloudy grey skies. The Park, as it is called by the people of the town, is magically enhanced to be pleasant in temperature, bathed in radiant light, and suitable to the growth of all manner of natural plants, fruit and nut bearing trees, and other such crops that are untenable in this environment. This plot of land was gifted to the city by the Council of Dryads in the service of the Archdruid of Frostbay to commemorate their freedom from the dragons.
The city has many long huts with insulated thatch roofs which are capable of housing entire families, creating space for meetings, feasts, and more. The Ghyttan is the largest of these long huts, however its construction from stone and the fact that there are fortress walls surrounding it set it apart from the rest of the buildings in town. This fortified hut serves as both a home for the royal Kurzheim family as well as the primary seat of government.
Population: 2,500 (60% Humans, 15% Elves, 5% Half Orcs, 3% Orcs, 17% Other Ancestries)
Government: Flaksja’s High Chief Jorian Kurzheim II rules the people from The Ghyttan and tries to look to their interests on the world stage as his father did before him. His government is one set toward expansion and growth as much of the hinterland around the city is still uncultivated highland. Settlers are invited worldwide and offered livestock and coin to provision themselves if they are willing to move to the harsh and unforgiving climate to build their homesteads and work the land. Because of the harshness of the climate and the difficulties promised in the offer, only a few hardy and highly motivated folks have made the attempt so far.
Defense: The town boasts a militia force of around 1,000 fighting troops. This force has faced down the fiercest of enemies consistently since its inception in the time of the dragons. They are renowned for a shield wall formation that has proven effective against armies twice and even three times their own size, be that in number or sheer mass.
Commerce: Most production in Vogurok is simple and based on farm-sourced goods. The region is also good for timber and many carpenters employed by Fabeldyrian noble houses source hardwood from the area. The wild nature of the region also attracts a fair number of adventurers seeking to take their chances in the dangerous northern regions in hopes of striking their fortune. Most freeze to death or encounter something hidden away in the world that makes them wish they had frozen to death. Merchants tend to carry potions and other such items that provide a buffer between the consumer and a swift, merciless end.
Organizations: In the forest north of the city, there is a clearing in the woods that once held a gated graveyard. No one knows who is laid in these graves as everything in the graveyard has been encased in a thick layer of bronze. The headstones, footstones, plants, even the fence around the area - all completely covered in metal that looks as though it were poured or cast over the area. A latent fascination with the site has persisted through the local folklore, with many believing it to be some site of great importance to their history, while others believe it may have some kind of arcane purpose to a wizard of a bygone era. An order of caretakers, scholars, and others who just share an interest in the area has arisen to look after the grounds and obstruct vandals or would-be thieves from achieving their goals.
Story Hooks for Vogurok
Levels 1-4
Scouts loyal to the High Chief have reported fresh activity from raiding mountain orcs in the east. You and your party have been tasked with traveling to this area, determining numbers and intentions, and returning to report this information. If possible, determine the source of the Orc’s perturbation and right it. Perhaps cutting off the problem at the source could have lasting effects.
A caravan of fine goods bound for the stores of the House Kurzheim is bound to enter the territory of Flaksja soon. A representative of the local noble family is hiring adventurers to locate and escort this caravan safely to the capital. However, on your way out of town, your party is approached by a roguish figure who advises that the cargo is of a dark nature and to be careful of the noble family hiring them.
Skild (Map)
At the very furthest northern edge of the world, nestled in tightly beneath the shadow of the Northern Range, the prison colony of Skild languishes in the endless cold. Winter never ends in Skild, with the dark of night driving away the sun during large gaps of the year. The harsh and unforgiving climate has not stopped the ancient peoples of the region from carving out their livelihood here, however. During the oppression of the Court of Scales, Korugov the Blazing Nightmare was responsible for sending thousands of political prisoners, dissidents, and others not worth the effort to kill to rot in this isolated and frozen hell. The region is abundant with high quality granite of a kind used in new construction worldwide. Although it was once quarried by the unfortunate prisoners of the dragons, the brutal and exploitative practice continues to this day, with hard labor being a common sentence for more severe crimes(murder, rape, grand extortion) in the five nations of the continent. Despite its technical allegiance to the nation of Flaksja, the prison facility itself is operated by the Blackrock Company. While these soldiers make up the majority of any one faction within the town’s population, they do not vote on matters pertaining to the town. Most are quite ready to leave by the time the transports return to take them on to the next assignment.
Raw stones quarried by the prisoners are sold on to the town company, who then source it out to buyers around the world. The Kingdom of Alia and the League of Angaland have both taken a special liking to importing large amounts of the material, which provides enough money to keep up with the grounds, pay the guards, and in good seasons, even turn a tidy profit for the realm to purchase extra provisions or hire additional security in the face of an intermittent threat.
Skild’s prisons continue to be infamously dangerous. In an effort to reduce the occurrences of rioting and violence among the incarcerated, great fighting tournaments are held once per season. Prisoners who fight in the tournaments are allowed to wager their time served instead of coin, with winners able to knock considerable amounts of time off of consecutive life sentences and losers compounding their damnation all the more. With little else to lose, this does not deter the desperate. Some of the prisoners see it as a chance to take revenge on the powers that confine them, others are guided by personal philosophies and codes. While none have yet been able to win freedom, the tournaments have started to attract a wider audience, with fighters coming from as far as the great cities in Altisia.
The events of the great flood have not had a great impact on the settlement, with the rising waters only adding to the mountain of ice that rather effectively blocks any would be escapee or foolish rescuer from the northern sea. Though it was initially believed that the distance to the ocean would prevent such attempts, evidence to the contrary has necessitated a ban on shipping and transit around the north western tip of Fabeldyr. While only vessels under the command of the Blackrock Company and those with the necessary licensing are legally allowed to make this journey, it does not prevent enterprising captains and ambitious smugglers in the northern regions of the continent from trying to cheat their way west for faster access to the Golden Dynasty and other southern settlements.
Population: 900 (40% Humans, 28% Elves, 20% Gnomes, 12% Other Ancestries)
Government: The governor, a member of House Kurzheim and cousin of the High Chief, is married to a member of House Touzet. This was arranged by the High Chief to ensure a steady stream of buyers for the stone produced by the inmates of the prison and make sure the colony never becomes a burden on the realm.
Defense: A little under half of the town’s residents consist of the Blackrock Company detachment, with the same serving as a town guard. The interior of the prison, however, is a different matter. Magical wards, enchantments, and glyphs cover every square inch of the interior. This is the work of the Incarceritium, a league of elite wizards and sorcerers within the Blackrock Company. They rotate through the prison twelve at a time for one year, spending each day casting wards and inscribing runes to defend the prison and keep those incarcerated in place.
Commerce: Granite is exported from Skild to every nation in Fabeldyr with cheap labor of the incarcerated causing a number of clever administrators and traders to turn an otherwise desolate backwater into a marginally comfortable village, at least for those not in the care of the Blackrock Company. Still, few are jumping at the opportunity to upend their lives and restart in Skild.
Organizations: Assignment to guard duty in Skild is not a cushy post. Only seasoned and experienced soldiers are sent, but those selected are rarely noteworthy or promising prospects in their own right. With no formal system of expulsion, the problematic elements of the Blackrock Company often also wind up on extended duty here. Those content to commiserate refer to themselves as The Severed.
Most within Blackrock Company see the role of prison guard as a punishment unto itself, quietly overlooking the continental history of slavery under the Court of Scales and Skild, specifically, as a historic symbol of that oppression. Some criminal elements take inspiration from it. Life within the prison is brutal and many gangs have formed within the walls that provide camaraderie and protection. No gang is more notorious than the Gutters. Notoriously uncreative, they earned their name from a propensity to stab victims in the gut multiple times with sharp objects, often causing the externalization of a creature’s vital internal organs to mortal effect. This is not unique in the history of the prison. There have been gangs far more violent and far more brutal in their expressions of it. The Gutters have risen to supremacy by killing killers. Anyone who sheds blood in the prison outside of a sanctioned Gutting is marked and executed swiftly, delivering a chilling message to anyone considering doing the same. Because Blackrock clerics are able to revivify fallen inmates, guaranteeing they serve the full extent of their sentences, the prison staff see no need to address the gang activity.
Story Hooks for Skild
Levels 5-10
A contract is nearly complete, your party has picked up a heavy load of granite bound for one of the capital cities to sell off for a small fortune. As you depart the prison yards of Skild, you open your cargo again to find an escaped prisoner hidden amongst your items. They implore you not to return them, swearing to be part of a famous and ancient family that has fallen out of favor with The Blackrock Company. They offer you a large sum of treasure to return them to their home in the Barrier Peaks on the border of the Wildlands.
A band of dangerous prisoners have escaped the cells of Skild. They are all seasoned Blackrock Company soldiers, many of whom have slayed dragons and other legendary creatures. The Warden of the prison is hiring adventurers to track these criminals down and return them to Skild, dead or alive. Corpses will be forcefully resurrected and returned to their cells to serve their sentence.
Flaksjan Points of Interest
The Unknown Shrine
Located in the mountains outside of Vogurok, this abandoned shrine is said to be dedicated to a long-forgotten dark god. According to legend, on the full moon once per month, a group of cultists emerges from the shrine to carry out dark rituals. Some say that those who witness the rituals are cursed or marked for death. Despite the danger, some thrill-seekers seek out the shrine to see the rituals for themselves.
The Icefall
Located in the northern reaches of Flaksja, the Icefall is a natural phenomenon where ice falls from the sky like boulders, constantly rattling the ground and creating deafening explosions of rock and ice. The Icefall is a popular destination for tourists and adventurers, who come to witness the power of nature and brave the treacherous conditions. The area has been roughly divided into zones from least to most dangerous, with the areas most directly affected being restricted to all but the most seasoned visitors.
The Dragon’s Lair
The Dragon's Lair is a massive stronghold located between the penal mining colony of Skild and the capital city of Vogurok. It was once ruled by dragons, but is now occupied by Blackrock Company soldiers who use it as a base to hunt runaways from Skild. The Dragon's Lair is known for its formidable defenses and is said to be protected by powerful magic users. The guards at the Dragon's Lair are well aware that if any prisoners escape under their watch, it will result in dire consequences for them and their fellow guards who allowed such a terrible outcome. The Dragon's Lair is a heavily fortified and formidable location, making it a formidable challenge for those who attempt to escape from Skild.
The Hot Springs
The Hot Springs are a series of natural pools located in the mountains near Vogurok. The pools are filled with hot, mineral-rich water that is said to have healing properties. The waters of the Hot Springs are a vibrant blue color and are surrounded by picturesque snow-covered mountains. The Hot Springs are a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, who come to relax in the warm waters and take in the stunning views. Some people believe that the minerals in the water have therapeutic benefits and visit the Hot Springs to relieve stress, muscle aches, and other ailments. There are several pools of varying sizes, so visitors can choose the one that best suits their needs. The Hot Springs are also a great place to unwind after a day of adventure or exploring the harsh, cold landscape of Flaksja.
The Haunted Well
The Haunted Well is a deep, icy well located in the heart of Flaksja. It is said to be haunted by the spirits of those who have drowned anywhere within the nation. The well is known for its eerie reputation, with some people claiming to hear the sound of deep breathing coming from within its depths. The Haunted Well is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, who come to see the well and learn more about its mysterious past. Despite its eerie reputation, the Haunted Well is a beautiful and serene location, offering a peaceful respite from the harsh, cold landscape of Flaksja.
The Throne of Ice
The Throne of Ice is a mysterious stone throne located in the frozen tundra outside of Vogurok. It is surrounded by wreckage and is covered in snow and ice. No markings can be discerned on the throne, and it is unknown who or what it was meant for. Some people believe that the Throne of Ice is a portal to another realm, while others believe it holds the key to unlocking ancient secrets. Despite its mystery, the Throne of Ice is a popular destination for adventurers and treasure hunters. Many people come to see the throne and try to uncover its secrets, braving the treacherous conditions of the frozen tundra to do so. The Throne of Ice is a striking and otherworldly location, standing out against the stark white landscape of the tundra.
Flaksjan Factions and Organizations
The Flaksjan Militia
This organization is a military force that protects the people of Flaksja. The Flaksjan Militia is known for its skilled warriors and its ability to defend the region against external threats. The militia works closely with the Blackrock Company to maintain order and security in Flaksja.
The Flaksjan Cultural Preservation Society
The Flaksjan Cultural Preservation Society (FCPS) is a dedicated group of academics and enthusiasts who are committed to preserving and promoting the rich culture and history of Flaksja. Through extensive research and documentation, the FCPS works to uncover and share the unique stories and traditions of the region with the wider world. In addition to preserving the history of Flaksja, the FCPS also promotes cultural awareness and understanding within the community.
One important aspect of the FCPS's work is its efforts to document the atrocities committed by the Blackrock Company during the Orc Wars. This has not endeared them to the Blackrock Company by any stretch. Regardless, the FCPS has worked tirelessly to bring these injustices to light and to promote reconciliation between Flaksjans and Orcs. In this way, the FCPS seeks to preserve and celebrate both Flaksjan and Orcish cultures, promoting understanding and harmony between the two communities. The FCPS is a vital force for cultural preservation and understanding within Flaksja and beyond.
The nation of Flaksja has a complex relationship with the orcish other, which has shaped its national identity in profound ways. While orcs have been both enemies and allies, their contributions to Flaksjan culture and society have often been overlooked or actively suppressed. This is a grave injustice that must be corrected. We must recognize the diversity and complexity of orcish culture and work to preserve and protect it as an integral part of Flaksjan national identity. This is not just a matter of cultural preservation, but also of political and economic justice. Orcs have long been marginalized and oppressed, and we must recognize their equal rights and work to empower them as full and equal members of Flaksjan society. While the history of violence between orcs and Flaksjans is undeniable, it is precisely this history that makes orcish identity so integral to Flaksjan national identity. We must acknowledge this violent past and work to overcome its legacy, promoting understanding and dialogue between the two communities and striving for a society that is truly inclusive and welcoming to all cultures and identities.
From the introduction to Power of the Lakelands, a treatise on Flaksjan and orcish identity
The Flaksjan Trade Guild
The Flaksjan Trade Guild is a group of merchants and traders who work to facilitate trade and commerce in Flaksja. The guild is known for its strong network of connections and its ability to secure favorable deals for its members.
The Flaksjan Trade Guild primarily deals in bulk goods, including raw materials such as iron, coal, and timber, but there is also some limited import of finished products such as furniture and wine. The guild is also involved in the trade of exotic and rare items, including spices, precious metals, and magical components.
In order to look after its own, the Flaksjan Trade Guild has a number of policies in place to support its members. These include providing financial assistance to members in times of need, offering training and development opportunities to help members improve their skills and knowledge, and providing legal support to members who encounter issues related to their business. The guild also works to protect the interests of its members by advocating for fair trade practices and working to ensure that its members are treated fairly in their business dealings. Overall, the Flaksjan Trade Guild is a vital organization that plays a key role in the economic success of Flaksja.
The Vogurok Art Collective
The Vogurok Art Collective is a vibrant organization of artists and art enthusiasts who are dedicated to promoting the arts in Vogurok and beyond. Composed of a diverse group of creators working in a wide range of media, the Vogurok Art Collective is a hub of artistic activity and innovation.
In addition to hosting exhibitions and events featuring the work of local artists, the Vogurok Art Collective also provides support and resources to artists looking to develop their skills and careers. The collective offers classes and workshops in a variety of artistic disciplines, ranging from traditional techniques to cutting-edge magical arts.
The Vogurok Art Collective is known for its use of magic in its art, with many of its members incorporating magical elements into their work. From paintings that seem to move and change before your eyes, to sculptures that come to life, the art produced by the Vogurok Art Collective is truly magical. The collective is always seeking to push the boundaries of what is possible with art and magic, and is a vital force for creativity and innovation in Vogurok.
The Golden Dynasty (map)
Emperor Kogane Atsubei rules the sweeping fields and beautiful forest countryside of the Golden Dynasty from the Golden Throne in the capital city of Damingtu
The region was heavily impacted by the Great Flood of 883CE2 and boat travel has become a central aspect to life in the region, particularly the southern area.
The Royal Forest Society oversees the remaining forests of the realm, with a special focus on The Ashwood in the west, which serves as an ancestral burial ground for people from all over the region.
There is a major focus on law and ethos in the culture. Hospitality is hailed as a virtue, for one never knows if the stranger in the road is a peasant or a god.
In addition to the traditional pantheon of positive and negative deities, the people of the Golden Dynasty worship a trio venerated as The Three Pure Ones, whom they claim existed before the other gods.
After the fall of the dragons, the rolling fields and cherry orchards of the southwestern region experienced freedom for the first time. While House Mazan was instrumental in uniting the various families under a single lord, their fleets being key to transporting messages and dignitaries around the region, it was ultimately House Atsubei that claimed the Golden Throne of Damingtu. House Atsubei commands a large number of cavalry and the many fields and desert steppes of the region created an easy pathway to exert that power.
The northern reaches are rich and fertile, with massive forests of different kinds covering large portions of the land. The locale around Damingtu was once an arid climate with many rocks and sand. Palm trees and cacti populated the areas where fresh water could be found. Local legend indicates that these amber oceans of heat and grit gave name to the region, which translates from the local language to “The Golden Land”. While there is no direct demonym in the common tongue, the culture has adopted a similar phrase in their own language, which translates to “People Born in The Golden Land”. There is a strong nationalist streak in the core population, however many fringe elements interpret this as a pompous attempt to build legitimacy into a fledgling administration.
The young Emperor Kogane Atsubei is in a precarious position. Without a landbridge, the army has to split between defending the island fortress capital or the vulnerable villages in the mainland. Agitative forces press this weakness, instigating mercenaries to raid villages and luring the armies away, exposing their enemies’ weaknesses while putting the strength of their own fleets for transportation on full display. Currently, the nation is focused on construction of a great canal in The Lid, where the land runs most thin between the oceans. A shipping lane through this area would cut many days off of the travel around the coast and many are gathering funds to invest in the inevitable settlement that will arise around such a great work. As if threats domestic and abroad were not enough, the Emperor is unmarried and lacks any definitive heir. Should his freshly secured position suddenly become vacant, it could spell opportunity and chaos for the realm.
The Royal Forest Society cares for the three major forests in the realm, two supplying a unique kind of wood used for various purposes: Birchwood Grove and Pinestretch. The Society provides meat and leather from hunted animals in these woods in addition to their role as caretakers and protectors. The Ashwood, however, holds a more sacred position. When a citizen of the Golden Dynasty dies, their body is interred alongside a mixture of manure, guano, dried and powdered blood, ground bone, crushed shells, finely pulverized fish, phosphate rock, and wood shavings. Finally, a bundle of seeds is placed in the dirt above the grave. Families tend to cluster together into their own groves sectioned off within the forest. The people believe the spirit of the deceased makes a spirit home in the tree which it can return to from the afterlife on certain occasions to observe and guide those who walk the mortal world.
The noble families of the realm exhibit a strict ethos of honor, law, and respect, at least on the surface. Whereas other cultures would treat verbal disrespect as cause for physical conflict or social revenge, nobles in the Golden Dynasty are notorious for taking their rivals to court, including poor commoners who have offended them in some manner, to settle disputes of any level via a complex legal system. What might be considered a mere slight in some cultures could escalate into a criminal case, with an adjudicator being appointed by the local magistrate to resolve the facts and mete out punishments to those established as guilty. As such, people tend to behave outwardly in a deferential and polite manner, especially to strangers in public. Children are raised with parables of nobles and even kings traveling the roads in disguise to test the hearts of their subjects. In actuality, nobles are often able to execute their will over the people with little fear of recourse, as the adjudicators are often members themselves of the noble class. This abuse of the law is cause for much consternation within fringe elements who see rebellion against the social order as the natural response to the posturing and corruption of the establishment.
Religion in the Golden Dynasty differs somewhat from the rest of Toinen. In addition to worship of the traditional pantheon of positive and negative deities, the priests of the Golden Land teach their people to venerate an additional trio of divine beings called the Three Pure Ones.
After the Great Flood of 883 CE2, the desert lowlands were filled, causing the coastal capital of Damingtu to become an island. Fleets of fishing ships now move between the Capital Coast and Ferrytown, bringing goods and people to and from the recently formed shores. This also signaled a new era of prominence for House Mazan. Their focus on trade and fishing has allowed the ironically named Fort Atsubei to become the new focal point for their power in the northern half of the nation. House Mazan is working tirelessly to complete a canal project across The Lid, the landbridge to the continent north of the fortress. Even a small toll placed on ships passing through this region would ensure their place as the most wealthy house for generations to come.
Damingtu (map)
In the time of the Court of Scales, the family of Shadow Dragons known as the Azure Lineage ruled over the southwestern region of Fabeldyr. The hubris of these drakes overflowed into the monuments and temples their slaves toiled day and night to create, the chief of which was the Golden Throne, a decadent royal throne room and audience chamber from which the despotic dragons would unfurl their terrible designs and machinations. While many of the ancient temples and monuments lie in ruin, either destroyed in the war or torn down by the survivors, the Golden Throne was consecrated by Jin of House Mazan, a cleric of Vokat the Judge, and claimed by the revolutionary forces as the new seat of government. The forces intended for Jin’s uncle, the powerful warrior Zhengdu Mazan, to claim the Golden Throne and rule the new nation. Jin, however, believed himself to be a better governor than his uncle, and urged his family to allow public elections for the leadership of the nation instead of falling into dynastic hegemony like the other forming nations. After some persuading, the family ultimately agreed to trust their young hero. When the results came in, however, many were quick to say this trust was misplaced. While some people supported House Mazan for their noble, if not entirely selfless act, Jin was ultimately not chosen in the election. Kogane Atsubei, the young and charismatic leader of the war fleets, was instead placed on the throne, with House Mazan swearing fealty alongside the rest of the people. This unexpected development sparked a great shame in House Mazan, with some believing Jin to have been both their savior and their undoing. Some of the old guard in House Mazan watch quietly from the shadows, waiting for the current Emperor to make a mistake upon which they can pounce and reclaim their lost glory.
There are two primary population centers in Damingtu: the old housing in the Smokeway where the noble families and those of means find their homes and The Arches, a sprawling and expansive district. After the great flood, people who lost their homesteads in the previously arid countryside resettled on the southern wall, starting near the Heather Gate and wrapping all the way around the southwestern wall.
In the old days, smuggling contraband was a normal part of everyday life for the mortal peoples of all nations. While the downfall of the Court of Scales brought an end to most of the need for this service, there will always be people looking for goods or services outside the bounds of those in power. The merchants of Oldfair can accommodate most requests sent their way, with discretion being an equal portion of the cost of the goods and services provided here.
Population: 14,500 (80% Humans, 10% Elves, 10% Other Ancestries)
Government: Elective Monarchy, the nobles of the various houses cast a vote at the end of the King’s reign. Currently, Emperor Kogane Atsubei reigns from the Golden Throne in Damingtu. His government has primarily focused on construction, with major projects like Fort Atsubei and the many ferries needed to maintain connection with the mainland creating a number of jobs and greatly increasing the local economy.
Defense: Four hundred ships, the majority of which are crewed by loyalists to House Mazan, support three thousand horses and their riders in the armies of House Atsubei. Once a land of plains and open fields, the Great Flood has necessitated the addition of two hundred galleons and three hundred transport vessels. In times of great need, mercenaries from the Blackrock Company are a first line of resort.
Commerce: Maritime labor provides for most of the people of Damingtu, be it through fishing, navigation, trade negotiation, or military service. The island capital has become a home to many who have made their fortune sailing across the open seas.
Organizations: The Golden Merchant Marines is a union of workers at every level of operating a vessel. Captains assemble their crews from these ranks, negotiating contracts and embarking on whatever seaward journey awaits them. During times of peace, most sailors seek membership because of the freedoms and latitude provided by the naval lifestyle. However, in times of conflict, each Merchant Marine is sworn to defend their nation against all threats and serve the emperor unwaveringly.
The Royal Forest Society’s headquarters has historically been in Damingtu, however in the decades following the great flood, more and more of the members moved off of the island and onto the mainland, if only to remove the water barrier between them and their work.
Story Hooks for Damingtu
Levels 1-4
The Golden Merchant Marines are hiring a crew of adventurers to escort a senior member of the Royal Forest Society across the channel to Ferrytown. Additional guards and escorts will meet the party to receive this senior officer in Ferrytown. The increased guard is in response to recent reports of aggressive fish-folk boarding ships and pirating the cargo and sometimes even passengers.
A young member of House Atsubei has gone missing. A ransom note was left with the missing person’s relatives, who are now hiring a group of adventurers to travel to Brigandsgrove, pay the ransom, and bring them back unharmed. Adventurers will need to parley with the bandits or fight their way through to retrieve their quarry, but be warned: the criminal element in this forest is not centralized. Skillful investigators may also try to work with local elements to secure their quarry.
Daibo (map)
Historically a farming community, Daibo has grown into a thriving center of trade, religion, and military staging in the Golden Dynasty. The great flood destroyed much of the lowlands where the people once farmed their staple foods. Today, fishing guilds pull up a harvest of bass and salmon instead of corn and wheat. Merchant vessels from the nations of Fabeldyr can be found here, carrying both goods and people looking to take advantage of Daibo’s call for migrants to resettle and find a new life. People from all over Toinen can be found here looking to re-establish themselves and find a new way in the world.
Situated at the edge of the Ashwood, many in the town find employment from the Royal Forest Society protecting and caring for the gardens and groves around the perimeter of the sacred wood. Those who excel in this work can apply to join as a full member and be put on the path to becoming a Caretaker. A licensed Caretaker in the Ashwood must have either a relative buried in the forest or have lived in Daibo and worked for the Royal Forest Society for at least ten years. The oaths also involve relinquishing any claim to foreign title or citizenship and swearing fealty to the Emperor and The Golden Dynasty.
Population: 6,000 (60% Humans, 15% Elves, 25% Other Ancestries.
Government: Elective Monarchy, the nobles of the various houses cast a vote at the end of the King’s reign. Members of House Mazan are already preparing for when the current emperor passes on or steps down so as to make a bid for someone from their house gaining the Golden Throne. This is considered distasteful by many in the realm considering that Emperor Kogane Atsubei is not an elderly man and is unlikely to die, barring accident or misfortune, any time soon.
Defense: A portion of the fleet of House Mazan is stationed in The Soup, a vast and relatively shallow bay created by the flood in 883 CE2. A force of approximately one thousand able bodied militiamen can be raised from the citizenry. Through a positive trade relationship and mutual respect, it seems likely that Flaksja and the Golden Dynasty will form some kind of defensive pact in the coming years to control the western coast of Fabeldyr.
Commerce: The reverence for the burial process and the journey to the afterlife is apparent from the large sums that are spent on cleaning and decorating ancestral trees, not to mention the fortunes spent on upkeep and maintenance of the forest. Due to careful planning and meticulous upkeep, the oldest trees in the forest can grow as high as one hundred feet. Caretakers of the Ashwood forsake all claim on land and title, which ensures that the money and prestige pouring into the forest stays in the forest instead of serving as a cushion to a clergy class.
Organizations: The Royal Forest Society commands a large amount of influence over economic and cultural policy. If a person has no family connections and no wealth to speak of, years of faithful service to the Society are an all but guaranteed path for advancement in the social order. Despite the pietistic oaths of poverty and devotion to the forest, envy is not missing from the ranks of the order. Positions of leadership are hotly coveted and competition is extremely fierce, at times leading to open tension and even fist fights.
Story Hooks for Daibo
Levels 5-10
A Caretaker from the Royal Forest Society was found dead in the Ashwood. He was found with his normal camping gear, a small, gem encrusted mirror, and a map with a location of no known significance clearly marked with a pattern of concentric circles. His body was completely drained of blood and covered in bite marks. The Society is hiring a group of seasoned adventurers to investigate the murder scene, uncover clues about the cause, and bring the killer to justice.
The current occupant of the Golden Throne of Daimingtu is intent on founding a colony on The Ladel, an island north of Daibo. The craggy terrain features several cave entrances revealed after the destructive events of a great flood in the previous century. An expeditionary crew of twenty soldiers and forty colonists boarded a cargo vessel with supplies and departed to begin work on a settlement. The boat returned with less than half their original number and stories of subterranean Lizardfolk that would emerge in the night to wreak havoc upon them. The Royal Court is looking to hire experienced adventurers to pacify or remove these Lizardfolk so their plans can be renewed. Will adventurers obey the orders of the Court and potentially displace or destroy these folk or will they attempt to broker peace and compromise via diplomacy?
Golden Dynastic Points of Interest
Birchwood Grove
Birchwood Grove is a large forest located in the Golden Dynasty, known for its abundance of birch trees. The trees in this grove are prized for their strong and lightweight wood, which is often used in the construction of boats and other watercraft. The Royal Forest Society, an organization responsible for managing the forests in the Golden Dynasty, oversees the management of Birchwood Grove and ensures that the trees are sustainably harvested. In addition to providing wood, the grove is also home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, rabbits, and birds. The Society works to maintain the balance of the ecosystem in the grove by regulating hunting and managing the population of different species.
Ferry Town
Ferrytown is a bustling port town located in the Golden Dynasty, known for its ferry services that transport people and goods across the region's waterways. The town is situated on the coast, with a large harbor that is home to a fleet of ferries, as well as fishing boats and other small vessels. The town itself is built on a series of small islands, connected by a network of bridges and causeways. The main street of the town is lined with shops, inns, and taverns, and the town is known for its lively atmosphere and vibrant nightlife. In addition to serving as a hub for transportation, Ferrytown is also an important center for trade, with merchants from all over the region coming to sell their goods at its bustling marketplaces. The town is known for its bustling marketplace, where merchants from all over the region come to sell their goods.
Ferry's Cross
Ferry's Cross is a large bay located on the eastern side of the Golden Dynasty. It was created during the Great Flood of 883 CE2, when much of the land in the region was swallowed up by the sea. The bay is known for its strong currents and unpredictable weather, making it a treacherous place for ships to navigate. Despite these dangers, the bay is an important trade route for the Golden Dynasty, as it connects the country to the rest of the continent of Fabeldyr through The Lid, the only land bridge in the region. Many ships pass through Ferry's Cross, carrying goods and people to and from the Golden Dynasty. The bay is also home to several small fishing villages and ports, where local fishermen make their living from the sea.
Fort Atsubei
Fort Atsubei is an active hub of economic activity located in the north of the Golden Dynasty, nestled at the base of The Lid and on the southwestern rim of Ferry's Cross. After the Great Flood of 883 CE2, the fort saw a surge in trade and commerce as it became a key transportation hub for goods moving across the newly created bay. It is owned by House Mazan, a powerful and influential noble family in the region, known for their naval prowess and strong connections to the shipping industry. The fort itself is a formidable structure, guarded by well-trained soldiers and protected by a series of walls and defensive structures. It is a hub of activity, with merchants, traders, and travelers from all over the realm passing through its gates on a daily basis.
Pinestretch
Pinestretch is a sprawling forest that covers a flooded peninsula on the eastern edge of the Golden Dynasty. The forest is known for its tall, majestic pine trees, which are prized for their strong and durable wood. The flooding that occurred in 883 CE2 has made the forest more susceptible to storms and strong winds, but the trees have adapted over time and continue to thrive in the challenging conditions. The Royal Forest Society, a group dedicated to the protection and conservation of the forests in the Golden Dynasty, oversees the management of Pinestretch, including the hunting of animals for meat and leather. The forest is also home to a diverse array of wildlife, including deer, rabbits, and a variety of birds. Many people visit Pinestretch for its peaceful, serene atmosphere and the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Ruins of Fort Lookout
The Ruins of Fort Lookout are located on the north eastern coast of the Golden Dynasty, on a flooded peninsula that juts out into the sea. The fort was once an important defensive position, guarding against troop movements from the mainland. However, the Great Flood of 883 CE2 caused the peninsula to become submerged under water, and the fort was abandoned and left to fall into disrepair. Now, Fort Atsubei serves as the first line of defense from attacks, though no general has been foolish enough to attempt to march troops across The Lid.
Smyland
Smyland is a small island located southeast of the capital city of Damingtu. It is known for its steep landscape, lush forests, and beautiful beaches, as well as the ancient ruins that dot its landscape. Some believe the ruins were built by an unknown proto-civilization that predates even the Court of Scales, however this is debated amongst scholars. The island is home to a number of temples and shrines dedicated to various deities, as the people of Smyland have a strong spiritual tradition. Many people who come to the island seeking spiritual enlightenment find their way to the unknown ruins as well, which are believed to hold great power and mystery.
The Ashwood
The Ashwood is a sacred forest located in the Golden Dynasty, known for its importance in the burial rituals of the region's people. When a citizen of the Golden Dynasty dies, their body is interred in the Ashwood, where their spirit is believed to reside in the tree that grows above their grave. The forest is divided into groves, with each family having their own section where their deceased are buried. It is said in folklore and legends that the spirits of the deceased can return to their trees on certain occasions to observe and guide their living loved ones. The Ashwood is carefully protected and managed by the Royal Forest Society, who also provide meat and leather from hunted animals found within the forest.
The Ferryroad
The Ferryroad is a well-trodden path that winds its way from the bustling port of Ferrytown, through the rolling hills of the Golden Dynasty, to the inland town of Daibo. It is a well-known trade route, with merchants and caravans traveling along it to exchange goods and services between the two cities. The road is dotted with inns and waystations, offering travelers a place to rest and refresh before continuing on their journey. Along the way, travelers will catch glimpses of the sweeping fields and orchards of the Golden Dynasty, as well as the towering peaks of the mountains that loom on the horizon. The Ferryroad is a vital artery of commerce and trade in the Golden Dynasty.
The Ladel
The Ladel is a long, narrow strip of land that stretches across the mouth of the bay known as The Soup. Formed by the debris and rubble left behind after the Great Flood of 883 CE2, the Ladel was named for its shape, which resembles a ladle on a map. It is a barren, sandy region that is not highly populated, but is known for its unique geological features and its rich history.
The Lid
The Lid is a narrow strip of land located between the Golden Dynasty and the rest of the continent of Fabeldyr. It is the only land bridge connecting the two regions, and as such, it is an important trade route. The Lid is known for its harsh desert climate and rugged terrain, which makes it difficult to traverse. Despite this, it is home to a number of small settlements, as well as Fort Atsubei, a key strategic point for the Golden Dynasty's military. The construction of a great canal is currently underway in The Lid, which is expected to greatly improve trade and communication between the Golden Dynasty and the rest of the continent.
The Oldroad
The Oldroad was a historic stone road that ran from Vogurok in Flaksja all the way to Damingtu in the Golden Dynasty. It was a vital trade route and served as a conduit for people and goods to flow between the two regions. However, during the Great Flood of 883CE2, the Oldroad was destroyed in the area now known as Ferry's Cross, where the water rose so high that it washed away much of the road. The Oldroad is now just a distant memory, with only ruins and debris remaining to mark its former path. Despite its destruction, the Oldroad is still remembered as a symbol of the strong ties that once bound Flaksja and the Golden Dynasty together.
The Shattered Strand
The Shattered Strand is a group of rocky, barren islands located off the western coast of the Golden Dynasty. It is known for its inhospitable environment and is mostly uninhabited, save for a few individuals who seek to live in isolation. Despite its harsh conditions, the islands hold a certain allure for those who seek to escape the trappings of civilized society. The rough terrain and unforgiving climate make it a challenging place to live, but those who call the Shattered Strand home are known for their resourcefulness and self-sufficiency. The islands are a popular destination for fishermen and sailors looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the mainland, and they are also rumored to hold hidden treasures and ancient secrets waiting to be discovered.
The Soup
The Soup is a vast body of water located north of Daibo in the Golden Dynasty. It was formed after the flood that devastated the region in the last century, creating a lake of debris and rubble from the destroyed lowlands. Despite its name, the Soup is not a particularly unpleasant or dirty body of water, but rather derives its name from the fact that it is surrounded by the Ladel on one side and the Lid on the other, which resemble the handle and bowl of a soup ladle on a map. The Soup is a major landmark in the Golden Dynasty that is famous outside of the nation because of its peculiar name.
Towering Thicket
The Towering Thicket is a dense, imposing forest located between the Golden Dynasty and the rest of Fabeldyr. It is known for its tall, winding willows, oaks, and brambles, which seem to shift and change as one travels through the forest. The Oldroad runs along the western edge of the Thicket, while the abandoned ruins of Fort Lookout can be found within its borders. Many people avoid the Thicket due to its reputation for being mysterious and treacherous, with some even claiming that it is inhabited by malevolent spirits. Despite this, it is home to a wide variety of plant and animal life, making it a place of great natural beauty.
Golden Dynastic Factions and Organizations
The Royal Forest Society
This organization is responsible for the management and preservation of the three major forests in the Golden Dynasty: Birchwood Grove, Pinestretch, and The Ashwood. They provide meat and leather from hunted animals, as well as acting as caretakers and protectors of the forests.
The Smyland Trust
The Smyland Trust is an organization that is responsible for the management and preservation of the island of Smyland, which is located southeast of Damingtu. The Trust is made up of wealthy individuals who have purchased villas on the island, and they work to maintain the beauty and natural splendor of the island, as well as promoting tourism and development.
Ladle Trade Company
The Ladle Trade Company is a mercantile organization that specializes in transporting goods across the flooded lands of the Golden Dynasty. The Ladle Trade Company is well-respected for their reliability and ability to deliver goods to even the most remote areas of the nation. They are known for their fair prices and honest business practices, and have built up a loyal customer base over the years.
Damingtu Guard
The Damingtu Guard is an elite military force responsible for the defense of the capital city and its surrounding areas. Comprised of only the most skilled and honorable warriors, the Guard is renowned for their expertise in combat and their ability to protect the city from external threats. Only veterans of renown and honor are considered for membership in their ranks. They are highly respected and admired within the Golden Dynasty, and their loyalty to the Emperor is unwavering.
The Royal Canal Commission
This group is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the great canal being built in The Lid, the narrow strip of land separating the Golden Dynasty from the rest of Fabeldyr. The canal is expected to cut many days off of travel around the coast and will likely lead to the development of new settlements around it.
Perkansa (map)
Perkansa is a kingdom separated from the rest of the continent on a political and cultural level, choosing to have their own rebellion instead of joining Zane the Slayer.
Perkansa was formerly ruled by Uhlrexago the All Consuming, an Ancient Ice Dragon who had subjugated the region.
When Uhlrexago the All Consuming took the armies of Perkansa to fight against the forces of the Blackrock Company, an opportunistic noble named Joha Petturi led a rebellion and crowned himself king.
The armies of Perkansa returned broken and defeated and Joha led an ambush in which Uhlrexago the All Consuming was finally slain. He took the dragon’s place as ruler over Perkansa and remains so to this day.
When the united armies of what would become the Blackrock Company raised their banners against the Court of Scales, the armies of Perkansa pledged themselves instead to their dragon masters and stood against the revolution. None dared to answer the call of the Slayer, their hearts frozen with dread of their brutal and domineering masters. But just as a frightened beast can lash out and injure, so did the terror of the Perkansans translate into a rebellion of their own.
While Fabeldyr overthrew their shackles in pursuit of continental liberation, the serpentine Joha Petturi, an Honored Noble of House Kikarsa, plotted to both overthrow his Ice Dragon masters and reject the influence of Zane the Slayer. His plot would isolate the nation and allow him to seize power for himself. With the armies of Perkansa away fighting against Zane the Slayer, warriors loyal to Joha (whether by blood or by gold) set to taking the capitol city. They assassinated the loyalist leaders and mounted an attack upon the undefended lair of Uhlrexago the All-Consuming, destroying his brood in an event known as the Whitemaul. Shortly thereafter, Joha was crowned King of Kikarsa in a private ceremony.
But the battle was not yet won. The armies of Perkansa returned home, torn and broken from battle with the Blackrock Company, but still with Uhlrexago the All-Consuming at their helm. This mighty Ancient Ice Dragon, feral in power and ferocious in reign, was felled by warriors loyal to Joha in the ensuing battle. A clever ambush allowed forces loyal to Joha to take the withered and exhausted army by surprise while Joha and his personal guard fought against the dragon. The battle seemed lost as the tide began to turn against the rebellious would-be king, until the death of the dragon threw the army’s loyalty into question. In the heat of the battlefield, the cunning Joha cried out from atop the slain, icy monster and appealed to the survivors: bend the knee to his royal claim and build a kingdom independent of Zane the Slayer and foreign influence, or die. His re-coronation occurred within the fortnight in the Hall of Sleet, a royal palace built by the Uhlran of the Blackfrost, son of Uhlrexago the All-Consuming. Joha developed a deep interest in engineering and architecture and his mind was more keen than any of his kin. As the days turned to weeks following this ceremony, disloyal elements in the city began to simply disappear. Entire families were spirited away in the night, nary a sound, striking fear into the hearts of the people. Crimes of all kinds, even those once considered minor infractions, were prosecuted with the full strength of the magistrate. Those unfortunate enough to fall under judgment were most often branded as Vargr: outlaws who could be hunted like feral animals by citizens in good standing, the reward being a modest bounty. It was quickly made clear that life in Perkansa would not be changing for most and that the rule of King Joha would not be challenged without reprisal. Without the influence of the other nations or a contagious dream of their own freedom, the already-subjugated peoples of Perkansa quickly fell back into the control of the new tyrant.
Committed to their own affairs of squashing internal dissent, Perkansa remained neutral during the War of Grumbling and has declined to enter the Agreement crafted after the end of the civil war. The Agreement names the nations of Flaksja, Angaland, Alia, and the Golden Dynasty as the “Four Limbs”, with Zane the Slayer acting as a paragon to all peoples and subsequently making the Blackrock Company a unifying force deeply entrenched in each society. While the other nations see him as a hero, Perkansan history records Zane the Slayer as an upstart and corrupt leader, denying him nobility and assigning him the title of Worldbreaker. In turn, the loosely unified nations of Fabeldyr refer to Perkansa as “The Fallen Branch” and pray for the day when House Petturi falls and Perkansa can join the rest of the continent in freedom. As such, the Blackrock Company holds no land or castles in Perkansa and it is practically unheard of for a child of the icy realm in good standing to be found amongst their mercenary ranks.
Kikarsa (map)
During the reign of the Court of Scales, Tallius the Scalemongerer conducted wicked and twisted arcane experiments upon the mortals of Perkansa. Material Dragonkin, an ancestry descended from the god Hest himself, were exposed to wicked abyssal and necrotic energies before being burned alive in the poison breath of the dragon magus. The result was a snarling and mutated Dragonkin, scales stained green from the poisonous bile. This twisted half-dragon spawn of Jormungandr was the first of thousands of terrible and horrifying creations from the lair of Tallius. Over time, the ritual was perfected and the ethereal Dragonkin were deployed into the world, serving as both the laborers and foot soldiers in the Perkansan army. This has persisted into the post-draconic era with the blue-blooded human rulers taking the place of the dragons to rule over the nation.
Proximity to the mountains has prompted the digging of thousands of mines and quarries in the region. After the fall of the dragons, prospectors and mining crews sought out places to bolster their nation’s wealth. Precious metals were found to be available, but the discovery of black coal with a greenish-yellow tinted interior in the foothills surrounding the mountains has proven to be the real attraction. The people of Perkansa call it Dragon’s Spit, though people of other nations tend to use a less honoring rhyme. Despite the humorous gestures, none can deny the many unique and interesting properties of this mineral reagent. Through trial and error, it was eventually found that mixing the material into molten steel produced a blade that would both glow and cause an array of maladies to anyone pierced by it. Thirty legendary blades were produced by thirty master smiths of the realm, each wondrous and unique in design, however each smith who worked with the material fell terribly ill in the days after completing their work. Their bodies became covered in lesions and festering wounds and fever took six of them. Those who survived were undeterred by their ordeal and elected to push forward. This time, the material was mixed with sand and melted into a glowing, green glass. This beautiful material did not produce the same violent reactions in the craftsmen and to this day it is common to find glowing glass everywhere in Perkansa, from the magnificent architecture of the city to common dinnerware and glass trinkets. As for the thirty legendary blades, they were distributed amongst the hordes of the ruling dragons, though some were given to sycophants in House Petturi and House Kolaa. These generational weapons have seen more use in ceremonial execution than on the battlefield, though none would doubt their deadly fortitude even after the passing of so many centuries.
The navy of Perkansa has developed a mechanism installed on the front of their boats to break through the icy waters between them and the wider oceans of Toinen. This creates natural lanes for shipping large amounts of goods and moving troops by boat. There is also some entertainment for people who watch and place bets on racing skiff sailors blitzing between the fishing boats through ever-tightening icy channels.
Population: 8,400 (55% Humans, 40% ethereal Dragonkin, 5% Other Ancestries)
Government: Despotism. King Joha Petturi was crowned king after seizing power from Uhlrexago the All Consuming. Power is retained through a number of powerful and unscrupulous Generals who oversee military operations as well as other societal programs. While the king has young children, it is unclear if they will take over in the event of his death. Many fear the day this comes to pass as it will most likely lead to violence between the Generals as they seek to fill the power gap left by their enigmatic leader.
Criminal prosecution and punishment are
Defense: The army consists of former Blackrock Company soldiers and other local roughnecks. Exiles, criminals, and other elements sometimes also wander too far south and find themselves conscripted into service. The harsh winter climate prevents large-scale armies from easily traversing the terrain without ample gear and provisions, a cost few forces are willing or able to bear. While an invasion seems unlikely, this has not stopped the city of Kikarsa from constructing a great wall equipped with siege engines around the perimeter of the Westway and the East District.
Commerce: The shanty towns of Purplehook, Middlerow, and Spitter’s Mire have formed along the three primary roads into town. Purplehook consists primarily of fishermen and other maritime laborers who operate an industrial dockland that is networked with the warehouses of the East District. Middlerow, while it appears to be run down, is actually the headquarters of the Royal Office of Inquiry in Kikarsa. Any beggars, vagrants, or wanderers seen in this district are most likely under the employ of the Office as spies, informants, or propagandists. Spitter’s Mire, the most populous shanty town, is home to miners, foremen, surveyors, and prospectors who venture into the mountains of the local region in search of rich mineral and ore veins, as well as the rare and valuable Dragon’s Spit Ore found in the area.
Organizations: One of the keys to maintaining independence from the rest of Fabeldyr has been the careful control of information and belief about the outside world. As other nations have grown and prospered with trade and alliances, King Joha has instead invested in propaganda and disinformation, creating the Royal Office of Inquiry to create murals, pamphlets, and even paid “street preachers” who appear as beggars and drifters, warning of the woes of life in other nations and the glorious reign of King Joha and the Noble House Petturi. These efforts have proven rather effective, especially when combined with brutally oppressive police tactics.
Story Hooks for Kikarsa
Levels 5-10
A scout has returned to the city, covered in weeping sores and lesions. Nearly consumed with frostbite, they spoke of an avalanche which revealed an ancient cavern containing the lost tomb of Aimo Niskanen, a famous blacksmith of a bygone era entombed with one of the legendary Dragonspit Blades. They also gave a cryptic warning: “Stay out of the light”. The captain of the guard has issued a generous bounty to anyone who can locate the tomb, neutralize the threats within, and, if possible, return the blade of yore to the city.
The former court wizard of Kikarsa, a Poison Dragonkin known simply as Tallarax, retired to a fortress in the mountains after the Petturi dynasty took power. He evaded the Whitemaul through clever control of powerful Golems - magically animated creatures made of various natural elements such as clay, stone, and iron that covered his escape and guarded his fortress. He has been labeled a vargr and a sizable bounty has been left on his head. Many have set out, but none have yet to return from seeking him out for collection.
Sisu (map)
A biting wind stings the eyes of a dockworker, who raises his arm to protect himself from the elements while he and his team drive great spikes into the icy floes, breaking up the barriers to allow the free passage of the ships. Originally a barracks for this exact purpose, the annual boat racing tournament drew more and more spectators, competitors, and eventually a settlement was established. Now, cottage industries from generations gone by sit alongside sleek and modern-looking buildings, all against the backdrop of a pocket of icy southern coastline. The Ice Wastes stretch out between the mountain ranges that frame the nation. The events of the flood brought momentary destruction soon alleviated by the frigid temperatures and the rapidly reforming ice shelf.
Sisu has a dockland, unconventional as it may be. Commercial ships load goods before sailing the southern coasts to trade with the Golden Dynasty or making the long voyage around the Wildlands toward Alia and Angaland. Those whose sights are set on sustenance rather than great wealth often attach metal blades to the bottoms of their boats, gliding across the ice with all the ease of floating in the water. These vessels are equipped with large boring devices used for ice fishing, with many different boats dotting the landscape in a kind of picturesque stillness, the waves no longer dancing along the surface of the bay.
The Central Crescent of Fabeldyr may be rich with farmland and trade but the southern reaches are a tough and hardy land. The Ice Wastes were previously home to a brood of particularly ferocious Ice Dragons, whose very presence served to enhance the frigidity of the climate. These beasts lacked the cleverness of their ethereal betters, defaulting instead to a primal order of tooth and claw. Now that these dragons have largely been killed or driven away, the people are free to harvest timber from the bountiful forests along their northern borders or hunt the enormous herds of plainsland beasts that roam the region in search of food of their own. Rumors persist, however, that remnants of the icy drakes that once ruled over them perpetuate the year-round frost from deep within underground lairs, waiting for their time to reemerge and dominate the world once more. Others say the cold is a punishment for the many iniquities of the people and for their failure to join Zane in the rebellion.
Population: 1,400 (65% Humans, 30% ethereal Dragonkin, 3% Dwarves, 2% Other Ancestries)
Government: Sisu, as part of Perkansa, is governed by a General (chosen by the King) who represents the interests of the ruling class in the settlement in dealing with the affairs of the common people. Balancing the threat of local uprising against the threat of tighter governance from the capital can be difficult at times.
Defense: Due to soured relations, the rulers can only hire former Blackrock Company soldiers to station in town as inspectors and peacekeepers. These ragtags and vagabonds, along with what remains of the Perkansan Army, are tasked with watching for the return of and defense against the Ice Dragons who once ruled this region.
Commerce: The town is not excessively wealthy, but the harsh climate demands a certain level of sophistication in the construction of homes and other buildings to retain heat and stay ventilated. Dwarves, historically living underground, are masters of keeping otherwise sealed spaces comfortable for those accustomed to regularly seeing the open sky. A small group of them are allowed to live within the city and work as builders and consultants.
Organizations: Within Perkansan society there are those who question the decision to remain cut off from the rest of Fabeldyr. Members of the Graft, a secret society intended on forming new, positive relations with people from other nations, inaugurated their organization in Sisu, though they have since dispersed and meet in clandestine locations around the region. Because of the work done by the Royal Office of Inquiry, most in Perkansa are at least outwardly resistant to the idea of opening relations with the other powers. Members of the Graft must be cautious and act with discretion.
Story Hooks for Sisu
Levels 1-4
The bay known as Rabbitshead remains relatively icy year-round, despite the regular efforts to keep channels to the sea open. The temporary land bridges can sometimes allow nasty creatures from the mountains to the west access to the lands inhabited by the simple farmers and villagers of Sisu. Recently, groups of undead have been found drifting on large chunks of ice and wreaking havoc when they make landfall. The Governor of Sisu is hiring adventurers to stave off the incoming wave of zombies, traverse the icy bay, and then locate and eliminate the source of the undead menace.
The farmers of Sisu grow a special crop known as Frost Barley, an icy grain that serves as the primary ingredient in the famous Frost Ale served throughout Perkansa. The grains grow tall on wooden trellises in the fields of the stone villa farmsteads that dot the landscape. Recently, the farmers have reported giant spiders spinning their webs between these trellises and causing damage. The Governor of Sisu is looking to hire adventurers to clear out the fields and drive the spiders out of the Kalkonlaar Peninsula.
Perkansan Points of Interest
Hollowglen
Hollowglen is a dense and mysterious forest located on the northern border of Perkansa. It is known for its tall, ancient trees and the eerie silence that seems to hang over its foliage. Many travelers avoid the forest, as it is rumored to be home to all manner of dangerous beasts and malevolent spirits. Some say that the forest is cursed, and that those who enter are never seen again. Despite these tales, however, there are those who brave the dangers of Hollowglen in search of its hidden secrets and treasures. Some claim to have found rare herbs and magical artifacts within its depths, though these tales are often met with skepticism. Regardless of the truth behind the legends, Hollowglen remains a place of mystery and intrigue for those brave enough to venture within.
Kalkonlaar Peninsula
Kalkonlaar Peninsula is a boot-shaped land mass (though locals will sometimes refer to it as a “turkey leg”) jutting out into a cold sea, known for its unnatural icy terrain and harsh climate. With strong winds and heavy snowfall being common throughout the year, the peninsula is home to towering glaciers, snow-capped mountains, and frozen lakes, unlike other countries along a similar latitude. Those who attribute the icy climate of Perkansa to the Ice Dragons who once ruled it believe the source of this foul magic to be hidden somewhere beneath the peninsula. Despite the challenges posed by its environment, Kalkonlaar Peninsula is believed to contain valuable natural resources, including coal, oil, and minerals, drawing prospectors and speculators who seek to strike it rich. However, the rugged and isolated nature of the peninsula has made exploitation of these resources difficult, and many efforts have been met with failure or controversy. The peninsula is also home to a variety of hardy plants and animals that have adapted to life in the cold.
Mouserun Pass
Mouserun Pass is a narrow mountain pass located in the eastern region of Fabeldyr. It is the sole known pathway from Perkansa through the mountains and into the Wildlands, a vast and untamed region located to the east of Perkansa. The pass is known for its steep and treacherous terrain, with sheer cliffs and deep ravines making passage difficult for even the most experienced travelers. Mouserun Pass has been the site of several skirmishes between the army of Perkansa and organized bandits from the Wildlands. These conflicts have often centered around the control of the pass, which serves as the sole known pathway from Perkansa into the Wildlands. The Perkansan army has sought to maintain control of the pass and defend it against the bandits, who have attempted to use the pass to raid Perkansan territory. The fighting has been intense and fierce at times, with both sides suffering significant casualties in their efforts to gain the upper hand.
The Flare
Nestled on the eastern coast of Perkansa, The Flare is a massive bay shaped like a plume of smoke rising into the country. Formed at an alarming speed during the devastating floods in 883 CE2 that overflowed the southern rivers, The Flare's unique shape garnered attention from cartographers who ultimately gave it its name. Despite the disaster, the region surrounding The Flare, previously an already frigid wasteland, suffered minimal loss of development or infrastructure.
The Ice Wastes
Located between Kikarsa and The Flare, the Ice Wastes are a frozen wasteland that few dare to venture into. This barren region is inhospitable, with nothing able to grow in its frigid soil. The creatures who do inhabit the Ice Wastes are predatory and resistant to the extreme cold, making them extremely dangerous. Travelers in the region must be on guard for the infamous ice worms, which can break through the surface with little warning and attack those who are unprepared. The Ice Wastes are a place of great danger and few dare to brave its icy expanses without proper protection.
The New Road
The New Road is a major transportation route that is currently under construction between Kikarsa and Sisu. It is intended to replace The Old Road, which was mostly destroyed in the floods of 883 CE2. The New Road connects to what remains of The Old Road on the southern side of The Rabbitshead, a bay that was also created by the floods. The construction of The New Road has been a challenging and ambitious project, as the ground is frozen solid and the dirt is as hard as stone. Despite these difficulties, the road has been a major focus of propaganda over the years, with numerous pushes to finally complete it. When finished, The New Road is expected to greatly improve transportation and communication between Kikarsa and Sisu.
The Pox
The Pox is a giant crater located on the eastern edge of Perkansa, in the shadow of the mountains that separate the country from the Wildlands. The area surrounding The Pox is home to an isolated set of cylindrical mountains that mark the beginning of the Wildlands. It is not clear how The Pox was formed, but it is a mysterious and intriguing feature of the landscape in Perkansa. The region surrounding The Pox is home to a unique elaphantine ancestry that is not found anywhere else in Toinen. Despite its mysterious origins, The Pox has become an important landmark in Perkansa, and it is likely to continue to attract the attention of travelers and researchers in the future.
The Rabbitshead
The Rabbitshead is a bay located in Perkansa that was created during the floods of 883 CE2. It runs along the mountains to the north and then inland, covering the road that once ran from Kikarsa to Sisu on the coast. The flood that created The Rabbitshead spared Sisu from destruction, but the land between them was completely submerged beneath the waves. This bay is known for its unique shape, which is reminiscent of a rabbit's head, and it is a major feature of the landscape in the region. Despite the destruction it caused, The Rabbitshead is an important feature of Perkansa, both for its natural beauty and its status as a strategic economic lane. Work is done year round with barge vessels to break up the ice and keep trade lanes open between Kikarsa and Sisu while the New Road is finished.
The Shadowood
Nestled in the dark and foreboding forests of the northeastern edge of Perkansan territory lies the Shadowood, a place of mystery and danger. Despite the risks, some are drawn to the Shadowood in search of valuable goods and other secrets it holds. It is home to intelligent, talking spiders, divided into two groups: the malevolent and highly dangerous, and the unsettlingly friendly. Few people are brave enough to venture into the Shadowood to trade for the valuable silk produced by these spiders, and those who do must be prepared either to defend themselves against the malevolent ones or fulfill bizarre requests from the friendly ones, as they have no use for gold. The coveted silk of the Shadowood is prized in Perkansa for its strength and durability, and is used to create the royal garments and flags that intimidate opposition with their ghastly quality.
The Southern Road
The Southern Road is part of an ancient transportation route that runs through central Fabeldyr and ends at the kingdom of Kikarsa. It was constructed by those who were subjugated by the dragons that once ruled all of Fabeldyr, and it has played a significant role in the history and development of the region. However, due to the strained relations between Perkansa and its neighbors, the portion of The Southern Road that is within Perkansan territory has received minimal upkeep in recent years, primarily to allow for troop movements. As a result, there is little demand for economic activity on this road within Perkansa.
Perkansan Factions and Organizations
The Graft
The Graft is a shadowy organization within Perkansa that operates in secret, working to build connections and establish positive relationships with other nations in defiance of the country's long-standing isolationist policies. Working against the crown, especially for economic benefit, carries the penalty of public death under Perkansan law. Though their efforts are risky and often shrouded in secrecy, members of The Graft are passionate about the potential benefits that greater engagement with the outside world could bring to Perkansa and its people. Though the organization was founded in the city of Sisu, its members have since dispersed across the region, meeting in clandestine locations to further their goals. However, their efforts are constantly thwarted by the actions of the Royal Office of Inquiry, which is deeply opposed to any attempts to open relations with other countries and has made it impossible for members of The Graft to operate openly. Despite these challenges, The Graft remains committed to its mission, working tirelessly to build bridges and forge new alliances in the hope of bringing greater prosperity and understanding to Perkansa.
Royal Office of Inquiry
The Royal Office of Inquiry is a powerful organization within the kingdom of Perkansa that is responsible for gathering and analyzing intelligence, as well as conducting investigations into crimes and other illegal activities. To gather intelligence, the Office may rely on a network of spies and informants who are skilled at covertly collecting information and reporting back to the Office. The Office may also use more traditional methods of investigation, such as interrogating witnesses, collecting and analyzing physical evidence, and reviewing documents and records. Once the Office has gathered sufficient evidence to support the issuance of a warrant of arrest, it will present this evidence to the Order of the White Wolf, a group of devout paladins who serve as the guardians of Perkansa's spiritual and moral values and as the secret police of the kingdom. The Order is known for its highly trained agents and its ability to execute complex operations with precision and efficiency, making it an ideal partner for the Royal Office of Inquiry in its efforts to maintain order and stability within Perkansa.
The Dragonriders of Perkansa
The Dragonriders of Perkansa are a group of skilled warriors who have mastered the art of taming and riding wyverns, creatures that resemble dragons in many ways but are not as large or as dangerous. The Dragonriders are a respected and powerful force within Perkansa, sworn to protect the kingdom and its people from external threats. Their service has been largely credited for Perkansa remaining independent in the face of a near unified continent under the flag of the Blackrock Company after the end of the War of Liberation. They are known for their bravery and skill in battle, and act as a formidable political wing within Perkansa. Their fierce loyalty to the King does a lot to shore up an otherwise fragile position. Because of this, membership is highly vetted by their own ranks to root out spies and enemies.
The Order of the White Wolf
The Order of the White Wolf is a highly respected and feared organization within Perkansa, known for their devout paladins who serve as guardians of the kingdom's spiritual and moral values. In addition to upholding these values, the Order also serves as the secret police of Perkansa, working closely with the Royal Office of Inquiry to investigate and prosecute crimes and other illegal activities. The Order is propagandized to believe in the rule of the king above all else, and the chief paladin serves as a powerful spymaster on the king's council, holding significant influence within the kingdom. While the members of the Order are sworn to uphold justice and righteousness, they are also known for their unwavering commitment to their principles and have been known to execute fallen or wayward paladins. However, the legitimacy of these accusations is often called into question, as those branded as "fallen" or "rebels" are often simply perceived as a threat to the ruling authorities.
The Blackrock Company
Nobody knows exactly when and where Zane the Slayer was born. He appeared like a gentle breeze, the rumors of a golden-haired liberator with eyes of fire riding on the wind to every corner of the land. He was followed by a group of adventurers: Sprock the Wizard, Hannah of Dunstead, Eve Matrona Dominata, and Urchin of the Palindromes. These five warriors fanned the flames of freedom across Fabeldyr until the final battle with Rugotorix the Oppressor, King of the Court of Scales and Ancient of Ancients, in the region which is now home to Rugosfall. After piercing the dragon’s liver with a twisted, mighty lance dipped into the Abyss by the demigod Strixus, Son of The Storm, Zane directed his warriors to construct a great fortress in the skull of the fallen dragon. Rugosfall sprung up around this massive construction project, with the workers electing to build settlements of their own as this new city was founded at the site of the victory over their former oppressors.
After the revolution, Zane the Slayer became a kind of elder statesman to many budding nations, offering advice and wisdom to young rulers and offering to settle difficult disputes, be they between families or nations. The threat of dragons loomed large in the early years of the Founding Era, as it came to be known, and the warriors that served Zane in the revolution stood ever vigilant for their return. This split in focus necessitated the division of the Company into factions centered around various responsibilities: Military Corps, Diplomatic Corps, Engineering Corps, Arcane Corps, and Nature Corps. Each organization follows a rigid hierarchy that allows for issues to be escalated to those capable of dealing with them. Issues outside of the purview of the various generals are brought to Zane the Slayer for direct judgment and summary resolution. Anyone can join the military wing on short term contracts, though most who join do so with the intent of making a lifetime commitment to the organization. This comes easily to many from Fabeldyr who experienced the draconic oppression and feel their lives and wellbeing are owed to the Company’s actions in the revolution.
The Military Corps easily represents the largest wing of the organization. Ten thousand fighting troops are spread across one hundred Centuries, each with a Centurion who reports to their regional Tribune. Most people outside of Fabeldyr are only familiar with the Military Corp as they are most likely to travel, be it in service to a contract to fight or some other adventure requiring skilled warriors. The Military Corp is also unique in that it is in the only wing that allows non-committed members to hold officer ranks. Adventurers not looking to make lifetime commitments will often work to the rank of Non Committed (NC) Lieutenant before departing to greater adventure in the world at large. Those who change their minds often ascend to higher ranks within the organization, their extensive experience serving them well in this regard.
Rumors of the War of Grumbling began to stir almost as soon as the War of Liberation was concluded. Zane the Slayer knew that communication between the nations was vital to the preservation of peace, and more importantly, freedom for the people of Fabeldyr. Urchin of the Palindromes, fallen in the final battle against Rugotorix, had planted the idea to establish an organization of diplomats and linguistic peace-makers to serve in the newly forming royal and noble courts of the land. Carrying out the wish of his fallen comrade, the Slayer ensured that people of every ancestry and culture were trained in legal matters and in the art of debate and negotiation, with compromise being held aloft as the goal to aspire to. The nations have largely averted conflict through the efforts of these oft-nameless representatives of the diplomatic state.
Soldiers may wear the armor, but somebody has to make it! The Engineering Corps of the Blackrock Company was founded by blacksmiths, artificers, and tinkerers looking to contribute to the war effort in their own way. After every arm that could hold a spear was drafted into service, the ones that remained learned to swing hammers, sew patches, and figure out how to do it better and smarter the next time around. Each community had a natural wellspring of generalists who knew how to make planks from lumber, cut cornerstones from mountains, and spent their free time trying to come up with more efficient ways to do it. These original engineers comprise the spirit of the corps: ingenuity under pressure. Often it was a bright idea from a young tinkerer that would make its way to the ears of high command where it would germinate into a plan. Hegemonies from prior aeons were toppled by great machines and bulwark-leveling instruments first crafted in the minds of these minor civil servants. When the fires of war grew dim, the fires of the forge only grew hotter as the Engineering Corp set about rebuilding the castles and cities of the newly forming Nations and Great Houses of Fabeldyr. Without accounting for contracts brought in to the Military arm, the Engineering Corp is responsible for the majority of economic impact in the continent when it comes to the Company’s involvement.
Sprock the Wizard was a slave and the court magus to Rugotorix before being freed by Zane the Slayer in a daring raid on one of the Blood Dragon’s many holdfasts. He quickly became a trusted advisor and mentor to many of the first great Archmagisters of the Company: Charles Touzet and Agrippa the Mysterious, to name a few. He was also an associate of the mysterious figure known only as The Magician. Though Sprock fell tragically near the end of the rebellion, his arcane pursuits did not die a hero's death with him. Instead, they flowered into the Arcane Corps, the magical wing of the Blackrock Company standing to this day. A partnership with The Etheric Council of Fortare in Altisia also brought about the first great magical training academy in Fabeldyr: the illustrious Ministers of Gronstrom. Some wizards, sorcerers, and other arcane-inclined individuals even find their home beneath the Banner of the Watching Eye, a religious order of Tekare within the ranks of the Company.
The elite military forces of the Blackrock Company bring about a great need for beasts of burden and those capable of scouting and ranging. Their extensive work with the various nations of Fabeldyr has also attracted a number of druids, enough to form an order within the ranks of the Nature Corps. These great caretakers of nature are responsible for the development of the Screaming Squadron, a rather famous battalion of mounted wyvern knights. Wielding great scythes and reinforced longbows, the Screamers earned their name from the fierce battlefield cries of their tamed wyverns. Entire armies are known to flee at the sound of their wings, which when beaten in unison sound like those of a great, ancient dragon. The druids of the Nature Corps unlocked the secrets of raising the creatures from a hatchling state, causing the beasts to develop affinity for humanoids without losing any of their patented ferocity.
Rugosfall
In the War of Liberation, Zane the Slayer earned his name by killing Rugotorix, largest of all dragons and oppressor of Fabeldyr. He ordered a fortress to be built in the skull of the dragon and a city grew up around the massive project.
The city also houses Five Points Temple, which teaches unity between the different gods and a philosophy known as the Mirror.
A quarry outside the city gathers the iconic Blackrock from which the company gets its name. The stone must be polished with liquid to turn dark and is moved in great quantities with assistance from local wizards.
The Association of Revolutionary Veterans oversees food production in an expansive ring of farms and green spaces around the city which has long provided food supplies on a residential scale while also serving the far-ranging Blackrock Company mercenary soldiers.
An oracle known as the Matrona Dominatra lives at the top of the unbroken horn of the fortress. She is a former adventuring companion to Zane the Slayer, driven to madness after learning a great and terrible secret. She offers fortunes in the form of riddles to those who seek her guidance.
When Zane the Slayer laid Rugotorix the Oppressor low with his Abyssal Lance, the skull of the dragon landed upon a low point in a great mountain chain, crushing the cliffs in twain and reducing it greatly. In the coming time, Zane ordered his followers to begin a great work of excavation to move the enormous skull of the dragon into the new valley. There, they would reinforce it into an impenetrable holdfast. The laborers built their own dwellings and the mighty city of Rugosfall grew up around this project and was officially incorporated with a charter in 796 FE. The skull of Rugotorix is enormous, casting a fearsome and inspiring image that stands in sharp contrast to both the city and the surrounding countryside, with the horns extending above the mountains and into the sky over one thousand feet.
In addition to the headquarters of the Blackrock Company, Rugosfall is home to a great religious structure known as Five Points Temple. Its symbol, the five-pointed star, signifies the connection between all five nations of Fabeldyr and the importance of unity, both between the people and the gods. Worshippers of every divine order are encouraged to offer their prayers, sacrifices, and other such lavish gifts to the gods in this place. A popular philosophy in this temple, known simply as the Mirror, postulates that the realms of the gods mirror the realms of mortals, which in turn mirror again the realms below where evil resides. As the middle ground between light and darkness, the people must align themselves to light and good, mirroring the higher lights above. Those who choose to mirror darkness reap suffering and torment. Those who mirror the light reap life and eternal reward, though both the light and the darkness take many forms. The temple is widely renowned for its stunning architecture, the central dome coming down and forming a circular interior structure with five triangular points to form the famous star shape. The interior features refined and polished blackrock, the same material that the Company is named for and the surrounding mountains are made from. The temple also contains a map of the leylines of Fabeldyr engraved in stone on the floor, though the map became outdated once the Great Flood of 883 CE2 occurred as the Leylines readjusted to the new energetic flow in the world.
A great quarry lies on the south eastern side of the city nested against the mountains. The iconic blackrock in the surrounding mountains gains its unique color when it is polished with water, be it by the seasons over time or by the skilled hands of a mason. Before this polish is applied, however, the stones look like any other homogenous, metamorphic rock. The finished stone has a natural patina resembling folded steel formed by the marbling underneath the polish. The stone is strong and dense, with entire troupes of wizards often employed to magically transport stones both around the city and the continent.
Outside the pentagonal walls that guard the interior of the city of Rugosfall are the farmlands and green spaces. These locales supply a major portion of the city’s food and a significant number of workers who transitioned from construction labor as new construction tapered off and the city reached completion. The estates are owned by the Association of Revolutionary Veterans, an organization that is responsible for the division of labor and maintenance to feed both the Blackrock Company and the city itself. As the name implies, the organization was founded after the revolt against the dragons to create jobs and a new purpose for the conquering survivors. The land allotment and labor pool have allowed for plentiful supplies for the city and the far-ranging Company soldiers. The people who run the organization were originally veterans of the revolution, but as time went on the title has continued to be given to anyone honorable discharged from the Blackrock Company, along with an offer of employment in some capacity related to their previous work in the Company.
In the first days of the rebellion, knowledge of the terrain and how to best exploit it was crucial for any side hoping for a positive result. Zane the Slayer knew this best when he recruited the druid queen Eve Matrona Dominatra, the oldest and wisest crone and most loyal sworn servant of the goddess Kraka in Fabeldyr. Known more simply as Eve to her many adoring followers, this force of nature and decay is the sole power in Toinen that can claim to have tamed the Heart of The Slayer. Their tryst was as brief as the summer sun and as tragic as a sudden frost in springtime. Locked in deepest embrace, the Matrona Dominatra peered deep into the heart of the Slayer and witnessed something too terrible and too secret, driving her to the brink of sanity in the process. Resigned to madness, she now resides in solitude atop the Tower of Ascent, built inside the unbroken horn of Rugotorix, where she peers into the arcane flows of time and the universe. She predicts the future but always speaks in riddles, with some leaving her presence inspired while others are merely confused until such a time as her prophecy rings true. There are dozens of stories of terrible irony befalling individuals who visited her with ill motive in their hearts. Her most loyal servants also live atop the tower, tending to her needs as an Oracle and Seeress of the region.
Rugosfall South, 11/2020 - licensed from Joe Johnson thejoejohnson.com
Population: 21,000 (40% Humans, 25% Elves, 15% Material Dragonkin, 10% Half Elves, 10% Other Ancestries)
Government: While Zane the Slayer is master over the Blackrock Company, councils are elected based on the various housing districts and regions within the town. A group of magistrates from the Company hear cases that cannot be settled locally with an appeals process that can proceed all the way to the Slayer himself in the most severe circumstances.
Defense: Only a fool would raise an army against Rugosfall. The combined military might of the Blackrock Company is a true force of terror. Thick stone walls surround the city, reinforced with battlements and anti-siege weaponry. The fortress itself is designed to be as deadly to attack as the dragon itself, the massive skull striking utter terror into the hearts of lesser soldiers.
Commerce: Plunder from battles worldwide trickles into the city economy along with farmed goods, mined and quarried materials, and finished metal products from the great furnaces inside the skull fortress. Craftsmen, producers, and merchants of all kinds journey to Rugosfall to sell their goods to citizens, soldiers, and other Company-affiliated staff that populate the expansive city.
Organizations: The five wings of the Blackrock Company each have a headquarters within the city. There are also numerous trade organizations and crafting guilds with offices and representatives in the city to hire mercenaries and adventurers for security contracts.
While the involvement in wars across the world has brought great wealth to Rugosfall, it has not been without cost. Countless are the sons of Fabeldyr who have fallen in combat since the earliest days of the rebellion. The scale of warfare, particularly when involving magic, can result in difficulty with identifying or even recovering the remains of the fallen. In order to preserve their memory, Zane the Slayer commissioned the digging of an enormous subterranean cavern wherein he established the Sepulcher of Mystery, housed in a dome of marble and granite. Detailed reliefs in gold filigree recount the most famous battles fought by the company. Here, the fallen are not forgotten and their sacrifice is honored eternally and in gilded glory. The impressive memorial serves as a place of quiet contemplation, grief, and remembrance. Hundreds of visitors stream through the halls on a daily basis to pay their respects and honor those who never returned home.
Story Hooks for Rugosfall
Levels 1-4
A commoner by the name of Rodrick is going from tavern to tavern in search of brave adventurers who can venture into the Southwood and rescue his companion Jack who has been captured by goblins. The goblins had some magical powers and seemed relatively well organized. Rodrick doesn’t have much in the way of reward himself, but he hands over a bounty poster with a generous reward from the Blackrock Company for Chief Murgen, the leader of the Irontooth Goblin faction in the Southwood, who he assures you is responsible for this foul act
While accompanying a caravan to resupply the Blackrock Company regiment in the Eastwood, a great wind is quickly overtaken by a deafening roar. A Blood Dragon swoops overhead, flying directly toward the training grounds for the new recruits. By the time you arrive, the slaughter is nearly complete and the dragon is long gone. You come across a gravely injured soldier who gives you a platinum figurine. He expires before he can tell you more, but the bottom of the figurine is inscribed with a message: “For JP, may the key grant you treasures untold.”
Rugosfall Points of Interest
Dragon's Inlet
In 883 CE2, thirty years ago, a great flood caused the oceans to rise by approximately twenty feet, flooding nearly twenty percent of the global landmass. Entire cities and countries were shattered in the chaotic upheaval. Dragon’s Inlet is a salty, flooded plains land that extends from Lobster Bay. Ferry services transport people across the waters south to Gronstrom or north toward Rugosfall or the landing that forms the base of the road to the nation of Flaksja.
Gullet Bay
The southern reaches of the Dragon’s Inlet are known as Gullet Bay, which is home to dozens of flotilla communities tied to Gronstom and Rugosfall. Great docking stations capable of housing anywhere from twenty to fifty vessels can be found spread throughout this secluded section of the newly formed ocean. The communities that form around these arrangements are sustained by the members who live there, with some having rules about who can join based on things like ancestry, guild membership, and anything in between. Some of the communities are focused on leisure or pleasure for the wealthy while others seek to create their own economies and trade with the outside world.
The Angaland Road
After leaving Rugosfall on the Main Road headed east, a northward intersection opens up onto the descriptively named Angaland Road which leads to the nation of its namesake. The road treks through a cold, rocky highland that dips back down toward the ocean until reaching a terminus in Dunstead, the capital of Angaland. The road is dangerous from beasts and roving bandits who make good fodder for Blackrock Company recruits.
The Eastwood
The Eastwood is a deciduous forest that runs down from the Southern Stretch and extends into the plainsland between Angaland and Alia. The Blackrock Company has claimed this forest for military infantry training exercises and other such operations where combat is simulated and famous, winning strategies are formed. The company is always willing to have traveling bands of adventurers test their grit against the soldiers in training and operates a lively recruitment program.
The Main Road
The Main Road is the longest, most developed road in Fabeldyr. It was originally constructed in the time of the dragons, estimated to have been completed some time near the end of the 300’s. The road is made from large, quarried stones that make travel much easier, especially when using a cart or other kind of wheeled device. The road has maintained in quality over the years with the stone’s worked nature preventing the kind of wear and tear associated with ancient roads built under bygone powers.
The Northern Stretch
The death of Rugotorix split the western mountain chain in two, the force of the dragon falling from the sky causing the mountain itself to buckle and crumble. The Northern Stretch is the name given to the portion of the mountain that lies to the north of Rugosfall. This mountain chain stretches all the way to Skild in the furthest reaches of Flaksja and is home to many credible dangers such as orcs, dragons, and giants. If one travels enough into this region, they may find themselves venturing far beneath the mountain and into the deepest, darkest places of Fabeldyr.
The Oldroad
While The Oldroad was finished long before The Main Road, the quality is nowhere near that of the paved, engineered stones. The Oldroad is rumored to be even older than the Draconic Hierarchy itself, a leftover relic of an ancient time when proto-civilizations ruled the face of the continent. After the events of the flood in the previous century, the road was split into three segments, one of which starts outside Gronstrom and moves south until it is cut off by waters. If a traveler can account for the watery portions of the trip, it is a relatively straight shot to the Golden Dynasty.
The Southern Stretch
The death of Rugotorix split the western mountain chain in two, the force of the dragon falling from the sky causing the mountain itself to buckle and crumble. The Southern Stretch is the name given to the portion of the mountain that lies to the south of Rugosfall. This mountain has several mining colonies and quarrying operations scattered along the eastern side that connect back to Rugosfall or the Blackrock Company in some form or fashion. The forges of the Blackrock Company never go out and there is a constant demand for iron ore and coal that is often sourced from these regions. These operations can sometimes run into trouble from local kobolds and the occasional cluster of wyverns or behir.
The Southwood
While many who answer the call of adventure in Rugosfall expect to face all manner of danger, few who enter the Southwood willingly choose to go back. This is due to the presence of a coven of hags that have claimed the forest as their domain. Attempts from the Blackrock Company to persuade the coven to depart have proven ineffective. While there is no direct evidence of the hags being great warriors, they are elusive and tend to maintain control over powerful creatures. It is rumored that any spellcaster can seek entry into their ranks by providing a lock of their own hair, a vial of their own blood, and a sacrificial victim whose soul has not been tainted by attachment to a fiendish pact. Their followers have been known to waylay traveling caravans in search of plunder and victims who can be presented as payment for admittance.
The Westwood
The influx of ocean water onto the lowlands north of The Westwood caused significant damage to the coastal portions creating a series of ghost forests: trees in the process of petrification from the sudden abundance of salt in the groundwater. The leaves have all gone from their branches and the limbs have broken off of their trunks. The environment itself is dehydrating and those who traverse the region without ample supplies of water are sure to join the rest of the ill prepared fools in the sands, devoured by roaming scavengers or the ravages of time.
Westwood Swamp
The grasslands on the southside of The Westwood saw similar devastation as the salty ocean water poured over the region. When the waters settled, the grasslands were no longer submerged but instead became a blighted marsh. Predators roam the region seeking to prey upon unwitting creatures, be they travelers or fellow denizens of the swamp. Barbarians from Gronstrom will occasionally venture here as a rite of passage, unable to return to their tribe until they have killed a sufficiently powerful creature or died in the process.
Rugosfall Factions and Organizations
The Association of Revolutionary Veterans
The Association of Revolutionary Veterans is an organization made up of individuals who have served in the Blackrock Company's military corps and were involved in the revolution against Rugotorix. It is responsible for the division of labor and maintenance of the farmlands and estates outside the city of Rugosfall, which supply a significant portion of the city's food and employ a large number of workers. The organization is led by veterans of the revolution, who have continued to hold leadership positions as the organization has grown to include anyone honorably discharged from the Blackrock Company. The Association serves as a support network for its members, helping them transition from military service to civilian life and providing them with employment opportunities related to their previous work in the Blackrock Company.
Military General (Ret.) Sophia Rodrigal is a highly respected member of the Association and a former top leader in the Blackrock Company's Military Corps. She played a crucial role in the revolution against Rugotorix, using her tactical expertise to lead her troops to victory in several key battles. After her honorable discharge from the Blackrock Company, Sophia was offered a leadership position within the Association and has been instrumental in its growth and success. She is known for her fair and decisive leadership style, as well as her dedication to the well-being of her fellow members.
The Blackrock Engineering Corp
The Blackrock Engineering Corp is a division of the Blackrock Company responsible for creating and maintaining equipment for the organization. It employs skilled craftsmen and artisans who design and build a variety of items, including armor, weapons, and other tools. The Engineering Corp is currently led by two prominent figures: Engineer General Elizabeth Lee, who is the head of the Blackrock Engineering Corp and a highly respected member of the Blackrock Company. She has been with the organization for over 40 years, starting as a lowly apprentice to an Associate Engineer and working her way up through the ranks. Elizabeth is a half elf known for her innovative approach to engineering and her ability to find solutions to even the most complex problems. She is directly served by Principal Engineer James Barnes, a human with just over 15 years of combined experience in the field and a laboratory environment. He is known for his attention to detail and his ability to lead and command respect from large teams of engineers and craftsmen. James is a towering personality and has been instrumental in the development of several new technologies and innovations that have greatly improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the Blackrock Company's naval equipment.
Banner of the Watching Eye
The Banner of the Watching Eye is a secretive cult within the Blackrock Company that worships the deity Tekare. Led by the powerful and influential High Priestess Isadora, who is said to have special abilities granted by the deity, the organization strictly follows rituals and traditions. Members of the Banner are believed to possess their own special powers and are rumored to be involved in covert magical surveillance operations on behalf of the Blackrock Company. The group is known to meet in secret locations, possibly including a network of underground temples, and performs elaborate ceremonies and offerings to Tekare. The Banner of the Watching Eye commands respect and fear from its followers, with the High Priestess serving as a spiritual leader for the organization.
Gronstrom
The plains south of the region now known as Rugosfall have belonged to the roaming barbarians of the Green River Clan. During the time of the draconic oppression, the Barbarians roamed the wilds in small herds, staying out of sight and maintaining the worship of The Bjornum, their ancestral guardians and spiritual guides. These bear-spirit protectors were once present with the nomadic outlanders, though their connection to the Material Plane has waned since the beginning of modern history and the prevalence of the gods in the world. The last Bjornum spirit moved on from the Material Plane at the end of the 7th century. It is rumored that Moderna the Wild, in her mercy, has allowed these ancient spirits to take refuge in her domain in the celestial realms.
As the Bjornum became more and more scarce, the supernatural protection once afforded to the roaming tribes began to evaporate. The draconic magi were able to scry upon the tribes and learn of their sacred grazing locations and other habits in their movement. It was during this time that the first archmagisters of the Blackrock Company made contact with the barbarians, offering them magical protection in exchange for physical protection during their revolutionary preparations. The wild warriors, having no love for the dragons, quickly agreed to a peaceful exchange for mutual benefit.
Today, it is not uncommon to see a long-robed wizard darting between the hulking forms of barbarian warriors that roam the streets of Gronstrom. The marked differences between the two population sets are many: in addition to clothing one will find differences in speech, manners, alcohol tolerance, and self absorption. Once alcohol is introduced, a wizard can quickly become as boastful as the most power-drunk barbarian warlord. The sole saving grace is a complete weapons ban within the city, including magical wands and other such instruments. Outsiders are intended to be informed of this quite thoroughly prior to being released into the city by the gate guards. Anyone caught wielding a weapon is subject to a quick death unless they invoke the Law of Defense and sue for banishment to the Wildlands. Informing outsiders of the Law of Defense falls to the gate guards. The consistency of delivering this information depends on how bored the guards have been of late and how tough the outsiders look. If weapons are drawn, the Law of Defense is not commonly invoked.
The biggest faction in Gronstrom, however, is the Blackrock Academy. This conclave of Altisian wizards from the Etheric Council have partnered with the Arcane Corps of the Blackrock Company to found a comprehensive magical training academy, complete with a continental recruitment effort that seeks out the best and brightest students from cities and towns alike. Students come from all over to learn the deep mysteries of magic, starting with the basics. The Academy has tracks for Wizards, those whose study of the arcane allows them to tap into the very flows of magic that keep the world held aloft, as well as for Sorcerers, those who discover a natural, but latent, connection to the very same magical fonts. While a natural rivalry has formed between these two very different methods of approaching and controlling the arcane, the Archmagisters who administer the academy work to channel this conflict toward more productive ends.
Population: 4,500 (40% Humans, 30% Elves, 20% Giantkin, 10% Other Ancestries)
Government: Retired Blckrock Company Archmagisters tend to congregate in Gronstrom alongside graduates of the Academy who wish to stay in the academic setting to pursue their research or just to avoid getting dragged into someone else’s conflict. The barbarians have a natural hierarchy as well, with their leaders joining the leaders of the Academy to form a provisional government.
Defense: The barbarians learn to fight from a very young age and make natural bodyguards and soldiers. Those who decline to join the Blackrock Company often serve the settlement in one way or another. The magic-users do their part as well, providing magical enhancements to the warriors as well as a few secret weapons of their own.
Commerce: While magical scrolls are useful to a certain degree, the College of Transmutation is the biggest generator of income for the Academy (apart from tuition fees, of course). Potions, reagents, recipes, and more change hands by the hundreds each week as these products are disseminated into the wider world.
Organizations: The Colleges of the Blackrock Academy are as follows: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation. An element of factionalism exists between the Colleges, with pranks and competition being a normal part of the flow of life in the city. It is not uncommon to see packs of young, long-robed wizards chasing each other down the streets, avoiding the city guard and environmental hazards alike.
Story Hooks for Gronstrom
Levels 5-10
The Graduates of the Blackrock Academy Flotilla Community has reported a rare Prismatic Hydra, named for its multicolored rainbow scales, hunting in the waters around Gullet Bay. They wish for it to be killed, but they are willing to pay a princely bounty for each severed head on top of the heart as evidence of its death.
There is rumor of a powerful sorcerer who retired in the foothills northeast of Gronstrom. They were said to have innate knowledge of what is required to summon many kinds of powerful demons from the realms of the negative divines. There is a bounty from the authorities of Gronstrom for their removal, however just as many seek this sorcerer out for illicit training as they do for a payday. Will your party seek to slay the sorcerer and collect the reward money or choose to submit for training and bring the sorcerer out of retirement and into the world once more?
The Wildlands (map)
In the new era after the rule of the dragons, many of the freshly formed nations shied away from corporal punishments. Physical harm was something the dragons took great pleasure in. To break from this brutal tradition, many settlements choose either to confine offenders to the work colony of Skild or to banish them to the marches between the realms. Over time, outcasts from the societies of the continent made their way east, passing over and through the Barrier Mountains to a faraway land beyond the reach of any Fabeldyrian authority. A number of settlements were founded: Parnorium, Tarnum and Va Lugrum. However, the Great Flood of 883 CE2 saw Tarnum and Va Lugrum swallowed up beneath the waves. Va Lugrum, once the home of a tyrant named Jahith the Butcher, is rumored to have been the origin of the flooding that destroyed so much of the world. Some even speculate that Jahith’s dark magic or a pact with some otherworldly being either directly or indirectly caused the deluge. Refugees from the lost towns, hamlets, and villages have swarmed north into the last surviving swathes of civilization in the region, creating a kind of flood of their own.
Parnorium (map)
In the first days of Parnorium’s history, various strongmen and warlords claimed dominion over the settlement. It was not until the Kolaan Reformations during the Second Confluent Era that representative government was introduced to the city. An outcast member of House Kolaa, fleeing from Perkansa for a crime against the state, found refuge in the city as well as favor with the king, a mighty barbarian whose name has been lost to time. He convinced this warlord ruler to relinquish power to elders, many of whom were his own relatives, to help govern and keep the affairs of the town in order. After the king passed, these relatives agreed to share the power between them and it was decreed that no royal succession would take place. Instead, the authority to govern would fall fully to the elders. These elders, either having reformed their criminal ways or never having employed them in the first place, have managed to rule the people relatively well in the short time they’ve held power. Being in the Wildlands makes things like brigandry common and the roads unsafe to travel alone, but those who manage to make it to the city of Parnorium can expect a degree of protection from the unforgiving world that has chewed them up and cast them out.
Parnorium is one of the few settlements in Fabeldyr where Humans are not the majority ancestry. Life is difficult for those forced to make a life outside the protection of the Blackrock Company. Territorial tensions have been increasing with the local Lizardfolk populations to the east. Trolls twisted and warped by the old tyrant of Va Lugrum inhabit the southern portions of the peninsula. The occasional horde of undead, including terrifying ghouls and wights, emerge from the ocean on occasion to wreak havoc on the living. To make matters worse, Rangers and Outlanders whisper in the darkness about a lumbering, wingless dragon that inhabits the dark caverns beneath the mountains. While it is not uncommon to see bands of ambitious adventuring parties seeking fame and fortune as they pass through the town, it is not common to see them around for long. The more dangerous elements of the Wildlands are greedy, unforgiving, and hungry.
Population: 3,800 (40% Humans, 60% Other Ancestries)
Government: An Elder Council operates the affairs of government, working to organize the town defense and offer dispute resolution. Many initiatives are also undertaken to train those whose professional background lies more in criminality than productivity. Under their leadership, murderers and thieves have been turned into respectable farmers and heroic defenders of the innocent.
Defense: The local militia consists of anyone who can wield a sword and shield or a bow and arrows. Former Blackrock Company members drill some members of the militia to defend against threats from the Lizardfolk, Trolls, and the Undead. The walls of Parnorium have not been breached in a hundred years thanks to their tireless vigil.
Commerce: When the Great Flood of 883 CE2 destroyed the trade network of the region, an older and more centralized model emerged where those living in the hinterlands and wilderness would travel to the Grand Market of Parnorium to sell their wares instead of making the circuitous route around the mountain to the various towns and settlements. The Elder Council was quick to pass a reasonable Gate Tax for those exiting the city after selling a certain amount of wares. This has incentivized many craftsmen and makers of worked goods to stay in the city to avoid paying the tax, though those who live and work in the wilderness sometimes complain about the amount they contribute to the city’s coffers.
Organizations: Clergy loyal to Kraka The Keeper, who is a goddess over the transition from life to death, seem naturally drawn to this location above others within Fabeldyr. While no great temple to their lady of the shadow can be found here, the vast number of souls on the precipice of departure stands like a psychic beacon. The agents of transition gather to give benediction and last rites to all who request them. In some cases, those who depart too soon to the next realm are given reprieve by these same clerics. This has earned them a rather mixed reputation, with people speaking good or ill of them based on the fates of their fallen friends and allies.
Story Hooks for Parnorium
Levels 5-10
Ogres have been spotted during the daytime, roaming the hillsides coming down from the mountains to the south and devouring any creatures they can subdue. Humanoids, however, are carried off as they retreat into the mountains. The Elder Council is hiring experienced adventurers to trek into the mountains and try to eliminate these ogres, rescuing any survivors that they can in the process.
Not everyone banished to the Wildlands from the rest of Fabeldyr is open to joining the settlement. A charismatic warlord by the name of Igor the Watcher has been taking in outcasts to form a warband that now poses a threat to the interests of Parnorium. The Elder Council feels it would be best for Igor to meet a swift departure to the afterlife. They are offering a princely sum to anyone who can scatter his warband and deliver his head to them, attached to his body or otherwise.
Umoth: Factions and Locations
Umoth is a primal, largely unexplored continent in the southern hemisphere of Toinen. The northern edges of the continent are growing in population, however, and have become home to a handful of emerging factions as more and more adventurers travel to the region. The Loamy Cape is the most populous region, with the township of Kalapa and the city of Forgeland providing plenty of opportunity for adventure. Nineveh is a second township on the north-western edge of the continent. While the region is not as fertile, the adventurers who have migrated here share a lot in common with their eastern counterparts. The continent is dotted with ancient temples, massive natural wonders, and mysteries worthy of only the greatest adventurers.
These powers primarily act on the northern edges of the area. The lands south are left largely undefined for GMs wishing to run a West Marches style campaign, with players moving between one of many “home base” options in the north and their explorations into the diverse landscapes to the south. What mysteries will you and your adventurers find as you explore this lavish and wide-open land of wonders?
Forgeland
The great "machine city" to the northeast of Kalapa in the Loamy Cape is a wondrous place, full of sights to behold, treasures to be won, and a culture unlike anything else in the Toinen campaign setting. As you approach, you see a fortified city of towers, twinkling with magical lights--and bristling with powerful defenses.
Forgeland was added to our setting for people seeking urban-based sessions and roleplay experiences. If you seek adventure, commerce, community, or even just conversation, the best place to begin is by checking out the Explorer’s Guide to Forgeland, written by Mike McHargue.
Population: Forgeland is wildly diverse, with people of all races, and from all worlds living and working there. Inside the walls, many cultures normally at tension coexist. As such you may encounter not just humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings, but also Freeforged, drow, goblinoids, orcs, and even the occasional giant. Don’t assume someone is friend or foe based on race or appearance in Forgeland.
Government: Forgeland is a strange state. It’s led by a democratically-elected dictator, called the Sovereign of Forgeland. The first Sovereign to be elected was General of Cyre, the leader of the Freeforged in Eberron. After her election as Sovereign, General appointed legendary figures from the various armies of the last war to oversee the Government. General Cast, a Freeforged/dragon hybrid was appointed to lead the Forgeland Armed Services. General Skap leads the Artificer’s Corps. Colonel Whisper leads the Forgeland Intelligence Service. Finally, in a move that surprised many, a low-ranking diplomat named Cloak was appointed as Mayor, and in that capacity oversees the entire Civil Government. The Great Flood of 883CE2 upended Forgeland’s leadership, however, with General Cast assuming the role of Sovereign, supported by Colonel Whisper. General of Cyre, along with several other high ranking members of Forgeland’s leadership, were branded as traitors and fled the city to an unknown location where they work to restore their former position and free Forgeland from the rule of Sovereign Cast and the Forgeland Intelligence Service.
Defense: The city’s walls are tall, thick, and fortified. Eldritch turrets, trebuchets, and other defensive weapons are visible along the walls, as are marksmen and spellcasters on constant patrol. All the gates of the city have security checkpoints manned by Freeforged soldiers and monitored by docents connected to the city-wide docent network.
Commerce: Because most of its residents don’t sleep, the city is active 24 hours per day, with artificial lights to facilitate a round-the-clock lifestyle.
Organizations: The Forgeland Intelligence Service (FIS) monitors all public and secure areas of Foregeland. Everyone is welcome in Forgeland, but suspicious activities are noted, monitored, and if necessary, mitigated by these security forces.
Slipstone Ward is home to The Monkeywrench, Forgeland’s infamous bar and casino. An underground pit fighting ring can be found here--and there are rumors of much worse criminal elements active here.
Kalapa
After the end of the draconic oppression of Fabeldyr, scouts and explorers began to journey far from their home shores to distant lands beyond. A group of Blackrock Company scouts known as The Surveyors first traveled to the continent of Umoth at the beginning of the Second Confluent Era, around the year 850 CE2. Over the next thirty years the town grew minimally, the Surveyors working to circumnavigate the continent and complete a map of the entire landmass. A fresh wave of adventurers arrived in the summer of 882 CE2, sparking a period of unprecedented growth. This growth seemed as though it may be cut short, however, as the adventurers caught the attention of a young Fae Dragon who intended to make them subservient. They overcame this enemy, though not without losses. Soon after, a century of Blackrock Company soldiers under the command of then-Centurion Oremeo Dawnguard arrived, intent on slaying the dragon and searching out any others in the region. However, the eventual discovery of demons from the Abyss and the appearance of an oppressive, thick fog signaled a period of darkness over the land. The Blackrock Company soldiers remained in occupation of the town and formed a defensive line against the demons in tandem with the emerging forces of Forgeland to the north. Over a few months of fierce fighting, brave adventurers procured special artifacts from the continent of Altisia to be used as Planar Loci, special items capable of sealing the portals the demons used to move from the Abyss into Umoth. Though many brave and noble warriors were lost in the conflict, the portals were eventually closed and the Abyssal threat was ended.
The years following these events were quiet. Kalapa returned to being a sleepy, out of the way town. In the shadow of the machine city of Forgeland, it was easy for things to settle down and return to normalcy. Adventurers still move about the region, visiting the nearby farming community of Hengeshire and other familiar haunts from years gone by. The Blackrock Company officially departed the region in 907TE, after Tribune Oremeo Dawnguard rested with his fathers, departing quite late to the Great Herd in the Thunder Isle at one hundred and two years of age.
Population: 200 (20% Humans, 80% Other Ancestries)
Government: Anarcho-Communism. Having a natural anti-authoritarian streak, the adventurers of Kalapa were not overjoyed to see the black-sailed ships of the Blackrock Company bring a century of soldiers down upon their burgeoning outpost. The city council of Kalapa was formed from some of the residents, adventurers, the Centurion of the Blackrock Company, and his Lieutenant. In time, however, it became apparent that the adventurers would do as they pleased and attempts to police the community were reduced. Now, a general sense of goodwill amongst the residents allows for minimal oversight and the community is generally able to keep its own in check.
Defense: After the departure of the Blackrock Company forces near the end of the Second Confluent Era, guard duty was handed off to retired adventurers. The defeat of the demons earlier in the century had been the last major event to take place in the region. With Forgeland so close by, few residents give serious thought to safety measures or the risks inherent in not having a standing security force.
Commerce: Farming and trade takes place between the surrounding hamlets, however most of the economic increases in this region come from successful adventurers returning home and investing their many rewards back into the community.
Organizations: Outposts for several factional elements can be found in Kalapa. While the discovery of the Continent sparked a small amount of colonization, the Great Flood of 883 CE2 disrupted the major powers' plans greatly. Local conflicts arose in almost every corner of the world as disputes over inland territory sparked to unprecedented heights. As a result, the major players have offices and representatives but few powers maintain any real presence in Umoth.
Kalapa Factions and Organizations
The Divine Legion
The stone and wood shack, approximately 10x10 in side, stands on the outskirts of town nearer to the fields than the busy streets. The interior is nondescript, un-decorated save for a single symbol carved into the wall:
∞
The floors around the exterior are stone with a 3x3 indentation filled with soil in the center of the room. Inside, a large-sized Mushroom sits firmly fixed into the floor, its stalk rising up toward the ceiling. The cap is red and spreads out an additional foot or two beyond the edge of the loamy perimeter. Most often, it is completely motionless, though a rumor persists that the gills on the underside of the cap rustle and shudder every so often, releasing a haze of orange spores into the room which are tossed on the floor like a sweater, in heaps and globs here and there rather than an evenly spread blanket. The building is often left alone, with most taking a wide berth so as to avoid straying too close to the door. While it is obvious people are not afraid of the building, most seem equally disinterested in entering it.
World’s Edge Tavern
The World's Edge Tavern is a lively gathering point for adventurers in the town of Kalapa. Located in a bustling corner of the town, the Tavern is a popular destination for travelers and locals alike. Inside, the atmosphere is warm and friendly, with a large fireplace crackling in the corner and a long bar running along one wall. The walls are adorned with all manner of trinkets and treasures brought back from distant lands, including a fearsome-looking dragon head mounted above the fireplace. The Tavern is known for its hearty meals and strong drinks, and is often filled with the sounds of laughter and good cheer late into the night. Overall, the World's Edge Tavern is a vital part of the social fabric of Kalapa, and is greatly appreciated by the town's residents and visitors.
Mineral Creek Initiative
The Mineral Creek Initiative is a group dedicated to operating mining initiatives and maintaining a large smithy in the town of Kalapa. Based out of a small complex on the edge of town, the Initiative works tirelessly to extract and process a variety of minerals and metals, which are then used to create a wide range of products at the smithy. The Initiative is known for its high-quality workmanship and attention to detail, and its products are prized by adventurers and merchants throughout the region. The Initiative is also a major contributor to the local economy, providing jobs and support for the community.
The Green Hand
The Green Hand is an organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the natural environment in the town of Kalapa. This group is comprised of dedicated individuals who work to maintain the local forests, streams, and farmlands, and to ensure that they are sustainable and healthy for future generations. The Green Hand is also responsible for helping local farmers, particularly in the nearby community of Hengeshire, to optimize their yields and to adopt sustainable practices, which helps to support the local economy. The Green Hand is a well-respected organization in Kalapa, and is greatly appreciated by the town's residents for its efforts to protect and preserve the natural world.
The Etheric Council
The Etheric Council is a group that formerly had an establishment in Kalapa, but it has since been teleported out of the city. The Council's former location is now a vacant lot.
Songblade University
Songblade University is a prestigious bard and music college located in the town of Kalapa. This institution is known for its rigorous music and performance programs, which are taught by some of the finest musicians and educators in the region. Songblade University is a popular destination for aspiring musicians and performers, and it is home to a vibrant and creative community of students and faculty. In addition to its academic offerings, the University is also a major cultural hub in Kalapa, hosting regular concerts and performances that are open to the public. These events are a highlight of the town's cultural calendar, and are greatly appreciated by the community.
Nineveh
In the autumn of 832 CE2, a conflict arose in the town of Kalapa. Roland, a local dockmaster and generally regarded as a malcontent in the community, placed a large wager on a pit fight involving a certain gladiator adventurer who was not favored to win by the pit bosses. Unfortunately for the gambling dockmaster, the gladiator emerged victorious and Roland subsequently lost his large wager. Upset by this and perturbed by other events, he began speaking out against the adventurers in the community. This culminated with a call for the head of a hobgoblin who had defected to Kalapa after his people were subjugated by demons that were attacking travelers who ventured too far south. The other adventurers stood against Roland, arresting him with chains and attempting to imprison him. Preying on their mercies, he negotiated the chains away and escaped capture, fleeing the town with his remaining allies in the dead of night.
Sailing west along the northern coast of Umoth, he eventually came to a peninsula that offered good soil and some natural protection from the elements. The harsh winds of winter seemed to naturally avoid this place. Additionally, a large contingent of Blackrock Company soldiers under the command of Centurion Godfried Kurzheim were diverted from reinforcing Kalapa, their leader instead lured in by the rapidly spreading rumors of the local kobolds and a great dragon queen they worshipped. While the demons were a legitimate threat, it is the sworn duty of each Blackrock Company soldier to fight the dragons wherever they can be found. Centurions are given a fair amount of latitude in their decision making and given the presence of an existing detachment and a growing number of powerful adventurers, the decision was made to remain in Nineveh. These soldiers formed the initial town guard and facilitated the development of many local governmental services as the Company presence in Umoth shifted away from Kalapa. Members of the Diplomatic Corps have since taken over governmental operations while the Military Corps and the Nature Corps continue their various projects and duties in the region.
While Nineveh was not wiped out by the rising floodwaters that consumed much of the world, it was not left undamaged by the event. The area of coastal cliffs and caves referred to as the Undercity were wiped out, driving the survivors to the surface, most taking residence in the shanty towns south of Kitten’s Quarter. Many expected this to cause tensions with the residents, however many of the Catkin are newcomers to Nineveh themselves, fleeing the flooding of their desert homes near Salal Adan in Altisia and seeking to make a new life. Their natural climbing abilities have lent themselves to the establishment of several elevator services bringing travelers and goods to and from the docklands and other stations between there and the town.
As the number of soldiers increased, adventurers and settlers alike began to flock to Nineveh. In addition to seemingly endless stretches of fertile land, the archipelago of Umoth contains many untold treasures, mysteries, and adventures for those willing to strike out and meet them head on. Sensing an opportunity, an enterprising Hobgoblin by the name of Bardia, together with a Halfling called Skipper, has opened the Broken Tusk Tavern, which has become a favorite of many who frequent the town. The dark corners and warm hearths are home to many an adventuring party, each plotting and scheming together to seek their fortune.
Population: 2,000 (55% Humans, 20% Catkin, 15% Elves, 10% Other Ancestries)
Government: The senior members of the two Corps comprise a military junta that rules by decree. While Roland was the de facto leader in the early days of the settlement, the arrival of the Blackrock Company century prompted a transition of power and their decision to set up a long term fortress in the region cemented this.
Defense: The military wing of the Blackrock Company has a home guard rotation. Soldiers are cycled from field duty to home guard to rest and relaxation, typically in that order but for varying times. As the number of adventurers traveling to Nineveh has swelled, Centurion Krathis Bisone has been dispatched to command the local soldiers and liaise with adventurers traveling out to explore the continent.
Commerce: Mining operations take place in the surrounding mountains with prospectors contracting out the Blackrock soldiers to guard their transports from hostile wildlife and the kobolds who worship and sometimes directly serve the Ethereal Dragons of the land. Many soldiers directly request posts in Nineveh to rejoin the fight against their ancient ethereal archrivals.
Organizations: Outposts for several factional elements can be found in Nineveh. While the discovery of the Continent sparked a small amount of colonization, the Great Flood of 883 CE2 disrupted the major powers' plans greatly. Local conflicts arose in almost every corner of the world as disputes over inland territory sparked to unprecedented heights. As a result, the major players have offices and representatives but few powers yet maintain any real presence in Umoth.
New Thresh
Even before the Great Flood of 883 CE2, the Emerald Emperor was looking for ways to expand the territory of the Elven Wood Realms. With large swathes of forestland now underwater, expansion became an urgent need. Hemmed in by a great hill and thriving forests, the coastal settlement of New Thresh was founded via charter on petition from Myrin Estelar, both a noble in the service of the Emerald Emperor and a descendent of the subjugated citizens of Thresh. He gained the favor of the Emerald Emperor by traveling to Umoth and learning of the fertility of the region known as The Loamy Cape. Tales of a bountiful land ripe for unchecked expansion brought him the title of Duke Estelar, charged with the establishment of a colony and naval base.
Although the exact date of founding is unknown, it was sometime before 902 TE, when first contact was made with the navy of Forgeland, the machine city of the Freeforged. They are an offshoot of the Freeforged peoples who fled Eberron before Toinen was sealed off from the rest of the planes. At first, there was no contact between the settlers and the Freeforged, but in time the eyes of the settlers turned toward what was left of the region now known as Loamy Island: ample and rich soil that could be cultivated. The Elves, seeing no reason for machine people to lay claim to such soil, are currently in a state of cold conflict with Forgeland, both sides pecking back and forth at one another through subterfuge and sabotage. As fortunes sour in Altisia, the eyes of the Emerald Emperor turn more and more toward Umoth. This has resulted in recent escalations between the sides and a general sense of tension is now present across the central north and northeast regions of Umoth. This tension is somewhat exacerbated by the presence of a powerful vampire coven in the eastern mountain range of the island. The threat of war hangs heavy in the air, be it between Elves and Vampires, Elves and Freeforged, or more likely some mixture of the two.
Population: Unknown, the Elven Wood Realms employ sophisticated, high magic to move civilian and military assets instead of traditional physical assets like transports. Teleportation is most often preferred, and the wide open spaces around Umoth allow for the transportation of entire structures at peak potential.
Government: The settlement is commanded by a military governor: Duke Myrin Estelar. The duke has autocratic power but answers to the good graces of the Emerald Emperor. So far, the Emperor is dissatisfied with his performance and seeming inability to deal with the Freeforged to the east. Many believe his days in power are numbered.
Defense: While the exact nature of the town’s defenses is unknown, there are rumors of a powerful and wicked necromancer that have spread. The rumors are given credibility by the number of undead that can be found in the region.
Commerce: Once the wartime efforts are moved elsewhere, the Duke expects the settlement to become a rich center for export back to Strillwyn. The forests are full of good lumber and the local hills contain indications of rich mineral veins. The Elves have a natural affinity for obtaining what they need from the earth without damaging or impinging upon it. The richness of the region provides everything needed to establish the region and set up exports back to Altisia.
Organizations: Operatives of Forgeland, desperate for every advantage they could gain against the elves, traveled to Ishnei Dorei to recruit spies from the Daggerists, a dissenting faction of revolutionaries and cutthroats seeking to overthrow the rule of the Emerald Emperor to claim power for the people of the nation.
Other Locations
Realms of Manala
Every continent in Toinen has plenty of tall mountains with naturally formed cavernous features. In some places, the tunnels extend deeply below the earth for hundreds of miles. After undertaking the enormous distance, travelers might be unlucky enough to find themselves in the Continental Manala, a subterranean world below the material plane of Toinen. Beneath each of the three continents lies a gargantuan, interconnected network of tunnels, caves, underground rivers, and more. The largest open spaces are found in the general area of the three continents on the surface, only miles and miles below. These three domains are each replete with all manner of creatures, including some of the ancestries found on the surface. Over the lifetime of Toinen, many of those who once lived above have sought refuge and safety, be it from an enemy or the law, in the darkness below. Entire armies have been known to disappear to the sub-realms believing they can conquer, colonize, or otherwise integrate into the world of darkness. Years later, if any return, they do so with many casualties and tales of horrifying creatures and terrible things best left in the darkness. Rarely, those from the deeps who can tolerate the sun may seek safety in the light-drenched world above. All who live on the surface are grateful that the worst evils cannot bear to step foot in the radiant light of Morgon’s blazing palace in the sky.
Cross section of the material plane of Toinen
Altisia Manala
Prison Realm
Warden: Zinmenor the Keyhoarder
In old times, the mountains of Altisia contained grand entrances to a world below. Entrances to Manala from the surface were common in the ancient mountain ranges. Cities and towns near mountains were notoriously prone to attack from creatures living close to the tunnels, making it difficult to mine precious resources. Stouthammar developed the Damned, a now-defunct society of the dishonored seeking to regain their honor through a well earned death in combat, to resist these enemies during this time. However, the events of the Deepdelver Accord led to many changes for Atlisia. Near the end of the Deepening Era, Mormesk the Magician sealed all of the tunnels from the Surface leading to Altisia Manala in compliance with the terms of the pact. This created an unprecedented era of mining efficiency as the lowest caverns of Altisia were able to be fully exploited by the Accord’s signatories. Stouthammar quickly expanded operations and Altisia Manala is now primarily occupied by dwarven strip miners and their guards. Most of the ancient enemies and predatory creatures have been subjugated, exterminated, or driven back into Submanala.
Over the course of the next two centuries, however, a secret work was carried out in the darkness beneath Altisia. Under the orders of King Cayden V, a great portal was constructed from the heart stone beneath the Deepdelver Range. It was crafted by dwarven smiths and enchanted with elvish magic to function as a one-way gate, starting from the Broken Bridge Asylum in the Altisia Manala and spilling out into the deep darkness of Submanala. Beginning in the Silent Era, another aspect of the Deepdelver Accord was finally enacted: “undesirables'' from all nations of the Accord began to disappear, vanishing without a trace from both their homes and from history. These poor souls came from every imaginable background: obviously violent criminals were collected together with those deemed merely inconvenient by societal standards. The Elven Wood Realms particularly preferred this option for unwanted half-elves on the day of their coming of age as well as political prisoners they could not allow to persist in their society but for whom they lacked enough care to actually kill and deal with the fallout. All were taken in secret to Broken Bridge Asylum. Zinmenor the Keyhoarder, Warden of Altisia Manala, personally oversees the process of handling prisoners. Once those condemned to confinement are handled, Zinmenor works through those destined for Submanala. Exiles are given three days worth of rations, a single simple weapon, and a benediction from the deity of their choice, before being cast through the portal and into the suffocating darkness.
The subterraneous caverns and tunnels of the Continental Manala
Fabeldyr Manala
Dragon Realm
Warden: Demithrax, Heir of the Court of Scales
Before Zane the Slayer liberated the continent of Fabeldyr, the Court of Scales ruled all the peoples of Fabeldyr. Mortals were bought and sold by dragon masters and scattered from their ancestral homes until all original cultural memories were reduced to ash, echoes of a forgotten story. The dragons were thwarted from invading Altisia by the divine magic of King Cayden III and bore little interest in returning to their primordial hatching grounds in Umoth, scarred by memories of Asna and her sundering.
Demithrax was an oddity amongst her Azure siblings. Unmoved by the draconic instinct to hoard and torture and grow in power, Demithrax instead sought harmony with her surroundings and the creatures of her family’s domain. For this, she was scorned and outcast by her peers. The grief did not inspire rage or revenge, however. Instead, in a deep sadness, Demithrax retreated beneath the ground, burrowing deeper and deeper until she fell into the expanse of Fabeldyr Manala. Here, she found a pristine realm untouched by mortals. Enormous caves allowed limitless room for swooping flight. She decided to stay here and watch over this realm, finally gaining understanding of her kind’s predisposition toward collecting and hoarding, though still disinterested in domination and wanton control. Demithrax has cataloged all the fauna and flora of Fabeldyr Manala, having both a deep understanding and direct spiritual connection with each creature in her domain, much as a Blood Dragon knows the face of every coin in its hoard by name and when it was minted.
Umoth Manala
Bizarre Realm
Warden: Dr Grabl Anatada
Dr. Grabl Anatada has always had a penchant for oddity. He sought to teach the Unilats the fruitlessness of their choice to walk the path of war and turn them toward the path of diplomacy, but his efforts went largely unappreciated for the better portion of his tenure. After most of the Umoth Manala was destroyed in the flood events of the Second Confluent Era, he sought to preserve Toinen from a second disaster through the efforts of the Ark Institute.
Without a Warden to guide it, Umoth Manala has fallen into chaos. The remnants of the Nal Dhazzim Dark Elves fight against Unilat invaders who seek to raise a Megalat, an unspeakable horror from the darkest places below which, should it escape the darkness below, would spell doom for all mortals in Toinen.
Submanala
While some believe the subcontinental realms of Manala to be the lowest places in the material plane, some are unfortunate enough to know that there are deeper and darker places still in the world of Toinen. All lower roads in the Continental Manala lead eventually to Submanala. Few intentionally travel this far below the world, and even fewer successfully return. Most often, those who return from this realm alive do so fundamentally changed or broken, no longer retaining the ability to share decipherable information. Submanala is occupied only by the most tough and adaptable creatures. Predators feed on predators. The darkness in this place is oppressive, snuffing out non-magical light sources before any natural flame can take root.
While each of the three continents has its own section of Manala, referred to in whole as the Continental Manala, there is only one Submanala that the lowest roads lead to.
Continental Manala is filled with dead end caverns, snaking tunnels, and rough outcroppings.
Factions of Submanala
Kingdom of the Hidden Sun
When the first exiles from Altisia were cast through the portals into Submanala, the future was bleak. Hopelessness was rampant and those who survived did so with great struggle and trepidation. Bandits and criminals quickly gathered together into familiar hierarchies while the innocent suffered. There were a few good-hearted exiles who were skilled in magical arts and tried to use their abilities to make life easier for themselves and fellow survivors. While less powerful adepts and apprentice mages who had run afoul of the law most often found themselves falling into Submanala, more skilled mages and wizards occasionally found themselves cast below the earth for dissidence or holding “incorrect” opinions. None turned their misfortune around quite like Lilith, a master wizard from the Elven Wood Realms. Her already considerable powers seemed to flourish underground. Whereas the Elves believed themselves to be free of her, she was also finally free of them. Lilith, energized by what she saw as opportunity, began to give hope to her fellow exiles. She rooted out several predatory creatures and after gaining a large enough following, oversaw a major unification effort. She gathered many of her fellow outcasts and exiles under a new flag to face the Deep Elves encroaching on their borders. People from all backgrounds flocked to the Hidden Sun Banner of Lilith for food, protection, and a renewed sense of purpose. There is unfortunately no shortage of new recruits. At least once a month, the portals open up and deposit at least a few souls who have looked upon Morgon’s light for the last time. All of them are welcomed with an ultimatum: swear allegiance to Lilith and her free folk or face the darkness alone.
The Hidden Sun Banner of Lilith, Flag of the Kingdom of the Hidden Sun. It is purposefully
designed to represent either a rising or setting sun on the flag marker, for it is up to each exile
to choose if they will make their own fortune.
The Deep Elves were beaten back in time and new settlements were established. Some advocated for taking the fight directly to the elves on their own territory. A platoon of volunteers was gathered to scout their territory and bring back information about the terrain, fortifications, and anything else relevant to the war effort. When no word returned after two weeks, Lilith and the other leaders feared the worst. Leading her envoy personally, the underqueen found the army along the road within three days of travel. Most of the soldiers seemed to be standing, a few marching in place. Their eyes had dark bags and were slightly sunken. Additionally, yellow dust was found caked around their eyes and a faint orange glow seemed to emanate from the veins beneath their skin. Those who moved did so rhythmically, repetitively, as if caught in some foul recursion. A day later, members of the same scouting party that accompanied Lilith were found motionless, staring into a wall or the floor wherever they were, completely catatonic. Upon discovery, Lilith ordered a strict regime of isolation, placing the infected behind a wall of magical force that she renewed throughout the days as they watched with horror as Unilat infection progressed stage by stage. Upon reaching the final stage of transformation, the specimens appeared to crumble before falling apart into dozens of wriggling larvae which spread throughout the chamber before fire was used to fully eliminate them. After this discovery, plans of expansion gave way to a renewed interest in defense.
Deep Elves
Deep Elves of Submanala
While they lack the sophistication of the elves who dwell on the surface, the Deep Elves retain a shadowy imitation of their surface-dwelling cousins’ grace and beauty. Their bodies are unnaturally long and slender. They have six fingers on each hand. Their eyes are pits with grown over skin pocked with lesions and older, stitched wounds. Their skin is flaky and dry and pulled back as if clinging tightly to the bone lest it fall away. This locks their visage into a menacing grimace, even when at rest. The Deep Elves speak a gutteral, degraded mix of elvish and common, a language that is called Subcommon by those who come from the surface. Deep Elves are uncaring, unsympathetic, and inhumane. Rather than take a prisoner for torture or execution, a band of Deep Elves would simply choose to begin dinner at the end of the battle, choosing the most lively victim and continuing until their hunger is sated.
Deep Elves make no use of their degenerated eyes, having abandoned the sun ages ago. In time, they lost the need for sight as they learned the caves of Submanala as intuitively as their own bodies. These creatures of darkness and terror have a tremendous sense of the ground, so much so that it seems to whisper the very movements of their enemies to them before they arrive. This treason of rock and stone has thwarted many an ambush against their folk, subverting overwhelming odds and turning great hosts of enemies asunder.
The Deep Elves are scavengers, first and foremost. They most often fight with weapons made from metal scraps stolen from the Fire Giants. They take the hides of creatures killed by larger predators and use them for construction of all kinds. They are not particularly strong but there are multitudes of them, and they seem to share their fey-touched cousins gift of longevity. A Deep Elf can often live as long as 500 years, should they not fall to violence or predation.
They live in eight cities built atop carved stone plateaus with yurts and tents scattered throughout. The more advanced cities use more stone for the structures, whereas other, smaller settlements under their purview are nomadic and use tents as a primary structure. The stones in the cities and gathering places are carved and worn down to be smooth and prevent any sharp corners from being placed in common walking paths. There are no paints or dyes used to decorate any of the materials used in construction, giving everything a patchwork look that might even disgust the Deep Elves, had they the faculties with which to witness their creations.
Each Deep Elf city is ruled by its own Matriarch, who is both a warchief and a priestess of Grotspin, the negative deity of all manner of lust. There are eight matriarchs who rule the lands of the Deep Elves and council together to divine the unholy will of their goddess for her people.
Of the many enemies in Submanala, the Deep Elves are the most populous and the most cunning. They are locked into conflict with the Kingdom of the Deep Sun, which is composed of survivors of the atrocities carried out in secret at Broken Bridge Asylum.
The Ordning of Giants
A Fire Giant works a forge connected to a lake of fire
The Jamvik Codex, carved by the oldest sons of the Ordning
At the bottom of the Ordning are the Fire Giants. Brazen, impulsive, brutish, and smoldering, these beings of wroth and power work forges heated by magma from the core of Toinen. Their command over fire gives them immunity to even this hottest material. These factors make Fire Giant smiths the most superior in all of Toinen, though few know this truth and live to tell others of it. In particular, the dwarves are not interested in the spread of this information.
The Fire Giants are notoriously xenophobic. Even other giant-kin have a hard time gaining access to their courts, despite a great covetousness for the fruits of their forges. Fire Giants have a deep and insightful connection to the earth, seeing metal, stone, and magma as the body and blood of the world. These, along with other holy insights of the greatest smiths, are preserved in the Jamvik Codex, an enormous wall of reflective obsidian inscribed with sayings, teachings, smithing plans, and other sacred knowledge of the Fire Giants of the Ordning.
Stages of Unilat growth
Unilats
In the darkest darkness, tension and paranoia breed faster than any creature. These tricks of the mind can cause one to lose track of time, location, and even physical sensations. Adventurers who return from Submanala report a variety of horrific side effects: it starts with itching and a low grade fever before developing into sudden, uncharacteristic outbursts: flailing arms, twitching faces, restless legs. They describe the onset stages of infection from a chilling, otherworldly horror: the Unilats. These creatures are stringy, fungal parasites that infiltrate the minds of their victims and feed on the psychic energies of their pain and fear before taking over their bodies entirely. These mycological monstrosities are birthed as tadpole-sized clippings from a mature Unilat. In most cases, spawnlings are implanted in a victim by their parent Unilat. The creatures penetrate the flesh and burrow beneath the dermis into muscle or a ligament to take root. The parasite takes control of the host body over the course of a few days, asserting dominance over one faculty at a time until the host consciousness has nothing left but their awareness and the ability to feel every negative emotion. The parasites show preference for stronger bodies and agile minds, both of which decay more slowly under their influence, but in their absence they do not discriminate in taking a victim. Unilats delight in taking humanoids as hosts but will sometimes also infect creatures with a more base level of intelligence. They will not make hosts of creatures that cannot feel pain, fear, or grief. Creatures without a sufficiently sophisticated brain (or brain-like equivalent) are typically avoided entirely by the Unilats, for they would not be able to provide the psychic sustenance needed to survive. It is not well understood whether Unilats are merely driven by base needs such as sustenance and survival or something darker and farther reaching. There are not enough experts still capable of forming coherent sentences to formulate an official understanding at this time.
The creature morphs inside of the host body, integrating with the physical form as it feeds on their negative psychic energy. At the earliest stages, the tadpole-sized parasite swims through veins and arteries to gain access to the brain stem. The victim’s eyes and veins begin to yellow as the parasite builds up spores within the body. As it matures, new tissue permanently occupies portions of the body, resulting in repetitive limb motions, physical tics, or even permanent paralysis in areas that now bulge with the growing parasite. Eventually, all bone and hair are replaced with a fleshy, fungal biomass. In the most extreme cases, the victim’s mind is completely lost as the myco-organism takes over, leaving only vestigial portions of the mortal frame such as a face or a limb as mycelial strings grow forth and break off into fresh “tadpoles” that can spread to new victims. These fruit-bearing Unilats are given the highest place of preference in the shambling societies they lord over, carefully tending their offspring and shepherding their expansion. They are said to cull other Unilats before they advance to the final stages of growth, keeping the number of colony members in the highest order to the minimum number needed to care for the colony and manage its resources. It is theorized that this is because the final stage creatures lose a great deal of mobility, making them more susceptible to injury or death. Unilats in the final stage of evolution benefit greatly from the protection of a colony, but they are by no means helpless. Fully mature unilats possess a mastery over psychic power, having fed on the grief and fear of potentially dozens of mortal beings.
Even among the few who are unfortunate enough to know of their existence, it is not well understood why these creatures restrict themselves to the Submanala. Some believe they cannot live outside of the darkness, and the strength of the darkness is something they have grown to depend upon. Some say the gods have hemmed them in and prevented their ascension out of mercy toward mortals. Others still take a more prudent stance, believing that the vast distance between Submanala and the surface protects them from unwarranted expansion. For whatever reason, the Unilats seem disinterested in moving above the Continental Manala, content to stay in the dark and feed on lost creatures and woebegone wanderers.
Unilats can infest more than just humanoids, any mortal
creature that feels fear or pain is a potential host.
Those who have encountered these wicked creatures often have
strong opinions about how they should be best dealt with.
Extraplanar Realms
The Ark Institute
The Ark Institute Setting Guide
Elemental Realms
Elemental Plane of Fire
Elemental Plane of Water
Elemental Plane of Air
Elemental Plane of Earth
Pocket Dimensions
In between the realms there are spaces of all shapes and sizes. These infinite pocket dimensions house an untold number of mysteries and curiosities. While anything one could imagine (and then some!) has the potential to be found here, traveling to an uncommon pocket dimension is a herculean task achievable only by powerful users of magic through a strong, concerted effort.
Laukku Talo (map)
A gentle breeze moves across a field of emerald clover. The trees grow bark and bear leaves in every color of the rainbow, with the colorful assembly of sticks and branches floating gently into the air rather than falling to the ground below. The sky appears as a vast and infinite universal expanse, the arcane energy of the universe unfolding in a beautiful borealis. A budding village lays by a pleasant stream in the valley. To the north, a sawmill churns out precious, processed planks of glidebark, a newly discovered resource used by aerial shipwrights. To the south, a towering complex once known as Valittu Fortess stands, ruined and abandoned; a ghastly blight upon an otherwise brilliant landscape.
A community of around two hundred has made the decision to move here, including many skilled woodworkers and farmers interested in experimenting with the exotic growing conditions of the magical soil.
Visitor’s Guide to Laukko Talo
Population: 200 (60% Freeforged, 40% Other Ancestries)
Government: Elective Autocracy. An Administrator is elected every two years by the community to lead. With the population favoring constructed entities over organic ones, the leaders tend to be Freeforged whose design includes diplomatic skills.
Defense: Being on another plane of existence affords certain benefits. The glidebark forests extend as far as the eye can see in every direction and no living creatures have been discovered apart from the infinite expanse of buoyant trees. As a result, fortifications are minimal and the defense falls to community members with combat abilities.
Commerce: While the community is self sufficient, luxury items are imported from Forgeland, Fortare, and the nations of Fabeldyr. With an infinite supply of glidebark and a seemingly endless supply of parties interested in purchasing it, the people of Laukku Talo can typically acquire anything they need that cannot be found naturally on the plane.
Organizations: A sport called Leapball was invented by the inhabitants of the town, with the North Farm and South Farm teams having a natural rivalry. The Hovercup is a coveted trophy kept by the winners of the most recent match, changing hands quite often.
Appendices
History and Lore
One of many perspectives on the history of Toinen, starting from the creation of the universe and stretching toward the Twilight Era at the end of the Demigod Millenium. This guide is written in a way that assumes your game begins at or after the start of the Twilight Era (900TE), though maps of the world prior to the Great Flood of 883CE2 are available at the end of this section should you wish to run a game at a different point in history.
The Gods and their Enemies
The Positive Deities
“Ten entities emerged from the cosmic light of the Divine, immediately setting to their work of creation and stewardship, though two more would join them in time…”
Codex Historia Vol 1.b
Blix
The god Blix is The Tempest, who is powerful and mysterious. They preside over the weather and honorable combat. They created the Giantkin peoples of the planes. Their paragon is Saint Strixus Thundertide, who is also named Son of The Tempest. Blix is celebrated at the Feast of The Tempest on the seventh of Lind, when the winds of winter first give way to spring as a herald to summer. Blix takes ownership of and rulership over the Lighting Isle, a realm of electrifying energy charged with intent. Those who serve Blix receive the call to join them in the Thunder Halls, an expansive fortress complex made from crackling lightning. Here, they continue to carry out the Will of The Tempest as they did in life, albeit as immortal celestials, transformed as a reward for a life well lived. Giantkin or members of a Giantkin herd who live nobly and die with honor may also be beckoned to join the Great Herd in the Sky and rest with their ancestors in the great and bountiful Silent Plains that surround the Thunder Halls.
Paragon: Saint Strixus Thundertide
Holy Day: Feast of The Tempest, 7th of Lind
Court and Realm: Thunder Halls / The Lightning Isle
Suggested Domains: Tempest, War
Suggested Alignment Range: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, True Neutral, Chaotic Neutral
Tenets:
Look to the Sky. In life, struggles will pull your gaze downward until you are head over heels and returned to the dirt. Keep your eyes up, and your life path will follow.
Fight with Honor. Request your enemy turn and face you so that you might stab them in the front.
Care for Orphans. Great ocean storms can make chum from the greatest of sailors. Watch out for orphans, particularly those whose parents died in a storm.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: an encompassing, dark and stormy cloud with ruby and sapphire bolts of lightning shooting out
Top Layer: A yurt with open flaps on the front, held down by wispy tendrils of light
The Feast of the Tempest
The winds howled across the battlefield, whipping up a frenzy of dust and debris as the force of two armies clashed in uproarious conflict. At the head of one side stood the god Blix, The Tempest. The great form of the god towered over the fray, swinging a greatsword forged from lightning. The Legions of the Tempest followed behind, marching in tight ranks. Their banners waved in the wind, each representing a different champion of the god of the storm. Their armor radiated with blue electricity and their weapons crackled with energy. The army consisted of both ascended mortals and celestial beings, a great host of powerful warriors.
Their opponent was a powerful demon, one of the great lords of the abyss who had been summoned to the mortal plane by a foolish wizard whose name was lost to time. All that is known is that he was the first victim of the demon he failed to master. The name of the creature must never be spoken aloud, but it translates loosely to “Frostbringer” in the common tongue. A being of pure darkness and cold, he seeks to extinguish all light in the world by bringing frigid clouds to block the sun and destroy all plant and animal life.
As the two clashed, the earth shook and the skies roiled with storm clouds. Lightning crackled across the battlefield, striking down demons left and right as Blix fought with all the power of The Tempest at their command. Frostbringer buried once undefeated champions beneath ice and doom by the hundreds. But despite the demon's best efforts, it was no match for the god's might. With a final, mighty blow, Blix struck down Frostbringer, his body melting over the mountains of Perkansa in Fabeldyr, which some attribute as the cause of the eternal ice that plagues the land.
And so, the god Blix was celebrated as a hero and a conqueror, their great victory in battle hailed as a testament to their power and might. The Feast of The Tempest is celebrated yearly to commemorate this victory. The Lightning Isle is filled with such exultation and revelry as the god's followers celebrate their triumph from the afterlife that their joy echoes into the hearts of the faithful mortals who celebrate in Toinen.
Dvarg
The god Dvarg is The Mountain who is stout and resolute. They created the dwarven peoples of the planes, teaching them how to grow food beneath the mountains and keep time with great water clocks. Their paragon is Saint Stoneaxe who is celebrated on the eighteenth of Besl at High Tide. Dvarg takes ownership of no plane of existence, instead choosing to dwell in the deepest places of the Material Plane. Some believe that Dvarg has abandoned the material plane, however, and moved on to the Plane of Earth where they contemplate their position. Others believe The Mountain to be in a realm accessible beyond the deepest places beneath the earth, in a realm of Manala, a land of aberrations and monsters beneath the surface world. The mystery of their dwelling does not stop dwarven societies across Toinen from worshiping them. Dwarven culture values the same resolute, dispassionate stance Dvarg is often depicted as taking. It is also for this reason that many dwarven societies, both ancient and modern, make their homes in, near, or ideally, underneath mountains, great caverns, and other such rocky terrain.
Others contest that Dvarg has been taken captive and that the Molten Throne is a mocking title for the prison that Dvarg is held in. Believers in this conspiracy theory most often hold that Dvarg is caught in the realm of Luutzi or Grotspin, mired in magma and siphoned of divine energy. Some even say this captivity empowers the evil that lurks in the darkness beneath the ground and that one day Dvarg will return, freed from their chains, and reclaim the underground with a radiant and steadfast light. Believers are fortunate to have patience like the stone from which they draw their inspiration for no sign of such brilliant revolution is imminent.
Paragon: Saint Stoneaxe
Holy Day: 18th of Besl
Court and Realm: The Molten Throne, unknown location.
Suggested Domains: Forge, War
Suggested Alignment Range: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Lawful Neutral, True Neutral
Tenets:
Measure Twice, Cut Once. Be like the stone: resolute, unwavering, consistent.
The Right Tools. Set not the war-axe to the stone; set not the hammer and chisel to flesh.
Dynastic Focus. Everything you have is a gift from your ancestors and a gift to your progeny.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: a bronze mountain with a trail leading to a single tunnel entrance at the base
Top Layer: a resplendent diamond hovering above the mountain, rays of crystalline light shining forth
Where is Dvarg?
Dvarg has not been seen since the beginning of the demigod millenium, after granting a spark of their divinity to Smaragd, the demigod despot of Stouthammar. While many believe they have retreated to an outer plane to meditate, or move secretly throughout the world according to their own plotting, darker rumors persist that Dvarg is held captive by an almighty and secret evil far beneath the surface of the world, using their divine power to unknown ends.
In absentia, Dvarg has no rivals to thwart or be thwarted by, and similarly no allies to come to their aid or call upon them.
Fisk
The god Fisk is The Deep who is fickle and melancholy. They delight in adventure and are indirectly responsible for (most) events credited to luck in one way or another. They created the halfling peoples of the planes and hold domain over all mortal childbirth. They are commemorated at midday on The First Day, the holiday name for the First of Borjan. Fisk takes ownership of the Lingering Cascade, a great waterfall where unclaimed souls go to depart from the Good realms. The waterfall passes the Seat of Chaos and ends in the Realm of Wrath before joining into the Great River that passes through all planes. Servants of Fisk often believe that little moments of blissful happenstance are orchestrated by these grateful spirits and assemble small shrines for them to indwell and bring more good luck to the builder’s home.
Fate is not firm, however, and there is a darkness to the idyllic scenes at the Lingering Cascade. Judgment falls upon all, with unclaimed souls being cast into the waters before the precipice of the waterfall, where the great serpent Ouroboros dwells. Creatures that fall into the Great River without protection are transformed into the reality of who they were in life: some become twisted and wretched while others become pristine and celestial. Some who catch the attention of The Deep (or the other gods) are plucked from this fate and brought into their service. Most, however, are transformed and consumed by Ouroboros, their etheric souls having been purified of all good and evil in the process and recycled as pure energy. These pure and blank souls are sent back into the material plane to inhabit the bodies of babies at the moment they are born into the world.
Paragon: None
Holy Day: 1st of Borjan, called The First Day
Court and Realm: Ouroboros, The Lingering Cascade
Suggested Domains: Trickery, Nature
Suggested Alignment Range: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, True Neutral, Chaotic Neutral
Tenets:
Pursue Adventure. Like lightning, opportunity strikes but once. Position yourself accordingly.
Return Evil with Good. Even hellbound souls can be plucked from their fate. Always look for a way to turn things around.
Big Gifts, Small Packages. The best things rarely come when you’re looking for them. Allow a little room for happenstance.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: A cascading waterfall of ice and steam extending downward from a mountain into an endless, black void
Top Layer: A horned serpent leaping through the air and consuming its own tail, with shining light radiating out
Fisk, Luutzi, and the Ouroboros
In the Strife Yuga, the many planes of the universe were at war. Death was often a maliciously casual event. As destruction escalated, the souls of the slain gushed forth into the Aether Sea where they would disperse into the raw magical energy that swirls around and in between the planes. Left unchecked, this raging torrent of souls would outpace the creation of new souls, which signaled a threat to all divines, both positive and negative, for the power of the gods is maintained upon the worship of their followers. Without an abundance of souls anchored to bodies to power their exploits, the gods were forced to draw on their own reserves of strength. This drained them and left them vulnerable, both in mind and in spirit.
Luutzi, however, is devious and prideful above all. He refused to be diminished, employing a great serpent fiend drawn up from the lowest place in the Realm of Pride: Ouroboros, also known by the name Hungering. While many fiends consume souls for both pleasure and sustenance, Ouroboros was also capable of digesting the Aether itself, the magical energy from which the Sea earns its name. Souls are also made from the same aetheric material. With this creature under his domination, he could gather soul energy directly from the Aether Sea and renew his legions in the wars against both the demons of the Abyss and the Positive Divines. By means of great effort, Luutzi defeated the creature and affixed an iron saddle to its neck. With great exhilaration, he rode forth into the Aether Sea to gather power and feed his beast. Riding high on the tide of souls, Ouroboros devoured everything in its path and grew exponentially in both size and power until the iron saddle was stretched to the point of breaking, and Luutzi’s domination was suddenly thwarted. No longer able to contain his pet, Luutzi was forced to retreat lest he be caught in the path of his creation and be consumed as well.
Tekare took notice of this and sought the aid of the trickster Fisk to prevent Ouroboros from growing any further in strength, lest their appetite threaten all of creation. Fisk marveled at the awesome and terrible beauty of Ouroboros and concocted a daring plot. They gathered one hundred thousand pure and unadulterated souls, ten thousand from ten different planes, and affixed them to the tail of the great serpent with a greater net. Unable to resist the abundance of delectable energy, Ouroboros turned toward itself and began to feast. Ravenous gluttony prevailed as Hungering fed upon the souls, and then itself, thrashing and twisting as it struggled to spit up the barbed spikes of its own tail. As magic and aether poured forth from the many wounds, the souls consumed by the creature began to seep out as well, transformed by the partial digestion. Fresh souls emerged from its twisted flesh, no longer consumed by the beast but instead released into the open. They immediately began to drift toward new incarnations, beginning with the first hundred thousand consumed in Fisk’s daring plot. These god-touched firstborn were blessed with supernatural favor and many went on to become great heroes and progenitors of great dynasties in their own right.
With Luutzi’s abandonment, Fisk saw a moment of opportunity. Instead of destroying the creature, Fisk bound Ouroboros to their service, transporting it back to their realm in the Lingering Cascade where a new purpose was found for the creature: souls that were previously scattered and dispersed into the Aether Sea are instead channeled to The Lingering Cascade and “fed” through the Ouroboros, which cleanses them of all good and evil before releasing them back into the planes from whence they came. In a later age, the mortal Kraka ascended to divinity and became responsible for the delivery of souls to The Lingering Cascade, particularly when the Divine Gate is sealed. This guarantees a steady renewal of souls into the planes and a perpetual source of potential followers for all of the gods, preventing any one deity from gaining too much influence and upsetting the tenuous balance of power in the universe. This is also why the most powerful spellcraft is required to restore the soul of someone who has been dead for more than two hundred years, for undoing a rebirth and winding back time is no small endeavor.
Hest
The god Hest is The Dragon, who is brave, righteous, and persistent. He embodies the execution of justice and the fruit of humility. His skin is made from shimmering platinum and adamantine, with scaly wings that spread across the sky like a great banner. Hest is the father of all Material dragons, having created their ancient ancestors during his earliest days as a divine. The Dragon can incarnate as both a humanoid dragon-kin and a gargantuan dragon. As a humanoid, he towers over most at seven and a half feet tall. He wields a perfectly circular adamantine shield in combination with a platinum greatsword that glows with blue and white fire. His eyes are alight with the energy of many planes, shifting in color across a chromatic spectrum. In his dragon form, he has six legs and two wings that uproot tree and stone alike as he takes flight.
Hest shares a unique trait with Kraka: both were elevated from a mortal form into divinity. In mortal life, Hest was a serpent with scales of radiant platinum. He ascended to his lofty position after emerging victorious from the final bout of a tournament held by Morgon and Rettvisa in Valgard. After defeating a great lion sponsored by Morgon, Hest was granted legs and wings, elevated from crawling along the earth. However, the power granted by the gods was too great, and Hest broke beyond the power of mortals, becoming equal to his gift-givers in the process. It was in this way that the gods learned to be cautious with granting their power to mortals, lest their position in creation be jeopardized.
Hest takes ownership of no plane of existence, instead dwelling in secret and unknown places across the Material Plane. Legends say that before the time of King Cayden, Hest lived on the island where Fortare sits today, in the Platinum Keep, which had been constructed long before the genesis of the Demigod Millenium and the founding of Fortare. His paragon is Saint Amilaxine who is celebrated at midday on the fifth of Vanda, when the frost makes the lake into a mirror.
Paragon: Saint Amilaxine
Holy Day: 5th of Vanda
Court and Realm: The Platinum Keep, unknown location
Suggested Domains: Life, War
Suggested Alignment Range: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Lawful Neutral, True Neutral
Tenets:
Patience Brings Victory. The great lion was overcome not by brawn or magic, but by Patience.
Avenge Unchecked Evils. Evildoers should find no comfort until they have atoned for their crimes.
Be Unwavering in Goodness. It is your sworn chivalric duty to care for the downtrodden and look out for the helpless.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: A plume of silver dragon-fire breath
Top Layer: A sword behind a perfectly circular shield
Kraka
The goddess Kraka is The Keeper, who is mysterious and severe. Her most blessed servants are elite practitioners of a style of martial arts known as The Order of the Raven. These Chosen Ravens travel the various realms of the Material Plane, bringing comfort and mercy to those who are to pass on to the next world and guiding them to the Paths of Kraka which will lead them to their fate.
Kraka shares a unique trait with Hest: both were elevated from mortal form into divinity. Kraka was born into difficult circumstances, orphaned upon the doorstep of a Ravenkin monastery in the Worldspine Mountains of ancient Altisia. As the Anchorites unwrapped her swaddling clothes, it became obvious why she had come to them: cloven hoofed feet, yellow eyes and a spiked tail indicated the child was a Devilkin: touched by the fiendish influence of Luutzi. The child was not destined for evil, but the prejudices of society would make a normal life impossible, no matter the station or position of her parents. As a monastic, Kraka excelled above her peers, eventually becoming an Anchorite and eventually the Grand Master of the Order itself. Kraka was a great warrior poet, inventing the Way of the Raven, a martial arts style that is practiced by her servants to this day. While the mechanisms or rituals are either unknown or closely guarded, everyone knows the capstone of Kraka’s practice was when she took her place amongst the gods, ascending to divine rank.
Her paragon is Saint Jory who is celebrated at midnight on the twentieth of Decasten, when the night winds carry a chill that cuts to the core. Kraka takes ownership of no plane of existence, instead dwelling in the liminal space between the planes where she can best carry out her duties administrating the dead.
Paragon: Saint Jory
Holy Day: 20th of Decasten
Court and Realm: The Paths, Pocket space between all realms
Suggested Domains: Death, Grave
Suggested Alignment Range: Neutral Good, Lawful Neutral, True Neutral
Tenets:
Strength in Numbers. Many fists form a wall of protection as many eyes form a field of perception. Death creates life for the harvest.
There Is No Anguish In The Passage. Whatever was suffered in life and whatever is destined in the afterlife, there is no suffering in between.
Open The Gates. Kraka’s Chosen Ravens fly about Toinen, leading her servants to where they are needed most.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: An open door wreathed in misty fog with a murder of ravens flying through
Top Layer: Footprints on the ground leading into and beyond the door
The Paths of Kraka
In the world of Toinen, all mortal beings are composed of two parts: the gross body and etheric soul. When the gross body dies, the vapors that give an etheric soul form begin to evaporate from the material plane. Each and every soul is sent to Ouroboros, the court of the god Fisk in the Lingering Cascade, by way of special paths woven by Kraka across the realms. In times when transit out of the material plane is blocked or restricted, Kraka commissions Chosen Ravens to open holes by means of her divine will.
The Paths of Kraka are wintery and desolate, a bleak landscape with a single stone road that stretches into the distance toward a great rushing river. Though physical sensation and pain are a distant memory, perpetual bone chilling winds drive departed souls along. The paths are not dangerous to the departed, who are yet unable to fully perish, but it is not unheard of for desperate mortals to rip their way onto the paths in an attempt to claw back a loved one or a fallen comrade from the grip of death. These foolhardy individuals join the departed more often than not.
At the end of the Paths, Ouroboros awaits all. Neither worldly power nor wealth nor any mortal trappings can prevent this. The only exceptions are those whose fates are pre-sealed, such as saintly beings who are fated to become Celestials or damned souls who sold themselves to devils in exchange for mundane benefits now long lost and forgotten. There is also deep magic that can unwrite that which has been written, but this practice is all but forbidden by those who understand its implications. These judgments are not the concern of the Keeper and her servants, whose jurisdiction ends where the Paths of Kraka lead into the belly of Ouroboros. Instead, these duties are carried out by the various servants of the gods, including the Saints themselves when an individual particularly loved by the gods passes.
Everybody wants to go to heaven, nobody wants to die
Kraka has no rivals, due to her vital role in shepherding souls of all kinds to Ouroboros, during which any of the gods can select champions from among them. Because of this neutral position, however, Kraka also has no rivals, for none of the positive gods wish to be close to one they view as a usurper and consort of their enemies, no matter her vital role. The negative gods see her as ultimately an enemy, and some plot ways to supplant her rule over the domain of death.
Krum
The Warrior who is graceful, kind to friends and fierce to enemies. They created the elvish peoples of the planes. Their paragon is Saint Frances who is celebrated at dawn on the twenty-eighth of Behag. Krum resides in the realm of Valgard, a warrior’s paradise. Sandy shores and an infinite, sapphire blue ocean serve as backdrop to a great sandstone fortress, the City of Splendor, where Krum and his celestial servants train in the Greater Light that reflects from the Ossuary Peak of Tekare, growing in strength to meet the rising tide of threats across the planes. The architecture of the city is primarily shaped sandstone gilded with fine metals and a litany of gears, pumps, and mechanisms that serve various experiments and developments of the Warrior. The sanctity of the worlds is ever under threat, be it from the typical bile spewing out of the Negative realms or another threat from the interior planes such as Archfey who forget their place or rogue elemental titans. Servants of Krum are often called to resolve such issues, with the promise of ascension to celestial immortality attracting only the greatest and most devoted warriors.
Krum, full of grace, is not a one dimensional force of martial power. His ranks attract engineers, mathematicians, and builders, all of whose skills are useful in the time between war and battle. Artificers, who mix arcane with mechanical craft, are emulators of Krum’s ideals of skilled craft aligned with destructive power, and cults dedicated to attaining the Warrior’s inspiration are found anywhere engineering is common. Despite being their creator, elves do not bear a natural affinity toward Krum. Elves tend to draw their religious identity from their longevity, excellent craftsmanship, and natural connection to the world and its working.
Paragon: Saint Frances
Holy Day: 28th of Behag
Court and Realm: The City of Splendor, Valgard
Suggested Domains: Light, War
Suggested Alignment Range: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Lawful Neutral
Tenets:
Hospitality to the Worthy. When someone reveals the nature of their heart, believe them.
Service is Rewarded. The laborer is worth their wages and a good leader rewards faithful service.
Enforce Boundaries. Walls are built with purpose: keep evil out and protect the good within.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: A road that twists and turns until it disappears over an edge
Top Layer: Two swords crossed, facing downward in front of a tripoint shield
Kverulant
The Trickster, who is capricious and brooding. They preside over fate and the culmination of the events of history, carefully arranging them to unknown ends. Kverulant holds many secrets, even from the gods themselves, and as such is often represented as being distant from the rest of the pantheon. This separation creates tension at times when affairs go against the will of the gods and the Trickster is blamed for their role in the provisioning of outcomes. Their superlative is unique in that rather than being chosen, it was assigned by their counterparts who envied insight into things beyond their attainment. While those whose lives are brief often cannot see the method to the madness of the Trickster, when cast against the context of an eon their will can come into more clear focus. Those who take up their worship are counted as wise sages, curious scholars, and even the occasional philosopher. They are generally regarded as sophomoric by their contemporaries and worshiped by those who come in the ages after, when the wisdom given by these luminaries can be better understood in context.
Kverulant dwells within a grand palace made of diamonds and other precious gemstones in a realm called The Diamond Conclave. It is said that all of the diamonds in Toinen were first formed in this realm. During the Strife Yuga, a spectacular blow was landed against the Diamond Conclave by Rugotorix, avatar of Jormungandr and despot of Fabeldyr, scattering their fragments in various quantities across the earth. Over time, the surface became the underground and the diamonds were lost to the lower places beneath the world, though miners still come across them from time to time. Their paragon is Saint Kathryn who is celebrated on the twenty-ninth of Virv.
Paragon: Saint Kathryn
Holy Day: 28th of Virv
Court and Realm: The Refract, The Diamond Conclave
Suggested Domains: Trickery, Knowledge
Suggested Alignment Range: Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, True Neutral, Chaotic Neutral
Tenets:
Everything is Fated. All things that have happened must happen, and anything that is must be.
Play the Long Game. Every thread contributes to the weave. Patience is as important as disentitlement.
Gain Many Perspectives. One elf’s trash is another orc’s treasure. All things have a use in time.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: A book with wings outstretched, as if taking flight
Top Layer: An archer with a bow drawn, aiming up at the book
Isolating Knowledge
Few have tested the god of fate and walked away better for it. Kverulant, though good intentioned, is generally not accepted among the other positive deities because of a lack of common interest. While the gods think in terms of millenia, Kverulant has been touched by a knowledge of the nature of the universe, understanding things hidden even to Tekare. As a result, they think in terms of aeons and epochs, seeing the long strands of fate for the tapestry that they are, and daring to weave their own threads when appropriate, or when there is no other choice.
Moderna
The Wild, who is rosy and sweet. They preside over nature and the growth of the uncivilized regions of Toinen, holding court in the Soulgrove of the Infinite Metsa, an expansive realm of nature that stretches on forever in every direction. Every single living thing in the Soulgrove is animate, from the smallest blade of grass to the tallest redwood trees. They move in wispy steps, floating along the surface and gliding through plains and wooded land alike. Some are creations of Moderna herself whereas others are former mortals, rewarded with a special role and place in the infinite natural order of The Wild. As her followers spread her influence, the Infinite Metsa grows in size and scale, expressing Moderna’s growing power and will.
The marches between kingdoms are filled with many climates and creatures, all of whom are known by name to Moderna. But nature is a cold mother, and Moderna’s affinity for the wilds should not be mistaken for sentimentality. As soon as a creature becomes detrimental to the overall health and development of a region, balance is swiftly restored. Many druids who worship them seek to promote the well being of nature in the world, but many others seek the well being of nature above the world. These hedge-wizards of arborcraft and natural magic stand against those who would see the growing tide of civilization replace all organic life with machine and artifice. Insofar as they support balance, Moderna is generally seen as approving of these actions, which sometimes involve violent retribution for crimes against nature. Moderna is commemorated at midday on the Day of the Wild, the twentieth of Streck when the Spring Winds are at their zenith.
Paragon:
Holy Day: 20th of Streck
Court and Realm: Soulgrove, Infinite Metsa
Suggested Domains: Nature, Tempest
Suggested Alignment Range: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, True Neutral, Chaotic Neutral
Tenets:
Nature is Our Mother. Exploitation beyond what is needed for balance is taboo.
Naked as We Came. You are made of Toinen, and to Toinen you shall return.
Maintain the Balance. Prune in season and the fruit will grow strong.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: Two bear claws, palms open
Top Layer: A ring of trees with root patterns connecting the circle
Morgon
The Father and the Blazing Circle, who is wise and strong. They preside over Light, Life, and the hope of all mortals.. They created the humans of the planes. They are commemorated on Midsummer, on the fifteenth of Helv, the longest day in the hottest month. While many associate him with Fire, Morgon takes ownership of no specific plane of existence, instead dwelling within a fortress made of light inside of the sun that rises over Toinen each day.
Morgon is most often depicted as a Partner to Rettvisa, though they have opposite natures and dwell in contrasting celestial entities, sharing a particularly contentious relationship in the ancient histories. While many believe the god-king Cayden of Fortare to be in his image, Morgon has no direct paragon in Toinen. He instead chooses to elevate faithful servants into celestial beings as reward for their good works and lives well-lived. It is common amongst the servants of Morgon to envision their good works as feathers on their future wings: the more good they do, the bigger their wings shall be, denoting a higher station in The Court of Radiance.
Paragon: None
Holy Day: 15th of Sten
Court and Realm: The Court of Radiance, the Sun
Suggested Domains: Life, Light
Suggested Alignment Range: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Lawful Neutral
Tenets:
The Sun Always Rises. Dawn is inevitable, and only persistent patience will see it.
Light is Life. Seek to do good, right wrongs, and cast your Light upon all creation.
Illuminate the Shadows. Darkness only exists when something stands between you and the Light.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: The sun, with flares and a golden aura radiating out in a gradient halo
Top Layer: A golden tablet with the word “law” inscribed in a celestial tongue
Rettvisa
The Mother who is both merciful and just. They preside over domains of justice, retribution, forgiveness, and healing. Since the dawn of the gods, they have been a partner to Morgon, sometimes in contention and other times in harmony. Their opposite natures have allowed for successful partnerships and times of contention, both between the gods and their followers in the Material Plane. While they created the gnomes of the planes, few hold them in particular reverence, instead venerating their paragon, Saint Alsker, who is celebrated on the twenty-ninth of Ommer.
Rettvisa also shares a rivalry with Tekare, the Mistress, who is venerated by practitioners of the arcane and persuaded many of Rettvisa’s children to their ways in the early days of mortals. It was Saint Alsker who first bound magic to metal, creating artifice and opening the doors of the arcane to those who are less naturally inclined to its influence. The Mother looked kindly upon this invention, seeing it as a reclamation from their rival and a symbol of their divine justice. Rettvisa takes ownership of no plane of existence, instead dwelling within a great palace on the Moon that rises over Toinen each evening.
Paragon: Saint Alsker
Holy Day: 28th of Ommer
Court and Realm: Luna Chateau, the Moon
Suggested Domains: Life, Knowledge
Suggested Alignment Range: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral
Tenets:
True Justice is Born of Mercy. Judgement comes for all mortals, but mercy is the greater good.
Mend what is Torn. A broken pot and a broken person are merely clay on the potter’s wheel.
Reflect the Light in All. The Sun radiates but it is the Mother’s Mercy that gives light in the darkness.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: A waxing gibbous moon surrounded by seven stars, encircled by winding woven knots
Top Layer: A silver tablet with the word “mercy” inscribed in a celestial tongue
Tekare
The Mistress and the Ancient Eye who is said to be All-Knowing. They hold court at the Universalis Biographica in the Ossuary Peak, a great mountain library surrounded by glistening almandine formations and peaceful, wispy clouds that extends upward toward a Greater Light in the sky. This Greater Light is the primary object of study and is held in great reverence by The Mistress and subsequently, her followers. The zenith of The Ossuary Peak sits at the end of the Universe, and the Greater Light originates from beyond the end of the Ossuary Peak. As Tekare studies this great mystery, they serve as an example to all who seek knowledge that the seeking of knowledge is a greater virtue than its attainment.
The countless servants and manifested avatars of the Ancient Eye are primarily tasked with keeping the Library containing all knowledge in the universe. They watch over all beings, recording their works and deeds in scrolls that are used in the court of Fisk to judge the dead in their time. Tekare presides over education, magic, record keeping, and is most often worshipped by religiously inclined manipulators of magic. They are commemorated in the Days of Closing, the holiday name for the twenty-seventh through thirtieth of Stallisk which marks the end of the yearly cycle. These special days are set aside for reflection, contemplation, the seeking of insight, and in some cultures, the making (or taking) of recompense based on knowledge gained. Educational institutions often hold graduation ceremonies during these days in alignment with Tekare’s ideals of learning.
Paragon: Ogma the Martyr
Holy Days: 27th-30th of Stallisk
Court and Realm: Universalis Biographica, The Ossuary Peak
Suggested Domains: Knowledge, Arcana
Suggested Alignment Range: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, True Neutral
Tenets:
Guard. The Arcane must be obtained, inspected, catalogued, and protected. Magic is a gift that must be guarded.
Educate. Knowledge must be stewarded: learn, grow, and propagate.
Reflect. Only in Greater Light can we truly examine and winnow.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: A pyramid with an All Seeing Eye and bright rays of light extending out from the center
Top Layer: An open scroll that ends in stardust, with a thick portion yet unrolled
The Gambit
Long ago, before the mortal races wrote histories for their children to learn, there were no barriers between the realms of gods and mortals, angels and demons, creatures and aberrations. Magic flowed freely and safety was a concept known only to a privileged few. Proto-empires ruled by kings, warlords, and wizards plotted and schemed, striking pacts with extraplanar entities in exchange for forbidden powers that paved the way for their rulership over entire continents.
The destructive power of the elemental titans wrought havoc upon the material plane and after centuries of interplanar warfare, the lands were fallow. A tide of death had been unleashed upon people of all ancestries in all lands. Wars broke out over what little resources remained. Hedge wizards and clerics rose to great fame and fortune, using their powers to conjure food and attracting great masses of followers. Left to its own path, the constant fighting was enough to quench what flame of fertility remained in the world. The positive deities decided something had to be done, as their power was diminished and ultimately threatened by this loss. Order would be restored to the cosmos. The gods were honorbound, having allowed the mortals to suffer this fate unguided. Justice needed to be done to those who had brought so much death.
First, the Paragons were appointed. Each god chose a representative, either a mortal living in the world or an angel of their own court. These were sent into the world as teachers, leaders, helpers, and martyrs in the effort to save the world and the people who lived in it. But the people resisted these paragons, and many of them were struck down by powers disinterested in a world devoid of their dominance.
Ogma, the avatar of Tekare, began to craft the components of a barrier that would at least grant reprieve to the material plane from the chaos outside. However, to seal a plane of existence is no small feat, even for the avatar of a god. The risks were deemed worthy. Traveling into the material plane from the outside would be practically impossible for all entities, regardless of alignment, power, or status. The barrier known as the Divine Gate would seal the world of Toinen away, cutting it off from the rest of the planes and all of the troubles that came with it. Ogma hoped that this would allow the remaining Paragons to complete their work unhindered and bring peace back to Toinen. Using his deep understanding of magic, Ogma concealed his creation until the time came to unveil it before the world: a colossal ring stretching across the sky, encircling the entire material plane. Combining both positive and negative energies, Ogma sought to empower the megalith before he was ambushed by Luutzi, Lord of Pride, who struck down Ogma the Martyr and claimed his divine essence, ascending to his own dark divinity and destroying the mountain of Tinker Peak in Altisia in the process. Some say this sundering is what shattered the Worldspine mountains and caused the continent of Altisia to bifurcate, though this is disputed by peoples of various backgrounds.
The Divine Gate was left unfinished and remained an abandoned spectacle for some time. Though the remaining Paragons were able to complete the salvation of Toinen in time, it was not without great cost. They also created the first Planar Keys, artifacts constructed of the essence of a plane of origin, which would allow a wielder passage through the gate by pricking a small hole to travel through. Over time, this would weaken the barrier, however, and it would need to be empowered once again. Many methods of empowerment have been employed over the history of the Divine Gate, with great sacrifices of condemned souls, imprisonment of titans, and the channeling of celestial bodies being used toward this end. Though there have been gaps in the protection offered by the gate, periods where the empowerments were not completed in time, it has nonetheless proved largely effective to protect the world from extraplanar threats, particularly from the cataclysmic destruction of the elemental titans.
Vokat
The Judge who is lawful and industrious. Vokat holds court in the Lahghus, a great castle made from petrified wood surrounded by geysers that spout flame and light. The Fields of Lahg are filled with forests, deserts, lakes, and good soil. The celestials that serve Vokat work to bring order and extend their craft of civilization across the Fields in every direction toward the Seat of Law. This expression of Vokat’s will is not exploitative, but it is also not soft-handed. The Judge primarily presides over civilization and conquest. All of chaos and nature is to bend to the Mighty Hammer of Law wielded by Vokat, an enormous gavel warhammer made from golden-adamantine alloy poured around idocrase crystals extracted from the heart of the Plane of Elemental Earth. Administrators and leaders often turn toward them for guidance in times of both war and peace.
While Vokat was the first creator of both Orcs and all kinds of Goblinoids, many have fallen away to the influence of Odel Agga, Lord of Wrath and Commander of the Hate Fort. These lost souls, both living and departed, have wandered far from their creator, forsaking the values of civilization for the demerits of disorganization and chaos. They do not practice any form of anarchy for the betterment of their fellow beings, but instead for their own personal gain, ever clamorous for subverting the established order to selfish gain. Such behavior is anathema to Vokat, who teaches all beings to establish Order for the good of all, and not for greedy ambition. Redemption for those who have fallen or walked away from the way of Order to join the way of Wrath is a hotly debated subject amongst followers of Vokat. Many believe those who have chosen their path should reap their fate, however others call for mercy, especially for the descendents of those who chose a darker path. Vokat’s paragon is Saint Vokatara who is celebrated on the First of Sten at daybreak, when all fruitful labor begins and the darkness of night is banished for a time.
Paragon: Saint Vokatara
Holy Day: 1st of Sten
Court and Realm: Lahghus, The Fields of Lahg
Suggested Domains: Order, Forge
Suggested Alignment Range: Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral
Tenets:
The Righteous Shall Labor. The fruit of the harvest is gathered by sweat. It is good for the body and the soul.
Make Straight All Paths. Chaos is Order cast asunder; all Restraint unbound. Bring it to heel.
Law Above Will. Whims and flights of fancy must bow before Law. May it flow across all planes in time.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Positive Deity plus sign
Middle Layer: A blueprint of a city complex etched like a maze in a thousand directions
Top Layer: A hammer made from gold and idocrase crystals
The Negative Deities
“Left broken and deposed upon an altar of her own flesh and bones, seven shadows emerged from the black void. Together, these eight twisted manifestations represent the very darkness and potential for evil that lies within all mortals...”
Codex Historia Vol 1.e
Asna / Jormungandr
In the earliest days of creation, the first Material Dragons to cross the expanse now occupied by the Third Lance were torn limb from limb by an unknown force of evil. In the darkness, Asna was pieced together from their remains: a four headed monstrosity of destructive power and wrath. In ancient times, she birthed the first Ethereal Dragons and served as a Herald of the Twilight of the Age of Creation and the Dawn of the Strife Yuga. During this time, Asna was drawn to a desolate place in the heart of Toinen, where an unknown entity of higher darkness and evil ripped her asunder, rebirthing her flesh into the Anti-Dragon and Bringer of Doom, the god-monster called Jormungandr. She is chief rival to Hest and the Mother of Evil. She has no realm, instead traveling between the realms of her positive rivals and her negative children, spreading chaos and destruction in her wake. Her avatar was the firstborn of her brood, Rugotorix the Oppressor, who once held the entire continent of Fabeldyr as the crowning gem of his hoard.
Jormungandr is unique in that she does not embody a specific negative trait or focus on adding any particular manner of evil to the world. She instead acts as a leader to the gods of evil and a symbol of something larger, darker, and beyond the understanding of most mortals. Asna’s four heads bicker with one another between seeking immediate satisfaction and strategic, disciplined commitment to a larger plan. Her cults are primarily obsessed with placing (or returning) Ethereal Dragons to positions of power over societies large and small. Secondly, they seek the means to sunder and remove the Divine Gate that protects Toinen so that Jormungandr might enter freely and rebirth the world in fire and death. To this end, they are reputed to be greedy, sitting on hoards of treasure like their masters, however most of their acquired wealth is spent toward enormous tributes of precious metals, gemstones, and preserved meats. Dragons are not above feasting upon their servants should the opportunity arise.
Avatar: Rugotorix the Oppressor
Sacred Day: Day of Declension, 25th of Besl
Court and Realm: None, wanders the realms by way of the Aether Sea
Tenets:
Take All, Give Nothing. Crown thyself with a hoard of glory and treasure, giving nothing in return.
Wander in the Safety of the Wilds. The rough places shall be your comfort, and the deserted land shall be your inheritance.
The Scaled Ancients Must Rise Anew. One third of the world once belonged to dragons. It must be so once again, and more.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Negative Deity minus sign
Middle Layer: Tattered wings outstretched
Top Layer: Four gouts of arcane breath swirling around a central draconic eye
Vard
Of the shadows that appeared from the void by the will of Jormungandr, Vard was the first to emerge. He is the Bringer of War and Lord of Ill-Omen, He Who Sits Upon Avarice, acting as a chief rival to Moderna, for Nature has a way of finding balance and punishing excess. Vard is Lord of the Realm of Greed, a desolate landscape marred by devastation and war. At the center, a great towering fortress of stone and iron shoots up from the landscape like a boil. From the apex of this mighty War Fort does Vard command his legions, led by the Hungry Ghosts, his elite commanders and most trusted lieutenants. Many powerful and wicked creatures make camp in or around the War Fort as Vard brings battle to every realm, Positive and Negative.
Cults dedicated to Vard exhibit his avaricious appetite in a number of ways. Some default to baser exhibitions, seeking to infiltrate financial organizations or other places where money is amassed or changes hands with great frequency. Others cultivate a blind ambition for battle or conquest and gain the attention of the Bringer of War through their exploits, being corrupted over time into a shell of their former glory. All who act in service to the Lord of Ill-Omen take a solemn sacrificial vow, removing an appendage such as a finger, toe, or horn and burning it on a pyre of coal and flammable, caustic liquid of any variety. It is said that Vard collects these offerings, hobbling together an ever growing army of flesh before the Throne of Avarice in the War Fort. Their avatar is the Merchant of Souls, a devilish dealer who manages the acquisition and disbursal of souls for his master, who takes a keen interest in the profits to be gained by selling them to other devils.
Avatar: The Merchant of Souls
Sacred Day: Day of Obtainment, 13th of Virv
Court and Realm: War Fort, the Realm of Greed
Tenets:
Don’t Try to Find the Bottom. The longer you search, the deeper it goes. There is no end to desire.
Fill the Coffers. The vaults must be filled with treasure and souls, for war is a cruel, hungry beast.
Prepare for Battle. They are coming to take what is rightfully yours. They speak only the language of death and we are obliged to persuade.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Negative Deity minus sign
Middle Layer: A gaping maw filled with treasure, bones, and chains reaching up toward the top layer
Top Layer: ghosts and souls trying to escape the maw, but bound by chains rooted in the middle layer
Luutzi
The Deceiving One, God of Hell and chief rival to Fisk, was the second to manifest. He is bright and luminous from afar, blazing with a glorious light and attracting the unwitting to seek him out. In truth, Luutzi burns like an ember beneath the bellows, red-hot and wasting away. The Lord of Pride was not reborn as a god like his fellows, but instead descended to his mighty station by his own merits after harvesting a spark of divinity from a fallen avatar of Tekare. In this way, the Lord of Pride is an inversion of knowledge and good truth, manifested in the cynicism and deceit of the overinflated ego.
His realm, the lands of Sheol, are of endless fire, a constant inferno that never goes out. The eternal blaze is fed by the souls of great sinners and stoked by the pitchforks of devils most vile. The heat from this infinite cauldron energizes Luutzi’s entire body, causing it to glow bright red as if he were an iron plucked from the fire. When he leaves his realm, his body cools and turns a scorched obsidian. This transformation is a symbol of his ill-gained divinity and constant need for the energy of Sheol.
Luutzi’s avatar was the mighty Ouroboros, a soul-eating great wyrm covered in spikes and talons, before it was stolen away by Fisk who now uses it to recycle the souls of mortals in Toinen. As the Lord of Pride, Luutzi believes he should be celebrated on the first day of each year as all living things bow down to his true dominion and power.
Avatar: The Spiked Ouroboros
Sacred Day: The First Day, 1st of Borjan
Court and Realm: Sheol, in the Realm of Pride
Tenets:
Hail Thyself. You can be your own god, should you choose to reach out and claim it. Take a hold of your birthright.
The Light is What You Make It. Light is a tool, not a moral good. Shadow is cast in its wake. Use the Light for your benefit, and the benefit of those who benefit you.
You are Captive to Those Who Restrain You. Your only limits should be your own capabilities. Those who would restrain you in this way make themselves your captors to be overthrown.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Negative Deity minus sign
Middle Layer: An infernal vortex of flame and screaming souls twisting around a spark of electricity bound in a sapphire colored cut gemstone
Top Layer: A saddled serpent (like an ouroboros) covered in spikes and claws, chasing its own tail, radiating darkness
Fortni
The Torturer, Consort of Death, rival to Morgon and Rettvisa, third to manifest from Jormungandr. She is Lady of Sloth and Duchess of the Throne of the Aeons. Fortni commands the Aeons, an order of hedonists and sadists who visit her unique evils across the world. Fortni takes great pleasure in causing pain of all kinds: physical, emotional, spiritual, it matters not to the Torturer. Her wings release dust that causes any who inhale it to sneeze and choke, and she is often represented in reptilian form; a symbol of her elevation of anger and pain above all other emotions. She has no compassion, no love, no sympathy, and no regard for anyone or anything other than herself. She feasts upon the pain of her victims, drawing invigoration from the suffering in their souls.
The Realm of Sloth is not one where laziness is idolized. The realm itself moves slower, disconnected from the fabric of time itself. The realm causes all who are not immune to its effects to become encumbered in body, mind, and soul, as if treading in thick tar, desperate to stay afloat as the creeping overtakes and replicates itself in them. Those claimed by Fortni in this way become immune to the slowing, but find themselves firmly affixed to her will, unable to leave and be free ever again.
Avatar: Dhamir the Thorn
Sacred Day: The Day of Scheming, 26th of Ommer
Court and Realm: Throne of the Aeons, in the Realm of Sloth
Tenets:
Pierce Your Foes and Twist the Knife. Never pass up an opportunity to remove a rival. Never forget that a friend is a rival who has yet to shed their skin.
Revel in Pain. Bless the burning, the shocking searing, the writhing agony, the clawing bleeding. The pain binds you to the Torturer.
Ever Scheming, Ever Gaining. Never grow weary of turning your wheels, plotting your next course, and staying in tune with the rhythm of the ruse.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Negative Deity minus sign
Middle Layer: A cage with thick bars locked shut, filled with decaying bones
Top Layer: A jagged knife dripping green liquid
Orm
The Thunderous Serpent, Lord of Blood, rival to Vokat and Moderna, fifth to manifest. He is Chief Executive of Envy and General of the Larval Feast. Orm commands most of the devils who search for deals and exchanges with mortals. His body writhes and twists like the snake he is, gliding from place to place and wrapping the unwitting in his grasp. He drinks from a never-ending vial of blood, which he uses to fill a modest-looking pewter cup. Many legends conflict pertaining to this peculiar, simple goblet: some say it was taken from an ancient king who sold his soul, others say it is a reminder of when Orm was first getting started and has far less power and wealth. Others still say the cup is a prison for souls, and each time Orm takes a drink from it, he saps a little bit more away from those locked within his clutch.
Naros the Overseer was an administrator who sold his soul to Orm in exchange for grand worldly power. But even this was not enough to satiate his greed. He sacrificed many souls to prolong his own life, including his own daughter on the eve of her wedding to a powerful prince. Unable to bear his crime, the city turned against him. To avoid their justice, he flung himself from the pinnacle of a tall tower only to land in the depths of the Realm of Envy, where all those he had sacrificed awaited him with baited breath. Piling on accusation and shame, Naros was broken before their fury. Orm took a perverse pity on the wretch, raising him as a Greater Death Knight bound to eternal service. Now, once a year on the Night of Accounts, Naros the Overseer rides the Material Plane in search of those who owe unpaid debts to his master, eager to settle the score.
Avatar: Naros the Overseer
Sacred Day: The Night of Accounts, 26th of Vanda
Court and Realm: Larval Feast, in the Realm of Envy
Tenets:
Watch Closely, They Have What You Want. Your neighbor has so many nice things, and you have so much room.
Hostile Takeovers Preferred. What’s the point in getting what you want if you don’t wet your way with a little blood?
A Deal is a Deal. Honor your agreements, lest the entire enterprise topple. Do not be hasty to shake hands and expose your wrists.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Negative Deity minus sign
Middle Layer: Serpentine scales wrapped in a weave around a tainted black diamond
Top Layer: A quill pen dripping with blood and spewing gold coins
Grotspin
The Weaver of Lies, The Plotting Spider and rival to Blix and Krum, sixth to manifest from Jormungandr. She speaks in nightmares and commands all things that crawl along the ground. Grotspin holds great affinity for spiders and many of her favored servants are transformed to bear arachnid qualities. Her influence outside the Realm of Lust is most often found in Manala, the subterranean realms below the surface worlds of Toinen. It is in these deep realms of darkness that her servants fight for control of cavernous domains and do battle with all who would resist their dominion. Her servants also scour Manala for the Gemstone Tablets, ancient artifacts lost to the ages. Legends indicate these items give their wielders incomprehensible powers. They intend to gather all seven and use the combined power to bring Grotspin into Toinen directly, where she will rule the world from the darkness below.
The Realm of Lust is a world of webs. The silky threads of Grotspin wrap many in their binding grasp: mortals, fiends, and celestial beings have all found themselves lured into her grasp. The Woven Prison is her citadel within this sticky world of entrapments. Here, her silk hardens like steel and forms the foundation of a great fortress. In addition to her armies, the bastion also houses her many harems. She offers sweet words laced with the poison of desire, and like the female mantis, she consumes her devotees once they have fulfilled their ultimate use. Those who worship her are taught to long for this honored fate. Many stories speak of her stomach as a paradise realm of infinite pleasure and eternal life, where they will take their place evermore.
Avatar: Charles Crow, The Ruby Wielder
Sacred Day: Spinner’s Eve, 7th of Sten
Court and Realm: Woven Prison, in the Realm of Lust
Tenets:
Pleasure is the Point. All of the work means nothing if you cannot have some release. Give in to your needs.
A Little More Never Hurt. Limits are the invention of the unambitious. Push yourself further than you thought you could go.
You Are Sustenance. Devoted worship swells her, and you will meet eternal pleasure within.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Negative Deity minus sign
Middle Layer: A spiderweb with profane, erotic imagery woven in the webs, Eight spider legs creeping out from behind and wrapping over the layer
Top Layer: A 7 colored gemstone radiating over a keyhole
Glom
The All-Consuming Void, Herald of Death and Master of Ignominy, chief rival to Tekare. He is Lord of The Abyss, The Glutton and The Shadow of Toinen, Aspirant to The Third Lance. Glom was the seventh amongst the Negative Deities to ascend and be made divine by Jormungandr in the darkness. Whether it was intended is unknown, but Glom became a writing mass of teeth and tentacles with an ever-watchful eye at the center of the gaping maw. Eternally locked in unquenchable pain, Glom sits at the edge of the Abyss, screaming both as and into the void that looms from the Third Lance. These screams ripple across the entirety of the pit, spawning multitudes of foul things in their wake: zombies, vampires, and all manner of undead, as well as scores of demons and fiends, insects of rot, and other such creatures of revilement. This area has come to be known as Gluttony, for it feeds on the power of both the Abyss and the external layers of Toinen, drawing in all that it can in a vain attempt to satiate Glom’s unceasing hunger for life and light.
The great vampire lineages of the world draw their lines back to some of the first creatures that Glom spewed out. Among them, none rivals the might of Erasmus Damien, also called the Lightdrinker. After taking leadership of a powerful vampire clan, Damien began to seek alliances and unification instead of rivalry and dominance. Central to his plot was a spell that would invert the light of the sun into darkness, causing day to become night and night to become a deeper darkness, no longer illuminated by the moon. Had he not been thwarted by betrayal and the untimely arrival of adventurers, the face of the world would have been fundamentally changed. Some believe that Morgon himself had a hand in the deeds of the adventurers, though some legends are more a product of bardic imagination than true history.
Avatar: Erasmus Damien, the Lightdrinker
Sacred Day: Evernight, 15th of Stallisk
Court and Realm: The Abyss, in the Realm of Gluttony
Tenets:
HATE. I BURN WITH THE RAGE OF TEN THOUSAND FORGES.
FEED. I HUNGER WITH THE YEARNING OF TEN THOUSAND LOCUSTS.
SCREAM. I SLAUGHTER THE SILENCE WITH TEN THOUSAND SHRIEKING WIDOWS.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Negative Deity minus sign
Middle Layer: tentacles wrapping around a cloudy and bloodshot eye
Top Layer: a set of silver fangs
Odel Agga
The Ruinous Defiler, Corrupter of Peoples and chief rival to Krum and Vokat, and the last of the negative gods to emerge. He is Lord of Wrath and Commander of the Hate Fort. While Vokat the Judge, a Positive Divine, is the true progenitor of the Orcs and Goblinoids, many were stolen away to the influence of Odel Agga for use against the creations of Krum in the early days of the Strife Yuga. The first orcs to fall away were the Groshannok in the cratered deserts of central Altisia. A young warchief was betrayed by his brother and cast out to die in the desert, naked and alone. Wandering a great distance toward the shattered mountains, he called out in shameful desperation to any who would answer his cry. Odel Agga heard the hateful screams of this wounded warrior and appeared to him personally. He promised Groshannok power to take revenge against his brother in exchange for his service, and the service of his children. Some legends say that in agreeing, Groshannok drank the blood of Odel Agga and subjected his lineage to a blood curse that now affects all orcs. This legend has served as the basis for much conflict between the orcs and their neighbors. After achieving his goals, the mighty orc lived a long life, raiding the neighboring towns and countries before dying at an old age, never losing a battle. His soul descended into the depths of the Hate Fort, where Odel Agga twisted and mangled it into a morning star, a weapon of spiteful destruction that has been wielded by many of his servants in the ages since.
The realm of Wrath is a desolate and barren landscape, where no plants grow. The creatures that survive in this realm are entirely carnivorous, rending their world in tooth and claw. Many are bound into the service of Odel Agga once they reach maturity, to be used in many wars until they expire, either of exhaustion or of battle. Odel Agga commands his forces from the Hate Fort, an enormous stone castle that houses his legions and serves as the beginning of all his exploits. It was here that he designed the Sinking of The Fleets of Krum, where he plotted the Seasonal Conquest that so damaged the Wildwood, and where he birthed the original Undoing of the Orcs. The forge fires are never extinguished in the Realm of Wrath, churning out weapons and armor for the eternal wars waged by their master. Thousands of legions of demons and great fiends drill, spar, and train for their next turn on the front lines of many battles, which are promised by their master to come until the end of time.
Avatar: Groshannok the Fallen
Sacred Day: Hatred’s Harbor, 26th of Helv
Court and Realm: Hate Fort, in the Realm of Wrath
Tenets:
The Fires of Hate Will Burn. Let your Rage fuel your conquest. Destroy all who stand in your way.
Prepare for the Day of Battle. War is on your doorstep, whether you recognize it or not. Never forsake your training.
Salt the Fields and Desecrate the Altars. It is not enough to win. Dominate your foes in every way until your victory is total and complete.
Sigil:
Bottom Layer: Negative Deity minus sign
Middle Layer: Mountains cracking and falling atop a shroud of smoke
Top Layer: A flaming sword and spiked shield covered in rotting skulls with maggots in the eyes
Veneration of the Three Pure Ones
Primarily worshiped in the lands of the Golden Dynasty, These beings are said to have existed prior to the pantheon known to the rest of Toinen, descending from a time before time. Koans, short stories or questions that provoke deeper thinking, are used by these religious adherents in an attempt to provoke enlightenment to what they believe is the truth about the origin of all things: the Three Pure Ones supplied the forces of creation, if not being the direct progenitors of the gods themselves. The first is Innzahm-nin, The Treasured One, who oversees the perpetuation of life. They sit with hands folded in a mudra, ready to take flight. They wear a golden mask that is hammered flat with a raised nasal peak in the center. The second is Chon-zehn, The Lawful One, who separated light from dark, woe from weal, and placed the Elemental Titans into their planes. Chon-zehn is said to be a guiding force of balance that looks for the greater good. They wear a massive medallion, the World Stone, by which all things were created and in which all things are secured. The third is Tsolas, The Becoming One, who illuminated the Law of Chon-zen and brought the first civilization. Tsolas is shadowy and illusive, not always making their intentions known to the other Pure Ones. Tsolas is by no means negative, just as the other Pure Ones are not positive. They have no connection to the drama between the gods. Each of the Three Pure Ones is also said to have their own divine realm, existing both on top of and outside of the known planes of the universe. Their followers have no expectation to join them after death, but instead seek to emulate their principles in the world to bring about the best outcomes during life.
The Three Pure Ones, 10/2022 - created by the author via Midjourney and Adobe Photoshop
The Trialogues
The Trialogues explore the nature of existence, morality, and the relationship between mortals and the divine. Each trialogue presents a different scenario and conversation between The Three Pure Ones, highlighting different aspects of the mortal experience and providing insight into the nature of divinity.
Trialogue I
In a realm beyond the bounds of time and space, The Three Pure Ones gathered once again to discuss the existence of mortals. Innzahm-nin, The Treasured One, with their hands folded in a mudra, opened the conversation:
"Mortals seem to be obsessed with the idea of finding their purpose in life," they said. "But do they grasp any understanding of the purpose of existence?"
Chon-zehn, The Lawful One, responded with a measured tone. "Mortals are bound by the laws of cause and effect, and their purpose is to create a balance between their actions and their consequences. They must strive for the greater good and uphold the principles of justice and harmony."
Tsolas, The Becoming One, spoke next. Their voice was shadowy and illusive. "Mortals are merely vessels for the expression of our divine will. Their purpose is to serve as a conduit for the forces of creation and to fulfill the destiny that we have set forth for them. In this, they shall be fulfilled."
Innzahm-nin nodded thoughtfully. "But what about free will? Mortals have the ability to make their own choices, to shape their own destinies. Liberty will guide them. Such is the way of all things."
Chon-zehn replied, "Indeed, free will is a powerful force. But mortals must understand that their choices have consequences, both for themselves and for the world around them. They must use their free will to create a better world, not to indulge their own selfish desires. Balance will guide them. Such is the way of all things"
Tsolas interjected, "Mortals are like children, stumbling in the dark. They need our guidance and our wisdom to find their way. Their purpose is to follow our teachings and to become vessels for our divine light. Purpose will guide them. Such is the way of all things."
Innzahm-nin considered this for a moment. "I see your point, Tsolas. But I also believe that mortals have the potential to transcend their limitations and to achieve enlightenment on their own. Perhaps our purpose is to inspire them, to guide them on their journey towards the truth. Discipline can guide them. Such is the way of all things."
Chon-zehn agreed, "Yes, enlightenment is the ultimate goal. But mortals must earn it through their own efforts and their own struggles. Our purpose is to give them the tools they need to succeed, but not to do the work for them. Balance can guide them. Such is the way of all things."
Tsolas added, "Mortals must strive for enlightenment with all their heart and soul. And if they succeed, they will become one with us, part of the divine whole. Clarity can guide them. Such is the way of all things. "
The Three Pure Ones then went back to their divine realms, content to leave mortal beings to ponder the purpose of their existence and achieve enlightenment in their own time.
Trialogue II
In a realm beyond the bounds of time and space, The Three Pure Ones gathered once again to discuss the nature of mortals. Tsolas, The Becoming One, spoke first, "Mortals seem to be divided on whether to follow the laws of other mortals or to obey only their gods. What do we make of this?"
Innzahm-nin, The Treasured One, replied, "It is understandable that mortals would seek guidance from their peers, but they must also remember that the laws of mortals are often flawed and incomplete. A king is as mortal as a peasant, and both have strong feelings about the way of things. Mortals must prefer to seek wisdom from the divine and strive to embody the principles of justice, truth, and compassion."
Chon-zehn, The Lawful One, added, "Mortals must understand that their gods have given them free will and the ability to reason. They must use their own judgment to discern right from wrong, but they must also seek counsel from the divine and the wise, to whom the divine have gifted their great wisdom. The wise and learned can act as a conduit between the mortals and the divines. Balance is the key to living a fulfilling life."
Tsolas, their voice ever shadowy and illusive, spoke once more. "Mortals are but mere mortals. They should not rely on their own limited understanding of the world, but rather they should seek to align themselves with the divine will. Innzahm-nin, you lean on wisdom where Chon-zehn stumbles. Mortals should look to the gods for guidance and direction. Purpose can guide them."
Innzahm-nin nodded in agreement. "Yes, mortals must trust in the divine plan and understand that there is a higher purpose to their existence. Mortals must seek to align themselves with this purpose and strive to live in harmony with the world around them."
Chon-zehn added, "But mortals must also remember that they are part of a larger community. Just as their material form is made of many parts, they themselves are the many parts that make up a larger whole. They can work together to create a just and equitable society, or they can work together to create a malignant one. They must create laws that uphold the principles of justice and equality for all. Balance can guide them."
Tsolas then interjected, "However, mortals must remember that laws made by mortals are fallible and incomplete. They should not be followed blindly, but rather must be evaluated in light of divine principles. Mortals must not be misled by the false promises of the world. Clarity can guide them."
Innzahm-nin considered this and spoke once more, "Ultimately, mortals must remember that they are part of the larger cosmic order. They must strive to live in harmony with the universe and follow the divine laws that guide them. Mortals must not forget that their existence is but a small part of a much larger whole. Discipline can guide them."
Chon-zehn agreed, "Yes, mortals must remember their place in the universe and strive to create a just and equitable society. They must use their free will to create a better world. They must use their reason to evaluate the laws of mortals and align them with divine principles. Balance can guide them."
Tsolas concluded, "Indeed, mortals must seek the guidance of the divine and trust in the higher purpose of their existence. They must not be led astray by the false promises of the world or the limitations of their own understanding. Purpose can guide them."
The Three Pure Ones then went back to their divine realms, content to leave mortals to ponder the nature of their existence and seek guidance from the divine.
Trialogue III
In a realm beyond the bounds of time and space, The Three Pure Ones gathered once again to discuss the plight of mortals. Chon-zehn, The Lawful One, raised their voice.
"I have a proposal," they said. "Let us journey to the land of mortals and observe a peasant farmer working in the fields of the Golden Dynasty."
Tsolas, The Becoming One, questioned, "But why choose the Golden Dynasty? The Azure Lineage has brought great suffering to the mortal people there. The dragons whole rule the people hoard their wealth and steal their sons for meaningless wars."
Chon-zehn replied, "That is precisely why we must go there. To see how mortals live in the face of great adversity, and to reflect on how they can still live meaningful lives. But we must not interfere, for to do so would infringe upon Fate."
Innzahm-nin, The Treasured One, nodded in agreement. "I see your point. Let us go and observe, but let us not interfere."
Tsolas remained silent in perceived agreement.
And so the Three Pure Ones traveled to the Golden Dynasty and found a peasant farmer working in the fields. He was thin and ragged, with calloused hands and a weary expression. He worked tirelessly, tending to his crops and livestock in spite of the oppression he faced from his dragon masters. The Three Pure Ones marveled at this, meditating on the nature of the farmer.
Tsolas then spoke, much to the shock of the others. A booming voice echoed across the amber fields, "How do you find meaning in your life, farmer? In a world filled with suffering and oppression, why do you toil?"
The farmer looked up, surprised to see the divine beings revealed before him. Bowing deeply, he thought for a moment before answering, "I find meaning in my work. In providing for my family and my community. In living my life with honor and dignity, despite the cruelty of those who rule over us. I do not beg for mercy, for I know deliverance will come."
Innzahm-nin smiled, impressed by the farmer's reverential resilience. "And how do you keep your faith in the face of such adversity?"
The farmer replied, "I believe in the goodness of the world, and the power of the divine. I believe that one day, justice will prevail and we will be free from the tyranny of the Azure Lineage. Until then, I will do what I can to live a good life and help those around me."
Chon-zehn stepped forward, their eyes full of compassion. "Your words are wise, farmer. But I must ask, do you not feel anger towards those who oppress you? Do you not feel the urge to fight back?"
The farmer paused before answering. "Of course, I feel anger. But I also know that violence only begets more violence. I choose to live my life with integrity and compassion, rather than giving in to the same hatred and cruelty that our oppressors use to rule over us. If I must fight, I will do so with honor, not hatred, so that I may fulfill my purpose and sleep with a clear conscience at night on my straw pillow."
Before they left, Tsolas turned to the farmer and said, "I have a prophecy for you, farmer. Name your next son Zane, for he will carry on your legacy of resilience and honor. And from his line, liberty will come."
The Three Pure Ones looked at each other, impressed by the farmer's wisdom and fortitude. They realized that mortals have a strength and resilience that the divine often overlooks.
Tsolas spoke again. Their voice was soft and reflective. "We have much to learn from mortals, even in the face of great suffering. Their ability to find meaning and purpose in their lives, to live with honor and compassion, is a testament to their divine nature.
Innzahm-nin agreed, "Indeed. But you should not have given this prophecy, Tsolas. Mortals are not merely pawns of the gods. They have the power to create their own destiny, to choose how they will live their lives. That they end diminishes their power in no way, for their end is not an end, but a new beginning. We must never forget that."
Chon-zehn nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, mortals have the ability to transcend their circumstances, to live a life of meaning and purpose even in the darkest of times. And while we can guide them, Innzahm-nin is correct. We must not interfere so directly. We must do what we can to guide them, to inspire them to greatness."
Tsolas listened carefully to the words of Innzahm-nin and Chon-zehn. With a thoughtful expression, Tsolas replied, "You are right. Mortals have the power to create their own destiny, and we should not interfere too directly. But sometimes, a word of encouragement can be a guiding light in the darkness. We must not forget that while mortals may seem small and insignificant compared to us, they are still divine beings in their own right. They deserve our respect and admiration for their strength and resilience. Let us continue to watch over them, and guide them when we can, but always with a gentle hand and a spirit of compassion."
The Three Pure Ones then went back to their divine realms, content to leave mortals to ponder the nature of their existence and seek guidance from the divine.
Divine Rivalries
Blix - Grotspin, Vard
Dvarg - None
Fisk - Luutzi
Hest - Asna / Jormungandr
Kraka - Rettvisa
Krum - Odel Agga, Grotspin
Kverulant - None
Moderna - Orm
Morgon - Fortni
Rettvisa - Fortni, Kraka
Tekare - Glom
Vokat - Orm
Asna/Jormungandr - Hest
Vard - Blix
Luutzi - Fisk
Fortni - Morgon, Rettvisa
Orm - Vokat, Moderna
Grotspin - Blix, Krum
Glom - Tekare
Odel Agga - Krum
Lesser Powers and Demigods
Demigods of the Material Plane
King Cayden of Fortare
Smaragd of Stouthammar
The Emerald Emperor of Strillwyn
Wardens of Toinen Manala
Dr. Grabl Anatada, Warden of Umoth Manala
Demithrax, Warden of Fabeldyr Manala
Zinmenor, Warden of Altisia Manala
Incarn, Warden of Submanala
Elemental Powers
Salemo, Titan of the Deluge (Water Plane)
Ascended Ancient Water Dragon
Ayar, Titan of the Blaze (Fire Plane)
Ascended High Devil
Sarmat, Titan of the Quake (Earth Plane)
Ascended Storm Giant
Avastas, Titan of the Zephyr (Air Plane)
Ascended Hag
Celestial Powers
Lady Mora of the Shadow Peerage (Shadow)
Xuzzayua the Swarmqueen (Fae)
Sin, Archlich of the Ethereal (Ethereal)
The Becoming God (Aether)
The Planes of the Universe
The Universe is arrayed as such: The Greater Light, a beam of pure radiant energy, pours into the Ossurary Peak from an unknown source far beyond grasp or comprehension. This light is reflected to the realms of the positive deities, charging them with energy and potential. On the opposite side of the universe, the Third Lance penetrates the realm of Gluttony. Some say it pierces the heart of Glom himself, the source of his endless rage and torment. The darkness of the lance seeps into all of the negative realms, charging them with energy and potential. The realms of the gods float on the surface of the Aether Sea, the very weave of magic that permeates all of creation. Closer to the surface are the realms of elementals and fairies, shadows and titans. Locked in the deepest recesses, at the very core of the Aether Sea, is the Material Plane, also called Toinen, shielded away from the higher beings by a protective bubble known as the Divine Gate.
Positive and Negative Divine Realms
Positive
The Lightning Isle
Blix, the ruler of the Lightning Isle, is a figure of immense power and authority. This realm, pulsating with electrifying energy, is not just a place but a testament to the will and intent of its ruler. The Isle is a beacon, attracting those who have served Blix in life to continue their service in death within the Thunder Halls. This fortress complex, constructed entirely from crackling lightning, is a testament to the power of Blix and the loyalty of his followers.
The Thunder Halls are not just a fortress, but a place of transformation. Those who have lived nobly and died with honor, particularly the Giantkin or members of a Giantkin herd, are called to this place. Here, they are transformed into immortal celestials, a reward for their noble lives. This transformation is not just physical, but spiritual, as they continue to carry out the Will of The Tempest, Blix's divine mandate.
Beyond the Thunder Halls lie the Silent Plains, a vast and bountiful realm that serves as the final resting place for the ancestors of the Giantkin. Known also as the Great Herd in the Sky, this place is a testament to the honor and nobility of the Giantkin. Here, those who have lived and died with honor join their ancestors in eternal rest, their spirits becoming part of the Great Silence.
The Silent Plains are not just a place of rest, but a place of celebration. Here, the lives of the Giantkin are celebrated, their deeds remembered, and their spirits honored. The Plains are expansive, stretching as far as the eye can see, filled with lush grasslands and serene rivers. It is a place of peace, a stark contrast to the electrifying energy of the Thunder Halls.
The Lingering Cascade
The Lingering Cascade, under the dominion of Fisk, is a magnificent waterfall that serves as a gateway for unclaimed souls departing from the Good realms. This grand cascade flows past the Seat of Chaos, plunging into the Realm of Wrath before merging with the Great River, a waterway that traverses all planes. The servants of Fisk often attribute small moments of serendipity to the grateful spirits passing through the cascade, constructing small shrines in their honor to invite good fortune into their homes.
However, the Lingering Cascade is not merely a place of peaceful transition. It is also a place of judgment and transformation. Unclaimed souls are cast into the waters at the precipice of the waterfall, where the great serpent Ouroboros resides. This is a place of reckoning, where the true nature of a soul is revealed and its fate is decided.
Those who fall into the Great River without protection undergo a profound transformation. They become the embodiment of who they were in life: some turn twisted and wretched, while others become pristine and celestial. This transformation reflects the true essence of the soul.
However, not all souls are left to the mercy of the Great River. Some, who catch the attention of The Deep or other gods, are plucked from their destined path and brought into divine service. Most, however, are transformed and consumed by Ouroboros, their etheric souls purified of all good and evil, and recycled as pure energy.
These purified souls, now blank slates, are sent back into the material plane to inhabit the bodies of newborns at the moment of their birth. Thus, the Lingering Cascade serves not only as a place of departure for unclaimed souls but also as a source of new life, completing the cycle of existence in a grand cosmic ballet.
Valgard
Valgard, presided over by Krum, is a warrior's paradise. This realm is characterized by sandy shores and an infinite, sapphire blue ocean, providing a serene yet invigorating backdrop to the City of Splendor. This grand sandstone fortress is where Krum and his celestial servants train, harnessing the Greater Light reflected from the Ossuary Peak of Tekare. They grow in strength, preparing to meet the rising tide of threats across the planes.
The City of Splendor is a marvel of architecture and engineering. Primarily constructed from shaped sandstone, it is gilded with fine metals and adorned with an array of gears, pumps, and mechanisms. These serve various experiments and developments of the Warrior, symbolizing the city's constant evolution and progress. The city is a testament to Krum's dedication to strength, innovation, and the warrior's path.
The Greater Light, reflected from the Ossuary Peak of Tekare, is a source of power and inspiration for Krum and his celestial servants. It is not just a physical light, but a spiritual one, symbolizing the divine mandate of Krum and the noble path of the warrior. The celestial servants train under this light, growing in strength and wisdom, preparing to face the challenges that lie ahead.
However, Valgard is not just a place of training and preparation. It is also a place of rest and rejuvenation. The sandy shores and the infinite ocean provide a serene environment for the celestial servants to rest and rejuvenate, preparing them for the challenges that lie ahead. The ocean, with its infinite expanse and sapphire blue waters, symbolizes the infinite possibilities and challenges that lie ahead, inspiring the celestial servants to strive for greatness.
The Diamond Conclave
The Diamond Conclave, under the rule of Kverulant, is a realm of extraordinary splendor. This domain is renowned for its grand palace, a structure composed entirely of diamonds and other precious gemstones. The palace's dazzling display of refracted light is a sight to behold, embodying the realm's opulence and magnificence. Intriguingly, it is believed that all diamonds found in Toinen originated within this realm, underscoring its unique significance.
However, the Diamond Conclave also bears the scars of a tumultuous past. During the Strife Yuga, Rugotorix, the avatar of Jormungandr and the despot of Fabeldyr, struck a devastating blow against the realm. This assault resulted in fragments of the realm's precious gemstones scattering across the earth, a poignant testament to the ferocity of the conflict.
In the aftermath, the realm underwent a transformation. The fragments of the surface of the Diamond Conclave transitioned into the underground of the material plane, causing the diamonds to be lost in the depths beneath the world. Despite their displacement, these gemstones occasionally surface, discovered by miners and serving as a tangible link to the realm's past grandeur.
Today, the Diamond Conclave continues to stand as a beacon of resilience and enduring beauty despite its scars. The grand palace, despite the trials it has faced, remains a spectacle of radiant light and color. This enduring symbol of the realm's magnificence is a testament to its ability to withstand conflict and destruction.
Infinite Metsa
The Infinite Metsa, a realm of boundless nature, is the dominion of Moderna, the divine of the wild. This vast expanse of wilderness extends infinitely in all directions, a testament to the limitless power and influence of Moderna. The realm is teeming with life, with every creature, from the smallest blade of grass to the tallest redwood trees, possessing a unique form of animation. These entities move in ethereal steps, floating across the landscape and gliding through plains and forests alike.
The inhabitants of the Infinite Metsa are a mix of Moderna's own creations and former mortals who have been rewarded with a special role in the realm. These individuals, having lived noble lives, are granted the privilege of serving in the Infinite Metsa, contributing to the natural order of The Wild. Their presence in the realm is a reflection of their dedication to Moderna and her cause.
The growth of the Infinite Metsa is directly linked to the influence of Moderna. As her followers spread her teachings and extend her reach, the realm expands in size and scale. This growth is a manifestation of Moderna's increasing power and will, a visual representation of her expanding influence.
The Infinite Metsa is not just a realm; it is a symbol of Moderna's power and the embodiment of her ideals. It is a testament to the importance of nature and the role it plays in the grand scheme of things. The realm serves as a reminder of the beauty of the natural world and the need to respect and preserve it.
The Sun
Morgon, often associated with Fire, does not claim a specific plane of existence as his own. Instead, he has chosen a celestial body as his dwelling place: the sun that rises over Toinen each day. This sun is not merely a source of light and heat for the world below, but also the fortress of Morgon, a place of divine power and majesty.
Inside this fortress of light, Morgon rules with a radiant authority. The sun, in its ceaseless journey across the sky, is a testament to his enduring presence and influence. It rises each day, casting its light over the world, and sets each evening, only to rise again with the dawn. This cycle is a reflection of Morgon's own constancy and the unyielding power of radiance.
The sun is not just a fortress, but also a beacon. It serves as a guide for those who serve Morgon, illuminating their path and providing them with a sense of direction. It is a symbol of hope and inspiration, a reminder of Morgon's unwavering presence and his commitment to his followers.
The sun is also a source of energy and life. It nourishes the world below, fostering growth and vitality. This nurturing aspect of the sun is a reflection of Morgon's own role as a divine entity. He provides his followers with the spiritual nourishment they need to thrive, empowering them to fulfill their destinies.
The Moon
Rettvisa, often associated with Justice, does not claim a specific plane of existence as her own. Instead, she has chosen a celestial body as her dwelling place: the moon that rises over Toinen each evening. This moon is not merely a celestial body that illuminates the night sky, but also the palace of Rettvisa, a place of divine power and majesty.
Inside this grand palace, Rettvisa rules with an authority that is as serene and constant as the moon itself. The moon, in its ceaseless journey across the sky, is a testament to her enduring presence and influence. It rises each evening, casting its gentle light over the world, and sets each morning, only to rise again with the dusk. This cycle is a reflection of Rettvisa's own constancy and the unyielding power of mercy.
The moon is not just a palace, but also a beacon. It serves as a guide for those who serve Rettvisa, illuminating their path and providing them with a sense of direction. It is a symbol of hope and inspiration, a reminder of Rettvisa's unwavering presence and her commitment to her followers.
The moon is also a source of tranquility and reflection. It fosters a sense of peace and introspection, encouraging those who gaze upon it to contemplate their actions and seek justice in their dealings. This nurturing aspect of the moon is a reflection of Rettvisa's own role as a divine entity. She provides her followers with the spiritual guidance they need to uphold justice and fairness, empowering them to fulfill their destinies.
The Ossuary Peak
The Ossuary Peak, presided over by Tekare, the Mistress of Knowledge, is a monumental mountain library that stands as a beacon of wisdom and enlightenment at the edge of the universe. This towering structure, adorned with shimmering almandine formations, is a sanctuary of knowledge, housing countless volumes of wisdom collected from across the planes of existence.
The library itself is a marvel of architectural grandeur and intellectual richness. Carved into the mountain, it is a labyrinth of corridors and chambers filled with ancient scrolls, books, and artifacts. The walls of the library are lined with shelves that reach towards the high, vaulted ceilings, each filled with countless volumes of wisdom. The air is heavy with the scent of parchment and ink, a testament to the countless hours spent in the pursuit of knowledge.
The library is divided into various sections, each dedicated to a different field of study. There are halls filled with astronomical charts and celestial maps, rooms dedicated to the study of magical arts, and chambers filled with historical records and philosophical treatises. Each section is meticulously organized and maintained by the celestial servants of Tekare, who are as dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge as their mistress.
At the heart of the library is the Universalis Biographica, a grand chamber that houses the most sacred and profound texts. Here, Tekare herself often studies, her figure illuminated by the ethereal glow of the Greater Light that filters through the almandine formations. This chamber is a place of deep reverence, a testament to the pursuit of knowledge that defines the Ossuary Peak.
The Ossuary Peak is not just a library, but a realm of intellectual exploration and discovery. It is a testament to Tekare's commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and a beacon of inspiration for all those who seek to unravel the mysteries of the universe. The Greater Light that illuminates this realm serves as a constant reminder of the eternal quest for understanding, encouraging all who dwell here to never cease in their pursuit of wisdom.
The Greater Light
The Ossuary Peak is situated at the edge of the universe, with its pinnacle touching the Greater Light, a celestial entity of profound significance and reverence.
The Greater Light is a subject of intense study and veneration for Tekare and her followers. This celestial entity originates from beyond the Ossuary Peak, illuminating the universe with its radiant glow. The Greater Light is a symbol of the eternal quest for knowledge, embodying the idea that the pursuit of understanding is a virtue in itself, often more valuable than the attainment of knowledge.
Tekare herself is deeply engrossed in the study of this enigmatic light, serving as a beacon of inspiration for all knowledge seekers. Her dedication to unraveling the mysteries of the Greater Light is a testament to her commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, encouraging her followers to embrace the same path of intellectual curiosity and discovery.
However, the mysteries of the Greater Light are not for the faint-hearted. Only the highest prelates of Tekare's order can gaze upon this celestial entity and retain their sanity. The Greater Light's overwhelming brilliance and profound mysteries can easily overwhelm the unprepared, underscoring the importance of wisdom and preparedness in the pursuit of knowledge.
In essence, the Ossuary Peak is more than just a physical location; it is a symbol of the eternal quest for knowledge and understanding. It is a testament to Tekare's commitment to intellectual exploration and a beacon of inspiration for all those who seek to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
The Fields of Lahg
Vokat, the divine of civilization, presides over the realm known as the Fields of Lahg, a vast expanse of diverse landscapes that include forests, deserts, lakes, and fertile soil. At the heart of this realm stands the Lahghus, a grand castle constructed from petrified wood and encircled by geysers that spew forth both flame and light. This castle serves as the hub of activity and the seat of power for Vokat, from where he orchestrates the expansion of civilization across his realm.
The Fields of Lahg are a testament to the transformative power of civilization. Under Vokat's guidance, his celestial servants work tirelessly to bring order and structure to the land, extending their craft of civilization in every direction. Their efforts are directed towards the Seat of Law, a separate realm that exists as a beacon of order, serving as the guiding light for their endeavors.
The Lahghus, a castle of petrified wood, is a marvel of architecture. Its towering spires and grand halls are a testament to the craftsmanship of Vokat's celestial servants and the creative force of civilization that drives the realm. The castle is a bustling hub of activity, with celestial beings engaged in various tasks, from planning the expansion of civilization to maintaining the order within the castle itself. The castle's most striking feature are its massive geysers of flame and light that flare from the inner core of the palace.
The realm itself is a vibrant tapestry of diverse, ordered landscapes. The forests are lush rows of cultivated trees, orchards teeming with life, the deserts are dotted with cubic rock formations, the lakes are serene and sorted in neat polygonal shapes, and the soil produces ripened fruit on straightened vines. Each landscape is a testament to the beauty of order and the potential it holds for civilization under the guidance of Vokat.
In the Fields of Lahg, the process of civilization is a force of domination that creates a harmonious partnership with the world. The celestial servants of Vokat change the natural landscapes, creating order from the chaos of nature. They cultivate the soil, harness the resources of the forests and lakes, and navigate the challenges of the desert, always with the aim of creating a balanced and sustainable civilization. This realm is a testament to Vokat's vision of civilization as a force of order and progress, a vision that his celestial servants strive to realize every day.
Negative
Realm of Greed
Realm of Pride
Realm of Sloth
Realm of Envy
Realm of Lust
Realm of Gluttony
Realm of Wrath
Dragons of Toinen
Origins
Hest and the Material Dragons
First dragons created out of the material things of the world: earth, fire, air, water, and soul.
Asna/Jormungandr and the Ethereal Dragons
Dragons made from the essence of Material Dragons slain in the abyss: shadow, fae, poison, ice, and blood.
The Court of Scales
Ruled by Rugotorix, Avatar of Jorumungandr and Despot of Fabeldyr. Cast down by Zane the Slayer at the beginning of the 8th century of the Demigod Millenium
The Remnant
Toinen: Calendar & Holidays
Timeline of Toinen
Pre-Creation Period (Time Immemorial, untold eons passed during this age)
Proto-Toinen (Covers a period of approximately 30,000 years)
The Demigod Millenium
0-99DE, the Dawning Era
100-199BE, the Breaking Era
200-299CE1, the First Confluent Era
300-399DE, the Deepening Era
400-499GE, the Golden Era
500-599RE, the Retracting Era
600-699SE, the Silent Era
700-799FE, the Founding Era
800-899CE2, the Second Confluent Era
900TE-1000TE, the Twilight Era
Years
One year in Toinen represents a sum period of three hundred forty-one (341) days (each day consisting of 24 hours), spread across 44 weeks. The world of Toinen (sometimes referred to as “the material plane”) is a spheroid planet which has two equinox events per year, the Vernal Equinox on the First of Borjan and the Autumnal Equinox on the First of Sten. Each equinox’s halfway point is marked by a Solstice transition to the next season, with the Summer Solstice on the First of Streck and the Winter Solstice on the First of Dyst. Click here to see the Full Size Calendar.
Months
The months were first recorded by the gods themselves, observing the repeating patterns of time in their wisdom:
Borjan, the first birthing pattern, though marked by cold and frost, flames with potential. It is four weeks of seven days, twenty-eight days total.
Lind, the second winding pattern, is marked by wind and sun, growth for the farmer and the wild alike. It is four weeks of seven days, twenty-eight days total.
Ommer, the third blooming pattern, is marked by sun and life, a bountiful month of fertility. It is three weeks of seven days and one week of eight days, twenty-nine days total.
Streck, the fourth sprawling pattern, is marked by expansion and balance, a time of pruning and development. It is four weeks of seven days, twenty-eight days total.
Besl, the fifth resolute pattern, is marked by density and substance, a month of solidity and loyalty to kin. It is four weeks of seven days, twenty-eight days total.
Behag, the sixth graceful pattern, is marked by elegance and desire, a month for indulgence and luxury. It is three weeks of seven days and one week of eight days, twenty-nine days total.
Sten, the seventh fixed pattern, is marked by righteousness and justice, a month of setting right that which is wrong. It is four weeks of seven days, twenty-eight days total.
Helv, the eighth blazing pattern, is marked by radiance and flame, a month for purification and hard labor. It is four weeks of seven days, twenty-eight days total.
Virv, the ninth swirling pattern, is marked by intrigue and auspiciousness, a month for taking oaths and divining omens. It is three weeks of seven days and one week of eight days, twenty-nine days total.
Dyst, the tenth gloomy pattern, is marked by cold fog and sorrow, a month of departures and mourning. It is four weeks of seven days, twenty-eight days total
Stallisk, the eleventh crystalline pattern, is marked by music and celebration, a month for thankfulness and gift-giving. It is four weeks of seven days, twenty-eight days total
Vanda, the twelfth consuming and final pattern before repetition, is marked by reflection and determination, a month for contemplation and resolution. It is three weeks of seven days and one week of nine days, thirty days total.
Days
Days of the week are named after the seven Positive Deities whose domains cover administration, government, and the proper order, as well as a touch of fate and a reminder that all things must meet their end. Each week consists of at least seven days in this arrangement:
Morg, Kvertz, Dvarg, Fisk, Blix, Krax, and Vokatz
Every third month marks the end of a season and contains an additional day, generally coinciding with a holiday or other day of religious significance. These special days are: Springsend, Summersend, Autumnsend, Wintersend, and a special day called Yearsend immediately following the day of Wintersend.
Holy and Sacred Days
The First Day/Vernal Equinox
1st of Borjan
Saint Thundertide's Day
7th of Lind
The Day of Scheming
26th of Ommer
Saint Alsker's Day
28th of Ommer
Sprinsend
29th of Ommer
Summer Solstice
1st of Streck
Day of the Wild
20th of Streck
Saint Stoneaxe's Day
18th of Besl
Day of Declension
25th of Besl
Saint Frances' Day
28th of Behag
Summersend
29th of Behag
Saint Vokatara's Day/Autumnal Equinox
1st of Sten
Spinner's Eve
7th of Sten
Founder’s Day (Umoth)
14th of Helv
Midsummer
15th of Helv
Hatred's Harbor
26th of Helv
Day of Obtainment
13th of Virv
Saint Kathryn's Day
28th of Virv
Autumnsend
28th of Virv
Winter Solstice
1st of Dyst
Saint Jory's Day
20th of Dyst
Saint Amilaxine's Day
5th of Stallisk
Evernight
15th of Stallisk
Midwinter Festival
20th-22nd of Stallisk
The Night of Accounts
26th of Vanda
Days of Closing
27th-30th of Vanda
Wintersend
29th of Vanda
Yearsend
30th of Vanda
Toinen: Maps
Maps of Altisia
Antediluvian Altisia: https://i.imgur.com/Qm3lppM.jpg
Modern Altisia: https://i.imgur.com/3UgCiPo.jpg
Maps of Fabeldyr
Antediluvian Fabeldyr: https://i.imgur.com/3ABe4s8.jpg
Modern Fabeldyr: https://i.imgur.com/koNcAmY.png
Maps of Umoth
Antediluvian Umoth: https://i.imgur.com/aZuyBvm.jpg
Modern Umoth: https://i.imgur.com/RV3Cb3E.jpg
Toinen: Noble and Notable Houses
Altisia
Fortare
House Branrow (Fortare)
House Adan (Fortare)
Clan Copperling (Fortare)
Stouthammar
Clan Gold
Clan Cragbrew
Elven Wood Realms
House Abistel
House Torwynn
House Traxalim
Splitriver Mercantile
Bramante Dynasty
Pettroni Family
Wildwood
Clan Fel
Clan Enn
Clan Mot
Clan Eldrin
Fabeldyr
Alia
House Touzet
House Bisone
House Detrois
House Saphir
Angaland
House Hopsycthe
House Nain-Touzet
House Owlbrook
House Tongsmith
Flaksja
House Kurzheim
House Solsten
House Ekvind
House Harlinga
The Golden Dynasty
House Atsubei
House Mazan
House Urungai
House Huchuan
Perkansa
House Petturi
House Kolaa
House Hiekkatie
House Salaisuus
Umoth
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Table Expectations and Resources
The following resources are helpful for new players of all kinds. These resources will help players of any experience level shore up their knowledge on the basics of D&D, role playing, and general etiquette to observe when gaming with others.
Welcome to Dungeons and Dragons - This video, made by storyteller and game designer Matt Colville, helps explain the core concepts and basic assumptions of Dungeons and Dragons (what is this game, how long does it take, what do you need, etc)
Storytelling Mechanics in Toinen - Explores the core ideas around storytelling mechanics as well as best practices for communicating intentions that make it easier for the GM to advance the story.
What Can I Do On My Turn? - This quick reference page easily sorts and details various things you can do on your turn in a round of combat in D&D 5e. If you find yourself saying, “I can’t do anything else” and feeling like you aren’t taking full advantage of your turn, this is a perfect reference document to jumpstart your imagination. Pro tip: Click on the various icons for a more detailed description and a page citation to the source rulebook for further reading.
Generating a Character
Core Assumptions
Use the following core assumptions to better understand how the game works and the world your character comes from:
The Game is Collaborative. Players should create characters that are 1) at the very least willing to work with others in a group, and 2) that are at the very least willing to leave the safety of home to go on adventures. If a player insists on playing a character who is averse to teamwork or does not want to live the life of an adventurer, players should recognize these traits as flaws and have a plan for their character to overcome them, lest they become a burden on the party and a hindrance to the story. A backstory is the perfect place for a character to Refuse the Call to Adventure, to borrow from the monomyth.
Goals and Actions Make the Story. It is encouraged for Game Masters and Players to collaborate on what the character’s goals and objectives are so the GM can weave these elements into the story. Working together in this way will create a more engaging story and a more rewarding game experience.
Adventurers are Extraordinary People. Adventurers, also known as player characters, are driven by a desire for excitement and a willingness to take on challenges that others would not dare. They may be heroes, exploring dangerous places and facing challenges that others cannot handle, or they may choose more sinister paths to achieve their goals. Regardless of their moral choices, adventurers are significant individuals who leave a lasting impact on the world.
The Gods are Evident. The gods, both positive and negative, are real and embody a range of beliefs. Each god claims control over certain aspects of the world, such as death, war, and nature. Although some people may not honor the gods, their existence is undeniable. It is common for people to worship at least one god, and the practices of worship vary by location. There is often conflict between followers of positive and negative deities, who may make deals and ally against each other to oppose their counterparts.
Adventurers Tame the Wilds. Lawless places exist between pockets of civilization, especially in later eras when the major powers are in decline. There are many city-states and kingdoms of different sizes scattered throughout the land, but beyond their borders the wilderness takes over. Most people are familiar with their immediate surroundings, but only a few, such as the educated elite, merchants who travel widely, wanderers, and heroic adventurers, have knowledge of what lies beyond the local mountains or in the darkest parts of nearby forests.
The World Is Ancient. Empires come and go, and their influence can be seen in almost every place. Many wild areas were once home to now-defunct powers, and the civilizations that exist today will eventually fall into decay. Lost civilizations often hold secret knowledge, magical items, and forbidden objects that some believe should remain hidden in the past. Generally speaking, common people are highly familiar with their local world and politics, but become less knowledgeable about foreign affairs the further they are from large hubs of civilization. People are aware of other continents and would know their names, but are less likely to be up to date on the latest politics and events in locations more than a few days or weeks of travel away.
Empires come and go, and their influence can be seen in almost every place. Many wild areas were once home to now-defunct powers, and the civilizations that exist today will eventually fall into decay. Lost civilizations often hold secret knowledge, magical items, and forbidden objects that some believe should remain hidden in the past. Generally speaking, common people are highly familiar with the politics of their local world up to the regional level. Kings and their nobles might understand affairs on the other side of the continent, or in another continent, if they have business there.
Note: It is highly recommended by the author that in a traditional campaign this section be completed with at least your GM, if not together with your entire party. You might even have everyone create characters as part of your “Session 0”. West Marches or open-enroll format games might consider ignoring this due to the size of the player/GM pool.
Before getting into the minutiae of where your character is from and what they’ve done with their lives so far, we need to establish some foundational information like your character’s stats, name, racial ancestry and what class you’ll be taking levels in. If you want to randomly generate something, there are tables available to assist with this. That being said, your character’s ancestry, class, and background are quite central to your game experience, both in terms of roleplay potential and the mechanics of the game itself. While Toinen was originally designed with a certain game edition in mind, this guide is written to be compatible with any system. Some additional work may be required on the part of the player or GM to adapt the story content here to their own system. Some prefer to choose something they know they will enjoy while others are interested in experiencing something entirely new. Use the tables to inspire yourself and make sure that whatever you end up with is something you can see yourself potentially enjoying.
Continent of Origin (map)
Before determining your character’s Ancestry, we need to determine where your character is from in the world. Toinen has several clusters of civilization set against the backdrop of long stretches of wilderness. Small hamlets and cottages may be found from time to time, but most people tend to look for security in a world full of dangers and choose to lead their lives in small villages, medium towns, and large cities.
One additional note: this document assumes your game is starting in or after the year 900, commonly known as the Twilight Era (TE). As with all Tabletop RPG content, feel free to follow or disregard this assumption as you see fit. A great flood destroyed much of the world in the previous century. Maps of the world as it was before the flood are included in the Appendices section at the end of this document. What happens at your table with your GM is meant to be your own creation together and this guide is meant as a humble set of helpful suggestions rather than requirements. With that understanding, let’s determine where your character is from:
In Fabeldyr, conflict brews between the five nations that arose from the end of the Draconic Hierarchy. Alia and Angaland are already in conflict with Perkansa, with Flaksja and the Golden Dynasty falling The Blackrock Company, once enjoying a position of massive wealth and power, is caught between these various conflicts, supplying mercenaries to many armies where soldiers fight under the same banners. The wars have caused vigilance against the return of the dragons to waver as watchful eyes are pulled from their posts and sent to the front.
In Altisia, a land once divided by a massive saltwater river and further destroyed by a global flood, the island city-state of Fortare stands on the brink of catastrophe. The Deepdelver Accord, a once powerful alliance of humans, elves, and dwarves, lies in tatters. The Elven Wood Realms seek to grow their borders as a means to recover land lost to the floods. The dwarves of Stouthammar delve deeper beneath the earth, seeking a peril of their own as though the threats from the surface weren’t enough. The humans of Fortare are left to their own devices as the city turns inward, isolated against a risen ocean. The raw magic of the dying god-king Cayden is the only thing keeping the city from falling beneath the waves for all time. While the west falls into ruin, the twin merchant cities of Northbridge and Southbridge guard the eastern outlet and all ocean trade around the continent, ever frustrated by marauding groups of kidnapping raiders. Many other small powers lie isolated across the land, turning to whomever they can for safety and resources.
Umoth, an ancient land rediscovered near the end of the Demigod Millenium, was thought to have been first discovered by a group of Blackrock Company veterans known as The Surveyors. These explorers established an outpost in what was once Rodent Bay that eventually became the adventurer town of Kalapa. In time, the city of Forgeland was founded to the north, a diverse metropolis ruled by the Freeforged, a sect of machine people who fled the destruction of their world via magical portals. Full descriptions of these regions, including their history, can be found in their respective guides.
Roll a d100 and consult the table below (or work with your GM and choose one of your preference) to determine which region you were born in. If you want a character born in one place but raised in another, roll two times on the table. Be sure to involve and consult the GM while building your character’s backstory!
d100
Region
00-33
Altisia
34-66
Fabeldyr
67-100
Umoth (The Continent)
Hometown
Once you’ve determined the continent you hail from and considered your social status within that realm, roll on the appropriate table in this section to determine which settlement you grew up in. If your character is a traveler—a child of soldiers, a nomad, a traveling performer, and so forth—you can roll for up to three settlements that you’ve visited often and have some connections in. If you don’t like what you rolled or a particular location has interest to you, talk to your GM about choosing from the list instead!
d100
Altisia
Type
01-02
(Coastal Farm Alliance) Northam
Village
03-04
(Coastal Farm Alliance) Qugrine
Village
05-06
(Coastal Farm Alliance) Sikuaq
Village
07-13
(Elven Wood Realms) Ishne Dorei
Town
14-18
(Elven Wood Realms) Strillwyn
City
19-22
(Splitriver Mercantile) Northbridge
Town
23-26
(Splitriver Mercantile) Southbridge
Town
27-28
(The Molten League) Magstone
Village
29-30
(The Molten League) Soderberg
Village
31-35
Bergholm
Town
36-70
Fortare
City
71-75
Grosh Narok
Village
76-78
Homlet
Village
79-81
Pompen
Village
82-87
Salal Adan
Town
88-94
Stouthammar
City
95-100
The Wildwood
Village
d100
Fabeldyr
Type
01-06
(Alia) Comment
Village
07-13
(Alia) Lexum
Town
14-20
(Angaland) Dunstead
City
21-27
(Angaland) Twinforks (Destroyed, see guide entry)
28-34
(Blackrock Company) Rugosfall
City
35-41
(Flaksja) Skild
Village
42-48
(Flaksja) Vogurok
Town
49-54
(Golden Dynasty) Daibo
Village
55-61
(Golden Dynasty) Damingtu
Town
62-68
(Perkansa) Kikarsa
Town
69-74
(Perkansa) Sisu
Village
75-80
Gronstrom
Village
81-86
Parnorium
Village
87-92
Reroll
93-100
Reroll
d100
Umoth (The Continent)
Type
01-20
Forgeland
City
21-39
Kalapa/Hengeshire
Village
40-59
Laukku Talo
Town
60-79
New Thresh
Village
80-100
Nineveh
Village
You can determine your character’s ancestry by consulting the description of the town you are from later on in this document. Each settlement’s description includes a percentile breakdown of its ancestral demographics. You can roll a d100 to determine your character’s ancestry, or simply choose one that you wish to play. If you roll on the settlement description page and your result indicates “Other Ancestries,” you can choose any ancestry that isn’t already represented in the settlement’s demographics.
Pro Tip: While most ancestries could be found anywhere, there are a small number of places where certain results will necessitate a tone you might not want for your character or the GM might not want for the overall game. Life is tough for Half Elves in the Elven Wood Realms, similarly for many Dragonkin in parts of Fabeldyr. Don’t be afraid to try something new or subversive, but work together with your GM to make sure everyone is on the same page and your character fits into the story they’ll be leading you through.
Don’t forget that departing from the “canon” narrative is also always an option! Maybe you want Dragonkin to be famously good and loved by all, or Half Elves to be welcomed as full fledged members of the High Elven empire. It’s ultimately your table, your game, and your story to do with as you see fit!
Ancestries of Toinen
In the Toinen setting, Player Characters are most commonly from the follow ancestries, though others may be found in the world:
Angelkin
Age: up to 170 years
Size: Similar to Human
Angelkin are touched by celestial parentage in some way, whether directly or as a result of a pact or blessing somewhere in the family line. They are most often the children of two human parents, however there have been unions between celestial beings and humans in the past which have produced them more directly. They have glowing eyes, can sprout divine wings, and tend to feel an affinity to a particular positive deity or the celestial being who parented them. As they begin puberty, horns begin to grow from their skulls. Adolescent angelkin care for their horns religiously, decorating them with etching and jewelry and shaping them to grow in a circular fashion. Once they reach an age of maturity, their horns are long enough to reach one another. When they connect, holy light causes the horns to glow brightly, forming the Angelkin’s halo. The radiant light effectively blinds the Angelkin, but their divine connection shines through and preserves their vision, a miraculous sign of the connection to their god. Angelkin whose halos are broken lose their divine connection, a fate most consider too horrid to imagine.
Catkin
Age: Up to 200 years
Size:
Catkin have feline facial features and behavioral patterns, but are otherwise similar to other humanoids. They have excellent climbing skills and tend to take advantage of this when selecting their living places. Forests with tall trees and mountains are both preferable environments for catkin settlements. Catkin originate from Fabeldyr, but can be found all over Toinen.
Devilkin
Age: Up to 130 years
Size: Similar to Human
Devilkin are touched by infernal parentage in some way, whether directly or as a result of a pact or blessing somewhere in the family line. They are most often the children of pactbreakers, though some are produced as by the terms of the pact. They have a skin tone matching their infernal heritage, can sprout leathery wings for short bursts of flight, and tend to feel an affinity to a particular negative deity. As they begin puberty, horns emerge from the head of the devilkin, growing in a circular fashion around the eyes. Great care is taken to shape and guide the horns so they never interlock, resulting in a variety of expressive designs that range from simple and efficient to ghastly and macabre, depending on the temperament of the devilkin in question. Devilkin who let their horns fuse together lose their infernal powers and connection to the negative energy of the gods, a fate most consider too horrible to imagine.
Dragonkin
Age: Up to 300 years
Size: Slightly larger than human
A result of twisted experimentation during the era of the Court of Scales in Fabeldyr, Dragonkin are humanoids bearing draconic features and behavior patterns. In their earliest days, Dragonkin were used as shock troops by their creators. The Blackrock Company’s first heroic victories were against legions of Dragonkin. It is not uncommon to find people who are prejudiced against Dragonkin on account of their hatred of Dragons and the memories of these events. Because of this, it is generally not common to find Dragonkin outside of their community enclaves scattered across Fabeldyr, be they in wilderness sanctums or more populous zones.
Dwarf
Age: Up to 500 years
Size: Slightly smaller than human
Preferring to live underground in their stronghold colonies, the dwarves of Toinen are resilient and patient folk. The first dwarves that were created were made of pure materials: crystal, mineral, and metal. Newborn dwarves, however, are clearly made of flesh and bone. Yet, as they age, their ancestry begins to shine through via a metamorphosis that takes centuries to fully complete. Dwarves who “die” of old age do not have organic bodies that cease to function, rather their bodies have converted completely to inorganic material as they rejoin the earth from whence they came. Some dwarves believe that those who have rejoined the earth persist in their duties to watch over kin and clan, and are venerated as honored ancestors. Dwarves are hardy folk who prefer to create underground cities with networks of caves and tunnels.
Freeforged
Age: Unknown. Freeforged have existed in Toinen for nearly 200 years, and existed at all for not much more than 400 years, and none have been known to die of old age as of yet.
Size: Larger than human
Flung across the stars from a far away world, the Freeforged are a peculiar folk. Requiring no food or rest, they are incredibly tenacious and curious. Freeforged are created via complex arcane machinery only found in their home realm, which they have been cut off from. Freeforged who become adventurers often do so in an effort to understand more about their purpose and origin, dissatisfied with a life of task fulfillment and service to others. Freeforged are a people set adrift, and each one tends to find themselves on an odyssey to understand their
Giantkin
Age: Up to 1000 years, -100 for each level down the Ordning
Size: Larger than human
In times long past, some of the giants from the Hills of Thunder in Altisia were seduced by the daughters of a local bandit warlord. These humanoid women bore enormous offspring who became powerful warriors and heroes in their own right. Their offspring were known to stand a head taller than all of their peers and have come to be known as Giantkin in the world of Toinen today.
Gnome
Age: Up to 400 years
Size: Much smaller than human
Diminutive in stature, gnomes are a clever and sly folk. They are brilliant innovators, most famous for mechanical contrivance, though their ingenuity extends far beyond mere artifice. Because they often inhabit locales made for folk twice their size or larger, many gnomes develop an outsized personality to ensure that they are always noticed.
Goblin
Age: Up to 50 years
Size: Much smaller than human
Goblins are a mixed case in Toinen. While it is not uncommon to find them in cities and adventuring parties alike, the world is also full of goblins who prefer to live in tribes of their own, separated from their neighbors. Many rely on raiding and pillaging to acquire food and materials that cannot be obtained through simple labor. Because of this, many goblins face prejudice when interacting with other ancestries who are only familiar with their less savory cousins.
Half Elf
Age: Up to 150 years
Size: Similar to human
It was not long after the High Elves founded Strillwyn that the first half-elves started appearing in the villages surrounding the fledgling empire. Half Elves are blessed with some of the best traits of their parents: ingenuity, an affinity for nature, superior health and vision, and other such traits. However, half elves often have a hard time finding a place to fit in socially, and as such, many turn to a vagabond lifestyle and take up adventuring.
Half Orc
Age: Up to 100 years
Size: Slightly larger than human
When the orcs and humans first interacted, it was not in conflict, as many believe. According to the oldest stories, it was a political marriage between the chieftess of a powerful tribe and the son of a princely noble that created the first half-orc children. They were originally celebrated as a true blessing from Vokat, the Judge. However, outside of societies where orcs are commonly held in a friendly context, most humanoids have as hard a time accepting half orcs as they do their full blooded parents.
Halfling
Age: Up to 130 years
Size: Much smaller than human
Halflings are often confused with gnomes by those who have met few of either. Although they are slightly taller, the similarities tend to taper off there. Halflings are taken with a love for the soil rather than the forge, and then to most often take up roles as Rangers and roamers of the wildest places. A halfling will trek seventy leagues into a dangerous forest to procure a rare mushroom for a holiday stew they want to give as a gift to a relative. They are sentimental toward friends and have a great love for home and hearth.
High Elf
Age: Up to 2000 years
Size: Slightly larger than human
Often viewed as haughty or arrogant, High Elves are the longest-lived ancestry in Toinen. Descendents of the First Ones, the proto elvish people, the High Elves share a deep connection to magic and time itself. High Elves are known to be motivated primarily by their own interests and as such excel in matters of craftsmanship and business alike. While their actions may come across as conceited, some High Elves are driven by a genuine desire to learn and understand the world around them.
Hobgoblin
Age: Up to 130 years
Size: Slightly larger than human
Hobgoblins originally hail from the continent of Umoth, where the Great Kanat once ruled most of the livable territory. Now, the Great Kanat is a distant memory and the scattered kanaten jockey with one another for power and position. Hobgoblins tend to be lawful and group-oriented (as opposed to individualistic) and have an affinity for martial combat.
Human
Age: Up to 120 years
Size: Between 5 and 7 feet on average
Humans are children of Morgon, god of the sun. They are the most common ancestry on Toinen, being found in all places at most times. They are curious, unique, and tenacious. For good or ill, humans are often directly involved in most of the great stories of Toinen.
Orc
Age: Up to 160 years
Size: Larger than human
Orcs are the embodiment of strength, wisdom, and passion. They are deeply connected to the earth and tend to be more focused on the here and now than planning for the future. Technologically, their settlements are not as developed, but they make up for what they lack in artifice with mechanical ingenuity. Orcish engineers are capable of designing ways to move great stones for use in monument building across Toinen.
Ravenkin
Age: Up to 200 years
Size: Much smaller than human
Ravenkin are children of Kraka, best known for their unparalleled skill in vocal mimicry. If they hear something once, they are able to replicate it nearly perfectly with little effort. Ravenkin have wing-like arms, but do not possess the ability to fly. They tend to be shorter, similar to halflings and gnomes in height.
Wood Elf
Age: Up to 800 years
Size: Similar to human
Often described as aloof or uncaring, the Wood Elves of Toinen are treeherders and nature lovers. Descendents of the First Ones, the proto elvish people, the wood elves have a connection to nature that is stronger than any other ancestry. The most powerful archdruids and their servants are trained in the ways of the wood elves, be they of fey ancestry or otherwise.
Why Ancestry?
Words are powerful. In our own world on Earth, ideas of race and ancestry have been used to categorize, divide, and subjugate people from every walk of life. My intention with the choice to use the word “ancestry” is to make the game accessible for as many people as possible. Harmful tropes have plagued this game since its earliest days and we have the responsibility as the next generation of players to undo those wrongs, starting at our own tables. In our own ways, we should try to live up to the good and heroic ideals that our characters often seek to emulate, traits like justice, humility, and equality.
This is not meant to cast “ancestry” as some kind of safe or sanitized word that absolves us of our responsibilities to think critically about these issues, both inside and outside of our gaming experiences. Certain words and representations are deemed harmful for reasons outside the scope of our own personal experiences. It is the hope of the author that we can be mindful of these things while still engaging fully with an immersive, richly diverse fantasy world. Please hold on to this ideal as you create the best play experience possible with anyone and everyone who may find themselves at your table. And don’t forget to have fun!
Toinen Backgrounds
d20
Background
1
Acolyte (Barmhart Convent)
2
Criminal (The Syndicate)
3
Daggerist (Work In Progress)
4
Child of the Ark
5
Outlander (Bergholm/Gronstrom)
6
Acolyte (Raven of Kraka)
7
Sage (Etheric Council, (Work In Progress))
8
Soldier (Blackrock Company)
9
Spy (Fabeldyr Nation)
Fleshing out a Backstory
A Toinen player character’s backstory begins with determining the region where they were born, the job they had before becoming an adventurer, their social status, the settlement where they grew up, and their family relationships. As this backstory develops, the character will gain allies and rivals, as well as learn some of the fateful moments that set them on the path of adventure.
The following guide is written with a specific goal in mind: creating characters local to and immersed in the game world, defining their family and key relationships, and providing interesting plot hooks for the GM to create engagement with the game. You’ve already gathered enough information to start building out a life for your character, use these next steps to add more color and depth to your story.
Family
The size of your hometown plays a part in determining the size of your family. Villages tend to be more rural, usually with less than five hundred denizens, where families need children to tend the homestead and keep things running. By contrast, city dwellers have to contend with high prices for land and commodities, pushing working families to have fewer children to reduce expenses.
Families with three or more children tend to have a family trade which at least one of them can continue. Children of large families are often encouraged to depart, under one set of circumstances or another, to seek a higher station in life or to bring honor to an already storied family legacy. Wealthy families may seek to send their children to the Etheric Council or the Astral Hall in Fortare for specialized training. Working class families, especially in Fabeldyr, may see children pledge to the Blackrock Company, forsaking their family name and holding fast to the legacy of Zane the Slayer.
Roll or make a selection on the appropriate tables, once to see how many living parents you have and the other to determine your living siblings. Keep in mind that the state of your family might change over the course of building your backstory, in addition to the changes that will occur during the course of the campaign!
Family members can help cement a player’s immersion in the world. While they can provide an accessible avenue for many to connect to the story on an emotional level, not every player will be comfortable with this in their roleplay experience. Make sure you work with your GM to create something that works for you and you’re excited to play with.
Family Size (Village)
d100
Number of Parents
Number of Siblings
01-10
3 or more
2d4+2
11-65
2
2d4
66-89
1
1d4
90-100
0
0
Family Size (Town)
d100
Number of Parents
Number of Siblings
01-10
3 or more
2d4+2
11-75
2
2d4
76-95
1
1d4
96-100
0
0
Family Size (City)
d100
Number of Parents
Number of Siblings
01-05
3 or more
2d4+2
06-55
2
2d4
56-80
1
1d4
81-100
0
0
Parents. You might have been blessed with two loving parents, or you might have helped your single parent take care of the rest of your family. You might have been raised by three or more parents, whether because those parents engage in a polyamorous relationship, one or both parents had multiple spouses (perhaps after a death or divorce), or you were raised communally. Or you might have no parents, whether you were orphaned early in life or have outlived the parents you did have. Perhaps you were even adopted by a parent or parents of a different ancestry than your own!
Siblings. Your siblings can include your parents’ other children, half-siblings from your parents’ other marriages or affairs, cousins who are as close as siblings, or beloved friends who became siblings by bond rather than by blood.
Made, not Begotten. If your character is from an ancestry that is not typically “born” from organic parents, such as the Freeforged, your official “siblings” are the fellow constructs made in the same batch as you. However, your character may also form other key relationships that carry the same weight as a parental or sibling bond. Some Freeforged feel no connection at all to those they were made at the same time as, while others claim a close sense of kinship. It may make more sense to roll or choose from the allies table instead of the relationships table depending on what compliments your backstory. Work with your GM to incorporate these concepts when building your family background.
Family Member Traits
Once you’ve determined the size of your family, choose the gender and age of each family member. You can select your own ages or use a few dice rolls to determine results. Roll for each Sibling to determine how many years apart they are in age. A smaller die such as a d4 or a d6 might make more sense for an ancestry with a shorter lifespan while a larger die such as a d10 or even a d20 might make sense in other scenarios. Work with your GM to determine the best way to proceed here. Do the same thing for Parent ages, using a dice size appropriate to their ancestry and culture. If your ancestry is known for particularly lengthy lifespans, consider doubling or tripling your results with the GM’s input. Remember that rolling is a suggestion and not a requirement, you can simply pick ages that make sense if that is easier.
Powerful Family Relationships
Even before your adventuring career began, you had allies who supported you and rivals who sought to thwart your success. In some cases, your allies might be so devoted that they are indispensable companions, while your rivals are hateful enough to make them nothing short of mortal enemies.
Your first allies and rivals are your family. Sometimes your family members are your closest friends. Sometimes you hate their guts. Roll a d3. This is the number of powerful relationships you have within your family.
Roll once on the Family Relationships table for each powerful relationship you have within your family, to determine the setup of your friendship or rivalry. If you have no living family members, roll above as explained, but substitute in Rivals and Allies as needed from the Relationships and Identities tables in the next section. This will ensure the same numerical opportunities for each character.
Family Relationships Table
d100
Relationship
01–10
You thought you killed this family member, whether by accident or otherwise. You never expected to see them again—but now they’re out for your blood. You gain one rival.
11–20
You insulted this family member so gravely that they left your life forever. If they ever return, it will be to settle the score. You gain one rival.
21–30
You have always been better than this family member at a particular activity. They grew jealous and abandoned you, so that they could return and best you one day. You gain one rival.
31–40
You uncovered a secret about this family member, whether a tiny embarrassment or a life-changing scandal. They now seek to unveil your darkest secret. You gain one rival.
41–50
You and this family member have a friendly rivalry, and are constantly trying to best each other in an activity, craft, or other pursuit. You visit occasionally to test each other’s skills. You gain one rival.
51–60
This family member owes you a debt, and they don’t like it. They’ll help you out when you need it, but only to clear the slate. You gain one ally.
61–70
This family member loves you, but you were never that close. They’ll do anything to help you—as long as they won’t be at risk of injury or death. You gain one ally.
71–80
This family member caused you to have a horrible accident when you were a child. They still feel incredible guilt, which they would do anything to assuage. You gain one ally.
81–90
This family member left long ago for reasons you don’t understand or won’t talk about. Before they left, they promised you that they would return in your hour of greatest need. You gain one ally.
91–00
This family member has always loved you with all their heart, and would do anything for you. You gain one ally.
Fateful Moments
No one decides to go adventuring without a reason. Some might set out from home in the name of vengeance, seeking retribution for themselves or their kin. Some might be looking for wealth or glory. Others might seek only a change from their dreary lives, never realizing that they’ll soon be caught up in events beyond their understanding along the open road.
Fateful moments are the turning points in your character’s life. The weight of these joyous or destructive occasions provided some of the talents, skills, and equipment you bring into your life as an adventurer. Roll once on the Fateful Moments table for each such moment you accrued in the previous section, courtesy of the allies and rivals that are part of your backstory. If you did not roll any fateful moments in the previous section, you have the option to roll one for free if you wish, or you could collaborate with another player over their character’s fateful moment. Perhaps you were in the room where it happened?
If a fateful moment grants you a proficiency that you already had, you gain expertise in that skill. There could be a particular event in your backstory you would prefer to use as your fateful moment. If you feel a particular fateful moment doesn’t make sense for your character (for example, if your siblings perished but you don’t have any siblings), roll a new event or work with your GM to change up the details.
d20
Event
1
Your parents were murdered in front of you. Roll on the Ally and Rival Identities table to determine the type of creature that killed them. You have proficiency in the Stealth and Survival skills.
2
You met a dark elf (drow) dying in the wilderness. Around their neck was a silver talisman containing a cameo of their child and the name “Il’viranya.” It is an amulet of proof against detection and location.
3
A mysterious stranger gave you a gift that saved your life while you were lost in the wilderness. Roll on the Ally and Rival Identities table to determine the identity of the stranger. Then roll on Magic Item Table B in the Dungeon Master’s Guide to determine the item. If you roll a consumable item from the table, roll again.
4
You were caught in a terrible storm but miraculously survived. Now your dreams contain visions sent by a mysterious god or demigod. You have proficiency in the Arcana or Religion skill (your choice).
5
A famous warrior trained you with what has become your signature weapon. You have proficiency with a martial weapon of your choice, and you own one such weapon. It has special features as detailed in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. You also have the Martial Adept feat from the Player’s Handbook.
6
You were the sole survivor when a horde of rampaging monsters raided your village or your neighborhood. You have proficiency in the Stealth skill or proficiency with martial weapons (your choice).
7
A famous mage saw potential in you and tutored you in the arcane arts. You have a spellbook and the Magic Initiate feat from the Player’s Handbook.
8
While on a long journey, you were picked up by a traveling circus, spending a year with them before returning to your home. You have proficiency in the Acrobatics or Performance skill (your choice) and proficiency with the disguise kit.
9
You were transformed into a bear by mysterious magic, and lived for a year as an animal before you were saved by a druid. Magic still lingers within you, though, and you can cast Speak with Animals at will.
10
You were press-ganged into military service, and were left shaken by what you saw on the battlefield. You have proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. You also have a random form of indefinite madness, determined by rolling on the Indefinite Madness table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
11
You were kidnapped by bandits while traveling between towns. While captured, you met an old thief who helped you escape. You have proficiency with thieves’ tools and proficiency in the Stealth skill.
12
You were visited by a demon lord in a dream. You awakened knowing the find familiar spell and are now able to cast it as a ritual, but your familiar always takes the form of a quasit. You also have a random form of indefinite madness, determined by rolling on the Indefinite Madness table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
13
While exploring a remote forest, you were attacked by evil lycanthropes but escaped before being killed. You are cursed with wereboar, wererat, or werewolf lycanthropy (GM’s choice).
14
While lost in a remote forest or jungle, you were saved by a werebear or weretiger (GM’s choice). The lycanthrope believed you were destined for greatness and granted you the gift of lycanthropy with your consent.
15
You saved a pseudodragon from being eaten by a giant spider in a dark forest. The pseudodragon now loyally follows you wherever you go, even if you’d rather it stay hidden. It is controlled by the GM but obeys your commands if treated well.
16
You nearly died from a virulent disease (the GM’s choice of cackle fever, sewer plague, or sight rot; see chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Your life was saved by a cleric of the Barmhart Convent, who could not cure the disease, but instead gave you a periapt of health that suppresses it.
17
You were accused of a crime and were exiled or imprisoned, regardless of whether or not you were guilty. Having spent time among criminals, you have proficiency in the Intimidation skill and you know thieves’ cant.
18
You saved a riderless horse wearing full tack and harness from wolves. You own a riding horse and a saddle, and you have proficiency in the Animal Handling skill.
19
While reading through a mysterious tome once owned by your parent(s), you found a treasure map that points toward a place in Toinen of the GM’s choice.
20
You received a letter revealing that you were the secret child of a wealthy noble family living in a far away city of the GM’s choice. They enclosed 100 gp to ensure your safe passage to their estate in the city, and a signet ring bearing your true family’s seal.
Credits and Author’s Notes
The “Generating a Character” section draws heavily from the Heroic Chronicle in the Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount. Portions have been revised to be Toinen-specific.
City maps largely created via/inspired by Medieval Fantasy City Generator by Oleg Dolya aka watabou. They have generously made this available on a free license.
Art Credits
Uncredited artwork is either referential (and will be removed/replaced prior to product monetization) or is the creation of the author.
Altisia
Fabeldyr
Rugosfall Ridge, 11/2020 - licensed from Joe Johnson thejoejohnson.com
Welcome to the Rondewood, 02/2021 - licensed from Joe Johnson thejoejohnson.com
Umoth
Author’s Notes and Changelog
(When I remember to update it…)
01.09.23
Beginning work on detailing the Court of Scales and defining the dragons of Toinen
01.05.23
Major updates to Creating a Character section, removing non-system agnostic information
Working toward a system-agnostic status for the guide
01.02.23
Major updates to Fabeldyr, adding locations of interest and factions to most regions
Major updates to quest hooks, 91 total quest hooks are now in the guide, 51 of them for level 1-4 and 40 of them for level 5-10
11.22.22
Updated the Manala
11.20.22
Adding in extraplanar locations and descriptions
Adding a section for the Manala
Adding the Unilats, a horrific creature that lives in the deepest, darkest places and feeds on fear
10.05.22
Added lore & art for the Religion of The Three Pure Ones to the Golden Dynasty
Updated city government description for Fortare and added a chart
06.13.22
Updating section summaries for continents
Changed “Scaled Court” to “Court of Scales”
06.08.22
Updated art for The Gods and Their Enemies
4.26.22
First draft of The Gods and Their Enemies added to Appendices
4.21.22
Preparing The Gods and Their Enemies content for addition to the guide
Added in the Sacred Days of the God’s Enemies to the list of holy days
3.24.22
Recombined guide into one document with separate appendices
1.11.22
Not palindrome day
Adjusted Rugosfall copy, added Sepulcher of Mystery
12.22.21
Palindrome day
Calendar renaming overhaul!
12.15.21
A whole slew of stuff that I can’t remember and haven’t done a good job of recording
Little rewrites here and there
Starting work on the Ark Institute
08.10.21
Updated text in the Character Creation document re: using ancestry over race in Toinen
08.09.21
Continuing work on Positive Deities, adding detail and stories
08.06.21
First draft of Positive Deities in The Gods and their Enemies completed
Posted cosmological map of the known Planes and their rulers in The Gods and Their Enemies
07.21.21
Split The Adventurer’s Guide to Toinen into individual guides for Altisia, Fabeldyr, Umoth, and other appendices
06.28.21
Adjusted Fortare copy
05.14.21
Adjusted Nineveh copy
05.06.21
Adjusted Skild copy
Adjusted Golden Dynasty copy
05.02.21
Adjusted Months copy in the Calendar
04.29.21
Adjusted Parnorium copy
04.15.21
Added Points of Interest, Factions and Locations for Alia
Started Points of Interest, Factions and Locations for the other Fabeldyr nations
02.14.21
Added Rondewood art to Alia chapter
02.07.21
Official Completion of The Adventurer’s Guide to Toinen 1.0!
Finished Kikarsa copy
Finished Sisu copy
Finished The Wildlands copy
Finished Parnorium copy
Added map of The Wildlands
Added map of Parnorium
Added map of Gronstrom
Replaced OGL/SRD with Fan Content Policy
02.06.21
Finished Damingtu copy
Finished Daibo copy
Added map of Daibo
Finished Perkansa copy
02.05.21
Started adding OGL/SRD to notes
Finished Skild copy
Finished Golden Dynasty copy
02.04.21
Finished Vogurok copy
02.01.21
Finished Dunstead copy
Added Map of Flaksja region
Finished Flaksja copy
01.31.21
Finished Homlet copy
Finished Pompen copy
Finished the Wildwood copy
Added/updated several updated Fabeldyr region maps
Moved several items in progress to the TAGTT 2.0 Document
01.30.21
Finished The Molten League copy
Finished Magstone copy
Finished Soderberg copy
01.29.21
Finished Southbridge copy
01.27.21
Finished Ancestry Stat Bonuses copy
Finished Northbridge copy
01.26.21
Implemented Changelog to track work done by day, added progress tracker to plan final stages of first draft
Finished Story Hook for Sikuaq
07.24.20
This Document Created
01.14.19
Began recording the history and lore of Fabeldyr
11.12.17
Inaugural session in the first iteration of Toinen