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  Everything you need to run an immersive campaign 
  in the World of Farland, a land conquered by evil.
  
   
   
   
  Credits 
   
  Staff 
   
  Producer, lead author, and lead designer S. Baker. 
   
  Consultant and assistant designer Robin Dillaway.  
   
  Developmental and line editor D. Krough. 
   
   
  Mechanics editor Jesse Vanderhoef. 
   
  Staff artist Tim Vargason. 
   
  Honored Contributors 
  R. Krommydas 
  Tim Odell 
  Brian Stanton 
  Gerry Torbert 
  Ryan Torbert 
   
   
    
   
  On the Cover: Facing Each Other by Rodrigo 
  Gonzalez (https://www.facebook.com/Brolken/). Used by 
  permission. All rights reserved. 
   
   
   
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, 
  Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: Proper names (characters, place names, etc.), places, characters, artwork, sidebars, and 
  trade dress. Open Game Content: The Open content in this book includes material taken from the Systems Reference Document. The 
  Open Game License is reproduced at the end of this text. No other portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without 
  permission. Version 1. Published by 
   
  The World of Farland 
  www.farlandworld.com 
  
  Contents 
   
   
  Introduction ............................................ 4 
  Overview ..................................................... 4 
  The Dweller and the Book of Seven ............. 5 
  The Dark Conquest and the War for 
  Liberation .................................................... 6 
  Adventures in Farland ................................ 6 
   
  Chapter 1: Geography and Climate .... 8 
  The Continent of Farland ............................ 8 
  Landmarks and Geographical Features ...... 9 
   
  Chapter 2: Liberated Lands ................ 11 
  Freed Kingdoms ......................................... 11 
  Kale ............................................................ 11 
     Kale City .................................................. 21 
  Kelerak ...................................................... 26 
     Great Barons of Kelerak ......................... 33 
     Dragonspur City ..................................... 42 
  Anaria ........................................................ 50 
  Daven ........................................................ 58 
     Elder Daven ............................................ 66 
   
  Chapter 3: Occupied Lands ................. 73 
  Conquered Kingdoms ................................ 73 
  Orland ........................................................ 73 
  Zeland ........................................................ 91 
  The Kingdom of Farland .......................... 102 
     The Far City ........................................... 113 
  Wawmar ................................................... 119 
   
  Chapter 4: Enemy Lands ................... 122 
  Lands Under the Shadow ......................... 122 
  The Wintervale ......................................... 122 
     The Nameless City ................................. 125 
  Orc Cities .................................................. 129 
  Cadocia and Human Lands ...................... 129 
  Chapter 5: Culture and Society ........ 132 
  Societal Details ......................................... 132 
  Calendars of Farland ................................ 132 
  Currencies of Farland .............................. 133 
  Languages of Farland ............................... 135 
  Proverbs and Sayings of Farland ............. 136 
   
  Chapter 6: Non-Humans of the Light 
  .................................................................. 138 
  Good Non-Human Societies .................... 138 
  Dwarven Society ...................................... 138 
  Elven Society ............................................ 147 
     The Summervale ................................... 157 
  Gnomish Society ...................................... 160 
  Halfling Society ........................................ 169 
   
  Chapter 7: Non-Humans of the 
  Shadow................................................... 184 
  Evil Non-Human Societies ...................... 184 
  Dark Folk Society ..................................... 184 
  Drow Society ............................................ 192 
  Orcish Society ......................................... 203 
   
  Chapter 8: Gods of Farland ............. 209 
  Religions ................................................. 209 
  Greater Deities ......................................... 211 
  Lesser Deities .......................................... 220 
   
  Chapter 9: Places Beyong Farland . 232 
  The Wider World of Núrion .................... 222 
  The Other Continents ............................. 222 
   
  Chapter 10: Personages of Farland 238 
  Important Individuals ............................ 238 
   
  Open Gaming License ....................... 254 
  
  Introduction 
   
   
  4 
   
  Overview 
   
  hanks for your interest in the World 
  of Farland! Farland is a long-running 
  campaign setting primarily designed for 
  Dungeons & Dragons. It’s been available 
  online since the year 2000, and has been 
  updated for each version of D&D.  The 
  World of Farland has enough detail, though, 
  that it could be used as a campaign setting 
  for any fantasy or sword & sorcery 
  roleplaying game.   
  Farland provides a gritty, rather dark 
  campaign theme reminiscent of Lord of the 
  Rings and other fantasy settings where a 
  clear enemy or dark villain exists and the 
  threat of imminent doom is constantly on 
  the horizon. The continent of Farland has 
  been conquered by the Lords of Sin, the 
  servants of the Dweller in the Wintervale, 
  and for several centuries, the downtrodden 
  population have been forced by their foul 
  rulers to worship the evil god Vornoth, the 
  Walker in Darkness.  But recently three 
  kingdoms—Kale, Kelerak, and Daven-- have 
  thrown off the yoke of tyranny and rebelled.  
  Thus, battle lines have been drawn: The four 
  kingdoms in the East—Orland, Zeland, 
  Wawmar, and Farland-- remain occupied by 
  the Lords of Sin, who gather their armies to 
  reconquer the liberated kingdoms, while the 
  West struggles to organize and mount a 
  defense, teetering precariously on the brink 
  of falling back into shadow. 
   
   
   
   
  The Gods War 
   
  It all began with the Great Forces, 
  ontological embodiments of Good, Evil, and 
  Neutrality, enemies due to the very nature 
  of their essences.  Arrayed in a sphere, and 
  intrinsically opposed, these Forces smashed 
  against each other in a brute force attempt 
  to crush their opposites into oblivion.  In the 
  middle of the sphere was all the non-
  spiritual matter of the Multiverse. Untold 
  eons of friction, of the ceaseless pushing of 
  these cosmic Forces, created at the center of 
  the sphere a great Maelstrom of heat and  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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  pressure. And the heart of this Maelstrom of 
  Friction condensed into a diamond of 
  perfect beauty, flawless and unspoiled: the 
  Lifestone of the Universe.  
  And seeing the beauty of this gem, the 
  Forces changed. The once-mindless Forces 
  now knew desire, desire for this perfect 
  gem. The Forces thus spawned Powers, 
  beings of such strength and might that they 
  later became gods to the species they would 
  create.  The Forces granted existence to the 
  gods such that they would have sentient 
  agents with which to wage war over the 
  Lifestone of the universe.  The Gods War 
  raged for an unknown time, the tides of 
  victory and defeat ever ebbing and flowing, 
  but the strife never ended, for the gods were 
  evenly matched. Worse, in their ceaseless 
  battle over the Lifestone at the heart of the 
  multiverse, the gods damaged it. 
  Aghast at the damage their direct conflict 
  over the Lifestone had caused to it, the gods 
  declared an armistice and met in a council. 
  This council of gods lasted many ages, with 
  talk about what could be done to save their 
  precious Lifestone, the gem they all craved 
  so much. The god Khuldul Rockcarver was 
  assigned the task of repairing the gem, for 
  he had great skill in working with gems of 
  all sorts. Many ages he labored on the 
  Lifestone, fixing some of the damage, but 
  much of it was beyond his ability to repair. 
  Much of the harm done during the war was 
  irreversible. The gem had formed into a 
  planet with hills, mountains, and deep seas.  
  And though flawed, they still had a great 
  desire for it, perceiving that it was somehow 
  the key to ending the war once and for all, 
  and they named it Núrion, the Shattered 
  Jewel. But they did not know why the 
  Shattered Jewel was the key.  
  Then, of a time the god Tal-Allustiel 
  discovered that the race he had created in 
  his own image on Núrion channeled some of 
  the power of the Maelstrom of Friction to 
  him through their worship.  And the riddle 
  was solved: The gods desired total control of 
  the jewel because whatever creatures that 
  lived on it and worshipped a certain god 
  increased that god’s power. So, each god 
  created species on the Jewel and set them to 
  war against each other with the task of 
  proselytizing other species to the worship of 
  their own god. But the Dark One, Vornoth 
  the Betrayer, tricked the other gods of evil 
  into sacrificing themselves so that he could 
  create a weapon that would allow him to 
  win the wars that were now taking place on 
  Núrion: The dreaded and fell Book of Seven.  
   
  The Dweller in the 
  Wintervale and the Book 
  of Seven 
  Early in history, Vornoth the Walker-in-
  Darkness corrupted one of the most 
  powerful creatures on Núrion and made her 
  his lieutenant and helpmeet.  And she took 
  herself into the East and dwelt in a desolate 
  valley, and endless winter seized the valley.  
  And so she came to be known as the Dweller 
  in the Wintervale. At the command of 
  Vornoth, she made it her mission to 
  subjugate all of the species on the continent 
  to the worship of the Dark God. And 
  Vornoth gave unto her the Book of Seven, 
  but it was a powerful artifact created by 
  gods, and she could not unlock its secrets.  
  She studied it for millennia.  
  And for all those thousands of years, wars 
  raged on the primary continent on the 
  Shattered Jewel, many caused by the 
  Dweller in the Wintervale.  At first the wars 
  involved elves and dwarves fighting the 
  Dweller’s hordes of orcs and dark folk, while 
  humans lived as uncultured barbarians.  But 
  slowly the humans gained ascendancy, 
  founding great kingdoms. Their civilizations 
  rose and fell, the gods were worshipped in 
  their times, and none were able to gain 
  ascendancy. Elves and dwarves, once 
  masters of the continent, found themselves 
  
   
   
   
   
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  pushed to the fringes, mere allies of the 
  humans that they had once treated as lesser 
  creatures. The humans founded a mighty 
  kingdom in the East called Farland, and the 
  kingdom gave the continent its name. 
  Then the Dweller unlocked the final secrets 
  of the Book of Seven.  It was the beginning 
  of the end. 
   
   
  The Dark Conquest 
  and the War for 
  Liberation 
  Using the terrible tome given her by 
  Vornoth, the Dweller created seven evil 
  lords, each lord from a race that typified a 
  sin, each lord the paragon of that sin within 
  the race. The lords were Pride, Lust, 
  Gluttony, Envy, Sloth, and Greed, with 
  Wrath as their captain.  And each of the 
  Lords of Sin was imbued with a Dark Will by 
  the Book of Seven such that they could 
  command evil creatures within their 
  domains.   
  The power of the Deadly Lords could not be 
  resisted.  Soon they conquered the continent 
  of Farland and set all the hapless humans 
  and demi-humans living thereon to the 
  worship of Vornoth.  For hundreds of years 
  the formerly free peoples of Farland chafed 
  under the yoke of orcish rule, and the final 
  victory of the God of Darkness seemed nigh.   
  But not all was lost.  Light stirred in the 
  West.  Rebellion, sparked by a few brave 
  warriors, sputtered and flared into 
  conflagration.  Kingdoms were freed.  A 
  mighty war for liberation began, but evil 
  would not be denied so easily.  The Lords of 
  Sin in the service of the terrible lady in the 
  east began to muster their forces to retake 
  the liberated kingdoms and punish the 
  rebels that dared to resist them…. 
  Adventures in Farland 
  As you may already be surmising, this 
  setting provides rich opportunities for 
  adventure.  The traditional adventure path 
  in the World of Farland involves starting 
  your PCs in one of the liberated kingdoms— 
  Kale, Kelerak, or Daven— and then having 
  them engage in local adventures until they 
  build up enough power to venture into the 
  occupied kingdoms and face the Lords of 
  Sin and their armies.  They could face and 
  take down underbosses and orcish warlords 
  until they are powerful enough to take on 
  the Lord of Sin with the lowest CR.  Then 
  they work their way up to challenge the 
  more powerful lords. This is a tried-and-
  true recipe for an exciting game where your 
  players can feel like they are making a 
  difference when the stakes are high.  If you 
  want a grittier campaign, you could also 
  start your party in one of the occupied 
  kingdoms and have them try to eke out their 
  survival under the rule of evil. If you desire 
  something even darker, rewind the clock a 
  few years to the year 8160 Farlandish 
  Reckoning to the time before the rebellion 
  when none of the lands had been freed.  You 
  could even have your players engage in an 
  evil campaign using the Dark Folk race 
  options in the World of Farland Players 
  Guide and have them serve the Lords of Sin 
  in their attempt to reconquer the lands.   
   
  Or if this is all too heavy for you, simply set 
  your campaign in one of the liberated 
  kingdoms and keep it there.  The rumors of 
  impending war could provide flavor to your 
  campaign, but your players could ignore 
  them and go dungeon-exploring like in a 
  traditional fantasy RPG game.  This book 
  gives you plenty of adventure hooks, as well 
  as factions if you desire to add politics to 
  your game. On our website, we also offer 
  free high-quality 5e adventures for you to 
  use in your game set in The World of 
  Farland. 
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  7 
  Using this Book 
   
  This book is a collection of material from 
  the Farland website designed for Game 
  Masters who want to run a campaign set in 
  the World of Farland and players who want 
  to learn more about the world.  This World 
  of Farland Campaign Setting compendium 
  is meant to be used with The World of 
  Farland Game Masters Handbook and The 
  World of Farland Players Guide. This book 
  provides you extremely detailed information 
  about the geography, cultures, religions, 
  species, societies, calendars, languages, and 
  personages of the World of Farland.  It 
  includes maps and art to help you envision 
  the world. The Game Masters Handbook 
  gives you detailed historical timelines, 
  details on the planes of existence, original 
  monsters and magic items of Farland, new 
  game play rules, and stats on the Lords of 
  Sin and the Dweller, among other things. 
  The Players Guide delivers playable races, 
  backgrounds, class options, equipment, 
  spells, and an original herbalism system  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (and much more) for use by players. With 
  these three books, you will have all the  
  information you need to create an amazing 
  campaign set in Farland.   
   
  All three of these books, including this one, 
  contains exclusive content not available on 
  the website, and the website contains 
  content not presented in our books, so we 
  also encourage you to visit us at 
  www.farlandworld.com.  Furthermore, you 
  can follow the World of Farland on twitter: 
  @Farland_World. Welcome to the 
  community, and we wish you many happy 
  returns! 
  
  Chapter One: Geography and 
  Climate 
   
   
  8 
   
   
  The Continent 
  of Farland 
  hysically, Farland is but one continent 
  on a larger planet. The elves call this 
  planet Núrion (pronounced NEW-ree-ahn, 
  with a trilled R.) The word means 
  "Shattered Jewel." Farland is known as the 
  "world" of Farland, however, because it is all 
  that is known of the entire world, at least to 
  the inhabitants of the sub-continent. This is 
  similar to the situation in Europe when the 
  "New World" was discovered; it was literally 
  a New World, because the entire world had 
  been Europe and Asia. 
  Geographically, the known boundaries of 
  Farland span about 1800 miles East to 
  West, or about the distance from New York 
  City to mid-Colorado in the United States, 
  as the crow flies. North to South, Farland 
  spans about 1000 miles, or around the 
  distance from Minneapolis almost to 
  Mississippi, again as the crow flies. Thus, 
  the continent is just under 2/3rds the size of 
  the United States. Of course, maps of 
  Farland are rare, especially in the dark 
  times. 
  The Northernmost edge of the world of 
  Farland lies at 40 degrees North latitude, 
  however, the entire continent is at a 
  relatively high altitude. Hence, the 
  southernmost boundaries rarely get as hot 
  as Northern Texas or Southern California. 
  South Western Farland is also subject to a 
  summerly jet stream that blows off the 
  Arned Sea. Much like England, this air  
   
   
   
   
  current serves to temper the weather. For 
  this reason, the summers in South Western 
  Farland are only slightly hotter than the 
  summers in Northern Farland. This weather 
  anomaly also makes the summers there 
  prone to large thunderstorms. Northern 
  Farland gets quite cold in winter. The 
  average daytime temperature in Elder 
  Daven City, Daven (34 degrees North 
  Latitude) in July is only 84 degrees, while 
  the average temperature in Dragonspur 
  City, Kelerak (42.5 degrees North latitude) 
  in July is 79 degrees. The average daytime 
  temperature in Elder Daven City in January 
  is 49 degrees, while the average in 
  Dragonspur City is below 30 degrees. 
   
  Some other average temperatures in 
  daytime in degrees Fahrenheit 
  Location 
  Latitude January July 
  Barbarian 
  Lands 
  37 N 
  23 
  70 
  Kale City, Kale 29.6 N 
  40 
  89 
  Orland 
  City, Orland 
  30 N 
  42 
  91 
  The Far 
  City, Farland 
  34 N 
  38 
  86 
  The 
  Summervale, 
  Belendale 
  35 N 
  23 
  72 
  The Nameless 
  City* 
  35 N 
  10 
  32 
  * The Nameless City, in the Wintervale, is locked in the expanse 
  of the Great Glacier, a mysterious weather anomaly. 
   
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  Climate types ranging from somewhat hot 
  (the Zeel Flats of Daven), to very cold 
  (the Barbarian lands and the Great Glacier), 
  as well as heavily forested (The Belendale), 
  mountainous (The Grand Peaks), or 
  savanna (The Horselands of Zeland and the 
  plains of Orland) can all be found in the 
  expanse of Farland. 
  The planet Núrion on which Farland is 
  located is roughly the size of Earth, although 
  the human kingdoms use the 
  Farlandish calendar, which has an even 
  360-day year. This means that there is a 
  calendar deficit which must be made up 
  every two years. Núrion has but one visible 
  moon (called Sulus) and one sun (called 
  Tanarus). The constellations, of course, are 
  very different. 
  The population of Farland is currently 
  unknown. The majority of intelligent beings 
  are human, with orcs and 
  other goblinoids likely being a not too 
  distant second. Non-humans are more rare. 
  The Kingdoms of Farland are vaguely 
  similar to medieval Europe, except for the 
  drastic difference of magic. 
   
  Landmarks and 
  Geographical 
  Features  
   
  Besides the political boundaries of the 
  continent dividing it into kingdoms, many 
  striking natural features can be found on it. 
  These features are listed below. 
   
  The Belendale 
  The total expanse of this huge forest is 
  unknown to the human race. Split down the 
  middle by the tall Kelerak Mountains, this 
  wood is rumored to house monsters, beasts, 
  and magic of all sorts. Few who venture in 
  are welcome, and even fewer return. The 
  heart of the Belendale is Gloralion, the 
  hidden city, also known as the Summervale 
  because it ever opposes the evil Wintervale. 
   
  The Deadlands 
  This section of broken lands lies at the 
  horrid gate to the land of icy evil known as 
  the Wintervale. It is said to be the birthplace 
  of the first human kingdom, long since 
  fallen to dust. Now only ghosts and worse 
  are said to inhabit it. 
   
  The Great River or The 
  Deadwash 
  Also known as the Highland River and the 
  Greatwash, this river is the longest river on 
  the continent of Farland. It is as large as the 
  Mississippi River in spots. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  The Grand Peaks  
  Running the length of the entire Kingdom of 
  Farland, these mountains are sometimes 
  called the Great Peaks or the Mountains of 
  Or. They are the tallest mountains in all the 
  continent of Farland but are only about the 
  height of the Alps. Some scholars theorize 
  that this natural frontier and barrier is 
  partially responsible for the military success 
  of the Kingdom of Farland. It has only 
  successfully been invaded once in recorded 
  history due to these mountains. 
   
  The Sarumvest 
  The second largest forest on the continent of 
  Farland, it is said to be the ancestral home 
  of the legendary elves. As of now, no 
  civilized races are known to inhabit it. In 
  this haunted wood, the dead are said to 
  walk. 
   
  Selfhaven Archipelago 
  Lying somewhere south of Daven in the 
  Endless Sea is this fabled island. One of the 
  only places in Farland to escape the Dark 
  Occupation, it is said to be the home of a 
  thriving pirate kingdom. 
   
  Thitherlands or the 
  West Lands 
  West of Kale lie the unexplored wilderness 
  called the Thitherlands or the West Lands. 
  Legends say that barbarian men of strange 
  tongues make this locale their home. Tales 
  also tell of the fabled Elvish ship-haven of 
  Laithostar from which elves sail into the 
  west. This port is said to lie somewhere on 
  the coasts of this unknown land. The West 
  Lands are geographically part of the 
  continent of Farland, but since the major 
  human civilizations were never able to 
  extend their rule into the West Lands, they 
  don’t generally consider it part of Farland. 
  Valley of Mists 
  Lying north and east of the Kale Mountains, 
  this mysterious valley is said to house many 
  wild trolls. 
   
  The Wintervale and 
  Enemy Lands 
  This frozen land is the home of 
  the Dweller in the Vale, the master of the 
  Lords of Sin. It is a horrid land, blanketed 
  by a perpetual glacier. Only orcs and other 
  hardy races are known to naturally make 
  this land their home. East and South of 
  the Wintervale lie lands under the sway of 
  the Dweller. 
   
  Wizard Isle 
  Said to lie somewhere in the Gulf of Gor, 
  this mysterious island was supposedly once 
  the home of the Arch-mage Seldorius of 
  Farland. The mage has long since 
  disappeared into the mists of time. Ruins 
  now dot the island, and hushed whispers 
  speak of a secret that the island harbors. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Chapter Two: Liberated Lands 
   
   
  11 
   
  Freed 
  Kingdoms 
  he Rebellion has managed to free 
  three of the human kingdoms: Kale, 
  Kelerak, and Daven. North of Kelerak is the 
  barbarian land of Anaria, which never 
  entirely fell to the Dark Conquest. These 
  domains lie in the west of the continent.  
  They are detailed below. 
   
  Kale 
   
  History, Politics, and 
  Culture 
  Around the year 5250 F.R, the barbarian 
  tribes in the vicinity of present day Kale 
  started to unify against the growing threat 
  of goblins and other evil creatures to the 
  east. This was the beginning of a great 
  chiefdom known in latter years as Jundland. 
  In the year 5275, the great Shaman 
  Beornhelm became chief of the Junds. 
  Jundland was located in the area of present 
  day Kale City. Twenty-three years after 
  Beornhelm came to power, a great and 
  terrible army of goblins and hobgoblins 
  attacked Jundland from the east. Under the 
  leadership of Beornhelm, the people of 
  Jundland were able to repulse the evil 
  forces, though losses were staggering. 
  Thereafter, for many years Jundland knew 
  peace and grew stronger as more of the 
  surrounding barbarian tribes joined 
  Jundland. Then in 5314 tragedy struck 
  Western Farland in the form of the Red  
   
   
   
   
  Plague. Jundland was most heavily hit of 
  any place in the land. The might of 
  Jundland was broken and fighting men 
  became scarce in the land that once was 
  known for its ferocity. Then in 5316, the 
  forces from the east came again. This time 
  the goblins and hobgoblins wiped out 
  Jundland and survivors were few. These 
  survivors escaped to the wilderness to the 
  north and over the following centuries the 
  people reverted once again to barbarism. 
  Kale is the youngest of the kingdoms of 
  Farland. In the years after the fall of 
  Jundland, Kale was inhabited by many 
  barbarian tribes. They were mostly hunters, 
  trappers, and woodsmen. These peoples 
  were totemic and otherwise non-religious. 
  Perhaps the only knowledge they had of 
  organized religion came from their rare  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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  13 
  contact with the elves to the north. In the 
  absence of organized religion, they turned to 
  hero worship and their traditional holidays 
  venerated strength in the hunt. On the first 
  of the year, which they celebrated every ten 
  moons, young men would venture into the 
  wilderness alone to hunt barehanded. Any 
  man who returned with meat for the tribe 
  would become a man of the tribe during a 
  coming of age ceremony. This was a perilous 
  time for the young men of Kale. Many never 
  returned and superstitions abounded 
  pertaining to the forested wilderness to the 
  west. Tribes had no central leadership and 
  the lifestyle for these barbarians revolved 
  around loosely organized groups of 
  extended families living in independent 
  homesteads. 
  In the year 6517, a charismatic young 
  barbarian of the clan of the stag to the west 
  near where present day Bares is located, 
  recalling legends of the might of Jundland, 
  thought once again of unifying his people. 
  Young Louis, in order to assure his power, 
  started killing off prominent men of his 
  tribe surreptitiously, and later more openly. 
  As he dispatched those who would oppose 
  his rule, he declared himself leader of the 
  Clan of the Stag. Rallying the remaining 
  members of his tribe behind him he started 
  bringing other tribes in the area under his 
  control. Thus, when Lord Kale entered the 
  lands in 6560, Louis of the clan of the stag 
  had already become a powerful leader in his 
  own right. Lord Kale, ever the diplomat, 
  used Louis' power to his benefit, married his 
  daughter, and through flattery and gifts 
  beyond anything Louis had ever seen, 
  secured Louis' loyalty. Therefore, Louis did 
  much of the work of unifying the peoples of 
  Kale and the timely arrival of Lord Kale saw 
  the birth of the fledgling kingdom. Many of 
  the traditions of the native barbarians have 
  survived to present day. The celebration of 
  the New Year is still celebrated, though men 
  are permitted to go in groups on their hunts 
  and are now typically armed. Organized 
  religion has still failed to completely take 
  hold in Kale, and veneration of young strong 
  men, (and the historical legends that 
  abound about the astounding feats 
  performed by these men) is still practiced. 
  Due to the individuality of the natives of 
  Kale, cities were slow to form and for nearly 
  a hundred years, Kale City to the south was 
  the only city of note in the fledgling 
  kingdom. As the threat of war always 
  loomed, more and more people turned to 
  city life and the villages of Dael and Bael 
  became great cities in their own right. These 
  two cities were originally small trading 
  outposts established by Lord Kale himself. 
  They were also used for communication 
  with Kelerak and the elves. Thus, their 
  names are Davenian in origin, as Lord Kale 
  is from Daven (the names of Daven have a 
  Germanic flavor). Bowing to the ancient 
  barbarian belief of power in rhyme, Kale 
  named the three places that he founded with 
  rhyming Davenian names.  
  Other cities retained their original Kalias 
  names (the language of the barbarians of 
  Kale is similar to ancient French), such as 
  Fort Rienne. As Lord Kale established 
  himself as king of the new Kale, he gradually 
  brought all of the barbarian clans to 
  recognize him as their ruler. This was not 
  exceedingly difficult as they were 
  unorganized for the most part and those 
  that had been organized were organized 
  under Louis' rule. Louis died in the minor 
  war that started as a border dispute with 
  Daven in 6598 F.R. Lord Kale made Louis' 
  four sons captains in his army and later his 
  own son, born from the union between 
  himself and Louis' daughter, was named 
  Louis the second and came to power in 
  6603 (F.R.). Throughout the following 
  centuries, the now-King Kale and Louis the 
  first's descendants worked to make Kale a 
  powerful kingdom in its own right. Bael, 
  Dael, and Kale city were established as the 
  main centers of political power and the 
  surrounding lands were divided into three 
  city-states, each with the right to govern its 
  own affairs, although each was ultimately 
  loyal to the king in Kale City. True to the 
  traditional politics of the land, each town or 
  city enjoys its own power and is ruled by a 
  baron who in turn commands knights and 
  
   
   
   
   
  14 
  lord knights, and the supreme power in the 
  land is recognized as the king in Kale City. 
  Peace was known in Kale for nearly three 
  centuries under the rule of the descendants 
  of Louis and King Kale's progeny. Then in 
  6900 an alliance between Daven and Kale 
  was formed, and the Decadion War began 
  with the combined forces attacking Orland. 
  Daven eventually fell to the combined might 
  of Orland, Zeland, and Farland in the year 
  6983 and Kelerak was forced to cease trade 
  with Kale. Then, in 7010, with help from 
  Kale and Kelerak, Daven was able finally to 
  expel the forces of Orland from its borders. 
  Kale was further attacked in the ongoing 
  wars by the Eastern Alliance in 7168 but was 
  able to maintain a temporary victory, and in 
  7169, in the Battle of the Bend, Kale 
  expelled the troops from the east. The 
  following year, though, Farland returned in 
  force and the fighting continued until, in 
  7172, Kale's armies were defeated at the 
  Battle of Fenmire. The heroic and legendary 
  Captain Aurel martyred himself so that his 
  men could successfully retreat, thus 
  preventing a total massacre. He was later  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  immortalized by Guisson the poet in 
  "Aurel's Gift." Kale continued on to suffer 
  defeat at the Battle of Kale. Farland and the 
  Eastern alliance pressed on to besiege the 
  city of Kale. Then in 7175, Kale surrendered 
  and was annexed as a province of Farland. 
  For a period of time thereafter, the Kings of 
  Kale were petty and subject to Farland in all 
  their decisions, and their will was not their 
  own. King Turpin, wandering in sorrow for 
  his lost freedom in the eaves of the 
  Greatwood, chanced to meet there a 
  beautiful elven Lady named Rilia. The two 
  fell in love and Petty King Turpin took Rilia 
  to wife; soon she bore him a daughter who 
  was to change the fortunes of Kale, at least 
  temporarily. During the following years, the 
  spawn of their union, the great leader, 
  Queen Sybille Halfelven of Kale, known as 
  The Diplomat, convinced Farland to 
  withdraw from Kale after intense 
  negotiations. Kale agreed to pay yearly 
  tribute. Sybille herself had a daughter she 
  called Belle, who was espoused to King 
  James of the Green Throne of Kelerak. 
  Therefore, the blood of the Elves passed also  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  15 
  into the line of Kings of Kelerak. The 
  centuries passed thus, with Kale paying 
  tribute to Farland, and Kale prospered as 
  much as can be expected under such 
  conditions. 
  Then in the year 7439, the dark days of Kale 
  began anew as the court wizard Jaef became 
  the power behind the throne of King Felmat 
  of Kale. Taxes increased tenfold during the 
  years of Jaef's power, and individual 
  freedom, long held sacred by the denizens of 
  Kale, was abolished. King Felmat publicly 
  declared that commoner's lives were the 
  exclusive property of the crown. In a display 
  of power, he ordered Jehan, the Captain of 
  Felmat's guard, who was in Jaef's employ, to 
  take ten random commoners in the 
  assembled crowd and summarily put them 
  to death. Sacrifices were also demanded 
  daily from among the populace and it was 
  rumored that these unfortunates were the 
  victims of vampirism. The populace was 
  astonished and word spread surreptitiously 
  that Jaef was the cause of all such grief. 
  In the year 7487, hope stirred in Kale. A 
  group of heroes was able to infiltrate the 
  castle and slay the court wizard Jaef. They 
  secured many powerful artifacts from Jaef 
  as wergild for their wounds and loss and 
  fled Kale City, fearing the wrath of Jaef's 
  many and terrible agents. Jaef was not 
  dispatched easily, however, and the heroes 
  were severely wounded in the battle. Jaef's 
  most deadly followers were indeed vampires 
  he had long ago summoned to aid his cause. 
  They had long escaped notice hidden deep 
  under the castle in a secret chamber. Jaef 
  had become a powerful mage over the years 
  and his greatest fear was death. Therefore, 
  as he grew in age, he called on evil magics 
  and rituals to grant himself immortality. He 
  had since become a lich, a living undead 
  wizard. He had secreted his phylactery, an 
  amulet that he kept in the secret chamber 
  beneath the castle guarded by his vampires, 
  and there his spirit was set to flee if ever his 
  original body were destroyed; hence Jaef 
  guarded himself doubly against death. He 
  was extremely paranoid, however, and only 
  his two vampire servants, himself, and 
  Jehan, the corrupt guardsmen, knew of the 
  location of this hidden chamber. After his 
  death, he was able to instruct his followers 
  speaking to them from the phylactery 
  amulet. He ordered them to follow the 
  fleeing heroes in order to recover his 
  powerful artifacts and a strong human body. 
  Jaef's spirit would be able to live again 
  within this host. The heroes fled far and 
  fast, though their flight was hindered as 
  they were severely wounded from the battle. 
  Worse, one of their group, a mighty cleric of 
  Bestra, had fallen at Jaef's hand; thus, 
  healing was impossible to the group. Rest 
  was also denied them, as they were forced to 
  keep moving, harried during the day by 
  Captain Jehan's forces and at night by Jaef's 
  loyal vampires. The chase finally ended near 
  the town of Wotun.  
  After a night of defending themselves from 
  the attacks of the vampires, dawn appeared 
  over the horizon and the heroes were finally 
  able to kill the last of the undead servants of 
  Jaef. Just after dawn, however, Captain 
  Jehan appeared on the scene, and the 
  exhausted heroes fought valiantly, 
  dispatching all of their foes except Jehan 
  himself. The battle cost them dearly, 
  however, and as midday approached, the 
  leader of the group, the great warrior 
  Bruyant alone remained alive to face 
  Captain Jehan. Fatigue and lack of rest 
  coupled with his many near-mortal wounds, 
  finally won out and Bruyant fell after a 
  valiant fight. Captain Jehan did not emerge 
  unscathed, however, nearly dying himself in 
  the battle. Meanwhile the townspeople of 
  Wotun had been watching the battle and 
  though timid, were sufficiently enraged to 
  see the valiant heroes fall that they were 
  moved to attack Captain Jehan even as he 
  searched for the artifacts of Jaef. Given 
  Jehan's much weakened state, the 
  townspeople easily overcame him and the 
  last of Jaef's servants fell. The townspeople, 
  being simple folk, did not recognize the 
  artifacts as such and buried all who fell that 
  day with their belongings in their local 
  cemetery, as was their custom. Thus, Jaef's 
  plan failed and his spirit was locked in the 
  amulet in the hidden chamber beneath the 
  
   
   
   
   
  16 
  castle in Kale City for centuries to come, for 
  none were left alive who knew of the secret 
  location. 
  Thereafter, Kale became more or less 
  peaceful, until again peril came marching 
  from the east. Because of the dark designs of 
  the Dweller, long brewing, an organized 
  army of goblins and goblin-kin marched on 
  Bael led by the Lord of Pride, Thuldin the 
  fallen. They attacked Bael in the year 7792 
  but failed to take the city. Later that year the 
  mighty city of Bael finally fell under 
  renewed attacks. Two years later Kale City 
  also fell to the Lord of Pride and the dread 
  years of the Dark Occupation began, as the 
  rest of the continent also fell sway to the 
  evil. In the year 7802 the elves attempted to 
  free Kale but after initial success were 
  driven back into the safety of the Belendale. 
  In the following centuries, Kale suffered 
  greatly at The Lord of Pride's hand until in 
  8161 the Elhan Valanduil, the northman 
  Bartarius, and their friends were able to free 
  Kale, although Valanduil unknowingly 
  found the amulet of Jaef and bore it with 
  him, a deed which would later allow the fell 
  lich to return to the world. The two heroes 
  set up a nobleman by the name of Gaidan 
  tentatively as leader of the newly liberated 
  Kale, ruling from the city of Dael. Thinking 
  the kingdom safe, the heroes Valanduil and 
  Bartarius left Kale to try to help Kelerak. 
  Gaidan's rule was short lived, however, as in 
  8162 the evil hero-assassin Bolg-gatha and 
  his adventuring party The Eye secretly 
  entered the Kingdom of Kale. In a bold 
  maneuver, they invaded the city of Dael and 
  slew its newly named Lord. After a fierce 
  battle, they escaped back into hiding. 
  Thankfully, in the once great capital of Kale 
  City to the south, there was another who 
  was hard at work to ensure the freedom of 
  Kale. 
  One of the most respected of the noble 
  families in Kale City before the evil 
  occupation were the valiant family Dukalle. 
  Claiming descent from the original Lord 
  Kale himself, The Dukalles were always 
  known not only for great wealth but also for 
  profound generosity. While they suffered 
  greatly under the rule of the Lord of Pride 
  and many were slaughtered wantonly by his 
  forces, the family lived on mostly because 
  the family Dukalle had been instrumental in 
  Kale's great port trade. Taking great pride in 
  his kingdom's fame and not wanting to risk 
  that fame, Lord Thuldin allowed the family 
  Dukalle to continue its operations relatively 
  unobstructed. Therefore, some of the family 
  survived through the occupation while other 
  noble families were entirely wiped out.  
  Therefore, when liberation came 
  unexpectedly from the north, the generosity 
  and nobility of the remaining Dukalles 
  helped unify the people of Kale City and give 
  them hope. The current head of the family 
  and central in his family's efforts is the 
  charismatic Milon Dukalle. Milon grew up 
  traveling the trade routes so important to 
  his family's position. From the mighty cities 
  of Dael and Bael in the north to the mines of 
  Bessell and ever southwards to Kale City, 
  Milon traveled alongside valuable 
  shipments of trade goods. This life hardened 
  him as monsters and brigands ran rampant 
  under the time of occupation. From an early 
  age Milon learned that there was a time 
  when a well-placed word would save a 
  man's life and others when a man's life 
  depended on his skill with the sword. 
  Milon's father taught him in the ways of 
  great leaders, and his lessons were often 
  dear bought as the penalty for failure was 
  often death. Milon was a good student, 
  though, and of necessity learned quickly 
  how to use his sword to great advantage and 
  became renowned as a master swordsman. 
  Back home in Kale City, he also quickly 
  learned the importance of using his sharp 
  mind and able tongue to talk himself out of 
  life threatening altercations with the Lord of 
  Pride's forces. The people quickly learned to 
  look to Milon when decisions were needed 
  and he enjoyed widespread support 
  amongst the citizens of Kale City. Thus, 
  after Gaidan's death, the kingdom needed a 
  leader and Milon saw his chance. Ever a 
  man of action with a streak of ruthlessness, 
  he stepped forward in Kale's time of need 
  and declared himself the rightful ruler of the 
  kingdom. Early after Gaidan's assassination, 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  17 
  several noblemen attempted to step 
  forward, but Milon used his charisma and 
  his skill with a sword to oppose them 
  politically or militarily, and he handily dealt 
  with all comers, claiming for himself the 
  title of King. Since these initial skirmishes 
  his rule has gone unopposed and the 
  kingdom of Kale has started to grow again 
  in might under Milon's firm hand. 
   
  Daily Life 
  In peaceful times, the people of Kale (Kalais 
  as they call themselves, or Kalish for the 
  outsider) are perhaps less religious than 
  their eastern neighbors. The average 
  peasant strives to be independent and 
  provide for his family from that which the 
  land provides. Hunting and trapping are 
  necessary skills for all Kalais men, and 
  though farming is also a necessity, meat is 
  usually procured from the abundant game 
  in the forests of Kale. Children are brought 
  up listening to tall tales of supernatural men 
  who wrestle wild boars to submission bare-
  handed and shoot mighty stags dead with a 
  single arrow from a hundred paces. Kale has 
  had a history of strife, however, and the 
  populace is easily turned to prayer when a 
  priest of Bestra or Calbran is about during 
  these times. Thus, Kalais commoners are 
  known for a combination of hero worship 
  backed by an inherent faith in the power of 
  Calbran and his lady Bestra. 
  Horses are very much sought after as the 
  sign of a wealthy man in Kale, though they 
  are rare compared to other kingdoms such 
  as the plains kingdom of Orland. While 
  horses are not as important for 
  transportation in Kale, they are important 
  for the hunt that is so popular among the 
  Kalais. Most commoners of Kale will never 
  be able to afford a horse, however, and thus 
  perhaps even more coveted than horses are 
  hunting hounds. A man without a dog is a 
  rare sight outside of the cities. These faithful 
  companions offer additional protection 
  when alone in the wilderness and are quite 
  helpful when hunting. Wealthier men often 
  hunt together and the baying of hounds can 
  be heard for miles as they pursue their prey. 
  Wheat is the primary crop grown in Kale 
  and is cultivated mostly along the banks of 
  the Dalewash. To the north barley and 
  buckwheat are hardier and thus usually are 
  grown in favor of wheat. The rich farmlands 
  to the northeast in the region of Bael are 
  used primarily for the cultivation of the 
  grapes native to the area. The preferred 
  animal for plowing the fields is the ox, 
  however donkeys and even mules are more 
  common due to the high expense of an ox. 
  Farming crops are more profitable as an 
  export than for one's family's sustenance. 
  Thus, most Kalais stick to traditional 
  foraging and hunting for most of their own 
  food and export their crops to bigger cities 
  for profit, using the money to procure farm 
  animals and tools as well as hunting 
  implements. As subsistence farming is rare 
  in Kale, usually many families will band 
  together to work the fields and will split the 
  profits working together with the 
  transporters' guild to get their product to 
  the cities. 
   
  Dangers 
  Kale has been beset with many dangers 
  throughout its history. Not only have Daven 
  and Kelerak disputed its borders over the 
  centuries, but the Western Wilderness has 
  long been troublesome as well. Wild beasts 
  and wandering monsters have often left the 
  depths of the western forests to attack the 
  human settlements of Kale. More recently, 
  the kingdom of Kale fell to the Lord of 
  Pride, an emissary of the evil forces who 
  seized control of all civilized lands of 
  Farland roughly 400 years ago. During the 
  Lord of Pride's occupation attacks from the 
  wilderness became yet more frequent as evil 
  within the forest grew stronger and less 
  wary of humans. Before the occupation, 
  every year stalwart men would venture into 
  the wilderness to the west and attempt to 
  stake claims there. For some years, the 
  borders of Kale thus were moving steadily 
  west as these men armed with their 
  
   
   
   
   
  18 
  preferred woodsmen's axes would repel 
  beasts and lesser monsters who would creep 
  out of the depths of the forested wilderness. 
  However, since the occupation, this practice 
  has been stopped and men have turned to 
  desperately defending their families and 
  thus the traditional homesteading tradition 
  of the men of Kale has become less common 
  and Kale has become a land of forts heavily 
  defended from outside attacks. 
  Kalais also suffer from diseases such as the 
  Coughing Plague and the Red Plague, as 
  well as other epidemics, though they are 
  much more of a threat in large cities. 
  Disease was a much larger problem during 
  the years of occupation since people moved 
  to the cities for protection. Traditionally, 
  and now once again since liberation, people 
  tend to live apart from one another, and 
  homesteading is common. Traditional 
  customs pertaining to illness require those 
  who become sick to leave others and travel 
  into the forest until they have regained 
  health. Traditional knowledge of wild 
  healing herbs is also widespread. Thus, for 
  many Kalais, disease is less of a problem as 
  in other parts of the world. 
   
  Food 
  Food is a driving force in the life of a 
  commoner of Kale. Foraging brings food to 
  the table more often than farming. Though 
  rich farmlands abound on the banks of the 
  River Dalewash, these fruits of the land are 
  mostly used to feed the populations of the 
  larger cities. A good part of all the crops 
  grown in this area are shipped down river to 
  Kale City. Thus, the average peasant is left 
  to forage for wild flora and fauna and meals 
  are usually a soup or stew, called potage 
  without meat and ragout with meat. 
  Denizens of Kale are luckier than most in 
  Farland as game is abundant and therefore 
  protein is not as scarce as in other parts of 
  the continent. Rural citizens of Kale are 
  especially lucky in this respect. The many 
  forests of Kale provide plenty of meat to a 
  good hunter. Dairy products are especially 
  prized and while the wealthy and ruling 
  class are known to have an affinity for 
  cheeses, it is not rare to find a commoner 
  who has never tasted cheese and many 
  haven't even heard of this delicacy. Milk is 
  considered an incredible treat to most and 
  herdsmen therefore are held in extreme 
  regard. 
  When Lord Kale founded the kingdom of 
  the same name in the year 6560 F.R, an 
  astounding discovery was made to the great 
  joy of the founders of the kingdom. Wild 
  grapes were found growing throughout the 
  region. Lord Kale, (finding their taste much 
  to his liking,) showed great foresight and 
  immediately ordered these grapes to be 
  cultivated in the area around Kale. While 
  these grapes were delicious and unlike 
  anything Lord Kale had ever tasted, they 
  were nothing when compared to the variety 
  of grapes growing naturally to the north 
  near the lake west of Bael. Humans had yet 
  to learn the art of winemaking as wild 
  grapes are rare elsewhere in Farland. The 
  Elves to the north had long known of the 
  superior quality of the grapes surrounding 
  the lake to the west of Bael and its 
  surrounding valleys. As Lord Kale and his 
  followers explored north, they were met by 
  the elves and were taught many things 
  including the art of making wine. The 
  Kalais, having a taste for strong drink, were 
  able to discover the making of port and it is 
  port that Kale is now mostly known for as 
  opposed to fine wines. Kale today is known 
  far and wide for its grapes and the resulting 
  grape juice, port, and rather expensive wine 
  from the region of Bael are known as far as 
  the Dwarven kingdom of Wawmar, where it 
  is especially prized. Visiting dignitaries to 
  Kale are treated to meals of bread, wine, and 
  cheese, a combination hard to come by 
  elsewhere in the lands of Farland. 
   
  Laws 
  Traditional law prior to the arrival of Lord 
  Kale from Daven was unorganized and 
  varied greatly among the various tribes. 
  Common across the lands however, was the 
  custom of dueling, or la lutte. A man, or 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  19 
  woman for that matter, was able to 
  challenge another whom he or she felt had 
  committed a crime, to a duel either to first 
  blood or even to death. Another common 
  way of dealing with crime was the paying of 
  a wergild, traditionally in the form of 
  enough meat to hold a feast for the entire 
  clan. More serious crimes were settled by 
  the payment of a wergild of a horse or in 
  rare cases several horses. What leaders 
  there were often meted out punishment in 
  the form of banishment, and the accused 
  would be forced to go off alone, unarmed, 
  into the forested wilderness to the west, 
  never to return. Lord Kale brought a more 
  modern set of laws patterned much after the 
  laws of Daven, though traditional justice is 
  often still practiced in rural areas even 
  today. The laws as set by Lord Kale and later 
  modified by his descendants and as 
  enforced today by King Milon are as follows: 
  1. Worship of any evil God, including but 
  not limited to the Dark Walker, whose true 
  name shall not be uttered, is hereby deemed 
  unlawful and punishable by death. 
  2. All citizens of the mighty kingdom of Kale 
  shall swear fealty and obeisance to the king 
  and his consorts and shall follow all rightful 
  decrees he should wish to enforce. 
  3. His majesty the king shall moreover have 
  to the right to modify any existing law at any 
  time as he sees fit or implement new just 
  laws at will. 
  4. In the event of murder, let any man, 
  woman, or child have the right to avenge 
  him or herself. Said revenge must be 
  witnessed by at least two other citizens of 
  Kale. If one wishes to forego this right, the 
  leader of the city-state in which the murder 
  occurred may deal justice. 
  5. All beasts of burden are only to be sold 
  within designated markets in designated 
  market towns. All sales must be witnessed 
  and finalized by the market captain in such 
  designated markets. 
  6. Any and all of these laws are applicable to 
  citizens of Kale and only citizens of Kale. 
  Any foreigner in the kingdom of Kale must 
  declare himself to local authorities within 
  three days of entering the kingdom and will 
  pay a one-time immigration tax of 10 silver 
  per party. 
  7. Any foreigner wishing to become a citizen 
  of Kale may pay a one-time processing fee of 
  10 silver directly to the king in Kale City and 
  then his or her application will be 
  considered by the king himself. 
  8. No baneful enchantments are to be cast 
  upon the citizens of Kale under penalty of 
  banishment or death. 
  These 8 laws are considered sacred and are 
  enforced when necessary, though individual 
  power is considered one's right, and thus 
  men are left to fend for themselves in many 
  cases. 
   
  Towns 
  The capital city of the kingdom is Kale City 
  to the south. Bael, to the northeast, is 
  second only to the capital in size and fame. 
  It owes its fame largely to the naturally 
  occurring large and luscious grapes found 
  near Lac Marn and now cultivated in all the 
  surrounding lands around Bael. Most other 
  large towns lie along the banks of the River 
  Dalewash. Far to the north almost to the 
  borders of the Belendale lies Dael, a city 
  made famous for its rich farmlands. Dael 
  has also been the historical trading post 
  with the elves to the north, though it has 
  been many years since this trade has 
  prospered. Bares to the west of Dael is 
  mostly known as an outpost of Dael. It grew 
  immensely in size during the years of the 
  evil conquest as men retreated from their 
  homesteads to the west and took up city life. 
  Nice lies to the south of Dael and is another 
  port city on the Dalewash. As it is connected 
  to Bael by road and Kale City, it is one of the 
  most important ports of Kale, as the wine 
  from the Bael region is brought overland to 
  Nice and then shipped south by ferry to Kale 
  City. There is now a near forgotten road 
  leading westwards from Nice. Some say this 
  road once led to an outpost city within the 
  Western Wilderness, and others say that 
  
   
   
   
   
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  every fifty years or so elves are seen making 
  their way westward using this ancient road. 
  Most deny that it is even a road, though, 
  these days as it is so badly overgrown. Fort 
  Tres lies to the east of Nice on the edge of 
  the Woods of the Lake, and is a rather large 
  outpost along the road north to Selble and 
  then on to Kelerak and east to Bael. To the 
  east of Nice and Dael and north of Bael, and 
  connected to these cities by road, lies the 
  towns of Nyon and Selble and the outpost of 
  Fort Sont, all trading stops on the road to 
  Kelerak.  
  Further south along the Dalewash, 
  Camorfor acts as a small port town for the 
  outpost town of Rentes. Though life is 
  perilous in this area due to the proximity of 
  the Western Wilderness, many choose to 
  live in the area, for work is plentiful. Rentes, 
  though small, knows fame for its superior 
  carpenters and woodworkers. Camorfor is 
  also known for its shipbuilding. Fort Rienne 
  lies further south along the Dalewash and 
  serves mostly as protection for the cargoes 
  ferried south to Kale City and on to Daven, 
  and those cargoes originating from the 
  south and traveling north. Fort Rienne is 
  also the port city for the mining town of 
  Bessell to the east. Bessell is located in the 
  hills west of the Kale Mountains, and there 
  iron deposits have been found in abundance 
  and even trace amounts of copper and 
  silver. 
   
  Guilds 
  Considering that Kale is bordered to the 
  west by untamed wilderness, the guild of 
  transporters is very important to the Kalais. 
  Caravans of covered wagons drawn by oxen 
  are the preferred method of travel for 
  anyone traveling long distances. The guild 
  of transporters has headquarters in Bael, 
  Dael, and Kale City. They do a thriving 
  business due to the trade goods that must be 
  transported between these cities. Lesser 
  offices are located in Camorfor and Bessell 
  transporting wood and iron ore. Another 
  similar and important guild is the river-
  sailor's guild with offices in Kale City, Fort 
  Rienne, Camorfor, Nice, and Dael. The guild 
  of boatwrights is especially powerful in 
  Camorfor. Ferries are the most common 
  ship built in Kale and use the current of the 
  mighty Dalewash to travel south and are 
  pulled back north by oxen or mules. In 
  Fetorville is located the main office of the 
  guild of carpenters and woodworkers. Due 
  to more than a thousand-year history of 
  crafting wood products and the ready 
  availability of wood in the forest to the west, 
  these men have earned great fame as master 
  woodworkers. There is a secondary office in 
  Kale City where they mostly deal in business 
  matters trading and selling their goods. The 
  guild of miners is located in Bessell and 
  nearby Fort Rienne. Smelting is 
  underdeveloped in Kale and most of the ore 
  mined in Bessell is exported to Kelerak and 
  even as far as the distant Dwarven kingdom 
  of Wawmar. The mercenaries' guild has 
  maintained itself for many years, even 
  during the Dark Occupation, as the Lord of 
  Pride provided them with work to 
  supplement his less-than-reliable goblin 
  army. Recently, new work has been found 
  for unscrupulous Kalais mercenaries, as the 
  dark warlord Afej has hired anyone 
  treacherous enough to work for him. These 
  mercenaries have revived the old adage 
  unjustly held among the Kelerites that the 
  men of Kale are liars and betrayers. Lastly, 
  the guild of herdsmen has a small 
  headquarters in Fort Tress but mostly 
  herdsmen are semi-nomadic and do a rather 
  thriving business traveling in groups from 
  village to village selling the much-desired 
  milk from their goats and cows. 
   
  Occupational Realities 
  When Thuldin the fallen, the Lord of Pride, 
  entered the lands of Kale in 7792 F.R, he 
  concentrated mainly on taking Kale City and 
  assumed full control of that city. He failed to 
  realize the individualist spirit of the Kalais, 
  though, and as long as his under-bosses 
  ensured that port and wine still came south 
  from Bael and ore was still arriving in Kale 
  City from Bessell, he spent little energy 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  21 
  traveling the lands, rarely leaving Kale City. 
  Thus, the individual citizen of Kale never 
  stopped thinking of himself as a free man, at 
  least in his innermost heart of hearts. As the 
  yoke of the Lord of Pride became more 
  oppressive, however, the citizens of Kale 
  turned their minds openly towards freedom 
  and as the generations passed, the fighting 
  spirit they inherited from their barbarian 
  ancestors stirred. Therefore, when the 
  heroes Valanduil of the Belendale and 
  Bartarius Outelion of the northmen came, 
  they were only too happy to help rid their 
  beloved land of the evil that was oppressing 
  them. Always, the Kalais have been a 
  fighting people and as many of them never 
  gave up their barbarian traditions 
  completely, they are easy to anger in times 
  of war. Though the fate of Kelerak to the 
  east is precarious today, and Daven to the 
  south has become a wasteland full of 
  undead, Kale seems to be faring well for the 
  time being. There is no immediate threat to 
  the kingdom, and King Milon enjoys 
  widespread popularity among his peoples. 
  The attacks from the forests to the west have 
  slackened in recent years and there is talk 
  among the peoples of starting once again to 
  slowly move their borders westwards, 
  especially in the area of Fetorville, where 
  wood is always in high demand. 
   
  Demographic 
  Information 
  The total area of the Kingdom of Kale is 
  roughly 28,000 square miles. Roughly 28% 
  of this area is arable land, the remaining 
  area is divided among wilderness, rivers, 
  lakes, and the like. 
  Kale's population is approximately 
  1,000,000 persons, 99% of which are 
  humans. The remainder are dark folk, 
  mostly goblins, who live as brigands in the 
  wilderness. 
  • 
  26,000 residents are isolated or 
  itinerant. 
  • 
  789,000 residents live in 2000 small 
  villages and hamlets. 
  • 
  40,000 residents live in 10 towns. 
  • 
  45,000 residents live in 3 cities 
  (Kale, Bael, and Dael). There are no 
  large cities in Kale. 
  Kale supports 2,220,000 head of livestock, 
  1,496,000 of which are fowl and 704,000 of 
  which are herd animals. 
   
   
  Kale City, Capital 
  of Kale 
  Areas of Interest (see 
  map) 
  1 King Milon's Keep  
  2 Grand Courts and Gallows  
  3 Amphitheatre  
  4 Jetet Docks and River-Sailor Guild 
  Offices  
  5 Grand Temple of Kantor  
  6 Sunset Inn  
  7 Mansion Quarter 
  8 Grand Temple of Bestra  
  9 Poulen Park  
  10 King's Fair Grounds and Lists  
  11 Baston Prison  
  12 Roy Gate  
  13 Sud Gate  
  14 Mare Gate  
  15 Souci Gate  
  16 Nor Gate  
  17 Lous Gate  
  18 Champ Park  
  19 Artisan's Lake  
  20 Pech Quarter 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  23 
  General Information 
  About the City  
   
  Who Rules: King Milon Dukalle, King 
  of Kale 
  Other Power Centers: The Lord 
  DeCourt, a powerful noble, dares not oppose 
  Milon directly, but he does work to undercut 
  his authority; Doolin, the head of the 
  Artisan's guild, one of the richest men in the 
  city; General Namus, who is very popular 
  among the citizenry. 
  Population: About 20,000-25,000. The 
  population is mostly human, but a very 
  small population of wandering dwarves has 
  since settled in the city. A few half-orcs also 
  dwell in the poverty of the Pech Quarter. 
  Major Products: Kale City exports 
  Brandywine, port, and other spirits, 
  products for which Kale is famous. It also 
  exports wheat, fish, and leather goods. Kale 
  City is also a busy port through which all 
  sorts of goods pass from the north and 
  south. 
  Armed Forces: King Milon keeps a 
  standing force of approximately 500 well-
  trained knights, stationed in Milon's Keep 
  or in the Baston Prison. In time of trouble 
  another 2000 or more militia men can be 
  called up. 
  The City: Kale City is the youngest capital 
  city of the human kingdoms. Originally little 
  more than a feudal stronghold, it has since 
  grown into a bustling ship port. Cargo from 
  the north of Kale and from Selfhaven 
  Archipelago is filtered through its port, 
  enriching the city. Kale City even managed 
  more or less to maintain its pre-conquest 
  state during the reign of the Lord of Pride, 
  who took smug delight in making the city as 
  glorious as possible. The strong guiding 
  hand of King Milon and his knights ensures 
  that the economic functions of the city have 
  grown now that it is free. 
  Large guilds dominate the economy of the 
  city. The Artisan's Guild, the River-Sailor's 
  Guild, and the Transporters Guild are the 
  most powerful of these entities, and one 
  cannot work or sell anything in Kale City 
  related to their areas of expertise without 
  the express permission of these guilds. 
  Membership is difficult to obtain, but 
  permits to sell or give service can easily be 
  had for a price.  
  Geographically, the city is dominated by the 
  large Keep of the King, which itself is 
  surrounded by the main market square, the 
  royal Fair Grounds and Jousting Lists, and 
  the Grand Public Courts. The banners that 
  fly from the Keep's parapets are visible from 
  most quarters of the city. 
  The Pech quarter of the town is an area of 
  poverty. The city's persona non-grata and 
  her poorest residents both find themselves 
  confined to the Pech Quarter. Any 
  remaining half-orcs are obliged to live here. 
  The twisting alleys of this area house the 
  several small thieves' guilds (always wary 
  because of Milon's swift justice), and 
  rumors have even spoken of stray bands of 
  dark folk left over from the occupation, that 
  live in the sewers of this Quarter. 
   
  Important Dates for the 
  City (Many are 
  Approximations) 
  6560--Kale, the second son of King Orlock 
  of Daven, cheated of an inheritance, goes off 
  with his loyal followers and founds the 
  Kingdom of Kale. 
  6562--Kale founds Kale City. 
  6602-- A baron from the Kingdom of Kale 
  attempts to found a colony in the 
  Wilderness lands to the West of Kale. Kale 
  receives word that the colony is initially 
  founded successfully and is prospering. 
  6610--Lord Nicolas of Kale City begins 
  funding buccaneers and raiders to capture 
  Davenian merchants by land and sea. This is 
  at the secret behest of King Girars. 
  6615--Kale and Daven become involved in a 
  border dispute. A minor war ensues. 
  
   
   
   
   
  24 
  6617--All contact between Kale and her 
  Western colony ceases. Kale is too involved 
  in its losing conflict with Daven to 
  investigate and the colony is entirely lost 
  and is eventually forgotten. 
  6625--The conflict between Kale and Daven 
  is resolved. Daven has expanded its Western 
  border at the expense of Kale. 
  6983--Daven falls to the combined might of 
  the Eastern Alliance. It is annexed as 
  Western Orland. The Eastern Alliance forces 
  Kelerak to cease trade with Kale; Kale 
  suffers greatly. 
  7010--Abelard Von Basil, of the royal family 
  of Daven, leads a successful revolt against 
  the Orlandish invaders. The Kingdom of 
  Daven is refounded. 
  7168--The Eastern alliance, led by Farland, 
  sends troops into Kale. 
  7169--Kale expels the troops of the Eastern 
  Alliance in the Battle of the Bend. 
  7170--Farland invades Kale in force. 
  7172--Kale is defeated at the Battle of 
  Fenmire, but escapes a massacre after one 
  Captain Aurel sacrifices himself so that his  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  men can successfully retreat. 
  7173--Kale is defeated at the Battle of Kale. 
  Farland and the Eastern alliance besiege the 
  city of Kale. 
  7175—Kale surrenders and is annexed as a 
  province of Farland. 
  7179--Queen Sybille Halfelven of Kale, 
  known as the diplomat, undergoes 
  negotiations with Farland. 
  7190--Farland agrees to withdraw from 
  Kale, partially due to the threat growing to 
  its East in the Wintervale. Kale agrees to pay 
  yearly tribute. 
  7212--The Coughing Plague strikes in Kale 
  City, causing much death. 
  7401--The Second Coughing Plague 
  epidemic strikes Kale City. King Breton dies 
  in the plague. 
  7792--The Dark Conquest begins. An 
  organized force of orcs marches toward the 
  city of Bale. 
  7793--The force, led by The Lord of Pride, 
  attacks Bale but is repulsed. Later that year 
  he takes the city. 
  8160--The city is liberated. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  25 
  Factions of Kale 
  Dukalle’s Loyalist: This group 
  consists of knights and lords loyal to the 
  new King of Kale.  Generally, an honorable 
  faction, and an extremely powerful one, this 
  group opposes the faction of The Lord 
  DeCourt, although not with open force.  
  This group is nearly entirely human. 
  DeCourt’s Loyalists: Consisting 
  mostly of political operatives and courtier, 
  this faction is not powerful in terms of force 
  of arms, but it wields a great deal of political 
  clout.  The goal of this group is to advance 
  the personal power of Lord DeCourt, a 
  grasping and greedy nobleman.  The 
  members feel that if they can advance Lord 
  DeCourt, they will advance themselves.  
  This group is nearly entirely human, 
  although there is one half-orc male courtier 
  named Denalle who doesn’t look like a half 
  orc and who does the group’s “wet work.” 
  Guild of Transporters: This guild 
  is economically powerful.  Generally aligned 
  with Dukalle’s Loyalists, they aren’t above 
  working for anyone who pays them, 
  although they do their best to stay within 
  the law. Their leader is a human woman by 
  the name of Ide Du Ligne, a canny and wise 
  person indeed. This guild is mostly humans, 
  but it does accept non-human members, 
  and several dwarves, halflings, and even one 
  half-elf are members.  This guild employs 
  spellcasters and mercenaries to protect the 
  goods and persons it transports. 
  Mercenaries’ Guild: An amoral—
  and sometimes immoral—faction, this guild 
  consists of warriors, sell-swords, and 
  downright brigands, although the occasional 
  honorable member can be found in their 
  ranks.  The leader of the guild is an old 
  human fighter by the name of Horus; he 
  used to serve in the Lord of Pride’s forces, 
  and the lessons he learned there he has not 
  forgotten.  This guild is mostly human, but a 
  gang of dwarves are also members, as well 
  as a healthy number of half-orcs.  They will 
  serve anyone who pays them, but they are 
  rarely employed by King Dukalle. Lately 
  they have been employed by the DeCourt 
  Loyalists as well as by the Dark Baron Afej, 
  in Western Kelerak. 
   
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the Kingdom 
  of Kale. 
  The abandoned colony: Immediately 
  before the Dark Conquest, a colony was 
  started in the vast woodlands west of Kale.  
  Contact with the colony was lost after the 
  darkness fell.  What happened to it? 
  Guard the caravan or boat: The 
  transporters guild is always looking for 
  hearty individuals to make sure that its 
  goods get where they are going, and recently 
  attacks by monsters have been increasing. 
  Choose a side: Recently the strife between 
  the Dukalle and DeCourt loyalists have 
  increased.  One side needs to come out on 
  top, but it needs to happen politically.  
  Blood must not be shed unless absolutely 
  necessary. 
  Contact the elves: The elves of the 
  Belendale have recently made contact with 
  the freed kingdom of Kale, but the 
  friendship must be cemented.  Surely the 
  elves will have favors they will ask the PCs 
  to accomplish, and doing so is sure to 
  increase the bond between the humans and 
  elves. 
  Protect against Daven: Undead have 
  more and more begun to cross from 
  haunted-Daven into Eastern Kale.  The 
  border must be guarded, and scouts report 
  some sort of organized undead group 
  approaching. 
   
  
   
   
   
   
  26 
  The Kingdom of 
  Kelerak 
   
  Kelerite Feudalism 
  The archmage Keler conquered the land that 
  was to be Kelerak, literally "The Offspring of 
  Keler," during the Kingdom Wars, 
  subsuming the indigenous peoples into the 
  Easterners that made up his army, or 
  driving them north. He then took his newly 
  conquered kingdom and divided it up, 
  granting the land to his generals, naming 
  them Earls. Keler reasoned that those 
  noblemen who were willing to die in battle 
  for him would also be loyal to him. To 
  become an Earl, however, the former 
  generals had to swear to be loyal to Keler 
  and to support him economically through 
  taxation and militarily through the raising 
  of soldiers. These Tenant-Lords 
  lightheartedly swore their oath and then 
  retired to their new tracts of land to govern 
  them as they saw fit, regarding themselves 
  almost as kings in their own right when it 
  came to their small demesnes. 
  The Earls, however, soon discovered that 
  the great size of the tracts gifted by Keler 
  necessitated sub-governance, and thus they 
  named Barons to rule sections of their 
  lands. The Barons were also chosen by Keler 
  because they had distinguished themselves 
  in battle. These vassals swore loyalty to the 
  Earls above them in the same manner that 
  the Earls had sworn loyalty to Keler. 
  Having sworn an oath to the Earls, these 
  Barons, and the Knights they subsequently 
  appointed, were counted as having sworn an 
  indirect oath to the King. It was their job to 
  maintain law and order, and they were 
  counted on to do their job well or be 
  removed from their positions. 
  At the bottom of the hierarchy were the 
  serfs or peasants; these hapless souls were 
  given a plot of land by the lord above them, 
  and they were legally required to work it. 
  They could not sell their land or move 
  without permission. 
  Eventually, however, these Earls grew too 
  powerful. In the year 6080 F.R. the Earls 
  united against King Theobold Keler and 
  nearly dethroned him. The King was 
  ultimately victorious, however, and forever 
  after outlawed the office of Earl, dividing 
  the land into smaller pieces and giving the 
  power directly to the more numerous but 
  individually less powerful Barons, who now 
  became directly responsible to the King 
  himself. The King also retained the power to 
  grant Lordship to his subjects, which he 
  used primarily to raise funds and to secure 
  the loyalty of those he raised to the peerage. 
  These Lords were often granted small tracts 
  of land or villages, but were responsible to 
  the Baron in whose demesne their lands fell. 
  Thus, the Kelerite feudal hierarchy became: 
  King, Baron, Lord, Lord Knight, Knight, 
  Commoner. 
  Farming dominated the lives of most people 
  in Kelerak's early history and it still does. 
  Most people reside in small farming  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  27 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  28 
  communities adjacent to ample farmland. 
  Most Kelerite towns are small and 
  dependent upon the agricultural products of 
  outlying villages; Kelerak does have an 
  abundance of large cities for a Western 
  kingdom, and as such farming is even more 
  important. This is one reason that the 
  worship of Bestra, goddess of agriculture, is 
  so important and widespread. 
  The ruling class makes up about three to 
  four percent of the population. The ruling 
  class are not all titled nobles; it also consists 
  of educated and wealthy merchant families. 
  These merchants are able to work or buy 
  their way into the titled nobility, and 
  because of their economic success, they are 
  usually richer than those who are born into 
  the noble class. These latter individuals 
  know how to be nobles, but they do not 
  know how to grow or maintain their wealth, 
  and as such their fortunes often shrink 
  while those of the new nobility grow-for a 
  few generations at least. 
  Many of these newly-minted nobles are 
  important to the society of Kelerak because 
  they are the primary moneylenders. While 
  aristocrats and senior clerics sometimes 
  lend money, most of the capital essential for 
  economic growth comes from these 
  merchants. Nobles and the churches tend to 
  spend their wealth on projects that increase 
  their personal prestige, such as larger 
  mansions or temples, and artworks like 
  statuary, while the merchant-nobles fund 
  ventures like mercantile production, 
  shipping, the mining of iron and other 
  precious metals and the crafting of said 
  metals, and military ventures. These 
  projects keep the economy of the kingdom 
  alive. 
  Although aristocrats are always eager to 
  keep the nobility as elite as possible, the 
  kings of the green throne see their power to 
  create new aristocrats as a valuable method 
  for maintaining loyalty and adding fresh 
  blood to the somewhat stagnant pool of 
  nobles in the kingdom. In the year 8170 
  F.R., the Baron of Dragonspur and aspiring 
  king of the Green Throne still gives out 
  noble titles in this way, and few people who 
  were previously critical of the powers 
  in Dragonspur leave their peerage ceremony 
  without feeling grateful. 
   
  Daily Life 
  The daily life of the average Kelerite peasant 
  revolves around farming. The most valuable 
  farming tool in the kingdom, besides the 
  magic of the clerics of Bestra or of the 
  occasional friendly druid, is an ox. The 
  average peasant family is unlikely to be rich 
  enough to own one exclusively, however, 
  and thus groups of families often band 
  together to purchase an ox which they can 
  all share. The villagers in this communal 
  group often manually help the people whose 
  turn with the ox has not yet come. Much of 
  this manual work is done with the second 
  most valuable farming tool: the plough, 
  which, while preferably pulled by a beast of 
  burden, can be pulled by hand. 
  Growing crops is a very tentative affair 
  without magical aid and a successful crop is 
  due to much labor and luck. A village with a 
  powerful resident cleric of Bestra is a lucky 
  one indeed, and likely a rich one. One would 
  think that farmers in the summer (the 
  growing season) would have an easier time 
  of it, but the relatively harsh weather at the 
  somewhat Northern latitude of Kelerak 
  makes farming difficult even then. As a 
  peasant is responsible to his lord for taxes 
  no matter what, even a bad harvest will not 
  excuse him from paying them, and he will 
  have to find another way to make up the 
  missing fees. Most peasants do not pay their 
  dues in coin; rather they pay them in crops 
  or some other form of trade. Of course, they 
  can keep what small bit is left of their 
  harvests or profits once they have paid their 
  taxes. Nor can serfs successfully welch on 
  paying, for many estates have a reeve whose 
  job it is to ensure that peasants are honest. 
  Peasants generally live in wooden-framed 
  houses called Thuck Houses. The walls of 
  these huts are plastered with a mix of mud, 
  straw, and manure, called wattle-and-daub. 
  This mixture, left to dry in the sun once 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  29 
  applied, both adds insulation to the house 
  and adds strength and durability to its wood 
  frame. Although Thuck houses are small, 
  their advantage is that they are cheap to 
  construct and repair. The thatched roofs can 
  be patched with straw, which also covers the 
  floor. There are no windows, as the cost of 
  glass is prohibitive; instead the small holes 
  in the frame are covered with thick pieces of 
  cloth. The entire family, as well as their 
  animals, sleeps in one room. The livestock 
  are brought inside for safety from brigands 
  and wandering monsters. The Orcish taste 
  for horsemeat is well known, but orcs will 
  gladly settle for cattle. Moreover, wild 
  animals like wolves and bears lurk in the 
  expansive forests of the kingdom, and these 
  can take a pig or cow as easily as an Orc 
  could. The loss of any animal would be a 
  hardship, but the loss of valuable animals 
  such as an ox would mean the financial ruin 
  of a family. 
  Towns depend upon a readily available 
  water supply. If water cannot be easily 
  collected from a nearby river or lake, it is 
  often diverted into a town using a series of 
  small canals; pipes are also employed. 
  Water in towns and cities spouts from a 
  fountain pipe. Because the Church of Kantor 
  teaches that water is sacred, bathing is not 
  as much of a rarity as it is in other 
  kingdoms, especially for the rich. A rich 
  person might have a bath one or more times 
  a week, but certainly any bath, once drawn, 
  is used by every member of a household, 
  even a rich household. Kelerite peasants 
  tend to bathe monthly or bi-monthly, but 
  face and hand washing is quite common. 
  Public bathing is a custom adopted from 
  Farlandish culture, and large cities, like the 
  famous Dragonspur, offer public baths, 
  called "Shivers" because of their 
  temperature, to those who can pay a tin 
  penny for their use. The Shivers, however, 
  also attract thieves from the powerful 
  Thieves' Guilds who steal what they can 
  when the victims are disrobed and when it 
  would be embarrassing to pursue a thief. 
  Many still do, though, and many times the 
  inhabitants of a town have laughed at the 
  sight of a naked man chasing down a thief. 
  Dangers 
  Besides the threat from famine, diseases 
  (such as the Coughing Plague), and wolves 
  or bears, there are worse thing that must be 
  dealt with. Undead are a rare source of 
  danger. Most villages have long taken 
  precautions upon the death of a citizen 
  designed to ensure that the person does not 
  rise again after death. These superstitions 
  and religious rituals are more or less 
  effective (some more than others) and most 
  villages do not have problems with undead, 
  but sometimes evil spirits from the Cold 
  East do manage to infest the corpses of 
  villagers, causing them to walk again. Thus, 
  villages are often on the lookout for signs of 
  undead, such as collapsed graves, holes near 
  graves, and people who are inexplicably 
  sick. If a village is infested with undead, the 
  villagers turn to the clergy, a resident 
  paladin, or a brave villager or watchmen to 
  combat the menace. 
  There is also a threat from 
  wandering monsters. This is also a rare 
  danger, since the kingdom's borders tend to 
  be generally secure. When a monster is 
  discovered, however, villagers turn to the 
  same adventurous individuals to combat the 
  beast. In times of trouble, adventurers' 
  guilds are often founded to serve as 
  protectors of the towns (for pay of course). 
  As the threat is usually ended quickly, either 
  by the guild or armed intervention from the 
  local knight or baron, these guilds often 
  disband as quickly as they are formed. 
   
  Food 
  Most people in Kelerak provide for 
  themselves, finding or growing their own 
  food. Bread is a universal staple. People 
  prefer white bread made from wheat flour. 
  However, only the nobles or the upper class 
  are able to grow the wheat necessary for 
  white bread. Growing wheat takes soil that 
  has been richly fertilized with manure--an 
  expensive proposition--so peasants 
  generally grow barley and rye, crops which 
  thrive in poor soil. Rye and barley produce a 
  
   
   
   
   
  30 
  heavy, dark bread called Kraton bread. If 
  the harvest of rye and barley is weak, the 
  average serf will throw into his bread dough 
  almost anything he can scavenge, including 
  peas, beans, and acorns. 
  As well as bread, the people of Kelerak eat a 
  great deal of pottage, a soup or stew made 
  from oats. The types of pottage eaten in 
  Kelerak vary depending on the local tastes. 
  In western Kelerak, the villagers like to add 
  beans and peas, while in the eastern parts of 
  the kingdom different vegetables such as 
  turnips and parsnips are preferred. Leek 
  pottage is popular in the south, but the 
  specific ingredients of this stew depend on 
  what the serf's private garden has yielded. 
  Most of the meat that peasants eat comes 
  from pigs. There are many advantages to 
  these creatures: they can forage for 
  themselves both in summer and winter, and 
  they can eat almost anything organic. They 
  fatten up on acorns from the forest, a free 
  and plentiful food source. Hence, pigs are 
  inexpensive to keep. Most pigs are free-
  range, and it is a common site to see a group 
  of pigs wandering about the town square of 
  a Kelerite village as if they own the place. 
  Peasants also consume mutton when they 
  can get it. But sheep and lambs are often 
  thin, small creatures, the choice animals 
  generally having been taken by the Orcish 
  masters during the occupation, and the 
  leftover meat is not highly valued. Only now 
  in the year 8170 are the flocks of sheep in 
  Kelerak beginning to recover. The serfs 
  consume every part of a sheep, even using 
  the blood left over from butchering to make 
  a dish called Kantor's pudding (blood, milk, 
  animal fat, onions, and oatmeal). 
  Wildlife such as rabbits, turkeys, and deer 
  are plentiful in Kelerak, and one might think 
  that peasants could feast on these animals 
  at their leisure. Hunting these animals 
  would be a grave mistake, however, for 
  these creatures are the property of the local 
  lord, and hunting them is illegal. Many 
  villages do, however, receive permission to 
  hunt "lower" animals such as hedgehogs 
  and squirrels. 
  Peasants are generally also allowed to fish 
  from their local river, as long as they only 
  harvest grayling, dace, and gudgeon. 
  Because many villages grow up near rivers, 
  fishing is a ready supply of food even in the 
  leanest times. Trout and salmon in the river, 
  though, are property of the lord of the 
  village, who also keeps a fish-pond on his 
  estate stocked with trout. Woe to the 
  peasant who dares steal fish from his lord's 
  pond. 
  Serfs usually drink water since the rivers 
  have remained more or less unpolluted. 
  Besides water, villagers also drink milk, 
  mostly goat milk and more rarely cow milk. 
  Peasants would prefer to drink beer or ale, 
  but the average peasant can only acquire it 
  on special occasions, because brewing these 
  drinks is a time-consuming and difficult 
  task. The barley in the mix must be soaked 
  for several days and then painstakingly 
  germinated. This creates the malt. The malt 
  is then dried, ground with a pestle, and 
  fermented in hot water. Only then can the 
  ale or beer be consumed. The average 
  peasant cannot sell homebrewed beer 
  without a license. To get permission to sell 
  ale during market day, for example, one  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  31 
  needs to apply to the local merchants' guild 
  for a permit. 
  Food for the rich and poor vary 
  considerably, as would be expected. The rich 
  eat more meat and fruit, and they generally 
  eat more richly. One will rarely encounter a 
  fat peasant, but among the nobility, excess 
  weight is less rare. 
   
  Laws 
  Here is set down what Keler, first king and 
  founder of Kelerak, established in 
  consultation with his magnates after the 
  conquest of his new lands. These are the 
  general laws that apply to the entire 
  kingdom, but individual barons often 
  impose their own additional laws. 
  1. The worship of The Dark Walker under 
  any incarnation is hereby decreed unlawful 
  and punishable by death. 
  2. It is decreed also that every freeman shall 
  affirm by oath and compact that he will be 
  loyal to the Green Throne both within and 
  without the bounds of Kelerak, that he will 
  preserve the lands and honor of the throne 
  with all fidelity and defend the throne 
  against its enemies. 
  3. It is willed, moreover, that all the men of 
  Kelerak shall be protected by the king's 
  peace and shall dwell in quiet. And if any 
  one of them shall be slain, let the lord of his 
  murderer seize him within five days, if he 
  can; but if he cannot, let him pay the throne 
  46 pieces of silver so long as his substance 
  avails. 
  4. And let there be no unlawful casting of 
  magics, bewitchment, or ensorcellment of 
  any sort. Magic may only be cast beneficially 
  and it may never influence or affect a person 
  of Kelerak against his will on penalty of 
  death. 
  5. It is forbidden also that any live cattle 
  shall be bought or sold for money except 
  within cities, and this shall be done before 
  three faithful witnesses; nor even anything 
  old without surety and warrant. But if 
  anyone shall do otherwise, let him pay once, 
  and afterwards a second time for a fine. 
  6. This also is commanded and willed, that 
  all shall have and hold the law of the king in 
  respect of their lands and all their 
  possessions, with the addition of those 
  decrees ordained for the welfare of the 
  Kelerite people. 
  7. Every man who wishes to be considered a 
  freeman shall be in pledge so that his surety 
  shall hold him and hand him over to justice 
  if he shall offend in any way. And if any such 
  shall escape, let his sureties see to it that 
  they pay forthwith what is charge against 
  him, and let them clear themselves of any 
  complicity in his escape. Let recourse be had 
  to the courts. And those who ought of right 
  to come and are unwilling to appear, shall 
  be summoned once; and if for the second 
  time they refuse to come, one ox shall be 
  taken from them, and they shall be 
  summoned a third time. And if they do not 
  come the third time, a second ox shall be 
  taken from them. But if they do not come 
  the fourth summons, the man who is 
  unwilling to come shall forfeit from his 
  goods the amount of the charge against him 
  -- "ceapgeld" as it is called -- and in addition 
  to this a fine to the king. 
  8. The sale of any man by another outside 
  the country is prohibited on pain of a fine to 
  be paid in full to the throne. 
  9. It is also forbidden that anyone shall be 
  slain or hanged unlawfully for any fault. 
  And this command shall not be violated 
  under pain of a fine in full to the throne or 
  upon repeat offenses he himself shall be put 
  to death. 
  10. Further, it is willed that any non-human 
  wishing to dwell within the realm of Kelerak 
  shall sue for permission to do so and a tax of 
  4 silver pieces per year shall be levied for 
  this special allowance. 
   
  Towns 
  Kelerak has a few cities and towns, but it is 
  largely a kingdom of villages. Most people 
  
   
   
   
   
  32 
  are village serfs, but religious centers attract 
  pilgrims, and several, most 
  notably Bestraville, have developed into 
  larger communities. 
  Outside of Dragonspur City and Wyvernia, 
  the largest towns in Kelerak are the fishing 
  cities of West and East-of-Sky, and the 
  religious center of Green City. Because they 
  lie on trade routes or near bountiful natural 
  resources like the Lake of the Sky, these 
  towns attract merchants and traders of all 
  sorts. Green City, of course, attracts 
  pilgrims. 
  The big market fairs always attract more 
  people to the towns of Kelerak, and as these 
  fairs generally take place in spring or 
  summer, the population of the cities and 
  towns greatly increases during these 
  months. 
  Besides trade routes, communities 
  organically spring up near large water 
  supplies such as rivers and lakes. Besides 
  water, another pressing need is defense, and 
  many communities, especially the wealthier 
  ones, are enclosed in wooden palisades to 
  keep out brigands, raiding dark folk, and 
  wandering monsters. Cities such as 
  Dragonspur and Wyvernia have stone walls 
  that serve the same purpose, but towns 
  generally cannot afford the expense of 
  constructing walls of stone. The great 
  Dragonspur Wall was breached in the Dark 
  Conquest and parts of it were leveled by 
  the dragon Skywing. It has never been 
  rebuilt, as the Lord of Lust did not see it as a 
  priority. 
  As trade is the life-blood of many towns, 
  local lords strive to make the community 
  friendly to merchants. After all, these 
  merchants pay taxes and thus enrich the 
  coffers of the lord. Taxes are collected by a 
  sheriff. Because many townsfolk are 
  illiterate, however, the system is rife for 
  corruption. The solution to this corruption 
  is a charter. A charter gives towns the right 
  to collect their own taxes, thus 
  circumventing the problem of corrupt 
  sheriffs. Charters also commonly provide for 
  a court of law so that legal issues can be 
  settled locally. 
  Towns are rather dirty, because people often 
  empty their privy pots into the streets, and 
  they throw their trash into the gutters as 
  well. This practice spawns multitudes of 
  vermin, such as rats, carrion crawlers, and 
  worse. Moreover, the unsanitary nature of 
  the cities also causes plagues, although the 
  villagers do not realize this fact. The free-
  roaming pigs do their best to dispose of the 
  refuse by eating it, but they cannot keep up 
  with the volume. 
  Fire is an ever-present danger in Kelerite 
  towns, as most communities are constructed 
  almost entirely of wood. There are no street 
  lamps in most towns, because of this 
  danger; Kelerite towns lack the common 
  Continual Flame street lights found in the 
  Kingdom of Farland. Hence, wandering 
  about in a large town at night can be a 
  dangerous proposition, because of the 
  thieves that exploit the darkness. This 
  causes travelers at night to carry open 
  torches, which can prove to be disastrous. 
  Construction in a Kelerite city or town is 
  expensive, because land is at a premium. 
  Thus, many Kelerite houses have a small 
  ground floor and upper floors that expand 
  outward as they get further from the 
  ground. This is a method for reducing costs, 
  but the overhanging houses often block the 
  sun when one walks down a city street. 
   
  Kelerite Guilds 
  As in most feudal societies, guilds are very 
  important in the economic life of Kelerak. A 
  guild is a collection of artisans or craftsmen 
  who form a union to ensure quality of 
  production and fairness of prices, and to 
  keep competition down. Guilds appoint 
  marshals to see that members do indeed 
  maintain their quality and that they do not 
  overcharge or undercharge. Members 
  violating these rules suffer various penalties, 
  from paying a fine, having to do the work 
  over for free, or being expelled from the 
  guild. Since one needs a license from a guild 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  33 
  to conduct business in a community, 
  expulsion is a grave punishment. Guilds are 
  not entirely punitive, however; they also see 
  after the families of sick or deceased 
  members. 
  Achieving membership in a guild is 
  considered an honor, and it is not an easy 
  task. First a potential member must serve as 
  an apprentice for some 15 or more years. 
  During apprenticeship, the young man is 
  expected to remain single, to work only for 
  room and board, and to give up any leisure 
  time. In return, the youth is instructed by a 
  master craftsman. Upon completion of the 
  apprenticeship, the person is made a 
  journeyman guild member. He now works 
  for a wage in hopes of saving enough to start 
  his own business. 
  As mentioned, only members of guilds or 
  their licensees can sell their wares within 
  the community. The exceptions to this, 
  though, are market days. During market 
  days, non-guild members may engage in 
  business, as long as they remain within the 
  designated market square. For this reason, 
  market days attract great amounts of people 
  from the surrounding countryside. 
  Unfortunately, Kelerak inherited from the 
  Eastern Kingdoms the tradition of powerful 
  thieves' guilds. These organized crime 
  syndicates vary in power depending on their 
  membership and the personal power of 
  their leader. They engage in very many 
  illegal activities, ranging from extortion 
  through stealing and fencing to 
  assassination. 
   
  Occupational Realities 
  It was fortunate for Brathelathor the 
  disorganized Lord of Lust that the feudal 
  system of Kelerak had been firmly in place 
  and running smoothly for over a thousand 
  years. The Lord of Sin changed little about 
  the system; he merely substituted himself as 
  King and his Orcish War bosses, or Hoths, 
  as the Lords of the system. Of course, the 
  average Orcish foot soldier, or dog, enjoyed 
  a station above any human serf or peasant 
  in the Kingdom. Acts of rapine and violence 
  by the foot soldiers were only moderately 
  discouraged and became somewhat 
  commonplace. 
  The Lord of Lust also rewarded his 
  commanders with the land of the conquered 
  Kelerite, slaying and taking the manors and 
  castles of the original occupants. Some of 
  these occupants became serfs or slaves, or 
  were slain. Other noble families retained 
  their station, after offering a substantial 
  bribe as well as swearing allegiance to the 
  Lord of Lust. 
  The Deadly Lord also began 
  cultivating Lotus and selling it very cheaply 
  to the populous as an easy method of 
  enforcing docility on large masses of people. 
  This strategy was never very successful, 
  however, and once the kingdom was 
  liberated, the production of lotus was all but 
  stopped by unanimous consent. However, 
  the lotus-addicted beggar lolling in the 
  street is still an unfortunate sign of the Dark 
  Occupation. 
  For the average citizen, life under the Dark 
  Occupation became nearly unbearable as he 
  now had to contend with less land, the 
  rampages of Orcish soldiers and the 
  incessant in-fighting between the Orcish 
  bosses, and the corruption within the 
  system. And while used to serfdom, the idea 
  of being owned by an orc boss added to the 
  humiliation of the population. These terrible 
  living conditions only ensured the existence 
  of a healthy resistance in most cities or 
  towns. 
  Once the kingdom was liberated, many of 
  the barons attempted to reinstitute the 
  ancient feudal system-- with themselves at 
  its head. This civil war, coupled with the 
  looming threat of reoccupation from the 
  Dark Forces in the East, is causing Kelerak, 
  for the first time in its long existence, to face 
  the possibility of extinction as a kingdom. 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  34 
  Demographic 
  Information 
  The total area of the baronies that used to 
  make up the Kingdom of Kelerak is 30,000 
  square miles. 
  The total current population is 
  approximately 990,000 persons because of 
  the harsh realities of the dark occupation. 
  This population is much less than the 
  approximately 2,000,000 inhabitants the 
  Kingdom can and did support in its heyday. 
  Roughly 98% of the current population is 
  human. The remainder are dark folk, like 
  orcs and goblins. 
  • 
  21,080 residents are isolated or 
  itinerant; many of these are dark 
  folk. 
  • 
  805,820 residents live in 1958 
  villages. 
  • 
  69,400 residents live in 12 towns. 
  • 
  49,700 residents live in 6 cities (East 
  and West-of-Sky, Green City, 
  Wyvernia, Jacob's Rock, and 
  Dessingrove). 44,000 residents live 
  in 1 big city (Dragonspur City). 
  Kelerak currently supports 2,178,000 head 
  of livestock: 
  • 
  1,481,040 fowl (e.g. chickens, geese, 
  ducks). 
  • 
  696,960 dairy and meat animals 
  (e.g. cows, goats, pigs, sheep). 
   
   
  Great Barons of 
  Kelerak 
   
  Baron Oliver Goldcrown 
  Master of East-of-Sky, Warden of the 
  Middle Wood, Beloved of Bestra, Fisher's 
  King 
  Even before the Days of Liberation, Kelerak 
  was beset by bitter feuds among its nobility. 
  The Goldcrowns of East-of-Sky and the 
  Danubes of Jacob's Rock had one of the 
  more intense rivalries, in no small part due 
  to both having retained their positions at 
  great expense after the occupation by the 
  Lord of Lust, though admittedly this 
  subordinated them to the Hoths that truly 
  ruled their domains. The competition 
  between them reached its peak when Zebet, 
  Hoth of East-of-Sky, declared war on 
  Alzuril, Hoth of Jacob's Rock. 
  In 8157 FR, Barons Jason Goldcrown and 
  Gregory Danube met secretly to plot the 
  death of the Hoths, loathing them even 
  more than each other. Their scheme might 
  even have worked, had it not been for one of 
  Gregory's many illegitimate sons, George by 
  name, a blasphemer and secret warlock who 
  gave praise directly to the Lord of Lust 
  instead of Vornoth. The erotic forms taken 
  by this praise were perversely pleasing to 
  the Lord of Lust, who often permitted the 
  young man to summon his pleasure devils 
  for more intense sessions of devotion. 
  Conspiring to oust his father, George sent 
  imps under cover of invisibility to spy upon 
  him, learning of his meeting with the rival 
  Goldcrown. As a result, both Barons were 
  imprisoned and, eventually, mercifully 
  executed. 
  As reward for this service, George was given 
  control of the Danubes, delighting now in 
  lording over those who had previously 
  spurned him. In response, the very first act 
  of the new Baron Goldcrown, Oliver, was to 
  personally lead a force to the Danube estate 
  outside Jacob's Rock, abduct the women 
  and children, settle them in his own 
  household and decree the end of hostilities 
  between the pure bloodlines of the families. 
  Incensed by both insult and losing his prime 
  source of amusement, George Danube swore 
  to make Oliver Goldcrown's death last ten 
  times as long as his father's. Hoth Zebet was 
  naturally delighted by all this, applauding 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  35 
  Oliver's bold initiative in the war against 
  Hoth Alzuril. 
  After the Lord of Lust was defeated and the 
  Hoths driven out or slain, the nobles that 
  had served under them had to fight to prove 
  they were free of corruption. In a shocking 
  turn of events, Oliver Goldcrown was found 
  to have a personal shrine to the Lord of Lust 
  and a great many forbidden texts in his 
  chambers, and a magical study revealed a 
  potent evil aura about him. In truth, this 
  was part of the elaborate revenge of George 
  Danube, aided by the demoness Lilith, who 
  had simply switched the belongings of the 
  two patriarchs. George Danube was 
  exonerated of all crimes, declared the new 
  lord of the region and took on the grim duty 
  of executing the last servants of the Hoths. 
  For the next five years, Oliver Goldcrown, 
  rightful baron of East-of-Sky, was believed 
  dead, though in fact he had simply been 
  imprisoned in the deepest dungeons of Lord 
  Danube. At last, in 8167 FR, a band of 
  heroes in the employ of Yedus Anglarond, 
  found proof of George Danube's evil nature 
  and released Oliver Goldcrown from his 
  prison, then confronted the vile lord in his 
  court. Knowing when the game was up, 
  Lilith retreated from the board, taking with 
  her the protections she had bestowed upon 
  George, who was swiftly put to death by 
  Oliver. 
  Since his reinstatement as Baron of East-of-
  Sky, Oliver Goldcrown has developed a 
  reputation for being, in charitable terms, a 
  bull-headed, mulish, intractable, 
  unrelentingly tenacious fool. Many suspect 
  it was only through this that he survived the 
  horrors of being a prisoner of George 
  Danube, though none are so foolish as to 
  question him about that time. When he sets 
  his mind to something, Oliver is harder to 
  move than a mountain. 
  This has proven to be something of a 
  problem for Felix ack-Heathcliff, high priest 
  of Kantor, for Oliver has set his mind on 
  highly reactionary and conservative policies 
  that Felix believes work well only on 
  curtailing expansion of East-of-Sky. The 
  utmost subtlety is thus required for him to 
  mitigate these negative policies, for he is 
  opposed by Jacob ack-Simore, a wizard of 
  no small power who serves Oliver wholly 
  and unquestioningly, having once been a 
  prisoner of George Danube himself. 
  In the wider political world, Oliver is closely 
  allied to Baron Gregory Danube, son of the 
  old Baron Gregory, who he reinstated to the 
  family's rightful holdings in Jacob's Rock. 
  Both having lost their father and position to 
  the treachery of George Danube, the pair are 
  said to have pledged themselves to eternal 
  loyalty and brotherhood. He is staunchly 
  opposed to either of Lords Felmund or 
  Starsul having control of Wyvernia, citing 
  lack of heritage. 
   
  Marius Sonnesberg  
  Duke of the Eaglesreach, The Silver Duke, 
  Gatekeeper to Anaria, Loather of 
  Pumpernickel 
  Marius Stephan Johann-Claude Sonnesberg 
  XII, born in 8103 FR and heir to the old 
  barony of Eaglesreach, was noted from an 
  early age to be afflicted with the curse of 
  eccentricity. During the infamous reception 
  of 8110 FR at the temple in Eagle Grove, he 
  loudly commented on the ugliness of the 
  then-little-known Tamarrik's scars. Rather 
  than strike him down for his insolence, the 
  great oluk had laughed and claimed the boy 
  showed more courage with his honesty than 
  any dozen soldiers he had killed in battle. 
  With this dubious endorsement behind him, 
  Marius was given far more leeway than 
  otherwise he would have received, 
  developing a reputation as a diplomat's 
  bane and often being referred to as 'the 
  Mercurial'. Bouts of screaming rage were 
  followed by periods of intense melancholy,  
  
   
   
   
   
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  37 
  occasionally interrupted by exuberant and 
  flamboyant displays of wealth or skill, or 
  outright lunacy. Upon replacing his late 
  father as Baron Sonnesberg of the 
  Eaglesreach in 8132 FR, his first decree was 
  the outlawing of death, upon penalty of total 
  seizure of assets by the family of the 
  deceased - which had, of course, made him 
  beloved by the people for safeguarding their 
  belongings. Initially less pleasant was the 
  tax he enforced on any man who wore a 
  mustache in the Kalish fashion, although 
  this was made quite amusing by the 
  discovery later in the year that the Baron 
  was refusing to shave and now only taxing 
  himself. 
  Despite these and many, many other 
  oddities over the years, the Baron remained 
  in power, avoiding death or deposition with 
  the uncanny fortune gifted to the mad - and 
  by the prowess that the mad are never 
  thought to have. When the Anarian raiders 
  surrounded Wyvernia in late 8134 FR, he 
  rode alone to challenge their leader to a 
  duel, only after his victory revealing his 
  tutelage in the art of war by Tammarik the 
  Reaver. He ended Kelerak's seven-year 
  drought in 8145 FR by offering his peers the 
  chance to sell their fire mages to him and 
  thus remove an elemental threat to the 
  return of the rains, then immediately 
  marched his new army through Anaria to 
  melt the snows capping the Northern Teeth. 
  When in 8150 FR the Lord of Lust 
  announced his intention to annex Anaria 
  and to use Eagle Grove as the staging point 
  for the invasion, a decree that would 
  effectively cripple the Eaglesreach, Marius 
  supposedly sent mercenaries to rouse the 
  Black Drake of The Fells, forcing the army 
  to turn about and deal with this threat, 
  though of course, this was never proved. 
  When the Days of Liberation came, Baron 
  Marius Sonnesberg XII was visiting Kale 
  City. It is still unclear how he survived this 
  time, being a very visible public figure prone 
  to leaving his bodyguards at home, but upon 
  his return to Kelerak in 8164 FR, was 
  greeted with much the same hostility from 
  the emergent barons as from his earlier 
  peers. As one of the last nobles to have 
  served under the Lord of Lust - and more 
  importantly, one of the militarily weakest 
  still standing - his position was a tenuous 
  one. With the clarity of his madness, he 
  proclaimed the Eaglesreach to be a vassal 
  dukedom of Kelerak as a nation, thus 
  making him a prize to be won by, instead of 
  a political threat to, the feuding barons. 
  Now approaching his seventieth year, Duke 
  Marius Stephan Johann-Claude Sonnesberg 
  XII has almost retreated fully into his estate, 
  greatly slowed by age and exhausted by the 
  infighting of his peers. He emerges now only 
  to participate in the mass prayers held at 
  Bestra's reconsecrated temple in Eagle 
  Grove, poorly disguised as a pilgrim dressed 
  entirely in silver robes. Not fooled in the 
  slightest, his people look to their Silver 
  Duke as a good master, the genial nature of 
  his lunacy endearing him to them over the 
  conniving, savage ruthlessness of the 
  barons. 
  Marius Sonnesberg is on relatively neutral 
  terms with the majority of the nobility. Most 
  are content to wait until he dies to claim his 
  heir-less holdings, though some of the more 
  impatient look on his young wife with 
  concern and lust both. However, Lord 
  Russel Starsul of Green City has nothing but 
  uttermost hatred of him, for the most 
  consistent aspect of Marius' madness has 
  been the belittling and disrespect of him for 
  the last decade. Interestingly, Lord Starsul 
  has not issued any challenge, leading some 
  to speculate he still fears the memory of 
  Marius in his prime. 
   
  Lord Damion Felmund  
  Lord of Wyvernia, Herald of the Spur, The 
  Son of Moonlight, Dragonslayer 
  
   
   
   
   
  38 
  It is a rare thing to see a member of the 
  nobility upholding the ideals of the land, 
  placing their own life on the line if need be. 
  For brothers Damion and Zachary, of the 
  newly ennobled Felmunds, it had long been 
  a way of life. Zachary, the elder, had run 
  with trafficking guilds since he was a boy, 
  working his way up the ranks with brutal 
  efficiency until he was able to direct the flow 
  outwards, permitting many to escape 
  Kelerak into the relatively safe lands of Kale 
  or even Anaria. Damion joined the Sons of 
  Moonlight, a band of warriors that struck at 
  vulnerable servants of the Lord of Lust 
  along the roads to Dragonspur -- and, 
  cunningly, did not hide anywhere near the 
  Lake of the Moon. 
  Their secret lives were difficult to keep from 
  the rest of their family, or from spies of 
  other nobles and the Lord of Lust. On one 
  notable occasion, Damion had needed to 
  persuade the Sons of Moonlight to attack 
  the heavily defended prison convoy carrying 
  his brother, among several other lesser 
  nobles suspected of treason, with the 
  apparent aim of killing him and thus 
  proving his loyalty. On another occasion, 
  Zachary arranged for his thugs to ambush 
  the spymaster of Wyvernia's then-ruler, 
  Drake Rose, to prevent him from informing 
  on one of Damion's hideouts within the city 
  itself. 
  Ultimately, when the Days of Liberation 
  came, the brothers were able to reveal all 
  they had done over the years. To this day, 
  Damion regrets the eagerness with which 
  they did so, such that he commissioned a 
  private shrine to Janora, Mother of Fate, for 
  him to beg of the goddess for answers. For 
  the outcome of their revelations easily might 
  have been foreseen, had they only been less 
  hasty. The Lord of Lust was defeated, his 
  brutal Hoths slain, his armies scattered - 
  and very few of his agents uncovered. The 
  brothers had made a great many enemies 
  and in post-occupation Kelerak there was 
  little in the way of protection for nobles, 
  many of whom were highly suspect figures. 
  In 8164 FR, the Felmund estate was razed to 
  the ground, its very foundations torn from 
  beneath it by a white dragon, awoken from 
  its ancient sleep by the chaos witch Ishiree 
  Blackhearted, one of the last great servants 
  of the Lord of Lust. Fortunately for them, 
  neither Zachary nor Damion were within its 
  walls at that fateful hour, or else they too 
  would have perished with the rest of their 
  family. They rode up in time to witness 
  Ishiree slaughter the last brave soldiers who 
  had dared investigate the sound, before 
  dragonbreath buried the ruins in a blizzard. 
  Zachary, ever practical, ever ruthless, 
  dismounted and slashed his horse's flank, 
  the chill winds carrying its screams and the 
  smell of its blood straight to the dragon. 
  Whilst it was distracted by the unexpected 
  meal, Zachary circled around and charged 
  the chaos witch, knowing her magic was by 
  far the more dangerous threat to himself 
  and to Kelerak as a whole. Damion, for too 
  long accustomed to heroics, was thrown into 
  confusion by this and hesitated, torn 
  between following his brother or fighting 
  the dragon, before the choice was made for 
  him as the great monster roared its fury, 
  panicking his horse and causing it to throw 
  him. 
  The vast jaws descended on the fallen 
  warrior to lift him from the earth as if he 
  weighed nothing. Powerful muscles forced 
  him down, swallowing him, pressuring him 
  from all sides and making his sword useless. 
  Acting on instinct, Damion drew his dagger 
  instead, plunging it into the soft flesh at his 
  side, twisting it hard with each new 
  convulsion and cutting a terrible wound 
  down the length of the dragon's throat. With 
  each muscle spasm, trying to dislodge this 
  now-painful morsel, the dragon aided in its 
  own demise. At last, it began to thrash in its 
  death throes, before finally it stilled. 
  Damion, on the verge of death himself, 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  39 
  crawled free to see the body of Ishiree, 
  crushed by the dragon as it died - but also 
  the body of Zachary, split apart by the 
  witch's obscene sorceries. He lay down by 
  his brother's side and wept until he had no 
  more tears to shed. 
  As something of a folk hero, Damion 
  Felmund was a natural choice to replace the 
  corrupt Lord Drake Rose as the baron of 
  Wyvernia. His deeds both during and after 
  the Dark Occupation made his name famous 
  throughout the lands, though most of the 
  tales told, or his involvement in them, were 
  greatly exaggerated by the bards. However, 
  his reputation as a dragonslayer was never 
  disputed, for it was the only event he 
  refused to discuss, save for during his 
  annual remembrance to his late brother 
  Zachary. 
  Damion is currently attempting to rectify 
  the many grievances caused by Lord Rose's 
  dereliction of duty, but is actively hindered 
  by his only serious rival, the Baron Russel 
  Starsul, who openly admits to coveting 
  Wyvernia and decries Damion as little more 
  than a sword-for-hire far above his station. 
  A more lasting concern, however, is the 
  need to have nearly all decisions vetted by 
  the Archbishop of Kantor, Hector ack-
  Thelmund, perhaps the most politically 
  powerful individual not himself a noble and 
  a truly impossible busybody. 
  In the long term, Damion Felmund hopes to 
  see the barons and lords unified in loyalty to 
  the Green Throne, even if he himself does 
  not sit upon it. He is one of the very few who 
  made the journey to Dragonspur for the 
  express purpose of swearing fealty to Lord 
  Naglor Osbern, who Damion views as 
  perhaps the only man capable of returning 
  Kelerak to its former glory. 
   
   
   
  Lord Russel Starsul 
  Baron of the Greensreach, Flamgart's 
  Passion, Purifier of Sin 
  Go then, o licentious maggot, from my sight! 
  Crawl back into that repugnant cesspit of 
  decadence and self-gratification from which 
  you were birthed, though I shudder to think 
  that may be a reward for such as you! You 
  dare raise your voice in protest? Why, the 
  audacity, when all here have heard your 
  boasts of conquest! What depths of 
  depravity are too low for you to plumb, o 
  priest of perversions? No, no, answer me 
  not, for it would offend more than our 
  flawed, mortal ears - sweet Bestra would 
  weep to hear of your abominable ideology! 
  Aye, Heshtail himself would be most sorely 
  tempted to turn from your vileness! Ah 
  fellow citizens, surely we see here those who 
  long for the return of a Sinful Master!" 
  As righteous exhortations go, the above 
  remains one of Kelerak's most infamous, 
  bellowed to Lord Astarian Quentin as he left 
  Dragonspur's Pink Lotus Gentleman's Club 
  - an extremely exclusive brothel catering to 
  the unique tastes of the nobility - by a young 
  street preacher in late 8165 FR. When Lord 
  Quentin's bodyguards attempted to detain 
  the man, perhaps to ensure he resisted 
  arrest or attempted murder, the enraptured 
  crowd immediately moved to shield him, 
  though at his word they reluctantly parted 
  so as not to have their blood spilled for him. 
  It was then he revealed himself as Russel 
  Starsul, only months before bestowed the 
  prestigious barony of the Greensreach. 
  Russel Starsul first came to the attention of 
  the standing nobility when he stepped up to 
  the pulpit in Flamgart's newly reconsecrated 
  church in Green City to confront the priest, 
  who had been caught in a compromising 
  position with several of his younger 
  parishioners, but escaped punishment by 
  invoking benefit of clergy. Enraged by this 
  flagrant abuse of justice, Russel verbally 
  
   
   
   
   
  40 
  scourged the errant priest, pausing only due 
  to shock when the man invoked Flamgart to 
  defend him. Russel recovered his wits 
  swiftly enough, seizing the blasphemer and 
  taking him to the halls of justice, before 
  returning to the temple to preach his own 
  message to a delighted audience. 
  In those uncertain times, the near-savage 
  conviction he held made Russel intensely 
  popular and enormously influential. Nobles 
  and peasants alike would seek him out to 
  listen to his demands, for pleas they most 
  certainly were not, to cleanse Kelerak of the 
  evils that still hid within some treasonous 
  souls. He was heralded as a prophet and 
  visionary, unafraid of the retribution that 
  the unseen servants of the Lord of Lust 
  might visit upon him. Indeed, several 
  attempts were made on his life, only to be 
  foiled by the numerous devotees that 
  surrounded him at all times, eagerly giving 
  their lives for him until his well-armed and 
  well-trained mercenaries cut down the 
  assassin. 
  It was in 8164 FR that Russel was made a 
  full lord of Kelerak in recognition of his 
  services fighting the remnants of the Dark 
  Occupation, only to be granted his barony 
  barely a year later. The rapidity of his 
  political ascent did not go unremarked by 
  the few genuine enemies he had, but they 
  could prove no wrongdoing, certainly not 
  without exposing themselves to Russel's 
  outraged scrutiny in return. Most of them 
  would later abandon their efforts to 
  discredit or otherwise denigrate him, 
  placing their hopes in his own tireless 
  ambition-- particularly in the amount of 
  time he spends away from his own barony 
  and living in Wyvernia with intent to take it 
  over. 
  Russel Starsul desires the Green Throne, 
  even holding his head high before Lord 
  Naglor Osbern and making this admission 
  to the man's face, triumphantly declaring 
  himself the most honest of Kelerak's nobles 
  for not lying about his intentions. Having 
  whetted his tongue like a blade in Green 
  City, walking secretly among the pilgrims 
  and priests, Russel is a master orator with a 
  true gift for capturing the imagination of his 
  listeners. 
  He has a singular rivalry with Damion 
  Felmund, the Baron of Wyvernia, for it is 
  that position that Russel seeks to obtain 
  next on his path to the Green Throne. This 
  impersonal competition, however, is wholly 
  eclipsed by the apoplectic rage that 
  consumes him where Duke Marius of the 
  Eaglesreach is concerned. The only occasion 
  at which both were in the same room was 
  also notable for being the moment when 
  Russel Starsul's speechcraft was replaced 
  with wrathful, unintelligible nonsense. 
   
  Baron Harald 
  Thodricsson  
  The Eternal Baron, Lord of Dessingrove, 
  Patron of the Eldest Hame, Timesbane King 
  Born in 6538 FR, Harald Thodricsson is 
  perhaps the most unusual of the lords of 
  Kelerak, not least for belonging to the 
  Rindar people of Anaria and, even once 
  joining the ranks of its nobility, not so much 
  as speaking the language. As with many of 
  his kin, Harald was a hunter and raider, 
  plundering the wealth of the weak and 
  reveling in the stories of his fellows. Such is 
  the way of the true Anarian, he thought, 
  until one day he led his band too far south, 
  seeking lands as yet untouched, reaching as 
  far as Dessingrove in the far southwest of 
  Kelerak. 
  There, on the borders of the Elk Forest, he 
  encountered a fell elk spirit that slaughtered 
  his men, leaving him bloodied and broken 
  and thirsting for revenge. Through sheer 
  determination, Harald fought off death and 
  cared for his wounds as best he knew how, 
  surviving off the land as only an Anarian 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  41 
  could. Eventually, he was healed enough to 
  journey into the forest, hunting the fey 
  entity that had brought him to the very 
  precipice of oblivion. During this hunt, he 
  encountered many peculiar totem poles, 
  decorated with elk antlers and pictographs, 
  all of which he showed obeisance to, 
  knowing the value of respecting one's 
  enemy. He would later learn that this had 
  saved his life again. 
  Watching his progress through their 
  territory, the Proudfellow hositans were 
  increasingly pleased by his honor and his 
  tenacity, choosing to overlook his trespass. 
  Eventually, more than a year later, they 
  revealed themselves to Harald, accepting 
  him into their ranks and teaching him that 
  his foe, a corrupt manifestation of the wards 
  imbued into the hositans' own totems, could 
  not be defeated by mere force of arms. The 
  hositan themselves were exempt from its 
  wrath, but their religion forbade direct 
  interference - so Harald learned well, eager 
  to avenge himself and his dead kin, until he 
  knew the rituals necessary to awaken the 
  magic of the totems and again set out on his 
  hunt. 
  Weeks passed as Harald invoked the ancient 
  energies of the totems, binding them to him 
  and giving him the strength to face his 
  enemy, finally summoning it to him at the 
  culmination of his quest. Their battle lasted 
  twelve days and twelve nights, neither tiring 
  and neither giving ground, until Harald at 
  last triumphed, only then to learn the 
  terrible price of his victory. No mortal could 
  have survived such an ordeal, but the 
  cleansing of the totems had ensured that 
  Harald, his life bound up with that of their 
  magic, was no longer fully mortal. Much like 
  some of the great undead, his soul remained 
  tethered to the world with the totems as his 
  phylactery. 
  In the years that followed, Harald's initial 
  exuberance at his newfound immortality 
  quickly spoiled. His remaking had made 
  him an extension of the Elk Forest, feeling 
  every pain and terror within, from lowest 
  beast to noblest Proudfellow to the ambient 
  magics trying to withstand corrosion from 
  the growing power in the distant 
  Wintervale. However, unwilling to destroy 
  the only wards of his hositan friends merely 
  for his own sake, Harald elected to stand 
  watch over the Elk Forest himself, soon to 
  become known as an undying warrior of the 
  region. 
  Although a deathless lord, Harald 
  Thodricsson is a far cry from the typical 
  fiendish villain who sought eternal life. 
  Centuries of martyrdom in service to the 
  Elksreach have forged the fragile web of his 
  mortal ambitions and prejudices into an 
  impregnable lattice of morality. On being 
  granted the barony of Elksreach in 6890 FR, 
  he proceeded to make it one of the most 
  peaceful and law-abiding regions in all the 
  western lands, to thunderous acclaim of his 
  people. 
  It is a great shame then, that this hero is a 
  prisoner in his own land. The necromancer 
  Jaef of Kale, hidden power behind its 
  throne, had begun orchestrating an invasion 
  of Kelerak in 7470 FR. Knowing Harald to 
  be his first and greatest obstacle, Jaef used 
  all of his art to create a necrotic poison that 
  would cripple, but not kill, the Eternal 
  Baron. Harald fell into a coma, wracked 
  with agonies that kept him just barely alive 
  and, crucially, unable to defy Jaef. 
  Fortunately for Kelerak, internal troubles 
  kept Jaef occupied for the next twenty years, 
  until he was briefly slain by the Band of 
  Five. However, upon his return and 
  establishment in Dessingrove, the renamed 
  Ajef the Black made it a gleeful priority to 
  take the comatose Harald Thodricsson and 
  mount him above his throne, as a gruesome 
  reminder of the power the necromancer 
  wields, even over other immortals. 
  
   
   
   
   
  42 
  Dragonspur City, 
  capital of Kelerak 
  Areas of Interest 
  1. Holy Rest Cemetery  
  2. Keler's Bridge  
  3. The Dragonspur. On its pinnacle sits the 
  Fortress of the Spur. Three-quarters of the 
  way up the steep road that climbs the spur 
  sits the huge Dragon Statue, wings spread.  
  4. River Road Black Market district. Here 
  can be found lotus and other drugs, whores, 
  contraband, and weapons.  
  5. Dragonspur Thieves guild.  
  6. The Overgate. There is a toll-tax to enter.  
  7. The docks.  
  8. Red light district.  
  9. Hold of the Black Blade Orcs.  
  10. Smith's guild.  
  11. Cooper's guild.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  12. The slums.  
  13. Merchant's way. Here can be found 
  mostly every sort of good that is readily 
  available in the west, except weapons and 
  armor.  
  14. Rich section.  
  15. Bloody Head Inn.  
  16. Hold of the Wolf Goblins.  
  17. Irongate Prison.  
  18. Manor home of Yedus, Court High 
  Mage.  
  19. Lotus Street Theater.  
  20. Temple of Heshtail.  
  21. Headquarters of the City Guard, the 
  Spur Elites.  
  22. Temple of Kantor.  
  23. Temple of Neltak.  
  24. Temple of Bestra.  
  25. Temple library of Dekk.   
  26. Manor home of Turstan Quentin.  
  27. Keldin's Menagerie. This is a famous zoo 
  and museum.  
  28. Newly founded Court High Mage's 
  College. One must officially join the  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  43 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  44 
  Dragonspur Army to study here.  
  29. The town open. A large square used for 
  festivals, troop drills, and markets.  
  30. Raleigh Park.  
  General Information 
  about Dragonspur 
  City, Capital of Kelerak 
   
  Who Rules: Lord Naglor Osbern, advised 
  by three trusted associates, Court High 
  Mage Yedus Angrond, General Weston Ack-
  Elmor and Captain Brian Hightower 
  Money Limit: 50,000 
  Other Power Centers: Lord and Lady 
  Lovelace, who generally speak for everyone 
  who is anyone among the nobility; The 
  Church of Heshtail and Reeanan, led by 
  High Potentate Burcan the White. These 
  churches tend to support Naglor and lend 
  much aid to the war by providing many 
  clerics as medics; Craftsmen's guild, led by 
  Sir Eric Ranulph. While born the son of a 
  merchant and not a noble, Ranulph is 
  among the richest men in the city. This may 
  have had something to do with his 
  knighthood. He tends to dislike Lord and 
  Lady Lovelace, who look down on him and 
  on "day workers" (as they call merchants) in 
  general; The Thieves' Guild, led by Lalsthor 
  Longcloak.  This powerful guild has its hand 
  in many criminal endeavors in the city, 
  Population: Varies from 40,000 in the 
  winter to 45,000 in the summer market 
  season. The residents are almost entirely 
  human, with a good many half-orcs thrown 
  in. The segregated northern section of town, 
  Goblintown, contains roughly 4000 
  humanoids and undesirables left over from 
  the occupation, organized into tribes. 
  Major Products: Textiles, preserved 
  meats, leather, parchment, grains, barrels, 
  pottery, metal goods, lotus and other drugs. 
  Armed Forces: Normally the city boasts 
  about 300 armed watchmen. In this time of 
  strife (8169 F.R.), immediately after the 
  occupation and the battle of the 
  Dragonspur, the city only has 4000 full-
  time soldiers. These are divided into two 
  groups: The Standing Battalion who camp 
  outside the city, and the Spur Elites, who 
  function as the guard. The Standing 
  Battalion, whose standard is black and 
  green, are 2500 strong under General Kurt 
  Danthor. General Weston Ack-Elmor and 
  Captain Brian Hightower lead the Spur 
  Elites, a force of 1500 strong. In time of 
  extreme trouble, this force could likely be 
  supplemented by an unknown number of 
  local militia. 
  The City: The famous Dragonspur, like 
  many cities in Farland, is an ancient city 
  with a long and colorful history. The pride 
  of the West, or at least the pride of the once 
  mighty Kingdom of Kelerak, the Spur was 
  long a beacon for those wishing either a 
  stable life, or a dangerous adventure. 
  Kelerak has always been ruled by Kings, 
  who governed from the Famous Green 
  Throne, located in the Spur Fortress atop 
  the Dragonspur proper. Dragonspur has 
  seen 14 royal families in her long history, 
  beginning with the family of Keler himself 
  and ending with the Ranulf family, the last 
  of the Royal families. Kelerak ceased being a 
  Kingdom proper at the beginning of the 
  occupation. Now the Spur is ruled by Lord 
  Naglor Osbern, although his reign is subtly 
  opposed by an upstart young (but rich) 
  nobleman, one Lord Turstand Quentin. 
  Quentin is rumored to hold the loyalty of 
  General Danthor and the Standing 
  Battalion. The Spur Elites still owe loyalty to 
  Lord Osbern. The current attitude in the city 
  is generally one of shock. The citizens are 
  still recovering from the occupation, and no 
  one has yet been able to impose a 
  completely stable order on the city or the 
  former kingdom. Thus, the citizens are 
  watchful. They tend to resist any great 
  changes and look suspiciously on those 
  different from themselves. The citizens 
  simply long for a return to the ancestral 
  greatness of the city (whose population was 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  45 
  once greater than 100,000) and the 
  Kingdom itself. 
  Royal Families: Keler, Matild, Richard, 
  Fulk, Lanfranc, Braceford, Brian, Marchel, 
  Elton, Quentin, Baldwin, Payn, Anselm, 
  Ranulf. 
  Some Noble Families: Osbern, Rose, 
  Agath, Angrond, White, Lovelace, and 
  others, as well as all the royal families. 
   
  Some Businesses and 
  Services Available in 
  Dragonspur City 
   
  14 
  Apothecari
  es 
  33 Fishmongers 
  33 Priests 
  50 Bakers 
  160 Furriers 
  36 Purse 
  makers 
  114 Barbers 17 Glovemakers 
  22 Roofers 
  21 Bathers 20 Harness-
  Makers 
  21 
  Ropemakers 
  29 Beer-
  Sellers 
  42 Hat makers 
  20 
  Rugmakers 
  27 
  Blacksmith
  s 
  17 Hay 
  Merchants 
  40 Saddlers 
  19 
  Bleachers 
  15 Undertakers 
  47 Scabbard 
  makers 
  13 
  Bookbinder
  s 
  20 Inns 
  20 
  Sculptors 
  6 
  Booksellers 100 Jewelers 
  267 
  Shoemakers 
  29 Buckle 
  Makers 
  62 
  Lawyers/Advocat
  es 
  29 Spice 
  Merchants 
  33 
  Butchers 
  21 Locksmiths 
  160 Tailors 
  73 
  Carpenters 160 Maidservants 20 Tanners 
  57 
  Chandlers 80 Masons 
  100 Taverns 
  40 Chicken 
  Butchers 
  57 Mercers 
  47 
  Watercarrie
  rs 
  500 Clergy 50 Noble 
  Households 
  67 Weavers 
  57 Coopers 100 Old-
  Clothiers 
  44 Wine-
  Sellers 
  20 Copyists 27 Painters 
  17 
  Woodcarver
  s 
  17 Cutlers 
  80 Pastry cooks 
  57 Wood 
  sellers 
  24 Doctors 29 Plasterers 
  8 Spell 
  sellers 
   
  Laws of Dragonspur 
   
  Dragonspur obeys all the laws that were 
  originally laid down by Keler, as well as the 
  particular ones detailed below. 
   
  Crime 
  Punishment 
  Treason 
  Death 
  High Murder 
  Death 
  Low Murder 
  Payment of Wergild or 
  20 years in prison 
  Attempted Murder 10 years hard labor 
  
   
   
   
   
  46 
  Piracy 
  Death 
  Rape 
  10-20 years hard labor 
  Kidnapping 
  10-20 hard labor 
  Arson 
  10-20 hard labor 
  Counterfeiting 
  10 hard labor 
  Bribery 
  100-5000 SP fine 
  Fraud 
  100-4000 SP fine 
  Assault 
  5-1000 SP fine, or 1 
  year labor 
  Theft 
  2 years imprisonment 
  Grand theft 
  Death 
  Theft of Mount 
  Death 
  Fencing stolen 
  goods 
  1-5 years hard labor 
  Enslaving 
  1-5 years hard labor and 
  100-1000 SPs 
  Blackmail 
  10 years imprisonment 
  Extortion 
  10 years hard labor 
  Conspiracy 
  related prison term 
  Ensorcering 
  1-5 years hard labor 
  Public 
  endangerment 
  10 years labor 
  Resisting arrest 
  1-3 years labor 
  Unlawful entry 
  50-1000 SP fine or 1 
  year imprisonment 
  Debt 
  1-5 years imprisonment 
  Practicing banned 
  religion 
  50-1000 SP fine or 5 
  years labor 
  Practicing black 
  magic 
  50-1000 SP fine or 5 
  years labor 
  * imprisonment or labor may be substituted for 
  indentured servitude 
   
  Important Dates for 
  the City 
  This is necessarily a very select few events 
  that pertain to the Spur. Tomes have indeed 
  been written about nothing else but the 
  city, and they have failed to cover her long 
  and storied past. These dates were taken 
  from the old library and the Temple-
  Monastery of Dekk. 
  6028--The wizard Keler, leading a large 
  group of people from the East, settles in the 
  land which will be Kelerak, or literally "the 
  offspring of Keler." 
  6029--Keler, already a famous wizard, while 
  wandering in the "new" land, spies a mighty 
  green dragon perched on a spur of rock in a 
  fertile river-valley. Taking this as a sign 
  from Dekk, he chooses to found the capital 
  of his settlement there.  
  6030--King Keler leads a small army in the 
  "Kingdom Wars," to subjugate the 
  indigenous peoples who will not submit. He 
  is quickly successful, and the native peoples 
  either are subsumed into the populace of 
  Kelerak or flee to the North. 
  6040--The relatively new kingdoms of 
  Daven and Kelerak, still led by King Keler, 
  invade the now forgotten Kingdom to the 
  Southeast. 
  6060--Keler retreats to his fortified manor 
  north of Sky Lake and is never seen again. 
  King Rohan of the Cadre of the Wise, also a 
  wizard, succeeds him. 
  6070--Keler's nephew, Theobald Keler, 
  slays King Rohan and begins the Spur Wars. 
  6076--King Theobald Keler comes to power. 
  6201--The Great Barbarian invasion. The 
  northern barbarians sack the Dragonspur, 
  slaying King Peter Keler and supposedly 
  ending the line of Keler. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  47 
  6210--Baron Stephen Lanfranc retakes the 
  Dragonspur, naming himself King. He 
  rebuilds the city and builds the famous 
  Wall. 
  6500--The general Leofwyne Anglarond 
  rebels with his loyal army and takes 
  Southern Kelerak. In a prolonged campaign, 
  King Harold Braceford defeats his army but 
  the general flees into hiding. They 
  eventually make peace and Leofwyne is 
  awarded a barony. 
  6800--King William Richard falls in battle 
  with the Northern Barbarian tribes. 
  7029--Daven and Kelerak, allies once again, 
  invade Orland, but are repulsed at the battle 
  of Greenhill. 
  7039--Elves put a stop to the Decadion War 
  between Kelerak and Daven and Orland by 
  frustrating the attacks of all the sides with a 
  powerful artifact, known only as the Stone 
  of Silence. King Simon Humphrey is forced 
  to submit after his huge army is defeated 
  easily by a small force of elves with the 
  artifact. 
  7110--King Herluin Half-Elven, known as 
  the Peace-Keeper, comes to power. 
  7143--The Eastern alliance invade Kelerak 
  and occupy Dragonspur City. Under King 
  Quentin, Kelerak eventually is forced to pay 
  tribute 
  7200--The Spur Fire. A third of the City is 
  destroyed. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  7305--The Great Coughing or Coffin Plague 
  strikes Dragonspur. There is much death. 
  7792--Rumors of the Dark Times reach 
  Dragonspur. Word is received that Kale is 
  being invaded by Orcs from the East and 
  South. Kelerak sends aid under King John 
  Ranulf. 
  7795--Dragonspur City is itself invaded by 
  the forces of the Lord of Lust. The Ancient 
  Wall is finally breached by the might of the 
  Demon minions of Brathelathor, as well as 
  the fierce breath of the blue dragon 
  Skywing. 
  7800--The internment camp of Lotus is 
  established south of Dragonspur. 
  7801--The Second Spur Fire. Rumor has it 
  that this fire is started by the Lord of Lust 
  himself. 
  7954--The Great rebellion takes place. Led 
  by Osbern Payn, the citizens of Dragonspur 
  attack the Spur Fortress but the rebellion is 
  eventually put down. 
  8161--The Liberation. The city is freed due 
  to the efforts of the Elf Valanduil and 
  Bartarius the barbarian, as well as the 
  resistance fighters of Naglor Osbern. 
  8165--The Winged One, son of the Lord of 
  Lust, attacks Dragonspur in an attempt to 
  retake her but is defeated. 
  8170-- The army of the Lord of Envy, led by 
  General Angus Neebrok, attacks the Spur 
  but is narrowly defeated. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  Factions of Kelerak 
  Partisans of Naglor Osbern: A 
  group of brave and politically savvy former 
  rebels, they support Lord Naglor Osbern as 
  he seeks to clean up Dragonspur City.  
  Because of Osbern’s charisma and 
  character, most of the Partisans of Naglor 
  believe that he would make a genuinely 
  good king (although several hangers-on in 
  this group hope to ride to power on his 
  coattails). High Mage Yedus Angrond, 
  General Weston Ack-Elmor, and capable 
  soldier Captain Brian Hightower are notable 
  members of this group.  Nearly entirely 
  human, this group opposes Afej the Black 
  and the Partisans of Russel Starsul and are 
  political allies, most of the time, with the 
  Sons of Moonlight. 
  Partisans of Russel Starsul: 
  Lord Starsul’s righteous preachings and 
  intense convictions have made him 
  politically popular to both the nobility and 
  the commoners.  This group consists of a 
  like measure of each, although probably 
  more commoners than nobility.  Lord 
  Starsul desires the Green Throne, but he 
  won’t undertake dishonorable means to get 
  it (at least not openly, it is whispered). This 
  faction hates the Sons of Moonlight and 
  politically opposes the Partisans of Naglor 
  Osbern. 
  Sons of Moonlight: The virtuous 
  Lord Damion Felmund did not disband the 
  rebel group that he once led—the Sons of 
  Moonlight—when he gained his baronhood, 
  but instead repurposed it.  This group, all 
  humans with a spattering of dwarves, now 
  serves as the guards and champions of 
  Wyvernia and Kelerak.  They oppose the 
  Partisans of Russel Starsul and are political 
  allies of the Partisans of Naglor Osbern. 
  Dragonspur Thieves’ Guild: 
  This organized criminal syndicate is led by 
  the mysterious Lalsthor Longcloak.  It 
  consists of equal parts humans and half-
  orcs, although several full-blooded orcs and 
  goblins are also members.  It even employs 
  an ogre for muscle.  This faction thrived 
  under the Lord of Lust, and they have also 
  weathered the liberation well, changing 
  their criminal operations to stay under the 
  radar.  They have an economic alliance with 
  Afej the Black and are neutral toward the 
  Partisans of Russel Starsul.  They hate the 
  Sons of Moonlight and fear the Partisans of 
  Naglor Osbern. 
  Afej the Black: The Afej Barony is a 
  haven for orcs and other dark folk fleeing as 
  refugees from the liberation of Kelerak.  The 
  mysterious Afej has rebuilt the ruin of Carn 
  Marrot, and now the town of Dessingrove 
  serves as his base of operations.  Afej’s 
  servants are less of a faction and more of a 
  burgeoning army.  This group is 
  economically allied with the Dragonspur 
  Thieves’ Guild and the Mercenaries’ Guild in 
  Kale, and they represent a grave threat to 
  every other faction in Kelerak. 
   
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the Kingdom 
  of Kelerak. 
  Political Machinations: Three major 
  political factions exist in Kelerak.  Which 
  faction would produce the best king of the 
  Green Throne? Choose a faction and help its 
  leader achieve power. 
  Clean out Goblintown: A small quarter 
  of Dragonspur City is now a walled ghetto, 
  where many of the Lord of Lust’s dark folk 
  troops retreated after the liberation of the 
  city.  They launch raids from the ghetto at 
  night.  It should be cleaned out of dark 
  folk—or should they be allowed to flee the 
  kingdom entirely? 
  The threat of Afej: Afej the Black is 
  recruiting an army.  While not a Lord of Sin, 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  49 
  he could become a dark lord in his own right 
  if he is allowed to go about his devious plots 
  unimpeded. 
  Stop organized crime: The Dragonspur 
  Thieves’ Guild, a veritable mafia, has been 
  growing more and more powerful.  They 
  have many smaller criminal syndicates 
  under their control, and they are allied with 
  enemies of the Kingdom.  Their power must 
  be smashed. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Barbarian invaders: The Anarian 
  raiders have increased their predations on 
  the Northern communities of Kelerak.  
  Their raids must cease. 
  The Lord of Lust resurgent: Rumors 
  have been whispered that the Lord of Lust 
  may somehow be making a reappearance.  
  Can this be true? The truth must out. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  Anaria, the Land 
  to the North of 
  Kelerak 
  Culture 
  The people who live to the North and South 
  of the Kelerak Mountains are known to the 
  more civilized peoples of Western Farland 
  as the Northern Barbarians. The Northern 
  barbarian peoples are made up of four large, 
  loosely organized tribes. As a people, they 
  call themselves Anar (Ah-nar) "Raiders," 
  because they were known for harrowing and 
  harassing the lands to the South. Three 
  tribes live south of the Mountains and one 
  tribe lives North of the Mountains. The 
  Southern tribes divide themselves by what 
  totem animal they honor. They revere the 
  Elk, the Wolf, and the Cavebear, and call 
  themselves the Hofvarar, Hildolfar, and 
  Rindar. The tribe that lives North of the 
  mountains, near the Ice Bay, honors the 
  Seal and calls themselves the Einar. 
  Ethnically, the bloodline of these people is 
  older than human history, although they 
  have been periodically infused with the 
  blood of conquered peoples or refugees. The 
  most notable merger happened many 
  centuries ago, when the folk of ancient 
  Lorindon fled North from their decimated 
  cities and towns to sink back into barbarity 
  and merge with the Northerners. The 
  Barbarians have never been officially 
  civilized; they have resisted any attempt at 
  civilization or proselytization with violence, 
  although they have readily adopted the 
  more practical cultural features of the 
  people with whom they have had contact. In 
  many areas, they are remarkably civilized, 
  and from a certain point of view, advanced. 
  But in many areas, they are truly 
  barbarians. Reading and writing is rare 
  among the Anar. Their songs, poems, and 
  histories are mostly oral. Moreover, they are 
  very warlike, more warlike than most 
  peoples; this alone often sets them back in 
  terms of civilization. Their history is 
  primarily one of war between tribes and war 
  against orcs, giants (Jotun), and evil 
  creatures of the North. Between war and 
  survival in the harsh and unfertile northern 
  mountainous lands they have little time to 
  be civilized. 
  The four Northern tribes share a culture 
  that is similar to the Viking culture of 
  earth's history. These Nordic-like peoples 
  never had an era of feudalism to speak of; 
  they have always valued their personal 
  freedom. One effect of this freedom is the 
  Hallesren, free use of the forests, seas and 
  uncultivated land. The Anar enjoy their 
  alcohol; the Southern tribes produce vodka 
  from potatoes and mead from their vast 
  beehives. The Einar are more of a beer-
  drinking tribe, but enjoy vodka as well, 
  although they drink it in smaller quantities. 
  Feast tables are stacked with pickled 
  herrings and open-faced sandwiches. 
  Women have untold freedom. Towns 
  function well, although most are fairly 
  primitive by the standards of civilization; 
  the Northerners would say this means they 
  are not choked with street merchants 
  hawking their wares. The towns are 
  dominated by the famous dwellings of the 
  Northmen: the longhouses. The longhouse 
  usually has one large room. The walls are 
  made of wood, in areas where it is plentiful 
  (South of the Mountains), and the roof is 
  covered with turf. In areas such as the lands 
  of the Einar, where there are few trees, walls 
  are made of peat blocks and wooden planks 
  are placed on the inside of the walls. 
  Benches for sleeping or sitting on are 
  common around the walls. They are covered 
  with furs, skins or cloths for warmth and 
  comfort. Beds are only used in the wealthier 
  houses and then only rarely. A central fire is 
  the main source of light and heat in the hall 
  and a hole in the roof lets out the smoke. 
  Wooden chests are used to store furs 
  blankets and other household goods. The 
  fifth weekday is bath day for the Anar, for 
  religious reasons. A bathhouse or Sauna can 
  be found near the longhouse for the weekly 
  bath. The largest structure, the longhouse of 
  the village chieftain dominates the village. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  Ornamentation is a major part of the Anar 
  culture. Their ornamentation is usually 
  present on everything they own, from their 
  tools to their homes to their weapons to 
  their clothes. Ornamentation plays a very 
  significant role in the lives of the Anar. 
  Barbarian Northmen all dress somewhat 
  similarly: they will first put on a long shirt 
  made of wool and long cloth trousers. On 
  top of this is worn a sleeved jerkin or a thigh 
  length coat with a leather belt. On his feet 
  he wears wool socks and soft leather shoes 
  or long leather boots. In battle, he wears an 
  iron helmet and chainmail if he can afford 
  it; otherwise the favored protection is 
  padded or hardened leather armor. Plate 
  mail is unknown, for while the Anar do 
  smelt steel, they do not have the technology 
  to produce armor greater than chain. If they 
  once did, it is since forgotten. Northern 
  Barbarian women wear long linen or wool 
  dresses, either pleated or plain. Over the 
  dress they wear a lengthy woolen apron-like 
  tunic. A brooch joined by a chain or string of 
  beads clasps it. Over the tunic she might 
  throw a shawl. Her legs and feet are covered 
  with thick wool socks and leather shoes. 
  When it is cold, both men and women wear 
  woolen or fur hats and cloaks. They fasten 
  their cloaks at the shoulder with an 
  ornamental pin or brooch. 
   
  Women and Home Life 
  The Anar live in large family groups. 
  Children, parents, and grandparents live 
  together. When the eldest son takes over the 
  family farm, he becomes the head of the 
  family and responsible for the well-being of 
  them all. He has to provide the food the 
  family needs. His wife, the lady of the 
  household, has to see to it that the food does 
  not run out during the long winter. She 
  makes butter and cheese, dried and smoked 
  meat and fish for storage, and she is also 
  expected to know about herbs for making 
  medicine and caring for the sick and 
  wounded. The farm animals are also her 
  responsibility and when her husband goes 
  trading, raiding, or hunting she also runs 
  the farm in his absence. In rich families, she 
  has servants to help her. As a visible sign of 
  her authority and power the lady of the 
  household wears the keys to the food chests 
  at her waist. 
  When the men travel abroad raiding, 
  trading, hunting, or fishing, the women are 
  in charge of the work on the farm. 
  Occasionally a particularly tough woman 
  might fight or raid alongside the men as a 
  "shield-maiden." This all shows that the 
  women play an important part in society. 
  Girls are married at the age of 12 -15. They 
  are then expected to run a household. The 
  marriage is agreed between families and is 
  regarded as an alliance between the two 
  families for mutual help and protection. The 
  girl herself has little to say in the matter. 
  The bride brings cloth of linen and wool, a 
  spinning wheel, a loom and a bed as part of 
  her dowry. Women from richer families also 
  have jewelry of silver and gold, farm 
  animals and even farms as a part of their 
  dowry. Everything she brings into the 
  marriage remains her personal property and 
  does not fully become part of her husband's 
  estate. Her children will in turn inherit this 
  property as part of their maternal 
  inheritance. 
   
  Divorce 
  The woman does not fully become part of 
  her husband's family when she marries. She 
  continues to be a part of her own family and 
  if her husband mistreats her and the 
  children, or is too lazy to be a good provider, 
  or if he insults her family, she can divorce 
  him. To do it she calls some witnesses. In 
  front of these witnesses she first at the front 
  door, and then at the couple's bed, declares 
  herself divorced from her husband. 
  Babies and toddlers automatically stay with 
  their mother at a divorce. The bigger 
  children are divided between the parents 
  according to the wealth and status of the 
  two families. With her right to property, 
  inheritance and divorce, the Anar woman 
  has more legal rights than most women  
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  54 
  elsewhere in Farland. Children are also 
  protected by law as members of the family, 
  and their rights to inheritance are protected 
  even after a divorce. 
   
  The Poorer People 
  At the smaller farms, the systems with 
  men's work and women's work are less 
  strict. With no servants, everybody has to 
  contribute what they can for the survival of 
  the family in the harsh Northern climate. 
   
  Laws 
  The Anar call a court the "ting.” Anyone who 
  commits a crime is brought before the 
  “ting.” A panel of people testify to establish 
  the facts and exigencies of the situation. 
  A jury of 12, 24, or 36, depending on how 
  important the case is, makes the decision 
  concerning the accused.  Commonly a local 
  chief or lord would explain the applicable 
  laws, and then the panel either acquits or 
  convicts. 
  If found guilty, the criminal either is 
  assessed a fine or banished. Banishment 
  means that the criminal is exiled to the 
  wilderness, barred from help, and 
  vulnerable to his enemies. They can try to 
  hunt and kill him if that is their wish. 
  Sometimes his exile may be limited, after 
  which time (if he yet lives) he may return to 
  his village. Most of the time the exile is 
  permanent. 
  There is no law against war with foreigners. 
  Like the Kelerites, the Anarians have no law 
  against raiding or highway robbery as long 
  as it is against non-Anarians, so raids 
  outside of Anaria are completely legal. 
   
  Duels 
  The Anarians often solve disputes with a 
  Helvdorn, or duel. Detailed rules exist for 
  these duels. Duels take place at some secret 
  place. Swords and shields are favored. 
  Sometimes a dueler is considered defeated 
  as soon as he sheds blood; most times they 
  are to the death. To win a duel is regarded 
  as proof that one is right, because the gods 
  always side with the just. 
   
  Ordeal by Pain 
  Korbeyr means “Pain Ordeal.” The 
  remnants of the people of Lorindon 
  introduced the Anar to ordeal by pain, 
  usually by fire. The most common method is 
  to retrieve a piece of iron from boiling water 
  with one's hands and walk twelve paces. 
  One can also undertake an ordeal by pain if 
  he can walk 13 paces on irons glowing red-
  hot. This proves that one is innocent or 
  worthy (depending on the question at hand) 
  if after four days the wounds on the feet are 
  found to be healing cleanly. Wodene, 
  legendary king of all the Anar, proved his 
  right to the throne by undergoing the trial of 
  walking on hot iron. 
   
  Sports 
  Physical strength, speed, and endurance are 
  important qualities for an Anar. Man versus 
  man competitions are normal forms of 
  sport. In this type of competition there is 
  usually a champion and a challenger. 
  Some of the most popular sports amongst 
  the Anar are archery, javelin, skiing, stone 
  throwing, swimming, and wrestling. 
   
  Religion 
  The Anar religion has one common 
  denominator: The worship or reverence of a 
  totem animal. Each tribe has its own animal 
  and sees its main god as either connected to 
  the spirit of that animal or as the provider of 
  that animal. The Wolf and Cavebear Tribes 
  see their gods as connected to the animals, 
  while the Elk and Seal tribes see their gods 
  as provider of these game creatures. The 
  Wolf Tribe calls their God Edmund 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  55 
  Steppenwolf, the Hunter of the Steppes. 
  Steppenwolf's wife is the Golden Lady 
  Alfhild. The god of the Cavebear Tribe is 
  Yyngvald the Old and his lady is Brigga. The 
  God of the Elk tribe is Anders the Swift; he 
  has no consort. Finally, the God of the Seal 
  Tribe is Kolbjorn the Provider, whose lady is 
  Frey the Helpful. Each of the head gods 
  have a minor pantheon that serves him. 
  Moreover, all of the gods are envisioned in 
  roughly the same way; they are seen as a 
  grim god who watches over and helps his 
  people only in time of direst need. He is a 
  wise, just, but whimsical and sometimes 
  terrifying figure. Each of the four gods is 
  said to both control and answer to the wyrd. 
  The wyrd is that which seems to have its 
  origins in the world of the gods. Wyrd is 
  synchronistic events: meaningful 
  coincidences, when outer happenings 
  coincide with an internal event (when the 
  subject is aware of the fateful meaning of 
  the event). These are moments when the 
  soul and the world can be recreated, 
  reshaped. Alternately wyrd is that which 
  cannot be resisted because of the will of fate 
  itself. Wyrd is the relentless force that 
  guides men's lives. 
  The most famous and unique rituals of the 
  Anar are their burial rituals. When an Anar 
  of power or very high military status dies he 
  has a very unique funeral. His body is 
  placed in a cloth bag. Then the body, his 
  weapons, his horses, and some meaningful 
  jewelry and pottery are all placed in a large 
  hole. In the hole everything is placed 
  standing upright, including the body. Runes 
  of powers are engraved on the walls of the 
  tomb. This is all done because the Anar 
  believe that the deceased keeps fighting in 
  the afterlife, so he needs his horses and 
  weapons. Or the chieftain may be placed, 
  with all his belongings, in a wagon or 
  chariot. Next the tomb or wagon is 
  completely buried with earth. This creates a 
  large mound approximately more than 50 
  yards in diameter. 
  Most tribes have a religious ritual that is 
  performed when a boy officially enters the 
  tribe by coming of age. These rituals vary 
  between the four tribes. The ritual of the 
  Einar, for example, involves leading a 
  successful hunting exhibition. The 
  exhibition must travel a certain distance and 
  be gone for a certain time. Often, the 
  expedition is made even more difficult 
  because the elders purposefully do not send 
  as many provisions as is usual. 
  The Anar are very superstitious. They 
  believe in and revere all manner of spirits 
  and sprites (some real and some imaginary). 
  They hold dwarves and elves in awe. 
  Dwarves they see as supernatural allies who 
  live under the earth and supply them with 
  strong swords and armor. Indeed, 
  Northmen were the first humans with 
  whom the Dwarven race had contact. 
  Almost all Dwarven use-names were 
  originally Northern Ancient Anarian in 
  origin, and are borrowed from the 
  Northmen. Elves are viewed as 
  incomprehensible. The average Anar is 
  uncertain whether elves are friends or foes 
  of mankind, or both, but he does believe 
  that elves play a large role in human life, 
  culture, and history. The Anar have a dim 
  racial memory of the ancient grandeur and 
  importance of the Elven race, and they give 
  their children names that refer to elves, such 
  as Alfhiem and Alfred. Yet they also 
  sometimes blame the legendary elves for 
  human madness and trouble, hence the 
  term "elf-shot." The Anar tend to mistrust 
  magic of all but the priestly sort. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  War 
  The Anar are fierce warriors: they are 
  known throughout the west for their war 
  prowess. In fact, a barbarian army led by the 
  legendary warlord Wodene once 
  burned Dragonspur City after defeating its 
  army. In general, however, the Northmen 
  are not quite organized enough to put 
  together an organized campaign army that 
  is capable of crossing long distances. They 
  lack the supply lines and the motivation to 
  do so. Thus, their raids have generally been 
  directed towards other Northmen or 
  towards Northern Kelerak and Northern 
  Kale. Unlike the historical Vikings, the 
  Barbarian Northmen are not mariners (not 
  having access to any large bodies of water) 
  and thus are not really wanders or 
  explorers. 
  Northmen are also known for their berserk 
  fighting styles. Indeed, the term "berserker" 
  is a barbarian term. The Northern berserker 
  lashes himself into a rage by chewing his 
  shield, singing, shouting, and injuring 
  himself; he then rushes madly into battle 
  clad in light or no armor. This raging 
  warrior will then fight until he or all his 
  enemies are dead. A berserker is a deadly 
  enemy against individuals or small groups 
  but groups of berserkers are less effective 
  against organized bands of soldiers. They 
  tend to impale themselves on the weapons 
  of spear and pike men. This is another 
  reason that the Northmen have only rarely 
  been successful in large-scale, kingdom-
  conquering campaigns, given their tendency 
  to go berserk. But no one wants to see a 
  group of Anar warriors bearing down on his 
  village. 
   
  Language 
  The Anar speak a common language called 
  Anarian, which stems from an ancient 
  human tongue that is native to the 
  Northlands. It also has a healthy mix of 
  Farlandish and Kelevan thrown in, but it is 
  still primarily its own language. This 
  language is characterized by melodic 
  accents and glottal stops. To other humans, 
  this language often sounds “sing-song.” 
   
  Factions of Anaria 
  Ring-sworn of Brand 
  Frodeson: Jarl Brand Frodeson, leader 
  of Hildolf in Anaria and most powerful war 
  lord of the Hildolfar, the Wolf Tribe, is a 
  powerful local ruler and a formidable 
  warrior in his own right.  His Ring-sworn 
  bondsmen, called his Earls, serve him 
  faithfully, as long as they have opportunities 
  for plunder and glory.  Jarl Brand, out of a 
  sincere religious duty, guards the sacred 
  barrow of the legendary War Jarl Wodene. 
  This group is entirely human. This faction 
  opposes Olfjor’s faction and is primarily 
  responsible for holding off the threat of the 
  other Anarian Jarls, Munan and Haraldr. 
  Ring-sworn of Olfjor the Old: 
  The community of Svenheim in Hildolfar is 
  ruled by the Jarl Olfjor the Old, a once 
  mighty warrior who has since aged.  Olfjor is 
  supported by a troop of faithful Earls; all are 
  human. Olfjor is a tricky and treacherous 
  Jarl, who desires to find—by hook or by 
  crook—the sword of the legendary hero 
  Wodene and use it unlawfully to become 
  War Jarl of all of Anaria. This group 
  opposes Brand Frodeson’s faction. 
  Ring-sworn of Munan 
  Steinnson: The fierce Munan made a 
  name for himself as a famous raider and 
  capable warrior, and he was eventually 
  elected Jarl of Gormfast, effective capital of 
  Rindar, the territory of the Cavebear 
  Northmen Tribe. Jarl Munan and his Earls, 
  all humans, oppose Brand Frodeson and 
  Haraldr Albrektson. 
  Ring-sworn of Haraldr 
  Albrektson: The Hofvrarar, the Elk 
  Tribe Northmen, are effectively ruled by 
  their Jarl Haraldr. Unlike the other Jarls, 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  57 
  Haraldr was never a fierce warrior.  Instead, 
  he was known for his wit and intelligence, 
  and this was enough to get him elected Jarl 
  and allow him to gain the allegiance of his 
  human Earls. Not as mighty in force of arms 
  as either the Wolf or Cavebear Tribes, 
  Haraldr continues to use his wits to allow 
  his people to thrive; he is never a staunch 
  ally of anyone, and often plays each Jarl off 
  the others. 
   
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the barbarian 
  lands of Anaria. 
  The plots of Olfjor: Olfjor wants to seize 
  the mythical sword of Wodene out of his 
  crypt, which is guarded by the Ring-sworn 
  of Brand Frodeson.  He argues that he can 
  use it to unite all of Anaria and increase the 
  fortunes of all his people. Will the PCs help  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  or oppose him? 
  A barbarian war: The three tribes are 
  preparing for a clash, primarily due to 
  insults their Jarls have leveled against each 
  other.  Will the PCs choose a side or try to 
  prevent it? 
  Raids to the south: The Kingdom of 
  Kelerak lies to the south, and it’s ripe for the 
  plucking.  The northerners invite the PCs to 
  come along on a raid. 
  The ruins of Liferock: Northmen 
  skaalds sing of the ruins of a vast and 
  long-deserted 
  The monster Grendel: A terrible troll-
  like monster that men say is named Grendel 
  has been terrorizing an important Earl of 
  Jarl Frodeson.  The beast must be slain. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  Daven 
   
  Modern Daven 
  Daven is the southernmost kingdom 
  of Farland. It is located west of Orland and 
  south of Kelerak. It was once a powerful 
  kingdom in better years. Daven suffered 
  much during the dark occupation and was 
  finally liberated from the dark forces in 
  8163 by the Lords of the West. Since that 
  time, however, a new plague has sprung up 
  to trouble the citizens of Daven. Daven was 
  ruled for more than four hundred years by a 
  vampire named Saithith. During his rule, he 
  spawned hundreds of undead. Though 
  Saithith and those closest to him were 
  dispatched by the Lords of the West, these 
  hundreds still roam the kingdom feeding on 
  human flesh. A good part of the inhabitants 
  of Daven have responded to this threat by 
  fleeing to Kale to the west. Others 
  stubbornly refuse to leave their homeland 
  and cower in their houses praying that they 
  will be spared for another night. The way of 
  life in Daven has become very free, as 
  individualism is necessary. "Every man for 
  himself," is the doctrine of the day, "for who 
  knows if we'll make it through tonight." The 
  concept of leadership and laws means little 
  to a man facing such terrors. Against this 
  utter chaos, a fledgling king is attempting to 
  reassert the ancient laws of Daven in Elder 
  Daven. 
  Daven's current king is Godric, son of 
  Godfrey. He assumed the throne with claims 
  that he is descended from Magnus the 
  Mighty. Magnus was the most trusted 
  soldier-chancellor of Dakor V. For some 
  months, after Dakor V was murdered in the 
  night in the fateful year 7744, he assumed 
  control of the failing kingdom. Not only was 
  he a political power, but he was also a 
  cousin of Dakor V, and thus claimed the 
  throne. He didn't live long enough for 
  anyone to dispute his claim as the kingdom 
  fell to the Lord of Gluttony later that same 
  year. King Godric claims to be a descendent 
  of Magnus' younger sister Rebeka and a 
  blacksmith by the name of Archibald. He 
  claims that since Rebeka was cousin to 
  Dakor V, he has a valid claim to the throne. 
  Ironically, history is repeating itself, and 
  whether or not king Godric's claims are 
  true, few care. Godric dares not take up 
  residence within the castle where the living 
  dead roam nightly. He resides and holds 
  "court" in a manor house in the western 
  area of Elder Daven. He does command a 
  few fighting cavalrymen (which he refers to 
  as Driddaren, though their fighting prowess 
  pales in comparison to the ancient holders 
  of that name), and an infantry used to police 
  the city following the old laws of Daven. 
  These men are as vulnerable to attacks of 
  the night as are peasants of the city, though, 
  and chaos reigns after dusk. Thus, like king 
  Godric's supposed ancestor, Magnus the 
  mighty, none care enough to dispute his rule 
  as their lives are in enough danger without 
  adding further enemies to the list. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  60 
  Daven Feudalism 
  The native people of northern Daven 
  probably descended from nomadic 
  tribesmen. There were a small number of 
  extended families that were the ruling 
  families. As these people gave up their 
  nomadic lifestyles and turned to agriculture, 
  fighting men became more important as 
  protectors of landholdings. Every man of 
  fighting age sought to own at least one good 
  weapon. More wealthy men owned better 
  weapons and some even armor and horses. 
  Men from the leading families were more 
  likely to be wealthy. Thus, these men were 
  usually better fighters, being better 
  equipped. When Daven I arrived to found 
  the kingdom of Daven, he found these 
  people already established in a feudalistic 
  society where might makes right. In an 
  effort to unify the kingdom, he established a 
  system of knighthood, and many of these 
  men were to remain loyal to him and his 
  line. These new knights Daven called the 
  Driddaren, ("riders" in Kelevan), and it was 
  proclaimed that to become one of the 
  Driddaren, one must command at least ten 
  men and own at least one horse. Many of 
  the heads of these original families became 
  leaders of large areas of land and great 
  numbers of men. Daven I rewarded his 
  highest-ranking generals with large estates 
  in the areas of today's cities of Gryphon, 
  New Daven, Arden, Irrol, Zeel City, and 
  Victoria. These generals had come with him 
  from Farland and were intensely loyal to 
  Daven I. Daven I himself presided over the 
  area of present day Elder Daven. In the 
  early days of the kingdom of Daven, 
  barbarian natives that didn't succumb to 
  Daven I's rule were captured and enslaved. 
  Early contact with seafaring pirates from 
  islands to the south of Daven also helped 
  keep a ready supply of slaves available. 
  Many of the aforementioned estates were 
  founded on slave labor. Though never 
  outlawed, slavery hardly exists in modern 
  Daven, for Daven I also brought with him 
  from Farland the concept of slaves buying 
  their freedom. Having seen the boost to 
  morale this gave slaves in Farland, he 
  instituted this practice in Daven. Thus after 
  a few generations, these slaves' ancestors 
  had become freemen and most citizens of 
  Daven were semi-free serfs. The main duty 
  of the Driddaren was usually to keep the 
  serfs under control. The leaders of these 
  estates came to be known as Barons. A 
  Baron typically had between 50 and 200 
  knights in his service. Elder Daven however, 
  has boasted as many as 3000 knights in 
  times of prosperity. Thus, the hierarchy of 
  Daven was first king, second Baron, third 
  knight, and lastly serf. There was also a class 
  of artisans including jewelers, blacksmiths, 
  armorers, weapon smiths, etc., who owed 
  loose allegiance to a Baron, but enjoyed 
  more freedom than the average Davenian. 
  An established weapon smith for example 
  usually enjoyed more freedom and renown 
  than did your average knight. Barons paid 
  taxes twice a year to the king and were 
  required to supply Elder Daven with 
  fighting men in times of war. Otherwise, 
  there were few laws that existed uniformly 
  across all of Daven. Laws usually were 
  specific to the way of life in each barony. 
   
  Daily Life 
  Historically Davenians have all been 
  human, and other races are little known in 
  Daven. Goblins and orcs have been a 
  problem, however, as the forces of evil have 
  pressed the kingdom. Since the dark 
  occupation, there have been other evil 
  beasts living within the borders. There are 
  craftsmen of many types in Daven and their 
  lives are that of backbreaking labor, though 
  many peasant farmers envy them for their 
  ability to earn coin. To become a craftsman, 
  a boy or girl becomes an apprentice to an 
  established craftsman for a fee usually paid 
  yearly. In return for this fee, this boy or girl 
  learns the trade of the craftsman. However, 
  in reality he or she is little better than a 
  slave. Most Davenians are semi-free serf 
  peasant farmers. In the feudal society of 
  Daven, a farmer is allowed to farm a plot of 
  land and keep 50 percent of the crops to 
  feed his family. The remaining 50 percent of 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  61 
  his crops go to his lord to feed the peoples of 
  the lord's city. In good years, a farmer may 
  have enough from his 50 percent share to 
  sell some of the harvest at market for a little 
  coin. For the most part though, he is a 
  subsistence farmer unable to escape his 
  plight due to the heavy taxes imposed on 
  him by his lord. A farmer is considered 
  wealthy if he can save enough to buy a sow 
  and boar and start raising pigs. This is really 
  a farmer's only hope of escaping the cycle of 
  subsistence living that an agriculturalist 
  lives within. Beasts of burden are also 
  desired to improve crop yields, but it is 
  believed that it is foolhardy to purchase a 
  horse or oxen before one has many pigs. It is 
  said that if your horse dies you have 
  nothing, but if your pig dies, you have a 
  feast. A farmer does enjoy more leisure time 
  than a craftsman does, and Davenians 
  especially love to sit around a fire with a 
  mug of beer and swap tales. Legends 
  abound, usually telling of the glory and 
  superiority of Davenians. To hear the 
  storytellers, the people of ancient Daven 
  were superhuman. Foreigners beware, for a 
  Davenian with a mug or two of beer in him 
  is a passionate fighter when defending his 
  homeland's honor. 
   
  Dangers 
  Daven, located South of Kelerak and West of 
  Orland, used to be a powerful kingdom. Her 
  people were fierce fighters and ardent 
  sailors, with a navy second only to Farland 
  herself. Now, however, she has fallen far 
  from her former state. In fact, many have 
  said that she is only liberated in name, as 
  her citizens still cower in their homes and 
  meekly fear the darkness. They can hardly 
  be blamed for this, for the chaotic Lord of 
  Gluttony basically let the undead he 
  spawned prey on the hapless citizens of 
  Daven. Since the Lords of the West slew 
  Saithith in 8163 F.R., the plague of undead 
  has worsened as the little control Saithith 
  held over his spawn was removed. The 
  kingdom is quickly becoming a wasteland as 
  her people stream into Kale or are lost in the 
  night. As if the terror of the night wasn't 
  enough, orcs still terrorize Davenians to the 
  northeast. Many in the east have even 
  chosen surrender to the oppressive rule of 
  the Lord of Envy rather than face the 
  dangers of present day Daven alone. Others 
  have escaped to the north and into Kelerak, 
  though few have made it past the enemy 
  armies there and into liberated lands. The 
  Davenians to the west have fared the best as 
  they have the free kingdom of Kale at their 
  backs and an attempt to release the power of 
  the Misty Head River has kept some of the 
  walking dead at bay. Rumors of the 
  legendary group The Slayers gives people 
  hope, though many believe this group only 
  exists in people's minds. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  62 
  Food 
  The average peasant in Daven eats soup 
  daily. Soup doubles as both food and drink 
  and is consumed both hot and cold. 
  Potatoes, cabbage, carrots, salt and perhaps 
  some pork or fish bones are usually the 
  staples. The soup pot is usually kept going 
  almost constantly and whatever is available 
  is added each day. Thus, the flavor never 
  changes too much and varies little between 
  households. An offer to come have soup is 
  often included in daily greetings. Soup is 
  usually thickest and most flavorful in the 
  morning as it usually simmers all night. 
  After breakfast, water is added and the 
  remaining meals are usually a watered-
  down version of breakfast. Lunch and 
  dinner servings of soup usually are 
  accompanied by coarse dark bread if the 
  family can afford bread. Beer has always 
  been a staple of the diet in Daven. The lands 
  of central Daven around the area of Great 
  Daven Lake are very fertile and farmers reap 
  a rich harvest most years of wheat, barley, 
  and hops. Arden and Irrol are famous 
  brewing centers.  
  Pigs are the animals of choice for livestock 
  owners and every peasant farmer aspires to 
  own at least one pig. In fact, it is said that a 
  man who doesn't own a pig is little more 
  than a pig himself. This isn't much of an 
  insult though, since the people of Daven 
  realize that pigs are one of the smartest 
  animals. Richer Davenians will often keep 
  pet pigs as well as pigs kept for food. While 
  pork and especially pork sausage is prized 
  throughout the lands, pork is more 
  commonly found in the north, as fish is 
  common and prized in the south. Carp and 
  herring are favorites. One of the traditional 
  dishes found at any feast in southern Daven 
  is herring salad. The basic ingredients of 
  herring salad are available greens, pickled 
  cucumbers and beets, and cooked herring 
  all chopped up and tossed together and 
  served cold. From pickling fish in Elder 
  Daven for shipment north to the famous 
  pickled cabbage from Necrovia (i.e. 
  sauerkraut), pickling is commonly used to 
  preserve foods throughout the kingdom. 
  Pickled cucumbers are also prized 
  throughout the land, and it is these that 
  were first pickled and gave the process its 
  name. The Zeel Flats have rich salt deposits 
  used for this purpose and are also shipped 
  north and for use in cooking as well as 
  salting pork. Aside from the liberal use of 
  salt, spices are used sparingly in Davenian 
  cooking, as they are rare and expensive. 
   
  Guilds 
  One of the most notable guilds and one that 
  gives Daven great fame is its Seaman's 
  Guild. Daven's navy once rivaled the royal 
  navy of Farland, though hard times have 
  fallen on the kingdom of late. Similarly, 
  Daven's' Shipbuilder's Guild in years past 
  was responsible for some of the finest ships 
  that sailed the seas of Farland. 
  A small thieves' guild operates out of Elder 
  Daven, though they are really more of an 
  extension of the island pirate colony to the 
  south rather than an independent group. 
  Obviously, under the penalty of death, the 
  members of this group remain secret, 
  although since liberation there have been 
  some brash raids on some of the richer 
  districts in Elder Daven. 
  Victoria and Necrovia boast offices of the 
  Logger's Guild. The job of the lumberjack 
  has been much sought after in Daven as 
  wood is required for the ships and houses in 
  Elder Daven and lumber can be had only far 
  to east and west. Thus, the logger's guild has 
  always done well, and they enjoy a lot of 
  political power in Victoria and Necrovia. 
  Another unique group that exists in Elder 
  Daven is the guild of scholars. Daven has 
  long been famous for having one of the few 
  universities in Farland. The guild was 
  founded in 7023 F.R. The university was 
  founded a year later after first contact 
  between the mage Seldorius the Wise of the 
  wizard's isle to the south of Daven and 
  founder of the University of Daven, Ewald 
  Von Meinhart of Elder Daven. Seldorius 
  needed resources available on the mainland 
  and during this time of war and uncertainty, 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  63 
  Ewald and his friends felt unable to help 
  their king in fighting the enemy and 
  therefore felt useless. They had always been 
  men of brain rather than brawn. At 
  Seldorius' suggestion, they approached the 
  king and were granted permission to start a 
  library and classes in the history of war. In 
  return Seldorius required resources 
  available in Daven to be delivered to him. 
  Seldorius in turn would teach Ewald and his 
  friends the methods of scribing histories 
  and researching past histories. Seldorius 
  also taught Ewald and his friends some 
  rudimentary knowledge about magic. As the 
  years passed, degrees began to be offered by 
  the University of Daven in History of 
  Warfare, Ancient History, History of 
  Religion, and History of Magic. Due to this 
  last course, knowledge of magic in Daven is 
  much more advanced than in many of the 
  other kingdoms. While the use of magic is 
  still rare, magic is venerated rather than 
  feared. Those who do have some ability in 
  the arts guard it jealously, reveling in the 
  fame it brings them. 
  In the last year, there have been rumors of a 
  new group operating without the king's 
  decree. They call themselves the Guild of 
  Slayers. Little is known about them and it is 
  said that they operate only at night, but at 
  least one vampire troubling farmers east of 
  Necrovia has ceased its attacks. Some 
  people say that the gods have sent another 
  group from the West to fight the living dead 
  that plague them. Others say that the Lords 
  of the West have returned. But most people 
  in Daven still cower in their houses come 
  nightfall and take little heed of children's 
  stories. 
   
  History 
  There are many clues that an ancient 
  kingdom existed to the south. Though no 
  ruined towns are known of, the most 
  obvious clue is the existence of odd 
  monoliths delineating the course of the 
  Road of Souls between Elder Daven and the 
  Misty Head River. These monoliths are 
  extremely large and appear at exact 
  intervals of one mile. The very size of these 
  stones makes it impossible that ancient men 
  erected these without the help of very 
  complex machinery of a type unknown in 
  modern day Daven. It is a common peasant 
  belief that long ago dragons were quite 
  common in southern Daven and they placed 
  the monoliths there. A popular fable tells 
  that in ancient times men and dragons lived 
  in harmony. The famous king Franz of the 
  ancient kingdom of Davelon once took a 
  long journey from his mountain homeland 
  to the sea. In those days, men took many 
  wives, and King Franz, being a great king, 
  had 200 wives. Along the way, the vile 
  tongue of his court wizard, Adolf, led King 
  Franz to believe that each of his wives in 
  turn had committed adultery. As King Franz 
  was a very large man and loved to eat and 
  feast and spend time with his wives, more 
  than to exercise, his party made slow 
  progress covering only one mile per day. 
  Each night, Adolf spoke poison into King 
  Franz's ear and each midnight in a 
  murderous rage, he killed one of his wives. 
  She was left there to die and for her body to 
  rot, 'til only her soul remained. It is from 
  this tale that the road acquired its name. 
  Dragons in the area witnessed these 
  atrocities, and having loved the wives of 
  King Franz as wonderful and virtuous 
  women, the dragons raised cairns of pure 
  stone in each of their resting places. Having 
  seen the horrors men could commit, 
  dragons withdrew from the lands of men 
  ever after and the friendship between 
  dragons and men thus died. Some also say 
  that the monoliths contain the corpses of 
  dead dragons and it is dragon souls that 
  gave the road its name. Another theory has 
  recently been offered when historians from 
  the University of Daven discovered evidence 
  that long ago Daven was inhabited by a 
  powerful Druidic society. Indeed, the 
  ancient Farlandish scholars used to call the 
  lands of present-day Daven Druidia. The 
  theory goes--and it seems a more likely one-
  -that the Druid inhabitants used powerful 
  magic to place the monoliths along the Road 
  of Souls. These were used to ward travelers 
  along the road. These historians have 
  
   
   
   
   
  64 
  suggested that while not proven, many of 
  the monoliths may still contain this 
  powerful magic, though none have 
  discovered how this powerful warding is 
  activated. Unfortunately, the university is 
  no longer safe in these days of peril, and all 
  eminent historians have vanished in the last 
  year. Daven I, a general of Farland, founded 
  the present-day kingdom of Daven in the 
  year 5915 (F.R.). Daven I was of Lorindish 
  ancestry, an ancient kingdom in the area of 
  present day Dessingrove in Kelerak. 
  However, after the fall of Lorindon, Daven's 
  ancestors reverted to barbaracy and Daven I 
  owed his education to the Farland military 
  where he spent many years. His rule lasted 
  only 16 years, as in 5931 goblins from 
  Goblin Bay attacked what would become 
  Elder Daven and slew Daven I. His eldest 
  son Dortmund succeeded him. 
  Daven has a long history of warfare. Only 35 
  years after the kingdom was founded, 
  Orland started a civil war and in 5952, 
  Daven was drawn into the conflict on the 
  side of Lord Iain revolting against King 
  Tomas II of Orland. Lord Iain eventually 
  seceded from Orland with Daven's help and 
  founded the kingdom of Cairn Kelsh. Many 
  centuries later Orland convinced a force 
  from Cairn Kelsh to invade Daven and the 
  town of Kestrel was taken. Some years later 
  the town was retaken and renamed Victoria. 
  Then in 6485, Daven and Kelerak formed an 
  alliance and invaded Cairn Kelsh. Orland 
  aided Cairn Kelsh and the Plains War began. 
  Five years later, Orland refused to help 
  Cairn Kelsh and Daven annexed the lands of 
  Cairn Kelsh. Five years after its capture, this 
  land was sold back to Orland at an 
  outrageously cheap price. After about one 
  hundred years of relative peace, the citizens 
  of Daven were once again called to arms as 
  Kale and Daven entered into a minor war 
  over a border dispute. This ended in 6635 
  with Daven expanding its territory west into 
  Kale. Peace was again known in the south 
  until in 6850, raids from an island pirate 
  colony to the south became too troublesome 
  to ignore. To combat this threat, a corsair, 
  Robert the Blue, was commissioned and 
  successfully destroyed the pirate colony. 
  However, Robert the Blue then turned 
  traitor and became a pirate himself, taking 
  up raids from the Selfhaven Archipelago. In 
  the year 6888, Farland responded to 
  Daven's request for help and destroyed 
  Robert the blue's fleet in a pitched naval 
  battle. Then in 6900, Daven again became 
  involved in a continental war as Kale and 
  Daven attacked Orland, beginning the 
  Decadion War. Three years after the start of 
  this devastating war, the Orlandish 
  assassin Roche assassinated the king of 
  Daven. Daven was invaded by the combined 
  might of Orland, Zeland, and Farland in 
  6981, and fell in 6983. Daven was annexed 
  as Western Orland. Then in 7010, Abelard 
  Von Basil, of the royal family of Daven, led a 
  successful revolt and the kingdom was 
  reestablished. Twenty years later Daven 
  joined forces with Kelerak and invaded 
  Orland unsuccessfully at the Battle of 
  Greenhill. Then in 7045, an unheard-of turn 
  of events came to pass. The Elves of the 
  Summervale decided to interfere with the 
  humans' war using the powerful artifact, 
  The Stone of Silence. The war was ended 
  using this artifact and both sides made 
  peace. Eight years later, Farland militarily 
  coerced Daven to pay yearly tribute.  
  In the years thereafter, Daven enjoyed many 
  centuries of peace. Unfortunately, this long 
  period of peace led the kings of Daven to 
  divert money away from the military and 
  the once mighty navy and fighting men of 
  Daven dwindled and became less able. Thus, 
  Daven was caught unawares and unready 
  when the scourge of evil reared its head in 
  the east. In 7744, the king of Daven, Dakor 
  V was mysteriously slain by an evil creature 
  of the night. Orc sightings became frequent. 
  The leaders of Daven were thrown into 
  turmoil, as war had been unknown in Daven 
  for so long. While bureaucrats argued in 
  Daven as to the best course of action, the 
  forces of evil attacked simultaneously with a 
  fleet of ships and a frightening army led by 
  the Lord of Gluttony. Aminas the Shadow 
  Walker, of the Elhil, came to Daven's aid 
  and mounted an attack on the forces of evil, 
  taking the mighty Elven artifact the Stone of 
  Silence with him to use in the attack. This 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  65 
  was against the original warning of 
  Galadhel, (the Elven smith who created the 
  Stone) only to use the Stone in defense. The 
  artifact disappeared and Aminas was slain 
  outside Elder Daven. Elder Daven fell, and 
  the forces of Zeel hurrying to reinforce Elder 
  Daven were struck down by an evil plague. 
  Thus, the occupation under Saithith, the 
  Lord of Gluttony, began. 
  In 8163 F.R., the Lords of the West entered 
  Daven and were able to defeat Saithith as 
  well as many of his henchmen, thus freeing 
  the people of Daven. Unfortunately, not all 
  of the vampire spawn were dispatched and 
  today roving undead overrun the kingdom 
  of Daven. Those of the populace that have 
  chosen to remain cower in fear once night 
  falls within tightly boarded up houses. Many 
  have chosen to flee the cursed walking dead 
  and Kale has its hands full with refugees 
  emigrating from Daven. 
   
  Laws 
  • 
  To become one of the Driddaren, one 
  must own at least one horse and 
  command at least ten men. 
  • 
  A member of the Driddaren in direct 
  service to the king may forego the 
  requirement of commanding ten men. 
  • 
  A Baron may set his own laws and his 
  subjects must follow those to the letter 
  of the law. However, these laws shall not 
  be contradictory to the king's edicts. 
  • 
  A Baron must furthermore pay the king 
  the required tax twice a year. 
  • 
  A Baron must furnish a militia and 
  respond immediately to the king's 
  appeal for troops in times of war or 
  peril. 
  • 
  A slave may purchase his freedom at the 
  price of 60 sp for any man and 30 sp for 
  any woman. The price for a child under 
  the age of twelve shall be half that of an 
  adult. 
  • 
  Piracy is punishable by death. 
  Occupational Realities 
  The citizens of Daven had the misfortune to 
  have been conquered and ruled during the 
  Dark Years by a ruthless vampire, Saithith 
  the Lord of Gluttony. While Saithith 
  brought along an army of orcs and other fell 
  creatures from the enemy lands to attack 
  Daven, he always had an affinity for undead 
  warriors. During his rule of Daven, a patrol 
  of orcs or humans under his control usually 
  had an undead commander. Vampires and 
  vampire spawn became all too common in 
  Daven during the dark occupation. New 
  laws were added during Saithith's rule to 
  limit humans' power against this growing 
  force of vampires. All religious temples 
  worshiping any gods other than Vornoth 
  were declared illegal. Holy symbols (except 
  that of Vornoth or the Dweller) and 
  especially Heshtail's, were illegal. Garlic was 
  declared illegal, as was holy water. 
  Throughout the land waterways were 
  dammed and altered so that patrols could 
  easily move about Daven without having to 
  cross any running water. It was mandated 
  that whenever anyone opened his or her 
  door to anyone displaying the Lord of 
  Gluttony's insignia, he or she must be 
  invited in at once. Finally, any official or 
  legal inquiries into the whereabouts of an 
  individual was forbidden, and even asking 
  where someone was was socially 
  discouraged. Anyone caught disobeying 
  these mandates was brought to the castle in 
  Elder Daven under cover of night to face 
  justice at a midnight hearing. Never were 
  these unfortunates seen again in the light of 
  day. Saithith kept the system of Baronies 
  intact during his rule and awarded control 
  of these baronies to his most trusted 
  vampire generals. A tax of 1 sp each three 
  months was levied on every family. If the tax 
  collector was not paid, the head of the 
  family would be brought to a midnight 
  hearing. If the family was unable to afford 
  the 1sp, it was permitted instead to send a 
  family member with the tax collector to 
  serve the Baron. Many of those who were 
  sent into service vanished mysteriously, 
  while others became little more than slaves 
  
   
   
   
   
  66 
  diverting and damming waterways and 
  doing other menial and backbreaking 
  labors. Perhaps most dangerous to the 
  average citizen of Daven, though, were the 
  mindless vampire spawn that roamed the 
  countryside feeding on human flesh. 
  Peasant farmers no longer had the 
  protection of their lords against this terror 
  as their new lords were creating the 
  fearsome problem. Thus, it was common for 
  families to crowd cowering into their houses 
  after dark whispering prayers under their 
  breath all the long night. 
   
  Towns 
  Major towns and cities in Daven are often 
  capitals of Baronies. Many towns have 
  foreign names due to Daven's having been 
  affected by nomenclature from its natives, 
  Kale, Kelerak, Farland, ancient Lorindon, 
  and the cultures and languages from the 
  islands to the south. The main centers are 
  Gryphon, New Daven, Arden, Irrol, Zeel 
  City, Victoria, and the capitol of the 
  kingdom Elder Daven. Elder Daven is the 
  largest city in Daven and once boasted more 
  than 30,000 inhabitants, though now it has 
  shrunk to less than a third of its former size, 
  boasting barely 8,000. This number 
  dwindles daily as refugees flee the terror of 
  the walking dead of Daven. Smaller and less 
  important cities and towns are Crossways, 
  Endless Well, Necrovia, and Baronsdoom. 
   
  Demographic 
  Information 
  The total area of the wasted land that used 
  to make up the Kingdom of Daven is 40,000 
  square miles. 
  The total current population is 
  approximately 100,000 persons because of 
  the harsh realities of the dark occupation. 
  This population is much less than the 
  approximately 1,000,000 inhabitants the 
  Kingdom can and did support in its heyday. 
  Roughly 90% of the current population is 
  human. The remainder are dark folk, like 
  orcs and goblins, or, more ominously, 
  creatures of the night. The living population 
  is dwindling fast. 
  • 
  11,100 residents are isolated or 
  itinerant; many of these are dark 
  folk. 
  • 
  69,000 residents live in 170 villages. 
  • 
  11,900 residents live in 4 towns (Zeel 
  City, New Daven, Victoria, and 
  Gryphon). 
  • 
  8,000 residents live in 1 city (Elder 
  Daven). 
  • 
  Daven currently supports 220,000 
  head of livestock: 
  • 
  149,600 fowl (e.g. chickens, geese, 
  ducks). 
  • 
  70,400 dairy and meat animals (e.g. 
  cows, goats, pigs, sheep). 
   
   
  Elder Daven, 
  capital of Daven 
   
  Areas of Interest 
  1. Castle Daven  
  2. Mansion Row  
  3. Godric's Manor  
  4. Ruins  
  5. Daven University and the Guild of 
  Scholars  
  6. Rogues' Row  
  7. City Docks  
  8. Inn Row  
  9. Commerce Row  
  10. Park Lake 
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  General Information 
  about the City 
  Who Rules: "King" Godric son of Godfrey 
  Von Berengar, although his rule only 
  extends as far as the reach of his men's 
  lances. The city is near-anarchy. 
  Other Power Centers: Rupert the Weasel 
  King, the ruler of the pirate colony of 
  Selfhaven Archipelago, wields considerable 
  power in the city through his agent Ludwig 
  One-Ear, head of the Seaman's Guild and a 
  crime boss in the city. 
  Wolfstan, head of the Thieves' Guild, is 
  something of a force in the city, although he 
  is firmly under Ludwig's thumb. 
  Priestess Harnet, a cleric of Reeanan, gives 
  the peasants of the city hope against the 
  terrible Davenian nights, although she 
  wields little political power. 
  Population: About 8,000. The population 
  is mostly human with some half-orcs and 
  the occasional wandering dwarf. This is only 
  the living population. It is whispered that 
  dark spirits roam the night, and no one 
  knows what their numbers might be. 
  Major Products: The city imports varied 
  products from Selfhaven to the south and 
  then distributes them to the cities in Daven. 
  It exports lumber, agricultural products, 
  and pickled fish. Elder Daven was once 
  known for its ships, and it still exports small 
  fishing boats. The economy of Elder Daven 
  is, however, rather depressed. 
  Armed Forces: King Godric sponsors a 
  force of approximately 40 Driddaren, 
  mounted knights armed with lances and 
  swords. These men, however, are not well 
  trained and in fact are little more than 
  brigands. It is unlikely that Godric could 
  raise many more men. 
  The City: Elder Daven City is an ancient, 
  decaying city. Since the liberation, no strong 
  leadership has arisen to unify the city or the 
  kingdom, and as such, anarchy reigns. New 
  City, the area outside the inner walls, has 
  become increasingly depopulated, although 
  the area surrounding the city docks are still 
  much inhabited. To make matters worse, 
  when night falls, the undead minions of the 
  late Saithith, creatures that are now 
  leaderless and purposeless, wander the 
  streets seeking only to kill the living. 
  The ancient Castle Daven, a crumbling 
  edifice that sits in the center of Old City 
  Square, serves as a reminder of the spirits 
  that haunt the city. The castle is an eyesore, 
  and every attempt to explore it or reoccupy 
  it since the liberation has failed, usually 
  ending with the disappearance of those who 
  have tried. It is therefore considered cursed, 
  and the inhabitants of the city simple give it 
  a wide berth, usually making the sign of the 
  Evil Eye for good measure. 
  Still, the city has managed to maintain some 
  of its population and economy. Besides 
  those unfortunates who venture into Castle 
  Daven, those who dwell inside the Inner 
  Walls, in Old City, are much safer. The 
  Driddaren of the Warlord-King Godric 
  patrol the street, seeking to enforce the 
  Warlord's will but also keeping the city safer 
  as a side effect. The men of Ludwig One-Ear 
  also help maintain order in the city so that 
  their efforts to conduct trade with Selfhaven 
  can proceed unimpeded. Indeed, the port is 
  the lifeblood of the city, and at least half the 
  citizens of the city earn their living in a 
  profession that is in some way connected to 
  shipping. 
  Architecturally, Elder Daven is a beautiful 
  place. The buildings are often adorned with 
  gargoyles and other statues meant to ward 
  away evil spirits, and indeed, fanciful 
  sculptures and statues abound throughout 
  much of the city. The buildings of the city 
  withstand age and weather well, and over 
  the years many of them have become 
  overgrown with ivy, giving Elder Daven a 
  quaint, historic look. The city was once 
  known for its large and striking temples, but 
  almost all of these structures were torn 
  down by order of the Lord of Gluttony, and 
  they have never been rebuilt. Still, the 
  architecture of the city is remarkable. Some 
  say, however, that the beauty of the city is 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  69 
  nothing but a white-washed sarcophagus 
  covering a decaying corpse. 
   
  Important Dates for 
  the City in Farlandish 
  Reckoning (Many are 
  Approximations) 
  5915--Daven, a general of Farland from 
  Lorindish stock, founds the city of Daven, 
  later to be known as Elder Daven. This 
  marks the foundation of the kingdom of 
  Daven. 
  5931--Daven falls in a raid upon (Elder) 
  Daven by Goblins from Goblin Bay. The 
  Goblins are tracked down and destroyed. 
  Daven's eldest son Dortmund becomes 
  King. 
  5950--Lord Pastor of Orland starts a 
  revolution against King Tomas II of Orland. 
  5952--Pastor, with help from Daven, 
  secedes from Orland and founds the 
  kingdom of Cairn Cadez in western Orland. 
  c. 6020--The Farlandish Empire ends. 
  Henceforth it is known as the Kingdom of 
  Farland, and its kings are known as High 
  Kings because most of the other countries 
  eventually become subordinate allies or are 
  forced to pay tribute. 
  6035--Wizards, priests, and heroes of all 
  sorts begin to flock to Farland. 
  6397--Baron Jorland III of Cairn Cadez 
  invades Daven on the secret prodding of 
  Orland's King, Lestek I. He conquers the 
  border town of Kestrel with monetary aid 
  from Orland. 
  6399--Jorland is driven out of Kestrel, and 
  it is renamed Victoria. He flees south to the 
  town of Beath, but is attacked and slain by 
  Prince Tael II, son of King Tael of Daven. 
  Beath is renamed Baronsdoom. 
  6485--Daven, allied with Kelerak, invade 
  Cairn Cadez. Orland comes to the aid of 
  Cairn Cadez. The Plains War begins. 
  6490--Orland refuses to aid Cairn Cadez at 
  the Battle of Sunsets. The kingdom is 
  defeated and annexed by Daven. 
  6494--Daven sells the land where Cairn 
  Cadez was to Orland for a suspiciously 
  cheap price. 
  6560--Kale, the second son of King Orlock 
  of Daven, cheated of an inheritance, goes off 
  with his loyal followers and founds the 
  Kingdom of Kale. 
  6615--Kale and Daven become involved in a 
  border dispute. A minor war ensues. 
  6625--The conflict between Kale and Daven 
  is resolved. Daven has expanded its Western 
  border at the expense of Kale. 
  6850--Daven is troubled by a small pirate 
  colony on an island to the south of her 
  shores. 
  6855--Daven commissions a corsair, Robert 
  the Blue, to destroy the pirate colony. 
  6858--Robert the Blue attacks and 
  successfully destroys the pirate colony on 
  Selfhaven archipelago. 
  6859--Robert the Blue double-crosses 
  Daven and becomes a pirate himself. He 
  harries the Southern coasts of the kingdom. 
  6860--Daven petitions the fleet of Farland 
  for aid against the pirate. 
  6862--The fleet of Farland engages Robert 
  the Blue and completely destroys his fleet. 
  During the returning voyage, half of the fleet 
  of Farland is lost due to a raging storm. 
  6900--The combined kingdoms of Kale and 
  Daven attack Orland, beginning the 
  Decadion War. 
  6903--King Alaric Von Basil of Daven is 
  assassinated by the Orlandish 
  assassin Roche. 
  6906--The Rio Plano is poisoned by raiders 
  from Daven, killing much wildlife as well as 
  people. 
  6981--Orland, with the help of Zeland and a 
  legion from Farland, invades Daven. 
  
   
   
   
   
  70 
  6983--Daven falls to the combined might of 
  the Eastern Alliance. It is annexed as 
  Western Orland. The Eastern Alliance forces 
  Kelerak to cease trade with Kale; Kale 
  suffers greatly. 
  7001--The famous sage and wizard 
  Seldorius of Farland makes his home on 
  Hamor Island and renames it Wizard Isle. 
  He begins to fabricate many magical items. 
  7005--Galadhel turns the Stone of 
  Silence over to the Elves to use in putting a 
  stop to the ceaseless wars that are marring 
  the beauty of the lands. Unable to bear the 
  parting, she passes from the Hinterlands. 
  7010--Abelard Von Basil, of the royal family 
  of Daven, leads a successful revolt against 
  the Orlandish invaders. With help from Kale 
  and Kelerak, Orland is expelled and the 
  Kingdom of Daven is refounded. 
  7020--Seldorius of Farland refounds the 
  Cadre of the Wise, based on the original  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  counsel founded by the Mage-King Keler. 
  7023--The Guild of Scholars is founded in 
  Elder Daven. 
  7024--The Daven University is founded by 
  Ewald Von Meinhart after contact with the 
  mage Seldorius the Wise. 
  7029--Daven and Kelerak invade Orland but 
  are repulsed with heavy losses at the Battle 
  of Greenhill. 
  7039--Elves from the Summervale interfere 
  in the Decadion War, and intercede with the 
  powerful magic item, The Stone of Silence. 
  Both sides make peace. 
  7045--The Elves move down the Elfin River 
  and make the first interracial village in Dale. 
  Some Elves move to the South Wood to keep 
  an eye on Daven. The hero Celuthiel leads 
  them. 
  c. 7080--The Wintervale begins to grow in 
  strength, but this time the Dweller seems to  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  71 
  have acquired some relic or power that 
  greatly worries Seldorius and the Cadre of 
  the Wise. The Dweller has made progress in 
  unlocking the power of the Book of Seven. 
  7148--Daven is coerced after a minor 
  skirmish into paying tribute to Farland. 
  c. 7260--Galen Stireck creates the vampire 
  known as Kibor. Stireck is later slain by 
  Kibor. 
  c. 7490--A new pirate colony is founded on 
  Selfhaven archipelago. 
  c. 7650--Using the Book of Seven, the 
  evil Dweller in the Wintervale starts 
  recruiting seven mighty lords. 
  7744--The evil and very powerful vampire 
  Kibor slays the king of Daven, Dakor Van 
  Toulard V. Orcs are sighted in the hilly 
  crags. Daven is thrown into chaos for a time. 
  7795--Elder Daven is attacked by a fleet of 
  Ships, while simultaneously the army of the 
  Lord of Gluttony besieges it. 
  Reinforcements from Zeel City start to 
  come. Aminas of the Shadow Walkers 
  mounts an attack on the forces of evil, 
  taking the Stone of Silence with him to use 
  in the attack. This is against the original 
  warning of Galadhel only to use the Stone in 
  defense. The artifact disappears and Aminas 
  is slain outside Elder Daven. Elder Daven 
  falls, and the forces of Zeel are struck down 
  by an evil plague. The Shadow Walkers from 
  the South Wood put up a heroic fight but 
  are hunted down and executed over the next 
  year. Only a few escape. Daven is fully 
  conquered by the Lord of Gluttony. 
  7910--The Lord of Envy begins a border war 
  with Daven. The border shifts for several 
  decades but eventually the Lord of Wrath 
  puts a stop to the war and restores the 
  original borders. 
  8015--Elie, a Priest of Heshtail secretly 
  trains a band of heroes in how to destroy the 
  undead blight that plagues Daven. The 
  nameless band attempts to assassinate 
  Saithith the Lord of Gluttony but are slain to 
  a man. 
  8163--The Lord of Gluttony is slain and the 
  land of Daven is liberated. 
  8166--King Godric comes to power in Elder 
  Daven. 
  8169--The first whispers about the Guild of 
  Slayers are heard in Elder Daven. 
  8170--The present. 
   
   
  Factions of Daven 
  Driddaren of Godric: The liege-
  knights who serve the self-proclaimed King 
  Godric, this band of horsemen alternately 
  enforces the laws and collects bribes.  Not 
  an evil faction per se, they aren’t above 
  seeking their own gain.  King Godric is a 
  rough-and-tumble sort, and he collects men 
  who are similar.  Godric perhaps does have 
  the good interests of his kingdom in mind, 
  but he’s yet to master his own baser 
  character traits.  Still this group has 
  achieved some impressive military victories. 
  This faction is entirely human, and it 
  opposes the Pirates of Selfhaven and the 
  Disciples of the Dark, often with military 
  force. It has an economic alliance with the 
  Seaman’s Guild. 
  The Slayers: This legendary group of 
  undead hunters is said to patrol the wilds of 
  Daven, putting an end to the abominations 
  that walk the night.  Their leader is 
  unknown, and while they are of generally 
  good alignment, their obsessive focus is with 
  the walking dead.  Membership in this 
  group is secret, and one never knows if one’s 
  own neighbor is a Slayer. Slayers hate the 
  Disciples of the Dark. They have no other 
  alliances. 
  The Pirates of Selfhaven: Rupert 
  the Weasel King, a thin halfling, rules the 
  pirate colony of Selfhaven.  The colony 
  prospered during the Dark Occupation, and 
  it still serves as a go-between that allows the 
  
   
   
   
   
  72 
  Eastern occupied kingdoms to trade with 
  the liberated lands.  Rupert harasses ships 
  on the high seas, and he is opposed by 
  Godric’s Driddaren. The Pirates of 
  Selfhaven are a diverse bunch, consisting of 
  humans, dwarves, orcs, halflings, and dark 
  folk.  This faction is in an alliance with the 
  Seaman’s Guild, oddly. It also deals with the 
  representatives of the Lords of Envy and 
  Wrath, and the pirates make regular trips to 
  Budum-ishi and even the Nameless City. 
  Seaman’s Guild: This powerful guild 
  is commanded by Ludwig One-Ear, a 
  gnarled half-orc with, well, one ear.  Ludwig 
  is intelligent, canny, wise, and merciless.  
  He makes business deals with the same 
  ruthlessness that he used to drive daggers 
  into his enemies in his youth before he 
  discovered that he had a knack for 
  commerce.  This guild is mostly human, but 
  it has a smattering of half-orcs, halflings, 
  and dwarves.  It is allied with both the 
  Driddaren of Godric and the Pirates of 
  Selfhaven; Ludwig secretly works for Rupert 
  the Weasel King.  
  Disciples of the Dark: A foul cult 
  that worships both Vornoth and the death 
  god Grlarshh has sprung up in Daven.  
  Headed by the deformed Lothar Van Lowe, 
  a mysterious cleric, this faction reveres 
  undead.  They hate all those who worship 
  the good gods, and they especially hate the 
  Slayers. 
   
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the Kingdom 
  of Daven. 
  Investigate the Slayers: King Godric 
  wants to know who rules the Slayers and 
  where their base is. 
  Take back the castle: The city of Elder 
  Daven has had enough with the Walking 
  Dead.  The majority of the city has been 
  cleared, but many undead still dwell in the 
  cursed ruin of the castle of the Lord of 
  Gluttony, leaving it to hunt every night and 
  returning at dawn. It must be explored and 
  the undead within it destroyed. 
  Vampire outbreak: Recently, vampires 
  have begun hunting the citizens of Necrovia.  
  At least they seem to be vampires by the bite 
  marks on their necks…. The source of the 
  attacks must be uncovered and the threat 
  stopped. 
  The Pirates: The pirates must be taught a 
  lesson.  The PCs are to board a ship and stay 
  hidden until it is boarded by pirates. They 
  must then destroy the pirates, or better yet, 
  convince them to stop attacking ships from 
  Daven. 
  Darkness Ascendant: The Disciples of 
  Darkness have begun abducting citizens of 
  Daven, and often those citizens return as 
  walking corpses.  The secret base of the cult 
  must be discovered, and it must be rooted 
  out and destroyed. 
  The threat of Envy: The Lord of Envy 
  has begun massing his forces on the Eastern 
  border of Daven, preparing to take back the 
  liberated kingdom.  King Godric has asked 
  the PCs to do what they can to aid in the 
  defense of Daven. 
  
  Chapter Three: Occupied Lands 
   
   
  73 
   
   
  Conquered 
  Kingdoms 
  he kingdoms of Orland, Zeland, 
  Wawmar, and Farland still chafe 
  under the rule of the Lords of Sin.  These 
  hapless kingdoms are detailed below. 
   
  Orland 
   
  Overview 
  Orland is one of the oldest kingdoms in 
  Farland, younger than Farland and founded 
  only slightly after Zeland. Her history has 
  been turbulent, and ruins dot the landscape. 
  Once great cities have again become plains 
  or forests and others have arisen where 
  naught rested before. Orland is well versed 
  in the tragedies of famine and plague as 
  well, and whole cities and, in severe times, 
  whole regions have fallen to these deadliest 
  of enemies. 
  Orland, the youngest member of the old 
  Eastern Alliance, is a fair land. In the north 
  of the kingdom, people have a strong 
  Scottish flavor, somewhat similar to the 
  farmers of southern Zeland. The 
  northerners wear Kilt-like clothing and an 
  ancient guild of musicians from the town of 
  Rill are famous for playing a curious 
  instrument that looks much like an octopus 
  or squid. The southern Orlandish are quite 
  diverse but they have something of a 
  Spanish flavor; the Egyptian and African-
  like continent to the south also heavily 
  influences their culture. The kingdom is still 
  occupied as of this writing. The Orlandish  
   
   
   
   
  are a hearty people who have withstood 
  the dark occupation as well as can be 
  expected. The kingdom has fared relatively 
  well economically, with a large farming, 
  lumber, and oil industry. The largest city 
  is Orland City, with a population of 
  30,000. Garlgax the drow Lord of Envy 
  rules this kingdom. 
  The diversity and the strong distinction 
  between the northern and southern halves is 
  perhaps one of the reasons that Orland 
  never became the power that some of its 
  neighbors did. The kingdom of Orland has 
  always been mighty, but never has it become 
  as rich and successful as the shipping 
  nations of Daven and Farland or the 
  agricultural and mining power of Zeland to  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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  75 
  the north. Many have suggested that 
  northern and southern Orland would do 
  well to split and would fare much better 
  apart than as a united kingdom. The city of 
  Orland is a very diverse and exotic place. 
  Cultures clash and meld around the open-
  air bazaars of the city. It is commonly said 
  among merchants and travelers that if you 
  can't find it in the markets of Orland, then it 
  probably doesn't exist. 
  Another unique aspect about Orland is the 
  strength of the church of Neltak. Or, father 
  of Orland, was quite devout and brought the 
  official religion of his homeland to the 
  kingdom bearing his name. While the 
  population is made up of diverse groups 
  that are often at odds with one another, it is 
  the combination of powerful rulers and the 
  great power of the church that has 
  historically united the kingdom. Others 
  claim that the power of the church has 
  stymied the potential of this southern 
  nation. 
   
  History and Culture of 
  Orland 
  The twin brothers Zel and Or founded the 
  kingdoms of Zeland and Orland. They were 
  of noble birth from Farland and had been 
  encouraged by their father to travel forth to 
  seek their fortune. After crossing through 
  the Grand Peaks and reaching the 
  Greatwash, Zel fell in love with the plains 
  and rich grasslands of eastern Zeland. Ever 
  a horseman, he reveled in the unending 
  landscape stretching far to the horizon. He 
  also dreamed of amber fields of wheat as he 
  saw the richness of the soil. His brother Or 
  had always had a penchant for all that 
  associated with the sea, and left his brother 
  to travel south searching for the sea, where 
  he would found the kingdom of Orland. 
  Or is remembered as an extremely religious 
  man. The church of Neltak historically has 
  been an extremely powerful force in Orland 
  even more than it was in Or's homeland, the 
  kingdom of Farland. Priests of Neltak often 
  use the name of King Or, father of Orland, 
  to explain the religious fervor that grips this 
  land unlike any other on the continent. 
  Rumors persist to this day, however, that Or 
  was a follower of Kantor. This can evoke 
  quite a lively debate that has more than 
  once led to bloodshed among the citizens of 
  Orland. Most agree that Or is responsible 
  for establishing a kingdom where the church 
  holds a great deal of power. Over the years 
  this power grew and before the occupation, 
  the power sharing arrangement between the 
  church of Neltak and the king in Orland City 
  arguably tipped in favor of the church. 
  Or lived an exceptionally long life and ruled 
  the kingdom for 105 years. Many claim that 
  this was impossible and that historians are 
  surely mistaken. They suggest that there 
  were perhaps subsequent kings with the 
  same name and that legend has forgotten 
  this fact. Others point to king Or's religious 
  devotion as the key to his long life. Priests of 
  Neltak prefer this understanding of history. 
  Neltak himself prolonged king Or's life they 
  claim. During the reign of king Or, the great 
  city of Orland was established. In his push 
  south to the sea, Or was able to convert 
  many barbarians to his religion, probably 
  either worship of Neltak or Kantor, though 
  history is unclear on this point. The tribes to 
  the far north of present day Orland were 
  quite resistant and many fled before Or and 
  his men. Others stayed to fight, though few 
  survived Or's superior weaponry and battle 
  tactics. As they continued south, Or and his 
  party met with friendlier natives and finally 
  decided to remain in the area of Orland city 
  today. This seemed a neutral uninhabited 
  area and commanded a lovely view of the 
  surrounding area, as there are rolling hills 
  overlooking the banks of the Greatwash. 
  Only years later did Or learn that the land 
  he chose was considered haunted and 
  cursed by the local barbarian tribes. Not 
  even the strongest of the barbarian warriors 
  had the courage to spend even one night 
  west of the Greatwash where Or chose to 
  settle. Thus, fortune guided his choice of 
  campsites and the local peoples quickly 
  came to regard him with awe and devotion. 
  This enabled Or to unite the surrounding 
  peoples and once he converted them to his 
  
   
   
   
   
  76 
  religious beliefs they intermingled freely. He 
  was in this way able to assemble a great 
  force of people rather quickly. With this 
  force, he continued south on forays to 
  convert yet more of the heathens. Within his 
  lifetime he was able to conquer a good part 
  of the natives of Orland in this way. To the 
  north, the barbarians continued to harry his 
  new settlement, which he called the city of 
  Orland. 
  Or reputedly had twelve sons and many 
  more daughters. These were born by his six 
  successive wives. The first was a woman of 
  noble birth that had chosen to accompany 
  the group from Farland. After her death, 
  king Or's remaining wives came from 
  amongst the converted barbarian women. 
  Thus, intermarriage became quickly 
  prevalent. He outlived many of his sons, but 
  upon his death, his seventh and eldest living 
  son Magito became the second king of 
  Orland. Already old upon his appointment, 
  Magito died a mere three years later and his 
  son Mortus becomes king of Orland. 
  In the early years of Or and his descendants, 
  the people of Orland were obsessed with the 
  conversion of all barbarians to the church of 
  Neltak. Whether or not the rumors are true 
  that Or worshipped Kantor primarily, the 
  church of Neltak was the most important 
  church in the new kingdom. The barbarians 
  were taught to be civilized and lawful and 
  were taught the glories of the afterlife. The 
  barbarians usually converted quickly. This 
  was probably more because of the gifts that 
  were offered than because of any true 
  devotion. This fervor for conversion of those 
  considered heathens continued for 
  hundreds of years and Orlandish followers 
  of Neltak may even risk imprisonment today 
  if they think they may have a chance of 
  converting a stranger. This fervor led King 
  Jublan, known as the Crusader, to lead the 
  first mission to both the Selfhaven 
  Archipelago and the vast southern continent 
  to convert the heathens rumored to live 
  there. This mission sailed in the year 5561. 
  King Jublan found little success in 
  converting the heathens he found, but he 
  successfully slaughtered many of them. He 
  brought a good many back home with him 
  as well and put them to work without pay. 
  Some protested this arrangement so King 
  Jublan amended Orlandish law to make 
  enslavement of the southerners legal. After 
  his death, his son Jublan II, having fallen in 
  love with the child of some of these 
  southerners that his father brought back, 
  changed the law back and made it legal for 
  him to marry this woman. This started a 
  long tradition of intermarriage between the 
  peoples of the two continents in Orland. The 
  missions south continued during this period 
  and tensions eased and trade was 
  established and the flow of southerners to 
  Orland became more pronounced. 
  Then in 5721, Farland invaded Orland and 
  four years later successfully defeated and 
  annexed Orland. This ended the missions 
  south for many centuries. Orland's history 
  became fused with that of Farland. Not until 
  5950, more than two and a half centuries 
  later did Orland begin to struggle 
  successfully against Farland. Not until 5979, 
  however, did Orland successfully secede 
  from the empire, taking advantage of evil 
  forces attacking Farland. Meanwhile, in 
  5952, Lord Pastor of Orland founded the 
  new kingdom of Cairn Cadez in western 
  Orland, seceding from the kingdom. During 
  the next several centuries, Orland turned its 
  attention to diplomatic relations with 
  Zeland and Cairn Cadez, as well as Daven. 
  Missions to the south resumed but with less 
  frequency than in the past. 
  In 6399, Baron Jorland III of Cairn Cadez 
  invaded the town of Kestrel in Daven. In 
  6400 Daven retook the town and renamed it 
  Victoria. Daven, with the help of Kelerak, 
  invaded Cairn Cadez in 6485. Orland 
  assisted Cairn Cadez, starting the Plains 
  War. Five years later, however, Orland 
  appears to have betrayed Cairn Cadez and 
  Daven conquered Cairn Cadez. Four years 
  later Daven sold Orland the land where 
  Cairn Cadez once lay for a suspiciously 
  cheap price. 
  Orland's wartime years continued, as in 
  6519 Orland assisted Zeland in defeating the 
  Dwarven kingdom of Dorlhaud. The great 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  77 
  Dwarven kingdom Wawmar to the north 
  avenged Dorlhaud and defeated Zeland in 
  battle. Orland choose to pay a ransom 
  instead of fighting the powerful dwarves. 
  Through diplomatic mission once again, 
  Orland was able to regain peace in the 
  following centuries. 
  Orland experienced a resurgence of 
  barbarian culture during the early years of 
  the 68th century. Lower Lord Tidon in the 
  6720s, having determined that he was 
  descended from barbarians and being an 
  extremely large, strong man, effectively 
  convinced the other ranking nobles in the 
  area of his holding, Old Cadez, to return to 
  the reverence of strength above all else held 
  by his ancestors. He established public 
  bouts of wrestling and other feats of 
  strength. These were hugely popular and 
  their popularity moved him to establish the 
  first of many gladiator games in 6729. These 
  were held between two men who fought 
  usually unarmed to the death in a public 
  arena. These were also popular, though the 
  church spoke out against displays such as 
  these. Then Lower Lord Tidon publicly 
  announced that he had begun worshiping 
  the pagan Gods of the ancient barbarians. 
  He urged all he knew to convert to 
  paganism with him. This was a fatal 
  mistake, as the church of Neltak 
  immediately exerted its considerable 
  pressure on the other Lower Lords, the High 
  Lords and the King himself and in 6731 
  Lower Lord Tidon was publicly beheaded 
  for the crime of treason. The games were 
  outlawed and worship of pagan gods was 
  declared against the church by the church of 
  Neltak. This was the first of many 
  demonstrations of the considerable and 
  growing power of the church of Neltak. 
  During the bloody years between 6983-7010 
  Orland annexed the kingdom of Daven, 
  renaming it Western Orland. The fighting 
  raged between all of the kingdoms of 
  Farland until the elves intervened with the 
  powerful Elven artifact the Stone of Silence 
  in 7039. For just over a century peace, the 
  Pax Elhanus, fell again over the lands. Then 
  the Eastern Alliance of Farland, Orland, and 
  Zeland again invaded Kelerak in 7143. In 
  7168, the Eastern Alliance failed to conquer 
  Kale. Peace eventually was regained 
  thereafter and Orland fared well until in 
  7305 a particularly devastating case of the 
  plague broke out. The north of the kingdom 
  was particularly hard hit. The town of 
  Khadez in northeast Orland along the banks 
  of the Rio Blorn was completely decimated 
  and, never being repopulated, fell eventually 
  into ruins. 
  This severe outbreak of plague was followed 
  ten years later by an even more devastating 
  famine mostly again in the north, though 
  the whole country suffered. The early years 
  of the 71st century are remembered as the 
  years of suffering. Those that survived spent 
  many generations repopulating towns and 
  cities and regaining the health and wealth 
  that Orland had gained over millennia. 
  Those that survived these years often 
  became almost irrationally devoted to their 
  religion. It was commonly said that Orland 
  was being punished for her sins and only 
  through the holy power of Neltak had the 
  kingdom been saved at all. 
  The forces of evil began to attack Orland in 
  7701 and her borders were harried for two 
  centuries. Finally, in 7796, the capital city 
  was captured and Orland succumbed to the 
  gathering darkness and to an almost four-
  hundred-year rule by the Drow Lord of 
  Envy, one of the infamous Lords of Sin. The 
  population suffered greatly though the 
  economy continued to thrive and many 
  humans were allowed to live in order to 
  continue producing wealth for the Lord in 
  Orland City. 
   
  Religion in Orland 
  Before the occupation, religion was a 
  curious institution in Orland. Though the 
  church of Neltak is unprecedentedly strong 
  in Orland, worship of Lord Neltak has never 
  become official in Orlandish law. Many of 
  these laws refer to the church, but despite 
  repeated attempts by the church of Neltak 
  to clarify the law, it has remained 
  
   
   
   
   
  78 
  ambiguous. Officially the church of Neltak 
  claims 99% of the population, but de facto 
  devotion is almost as diverse as the 
  population. Publicly and among strangers, it 
  would take a bold person indeed to suggest 
  that he or she wasn't a devout follower of 
  Neltak. This behavior is required by the 
  politically and socially conscious. At home 
  and among friends, however, polytheism 
  abounds. There is a strong following 
  of Kantor, rumored to be the chosen God of 
  Or himself. Indeed, temples to Kantor are 
  quite numerous throughout the land. There 
  has always been a distinct underworld in 
  Orland as well, and worship of Bel, and 
  Vornoth, the walker in darkness, is also not 
  uncommon. Bel is never referred to as the 
  God of thieves in Orland, but will often be 
  described as the God of adventurers, or the 
  God of entrepreneurs. This is clearly an 
  attempt to protect the lives of individuals 
  who are likely thieves but are trying to avoid 
  the headsman's axe. Thievery is a capital 
  crime of the highest degree in Orland, and 
  the followers of Neltak are known to hate 
  thieves above all others. All other major 
  Gods have a following in Orland as well, 
  though religious structures to Gods other 
  than Neltak or Kantor are rare and often 
  hidden. There are also significant numbers 
  that worship the Gods of the lands to the 
  south, especially in southern Orland, though 
  many claim that they are the same Gods 
  with different names and perhaps 
  understood slightly differently. 
  Since the occupation, the Lord of Envy has 
  rewarded worshipers of Vornoth above all 
  else. Ever a politically savvy people, the 
  people of Orland today will likely tell 
  strangers of their devotion to one of this evil 
  deity. The worshippers of this evil God have 
  likely also increased, but it is unlikely that 
  all those who claim allegiance to the forces 
  of evil truly follow these teachings. 
  The church of Neltak had been able to 
  construct large and beautiful churches that 
  have made Orland famous throughout the 
  kingdoms. Usually they are crafted of stone 
  and the sheer stone surfaces that form their 
  turrets, spires, and steeples are so flawless 
  that most believe that Neltak himself must 
  have had a hand in the construction. Most 
  of these churches have actual glass in the 
  windows, a rarity in Orland due to its great 
  cost, and some of the greater churches in 
  Orland City even boast stained glass 
  windows. These usually depict Neltak as a 
  large well-muscled man, bare-chested and 
  brandishing a great headman's axe. Since 
  the occupation, these famous sanctuaries of 
  good have become largely abandoned, 
  though curiously they have not been used by 
  the evil forces, nor do they seem to have 
  been vandalized excessively. 
  Scholars find it curious that Garlgax, as a 
  dark elf, has not instituted the worship of 
  his people's deity, Salystra, the Demon 
  Serpent Goddess. Answers as to why this is 
  the case are not forthcoming from the Lord 
  of Sin. 
   
  Feudalism in Orland 
  Feudalism before the Dark Occupation in 
  Orland is much like that of Zeland, though 
  in Orland the church plays an important 
  part. The church often owns large tracts of 
  land and asks for its parishioners to farm 
  this land in return for half of the crops 
  harvested. This is a very common 
  arrangement throughout Orland. In almost 
  every case the church of Neltak is the 
  institution involved in such transactions, 
  but in some areas, especially to the far 
  south, churches owe their allegiance to 
  Kantor. While the churches' power in this 
  way stretches over much of the farmland of 
  Orland, there is also a secular net of 
  feudalism that keeps peasants working to fill 
  their lords' coffers in return for the 
  protection that their lords offer. 
  The church of Neltak is organized in four 
  parts: The Pontifices, the Sacris Facundis, 
  the Bellonium, and the Augurs. Augurs 
  rarely are involved in business 
  arrangements such as land management. 
  The other three branches are all 
  interspersed in land ownership and feudal 
  management. The Bellonium are often used 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  79 
  for enforcing the "tithing." Those in the 
  Sacris Facundis are responsible for the 
  monitoring of tithes before each festival and 
  holy celebration. Every farmer is 
  responsible for bringing half of his harvest 
  to the church in the two weeks preceding 
  holy days and holy months. Farmers are 
  strongly encouraged by the Bellonium to 
  have some sort of harvest year round. 
  Winter wheat is planted during the coldest 
  months and foraging for wild chestnuts and 
  fruit orchards are just some examples of 
  how the church is able to continue receiving 
  crops most of the year. 
  The secular feudal arrangement that exists 
  throughout Orland operates alongside that 
  of the church. The king is the ruler of the 
  land. He is surrounded by his advisors, most 
  of whom are high ranking members of the  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  church of Neltak. He rules from Orland City. 
  Many of these advisors are also High Lords. 
  High Lords oversee large regions of land 
  encompassing many towns and cities. There 
  were seven High Lords for the last hundred 
  years or so before the occupation, though 
  the number has varied over the years. The 
  High Lords in turn oversee many Lower 
  Lords who may be in charge of a single town 
  or city or an agricultural area. Each of these 
  lords, whether High or Lower, keeps his 
  knights who enjoy great prestige throughout 
  the land. The knights of the king himself are 
  most famous and are called the Alchadra, 
  meaning "the powerful" in the southern 
  dialect of Kingdom Common. These knights 
  are ferocious warriors and are feared 
  throughout the land. Below the lords are the 
  guildsmen. Some guildsmen like those of 
  the guild of executioners can command the  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  80 
  same respect that even a High Lord does, 
  while others like the guild of entrepreneurs 
  are considered little better than a 
  commoner. The police force of the land, the 
  various lords' guardsmen, are also a step up 
  from the menial station of a common 
  peasant. These peasants are lowest in rank 
  in the feudal structure of Orland. Many 
  peasants try to escape their plight by joining 
  the church, but the church is wary of this 
  ploy and had become quite selective before 
  the occupation. 
   
  Housing 
  One of the curiosities of northern Orland is 
  that in rural areas the Orlandish live in 
  homesteads grouped together in concentric 
  circles. Larger towns are often built in this 
  manner as well, though none of the larger 
  cities exhibit this circular building pattern. 
  Country folk claim this is for defensive 
  reasons. In smaller settlements, the central 
  area is used for ceremonies and celebrations 
  as well as for any number of other banal 
  activities. In larger settlements, the central 
  area is usually home to a temple or church 
  of Neltak. Thus, some have suggested that 
  the circular building pattern is based on the 
  importance of religion to the people. Others 
  have pointed out the similarities between 
  modern building practices and the ancient 
  stone slabs found here and there about the 
  countryside and always arranged in similar 
  concentric circles. Houses and other 
  buildings are usually constructed from sod 
  in northern Orland but thuck houses are 
  also common. Wood is not as plentiful in 
  the north and therefore it is used sparingly. 
  Those with more wealth choose to construct 
  stone houses. Stone walls are commonly 
  used to delineate feudal estates. These walls 
  are merely markers, though, as they are 
  typically only two or three feet high. Some 
  of these walls are thousands of years old. 
  In central and southern Orland adobe 
  housing is common. This construction 
  usually works best for small buildings made 
  of mud-brick walls topped with closely 
  spaced rafters to support the adobe roof. As 
  wood is more common in the central area of 
  Orland, wooden houses are found more 
  often and frame houses are often enjoyed by 
  the wealthier classes. Log cabins are the 
  norm in and around forests. Outside of the 
  many forests a mixture of adobe and log 
  construction is often common. Housing in 
  Orland is diverse like its population. The 
  adobe style of construction probably 
  emigrated to Orland from the southern 
  continent. It has remained a popular 
  construction type due to its low cost. The 
  hard work entailed in this type of 
  construction does not faze the industrious 
  people of Orland. 
   
  Dangers 
  Dangers today are first and foremost 
  drawing attention to oneself and being too 
  often seen during the day. The Lord of 
  Envy has decreed that being about during 
  the day is for those who, in the tradition of 
  the hated surface elves, wish to commit 
  good acts and these are against the law. As 
  for drawing attention to oneself, efficiency 
  and hard work is encouraged, but many a 
  man has disappeared in the night for doing 
  too well. The Lord of Envy takes a strong 
  dislike to any who do their jobs better than 
  he. It is best to practice crafts and 
  professions that the Lord knows something 
  about himself. Woe to the man who 
  becomes well known for his carpentry skills 
  if the Lord isn't well versed in carpentry 
  himself. The Lord of Envy is also jealous of 
  material things, but that poses little 
  problem as he merely takes what he covets. 
  Roving evil creatures are also a problem, 
  though the Lord of Envy runs a regulated 
  and disciplined kingdom. Orcs are common 
  and orcs are always dangerous to humans 
  by their very nature. They routinely bully 
  and beat the human population for sport. 
  The Drow population is more surreptitious 
  in their methods. Many disappear during 
  the night and people often refer to 
  disappearances as Neltak's Will to avoid 
  thinking of other reasons for the 
  disappearance. Few have ever returned, and 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  81 
  those that do have returned full of tales of 
  gratuitous torture. These tales fill the people 
  with horror and a great and demoralizing 
  fear. It is when faced with the realities of 
  today that many people claim that Neltak is 
  surely dead, for otherwise how could he 
  allow this? 
  Before the occupation, the ogres from the 
  Salt Cliffs were a large problem for Orland. 
  About once a generation there would be 
  reports of the roads to the south being 
  harried or perhaps livestock would start 
  disappearing at an alarming rate. 
  Sometimes there were actually attacks on 
  the villages to the south. Both Porta and 
  Naporta have known the ferocity of ogres 
  more than a few times. Every time such 
  news reached the northern cities, a force 
  would be raised and the ogres attacked. A 
  few ogres would be slain and sometimes 
  many ogres would perish, but always there 
  would be a few who had stayed back or 
  escaped into their seemingly impenetrable 
  warrens carved into the cliffs themselves. 
  For decades, Orland would hear nothing 
  from these monsters as they sustained 
  themselves on the fruit of the sea. Then 
  their courage would once again build and 
  Orland would again lose its animals or 
  worse its children to the insatiable hunger of 
  the ogres. 
  Nasty things have always lived in the 
  mountains surrounding Orland. They 
  usually stay there, but sometimes in harsh 
  winters or in times of drought when wild 
  game is scarce, these evil aberrations slither 
  and sneak out of the highlands, drawn to the 
  smell of fresh meat. Some years they grow 
  emboldened enough to attack a homestead, 
  or even a group of them might try an assault 
  on a small village. Always a group of brave 
  warriors, perhaps even some knights, are 
  summoned and beat back the creatures of 
  the night. Then the highland folk of Orland 
  celebrate their freedom from the evil 
  mountain dwellers and shower the brave 
  warriors that saved them with their 
  affections and what gifts and payments they 
  can muster. For a few years after it always 
  seems they are free from this menace, but 
  the creatures of the night always come back 
  the next time there is a bad year. Soon those 
  living in the shadows of the mountains 
  begin to fear the night once again. 
  The creatures of the forests of Orland are 
  less of a problem, though wolves and bears 
  occasionally assault a lone traveler or 
  livestock. Forests have their own natural 
  dangers. Rumors abound about the forests. 
  Even stranger is the Forest of Blorn where it 
  is rumored that the little people have their 
  own kingdom all tucked away amongst the 
  trees. Legend tells that once long ago there 
  was a great city on the outskirts of the forest 
  and man and halfling traded together and 
  lived harmoniously. If that city ever existed 
  it has long since disappeared and few men 
  can truthfully boast about having seen a 
  halfling, let alone having met or talked to 
  one. 
  The most feared and dangerous enemies of 
  Orland have always been plague and 
  famine. Priests of Neltak point to the 
  widespread sin that brings horrible plagues 
  and crippling droughts to the land. Others 
  say it is the southerners that bring the 
  plague and the drought. Regardless of the 
  reasons, these terrible foes have killed more 
  people of Orland since its birth than all 
  other dangers and enemies of the kingdom 
  combined. 
   
  Food 
  Orland is a land of diversity and wide 
  variety. This applies to her culture, her 
  people, and also her food. Part of the reason 
  that the food of Orland is so varied is that 
  compared to neighboring kingdoms, spices 
  are abundant in Orland. Some of these 
  spices that flavor the cooking of Orland are 
  cinnamon, cloves, anise, saffron, pepper, 
  salt, cumin, caraway, parsley, nutmeg, 
  rosewater, sesame, and horseradish. 
  Throughout the land soups are common. A 
  traditional Orlandish dish well known 
  throughout the kingdom is a thick garlic 
  soup. Bread is often served with soup, 
  though bread is not always available in all 
  
   
   
   
   
  82 
  areas, especially in rural areas. All over fried 
  dough is very common. It is made from 
  wheat, barley, rye, or rice flour depending 
  on what is available. Rice flour is more 
  common to the south and wheat to the 
  north. Another staple of any Orlandish diet 
  is beans. One can find many types of beans 
  in Orland including chick peas, kidney 
  beans, lentils, and broad beans. Beans are 
  used to make soups, stews, and are eaten 
  boiled, fried, and even raw. They 
  complement meat dishes and vegetable 
  dishes alike and are often also served alone. 
  Meat is fairly available throughout Orland. 
  The average peasant cannot afford meat on 
  a daily basis but most families have meat at 
  least once a week and fish is relatively 
  common in many areas. To the north, goats 
  are common and are used for milk, cheese, 
  and meat. Sheep are found in central 
  Orland, though they are not as popular as in 
  some of the other kingdoms. Cows are also 
  less common in Orland than in other 
  kingdoms and therefore domestic red meat 
  is a highly-prized commodity. Wild game is 
  also eaten especially in the more rural areas 
  of Orland. Fowl of many types is also highly 
  common. Chickens are raised throughout 
  the land. Pheasants and quail are the most 
  prized wild fowl. Pigeons are found both in 
  the wild and are raised throughout Orland 
  as well. Fish is widely available in most 
  areas of Orland. Dried fish can usually be 
  found in the markets of towns far from the 
  water. Meat of all types is used as an 
  ingredient in soups and is often added to 
  vegetables like turnips, cabbage, carrots, 
  and potatoes to make thick hearty stews. 
  Puddings are prized for dessert and also for 
  breakfast. Bread puddings, savory puddings, 
  and rice puddings are all popular. Spiced 
  wine is often served along with these 
  puddings for those that can afford it. 
   
  Laws 
  Law has always been highly respected in 
  Orland since the early days of the kingdom. 
  Perhaps because law has been so important, 
  Orlandish laws have undergone many 
  changes over the years. The laws shown 
  below are the laws that governed the 
  kingdom in the period before the time of 
  occupation. This list is not complete and 
  many other laws also existed. This historian 
  has here recorded only the laws that were 
  accorded the highest importance at the time 
  of his righteousness, King Hazzan III. Listed 
  here are only the Greater Laws from King 
  Hazzan's Holy Titles of Orland. There are 
  also many lesser laws and there are 
  probably laws in Orland to govern each and 
  every aspect of a person's life. The vast 
  knowledge needed to become well versed in 
  all such laws is rare however. Thus, in 
  practice the following laws are most 
  influential. 
  Title I: The law of Orland is sacred and shall 
  be followed by all.  
  Law I: The law is necessary and without 
  it the great kingdom of Orland will cease 
  to exist.  
  Law II: There is no citizen of Orland, 
  even Royalty, that shall be above the laws 
  of Orland.  
  Law III: The King of Orland, he who sits 
  upon the holy throne, shall have first 
  consideration if he so desires.  
  Law IV: Any judge that sees it necessary 
  may annul any foreign laws that 
  contradict the sacred laws of Orland. 
  Title II: Any citizen of Orland must answer 
  any summons by any court of Orland.  
  Law I: All villages, towns, and cities must 
  have a court, which shall be administered 
  by the church, the holiest of judges.  
  Law II: Any citizen that fails to answer 
  any summons agrees in absentia to follow 
  the edict of the court and further will pay 
  a fine of 5sp for failing his or her duty to 
  the court. 
  Law III: Any noble or religious person of 
  high standing shall be exempt from the 
  above requirements upon advising the 
  court of his or her position. 
  Title III: All property in Orland ultimately 
  belongs to the crown.  
  
   
   
   
   
   
  83 
  Law I: The king may seize any man's 
  property if he does so through court 
  order.  
  Law II: Upon a man's death, his property 
  shall become the property of his eldest 
  son. This son shall pay the crown 10% of 
  any disposable wealth. If no eldest son 
  survives him, the next closest male 
  relative shall receive his property. 
  Title IV: Marriage is a sacred and holy 
  institution. 
  Law I: A woman shall not marry without 
  a dowry.  
  Law II: A citizen of Orland may marry a 
  barbarian or a southerner only upon 
  successful petition of the courts.  
  Law III: Woman past the age of 
  childbearing may not enter into marriage 
  with a younger man. 
  Law IV: Any woman suffering the 
  absence or death of her husband must 
  wait one year before re-marrying unless 
  she weds her husband's brother. 
  Law V: Adultery is punishable by up to 
  60 days in the stocks or a fine of up to 
  100sp at the court's discretion. 
  Law VI: Divorce is unlawful. 
  Title V: All business transactions involving a 
  sum in silver greater than 25 sp will require 
  the approval of the court.  
  Law I: The court shall receive sufficient 
  monies for their services from the 
  businessmen.  
  Law II: Donations to the church are 
  exempt. Law III: Tithing to the church is 
  a holy duty of all men of Orland. 
  Title VI: Men have the right of retaliation 
  and revenge.  
  Law I: The courts must first approve any 
  plans of retaliation or revenge.  
  Law II: If a citizen kills another citizen he 
  shall pay the latter's family a sum 
  equaling at least the equivalent of a year 
  of that man's wages. Failure to pay will 
  result in the immediate approval of any 
  plans for revenge. 
  Title VII: Thievery is a capital crime of the 
  highest degree. 
  Law I: It shall be lawful for a citizen, 
  upon finding a thief in the night, to take 
  the life of that thief as long as the latter 
  shall be dead by dawn. 
  Law II: If a thief successfully survives the 
  night of his thieving, he will be brought 
  before the court and the court will decide 
  his fate. 
  Title VIII: It is unlawful to harbor a 
  fugitive.  
  Law I: Any citizen encountering a fugitive 
  shall report immediately to the nearest 
  law enforcement agent.  
  Law II: Failure to report a fugitive will 
  result in the charge of accomplice. The 
  court may sentence any accomplice in the 
  same manner as the fugitive.  
  Law III: A man or woman may seek 
  sanctuary in the church. Members of the 
  church cannot be charged as accomplices. 
  These are the eight basic tables of law as 
  decreed by his righteousness King Hazzan 
  III in the year 7643. As stated, these laws 
  are merely some of the most basic and most 
  important. Laws govern every detail of life 
  in Orland. Of course, this has all changed 
  with the onset of the occupation. Laws are 
  still rigid and unforgiving, but priorities are 
  quite different under the rule of The Lord of 
  Envy. 
   
  Towns 
  Orland's landscape is dotted with many 
  small to medium size towns. Orland 
  City dwarfs any other city in the land. It is 
  the religious and political center of the 
  kingdom. The many churches of Neltak 
  dominate the architectural vista. The 
  majestic castle sits in the center of the city, 
  on an island in the middle of the Great 
  River. The markets of Orland are big and 
  always busy. Since the Lord of Envy came to 
  power, these markets have become night 
  markets, but they still thrive. The market 
  place is desolate during the daytime, as it 
  has been declared unlawful to hold market 
  during the day. Orland City draws a huge 
  seasonal population. When the crops have 
  
   
   
   
   
  84 
  been harvested, people flock to Orland City 
  to look for work of any sort to help get by 
  during the lean months. During these times 
  the streets are full of beggars and loiterers. 
  This has been discouraged during the dark 
  occupation, but many still make the journey 
  to the great city where so many have found 
  their dreams come true. To the north, both 
  Zeland and Orland claim Rochehome and 
  Rill for their strategic location along the 
  trade route between Kelerak and Orland. 
  Before the occupation began, an uneasy 
  agreement between the two kingdoms 
  declared that Rochehome was the property 
  of Zeland and Rill of Orland. Rochehome 
  has its name because it was home to the 
  famous swashbuckler Roche; before Roche's 
  time, the town was called Dorra. Rill was so 
  named for its location at the base of the 
  rapids near Rochehome. Near Rill, the 
  Border River takes many paths through the 
  loamy soil, many of which are small rills.  
  Both towns have shrunk drastically and 
  have suffered from the occupation and the 
  lack of trade. Mavarra is located on the lake 
  of the same name. Fishing is an important 
  industry here and its location in the foothills 
  makes it an ideal location for goat herding. 
  The area around Mavarra is well known for 
  potatoes. Old Cadez is located on the banks 
  of the Bon River. It is an ancient town that 
  was once the estate of the Cadez family. 
  Legend has it that this town was once the 
  capital of the Kingdom of Carn Cadez. The 
  current prominence of the town is largely 
  due to the discovery of oil west of the city. 
  Coal is also available in the area. These finds 
  have transformed the town from a sleepy 
  relic, dotted with ancient ruins, into a 
  thriving metropolis. Zoria sprang up to the 
  east after these discoveries as a result of the 
  now heavily traveled trade route between 
  Old Cadez and Orland City. Belaga, 
  Talmera, and Mugo are all oil and coal 
  production centers in the area. Fort Aranda 
  to the south along the banks of the Rio 
  Plano is a holdover from the years when 
  Cairn Cadez existed. It was the border town 
  that protected Orland from invasion at that 
  time. It has become an important town in its 
  own right since and is dominated by the 
  large old stone fort that faces west, ever 
  looking for invaders from Daven. Victoria 
  and Baronsdoom to the far west have been 
  disputed between Daven and Orland over 
  the years. Today with the kingdom of Daven 
  being overrun by a plague of undead, there 
  has been none to defend these cities and 
  The Lord of Envy has claimed these two 
  towns, though they are a faint shadow of 
  their original size and importance. To the 
  far south, Naporto is one of the most 
  important port cities of Orland, as it is the 
  only port directly on the open ocean. Once 
  vigorous trade between Daven, Farland, and 
  Orland carried on from this port.  
  Today, the ships have been allowed to rot in 
  their moorings and the harbor bottom is full 
  of the remains of once great vessels. Sefra 
  and Hangeria are the guardians of the 
  mouth of the Great River and the route 
  north to Orland City. Some ships have been 
  preserved in these towns and fishing is 
  mostly what they are used for today. Once 
  they were great shipbuilding centers, though 
  this trade has fallen by the wayside during 
  the occupation. Porta is a town of military 
  men and sailors. It's primary reason for 
  existence is as a first point of contact to 
  protect for invasion or to collect tariffs from 
  traders. The Lord of Envy has increased the 
  size of this town, perhaps due to a worry of 
  invasion by sea from Farland. 
  To the east of the Great River, towns are 
  rarer. Jorland's Run is the largest town to 
  the east and is a financial center based on 
  lumber and fishing. The most prized lumber 
  for shipbuilding comes from the area of 
  Bella, named for its beautiful vistas of 
  serene forests covering gently rolling hills 
  with the Great Peaks in the background. The 
  town of Vargos sprang up as a trading 
  center along the route between the Great 
  River and Jorland's Run. The Rio Bella is a 
  difficult river to navigate and it is slow 
  going, so many merchants will spend the 
  night in Vargos before continuing on. The 
  town has many inns and other 
  establishments for merchants. It is said the 
  women of Vargos will do anything for the 
  right price. Bono and Andelia are mainly 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  85 
  farming centers. The little cattle farming 
  that does occur in Orland is mainly in this 
  area. Goats are also common and milk and 
  cheese is famous from this area. 
   
  Guilds of Orland 
  Since the occupation, Orland has had a 
  thieves' guild for the first time in her 
  history. Historically the church of Neltak 
  has considered thievery a capital crime and 
  has spared no expense in hunting suspected 
  thieves. There have always been guilds for 
  Adventurers and guilds for Entrepreneurs. 
  These were probably merely covers for all 
  those who wished to pursue less than honest 
  work. Gambling has always been one of the 
  mainstays of these guilds though gambling 
  has always been done in a secretive way so 
  as not to arouse the ire of the church. 
  A very important guild in Orland is the guild 
  of holy judges and attorneys. It is difficult to 
  become a judge or an attorney without 
  rigorous religious study with this guild. Due 
  to the importance of law in Orland, there is 
  also much non-religious study that is 
  required for a man to be worthy of working 
  with the court. It is a highly-respected 
  position and well paid, though, so the list of 
  applicants is always long and the selection 
  process is very rigorous. Only persons from 
  the best families and of the best moral fiber 
  are accepted. 
  One of the most respected and sought-after 
  memberships in the city is that of the guild 
  of executioners. Like the guild of holy judges 
  and attorneys, the members of this guild 
  require strict religious study and adherence. 
  Only the holiest of men may become 
  members and when admitted they must 
  humble themselves before Neltak and 
  continue to study the ways of Neltak every 
  day. These men often live apart in holy 
  quarters where they can devote their time to 
  religious studies. They are believed to be the 
  right arm of Neltak himself and every 
  execution that they perform is thought of as 
  the actual work of Neltak. Executioners 
  dress in Neltak's image and are always bare 
  from the waist up, wearing a black hood to 
  cover their personal identity that nobody 
  can become confused as to who is actually 
  performing the execution. All official 
  executions in Orland are performed with a 
  great axe. 
  Another hugely important guild before the 
  occupation was the guild of the Servants of 
  Neltak. Membership in this guild was a 
  requirement for any political and social 
  achievements. Members were either a 
  member of the subgroup Sons of Neltak or 
  Daughters of Neltak depending on their 
  gender. They greeted each other as Holy 
  Brother or Holy Sister in public and in 
  private. Thus, it was quite clear to all 
  whether one belonged to the guild. 
  Membership of this guild pervaded all 
  aspects of life in Orland pre-occupation. If 
  one was considering getting married, 
  membership was a necessity if the family of 
  one's love interest were members. In 
  business, nobody would agree to trade with 
  one that wasn't a member unless he or she 
  also wasn't a member. Members held all of 
  the high and coveted positions in society. 
  Orland has been a land of many guilds. 
  These above are merely the most famous 
  and perhaps the most important. Nearly 
  every industry has a guild that regulates the 
  industry. Thus, the farmers' guild, the 
  lumber guild, and the oil guild are very 
  powerful. Membership in any guild is a 
  matter of social standing as well as a 
  necessity of business. 
   
  Occupational Realities 
  True to his name, the Lord of Envy is an 
  insanely jealous being. He goes out most 
  nights to patrol the city of Orland to assure 
  himself that there is none who is more 
  powerful than he nor none that excels in a 
  skill or talent better than he. This has 
  resulted in the citizens of Orland City 
  learning quickly what skills their lord 
  possesses. These are considerable, but there 
  are many talents that he doesn't possess. It 
  didn't take long, for example, for people to  
  
   
   
   
   
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  87 
  realize that he hadn't talent for juggling, 
  acting, or other theatrics. These skills have 
  faded from the landscape of the great city's 
  marketplaces. This is merely one example, 
  but the Lord of Envy's influence on the 
  culture of Orland has been quite powerful. 
  Another quirk peculiar to Orland is the 
  strict curfews that are maintained. 
  Historically the people of Orland were fond 
  of a siesta, especially in the hot summer 
  months. During the hours of noon and 2pm, 
  people rarely stirred from their homes and 
  all businesses typically closed during these 
  hours. In more rural areas where schedules 
  were more flexible, the siesta often lasted 
  until 4pm or later. Upon the Lord of Envy's 
  arrival in the city, he exploited this practice 
  to institute a curfew from 9am until 5pm or 
  dawn 'til dusk more or less. He suggested 
  that the dreadful sun was burning the 
  vitality out of the people of Orland and that 
  was why Orland had never become the great 
  kingdom that it deserved to be with all of its 
  riches. He taught his minions to believe this 
  and sent them out to enforce a curfew for 
  these reasons. Gradually over many years, 
  many people came to believe this and at 
  least in Orland City, the Lord of Envy has 
  been relatively successful in altering the 
  habits of the people so that life in Orland 
  City is now largely nocturnal. The increase 
  in the incidence of disease and decreased 
  longevity he attributes to the weakness of 
  humans. The curfew technically applies to 
  the entire kingdom, but in reality it is rarely 
  strictly enforced outside of the capital. 
  People of Orland have suffered less than 
  some of their neighbors under the 
  occupation. The early years were 
  exceedingly bloody and the new lord of the 
  land took no chances, executing promptly 
  anyone that looked to be trouble. Fairly 
  quickly, though, things settled down and 
  people were allowed to go about their lives 
  in a relatively normal way. The Lord of Envy 
  is brilliant and his envious nature desires 
  drives him to strive to make Orland become 
  the greatest kingdom in the land. Ever his 
  eye swings to the east to the more powerful 
  kingdom of Farland. In his vast intelligence, 
  he considers the best way to increase the 
  power of his kingdom is to let his subjects 
  continue to make money so that he can 
  continue to receive taxes. 
   
  Demographics 
  The total area of the Kingdom of Orland is 
  roughly 20,000 square miles. Roughly 43% 
  of this area is arable land; the remaining 
  area is divided among wilderness, rivers, 
  lakes, swamps, and hills. 
  Orland's population is approximately 
  950,000 persons, 90% of which are 
  humans. The remainder are drow, who live 
  primarily in Orland City, and dark folk, who 
  live throughout the Kingdom, as well as in 
  underground dens. 
  • 
  36,900 residents are isolated or 
  itinerant. 
  • 
  785,400 residents live in 2105 small 
  villages and hamlets. 
  • 
  37, 142 residents live in 11 towns. 
  • 
  60,458 residents live in 8 cities. 
  • 
  30,100 live in Orland City. 
  • 
  Orland supports 3,000,000 head of 
  livestock. 
  • 
  2,100,000 are fowl. 
  • 
  900,000 are herd animals. 
   
  Historical Timeline 
  (Farlandish 
  Reckoning) 
  5252--The twin brothers Zel and Or found 
  the kingdoms of Zeland and Orland. 
  5355--King Magito becomes the second king 
  of Orland 
  5358--King Mortus assumes the throne 
  upon his father Magito's death. 
  
   
   
   
   
  88 
  5561--King Jublan the crusader leads the 
  first mission to the southern continent to 
  convert the heathens. 
  5562--It is declared legal to own slaves from 
  the southern continent. 
  5603--King Jublan II falls in love and 
  marries a woman from the southern 
  continent. Slavery is declared contrary to 
  Neltak's will and unlawful in Orland. 
  5721--Farland invades Orland, but is 
  repulsed at the battle of the Rill Downs. 
  5725--Farland invades and defeats Orland. 
  Orland is annexed. 
  5727--King Maximus Maro of Farland 
  declares himself emperor. 
  5730--Farland demands tribute from 
  Lorindon, who refuse. 
  5732--Farland invades Lorindon. Lorindon 
  puts up a surprisingly tough resistance. 
  5737--The resistance of Lorindon is 
  crushed. Farland annexes Lorindon, 
  executing her king. 
  5738--Emperor Maximus dies of plague. A 
  civil war ensues. 
  5739--Zeland rebels. Farland withdraws its 
  troops from Lorindon to squelch the threat. 
  The plague breaks out again and causes 
  widespread famine. Thousands die. 
  5740--Goblins and Orcs from the Northern 
  Teeth (Kelerak Mts.) invade Lorindon. 
  5742--The Orc lord Cro defeats the small 
  army of Lorindon and massacres the 
  inhabitants. Survivors flee north, mixing 
  with the nomadic tribes already dwelling 
  there (they are of the same ancestral stock). 
  5751--Zeland and Orland are defeated and 
  the empire of Farland is reestablished. 
  5775--The orcs of Cro are expunged from 
  the lands west of Zeland by the might of 
  Farland. 
  5915--Daven I, a general of Farland from 
  Lorindish stock, founds the kingdom of 
  Daven 
  5950--Lord Pastor of Orland starts a 
  revolution against King Tomas II of Orland. 
  5952--Pastor, with help from Daven, 
  secedes from Orland and founds the 
  kingdom of Cairn Cadez in western Orland. 
  5960--A large force of evil attacks Farland 
  from the Deadlands, beginning the Wars of 
  Sorrow. Emperor Lucius fights them to a 
  standstill at the border. 
  5961--The fortified city of Borderhold is 
  established. 
  5969--The Borderhold is taken and 
  destroyed. The evil army invades Northern 
  Farland. 
  5973--The Farlandish city of Lompeia is 
  destroyed. 
  5975--Zeland and Orland rebel. The evil 
  armies besiege the Far City. 
  5979--Zeland and Orland secede from the 
  empire. 
  6397--Baron Jorland III of Cairn Cadez 
  invades Daven on the secret prodding of 
  Orland's King, Lestek I. He conquers the 
  border town of Kestrel with monetary aid 
  from Orland. 
  6399-- Jorland is driven out of Kestrel, and 
  it is renamed Victoria. He flees south to the 
  town of Beath, but is attacked and slain by 
  Prince Tael II, son of King Tael of Daven. 
  Beath is renamed Baronsdoom. 
  6485--Daven, allied with Kelerak, invade 
  Cairn Cadez. Orland comes to the aid of 
  Cairn Cadez. The Plains War begins. 
  6490--Orland refuses to aid Cairn Cadez at 
  the Battle of Sunsets. The kingdom is 
  defeated and annexed by Daven. 
  6494--Daven sells the land where Cairn 
  Cadez was to Orland for a suspiciously 
  cheap price. 
  6510--Overlord Zel XI demands tribute 
  from the dwarves of Dorlhaud, in the Hook 
  Hills. They refuse. 
  6515--Zel XI attacks Dorlhaud but is 
  unsuccessful. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  89 
  6516--Dorlhaud retaliates and eliminates 
  the town of Zinkeal. 
  6519--Zeland and Orland unite against 
  Dorlhaud and besiege it. 
  6522--Dorlhaud falls. Zeland captures the 
  sceptre of Dorlhaud, and Orland claims the 
  mace of Ralin, Dorlhaud's king. 
  6525--The great hold Wawmar sends word 
  to other Dwarfholds about Dorlhaud's fate. 
  6530--The dwarven host takes on Zeland. 
  The Battle of the Axe is fought on what is 
  now the Battleplain. Zeland is defeated and 
  Zel I falls when the sceptre of Dorlhaud fails 
  him. Orland pays a ransom to Wawmar. 
  6729--Lower Lord Tidon holds the first 
  Gladiator Games 
  6731--Lower Lord Tidon is beheaded for 
  treason. 
  6900--The combined kingdoms of Kale and 
  Daven attack Orland, beginning the 
  Decadion War. 
  6903--The king of Daven is assassinated by 
  the Orlandish assassin Roche. 
  6906--The Orland River is poisoned by 
  Raiders from Daven, killing much wildlife as 
  well as people. 
  6981--Orland, with the help of Zeland and a 
  battalion from Farland, invades Daven. 
  6983--Daven falls to the combined might of 
  the Eastern Alliance. It is annexed as 
  Western Orland. The Eastern alliance forces 
  Kelerak to cease trade with Kale; Kale 
  suffers greatly. 
  7005--Galadhel turns the Stone of Silence 
  over to the Elves to use in putting a stop to 
  the ceaseless wars that are marring the 
  beauty of the lands. Unable to bear the 
  parting, she passes from the Hinterlands. 
  7010--Abelard Von Basil, of the royal family 
  of Daven, leads a successful revolt against 
  the Orlandish invaders. With help from Kale 
  and Kelerak, Orland is expelled and the 
  Kingdom of Daven is refounded. 
  7029--Daven and Kelerak invade Orland but 
  are repulsed with heavy losses at the Battle 
  of Greenhill. 
  7039--Elves from the Summervale interfere 
  in the Decadion War, and intercede with a 
  powerful magic item, The Stone of Silence. 
  Both sides make peace. 
  7134--The next High King of Farland, Sum, 
  comes to power. 
  7143--The Eastern alliance, led by Farland, 
  sends troops into Kelerak. After a minor 
  skirmish, Kelerak agrees to pay tribute to 
  Farland. 
  7168--The Eastern alliance, led by Farland, 
  sends troops into Kale. 
  7169--Kale expels the troops of the Eastern 
  Alliance in the Battle of the Bend. 
  7231--Halflings are discovered in and just 
  south of the Forest of Blorn. 
  7305--The Coughing Plague, also known as 
  the Coffin Plague, ravages the highlands of 
  Zeland and parts of Orland. 
  7310--A great famine strikes Orland hitting 
  hardest in the north. 
  7643--King Hazzan III adopts the Holy 
  Titles of Orland and these laws become the 
  law of the land. 
  7701--Ogres from the Salt Cliffs attack 
  Orland but are easily repulsed. 
  7796--A force of Drow and slaves attack the 
  capital of Orland from an underground 
  passage undercover of great magic. They 
  sack Jorland's Run and move on to take 
  Orland. Ogres from the Salt Cliffs reinforce 
  them. 
  8161--The Far West is liberated, at least in 
  name. 
  8163--The Lord of Envy sends an occupying 
  army into Daven, but finds that most of its 
  citizens have fled West or North because of 
  the undead plague infesting the kingdom. 
  Envy withdraws his army. The land of 
  Daven is quickly becoming deserted. 
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  Factions of Orland 
  Circle of Envy: The Lord of Envy is 
  indisputably the most powerful force in the 
  Kingdom of Orland.  He commands a large 
  army of orcs and other dark folk, but his 
  inner circle is made up of powerful drow 
  and intelligent oluk orcs, including the oluk 
  mage Koorlsh.  This group is allied with the 
  Hounds and opposed by the Lord of Sloth 
  and Wrath’s groups as well as by the 
  Executioners’ Guild. The Spies of Koorlsh 
  also oppose this group, but they don’t know 
  it.    
  Spies of Koorlsh: The telepathic orc 
  mage Koorlsh, ostensibly the Lord of Envy’s 
  chamberlain and court mage, is actually 
  plotting to overthrow the Lord of Envy.  He 
  doesn’t plan to do it with main force, but 
  rather with devious schemes involving the 
  Serpent goddess Salystra and her wrath 
  toward the wayward Lord of Sin.   
  The Hounds: Slave-hunters and shock 
  troops, this faction faithfully serves the Lord 
  of Envy. It is made up primarily of orcs and 
  goblins, though humans and half-orcs also 
  claim membership.  The Hounds are famous 
  for their own hounds—actually Wolf Spider 
  Abominations, which are a hideous cross 
  between a giant spider and a wolf, created 
  by the Lord of Envy and gifted to this group 
  (for statistics see The World of Farland 
  Game Master’s Handbook). This group 
  hates the Executioners’ Guild. 
  Executioners’ Guild: Despite their 
  intimidating name, this faction consists of 
  humans faithful to the god Neltak.  They are 
  no longer sanctioned by the state to execute 
  law-breakers, so they have taken it upon 
  themselves to act as judge, jury, and 
  executioners against the dark forces of 
  Envy.  They also maintain the abandoned 
  temples of Neltak and kill any evil creature 
  that trespasses there. This group is 
  effectively the only resistance to the 
  Occupation in Orland.  Membership in this 
  faction is highly secret. This group opposes 
  the Circle of Envy and the Hounds, and isn’t 
  aware of the existence of the Spies of 
  Koorlsh. 
   
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the Kingdom 
  of Orland. 
  The escape route: A group of escaped 
  slaves, brutalized by Envy’s forces, wants to 
  flee to Daven.  They are being pursued by 
  the Hounds and desperately need help. 
  Spy on the Spies: The Circle of Envy has 
  gotten word of the existence of the Spies of 
  Koorlsh, but they don’t know if they are 
  really real or whom their leader is. They are 
  looker for operatives to discover these facts. 
  Fight against Sloth: The Lord of Sloth’s 
  forces have begun harassing Envy’s 
  Northern border. They need to be taught a 
  lesson, and Envy is paying for mercenaries 
  to do so. 
  Help Koorlsh: The Spies of Koorlsh are 
  looking for adventurers to pose as 
  mercenaries and join the forces of the Lord 
  of Envy.  But really these adventurers are to 
  act as spies and discreetly disrupt Envy’s 
  plans. 
  Wield the Axe: The Executioners’ Guild is 
  looking for a strike force to punish a list of 
  evil doers, in all three of the other factions. 
  Overthrow Envy. If the group is powerful 
  enough, they could seek to liberate Orland. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  Zeland 
  Overview 
  Zeland, once a member of the old Eastern 
  Alliance, is culturally a bit similar to ancient 
  Ireland and Scotland. It has its own 
  particular mythos, its people are quick to 
  fight, and they live life to the fullest. Skill in 
  fighting is revered throughout the land. 
  Besides Kale, it has perhaps suffered the 
  least under occupation, although the people 
  have become considerably less industrious. 
  In fact, industriousness is discouraged now 
  by law. As such, although the quality of life 
  has suffered relatively little, the economy is 
  in shambles. The capital city is Zel City, with 
  a population of 25,000. This kingdom is still 
  ruled by Orax the Lord of Sloth, an 
  intelligent elder black pudding. Early Zelish 
  culture (the first 500 years) interred their 
  dead in Towers of Waiting (large towers 
  with a pit in the center). They would lay the 
  bodies on top of the towers, exposed to the 
  elements, then when a year or so had 
  passed, they would throw the bones in the 
  center pit. This custom was adapted from 
  early southern barbarian custom where 
  bodies were left high in trees where 
  available and upon constructed wooden or 
  stone towers when not. It was believed that 
  this brought the souls closer to heaven so 
  that the journey to the next life would be 
  eased. It was the custom of northern 
  barbarians in Zeland to wait one year before 
  disposing of their dead as it was believed 
  that if the souls remained for a time, they 
  would protect the living from evil. King Zel, 
  and his followers from Farland 
  misunderstood the two different customs, 
  and thinking them the same King Zel 
  decreed that the people of Zeland would be 
  disposed of in this way. After a particularly 
  bloody series of battles against the northern 
  barbarian tribes, he ordered the towers to 
  be built there upon the battlefield rather 
  than carrying the bodies back to Zel City. 
  Towers in the area of Zel City were later 
  dismantled, when the custom fell out of 
  practice, but the area of the Battleplain 
  became a noble cemetery of sorts and in fact 
  King Zel himself was disposed of there in a 
  Tower of Waiting upon his death. These 
  towers dot the landscape even today in what 
  later came to be called the Battleplain. The 
  towers were again used to dispose of the 
  horrendous numbers of slain following the 
  Battle of the Axe. 
   
  History and Culture of 
  Zeland 
  The two twin brothers Zel and Or founded 
  the kingdoms of Zeland and Orland. They 
  were of noble birth from Farland and had 
  been encouraged by their father to travel 
  forth to seek their fortune. After crossing 
  through the Mountains of Or and reaching 
  the Great Wash River, Zel fell in love with 
  the plains and rich grasslands of eastern 
  Zeland. Ever a horseman, he reveled in the 
  unending landscape stretching far to the 
  horizon. He also dreamed of amber fields of  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  93 
  wheat as he saw the richness of the soil. His 
  brother Or had always had a penchant for 
  all that associated with the sea, and he left 
  his brother to travel south searching for the 
  sea, where he would found the kingdom of 
  Orland. 
  Zel and his followers soon encountered the 
  barbarians living in southeastern Zeland. 
  Few in number, their traditions were strong. 
  They were mainly a peace-loving people, 
  and they were fond of horses. This love of 
  horses made for an easy bond between the 
  party of Zel and the natives of the region. 
  Zel convinced many of them to come with 
  him north to the area where Collin River 
  empties into the Great River. He named the 
  Great River for its size and Collin River for 
  his right-hand man, distant cousin, and 
  dear friend. This same Collin fell in love 
  with one of the native women and before 
  three months had passed a marriage came 
  to pass cementing relations between the two 
  peoples. Zel brilliantly incorporated the 
  wedding into his coronation ceremony as 
  king of Zeland. 
  A baby girl, Eithne, was born before the year 
  was out, and sixteen years later, Zel took her 
  as wife and first queen of Zeland. She in 
  turn bore him twin sons, Conn and Eogain, 
  as she came from a line of women who were 
  prone to having twins. Some suggest that 
  this was part of the attraction for King Zel. 
  The following years passed peacefully with 
  Conn showing his father's affinity for horses 
  and Eogain a love for agriculture. In their 
  nineteenth year, Prince Conn founded the 
  Connachta, an elite cavalry force taken to 
  riding the plains to the south along the 
  border of Orland. The barbarian tribes that 
  had chosen not to follow Zel earlier soon 
  became fast friends with the Connachta, and 
  soon all to the southeast pledged their 
  allegiance to Prince Conn. 
  Then after long contemplation, King Zel 
  named Eogain his successor in 5298 valuing 
  Eogain's devoted attention to the daily 
  details of the new city and the farming 
  surrounding the area over Conn's roving 
  and adventurous spirit. Conn was furious 
  and in the year of his father's death in 5303, 
  Conn publicly announced the founding of a 
  new city, Connacht, and appointed himself 
  ruler of the Horse Lands of Zeland. Not 
  wishing to see his father's kingdom split up 
  in this way, the next year King Eogain 
  marched in force against Connacht, 
  destroying the town. Many horsemen 
  escaped into the Forest of Blorn. For years 
  after, wild horses were a common sight to 
  the southeast. The horsemen to the south 
  were a problem for the rest of Eogain's life 
  and not until his grandson Berach took the 
  throne in 5400 was an alliance finally 
  achieved with the southern horsemen. 
  Unlike the native barbarians to the 
  southeast, the peoples living in the 
  highlands to the west were less friendly. 
  They called themselves Creags. Their quick-
  tempered natures led to many skirmishes 
  and even some full-fledged battles as the 
  new kingdom of Zeland tried to bring them 
  to recognize the new king. Bands of 
  highlanders easily hid in the rugged 
  landscape for years, harrying the king's 
  men. Eventually, after many centuries, the 
  last bands of organized resistance to the 
  throne were removed and the Highlanders 
  nominally swore allegiance to Zel City, 
  though the highlanders' spirit of resistance 
  was never quite broken and up until the 
  occupation by the Lord of Sloth there were 
  often troubles with them. In fact, it was 
  considered good politics amongst politicians 
  in Zeland to keep the highlanders poor and 
  oppressed and thus unable to cause 
  problems. 
  Many centuries passed with relative peace 
  and prosperity until in the year 5700 the 
  Wars of Empire began, with Farland 
  invading Zeland. Ten years later Farland 
  annexed Zeland and 25 years after that 
  Orland was annexed. Then in 5739 after 
  Farland suffered heavily from the plague, 
  Zeland chose to rebel along with Orland, 
  though to little avail. Then in 5979 they 
  were able to secede from the empire of 
  Farland due to the heavy losses Farland 
  suffered fighting a new evil force from the 
  north. Zeland retained her sovereignty 
  thereafter for more than a thousand years. 
  
   
   
   
   
  94 
  Trouble erupted again in 6510, this time 
  with the dwarves residing in the Hook Hills. 
  Overlord Zel X, thinking the dwarves 
  beneath him, demanded tribute from the 
  dwarves of Dorlhaud. They refused and Zel 
  X attacked Dorlhaud but was unsuccessful, 
  whereupon Dorlhaud retaliated and 
  eliminated the town of Zinkeal. Soon after 
  Orland came to Zeland's aid and together 
  they besieged Dorlhaud. With the 
  impending fall of Dorlhaud, all dwarves 
  rallied to the call of the great hold Wawmar 
  and in 6530, the dwarven host defeated 
  Zeland on the Battleplain. The dwarves 
  received ransom from both Zeland and 
  Orland and peace was restored. 
  Peace was thereafter known in Zeland. 
  Except for a heavy outbreak of plague in the 
  highlands in 7305, which spread to 
  decimate much of the kingdom, Zeland 
  prospered. Then in 7798, The Lord of Sloth 
  after being repulsed by joint forces from 
  Farland and Zeland successfully conquered 
  the kingdom of Zeland. Orax, the Lord of 
  Sloth, took up residence in Zel City and his 
  general Dargon later took up residence in 
  the town of Hestor, ruling the highlands. 
   
  Religion in Zeland 
  People of Zeland associate old or wise 
  women with religion. Many once 
  worshipped Bestra in the farming plains of 
  southern and eastern Zeland. In the 
  highlands to the west, worship of Janora 
  was most prevalent. The highlands to the 
  west were traditionally a haven for 
  highwaymen and outlaws. While the 
  percentage of the highlanders that were 
  actually involved in such underhanded ways 
  of making a living was quite small, the 
  highlanders were understanding of this way 
  of life since it was their fathers, sons, and 
  brothers who were these outlaws. The 
  highlanders were traditionally very poor 
  and there was always much resentment of 
  the great wealth seen travelling by on the 
  trade routes from Zel City to Dragonspur. Of 
  even greater distress was the wealth from 
  the iron mines of Hestor, very little of which 
  benefited the highlands but was instead 
  exported to Dragonspur City or Zel City. The 
  outlaws themselves commonly worshipped 
  Dekk, but the average highlander 
  worshipped Janora as goddess. Debate was 
  fierce as to Janora's status as many claimed 
  that she was a greater goddess in her own 
  right, while others claimed her to be a lesser 
  god under Dekk. The horsemen to the 
  southeast in the region of Ettinrun and 
  Doldor pledge their allegiance to Finguala, 
  goddess of horses, whom they claim is the 
  wife of Thranton, god of travel, and lesser 
  goddess herself to Kantor. These horsemen 
  have no priests among them, and it is highly 
  debated in places of learning such as Zel 
  City, whether there is such a goddess. 
  Legend tells of ancestral worship of a 
  goddess of that name amongst the 
  barbarian natives of southeastern Zeland, so 
  perhaps she does exist, at least in memory. 
  Some would have you believe that there 
  were once paladins who worshiped Lady 
  Finguala riding amongst the horsemen of 
  Zeland. In the plains area, Bestra is still 
  revered for her powers over the growing 
  season and the harvest. It is in this region of 
  Zeland that the Zelish are most religious. 
  Bestra is revered at least in name in most of 
  Zeland even in the aforementioned areas 
  where another god or goddess is more 
  openly revered. 
   
  Feudalism in Zeland 
  Feudalism as established originally under 
  King Zel largely resembled that of Farland. 
  The king ruled the land from Zel City with 
  full authority. However, over time the other 
  areas of the kingdom each with their own 
  large and commanding city grew to be 
  powerful entities in their own right. Other 
  than Connacht and the later troubles with 
  the highlanders, there was little challenge to 
  the power of the throne in Zel City. Cities 
  such as Stadefast and Ettinrun commanded 
  large areas and from the revenue they 
  received from these lands, they paid taxes or 
  tribute to the throne in Zel City. Thus, the 
  undisputed area of the kingdom was divided 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  95 
  into seven regions commanded by the cities 
  of Zel City, Doldor, Ettinrun, Stadefast, 
  Eckruup, Keller, and Hestor. Each of these 
  except Zel City were ruled by a lord and his 
  cabinet initially appointed by the king, and 
  later a successor was appointed by each 
  lord, often his eldest son, though not always. 
  These six lords were second in power only to 
  the king and his counselors were second in 
  power only to the lord himself. These lord 
  counselors of which there were usually six 
  were awarded command of a region of the 
  lands commanded by the main city. The 
  king, lords, and lord counselors all kept 
  fighting forces loyal to them and there were 
  also city guards loyal to each city. The 
  personal fighting forces were usually heavily 
  armed men known for their strength. Their 
  prestige was great throughout the land 
  before the time of the occupation. Ettinrun 
  and Doldor, and especially the former are 
  instead known for their superior cavalry. 
  These are also quite famous. These elite 
  fighting men enjoy much power due to their 
  specialized skills and often command many 
  servants, often have small holdings, and are 
  viewed as minor lords themselves. Over the 
  years this class has come to be known as 
  Zelacht. The city guards are made up of 
  enlisted men but these men are respected 
  and usually obeyed for their military might 
  and discipline. Under these military men 
  are the common people of Zeland, mostly 
  farmers along with some craftspeople, and 
  miners in the highlands. They are really 
  little more than serfs, though in name they 
  have their freedom. Their lords usually tax 
  them heavily. They also usually must remit 
  taxes to the king himself whenever his 
  forces appear in the area. The church in 
  many areas also demands tithing. Hence, 
  the common citizens of Zeland, though they 
  live in an abundant land, remain very poor. 
  The hierarchy of Zelish feudalism is King, 
  Lord, Lord Counselor, Zelacht (minor lord), 
  Guardsman, Commoner. 
  Guild leaders are not usually fighting men 
  but are nonetheless considered on a level of 
  the Zelacht for legal purposes. 
  Guildmembers are usually considered at the 
  level of guardsmen. Those craftsmen, 
  scholars, or other non-fighting specialized 
  men that are not affiliated with a guild are 
  considered commoners. Thus, all possessing 
  specialized skills are strongly encouraged to 
  join a guild, which in turn increases the 
  power of guilds. 
   
  Housing 
  For the commoner, log cabins are 
  considered prized housing, though in some 
  parts of the kingdom, wood is hard to come 
  by. In the plains region, to the south and 
  east, semi-permanent huts are constructed 
  using animal hides and wooden poles 
  procured from other regions. Some more 
  wealthy inhabitants of the plains live in 
  Thuck houses in the style of the Kelerites. 
  Stone houses are also common in the cities 
  of Ettinrun and Doldor among the wealthy. 
  Homesteads are common along Zeland's 
  borders, but most of the population are city 
  dwellers. Thus, overcrowding is common 
  amongst the Zelish. Small houses and large 
  families are the norm. Large farm animals 
  are prized and are also rare as they are 
  expensive. Most farmers farm by hand 
  alongside their sons and daughters with 
  hoes, shovels and pickaxes to turn the soil. 
  The local blacksmith makes these 
  implements; thus, this profession is very 
  important and highly regarded in most of 
  Zeland. In the southeast, the blacksmith 
  also shoes horses for travel along the trade 
  routes, another very important task. Oxen 
  used for plowing are more common in the 
  plains amongst the larger landowners. In 
  the highlands and in the southeast, plots are 
  usually small. Chickens are common 
  everywhere in the lowlands. Sheep are also 
  usually a part of a homestead in the 
  lowlands. Highland homesteads aren't 
  complete without the family goats, and 
  pigeons are plentiful in the wild throughout 
  the cliffs and crags. Southern Zeland is quite 
  fertile and harvests are bountiful, but the 
  highland areas and the north are cold, 
  windy, and overall difficult places to farm. 
  Erosion is rampant and many historic 
  
   
   
   
   
  96 
  droughts have ravaged the populations of 
  these areas. 
   
  Dangers 
  While bandits are common in the highlands, 
  order and law prevail over most of the land. 
  Crime is punished quite harshly, and thieves 
  fare less well in Zeland than in some other 
  kingdoms of Farland. Famine and plague 
  are a more pressing concern for the 
  commoners of Zeland. Cities are often 
  overcrowded, and many commoners are 
  forced to give so much of their crops to their 
  lords, they often go hungry when the season 
  grows long. More recently, more dreadful 
  things than disease and famine have arisen 
  in Zeland. Since the fall of Wawmar, foul 
  things have begun to creep down the 
  Deadwash. Monsters only seen in one's 
  worst nightmares have been encountered in 
  the area of the Hills of Horror, thus the 
  name. Lately there have been reports of 
  walking dead in the area of the Battleplain, 
  though this has yet to be confirmed. The 
  area was long believed haunted by evil 
  spirits, and the inhabitants were always few, 
  though with these new reports, those brave 
  enough to live north of Loch Brech are few 
  indeed. To the east, roving patrols of orcish 
  marauders from Farland are often hungry 
  for fresh meat and many a homestead has 
  fallen to the orcs' appetites. This menace is 
  especially dangerous for the horsemen to 
  the southeast, for the orcs have a taste for 
  horseflesh. South there is always the danger 
  that one will be arrested by Orland's forces 
  as the border is well patrolled and 
  imprisonment and forced labor is the 
  penalty for trespassing. Zeland too claims 
  this area, and there are often border clashes. 
  While not exactly a threat, curious things 
  happen in the area of the forest of Blorn, 
  considered haunted by many. When 
  camping near the forest, many have 
  reported seeing small children frolicking 
  about after dark. Horses and other 
  belongings often go missing in the area. 
  Patrols in the area have not been able to 
  find any truth to these claims. 
  Food 
  Though the Kelerites will tell you 
  differently, the eating of horseflesh in 
  Zeland is actually quite rare. This is 
  probably less of a dislike for the taste of 
  horseflesh though and more a reflection of 
  the Zelish respect and value of their horses. 
  The main staples of the Zelish diet are wheat 
  and oats in the lowlands and potatoes in the 
  highlands. The typical Zelish meal, though it 
  varies by region, is a soup or stew boiled for 
  days in a large iron cauldron over an open 
  fire. The iron cauldron is a mainstay of the 
  Zelish household, and it is traditionally part 
  of a woman's dowry as they can be quite 
  expensive in the larger sizes. It is said that a 
  woman without a cauldron is no woman at 
  all. There is a fair amount of trade between 
  the potatoes of the highland regions and the 
  oats and wheat of the lowlands, so the most 
  common meal consists of a wheat porridge 
  or oatmeal with potatoes and any other 
  vegetable or meat available. Salt is usually 
  available in most markets of Zeland as it is 
  traded north from Orland, who in turn 
  procures it from merchants travelling from 
  the southern continent. Sheep are the most 
  common form of meat found in the 
  lowlands, and goats are preferred for their 
  adaptability to the rugged landscape in the 
  highlands. Beef is prized and cows are 
  raised mainly in the area of Doldor. Cow 
  leather is most sought after for saddles and 
  barding for horses, giving this area renown. 
  Free-range chickens are common 
  throughout Zeland, though the fowl of 
  choice in the highlands is wild pigeon found 
  living in great abundance in the cliffs in the 
  region. 
   
  Laws 
  Today, under the Lord of Sloth's rule, the 
  most serious crime in the land is the 
  accusation of unlawful ambition, punishable 
  by death. This is a convenient way to rid the 
  land of all who may become rebellious. The 
  law only really applied to rebellious Zelish 
  during the original occupation as the law 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  97 
  was heavily enforced in the early days in 
  order to break the spirit of the Zelish. These 
  days, one rarely sees initiative or innovation 
  among the Zelish, and sloth indeed rules the 
  land. When the kingdom was free, the laws 
  of the land resembled the laws of Farland. 
  Farland was ruled by the traditional "Twelve 
  Tables of Law." King Zel declared that there 
  would be Seven Tables of Law in the 
  kingdom of Zeland. Over the years, they 
  have been modified and before the 
  occupation stood as follows. The seven 
  tables of the law of Zeland follow: 
   
  Table I. 
  Every citizen of Zeland who accuses another 
  citizen of his own rank of a crime must do so 
  publicly with at least ten witnesses. After so 
  doing, they must both go present their case 
  before their lord. If a citizen, having been 
  accused, does not appear before his lord, he 
  shall be presumed guilty. 
  Table II. 
  A father's estate shall become, upon his 
  death, the property of his eldest son. If a 
  man dies without a son, his estate shall be 
  passed on to his nearest male relative. If 
  said son or other relative is unfit to receive 
  such estate, a man may petition his lord to 
  write him a will leaving his estate to a 
  citizen of Zeland of his liking. In this case, 
  the lord in question shall inherent no less 
  than one fourth of said estate upon said 
  man's death. In the case that none of these 
  things take place, the estate shall pass to the 
  crown. 
  Table III. 
  Females shall remain in the guardianship of 
  their fathers until marriage, upon which 
  time they become the property of their 
  husband, along with their dowry. Any 
  woman who no longer wishes to be her 
  husband's property should be absent from 
  her husband's house seven nights in 
  succession during the holy month of Bestra, 
  Bestalos. After these seven nights have 
  passed, she must publicly renounce her 
  marriage at which time she may return to 
  her father's house. 
  Table IV. 
  If a citizen takes another citizen's life of 
  higher rank, the penalty shall be death. If 
  the victim is of the same rank, the fine shall 
  be a minimum of 50 sp. If the deceased is of 
  a lower rank by one, the guilty party shall 
  pay the family of the victim a minimum of 
  30sp. If the victim is two ranks lower the 
  fine shall be a minimum of 20 sp. Three 
  ranks shall bear the fine of 10sp. A 
  separation of more than three ranks shall 
  bear the penalty of reprimand by the 
  magistrate lord. A dismemberment or 
  disablement of a person shall be dealt with 
  in the same fashion, though the fine shall be 
  half as much. In any event of death, the 
  murderer upon the request of the deceased's 
  family shall pay for the body to be taken to 
  the Towers of Waiting in the north. 
  Table V. 
  If any man's property should be taken or 
  damaged by another he must publicly 
  accuse the man who committed the damage 
  or theft within seven days. This man shall 
  then have to pay twice the value of said 
  property to the original owner. A thief 
  convicted in this way shall be put to death at 
  the discretion of his lord. 
  Table VI. 
  False accusation by any citizen shall be 
  punished by the fine of 50 sp, or in the event 
  he cannot pay, he shall be hung in the town 
  square. 
  Table VII. 
  The supreme law of the land lies with the 
  king of the mighty kingdom of Zeland. He 
  may as befits the situation change or amend 
  any law as he sees fit. He may also add or 
  remove a law at his discretion. The king and 
  any lord under him shall rule justly and 
  shall refrain from taking bribes or resorting 
  to personal interest in making decisions 
  concerning the law. 
   
  Towns 
  The easternmost town in Zeland is Hestor. 
  Hestor is also the largest town in the 
  highlands. It boasts a large iron mine, now 
  
   
   
   
   
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  abandoned. Before the occupation, it was a 
  busy town due to its important location on 
  the trade route between Dragonspur City 
  and Zel City. Transports passed through 
  almost daily in its heyday, some carrying 
  iron ore from the mine, others carrying 
  supplies. The highlanders have always been 
  highly taxed by Zel City and Hestor has for 
  this reason always been a poor city. Keller is 
  the northernmost town in the lowlands of 
  Zeland. It lies at the beginning of the hills 
  that continue on into the rugged highlands. 
  Potatoes are prized from this area, and 
  fields of them stretch to the horizon. Goat 
  herders often hail from Keller though goats 
  also abound in the more rugged areas to the 
  west. The townspeople boast that the name 
  comes from the archmage Keler, founder of 
  Kelerak. They claim that Keler once planned 
  to extend Kelerak as far east as the Great 
  River and planned to make Keller the 
  capital. Eckruup and Stadefast are 
  agricultural towns and grew to prosperity 
  preparing wheat and oats for sale in the  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  markets of Zel City and even as far off as 
  Dragonspur City. The soil to the south of 
  Stadefast is especially rich and crops grow 
  extremely well in this region. However, this 
  area of southern Zeland has long been 
  disputed with Orland. The brothers Zel and 
  Or originally set up a very large neutral zone 
  between their two kingdoms so that they 
  could both benefit from the farmlands and 
  horse pastures there. However, as the 
  kingdoms grew this became impractical, 
  and the land was disputed up until the 
  occupation. This then was the reason for the 
  founding of Fort Zel. As fighting broke out, 
  it became necessary for a permanent 
  garrison to protect the interests and the 
  citizens of Zeland. Rochehome and Rill 
  came to exist because of the trade route 
  between Kelerak and Orland along the 
  Border River. Both Zeland and Orland claim 
  them for their strategic location along this 
  trade route.  
  Before the occupation began, an uneasy  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  99 
  agreement between the two kingdoms 
  declared that Rochehome was the property 
  of Zeland and Rill of Orland. Rochehome is 
  named after the famous assassin Roche. Rill 
  was so named for its location at the base of 
  the rapids near Rochehome. Near Rill, the 
  Border River takes many paths through the 
  loamy soil, many of which are small rills. To 
  the east Ettinrun and Doldor are home to 
  the horsemen of southern Zeland. The horse 
  people are semi-nomadic themselves, and 
  these towns grew to prosperity originally as 
  great marketplaces. Doldor gained fame as 
  the provider of leather goods including their 
  famous saddles and other riders' 
  accoutrements. Ettinrun on the other hand 
  is the home of a large horse market once a 
  month and grew famous for this market.  
  Zel City is the capital of Zeland and the 
  largest city in the land. In its heyday, it 
  boasted more than 50 guilds of good name 
  throughout the lands. Zel City was 
  traditionally moderately well off with 
  revenues from rich agricultural areas to the 
  west and south, the revenues from the sale 
  of horses to the southeast, and from the iron 
  mines of Hestor to the west. Before the wars 
  with the dwarves, Zeland actually enjoyed 
  favorable trade with Wawmar along the 
  Greatwash. Since occupation, Orax the Lord 
  of Sloth has turned everything around 
  completely and currently the economy of Zel 
  City is in shambles, with poverty at an all-
  time high. Unemployment is the norm, and 
  people struggle to find enough to eat. 
  Interestingly, there seems to be little 
  concern for the declining state of affairs in 
  Zel City both among the average citizens 
  and among the leaders. 
   
  Guilds of Zeland 
  The horsemen of southeastern Zeland are 
  known far and wide for their superior stock. 
  It is said that there are no faster horses in all 
  of Farland. Legend has it that during 
  Zeland's early years, it was common for the 
  horsemen of the plain to ride celestial 
  mounts, and celestial blood still runs in the 
  veins of the horses of Zeland. Thus, it is 
  common for the Zelish to refer to the 
  "flying" horses or horsemen. Hestor of old 
  was the center of a powerful guild of 
  ironworkers. Officially however, the 
  headquarters for this guild was Zel City and 
  most members hailed from Zel City and 
  lived most of the year there. The miners 
  themselves were not permitted to join the 
  guild and were paid a pittance for 
  backbreaking labor. The ironworker's guild 
  also controlled the transportation of the 
  iron ore mined in Hestor and it was kept 
  strictly in the control of Zel City. 
  Refinement and processing of the ore was 
  performed in the area around Zel City.  
  With the arrival of The Lord of Sloth, more 
  and more guildmembers stayed in Zel City 
  as they became more slothful. This absence 
  of leadership in the iron mines of Hestor 
  quickly led to the mines falling into disuse 
  and eventually they were abandoned. Then 
  after the highland rebellions, The Lord of 
  Sloth stationed his leading general Dargon 
  in Hestor, and Dargon used the abandoned 
  iron mines to establish a strong fortress for 
  his headquarters. In Doldor there is a guild 
  of great renown, the leatherworkers of 
  southern Zeland. Cows are raised almost 
  exclusively in this area of Zeland. The 
  leather made from cows is far more valuable 
  than that of sheep or goats and saddles and 
  other leatherworks are considered of the 
  highest quality in the Doldor market. The 
  Spinners and Weavers Guild, made 
  primarily of women in Zel City, once famous 
  throughout the lands, has been disbanded. 
  This is a common fate regarding guilds in 
  the capital. For the most part, this has been 
  disastrous for the Zelish economy, though it 
  has similarly affected a once active thieves’ 
  guild in the city, now defunct. 
   
  Occupational Realities 
  During the years 7820-7950, the whole 
  continent of Farland has been under the 
  rule of the Wintervale and the Seven Lords 
  of Sin. In Zeland, Orax the Lord of Sloth 
  rules from Zel City while Dargon his general 
  rules the highlands from Hestor. During the 
  
   
   
   
   
  100 
  early years, humans were treated more 
  brutally than in more recent years. The 
  populace, those allowed to live, were 
  enslaved or treated like dirt by their 
  monster rulers. Dwarves exist today only in 
  wandering tribes and rare settled 
  aboveground villages or caves, mostly in the 
  highlands of Zeland. They are the "scum of 
  the earth." In reality however, they are the 
  descendants of Wawmar and have ties to 
  royalty. Then in 7951, the first signs of 
  rebellion emerged. A large rebellion took 
  place and the cities of Hestor and Gorak (a 
  smaller town east of Hestor) were retaken. 
  However, they were quickly overwhelmed 
  and the leaders of the rebellion, along with 
  those of their people that weren't killed, 
  retreated to the Hills of Horror and the Mts. 
  of Or, their escape route west having been 
  cut off by the evil forces. Then again in 7955, 
  rebellion in the form of an army of nomads 
  and dwarves attacked Zel City from the 
  highlands of Zeland. After a prolonged 
  battle, they too were defeated by the evil 
  forces. Survivors were few and even fewer 
  escaped. 
  Rebellions are perhaps easiest mustered 
  from Eastern Zeland as the Lord of Sloth, 
  ever lazy, does little to inspect his people in 
  remote areas. His method of governance is 
  laissez faire to the extreme. Further, he 
  imposes his slothful nature upon his 
  subjects. Energetic behavior is punished, 
  and innovation is similarly unlawful. There 
  is little objection to these decrees especially 
  the closer to Zel City one gets, for there is a 
  curious, almost a magical, acquiescence to 
  this way of life. The Lord of Lust managed 
  to start exporting Lotus to Zeland in the last 
  fifty years or so of his rule of Kelerak. The 
  pastime of smoking lotus quickly became 
  popular with the slothful inhabitants of Zel 
  City, though addiction as seen in 
  Dragonspur City is less common. Accusing 
  someone of being unlawfully ambitious in 
  Zel City is a serious accusation. Many an 
  energetic young man has disappeared 
  mysteriously in the night. The status quo is 
  glorified and change is considered 
  treasonous. All citizens are required by law 
  to do as little as possible and to do the same 
  things as his or her neighbors or peers. In 
  this way, it is easy for the city guard to pick 
  out innovators or over-achievers. These 
  criminals are taken to the dungeons in the 
  fortress and when they return their will is 
  broken and they do little more than eat and 
  sleep. 
  This sloth amongst the lowland Zelish has 
  led to the decline in worship of once 
  important gods and even the total 
  abandonment of most temples within the 
  kingdom. Zel City has become a rather 
  agnostic city as the inhabitants have ceased 
  to care if gods exist. Similarly, most guilds 
  within the city have ceased to operate, as 
  craftsmen no longer create the beautiful 
  works that once were found in this great 
  city. The goods that do come from Zel City 
  these days are of the lowest quality though 
  prices are even higher than before due to the 
  general lack of goods available. 
   
  Demographic 
  Information 
  The total area of the Kingdom of Zeland is 
  roughly 27,000 square miles. Roughly 30% 
  of this area is arable land, the remaining 
  area is divided among wilderness, rivers, 
  lakes, and the highlands. 
  Zeland's population is approximately 
  869,000 persons, 85% of which are 
  humans. The remainder are dwarves, who 
  live in the highlands, and dark folk, who live 
  in the cities, as well as in underground dens. 
  50,000 residents are isolated or itinerant. 
  711,450 residents live in 1719 small villages 
  and hamlets. 
  52, 142 residents live in 10 towns. 
  30,000 residents live in 6 cities. 
  25,408 live in Zel City. 
  Zeland supports 1,911,900 head of livestock, 
  1,300,092 of which are fowl and 611,808 of 
  which are herd animals. 
   
  Factions of Zeland 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  101 
  The Zelacht of Sloth: The Lord of 
  Sloth is an absentee lord at best.  He leaves 
  the running of his kingdom to his inner 
  circle, whom he calls his Zelacht, after the 
  old Zelish term.  Sloth does sometimes take 
  an effective interest in what is occurring 
  within his domain, and when his anger is 
  aroused, he is a terrible opponent.  His 
  Zelacht know this and do what they can to 
  serve him faithfully, protecting his person 
  and carrying out his orders.  His Zelacht are, 
  strangely, human warriors and clerics, 
  although, more strangely, one is an 
  intelligent gelatinous cube. This faction is 
  allied with the Manglers and is opposed by 
  the Circle of Envy as well as by the 
  Highlanders. 
  The Manglers: In the face of Sloth’s 
  apathy, a half-ogre war lord called 
  Kordakon the Mangler stepped up and 
  become the de facto boss of the city.  While 
  not holding any official title, Kordakon has 
  been granted Sloth’s implicit permission to 
  rule, as long as he does nothing to oppose or 
  undercut the Lord of Sin.  Kordakon is 
  served by a group of ogre and orc cut-
  throats who call themselves the Manglers.  
  They are allied with the Zelacht of Sloth and 
  oppose the Forces of Dargon, as well as the 
  Behest of Ronan. 
  The Forces of Dargon: Lord 
  Dargon Skullcrusher, a powerful Oni, rules 
  the town of Hestor and all of Western 
  Zeland.  He spends his time in his Troll Pits 
  breeding half-breed abominations with 
  blood he has acquired from the Lord of 
  Greed. He is served by his Troll-dragon 
  hybrids as well as by his force of orc 
  soldiers.  He opposes the Manglers and is 
  allied with the Zelacht of Sloth. 
  The Behest of Ronan: Ronan 
  Otull, a mysterious archmage who inhabits 
  an equally mysterious mansion in the Newry 
  quarter of Zel City, has recruited a motley 
  group of humans, orcs, and even undead 
  spirits, to do his behest. The goals of this 
  faction are as enigmatic as their leader, but 
  this faction often opposes the Manglers.  On 
  occasion, it has allied itself with the 
  Highlanders. 
  The Highlanders: A group of 
  itinerant dwarves who wander the highlands 
  of Northern Zeland, this faction appears to 
  be a community of rag-tag beggars.  In 
  reality, they are the refugees from Wawmar.  
  Some of the oldest even remember the 
  attack of the dragon.  They are led by Gralin, 
  a dwarf of noble blood.  They wish for the 
  liberation of Zeland and ultimately 
  Wawmar. They oppose the Zelacht of Sloth 
  and the Manglers and are sometimes allied 
  with the Behest of Ronan. 
   
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the Kingdom 
  of Zeland. 
  Explore the Towers of Waiting: The 
  Towers of Waiting, a unique old burial 
  ground, consist of towers with open roofs 
  where corpses are laid to decompose 
  naturally.  But recently reports of strange 
  happenings in the areas of the Towers have 
  been heard. 
  Help the Highlanders: The nomadic 
  dwarves could use allies to report to them 
  what is happening in Zel City, to attack the 
  forces of Sloth, or even to scout out 
  Wawmar. 
  Bargain with the Behest: The Behest of 
  Ronan is seeking to buy and sell some very 
  odd items, and they are also looking for 
  someone brave to recover some saleable 
  artifacts from the ghost-haunted Sarumvest 
  woodland. 
  Overthrow Sloth. If the group is powerful 
  enough, they could seek to liberate Zeland. 
  
   
   
   
   
  102 
  The Kingdom of 
  Farland 
   
  Overview 
  Farland has, nearly since its founding, been 
  the greatest of the human kingdoms, and 
  indeed it has been perhaps the most 
  consistently powerful state on the continent 
  to which it lent its name. Farland is 
  reminiscent of the ancient Roman Empire, 
  and the Far City, with a population of more 
  than 100,000 reminds one of the city of 
  Rome. The great kingdom is ruled by the 
  mysterious Lord of Anger, captain of the 
  Deadly Lords. This creature has instituted 
  strict rules and harsh penalties for those 
  who violate them, but the human citizens 
  have nonetheless managed to keep their 
  ancient culture alive, if they have not been 
  able to make it flourish. 
  The Kingdom of Farland is a mountainous 
  and hilly area, only leveling out as it slopes 
  down to the rocky shores of the Straights of 
  Gor. The most populated area is the 
  remarkably fertile, shallow valley that 
  makes up the northeastern area of the 
  kingdom; this locale is called Allinus. This 
  bountiful, large basin is further divided into 
  two smaller areas: the northern half of 
  Allinus is called the Totinus region, and the 
  southern half is called the Estalus region. 
  This latter region, the area from the Far City 
  south to Ladona, is the most ancient 
  segment of the kingdom, and mossy ruins 
  dot the picturesque landscape. The northern 
  region was settled in subsequent centuries 
  as the burgeoning population sought space. 
  Because of the abundant riches and ore of 
  the nearby mountains, the plentiful timber 
  of the primordial forests that used to cover 
  the foothills of western Farland, and the 
  copious crop yields of Allinus, Farland was 
  of old a fabulously rich state. 
  The Great Kingdom also owes much of its 
  historical status to its military prowess. 
  Extremely disciplined and tactical, the 
  Farlandish military machine, primarily 
  made up of its famous legions, forced its 
  neighboring kingdoms to either enter the 
  empire or submit to provincial status. To 
  this very day, strong men of war quake 
  when faced with the prospect of confronting 
  a Farlandish army ("Farlandish" signifies 
  something that pertains to the kingdom of 
  Farland, while "Farlandic" pertains to the 
  continent of Farland). By any measure, 
  Farland is the most extraordinary kingdom 
  on the continent. 
   
  History 
  Of all the extant kingdoms, Farland's history 
  is longest and most ancient. In fact, it begins 
  with Ancient Aelfar, the first human 
  kingdom ever to be established. Located to 
  the north of what is now Farland in the 
  Deadlands, this demesne was heavily 
  influenced by the Elven Kingdom of 
  Sarumvest, and it learned much from the 
  Elhil. Eventually, however, Aelfar alienated  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  104 
  the elves, driving them from their 
  homeland. With no allies, Aelfar was unable 
  to resist the eventual assault from the 
  Wintervale, and the kingdom was crushed 
  and destroyed. One man, however, saw the 
  folly of isolationism and saw the clouds of 
  war gathering in the East. A prince by the 
  name of Beckares [pronounced beck-AIR-
  ees], of the ruling Rigus family, gathered his 
  loyal supporters and prepared them against 
  what he feared would be the ultimate end of 
  the kingdom. Beckares then sallied out to 
  the Battle of Loom with the Aelfarian forces 
  and fought bravely but nonetheless barely 
  escaped with his life. He watched his uncle, 
  King Faerendes, fall under the claws of the 
  Eastern Troll Vanguard, and he managed 
  harrowingly to recover the Crown of Aelfar. 
  Escaping back to the capital city with the 
  dark hordes on his heels, he gathered his 
  factions and fled south with the Crown, 
  while the city was sacked and those lucky 
  enough to survive ran unprepared into the 
  wilderness. 
  After traveling many long, arduous leagues, 
  Beckares came upon a lush, fertile valley 
  that sloped gently to the sea. At the head of 
  the valley, legend has it that he encountered 
  a gold dragon, which he befriended and 
  which allowed him to ride it. The area was 
  already populated by a fairly advanced, 
  militant people (in fact, the remnants of the 
  ancient Aelfarian colony of Kassius), who 
  admired the warlike spirit of Beckares and 
  his followers. The prince's people were 
  quickly assimilated into the local populace, 
  and Beckares soon rose through the ranks to 
  become Warlord, then King of the people of 
  the land by right of the Crown of Aelfar and 
  his golden dragon. Having declared himself 
  monarch, he named the surrounding lands 
  Farland, because they were far from his lost 
  homeland. He also restyled himself Beckair, 
  in the language of the local peoples, and he 
  named his family Publes [pronounced 
  POOB-lees], which in Aelfarian meant 
  "Exile." This name later became Publius to 
  the residents of the new-founded domain. 
  Beckair Publius, recognizing the threat to 
  his new kingdom from the victorious evil 
  armies to the North, set out on a dangerous 
  journey into the wilds of the continent that 
  was then called Siriand. He returned one 
  year later with pledges of support from the 
  Elves, the Dwarves, and the Gnomes, and he 
  assemble his Leagued Army and embarked 
  on the twenty-year War of Vengeance. The 
  tides of war ebbed and flowed, with first the 
  Leagued Army, then the Dark forces 
  pressing an advantage, but eventually the 
  might of the Crown of Aelfar and Publius’ 
  dragon allowed the army of Farland to 
  prevail. At the battle of the Death Downs, 
  Beckair faced in single combat the Dweller 
  in the Vale itself. During the flight, there 
  was a cataclysmic explosion that decimated 
  the victorious armies and killed Publius and 
  his dragon. So great was the explosion that 
  it changed the face of the land. 
  In the years immediately following the 
  battle, Farland, devastated by loss from the 
  Battle of the Death Downs and harried by 
  attacks from orc-bands and marauding 
  barbarians, entered a "dark ages" period. 
  Publius' sons survived to found the First 
  Line of Kings, but these monarchs struggled 
  for nearly a millennium, watching kingdoms 
  rise and fall, and weathering plagues and 
  famines. Eventually, however, Farland 
  regained its strength and, under King 
  Maximus Maro, embarked upon the Wars of 
  Empire, ultimately annexing all of the 
  kingdoms on the continent and destroying 
  those that would not submit. It was during 
  this, the height of the Farlandish Empire, 
  that the continent itself came to be called 
  Farland. Eventually, however, the Pax 
  farlanda came to an end with the beginning 
  of the Wars of Sorrow, when the forces of 
  evil attacked from the Deadlands. To face 
  this terrible threat, the Emperor of Farland 
  amassed the second Leagued Army and this 
  time took the battle to the Wintervale itself, 
  where they sacked the Nameless City. They 
  could, however, find no sign of the Dweller, 
  and during the return journey, the King of 
  the Elves and the Emperor of Farland were 
  slain. This war and the death of the 
  Emperor effectively ended forever the 
  Farlandish Empire, but her kings were 
  known henceforth as High Kings, since they 
  retained the alliances and tribute 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  105 
  relationships with most of the provinces of 
  the former Empire. 
  The death of the Empire was actually a 
  blessing for Farland: free of much of its 
  responsibility, it was able to flourish, and 
  the discovery of rich mines in the Great 
  Peaks also made it the wealthiest kingdom 
  on the continent. As head of the new 
  Eastern Alliance, of 
  which Orland and Zeland were members, 
  Farland entered a "golden ages" period, 
  where culture and human knowledge 
  prospered. Alas, it could not continue, as the 
  age-old conflict with the Wintervale again 
  flared up. This time, though, it was 
  different, for the Dweller seemed to have 
  unlocked some new secret magic. The entire 
  continent was attacked suddenly, and every 
  action that the generals of the evil forces 
  took seemed blessed; it seemed that they 
  couldn't fail. Soon these beings, whom 
  hushed whispers named The Lords of Sin, 
  had conquered all of the kingdoms in the 
  land save Farland. True to its military 
  reputation, Farland was last to fall, and long 
  the outcome hung in the balance. At last, 
  though, she too fell, and the shadow 
  descended over the entire continent. 
  But it was not the end. The greatest of the 
  Deadly Lords, the Lord of Wrath, took this 
  kingdom as his own to rule. He used its 
  well-established and seemingly innate 
  penchant for discipline to craft his own 
  powerful army. He used its famous road 
  system to dispatch speedy messengers from 
  his nerve center in the Far City (which he 
  called Gurz-Goi) to all corners of the 
  domain to keep tabs on his land. And 
  though the populace suffered under his 
  strict rule, their spirit was not broken nor 
  their culture destroyed. 
   
  Culture and 
  Citizenship 
  Farlandish culture is a unique blend of the 
  heights of Aelfarian civilization and the 
  militant barbaracy of the indigenous 
  peoples left over from the destruction of 
  ancient Kassius (as narrated in the famous 
  epic poem The Kassead.) In broad strokes, 
  the peoples of Farland are extremely 
  obsessed with honor, discipline, and class 
  structure. The main classes are the Lords 
  (the noble class), the Equestrians (the 
  merchant class), the plebeians (the 
  commoners class), and the freedmen (the 
  former slave class). Originally opposed to 
  slavery, the kingdom adopted the custom 
  approximately 600 years after its 
  foundation and has held slaves ever since. 
  At first only non-human slaves were legal, 
  then only non-Farlandish slaves, but finally 
  even owning native born Farlanders became 
  permissible. Thus, there are also many 
  slaves in Farland. To become a member of 
  the upper two classes, one has to be 
  formally admitted. To attain the class of 
  Lord, one needs to be named such by the 
  King or Emperor or his appointee; to 
  become an Equestrian, one needs to be able 
  to prove ownership of four or more horses 
  and the capacity to stable them. To be a 
  Plebe one need only be born in Farland to 
  non-slave parents. 
  Nine-hundred years into the existence of the 
  state, it became legal for non-humans to 
  become citizens. Citizenship is a coveted 
  thing because it confers the following 
  benefits: the protection of Farland (called 
  the Pax farlanda when the Empire existed), 
  immunity to the death penalty, the ability to 
  legally marry, the ability to enter into legal 
  contracts, and the ability to use the 
  traditional Farlandish naming customs. 
  Citizens, however, must pay taxes and men 
  must serve a military term of no shorter 
  than five years (only upper class citizens 
  may become officers in the Farlandish 
  armies). Upon birth to a married couple, a 
  child becomes the class of its father. If born 
  to non-married parents who are both 
  citizens, a child takes the class of its mother; 
  a child who has one parent that isn't a 
  citizen is itself not a citizen. 
  As an ancient state, there is also a decadent 
  side to the Farlandish culture. The average 
  Farlander, whether he admits it or not, 
  enjoys a good fight, whether staged or not, 
  
   
   
   
   
  106 
  and relishes a spectacle. To feed this 
  appetite and to keep the population happy, 
  the rulers of districts and cities often put on 
  carnivals and gladiatorial combats. They 
  also declare abundant holidays where free 
  food and drink are distributed. Indeed, 
  Farland is the only kingdom on the 
  continent where there is a public dole that is 
  state sponsored; if other kingdoms have 
  such a system, it is religious and rather 
  small in scope. 
  Another concept important to Farlandish 
  culture is the Fas farlandis, the "Farlandish 
  Destiny." This is the belief that as the 
  kingdom that is most directly descended 
  from ancient Aelfar and by right of the 
  Crown of Aelfar, Farland has the privilege 
  and the duty to rule and govern all human 
  kingdoms on the continent of Farland. It is 
  this belief that led to the formation of both 
  the Farlandish Empire and the Eastern 
  Alliance (Zeland and Orland were, of course, 
  subordinate allies), and it is this belief that 
  prompted the Lord of Anger to take the 
  kingdom for his own as a land appropriate 
  to his stature. 
   
  Religion 
  Farlanders are polytheists to the core. 
  Moreover, they have little interest in 
  dogmatic religious belief and are always 
  open to speculation and revision of what 
  they know about religion. In fact, the 
  modern religion of Farland is an 
  amalgamation of the religion of Aelfar, the 
  beliefs of the indigenous peoples, and the 
  gods of conquered peoples from across the 
  continent. Beckair Publius and his kin 
  brought the gods of ancient Aelfar with 
  them when they fled its destruction. The 
  people who inhabited the Allinus valley had 
  originally held similar religious beliefs, but 
  over the centuries those beliefs had 
  degenerated until they were worshipping 
  numinous spirits; they were an animistic 
  people whose gods had no names. The 
  newly-founded kingdom of Farland kept 
  Publius' gods and incorporated the 
  accepting and generally speculative spirit of 
  the indigenous folk. This attitude later 
  caused the kingdom to adopt the gods of the 
  west, such as Kantor, Grlarshh, and 
  Tanarus/Sulis, until the fully populated 
  pantheon as known in the year 8170 F.R. 
  was acknowledged officially by the state and 
  by virtually every citizen of the kingdom. 
  The average person is also still likely to 
  believe that rivers, rocks, and mountains 
  have spirits and may even pray to them, 
  although this religion is not officially 
  sanctioned by the kingdom. Most rural folk 
  worship the gods in little shrines in their 
  homes; in the cities, huge temples serve as 
  places of worship. If the people revere any 
  god foremost, it is Neltak Lord of Law, 
  although unlike Orland this religion has 
  little influence on the government or even 
  the daily life of the average citizen. It is not 
  that the people don't believe in the gods; 
  they do and they revere them. It is simply 
  that self-discipline, arcane magic, and the 
  might of the Farlandish Legions have served 
  them well thus far. The populace has 
  perhaps grown a bit more religious since the 
  Dark Conquest. 
   
  Governmental 
  Structure 
  Farland's government is not based on 
  feudalism, although its client kingdoms 
  often were. As a truly lawful arrangement, it 
  is based on a system of political offices, all 
  of which are loyal to the local regional ruler. 
  Discussed here are only the major offices of 
  the state; there are countless minor official 
  positions, some of them elected and many of 
  them able to be held by plebes. The power of 
  these lowly positions is mostly bureaucratic. 
  Those holding the major offices below 
  governors are called magistrates. None of 
  these offices are elected, however; the 
  governor or High King appoints each of 
  them. They are all collegial, though, which 
  means that they are held by two male 
  citizens (except for the office of Certifile). 
  The lowest offices are those able to be held 
  by Equestrians. At the bottom rung are the 
  Certifiles, essentially major clerks. Those 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  107 
  holding this office conduct the day to day 
  record and book-keeping of a district. Next 
  are Centiles, who conduct census, enroll 
  new citizens, collect taxes, control public 
  morals, and supervise leasing of public 
  contracts. Ediles, higher up, are the 
  equivalent of mayors. They are in charge of 
  religious festivals, public games, temples, 
  upkeep of towns, and regulation of markets.  
  The higher offices, detailed hereafter, are 
  only able to be held by Lords. The office of 
  Questor is the first patrician magisterial 
  position. Questors act as chief 
  administrative and financial officers to 
  governors. Above Questors are Tribunes, 
  who are charged with protection of lives and 
  property of plebeians; their persons are 
  inviolable and they have power of veto over 
  laws, decrees and acts of all magistrates 
  except governors; they are, however, 
  answerable only to the Cancellors of the 
  High King. Governors hold sway over 
  regions and provinces and have power of 
  veto over all lower magistrates except 
  Tribunes. Governors only have power in 
  their own province. Second highest are 
  Cancellors, who are the secretary and 
  doorkeepers to the High King or Emperor, 
  in effect making all of the royal day-to-day 
  decisions. There are generally five 
  Cancellors who meet in a conclave. 
  Cancellors have power of veto over everyone 
  but the High King or Emperor. The highest 
  position is, of course, High King, who holds 
  the life of every citizen in his hand. When 
  the Empire existed, the High King was 
  known as the Emperor, and this meant that 
  his power extended to other Kingdoms as 
  well, at least as far as he could enforce it. 
  This is the civil government; the military 
  has its own governing structure. 
  As a people truly concerned with 
  documentation, the government also keeps 
  detailed records of all sorts. Vaults of 
  documents hold prices of goods, records of 
  contracts, lists of citizens, and descriptions 
  of military conflicts. The government also 
  pays mage and scholars guilds to keep 
  records of non-mundane things, especially 
  magical scrolls and historical events; any 
  magistrate is entitled to view these records 
  at his leisure. 
   
  Military Structure 
  The Farlandish military machine is in large 
  measure responsible for the power and 
  success of the Kingdom; it is certainly 
  responsible for the existence of the 
  Farlandish Empire and the Eastern Alliance. 
  The Farlandish army was and still is the 
  most fearsome fighting force on the 
  continent. The military success was a result 
  of excellent supply lines, equipment, 
  training, strategy, and strong leaders. The 
  Farlanders realized that with their years of 
  training and drilling, their equipment, and 
  their pay, a soldier was a valuable 
  commodity, and thus they sought at all costs 
  not to throw soldiers away. They instituted 
  three incredibly effective strategies: they 
  seek to capture as much of the enemy 
  resources (such as lands) as possible before 
  confronting the enemy, they seek to capture 
  supplies en route to the enemy, and they 
  prefer to wage sieges. The discipline and  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  108 
  work ethic of the Farlandish soldiers make 
  their sieges incredibly effective, because 
  they often enclose the besieged city inside 
  their own wall, thereby stopping all supply 
  routes. It is very difficult to break a 
  Farlandish siege. 
  When these strategies do not work, 
  however, the Farlandish armies do not 
  hesitate to meet their foes face to face. On 
  the field of battle, Farlandish armies are 
  equally successful for three reasons: their 
  discipline, their staying power, and their 
  magic. Although the average Farlander is 
  not as tall or strong as most western 
  humans, his physical strength is not what 
  accounts for his battle prowess. The soldiers 
  almost never break ranks or flee, and they 
  obey orders without question. They almost 
  always advance and retreat in a slow, 
  methodic, organized way, unlike the western 
  armies. Second, the Farlandish soldier has 
  great endurance, because he is expected to 
  carry all of his equipment, supplies, and 
  camping materials at great speed. Every 
  night, the soldiers are also expected to 
  create a guarded encampment, really a fort 
  complete with wall and trenches. Last, the 
  Kingdom of Farland has long been 
  comfortable with arcane magic, and the 
  army always has a sizeable contingent of 
  Battle Mages with it who are trained to work 
  in perfect unison with the attacking fighters. 
  Their spells give the Farlandish legions the 
  final, deadly edge they need to conquer their 
  foes. 
  The core of the Farlandish army is 
  the Farlandish legion. Farland was also 
  historically famous for the power of its navy, 
  which owed much of its might to its use of 
  strategy, its use of magic, and the fact that it 
  was a transport for the famous soldiers of 
  the Farlandish legions. Farland shared the 
  high seas with the Davenian navy. 
   
  Housing and Roads 
  In the Far City, the plebes live in large 
  apartment buildings and tenements. These 
  buildings are generally made of wood, and 
  fire is a very real threat. The commonality of 
  continual flame street lamps helps reduce 
  the danger of fire, but the necessity of 
  cooking inside these buildings means that 
  whole blocks often go up in flames if not 
  doused quickly once a fire starts. These 
  buildings are not equipped with running 
  water and are often extremely crowded, 
  with extended families living in the small 
  apartments. Members of the Equestrian 
  class often live in apartments as well, 
  although they are usually located over their 
  shops, and they may rent higher level 
  apartments in the same building to plebes. 
  The apartment of an equestrian is usually 
  spacious, with access to running water, 
  which is brought to the city in the unique 
  water channels crafted by the Farlanders to 
  bring water down from the Grand Peaks. 
  Lords in the Far City usually live in single 
  family houses, usually large mansions made 
  of brick arranged around a central 
  courtyard. In the central courtyard is a 
  cistern made to catch rain water, since the 
  water in the city is usually polluted from 
  over-population. These houses are well 
  staffed with slaves and servants, and 
  sometimes there is a house mage who 
  makes liberal use of cantrips to make the 
  lives of the Lords of the house easier. 
  In the countryside, the peasant house is 
  made with a wooden frame which is 
  plastered over and whitewashed. The 
  homestead is bounded by a wooden fence to 
  enclose the animals when they aren't 
  grazing; a vegetable garden, enclosed by an 
  inner fence, sits near the house. Rural farms 
  are very spacious compared to urban 
  dwellings. The rural villas of the Lord class 
  are similar, although they may be 
  constructed of brick, and, unlike the country 
  farm, they are usually built in a rectangular 
  shape, imitative of the urban mansion. 
  The Farlandish road system is famous all 
  across the continent. To move their 
  legendary legions and to facilitate trade, the 
  Farlanders constructed roads that have 
  lasted for thousands of years and are still in 
  use today. They begin by building an 
  embankment for drainage, leaving large 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  109 
  ditches on both sides. Then they lay a base 
  layer of rubble and broken stones. Over this 
  layer, they lay a middle section of sand, or 
  sand and gravel, sometimes mixed with 
  clay. The topmost layer of the road depends 
  on the area and the importance of the road. 
  Important roads in areas where there is iron 
  ore are usually coated with an iron slag, 
  beaten and tamped, which rusts into a near 
  impervious, concrete-like surface. In other 
  areas, like the western client kingdoms, the 
  road is paved with large, flat, carefully-cut 
  flagstones flanked by curb stones to keep 
  carts on the road. The Overway in Kelerak is 
  actually just such a Farlandish road, and 
  this accounts for its good condition despite 
  its age. Roads in the Kingdom are marked 
  with continual flame lamp posts and 
  permanent magic mouths cast on marker 
  stones. These mouths recite in Farlandish 
  the distance to the two closest towns as well 
  as the name of the road and any other 
  important information a traveler might 
  need to know. Often the same information is 
  carved below the mouth, in case there is 
  some magical malfunction. 
   
  Dangers 
  What dangers the typical Farlandish citizen 
  faces depend on the time period in which he 
  lives. During the height of the Farlandish 
  Empire and the Pax farlanda, he faced, 
  besides starvation and disease (which are 
  common to all ages), dangers from robbers 
  and highwaymen. This was not a great 
  threat, however, for the Empire's legions 
  would take great care to hunt out and kill 
  any robbers in the lands. During the 
  destruction of the Empire, he faced greater 
  dangers from marauding dark folk and war 
  bands of mercenaries; he especially faced 
  the former danger if he lived in the northern 
  part of the Kingdom proper, and he faced 
  the latter danger if he lived near the pass or 
  in the rebelling western provinces. Today, 
  the dangers are greater. The threat of 
  starvation is particularly acute, as the Lord 
  of Anger has eliminated the public dole. The 
  danger of arbitrary enslavement or death at 
  the hands of his dark folk masters is also 
  ubiquitous. 
   
  Food 
  The average citizen begins his day with 
  bread and water and perhaps supplements 
  this breakfast with a handful of raisins. 
  Lunch is a cold meal of bread, salad, olives, 
  cheese, nuts, and fruit. If he is more wealthy 
  and can afford meat (usually chicken or 
  fish), then he will add some meat left over 
  from dinner the night before. Dinner is 
  usually porridge and bread, perhaps 
  supplemented with fish or chicken if the 
  citizen can afford it. Vegetables from the 
  family garden are also a staple of dinner 
  (and all the other meals if enough are 
  available). Like all of the human kingdoms, 
  forks are not really used; food is cut into 
  small portions before the meal, and the bites 
  are eaten with fingers or wooden spoons. 
  Farlanders eschew the "barbaric western 
  custom," common in Kelerak, of eating with 
  knives. Wine in large amounts accompanies 
  every meal, but since the wine is usually 
  watered down, drunkenness rarely results. 
  Children drink as much wine as adults. 
  The upper classes eat similar, but less 
  simple, meals. Fresh meat, fish, fruits, and 
  more expensive vegetables are plentiful, and 
  honey is used liberally to sweeten food. 
  Wine in a rich household is also less watery, 
  and therefore less of it is consumed per 
  meal. Slaves generally prepare the meals 
  and serve them. Afterwards, a wet towel is 
  presented to the diners so that they may 
  clean their hands. Bakeries and inns are also 
  popular with the upper classes, and Lords 
  and Equestrians often take their meals away 
  from home. The lower classes never do, 
  except on public feast days. 
   
  Magic 
  Historically, magic has played a much 
  greater part in the life of the average 
  Farlander than it has in the lives of 
  westerners. Magic was legalized by Imperial 
  
   
   
   
   
  110 
  edict eons ago, and a tax break even 
  encouraged citizens to become wizards. 
  Although this tax law was repealed centuries 
  ago, the tolerance of magic that it spawned 
  has become a permanent fixture of the 
  culture. Although rural Farlanders are not 
  as familiar with magic as their urban 
  brethren, even they can tell a wizard from a 
  cleric by dress and mannerism. In the city, 
  citizens who are magic-savvy are common. 
  People are used to paying for the spells that 
  directly impact their professions. A roofer 
  may have great knowledge of the feather fall 
  spell, and a craftsman certainly knows about 
  mending. Most people are aware of the 
  dangers of mind-affecting spells such as 
  charm person, and many can recognize their 
  effects. These spells are often used to assure 
  servile loyalty and to prevent slave revolts. 
  Courts of law often employ zone of truth, 
  and collecting taxes is much easier with lie-
  detecting spells. Road building and other 
  civil projects are often expedited by move 
  earth spells, and the defenses of the Far City 
  were partly constructed using wall of stone.  
  Houses are commonly alarmed and trapped 
  with magic. The food supply was historically 
  stabilized using magic, and during the 
  golden age the rich had little to fear from 
  disease and even accidental death. Emperor 
  Numerian Maro was raised from the dead to 
  continue his reign after a fall from his horse. 
  The Farlandish legions long ago developed 
  tactics (such as the sparse open-formation 
  charge) to avoid the destructive battle field 
  effects of area spells, and they have long 
  employed wizards to counter-spell the 
  dweomers of other casters on the field. City 
  guardsmen and police are well aware of the 
  tactical advantage of readying an attack to 
  disrupt spell casters and of the benefit of 
  targeting magic users first. Even the 
  common plebe knows to take a poke at a 
  caster if he doesn't wish to be the target of a 
  spell. All in all, magic has a substantial 
  impact on the life of most Farlanders. 
   
   
  Laws 
  Farlandish law is famous across the 
  continent, and is an entirely original 
  invention of Farland-it wasn't influenced by 
  Aelfar, Kassius, or the Elves, as so much of 
  the rest of their society was. Farlandish law 
  is unique for several reasons. First, unlike 
  most of the rest of the kingdoms, the local 
  lord or king does not directly dispense the 
  law by whim, merely following a loose set of 
  decrees. In Farland, there are judges 
  appointed by the governor who are in theory 
  independent of all but the High King once 
  appointed. These judges endeavor to rule in 
  accordance with a very rigid and codified set 
  of laws that developed and evolved out of 
  the Farlandish obsession for order filtered 
  through the layer of many, many years. 
  Farlandish law addresses three broad areas: 
  persons, things, and actions. In theory, 
  everyone but the High King or Emperor is 
  subject to the laws. Some of the main laws 
  are outlined below, but these are but a few 
  of the volumes and volumes of rules in 
  Farland, explaining these laws and 
  instituting new ones. Lawyers thrive in the 
  kingdom. 
   
  The Twenty Precepts 
   
  Persons  
   
  1. If someone is called to go to court, he 
  must him go. If he doesn't go, a witness 
  should be called. Only then should he be 
  captured. 
  2. A person who admits to owing money or 
  has been judged to owe money must pay 
  within 30 days. If he does not pay, he will be 
  hauled off in chains weighing at least 15 
  pounds.  
  3. Parents have all power over children. An 
  outwardly deformed child should be put to 
  death. If he is not, he will not be admitted to 
  the public dole nor have any claim on the 
  state. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  111 
  4. If a person dies without heirs, the nearest 
  male kinsman shall inherit.  
  5. All persons shall inhabit the land at the 
  pleasure of the High King and are subject to 
  his law. 
   
  Things 
   
  6. When someone makes contract or obtains 
  ownership and announces it orally, right 
  shall be given.  
  7. No man shall possess another's property 
  but that he gain it naturally or lawfully make 
  payment or account for it. 
  8. Build roads; if they become broken, 
  passers-by can drive their beasts wherever 
  they want. Let no man purposefully break a 
  road.  
  9. Slavery is a lawful custom, although it be 
  contrary to nature. 
  10.  A man may discipline his slaves but may 
  not take their lives without cause.  
  11.  If a slave has committed theft or harm 
  against his owner, his life passes back to his 
  owner's hands. If against another, the owner 
  shall buy his peace. 
   
  Actions  
   
  12. Let all men honor the gods of the state, 
  including the Emperor. 
  13. If a patron defraud his client, let him be 
  outlawed from making contracts. 
  14. If a man cast an evil spell, let his ability 
  to work magic be stripped from him and 
  reparations made.  
  15. If one has maimed or killed another and 
  does not buy his peace, let there be 
  retaliation in kind. 
  16. Let no men make a private law between 
  them. 
  17. Marriages between lords and plebeians 
  are forbidden. Neither may slaves marry. 
  18. Someone who has brought a false claim 
  shall be brought before three judges, and 
  shall pay a double penalty.  
  19. Let all men pay lawfully levied taxes.  
  20. Let all men serve a minimum of five 
  years military service. 
   
  Towns 
  Farlandish towns are famous across the 
  continent because they are so orderly and so 
  similar. Their architecture is also renowned, 
  with arches, porticoes, columns, and pillars 
  common. Most town streets are laid out in a 
  crisscross pattern, and, if the terrain 
  permits, most of the public buildings are 
  located in the same area. Most towns have a 
  town square called a forum; an 
  amphitheater for games, plays, and 
  worship; a public bath; and a town hall. 
  Many communities also have a building for 
  public magic services, called a magicum. 
  There is also usually a barracks and a stable. 
  The streets are wide and paved, and there is 
  public sanitation in the form of public 
  sewers. The rich have running water. Magic 
  services, such as fire lighting, messages, 
  light, mending, translation, unseen servant, 
  and knock, are available in larger towns, or 
  at least were before the Dark Conquest. 
  Nonetheless Farland remains the occupied 
  kingdom that is most accepting of arcane 
  magic. The largest towns and cities in 
  Farland are Totini, Naxos, Limera, Gorak, 
  Esta, Ladona, Telae, Cromae, Nimera, and 
  Amerina. 
  The Far City is a wonder of the world. Built 
  in a defensible location on three hills 
  overlooking the Sendus River, the city is rife 
  with statuary, arches, large squares, public 
  baths and temples, a huge arena, and a 
  fortified harbor that opens into the Straights 
  of Gor. Magic is common. Towering 
  tenements survey the street, venders hawk 
  their wares, and mansion grounds sprawl 
  across the wooded hills, all surveyed by the 
  Palace of the High Kings, now called the 
  Palace of Wrath. With a population of over 
  100,000 beings, it is the largest city on the 
  continent; truly it is a sight to behold. 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  112 
  Guilds 
  Guilds, called colleges, are a large part of 
  Farlandish life (these are not colleges in the 
  usual sense; they do little teaching). There 
  are three types of colleges: magic guilds, 
  merchant guilds, and artisans guilds. All of 
  the guilds have great power, often achieving 
  monopolies in the area where they are 
  located. To do business in a locale that the 
  college controls, one must either be a 
  member of the college or pay a business fee. 
  The final two days of the week, however, are 
  "free days" where anyone can do business 
  without interference from the guild, at least 
  not visible interference. In reality, the 
  colleges often intimidate locals so that they 
  refrain from doing business on free days. 
  The colleges themselves are regulated by 
  internal constitutions that dictate how 
  members may do business and that keep the 
  colleges legal. 
  One of the most powerful guilds, at least 
  before the Dark Times, is the magic college. 
  The members of this guild are responsible 
  for registering all magic users in the 
  jurisdiction of the guild, for keeping records 
  of all powerful magic items in the territory, 
  for collecting taxes on magic users and 
  magic items, for investigating magical 
  crimes, and for producing magic items at 
  the pleasure of the governor or High King. 
  Having a royally sanctioned monopoly on 
  magic means that these guilds are indeed 
  quite influential. 
   
  Occupational Realities 
  The tenor of the Dark Occupation in Farland 
  has been somewhat unique. The Kingdom 
  has managed to retain some of its greatness. 
  The Lord of Anger has seen to that, and it 
  has been a point of some pride with him. 
  Unlike most of the other Deadly Lords, 
  Wrath has taken care with the economy, has 
  allowed the populace to retain the culture 
  which makes them unique, has retained 
  most of the laws and systems noted above, 
  and has even kept the Farlandish legions. 
  The latter are now obviously loyal to him 
  only, and half of the great army now 
  consists of hobgoblins. 
  Law in Farland is now a deadly affair. The 
  Lord of Sin exacts terrible vengeance on 
  anyone breaking any law, especially any 
  precept relating to loyalty to those of higher 
  station. His hobgoblin guards make certain 
  of this. For this reason, the domain of 
  Farland has perhaps the least amount of 
  organized resistance of any of the occupied 
  kingdom, and anyone foolish enough to try 
  to foment rebellion quickly finds this out. 
  Wrath has retained the established 
  governmental structure, but he has filled its 
  upper ranks with all manner of fell creatures 
  and dark folk. Advancement in the 
  Farlandish government is now achieved 
  mostly by nefarious means, be 
  they assassination or political treachery. 
  This sort of self-promotion is illegal but is 
  actually encouraged. The Lord of Anger 
  does not wish for weak servants. 
  The life of the average citizen is harsh, as it 
  is in most occupied kingdoms. They tend to 
  be able to make a decent living financially, 
  but because of the very organized networks 
  of spies and the flourishing assassins' guild, 
  the typical Farlander lives in fear of sudden 
  enslavement or death because of 
  accusations of sedition leveled by some 
  unseen accuser. Yet the Farlandish spirit is 
  strong, and even this harsh situation is not 
  enough to break it. 
   
  Demographic 
  Information 
  The total area of the Kingdom of Farland is 
  20,000 square miles. Roughly 40% of this is 
  arable land; the rest is divided between 
  forests, wilderness, hills and the like. 
  The total current population is 
  approximately 1,100,970 persons because of 
  the fertility of the Allinus region. Roughly 
  85% of the current population is human. 
  The remainder are dark folk, like orcs, 
  goblins, kobolds, and hobgoblins. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  113 
  • 
  22,020 residents are isolated or 
  itinerant. 
  • 
  829,863 residents live in 2178 
  villages. 
  • 
  66,058 residents live in 14 towns. 
  • 
  73,029 residents live in 6 cities. 
  • 
  110,000 residents live in 1 big city 
  (The Far City). 
  Farland currently supports 2,422,134 head 
  of livestock: 
  • 
  1,647,051 fowl (e.g. chickens, geese, 
  ducks). 
  • 
  775,083 dairy and meat animals (e.g. 
  cows, goats, pigs, sheep). 
   
   
  The Far City, 
  capital of Farland 
  Areas of Interest 
  1 Grand Arena  
  2 Palace of Wrath  
  3 Great Temple of Vornoth (formerly sacred 
  to Neltak) 
  4 Old Senate Building (ruined)  
  5 Plaza del Venalicum (main square)  
  6 Munician Wall  
  7 Insulum and Great Gates of Sum  
  8 Siligian Bay (A great Chain can be 
  stretched across to block access)  
  9 Hobgoblin Barracks  
  10 Orc Barracks  
  11 Plaza del Fur  
  12 Baths of Lenus  
  13 Ferrian Gate  
  14 Merchants Guild  
  15 Artisans Guild  
  16 Rich Quarter  
  17 Imperial Tombs  
  18 Circus Maximus  
  19 Farlandic Legions Barracks  
  20 Arch of Victory 
   
  General Information 
  About the City 
  Who Rules: The Lord of Wrath, captain of 
  the Lords of Sin and Emperor of Farland 
  and its client Kingdoms. 
  Other Power Centers: The Lord of Wrath 
  is advised by his five Cancellors. The two 
  most politically powerful Cancellors are War 
  Hoth Lord Pirg, a mysterious creature of 
  indeterminate race, and General Sumus 
  Crassi, a ruthless human politician. 
  Rotgut the Wise, the head of the church of 
  Vornoth in the city wields great power and 
  even the Lord of Anger sometimes defers to 
  his judgements. 
  The assassin's guild, called the College of 
  Blood, has its nefarious hand in many 
  dealings in the city and controls much 
  power, primarily because people are afraid 
  to cross them. 
  Khadufel the Southerner, mage of the 
  freelance group The Eye, has begun to 
  maneuver politically to gain power and 
  renown in the city. Although he has not yet 
  made a true name for himself in the city, 
  tales of the Southerner are beginning to be 
  whispered in parlors and dining halls 
  throughout the city. 
  Population: About 100,000-150,000. The 
  population is mostly human, but a good 
  many dark folk, including orcs, goblins, and 
  hobgoblins, also make the city their home. 
  Estimates indicate that as much as 20% of 
  the population are slaves. 
  Major Products: The Far City imports 
  more than it exports, but it does produce 
  pottery, textiles, weaponry, and metal 
  goods. The City serves as the focal point of 
  distribution for goods coming through the 
  port, and as such its primary export is really 
  its own culture. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  115 
  Armed Forces: The Far City is one of the 
  most militant communities on the 
  continent. The Emperor keeps one entire 
  hobgoblin legion there, the first legion, 
  called The Hawk Legion. This legion keeps 
  order in the street, but everyone knows that 
  their primary purpose is to intimidate 
  possible political rivals. The Imperial 
  bodyguard, called the Crimson Lion Guard, 
  is also garrisoned in the city, although they 
  are never far from the Emperor. 
  The City: The Far City, called Gurz-Goi by 
  its inhabitants who speak Dark Speech, is 
  the capital of the Kingdom of Farland. It is 
  dominated by the three hills, the Grandis 
  Hill in the Northwest corner of the City, the 
  Carinas Hill in the Northeast corner, and 
  the Dominium Hill in the center of the city. 
  The famous Sendus River flows through the 
  city. It's roads are generally wide and well-
  constructed; their names invariable begin 
  with the Farlandish prefix "Wia" meaning 
  way. So the main causeway, which crosses 
  the Insulum and runs to the Palace of 
  Wrath, is called by the human populace the 
  Wia Publius, named after the founder of the 
  Far City; Dark folk call it the Wia Burzgluk 
  ("the way to death"). Wherever more than 
  two streets meet, a square, called a Plaza, is 
  located. Each Plaza has its own name and 
  character. Businesses of all types and 
  character can be found in the Far City, and 
  there is a thriving black-market. It is illegal 
  to buy or carry weapons in the city without 
  the proper papers, and the black-market 
  will gladly supply these-for a hefty price. 
  Magic is common in the Far City. People are 
  used to paying for the spells that directly 
  impact their lives and professions. A roofer 
  may have great knowledge of the feather fall 
  spell, and a craftsman certainly knows about 
  mending. Most people are aware of the 
  dangers of mind-affecting spells such as 
  charm person, and many can recognize their 
  effects. These spells are often used to assure 
  servile loyalty and to prevent slave revolts. 
  Courts of law often employ zone of truth, 
  and collecting taxes is much easier with lie-
  detecting spells. Road building and other 
  civil projects are often expedited by move 
  earth spells, and the defenses of the Far City 
  were partly constructed using wall of stone. 
  Houses are commonly alarmed and trapped 
  with magic. Damaging and pain inducing 
  spells combined with healing spells are used 
  with hideous effect by the Emperor's royal 
  torturers. 
  The city is a hot-bed of politics. Inter-guild 
  and faction squabbling makes the city a 
  dangerous place, both figuratively and 
  literally. Assassination, although illegal, is 
  an ever-present danger, and those who cross 
  the Emperor or his minions are apt to 
  disappear in the dead of night. Someone 
  with ambition is bound to come to the 
  notice of the city's powerful personages, and 
  a powerful person who has avoided both 
  betrayal and assassination for a period of 
  time is a person--or creature--to be feared. 
  The mass of citizens in the Far City live in 
  misery, especially since the Lord of Anger 
  long ago disbanded the Public Dole; 
  starvation is rampant, and the poor are seen 
  as deserving of their fate, because they are 
  too weak or too unambitious to help 
  themselves. It is said that they simply do not 
  want to work, although a true look at the 
  economy shows that little work is available. 
  The poor are kept from revolt by the iron-
  like control of the Hawk Legion and the 
  perpetual distraction of the gladiatorial 
  blood sports in the Grand Arena. 
   
  Laws 
  The Twenty Precepts in force in the 
  kingdom of Farland are enforced in the Far 
  City, and usually they are followed to the 
  letter. Additionally, any number of other 
  arbitrary laws are in force, and it generally 
  takes a lawyer to even begin to figure out 
  which law is applicable and where it applies. 
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  116 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  117 
  Important Dates for 
  the City (Many are 
  approximations) 
  4515 F.R.-- Beckair Publius founds the Far 
  City 
  5700-- Farland invades Zeland, beginning 
  the Wars of Empire 
  5727-- King Maximus Maro of Farland 
  declares himself the first Emperor 
  5738-- Emperor Maximus dies of plague. A 
  civil war ensues. 
  5739-- Zeland rebels. Farland withdraws its 
  troops from Lorindon to squelch the threat. 
  The plague breaks out again and causes 
  widespread famine. Thousands die. 
  5960-- A large force of evil attacks Farland 
  from the Deadlands, beginning the Wars of 
  Sorrow.  
  5961-- The fortified city of Borderhold is 
  established. 
  5969-- The Borderhold is taken and 
  destroyed. The evil army invades Northern 
  Farland. 
  5973-- The Farlandish city of Lompeia is 
  destroyed. 
  5975-- Zeland and Orland rebel. The evil 
  armies besiege the Far City. 
  5979-- Zeland and Orland secede from the 
  empire. 
  5985-- A small army of elves, led by their 
  King Baranthir, journeys to Farland to offer 
  their aid, advice, and magic. 
  5989-- The army of evil is defeated outside 
  the Far City. 
  5990-- Farland, with aid from the elves, 
  raises a large army from all corners of the 
  Kingdom.  
  5999-- The army of Farland attacks and 
  destroys the evil army encamped in the 
  Deadlands. 
  6003-- Farland, the elves, and dwarves 
  invade the Wintervale and in the huge 
  Battle of Sorrow defeat and annihilate the 
  last of the evil armies. However, on their 
  way back monsters ambush them. Baranthir 
  falls in the ambush, alongside Emperor 
  Marcus I. The Pass is renamed the Pass of 
  Doom. 
  6020-- The Borderhold is refounded. The 
  Farlandish Empire ends.  
  6862-- The fleet of the Far City, at the 
  behest of Daven, engages the ships of the 
  Corsair Robert the Blue and completely 
  destroys his fleet. During the returning 
  voyage, half of the fleet of Farland is lost 
  due to a raging storm. 
  7013-- The order of the Far Knights is 
  founded by Sir Lucius Zeno. 
  7090-- The then-leader of the Far Knights, 
  the paladin Rothian Ganorus set out to 
  explore the Deadlands and investigate the 
  resurgence of evil there. They never return. 
  7115-- The kingdom of Farland continues to 
  grow in power and expands trade with the 
  other kingdoms. 
  7143-- The Eastern alliance, led by Farland, 
  sends troops into Kelerak. After a minor 
  skirmish, Kelerak agrees to pay tribute to 
  Farland. 
  7797-- The Dark Conquest begins. Farland 
  is beset from the north and west. 
  7803-- In a brilliant strategic move, the 
  Lord of Anger attacks from the Isle of Night 
  and besieges the Far City.  
  7805-- The Far City falls. The Lord of Anger 
  kills all the senators and disbands the 
  senate. 
  7810-- The Lord of Anger disbands the 
  public dole. 
  7950-- The first great rebellion of the 
  citizens of the Far City takes place. 
  7951-- The rebellion ends in a massacre that 
  decimates the population of the city. 
  8018-- The traitor Hoth Kanus attempts to 
  invade the Far City with his legion but is 
  eventually killed. 
   
  
   
   
   
   
  118 
  Factions of Farland 
  The Crimson Lion Guard: This 
  hobgoblin legion consists of hand-picked 
  warriors, mages, and priests. They are 
  among the most powerful fighting force on 
  the continent of Farland and are almost 
  universally feared in its namesake kingdom.  
  Their sole reason for existence is to serve 
  the Lord of Wrath’s every command and to 
  protect his person. They hate the Far 
  Knights. 
  People of Pirg: War Hoth Lord Pirg is 
  one of the Cancellors of the Lord of Wrath.  
  A small creature of indeterminate race, 
  although some have whispered that he is 
  actually a gnome(!). He is assisted by a loyal 
  faction of soldiers, spies, courtiers, and 
  political operatives.  He is allied with the 
  Eye of the Wintervale and opposes the 
  Liegemen of Crassi. 
  The Liegemen of Crassi: General 
  Sumus Crassi, a scarred old centurion, is 
  another Cancellor of the Lord of Wrath.  The 
  legionnaires who served with him still 
  support him loyally, and his great wealth 
  has allowed him to hire hobgoblin and 
  human troops.  He is allied with the College 
  of Blood and opposes the People of Pirg. 
  The College of Blood: The 
  assassins’ guild of the city, this powerful 
  faction controls the criminal underworld of 
  the city and kills people for hire; it is often 
  hired by the politically powerful in the city 
  who wish their rivals destroyed.  This group 
  is allied with the Liegemen of Crassi and 
  fears the Crimson Lion Guard. 
  The Eye of the Wintervale: A 
  small but powerful group nominally led by 
  the hobgoblin assassin Bolg-gatha, it is 
  really led by the scheming archmagi 
  Khadufel the Southerner.  This group is in 
  the direct employ of the Nameless City and 
  reports back to the Cold Master.  Khadufel, 
  however, plots the overthrow of the Lord of 
  Wrath and plans to usurp power in the 
  Kingdom.  This group is allied with the 
  People of Pirg and opposes the College of 
  Blood. 
  The Way of the Claw: A 
  mysterious, apolitical group of goblin 
  monks. 
  The Far Knights: The remnants of a 
  once-proud order, this group of human 
  knights and paladins follows a strict code to 
  combat the Dark Occupation.  
  Headquartered in the wilderness near the 
  Borderhold, this weak faction seeks to gain 
  power.  They oppose the Crimson Lion 
  Guard and all evil in the kingdom.  They 
  have no known allies. 
   
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the Kingdom 
  of Farland. 
  The Great Mine and the Old Wood: 
  The Old Wood and the Ruin of the Great 
  Mine hold secrets untold.  They beg for 
  exploration. 
  Pick a side: Hoth Pirg, General Crassi, the 
  College of Blood, the Eye of the Wintervale: 
  all struggle against one another, and one 
  must emerge triumphant.  Choose which 
  side to support and join the struggle. 
  Seeking nearby knights: The Far 
  Knights serve a noble cause, but they need 
  help.  They are seeking recruits and allies.  
  Join the Far Knights or betray them. 
  The College of Blood: The College always 
  has contracts available.  Feel like 
  assassinating someone? Or maybe it’s time 
  to take down the College itself, if you can. 
  Overthrow Wrath. If the group is 
  powerful enough, they could seek to liberate 
  Farland. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  119 
  Wawmar 
  Wawmar, or Khibul-gund as it was called by 
  the dwarves, is the greatest of the five 
  legendary dwarfholds. It is known for its 
  perfectly carved tunnels, its magnificent 
  halls, its soaring archways, and its grand 
  vistas. Built in an extinct volcano, Wawmar 
  is both a nearly-impregnable fortress and a 
  wonder of engineering and architecture. 
  Constructed at the behest of King Mar I and 
  designed by the storied dwarven architect 
  Agralin, Wawmar stood for untold millennia 
  as the center of all things dwarven, 
  especially their economy. Although it was 
  originally built near the elven capital city of 
  Alustel, which later fell, the precious metals 
  of the mountain and the fine craftsmanship  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  of the dwarves who lived therein insured 
  that Wawmar would long remain a hub of 
  trade.  
  The fortress city was also the center of 
  dwarven culture after the fall of the first 
  dwarfhold Liferock. As such, every dwarven 
  trend in thought originated here and spread 
  to all the other dwarf cities on the continent. 
  Wawmar was home to one of the few dwarf 
  philosophers, the sapient Nulin, who 
  originated the idea that the love of work is 
  the differentiating characteristic between 
  the humanoid and bestial races. Advances in 
  dwarven technology invariably began at 
  Wawmar before disseminating to other 
  dwarfholds. The famous steam-powered 
  implements of the dwarves were invented in 
  the volcano city.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  120 
  Wawmar was chosen for its eminent 
  defensibility, and as the Deadlands grew up 
  around it and the Wintervale encroached 
  from the east, the fortress stood strong and 
  weathered every attack thrown against it. 
  The dwarves of Wawmar were ever safe 
  behind her great walls, yet they could sally 
  forth and attack their enemies almost at 
  will. Indeed, Wawmar was only every 
  breached once in history; alas, this 
  successful invasion, led by the Lord of 
  Greed, ousted the dwarves of Wawmar and 
  doomed the survivors to homeless 
  wandering. Now the upper halls of Wawmar 
  are empty and dark, occupied only by 
  memories and spirits. The lower halls are 
  more dangerous, for foul beings dwell 
  there… not least the deadly dragon that 
  conquered the dwarfhold. 
  Today, in the year 8170 F.R., the Lord of 
  Greed, the ancient red dragon known as 
  Axxtyklysstykor or Firefight, dwells in the 
  lower foundries of Wawmar, where he can 
  revel in the fumes and heat of the still-active 
  magma below. The upper reaches of the vast 
  fortress lie cold and quiet.  
  Unlike the domains of the other Lords of 
  Sin, Wawmar is not a populated kingdom. 
  Besides the dragon, the only other residents 
  are several companies of horrid war trolls 
  and a small population of dragonborn. The 
  war trolls are powerful giants clad in 
  specially made armor and wielding 
  greatswords or axes. The Lord of Greed, 
  ever avaricious, chooses only the strongest 
  trolls so that he can keep the numbers of his 
  guards small and thus keep their overall 
  expenses low. The dragonborn the Lord of 
  Greed grew from his own blood. They serve 
  as servants in his lowermost halls. 
  Greed supplements the defenses of his 
  kingdom by activating the dangerous traps 
  that the dwarves built long ago to protect 
  their most important and private places. 
  These traps were generally not used by the 
  dwarves as they tended to disrupt 
  commerce. This is not a problem in current 
  Wawmar, however, as the only traffic to or 
  from Wawmar is supplies born by orcish 
  merchants, many of whom do not leave the 
  volcano fortress once they pass the southern 
  gate.  
  The day to day business of the domain is 
  conducted by Greed's chancellor, the half-
  dragon half-fire giant Torm, another 
  creature grown by the Deadly Lord using his 
  own blood. Torm manages what little 
  contact Wawmar has with the other 
  occupied kingdoms. The dragon generally 
  slumbers, rarely setting forth from the lower 
  halls. However, word of the liberation of the 
  western kingdoms has begun to reach the 
  great wyrm, and he has started to stir, 
  stretching the soreness of decades of sleep 
  from his powerful wings….  
   
  Factions of Wawmar 
  The Trolls of Torm: The half-
  dragon half-fire giant Torm serves as the 
  Lord of Greed’s Chancellor. He in turn is 
  served by a large gang of heavily-armored 
  war trolls, and Spywings serve as his eyes in 
  the area outside Wawmar (for Spywing 
  statistics, see The World of Farland Game 
  Master’s Handbook). They are rivals to the 
  dragonborn. 
  The Dragonborn: Creatures grown 
  from the blood of the Lord of Greed himself, 
  a population of chromatic dragonborn 
  inhabits the lower halls of the volcano 
  kingdom of Wawmar.  Red dragonborn rule 
  the faction. They compete with the Trolls of 
  Torm, but they are favored by the Lord of 
  Greed as his own children, so the trolls don’t 
  dare attack them physically. 
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  121 
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the Kingdom 
  of Zeland. 
  Explore Wawmar: Much of the huge 
  dwarfhold lies empty, especially the upper 
  levels. The lower levels are inhabited to 
  some extent, but the lower levels are also 
  unbelievably vast.  Surely  
  Block off the Dark Deeps: Recently, the 
  servants of Greed have discovered that one 
  of the lower tunnels leads to the Dark 
  Deeps—and powerful monsters have been 
  emerging.  They have sent to Zeland or 
  Farland for a group of powerful mercenaries 
  willing to venture down and block the 
  entrance to the Deeps. 
  Overthrow Greed. If the group is 
  powerful enough, they could seek to liberate 
  Wawmar. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Chapter Four: Enemy Lands 
   
   
  122 
   
  Lands Under 
  the Shadow 
  o the East of the Gulf of Gor lies the 
  horrid domain of the White Lady, the 
  Dweller in the Wintervale.  Surrounding her 
  lands are expanses controlled by orcs.  
  Further away, she rules two hapless human 
  civilizations. These enemy-controlled places 
  are detailed below. 
   
  The Wintervale 
  This frozen land is the home of 
  the Dweller in the Vale, the master of the 
  Lords of Sin. It is a horrid land, blanketed 
  by a perpetual glacier. Only orcs and other 
  hardy races are known to naturally make 
  this land their home. East and South of the 
  Wintervale lie lands under the sway of the 
  Dweller. 
   
  The Pass of Doom 
  This high and treacherous gap in the 
  Trollheim Heights is essentially the only 
  way to the East unless one goes by ship, for 
  the Plateau to the south is blocked by 
  impassable mountains that fall into the sea. 
  The pass, however, has an evil fame, for the 
  minions of the Dweller watch it. Two high 
  fortifications, called the Talaglar or Doom-
  Spikes, stand at the narrowest section of the 
  pass, and none pass these watchful strong 
  places unnoticed. Black windows like eye 
  sockets in a skull face in all directions high 
  up on the tower, and some nameless  
   
   
   
   
  observer keeps an unceasing vigilance here 
  in this cold and windy location. Tales say 
  that the rock below the Spikes is riddled 
  with caverns and holes, and at the alien 
  sound of some immense horn a black tide of 
  trolls and all manner of other monstrous 
  denizens rushes forth to hold the pass and 
  slay or take prisoner anyone foolish enough 
  to cross without leave of the Nameless City. 
   
  The Valley of Winter 
  Beyond the Pass of Doom, which the Elves 
  used to call the Dark Pass, lies the frozen 
  expanse of the Great Glacier, a weather 
  anomaly that has thrust down from the 
  empty north like a greedy hand. This slowly 
  flowing river of ice has carved a depression 
  that spans hundreds of miles in the once 
  fertile lands, cutting as a knife through the 
  steppes and even the mountains. This ever-
  cold valley is called the Wintervale, the seat 
  of Evil in Farland and the gateway to the 
  realms that the Emperors of Farland called 
  the Enemy Lands. The Great Glacier serves 
  as a natural barrier between the Eastern and 
  Western regions, although it truly is a realm 
  of immense size in and of itself. Only 
  creatures with a natural affinity for the cold 
  make this place their home, and the evil will 
  that seems to have spawned the Glacier also 
  inhabits these beasts and monsters, 
  imbuing them with a fell and dark spirit. 
  Tribes of Frost Giants and Packs of Winter 
  Wolves prowl the ice, hunting for food and 
  seeking to do evil deeds. One of the denizens 
  of the Wintervale is feared above all others, 
  however, and the inhabitants of the 
  Dweller's Lands regard it as the spirit of the 
  Glacier. It is the gigantic and ancient ice-
  worm called Corpse-Grinder. It is unclear 
  whether the evil worm is commanded by the 
  Dweller but it does seem to leave the 
  minions of the Dweller alone. Other hapless  
  T 
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  124 
  creatures lost in the expanse of the Great Ice 
  have no such protection. 
  Besides the native creatures, it seems that 
  only peoples with the permission of the 
  Denizen of the Nameless City make it 
  through the Great Glacier and the Pass 
  unscathed, and all too often the only 
  creatures that have this leave 
  are orcs and dark folk. To the eyes, the 
  Wintervale is a huge and featureless 
  expanse of ice, curving down ever so slightly 
  towards the center of the valley. Mountains 
  and hills are visible around the perimeter of 
  the glacier that makes up the Wintervale,  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  but from the center of the Vale, these 
  mountains are lost in the distance and haze. 
  The weather on the Glacier is harsh, with 
  biting winds and howling blizzards. Below 
  the Trollheim Heights, the vale slopes 
  imperceptibly southward, and forlorn 
  travelers who survive the inhospitable and 
  unnatural environment of the Vale often 
  find themselves drawn by the path of least 
  resistance to the place they most hope to 
  avoid, to ruined towers and edifices jutting 
  up like the broken-toothed grin of a maniac: 
  The Nameless City. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  125 
  The Nameless City 
  This ruined necropolis was once a thriving 
  city whose name is now lost or unspoken. 
  The place always had an evil repute among 
  the Elves, however, and it is now more than 
  ever a reputation that is deserved, for the 
  place is in large measure truly a city of the 
  dead. Almost all of the buildings of the city 
  are in ruins, destroyed during the Battle of 
  Sorrow. This terrible place is the abode of 
  the Dweller in the Wintervale, who rules the 
  Lords of Sin from her ice tower, the 
  Frostspire. 
   
  General Information 
  About the City 
  Who Rules: Kiborus, the Cold Master, 
  chancellor of the city. 
  Who Really Rules: The Dweller in the 
  Wintervale. 
  Other Power Centers: Hoth Dorak, oluk 
  orc captain of the docks, who oversees 
  security and transport into and out of the 
  dock area. 
  Hai Urg, who secures the eastern Steppe 
  Gate. 
  Captain Khalid Hammerhand, commander 
  of the Black Fleet, who commands the 
  armada of black-sailed attack ships that 
  guard the icy harbor and serve as the navy 
  of the Wintervale. 
  Master Yen Keng, the Cold Master's wizard, 
  who heads a contingent of dark mages from 
  Yrrkune and Budum-ishi. 
  Lord Rand, tiefling leader of the importers 
  guild, who arranges the city's business 
  dealings. 
  Yellsh, goblin leader of the guild of 
  assassins, based in the south-eastern area of 
  the city. 
  Population: About 20,000 in the city 
  itself. The population is three quarters 
  orcish, with the rest consisting of other dark 
  folk. This does not include undead 
  residents. 
  Major Products: The Nameless City 
  exports nothing except war and death. 
  Armed Forces: Hoth Dorak can marshal 
  multiple thousand orcs in a quick span of 
  time, and he always has 1000 heavy oluks at 
  his command, who serve as city guard and 
  defense. The Cold Master, never trusting 
  anyone, maintains his own independent 
  contingent of highly trained oluk shock 
  troops as well as a legion of hobgoblins. The 
  undead of the city, a vast number of evil 
  wandering spirits, also can be summoned by 
  the Cold Master or the Dweller. 
  This ruined necropolis was once a thriving 
  city whose name is now lost or unspoken. 
  The place always had an evil repute among  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  126 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  127 
  the Elves, however, and it is now more than 
  ever a reputation that is deserved, for the 
  place is in large measure truly a city of the 
  dead. Almost all of the buildings of the city 
  are in ruins, destroyed during the Battle of 
  Sorrow. Some of the outer buildings in the 
  city are still functional and here the unique 
  living residents of the city dwell and work. 
  These are the Irzuk, the Red-Skinned Orcs 
  of the Vale, who are known for their large 
  noses and keen sense of smell. These 
  strange orcs are actually a breed of dark folk 
  that comes out of the spawning pits of 
  Gorug, but most have taken up residence in 
  the Nameless City, as they have a natural 
  hearty resistance to cold. Thousands of 
  these orcs swarm over the ruined docks of 
  the frozen harbor and through the streets 
  near the Eastern Steppe Gate of the city, 
  conducting the business of their master, the 
  Chancellor of the City, Lord Kiborus, who is 
  called the Cold Master. The orcs never 
  venture into the inner city, however, for 
  there the ghosts and corpses of the old 
  inhabitants of the city--and their victims--
  still walk. Lord Kiborus also holds the power 
  of command over these shadowy 
  inhabitants. 
  Hoth Dorak and Hai Urg, both dour oluk 
  orcs, serve as high general and under-
  general, respectively, of the city's armed 
  forces. These troops are tasked to defend the 
  city from external threats-- of which there 
  are very, very few for fear of gaining the fell 
  attention of the Dweller. The Hoth and Hai 
  are also tasked with keeping order within 
  the city. This latter job is where they spend 
  most of their energy, for there is much 
  intrigue and in-fighting within the city. The 
  Irzuk orcs war with the orcish immigrants 
  from the orc cities to the south, and the 
  important personages in the city (such as 
  Khalid Hammerhand, captain of the Black 
  Fleet, and Yellsh, leader of the assassin's 
  guild) are constantly scheming to kill each 
  other in order to gain the favor of the Cold 
  Master. It seems that the city's chancellor 
  encourages this backbiting, for it keeps any 
  upstarts from threatening his own power. 
  He spends his time keeping the Wintervale's 
  hold over the lands to the east and the 
  south. 
  The Dweller in the Wintervale, who is the 
  real ruler of the city, leaves its ruling, and 
  indeed the ruling of most of its subject 
  lands, to the Cold Master. She never leaves 
  her abode, the Frostspire, the sight that 
  dominates the city. The Frostspire is a huge 
  and featureless tower that rises up hundreds 
  of feet into the mists that perpetually cloak 
  the cold, damp necropolis. The tower is 
  indeed made of pure, translucent ice, ice 
  that seems impervious to the hottest fires, 
  for this spike resisted all attempts by the 
  Leagued Armies to destroy it. There is only 
  one visible means of access to this horrible 
  structure--a great dark opening like a 
  toothless maw that gapes, doorless and 
  seemingly unguarded, in the base of its 
  western face. An intractable, bitter cold 
  emanates from this tower, blanketing the 
  city in a layer of snow and ice that never 
  melts. Here, deep within her frozen tower, 
  the Dweller's hooded eyes are turned ever 
  west. Her attention is bent on the remaining 
  Lords of Sin and the freed kingdoms of 
  Farland. She will stop at nothing to 
  reconquer them. 
   
  The Cold Master 
  Kiborus Fabius of Farland became a 
  vampire in the year 7260 F.R. He was a 
  warrior-priest in the Far City in Farland, but 
  he secretly harbored dark desires in his 
  heart. The Walker knew this and decided to 
  test him: he sent a spirit to possess him and 
  the spirit made Kiborus abduct and murder 
  a young girl. Although he was under the evil 
  spirit's control, in his heart of hearts 
  Kiborus enjoyed the deed. Thus, he failed 
  the test. To punish him, an ancient Vampire 
  named Crimson was sent to visit him. After 
  years of servitude, Kiborus slew his creator 
  and found service with The Dweller in the 
  Vale. This Dark Ruler sent him to Daven to 
  recruit The Lord of Gluttony. He slew the 
  then-king of Daven, Dakor V. He later 
  made Saithith. After instructing Saithith 
  about his new undeath state and how to be a 
  
   
   
   
   
  128 
  successful vampire, Kiborus left. Finally, the 
  eminent vampire took up residence as the 
  Chancellor of the Nameless City. 
  Lord Kiborus is an average-looking bald, 
  bearded man. His beard is neatly trimmed, 
  and his baldhead gleams. He has pale, shiny 
  skin, but can easily pass for human in less 
  than perfect lighting. His eyes are 
  remarkable, however; they are violet in 
  color and sparkle with a horrible silver light. 
  He rarely shows the fangs that pass for his  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  canines. Kiborus dresses in rich black garb 
  of velvet, cut in a timeless style, and he 
  wears a diamond at his throat. At first 
  glance, this combination puts one in mind 
  of a priest. The former warrior-priest of 
  Heshtail (now a priest of Vornoth) is very 
  polished and mannerly in his speaking, but 
  he has a fiery temper and is quick to anger. 
  When he flies into a rage, he is murderous. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  129 
  Irzuk Orcs 
  Irzuk orcs are a sub-breed of orcs. They are 
  the Red-Skinned Orcs of the Vale, who are 
  known for their large noses and keen sense 
  of smell. These strange orcs are actually a 
  breed of dark folk that comes out of the 
  spawning pits of Gorug, but most have 
  taken up residence in the Nameless City, as 
  they have a natural hearty resistance to cold. 
  Irzuk tend to be more industrious than 
  other orcs, though their industriousness 
  does not quite get to the level where it rivals 
  that of the oluks. These orcs are also quick 
  tempered, and their strength tends to be 
  fueled by their rage. 
   
  Orc Cities 
  The cities of Gorug and Haigrog, or Orc-
  haven, are the two ancestral cities of the orc 
  race. For many thousands of years these 
  cities have existed, mostly as crude 
  settlements, and they have been sacked and 
  burned numerous times, and as many times 
  by orcs as by other races. Until the victory of 
  the Wintervale approximately 350 years 
  ago, the Dweller periodically used nearly 
  every resident of the cities in the perpetual 
  Western Wars, which the orcs called the 
  Wars of Orc-Pain, and as such the 
  communities remained crude and barbaric. 
  After the Dark Conquest, the denizens of 
  these two cities were left in relative peace, 
  which they promptly used to wage war on 
  each other. Neither city was interested in 
  decimating its population in reckless 
  onslaughts, however, and as such they 
  turned to solutions that were subtler, at 
  least for orcs. The Oluk leaders of Gorug 
  developed a secret breeding plan, to create 
  specialized orcs and dark folk to completely 
  and totally serve the bellicose purpose to 
  which they are assigned. For example, 
  the Irzuk or trackers were bred here. The 
  Oluk race was also changed, crossed with 
  trolls, to create a race of regenerating super-
  warriors called the Bazok. 
  A cross between the largest Oluks and trolls, 
  Bazoks look like gigantic (7 1/2-foot-tall) 
  orcs with thick muscles and green, warty 
  skin. They only obey Oluk orcs, whom they 
  have been taught to respect since birth, and 
  will destroy any other humanoid that 
  annoys them, if Oluks are not present to 
  restrain them. They even hate trolls, 
  although they fear them. They have no 
  culture, and are generally kept locked in 
  pens between fights. Bazoks are just smart 
  enough to resent this. 
  The Denizens of Orc-haven, on the other 
  hand, cultivated the ability to create 
  machines and engines of war. They created 
  devices to hurl fire and rock long distances, 
  devices to use against infantry, and gigantic 
  self-propelled towers to scale walls. In the 
  process of this strange arms race, these two 
  cities developed something of a culture rare 
  among orcs, even in the conquered and 
  more civilized lands. They each developed 
  ruling classes and even written histories and 
  plans. The ruling caste of Gorug is the Leg-
  Breakers and the ruling tribe of Orc-haven 
  is the Red Fangs, and both of these clans are 
  responsible for the written records of their 
  city. Luckily for the rest of Farland, and 
  perhaps even for the Wintervale, the 
  perpetual strife between these two cities 
  retards their cultural and military progress, 
  and both cities are still under the sway of 
  the Nameless City and still provide troops if 
  they are called upon to do so.  
   
  Cadocia and 
  Human Lands 
  Dominated by the 
  Enemy 
  Frigid Cadocia to the north is a land that is 
  nearly civilized. Indeed, trade and currency 
  are possessed by the Eskimo-like Cadocians. 
  These folk subsist through hunting, 
  gathering, and fishing, and they have 
  developed seaworthy ships to hunt whales. 
  
   
   
   
   
  130 
  Most of the Cadocians live in small 
  communities that move to follow the food 
  source, but there are two cities in the land, 
  although both are small. Majutenos boasts a 
  population of some 5000, which swells in 
  the summer. Laipedos is the second largest 
  town, with a population of 2000. The 
  Cadocians send tribute to the Nameless City 
  and are ruled by its representatives. The 
  average Cadocian wants nothing more than 
  to be left alone by the brutal agents of the 
  Vale to live his life in peace. 
  Along the Eastern coasts of the area called 
  Yrrkune live oriental peoples that call 
  themselves the Kunese. These peoples are 
  somewhat barbaric, although they have two 
  small cities, Guang and Shonmi. They 
  willingly serve the Wintervale and even 
  worship the Dweller as a god, along with 
  Vornoth, whom they call Sodring. While 
  these people have not been allowed to 
  develop a full culture, they still have certain 
  facets of their civilization that are notable. 
  They believe above all in honor, and they 
  will do their utmost to fulfill any oath they 
  take, even to the extent of committing 
  suicide if they fail. 
  South of the Greatwall Mountains is a huge 
  continent called Eruna, full of wild, dark-
  skinned humans and all manner of beasts 
  and monsters. The dweller has sent agents 
  into these lands too, but he by no means 
  holds sway, except in the city of Budum-ishi. 
  This community, built in a fertile river-
  valley, consist of men with light brown skin. 
  This city is ancient indeed, and it once held 
  sway over a civilization that encompassed 
  the entire area in which it is set. Now this 
  ancient place is all that is left. The people 
  of Budum-ishi revere their ancestors and 
  build for them great tombs and monuments, 
  sacrificing many slaves by walling them up 
  alive within the crypts. They worship gods 
  with the heads of animals, the Lord of 
  whom is Vornok-ka, or Vornoth, pictured as 
  a man with the head of a bat. As a people, 
  they are concerned with dark and ancient 
  secrets and magics of all sorts. Because orcs 
  and barbarian folk are not skilled in this 
  area, the wizards who of old used to provide 
  support for the dweller's shock troops came 
  from this region. The infamous Khadufel the 
  Southerner, the wizard who belongs to The 
  Eye, hails from this town. 
   
  Factions of the 
  Wintervale 
  The Slaves of the Cold 
  Master: The Cold Master rules the 
  Nameless City, on behalf of the Dweller in 
  the Vale, from his Iron Citadel.  Always 
  suspicious, he keeps a highly-trained strike 
  force of oluk orcs and a legion of hobgoblin 
  troops in his fortress.  He also commands 
  his vampire spawn and the evil spirits of the 
  Inner Ruin.  He is mighty indeed, yet he 
  treats his position as precarious, and 
  encourages in-fighting among all of the 
  factions of the city in order to keep any 
  political rivals at bay.   
  The Black Fleet: Captain Khalid 
  Hammerhand controls the fleet of black-
  sailed warships that serves the Nameless 
  City.  Ostensibly reporting to the Cold 
  Master, the human captain plays both sides 
  against the middle, so to speak.  His 
  allegiances change on a regular basis.  
  Currently, he opposes the Assassin’s Guild 
  and is allied with the Dark Mages and the 
  Importers’ Guild. 
  The Red Orcs of Dorak: The 
  powerful orcish general Dorak controls the 
  dock area of the city and manages the goods 
  that pass into and out of the city.  He is 
  served by legions of red-skinned Irzuk orcs. 
  He opposes the Dark Mages and is allied 
  with the Assassins’ Guild. 
  The Assassins’ Guild: A powerful 
  faction of orcs, goblins, kobolds, and other 
  evil monsters, this group is led by the goblin 
  Yellsh, whose looks bely his power.  This 
  group supports the Red Orcs and opposes 
  the Black Fleet. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  131 
  The Importers’ Guild: This faction 
  is made up primarily of hobgoblins, orcs, 
  and tieflings.  It is led by the canny tiefling 
  Lord Rand.  They oppose the Red Orcs and 
  support the Black Fleet. 
  The Dark Mages: This group of evil 
  wizards from Yrrkune and Budum-ishi is led 
  by the archmagi Yen Keng, himself a human 
  who hails from Yrrkune.  Theoretically 
  serving the Cold Master, this group of 
  mages views to increase its political power 
  in the City and in all the lands controlled by 
  the Dweller. They are allied with the Black 
  Fleet and oppose the Red Orcs. 
     
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the 
  Wintervale and the Nameless City. 
  Gone rogue: The guardian of the Great 
  Glacier—the dreaded Corpse-Grinder—has 
  stopped obeying the commands of the 
  Nameless City.  It now attacks the allies of 
  the Dweller as well as her enemies.  The 
  reason for this must be discovered, and 
  Corpse-Grinder, too valuable to the Dweller 
  to destroy, must be saved.  
  The cult of the Yrrkune: A cult has 
  arisen among the Dweller’s subject people, 
  the Yrrkune.  This cult worships an 
  unnamed god of chaos and not Vornoth.  
  This is unacceptable.  This cult must be 
  destroyed, root and branch. 
  Aid the fleet. A ship from the Black Fleet 
  has gone missing in the Gulf of Gor.  
  Captain Khalid needs some intrepid sailors 
  to find the ship. 
  Investigate the Inner Ruins: The center 
  of the Nameless City is a ghost-haunted 
  ruin, but the Dark Mages have detected a 
  mysterious source of power among the 
  Ruins. They need the source located and 
  explained. 
  Assassinate the assassin: Someone 
  from the Cold Master’s fortress has put out 
  a contract on the head of Yellsh himself. 
  Who has the skill to kill the deadly goblin? 
  Kill the Cold Master: The vampiric Cold 
  Master is secure in his Iron Citadel, and he 
  rules the subjugated human lands for the 
  Dweller.  He needs to die, but only the brave 
  and powerful need apply. 
  Slay the Shadow: Only a group at the 
  absolute peak of power could even consider 
  venturing into the Frostspire and 
  attempting to end the threat of the Dweller 
  in the Wintervale once and for all. 
  
  Chapter Five: Culture and 
  Society 
   
   
  132 
   
   
   
  Societal Details 
  he societies of Farland have 
  developed unique calendars, 
  languages, and cultural details which are 
  detailed below. 
   
  Calendars of 
  Farland 
  Each race and geographical location has its 
  own method of keeping track of time. The 
  first two categories refer to the human 
  kingdoms (the Eastern Lands consist of 
  Farland the Great, Zeland and Orland, and 
  the West consists of Kale, Kelerak and 
  Daven.) Of course the demi-human races 
  have their own calendars. All races except 
  the goblinoids use a twelve-month calendar 
  and a thirty-day month. Every second year 
  there is a 10-day period, a sub-month, 
  tacked on to the end of Vornos to make up 
  for a calendar deficit that stems from the 
  faulty Aelfarian calendar system. This sub-
  month is called Tanaros and is sacred to the 
  Druidic dual god. In the West, it is simply 
  called Holiday, as many people (those who 
  can afford it) spend the time celebrating and 
  shirking societal restrictions. The next 
  Tanaros occurs at the end of 8171 F.R. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Days 
  of 
  the 
  Week 
  Eastern Western 
  Elven 
  Dwarven 
  1st 
  Wedae 
  Westday Celebaer 
  (silver) 
  Angwan 
  2nd 
  Khamdae Eastday 
  Thinaer 
  (grey) 
  Borwan 
  3rd Hoarmdae Northday 
  Finaer 
  (red) 
  Azwhan 
  4th 
  Amdae 
  Harpday 
  Calaer 
  (white) 
  Gimwan 
  5th 
  Suildae 
  Seaday Glorfinaer 
  (gold) 
  Thelwan 
  6th 
  Dwardae 
  Dogday 
  Glinaer 
  (bright) 
  Thorwan 
  7th 
  Radae 
  Southday Morthaer 
  (dark) 
  Khulwan 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  T 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  133 
   
  Month 
  Elven 
  Dwarven 
  1st 
  Aeglal (Snow) 
  Marin 
  2nd 
  Valsal (Storms) 
  Haudin 
  3rd 
  Sulheral (Wind) 
  Khuldin 
  4th 
  Sulimal (Breath) 
  Rhalin 
  5th 
  Artanal (Flowers) 
  Balhalin 
  6th 
  Idrilal (Light) 
  Dundin 
  7th 
  Maural (Heat) 
  Bundin 
  8th 
  Naural (Fire) 
  Mithrin 
  9th 
  Silial (Moon) 
  Dhurlin 
  10th 
  Yavekal(Fruit) 
  Khallin 
  11th 
  Undomal(Twilight) 
  Thetin 
  12th 
  Vornal (Darkness) 
  Wawin 
   
   
  Common Holidays: Midsummer, 
  Harvest, Yule (25th of Belos), Dark Eve 
  Falling (12th of Vornos), New Year’s (1st of 
  Kantalos). 
   
   
  Currencies of 
  Farland 
  Before the founding of the civilization of 
  Aelfar, there was no standard currency. 
  Each kingdom that rose and fell with the 
  ages minted its own coin, of its own size and 
  value, and whether any of these ancient 
  kingdoms honored the currency of any other 
  was a hit or miss proposition. Aelfar, 
  however, revolutionized currency when it 
  standardized the value of coins, and it 
  refused to deal with any kingdom that did 
  not use coins of similar size, shape, and 
  value. The kingdom and later Empire of 
  Farland adopted this policy, collecting, 
  melting down, and reminting any non-
  standard coins. Over hundreds of years, this 
  policy led to a standardization of coinage 
  across almost the entire continent. Seeing 
  the economic value in doing so, even the 
  Elves, the Dwarves, and the Enemy in the 
  East adopted these standard coins. 
  Thus, almost all coins in the land are either 
  platinum pieces, gold pieces, silver pieces, 
  copper pieces, or tin pennies (a mix of 
  copper and tin). The standard currency of 
  everyday use is the silver piece. 
  This means that DMs and players should 
  convert the standard pricing of items, 
  goods, and services to the silver standard. 
  When the price in the SRD is given in gold, 
  in Farland it should be read as silver. 
  Similarly, silver should be read as copper, 
  and copper should be read as tin pennies. 
  Thus, if a longsword is listed as costing 15 
  gold pieces in the player's handbook, in 
  Farland, its cost will be 15 silver pieces. 
   
  Month 
  Eastern 
  (human) 
  Western (human) 
  1st 
  Kantalos 
  Kalt 
  2nd 
  Neltalos 
  Nelt 
  3rd 
  Thrantos 
  Thros 
  4th 
  Bestalos 
  Besel 
  5th 
  Heshtalos 
  Hest 
  6th 
  Janoros 
  Jans 
  7th 
  Reeanos 
  Reos 
  8th 
  Flamgos 
  Flame 
  9th 
  Calbros 
  Cabos 
  10th 
  Dekkos 
  Dekkos 
  11th 
  Belos 
  Belos 
  12th 
  Vornos 
  Darkenmonth 
  
   
   
   
   
  134 
  The Relative Values of 
  the Standardized Coins 
  100 SP = 1 PP 
  10 SP = 1 GP 
  1 SP = 1 SP 
  1 SP = 2 EP 
  1 SP = 10 CP 
  1 SP = 100 TP 
  Individual kingdoms have managed to 
  assert their individual character on the 
  names they give their coins. 
   
  The Names of each 
  Kingdom's Currency 
   
  Farland (historical) 
  Platinum: Sumus 
  Gold: Aurus 
  Silver: Denatus 
  Electrum: Torenus 
  Copper: Denondus 
  Tin: Sestus 
  Daven 
  Platinum: Zutilfermar 
  Gold: Gildenmar 
  Silver: Silkermar 
  Electrum: Ekermar 
  Copper: Kunfermar 
  Tin: Halnkunfermar 
   
  Kelerak 
  Platinum: Sovereign 
  Gold: Angel 
  Silver: Crown 
  Electrum: Moon 
  Copper: Noble 
  Tin: Penny 
  Zeland (historical) 
  Platinum: Plunt 
  Gold: Gleat 
  Silver: Sceating 
  Electrum: Teaning 
  Copper: Croat 
  Tin: Pennig 
   
  Orland (historical) 
  Platinum: Coorun 
  Gold: Peze 
  Silver: Rael 
  Electrum: Elli 
  Copper: Senti 
  Tin: Trochito 
   
  Kale 
  Platinum: Aquer 
  Gold: Leever 
  Silver: Soo 
  Electrum: Toller 
  Copper: Biegier 
  Tin: Fioller 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  135 
  Elven 
  Platinum: Alu ("God Coin") 
  Gold: Cora ("Honey Coin") 
  Silver: Alfan ("Swan Coin") 
  Electrum: Trest ("Steed Coin) 
  Copper: Nar ("Arrow Coin") 
  Tin: Arta ("Flower Coin") 
   
  Wawmar (historical) 
  Platinum: Burg ("Mountain Piece") 
  Gold: Zogol ("Hammer Piece") 
  Silver: Aglaz ("Anvil Piece") 
  Electrum: Hilz ("Mushroom Piece") 
  Copper: Haraz ("Harp Piece") 
  Tin: Korz ("Pig Penny") 
   
  Occupied Kingdoms and 
  Enemy Lands 
  Platinum: Dugskark 
  Gold: Ronk 
  Silver: Skark 
  Electrum: Ukskark 
  Copper: Glob 
  Tin: Uk 
   
   
  Languages of 
  Farland 
   
  Only fifteen main languages exist in 
  Farland. The human kingdoms speak a total 
  of four languages, many of which are 
  derived from the speech of Old Aelfar 
  (which originally derived in part from 
  Elven) mixed with the language of the 
  primitive tribes who lived in the space to 
  which they migrated. They bear some words 
  in common, but are different for the most 
  part. The Farlandish tongue is the most 
  widely used human tongue and is most 
  likely to be understood by humans in 
  Farland. It is something of a common 
  tongue. 
   
  1. Farlandish (Great Speech) (Speakers of 
  Farlandish can make an INT check with a 
  DC of 10 to understand Kingdom Common. 
  They must make this check once per 
  encounter.) All humans use the Aelfarian 
  alphabet. 
  2. Kingdom Common (Zeland, Orland, 
  and the Halflings) (Speakers of Kingdom 
  Common can make an INT check with a DC 
  of 10 to understand Farlandish. They must 
  make this check once per encounter).  
  3. Kalish (Kale) (Speakers of Kalish can 
  make an INT check with a DC of 10 to 
  understand Kelevan. They must make this 
  check once per encounter).  
  4. Kelevan (Kelerak and Daven) (Speakers 
  of Kelevan can make an INT check with a 
  DC of 10 to understand Kalish. They must 
  make this check once per encounter)  
     4a. Anarian (Barbarian tongue of the 
  Northern Wastes)  
  5. Dark Speech (orcs, goblinoids, trolls, 
  ogres, kobolds, gnolls, and other monsters).  
     5a. Dark Speech, Secret (old Dark 
  Speech)  
  6. Khazdun (Dwarven-- hill and mountain, 
  both only slightly different). Hill Dwarves 
  can make an INT check with a DC of 5 to 
  understand Mountain Dwarven and vice 
  versa. They must make this check once per 
  encounter. Hill uses the Mithaud alphabet, 
  and mountain uses the Wawmar alphabet; 
  both are runic. Speakers of Dwarven can 
  also understand Dark Dwarven with an INT 
  check DC 15. Dwarven is never taught to 
  non-dwarves. 
  7. Tendenarrish (Gnomish) Speakers of 
  Gnomish can understand Dwarven with a 
  DC 15 INT check and vice versa. 
  8. Dark Dwarven (the language of 
  Duergar and Derro and other related beings 
  of the Dark Deeps.) Speakers of Dark 
  Dwarven can understand Dwarven on an 
  Intelligence check DC 15.  
  9. Elven (Elven, called Altarian or High 
  Speech, uses the Elwar alphabet.) Speakers  
  
   
   
   
   
  136 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  of Elven can make an INT check with a DC 
  of 15 to understand Farlandish. They must 
  make this check once per encounter. Elves 
  can also understand Dark Elven with a DC 
  10 check. 
  10. Mordularian (Dark Elven) Dark Elves 
  can understand Elven with an Intelligence 
  check DC 10. They must make this check 
  once per encounter.  
     10a. Dark Elven Hand Speech  
  11. Undercommon  
  12. Dragon (Good dragons make an INT 
  check DC 10 to understand the dialect of evil 
  dragons and vice versa). 
  13. Fairy (related to Elven. Speakers of 
  Fairy understand Elven with an INT check 
  DC 10).  
  14. Old Speech (language of most good or 
  neutral monsters, with slightly different 
  dialects).  
  15. Undersea Common  
     15a. Undersea Dark Speech 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Dark Speech, the language of orcs, has 
  gradually come to be spoken by nearly all 
  evil monsters. Dark Speech is something of 
  a common tongue in the occupied lands.  
   
   
  Proverbs and 
  Sayings of Farland 
  Many are generally attributed to the famous 
  Sage and Wizard Seldorius of Farland, who 
  long ago disappeared into the mists of time. 
  Some are folk wisdom. 
  • 
  Do not ask an elf for advice, for he will 
  say both yes and no. 
  • 
  Where the warg howls, the goblin 
  prowls. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  137 
  • 
  All roads lead to the Far City. 
  • 
  None but an elf should ask a gnome for 
  advice, lest old age overtake him. 
  • 
  Speech and song are food and drink for 
  Elves, gold and silver are food and drink 
  for dwarves. 
  • 
  Halflings have but half the height and 
  strength of a man; they also have but 
  half the rashness and vice. 
  • 
  Better to bundle up against the Great 
  Glacier than to try to melt it with fire. 
  • 
  Aelfar was mighty, but it too fell. 
  • 
  Better to try to outlive an Elf than to 
  change a Dwarf's mind. (Also: Better to 
  try to outlive an Elf than outdrink a 
  Dwarf.) 
  • 
  Men are like the grasses on the plains; 
  they bend with the wind but rarely do 
  they break. 
  • 
  The Nameless City is nameless for a 
  reason. 
  • 
  Elves are doomed; man makes his fate. 
  (Also: Long is the life of an Elf, but 
  doomed; short is the life of a man, but 
  free.) 
  • 
  When in Orc-haven, look to meet Orcs. 
  • 
  Even the Northern barbarians know of 
  the might of Farland. 
  • 
  Leeches and poultices do not appease 
  Grlarshh. 
  • 
  The trees, grass, and even the stones 
  remember the Elves. 
  • 
  The night belongs to the Walker, but it 
  was not always so. 
  • 
  Long are the legs of men. 
  • 
  A man or orc may choose to dwell where 
  an elf or dwarf would fail. 
  • 
  Famine and plague kills as surely as orc 
  with fire and blade. 
  • 
  Reality is a splintered mirror, reflecting 
  back myriad similar yet different 
  reflections. 
  • 
  Slave to an orc or slave to a man, it's 
  slavery no matter how you slice it. (An 
  old Kelerak saying). 
  • 
  Even in Elven vales, winter must come. 
  • 
  Where there is hope, there is life... and 
  need of victuals. (An old Halfling 
  saying.) 
  • 
  One is made wise, yea wiser, through the 
  experience of dusky sorrow more than 
  from the experience of ethereal joy. 
  • 
  An elf who has heard the call of the 
  seagull will tarry no longer under the 
  trees. 
  • 
  Sharpen your axe today, for there may 
  be orc skulls to cleave tomorrow. (An old 
  dwarven saying) 
  • 
  Great is the power on the hearts of the 
  greedy of treasure long brooded over by 
  a dragon. 
  • 
  True is prophecy, but more true is 
  human will. 
  • 
  An angry dwarf has the wits of an orc, 
  and the might. 
  • 
  Any way you slice him, a man is still a 
  man. 
  • 
  You can judge a creature by his scars. 
  (Orcish proverb; Also: The scars make 
  the man).
  
  Chapter Six: Non-humans of 
  the Light 
   
   
  138 
   
   
  Good Non-
  human 
  Societies 
  umans have generally resisted the 
  Shadow in the East, although some 
  human societies have served her, willingly 
  or unwillingly.  These human cultures have 
  been detailed in the chapters “Freed 
  Kingdoms” and “Occupied Kingdoms,” as 
  well as in the chapter “Enemy Lands.” But 
  several non-human cultures exist on the 
  kingdom of Farland, they are dwarves, elves, 
  gnomes, and halflings; these demi-humans 
  have generally fought against the Shadow. 
  They are detailed below. 
   
   
  Dwarven Society 
   
  Characteristics 
  A dwarf is a humanoid standing somewhere 
  between 4 and 5 feet tall, generally with a 
  long beard, and with a great degree of 
  strength and physical endurance. They also 
  usually have a hardy resistance to cold and 
  heat. Moreover, they often dwell 
  underground at a depth ranging from 
  shallow caves to miles below the surface 
   
   
   
   
  Dwarves mature slightly later than humans 
  and are considered young until they are 50. 
  They live about 350 years. A mountain 
  dwarf is typically around 4 1/2 to 5 feet tall 
  and weighs around 150 to 170 pounds. Hill 
  dwarves typically stand 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall 
  and weigh about 150 to 160 pounds. 
  Females are essentially the same height as 
  the males, although they tend to weigh 
  slightly less.  
   
  Varieties of Dwarves 
  There are several different types of dwarves. 
  Other races have classified them according 
  to the following schema: Mountain 
  Dwarves, Hill Dwarves, Dark Dwarves 
  (Duergar and Derro), and Deep Dwarves. 
  Dwarves classify themselves as their kind, 
  and all other dwarves. For example, 
  Mountain Dwarves call themselves by a 
  Dwarven word meaning "We-Dwarves," and 
  they call all other dwarves by a Dwarven 
  word meaning "them-kin." This article shall 
  be concerned primarily with the description 
  of Mountain and Hill Dwarves, as they are 
  the most common types of dwarf, and the 
  most easily understood by humankind. 
  Mountain dwarves refer to themselves as 
  "Khazak." They prefer humans to call them 
  "Dwerrow." They dislike the name "Dwarf," 
  as it is a name that humans give the 
  Dwarves in reference to themselves. Their 
  hair shades are white, silver, brown, or red. 
  Rarely, it is even blond. Their skin is light. 
  Mountain dwarves claim they are the first 
  dwarves and all other dwarves are 
  descended from them. 
  Hill dwarves also call themselves "Khazak," 
  although they prefer humans to call them 
  "Dwamok." Their hair is generally black, 
  H 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  139 
  gray, or brown. Often, they are bald, 
  although their beards remain lush 
  throughout their life. Their skin is tan, 
  ruddy, or swarthy. These differences are 
  primarily cosmetic; culturally and 
  biologically, there is little difference 
  between Hill and Mountain dwarves. They 
  both speak slightly different varieties of 
  Dwarven, however (they come from the 
  same original language and are still closely 
  related). But they do use different 
  alphabets: Hill Dwarves use the Mithaud 
  Alphabet, and Mountain Dwarves use the 
  Wawmar runes. 
   
  History 
  Dwarven history is fairly tragic. The 
  dwarves, once a numerous race, have 
  declined over the span of their long history. 
  The dwarves hold that the Maker, Khuldul 
  Rockcarver, originally created them from 
  the Heartstone of the Legendary Mt. 
  Creation. Khuldul made five fathers and 
  their mates. Thus, originally there were only 
  10 dwarves. These five fathers are: Walin 
  Greatfather, Mar the Unassailable, Kan 
  Sharpaxe, Bri Khazakdelver, and Khim the 
  Wanderer. The names of their mates are 
  either not recorded or closely kept by the 
  dwarves. Dwarves divide their history into 
  five vast periods, one for each of the five 
  Peoples. The first four (which have already 
  occurred) are: The Time of Peace and 
  Learning, The Time of Fortification, The 
  Time of Waning, and The Time of 
  Wandering. The fifth is yet to come, and is 
  not agreed upon by all dwarves. Some 
  believe that the Fifth Time, which they call 
  The Time of Renewed Inheritance, will see 
  the dwarves once again flourishing safe in 
  their ancestral holds. But others say the 
  Fifth Time shall be called the Time of 
  Passing and shall see an end to the 
  dwindling Dwarven race. 
   
   
  The Time of Peace and 
  Learning 
  Dwarves record the Great awakening in the 
  Holy Cavern beneath Mt. Creation as 
  occurring nearly 19,000 years ago. They 
  have had civilization of their own unique 
  kind for nearly that long, thanks to the 
  teachings of Khuldul himself (they also 
  learned much from the Elves, although they 
  are loath to admit it). Walin Greatfather 
  lingered in the caverns of Mt. Creation, 
  founding the original Dwarven kingdom of 
  Liferock. Sometime in this early period, a 
  branch of dwarves inexplicably became dark 
  and evil and fled deep underground. They  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  140 
  would not emerge for another 3000 years. 
  The hold of Liferock was the only dwarf 
  fortress in existence for the next 5000 years. 
  The clans of the other fathers either shared 
  the vast halls of the Original Kingdom or 
  they lived in shallow above ground caves 
  and villages; those dwarves not claiming 
  space in Liferock were nomadic. 
  The next span of time was something of a 
  golden age. The dwarves freely traded with 
  and learned from the Elves, and they 
  developed their own secrets of mining and 
  metallurgy. The dwarves aided the Elves in 
  the first Great War, the Battle of the Sarum. 
  When dwarves first awoke, there were no 
  evil creatures in the world, and the first evil 
  creatures to appear, mostly primitive orcs 
  (called Gorgs), were weak and disorganized. 
  Thus, Liferock was designed with function 
  and aesthetics in mind, not with defense. 
  Originally it had no gates. After the rise of 
  Rothnog, however, Liferock was secured as 
  well as its design would allow. 
   
  The Time of Fortification 
   
  A true dwarf-hold or fortress did not come 
  into existence until the founding of Kibil-
  gund ("Silver-caves," in reference to 
  mithril), called Wawmar by the elves. This 
  mighty fortress was to dominate the 
  Dwarven culture for millennia. And after the 
  fall of Liferock, at the Battle of Thunder 
  Pass, Wawmar stood as the only bastion of 
  Dwarven Society in what was otherwise a 
  Dark Age for the rest of the Dwarven 
  peoples. The Khazak of Wawmar were also 
  an invaluable help to the Elves of Alustel 
  during the Drow Wars. And eventually the 
  wandering Clans, envying Wawmar's riches 
  and stability, founded their own smaller 
  holds. Mithhaud, Khallin, and Dorlhaud 
  each came into being and flourished in their 
  turn. They fought mostly against the evil 
  servants of the Walker, but also against men 
  and even other Dwarves; yet throughout this 
  time, the mighty fortifications of the 
  Dwarves stood them in good stead. 
  The Time of Waning 
  Almost 2000 years ago, the fortunes of the 
  Dwarves began to decline. Dorlhaud, the 
  last to be established, was the first 
  dwarfhold to fall. It succumbed to an 
  alliance of several marauding human 
  kingdoms. And while Wawmar was able to 
  attack the kingdoms and avenge the evil 
  deed, the damage had been done; the 
  legendary impregnability of the dwarfholds 
  was gone. And in the face of the Growing 
  Darkness, impenetrability was exactly what 
  the dwarves needed. The hold of Khallin was 
  the next to perish. It fell to a dragon under 
  mysterious circumstances; whispers of 
  dwarf betraying dwarf were heard in the two 
  remaining Greatholds. The refugees of these 
  two Fortresses fled to Wawmar and Mt. 
  Silverload, or else they attempted to 
  establish new homes in caves or villages. Yet 
  the dispossessed could find no solace, for 
  Mt. Silverload capitulated to an army of 
  Orcs and fell beasts. Wawmar, ever the 
  mightiest of the keeps, withstood the tide of 
  evil the longest. Only under the evil power 
  and influence of the Lord of Greed, was this 
  stronghold lost. 
   
  The Time of Wandering 
  Thus, as of approximately 7800 F.R. 
  (approximately 18,500 years since the Great 
  Awakening), the dwarves are homeless 
  wanders. Clans and families roam the 
  highlands and plains, ever seeking regress 
  for past wrongs, or reclamation of lost halls. 
  It is a hard life; the dark folk do not forget 
  past hurts from Dwarven axes, and they too 
  ever seek regress and vengeance. It is a sad 
  plight, and perhaps the last stand of a noble 
  people. 
   
  Societal Structure 
  Dwarven society is traditionally very 
  regimented. Dwarves generally arrange 
  themselves into Nations, Clans, Families, 
  and Hearths. Nations are the broadest 
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  designation. A Dwarven Nation, for 
  example, the dwarves of Kibil-Gund, is the 
  Khazak that live in or around a particular 
  Dwarfhold. The five nations originally (or 
  supposedly) corresponded with the five 
  clans of the Fathers, but over time all claim 
  to direct descent from the clan of an original 
  Father has apparently been lost. Alien 
  dwarves residing in, and eventually 
  becoming citizens of, a particular Dwarfhold 
  has confounded the genealogists. Even 
  today, in the Time of Wandering, dwarves 
  still feel themselves a part of a nation 
  (corresponding to their lost ancestral 
  home), sundered and exiled though that 
  nation may be. 
  Clans are the next broadest designation. 
  Clans are groups of dwarves that share a 
  common (usually famous) ancestor. The 
  clan is indeed named after this ancestor. For 
  example, a mountain dwarf clan from 
  Khallin is named after the famous Nuris 
  Glitterjewels, who discovered one of the 
  veins of rubies that made the hold of Khallin 
  wealthy. Everyone in the Glitterjewel clan 
  can claim some relation (however remote) 
  to Nuris. 
  Families are the subset beneath clans. A 
  family consists of all dwarves who are 
  obviously related. This includes distant 
  cousins, great uncles, and so forth. A new 
  clan is created when a member of a family 
  becomes famous in some respect. Suddenly 
  members of the famous dwarf's family 
  become very interested in keeping track of 
  their relation to the ancestor as far back as 
  genealogies will allow. Dwarves being very 
  careful with genealogies, the family enlarges 
  and becomes a clan. All of the same-sex 
  members of a family tend to practice the 
  same profession. Thus, one family will be 
  the blacksmiths for a dwarfhold, another the 
  coopers, etc. 
  The final, most intimate group to which a 
  dwarf belongs is called the hearth. The 
  hearth consists of those dwarves who 
  literally share a common fire. Thus, a hearth 
  only consists of immediate family and 
  relations. Hearths rarely consist of more 
  than three or four members. 
  These are the four main groups that make 
  up Dwarven society. Obviously that society 
  is very ordered and regimented. Dwarves 
  never forget their groupings, and they 
  generally remember the groupings of most 
  other dwarves with whom they are familiar. 
  These groupings do not take into account 
  other, less important assemblages to which 
  every dwarf is liable to belong. These other 
  groups include guilds, clubs, military 
  affiliations, and so forth. 
   
  Dwarven Language 
  and Dwarven Names 
  Dwarves are secretive about everything, but 
  about their language and names they are 
  especially reticent. In fact, dwarves refuse to 
  reveal their "given-names" to any but 
  another dwarf whom they trust. Every dwarf 
  has another name, derived from an ancient 
  human language, that they use when dealing 
  with others. Names like Fundin and Dralin 
  are not given-names, but rather "use-
  names." Originally the names that are now 
  considered Dwarven where derived from the 
  ancient Barbarian tribes who made their 
  homes near the Kelerak Mts., where 
  Liferock was located. When dwarves found 
  it necessary to deal with humans, they 
  simply adopted the first human names they 
  came across. The stubborn dwarves then 
  kept the same lexicon of names for 
  millennia, reusing them for every 
  generation, while the actual human names 
  evolved and changed over time. Thus, 
  humans now think of these names as 
  particularly "Dwarven," when in fact they 
  were originally Northern Barbarian names. 
  Dwarves also eventually take a "surtitle" 
  when dealing with non-dwarves. This 
  surname is different for every individual, 
  and it derives from a distinguishing 
  characteristic of the dwarf or from a deed 
  for which the dwarf is known. Thus, 
  dwarves become Fundin Northammer, Tili 
  Longbeard, or Thuldin the Fallen. Since 
  dwarves tend to be similar in appearance, 
  manner, and bearing, and they tend to have 
  an affinity for the same actions, surtitles like 
  
   
   
   
   
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  "Longbeard", "Quickaxe", and "Deepdelver" 
  abound. The only dwarf known to have 
  revealed his real name was the Lord of 
  Pride, Thuldin the Fallen. When he 
  converted to the service of the Vale, he 
  revealed his Given-name to the world. 
  Scribes record it as being Razaghân. 
  Dwarves are also secretive about 
  their language (which is called Khazdun). 
  They always learn the languages of the other 
  residents in the area, in order to trade and 
  interact with them. They never willingly 
  teach Dwarven to a non-dwarf. Therefore, 
  little is known about Dwarven. 
   
  Dwarven 
  Craftsmanship and 
  Love of Natural 
  Resources 
  Dwarves are master craftsmen because they 
  are naturally gifted in this area and because 
  they work extremely hard. They generally 
  apprentice for more than twenty-five years 
  in their chosen craft. Dwarves create items 
  of superior quality, both functionally and 
  aesthetically, and they tend to create them 
  faster than other races. Dwarves are 
  fascinated with things that they create 
  through their own works, and this 
  fascination permeates their culture. Thus, 
  craftsmen are highly honored in Dwarven 
  society; this explains the predominance of 
  craftsmen in that society. Only rarely does a 
  dwarf not know some craft. And honored 
  most of all craftsmen are the smiths. 
  Dwarven metal work, arms, and armor, are, 
  of course, prized throughout Farland. 
  The Khazak can also claim supremacy as 
  architects and builders. Only the grandest 
  works of Elven architecture have rivaled the 
  structures of the dwarves. When working 
  underground in the stone they love, the 
  dwarves have created halls and 
  constructions of unsurpassed strength and 
  scale. Wawmar is the prime example of this. 
  Indeed, Dwarven architecture is evident all 
  over the world, from the famous Dragon 
  statue in Dragonspur City to the Ferrian 
  Gates of the Far City. 
  A little-known fact about dwarves is that 
  they originally preferred not to work in 
  precious metals, but in rock and iron. They 
  saw these materials as akin to their own 
  inner nature: strong, resilient, and tough. 
  Indeed, many dwarves hold that these are 
  the materials that Khuldul used to create 
  dwarves. Only when the dwarves first 
  encountered the elves and saw the beauty of 
  their silver and goldsmithing did they 
  become obsessed with precious metals for 
  the artistic and monetary value of these 
  items. Eventually they surpassed the elves 
  in precious metalsmithing. Unfortunately, 
  some dwarves became obsessed with these 
  items only for their monetary value, losing 
  all site of their true aesthetic worth. This is 
  the curse of many dwarves, and one that is 
  actively resisted by the wise in Dwarven 
  society. 
   
  Interaction with Other 
  Races: Warcraft and 
  Trade 
  Dwarves have two primary interactions with 
  those of other races. They fight with them, 
  or they trade with them. 
  When it comes to war, the Dwarves are 
  relentless. They resolutely and mercilessly 
  attack their foes, fighting until they win or 
  are slain. They do not ask for surrender, and 
  they rarely accept it. Dwarves pour their 
  hearts into the fight and do not mourn until 
  the dead are counted. Dwarves are 
  extremely well equipped during war. They 
  favor heavy armors, greaves, and full helms. 
  Because they prefer close combat and do not 
  employ cavalry, these types of armaments 
  are very necessary. Dwarven armor is 
  usually not adorned, but their shields and 
  helms often are. Their shields are usually 
  marked with some sort of rune, which 
  allows the fully covered dwarf to be 
  recognized by other dwarves during the 
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  battle. The Dwarven great helm is shaped 
  like the head of a hideous beast or monster. 
  It often has a colorful plume on top. All 
  these accoutrements make a battle-ready 
  dwarf an intimidating sight. 
  The battle tactics of the dwarves bear out 
  this impression. Dwarves prefer an offensive 
  attack. Their aggressive weaponry reflects 
  this: they favor axes, crossbows, mattocks, 
  hammers, and maces. They prefer to attack 
  silently and in an extremely compact 
  formation, breaking into song or giving a 
  war cry when they meet the foe toe-to-toe. 
  They believe in concentrating their robust 
  heavy infantry into an attack at the center of 
  the foe's forces, hoping to capture the 
  enemy leader and ruin the opposing army's 
  morale. Crossbowmen serve as artillery and 
  uses their less aggressive weapons to protect 
  the rear. Axemen bearing throwing axes 
  move alongside the heavy infantry, 
  protecting the flank from annoying cavalry 
  with abortive countercharges or hails of 
  hurled axes. Belying their ruthless frontal 
  assault, the careful flank and rear-guard 
  units reveal the actual regimented order of 
  the Dwarven battle strategy. Another 
  regiment of Dwarven warriors, those 
  "Touched by Khuldul," who are in actuality 
  berserkers or Battleragers, never fight with 
  the main army. They are not welcome, nor 
  do they wish to join the regular ranks. 
  Instead they always attack at will, rushing 
  forth ahead of the troops to slaughter or be 
  slaughtered. 
  The dwarves are indeed fearsome warriors; 
  the only drawback to the military prowess of 
  the Khazak is their lack of numbers. Not 
  even in the Time of Fortification could they 
  be called truly numerous, and their 
  unwillingness to retreat takes its toll on 
  Dwarven armies. Dwarves prefer to bury 
  their dead under stone cairns, but if this is 
  impractical, then they will burn their fallen 
  dwarves on great pyres. 
  As much as Dwarves commit themselves to 
  combat, they prefer a more peaceable 
  interaction with non-dwarves. Trade is the 
  most common form that this interaction 
  takes. During their hey-day, Dwarves set-up 
  long and profitable trade routes with the 
  human and Elven kingdoms, exchanging 
  their crafts for food and textiles; Dwarves 
  prefer not to grow their own food, but can if 
  they must. Dwarves are shrewd hagglers 
  who revel in any deal that involves valuables 
  or money, and their steady flow of crafted 
  goods requires strong markets for them to 
  turn a profit. Of course, the current 
  situation in Farland exacerbates the poverty 
  of the wandering Dwarves, since strong 
  markets are rare. 
   
  Dwarven Lifestyle 
  The Dwarven life is very regimented and 
  ordered. Almost every activity that a dwarf 
  undertakes is work or directed towards 
  working. When a dwarf studies or reads, he 
  is hoping to learn something useful that will 
  make him more efficient at his chosen 
  profession, be it smithing, fighting, or 
  mining. When a dwarf eats, he is nourishing 
  himself so that he can get much 
  accomplished tomorrow. Dwarves believe 
  that a very orderly (and full) schedule leads 
  to the greatest efficiency. Thus, the lawful 
  aspect of the Dwarven alignment is directly 
  related to their work ethic. They are lawful 
  and orderly in large part due to their love of 
  and belief in hard work. Dwarves have no 
  word for "vacation" in their language; the 
  closest word they have is "boredom," it is 
  said. 
  Dwarves do enjoy sports and contests, 
  which are one of their few forms of 
  recreation. They are poor runners, but 
  wrestling and feats of strength abound in 
  their culture. These contests can be found at 
  both religious and secular rituals. Still, 
  dwarves approach these challenges as they 
  do their work: doggedly. They compete until 
  they are honorably defeated or until they 
  reach exhaustion (which takes a very long 
  time). 
  When it comes to the particular details of 
  Dwarven lifestyle, each dwarf nation and 
  clan differs significantly. For example, some 
  dwarves trim their beards, some allow them 
  
   
   
   
   
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  to grow freely, some braid them, and some 
  adorn them. Some dwarves identify 
  themselves through colored hoods or cowls, 
  often with face flaps to hide their identities, 
  while other dwarves use clan Rune-symbols 
  to make themselves known. Some dwarves 
  prefer bright, solid hues for their clothes, 
  while others like dark, drab colors. There 
  are, however, some details particular to the 
  lifestyle of nearly every dwarf. Because of 
  their fondness for crafts and craftsmanship, 
  most dwarf clothing is well made and 
  carefully accented with worked borders and 
  crenellated trim work. Dwarf-lords 
  invariably wear even nicer garments, and 
  often add silver or gold tassels to the peaks 
  of their hoods or helmets. 
  Many similarities in Dwarven lifestyle are 
  forced on them by the situation of 
  wandering in which they find themselves. 
  Dwarves used to prefer a wide variety of 
  food, with a preference for meat. Because of 
  their long and successful trade routes, a 
  Dwarven table might have been laden with 
  Kalish Port, Zelandish Brandywine, Kelerite 
  pork, Farlandish beef, as well as other 
  assorted sundries. Now, out of necessity, the 
  Dwarven diet consists mostly of that meat 
  that they can easily catch, vegetables that 
  they can gather, and mushrooms, which 
  they have become particularly adept at 
  growing. 
  Dwarves have also become more warlike as 
  a race, because they must. They tenaciously 
  defend their homes, clans, and hearths, 
  fighting even harder than was their wont. 
  They have also gained some small rudiment 
  of woodcraft. For these reasons, the Dark 
  Folk have often skirted wide the Dwarven 
  camps. When they do go to attack them in 
  mass, they usually find that the dwarves 
  have moved on, continuing their ceaseless 
  wandering. 
  Another large part of Dwarven life that is 
  common to all dwarves, and which is only 
  indirectly related to working, is their 
  fondness for music and song. Dwarves will 
  sing when doing nearly any task. They raise 
  their rich baritone voices in song while 
  hammering at the forge, walking down the 
  long trail, or cleaving orc skulls in the midst 
  of battle. When they are taking their 
  relaxation, they join their voices with 
  instruments. Because of their short fingers, 
  they prefer percussion instruments, flutes or 
  horns. They are nor concerned with variety 
  of instruments in their music, but rather 
  they take pleasure in in distinctions of 
  straightforward, simple tones. Dwarven 
  lords often undertake the arduous task of 
  learning and playing the harp. As such, this 
  instrument is reserved only for dwarves of 
  noble blood, and a non-noble playing a harp 
  is a punishable offense. But the voice 
  remains the instrument of choice for 
  dwarves. While they are not as talented in 
  music as elves or even humans, the 
  Dwarven love of song is unwavering, and 
  their works do often have a strange and 
  frugal beauty. 
   
  Dwarven Magic and 
  Runes 
  Dwarves only have two common types of 
  magic: priestly magic and rune magic (there 
  are Dwarven wizards who deal in non-rune 
  magic but they are rarer). In general, 
  dwarves tend to distrust magic. Dwarves do 
  not really consider priestly magic to be 
  "real" magic, but rather Khuldul reaching 
  out his arm to directly affect the world. But 
  the other type of magic is magic indeed. 
  Runes, which adorn many Dwarven 
  weapons, tombs, and dwellings, were 
  invented by Dwarves. Indeed, the human 
  word "rune" comes from the original 
  Dwarven word runemar, meaning "mark of 
  power." Indeed, basically all Dwarven 
  magical items owe their magical power to 
  one or more runes (visible or invisible) 
  somewhere on the item. The details of the 
  creation of Dwarven Runes of power are 
  highly secret. Some dwarves maintain that 
  they were the first race to create magical 
  items and that all other races copied them. 
  While this is unsubstantiated, Dwarves were 
  certainly the first to use runes and all other 
  runes in existence likely stem in some 
  manner from these runes. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  145 
  Dwarven Women 
  Dwarf culture values women as much as it 
  does men, if not more so.  Dwarf ladies can 
  make their voices heard in the halls of the 
  king the same as can dwarf lords.  Dwarven 
  wives have just as much say in a dwarven 
  household as do dwarven husbands.  
  Dwarves are not particularly fecund, 
  however, and a larger-than-expected 
  proportion of dwarven women prefer 
  women or are asexual. For these reasons, 
  dwarves have struggled to maintain their 
  numbers even in the best of times. 
  Hill dwarf women have short beards, 
  although mountain dwarf women do not, 
  and some non-dwarves have trouble telling 
  the women from the men. For these 
  reasons, the legends of dwarves being 
  birthed from gems are still rampant in many 
  parts of Farland. 
   
  Dwarven Religion 
  The religion of the dwarves is conservative 
  and mysterious. Dwarves can be quite 
  superstitious, and their rituals have 
  remained the same since the first period. 
  For example, the dead are always buried in 
  stone, never in a lesser substance like dirt. 
  When conditions prevent the ritual building 
  of a cairn, the dwarf is burned on a pyre. 
  Another example is the Dwarven view of 
  earthquakes: the Khazak believe that an 
  earthquake, unless it is disastrous, is the 
  result of the honest and powerful laughter of 
  Khuldul, which is so "true" that it shakes the 
  earth. Thus, earthquakes are a cause for 
  rejoicing and feasting. 
  Religion is the only area where the traces of 
  philosophy even enter into the working 
  dwarf's life. Dwarves worship only two 
  Gods, although they do not deny the 
  existence of other gods. The Dwarven gods 
  are Khuldul Rockcarver, Lord under the 
  Celestial Mountain, and his 
  Chamberlain Dhurli Ironbeard. Every 
  central belief that dwarves hold revolves 
  around the character of these two gods and 
  their creation of the Five Nation-Clans. As 
  such, Dwarves revere the number "5" as 
  fundamental and even sanctified, because it 
  relates directly to the creation of the 
  Dwarven race. This concept spawns the idea 
  that each Clan is a lineage with a common 
  spirit that imbues the dwarves and ties them 
  together. In a sense, the Dwarves look upon 
  their race as parts of five greater souls. They 
  revere their ancestors above all other things 
  except Khuldul and Dhurli, and believe that 
  the living soul of their kindred resides in 
  each Dwarf-King; ancestor worship is a 
  large part of Dwarven religion. 
  The church itself is very structured. Indeed, 
  the church of Khuldul used to be, in the time 
  before the Lords of Sin, the center of 
  Dwarven life. The church, extremely 
  ordered in past days, has managed to retain 
  much of its structure. The order of the over-
  all church, called Odin Khuldl Os Uri, is 
  arranged in a five-part structure. The first 
  three parts, representing the Church of the 
  Overgod Khuldul, are called "Khuldul's 
  Flame," "Khuldul's Stone," and "Khuldul's  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  146 
  Blood." They respectively represent the 
  bellicose, fiscal and legal, and ceremonial 
  divisions of the church. The church of 
  Dhurli Ironbeard is a sub-church of 
  Khuldul's church and is called "Khuldul's 
  Brother." This church has its own internal 
  structure. It is arranged into two divisions, 
  with titles which, in Dwarven, mean "Holy 
  Pick" and "Holy Axe." The church of Dhurli 
  is famous because it holds the duty of 
  appointing those Dwarves who, besides the 
  king, control matters of justice in a dwarf 
  community. Eight High Priests (called the 
  Holy Conclave) are responsible for 
  appointing the 99 Ceremonial Judges of 
  Khazakim. These 99 Judges are a fixture of 
  every dwarfhold, handling religious disputes 
  and court cases concerned with everyday 
  customs of living. Of course, the Judges 
  answer ultimately to the King. Finally, there 
  is one more group that attaches itself to the 
  church of Dhurli, although it is not officially 
  recognized by the church (perhaps because 
  its admittance would break the sacrosanct 
  "fiveness" of the church). This group is the 
  "Dealers of Justice," fanatical berserkers 
  and warrior outcasts loyal to the laws of 
  Dwarven society. They seek a life of war in 
  the name of Dhurli. 
  Dwarves have many hold days, rituals, and 
  religious practices. Some of these hold days 
  consist of: every fourth day, full moons (All 
  Forges Eve), Soulforge Gathering (every 
  four years), Eclipses, and New Year’s. Some 
  ceremonies (whose details are remarkably 
  similar among all the kindred) include: Un 
  Kyldin (All Forges Eve), Os Oodin 
  (Soulforge Gathering), Dy Oindin 
  (Consecration of Hearths), Un Auldin (All 
  Gem's Glow), Os Oodin, Os Tholus (Day of 
  Seeking), Ceremony of Axes, Beard 
  Decorating Ritual, and Os Tholus (New year 
  Gathering). These ceremonies all have 
  different specifics, but the Ritual of Singing 
  and prayer, practiced at Os Tholus, is a good 
  example of a Dwarven ritual. The dwarves 
  involved in this ritual sit in a large circle. If 
  there are enough dwarves present, they sit 
  in five concentric circles. They then began 
  intoning and singing after their fashion, 
  accompanied by a drum player or group of 
  players. Their sacred drum is a form that 
  consists of rawhide attached to wood. The 
  drum was made of ornate stone or metal in 
  the past, but now, due to the nomadic 
  lifestyle forced upon the kindred, most 
  tribes use intricately carved wood as a 
  medium for their drums. This ritual is used 
  to honor Khuldul, Dhurli, and the ancestors, 
  as well as praying for luck or strength in the 
  year to come. 
  The dwarves have two holy months, Khuldin 
  (3rd Month) and Dhurlin (9th Month). They 
  have many holy days and celebrations 
  throughout the calendar. 
  Of course, song and music is a large part of 
  Dwarven religion as it is a large part of their 
  lifestyle. The following is an example of a 
  Dwarven burial song, in this case sung for a 
  Khazak named Tili. 
   
  The night is black, the sky is blotted out, we 
  have left the holds of our fathers, 
  And Tili has returned to the Maker. The 
  light becomes dark, 
  The night and again night, the day with 
  sorrow tomorrow 
  For Tili has returned to the Maker. 
   
  The Old Ones have passed away, their 
  homes are the stones far off, below,  
  Their spirits are laboring free. Where are 
  their spirits laboring?  
  Only the Maker knows, or the passing 
  wind. 
  And Tili has returned to the Maker. 
   
  Are they below, the Old Ones? Are they 
  here? 
  Do they labor warm by his forge, do they 
  see our offering? 
  Tomorrow is naked and empty, for Tili has 
  gone 
  He is no longer seated with us at our fire. 
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  147 
  The following song, repeated over and over 
  again, is present in many Dwarven 
  ceremonies and rituals. 
   
  King under Mountain 
  King of Kings 
  From the depth of stone we call 
   
  Heed our song 
  Fill our hearts 
  In the name of Walin Greatfather we call 
   
  Speed our hammers 
  Guide our axes 
  As from the dusty plains we call 
   
  For ahead is the test 
  Plentiful times are past 
  In the name of Walin Greatfather we call. 
   
  Uniqueness of Farland 
  Dwarves 
  There is one major thing that makes the 
  dwarves of Farland different than the 
  Dwarves found on other worlds. The 
  modern dwarves of Farland are currently 
  nomads. They have no ancestral holds left 
  and nowhere to currently call home. While 
  some clans may have created temporary 
  holds in caves or towns, these dwellings are 
  pale shadows of their former homes. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Elven Society 
   
  Characteristics 
  The Elhil, or elves, as humans call them, are 
  a tall and beautiful race. Elhil (singular 
  Elhan) can stand over six feet tall, especially 
  the males, and some rare individuals have 
  been much taller. While generally similar to 
  humans in appearance, elves have defined 
  features, fair faces, and beautiful speaking 
  and singing voices, making them attractive 
  to other races. Elhil have pointed ears, no 
  facial hair and very little body hair. Most 
  Elhil have brown hair, although many have 
  red, black, or blond hair, with some rare 
  individuals displaying naturally silver hair. 
  Head hair is lush and baldness is unknown 
  among Elhil. Elhil are also resistant to many 
  diseases that affect lesser races. The 
  individual elf tends to be slimmer than most 
  humans and is not given towards the same 
  type of brute strength that is often found 
  among men. 
  The eyes of the Elhil are preternaturally 
  sharp, and they can see quite well in dim 
  and even dark conditions. They are also 
  adept at spotting things normally not 
  noticed by other races, such as secret doors, 
  creatures at a distance, and signs of 
  approaching danger. Their ears are equally 
  sharp, allowing them to catch sounds that 
  other races would miss. 
  Unlike men and other races, elves don’t 
  sleep. Instead, for about four hours each 
  night they enter a sort of trance that they 
  call "the reverie," a type of hallucination 
  during which they remain awake but in 
  which they "walk in the halls of memory." 
  Elhil are not completely insensate during 
  the reverie, but are less likely to notice 
  danger. They rest for the remaining four 
  hours of the night, but remain fully awake 
  and alert. During this rest time, they may 
  stand guard or study spells or something 
  similar but may undertake no strenuous 
  activity. 
  
   
   
   
   
  148 
  All elves except drow speak Altarian, "High 
  Speech." Drow speak Mordularian. 
  Once Elhil reach physical maturity, which 
  they achieve at about the same age as 
  humans, they cease to age, making them 
  effectively immortal. The burdens and cares 
  of the world, however, gather on the 
  shoulders of the Elhil until they eventually 
  find it unbearable and seek to set sail for 
  Faerie, the mystical land of Elvenhome that 
  is said to lie across the Western Seas. The 
  final journey is a popular topic for poems,  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  like An Elhil Song of Longing. 
  Male elves stand between 5'8" and 6'3" 
  (with some taller) and tend to weigh 
  between 140 and 190 pounds. Female elves 
  stand between 5'6" and 6'1" feet tall and 
  weigh between 100 and 150 pounds.  
   
  Varieties 
  All Elhil on Núrion descend from the same 
  race, the Tinnurim, or "those who awoke in  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  149 
  Twilight." Out of this race are descended 
  four main groups in Farland: 
  the Altarim "High Folk," 
  the Ranarim "Sundered Elves," 
  the Galan "Glimmer Elves" and 
  the Dulim "Dark Folk" or "Drow." Of these 
  races, only the Drow are substantially 
  different, having long ago adapted 
  themselves to life in the dark caverns and 
  deeps. These Elhil are nearly as tall as their 
  surface brethren and tend towards ebony 
  skin and white or silver hair. They hate the 
  light of the sun and avoid it at all costs, but 
  it is said that their hearts are filled with 
  malice and envy towards their surface kin. 
  Their dark ways are best left to a further 
  treatise. 
   
  Altarim  
  The Altarim are the sub-race traditionally 
  thought of by the rest of Farland as Elves 
  (though few other races know enough to 
  distinguish Ranarim and Galan from 
  Altarim). The Altarim of the Belendale live 
  in bower-communities or tree-top fletches 
  scattered throughout the vast woodland. 
  Though technically ruled by the Galan of the 
  Summervale, they are a free-spirited and 
  independent people who are satisfied to 
  spend their centuries in the Hinterlands 
  tending their forests and gardens. They are 
  equivalent to High Elves from the D&D 5e 
  SRD. 
   
  Galan (Glimmer Elves) 
   
  The capital of the Elhil is the 
  hidden Summervale, or Gloralion in High 
  Speech. It is the very antithesis of the heart 
  of evil in Farland, the Wintervale. The Elhil 
  named it thus to signify the undying 
  opposition of good to evil. This secret city is 
  the home of the Galan or "Glimmer Elves." 
  Dwelling so close to the Holy Swan of the 
  Elhil, the Galan have basked in its magical 
  energies for millennia, and it has changed 
  them. They have grown more high-minded 
  and proud than the typical Elhil; their 
  concerns are no longer so much for the 
  forests and the open skies that are beloved 
  of the rest of their race; they care most for 
  the pursuit of knowledge and the attainment 
  of aesthetic perfection. Galan can muster 
  the light of the Holy Swan that shines within 
  them to help them influence others or to 
  determine the correct decision to make.  
   
  Ranarim (Sunder Elves) 
  The Ranarim are an extremely isolationist 
  group of Elhil. They have dwelt in their 
  protected forest, the Luvam Wood, for 
  millennia, cutting off all contact with other 
  races, even other Elhil. In fact, their race has 
  dwindled down to a small group of stiff-
  necked Elhan, and time has left their sub-
  race behind. It seems that their race is 
  basically fading away. Indeed, the Ranarim 
  have become masters at hiding. Recently, 
  however, a splinter-group of Ranarim have 
  come to view this isolationist policy as 
  counter-productive, and this group, against 
  the orders of their leaders, have re-
  established limited contact with the Elhil of 
  the Belendale. Some of these Ranarim 
  separatists have even appeared as diplomats 
  and adventurers in the liberated kingdoms. 
  Ranarim are equivalent to Wood Elves from 
  the D&D 5e SRD.  
   
  History 
  Elhil history is long and storied. The Elhil 
  awoke at the dawn of the world, and they 
  are said (at least by their own historians) to 
  be responsible for teaching 
  both magic and speech to the other races. It 
  is true that the Elhil are particularly 
  talented at both. The Elhil originally dwelt 
  in the great forest called the Sarumvest, at 
  the foothills of the Khazak Mountains. Their 
  capital city was Alustel, nestled on the 
  shores of the great lake Aelnin where dwelt 
  the Holy Swan Alfain. 
  While the humans fought to climb out of 
  barbaracy, the Elhil developed a society to 
  
   
   
   
   
  150 
  rival any ever to be in Farland. Of much 
  help in this respect was Talkana 
  Moondaughter, who was said to be the most 
  beautiful and one of the most talented Elhil 
  who ever lived. Her disappearance is 
  lamented by the famous bard Galdin 
  Palantar in the Lay of Talkana Silumiel. 
  Then came the sundering and the continual 
  wars with the Wintervale, and finally the 
  slaying of the Holy Swan; the Elhil knew 
  that their time in the Sarumvest was nearing 
  a close. Eventually the humans did create 
  their own civilization, Aelfar; their resiliency 
  and adaptability made it a powerful one. 
  After the Elhil mistakenly slew the King of 
  mighty Aelfar, they were driven from the 
  Sarumvest and forced to undertake the 
  Great Migration, settling in the even vaster 
  Belendale, which they called Ardaranel, 
  "Great Wood." In that place they 
  founded Gloralion, the Summervale, named 
  to signify their self-proclaimed and undying 
  opposition to the Wintervale and all it 
  represents. 
  There they prospered, timelessly living 
  while the changing ages of men brought new 
  kingdoms and new wars. The Elhil even 
  strove to shepherd what they saw as the 
  lesser races, establishing the great Talranuil, 
  or Shadow Walkers, a peacekeeping force of 
  Elhil rangers. Using their magic and an 
  artifact called The Stone of Silence, the Elhil 
  were long successful at this task. 
  But ultimately, the Dweller in the Vale 
  succeeded where it had long failed, 
  somehow using powerful magic to create 
  Seven Deadly Lords, each representing what 
  the human Church of Heshtail saw as a 
  deadly sin. These lords wielded great power, 
  commanding all evil creatures in their 
  domains with a "dark will," an extension of 
  the evil will of the Night Walker himself. 
  Slowly Farland was conquered, and the Elhil 
  were forced to adopt a policy of isolation, 
  even more complete than their formerly 
  separationist attitude. They closed their 
  borders, slaying any and all that entered the 
  green-leafed Belendale. Soon the Elhil 
  became a memory to the men of Farland 
  and a curse on the lips of the humanoid 
  conquerors. 
   
  Heroes 
  Out of the long march of years came several 
  heroes revered by the Elhil. It is true that 
  the Elhil revere all of the warriors and 
  maidens that contribute to the peace of the 
  Elhil, but a few are honored above all. 
  Two from the recent past are Menelrim 
  Kelthalantar ("far-returner"), who brought 
  the line of the white Swan back to the 
  Hinterlands but was slain by fire giants, and 
  Palanthar, the founder of the Shadow 
  Walkers. 
  Menelrim is credited with saving the society 
  of the Elhil in the Hinterlands after their 
  forced migration across the continent. He is 
  one of the few Elhan ever to have returned 
  from Faerie, and he brought back two eggs 
  from the line of the Holy Swan Alfain. With 
  the return of their symbolic birds, the Elhil 
  regained once again the will to remain in the 
  Hinterlands, which had been wavering. 
  Menelrim was a great fighter and sorcerer, 
  but was nonetheless a humble Elhan. 
  Having spent time in Faerie in the halls of 
  Tal-Allustiel, he shone with an 
  unquenchable inner radiance. The golden-
  haired Menelrim served again as king of the 
  Elhil for a brief span of time after his return 
  from Elvenhome, but he abdicated the 
  throne in favor of his son, who had ruled in 
  his absence, in order to journey abroad in 
  the Hinterlands and help the Elhil cause. 
  This great hero was not undefeatable, 
  however, as he fell in combat and passed 
  forever from the ken of the Elhil of Farland. 
  Palanthar, a dark haired Elhan who 
  glimmered with the radiance of the swans, 
  was known for his stoicism. Perhaps this 
  was because he accepted his doom. His 
  mother is said to have prophesied: 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  151 
  He will wander long in twilight 
  Forever guarding, never resting  
  And a mighty legacy will result from his 
  suffering  
  As a great field of wheat springs from the 
  fallen grain. 
   
  The prophecy predicted both the founding 
  of the Talranuil, the Shadow Walkers, and 
  Palanthar's ultimate fall. Few Elhil, 
  however, did as much for the race as 
  Palanthar. 
   
  Societal Structure 
  Outsiders would see Elhil society as near-
  anarchy. This term is, however, 
  inapplicable, as Elhil almost never commit 
  crimes or do things to harm society, for they 
  see what the long-term results of such 
  behavior are, and they must consider their 
  own good a century from now. The rulers of 
  the houses, as well as the King in the 
  Summervale, are almost entirely concerned 
  with outside threats rather than internal 
  problems. This situation, however, has 
  made the Elhil particularly vulnerable to the 
  historical situations in which they have 
  faced internal strife and even civil war. 
  When this occurs, it is usually because of the 
  rare Elhan that proudly craves power. 
  The Elhil either live in small family units or 
  in communities, much like humans. Elhil 
  society is structured around "houses," 
  extended family units and relations. An 
  Elhan generally identifies himself to other 
  Elhil by his house. For example, an Elhan 
  might say, "Greetings, I am Valanduil of 
  House Cirana." (Elhil generally have a 
  Doom Name that they keep private as well). 
  Houses do tend to be arranged in a 
  hierarchical social order, although the 
  structure of that hierarchy is rough at best. 
  The prestige of Elhan houses is bases on 
  many factors; the foremost factors are what 
  age the house is, what age the elders of the 
  house are, whether the elders of the house 
  have ever been to the gardens of Melim, and 
  whether one or more elders of the house sit 
  on the Elhil council that meets during the 
  Grand Meet of Elhil. In most cases, 
  communities of Elhil are led, or rather 
  directed, by the eldest Elhan of the highest-
  ranking house. Most Elhil do not see the 
  position of their house as personally 
  derogatory, as these positions are fluid, and 
  the Elhan knows that the positions will 
  change with the passing of the years. For 
  these same reasons, Elhil tend not to 
  denigrate other Elhil who are members of 
  houses that currently have a lower social 
  rank. Moreover, it is often difficult to tell 
  exactly which house is socially "lower," as 
  generally only the position of the highest 
  house is clear. There are also rare cases, 
  however, where kin-strife has occurred 
  because of inter-house prejudices. These 
  situations are usually squelched firmly and 
  quickly, although not violently, by the elders 
  of the top-ranking house. The farsighted 
  attitudes of most Elhan make these conflicts 
  nearly unheard of. 
  Elhil society has few to no jails and no 
  beggars. To a human, it seems like a utopia, 
  and indeed, it is, in a way. Yet there are 
  things that mar the perfection. First, there is 
  the practical reality of the Dark Occupation. 
  The human lands are threatened, and thus 
  so are the tracts of Elhil forests. The elves 
  must spend much of their energy on 
  defense, limiting the amount of time that 
  they can spend on the primarily aesthetic 
  activities that give their life meaning. 
  Second, there is a pervasive sadness 
  inherent in Elhil society. Above all things, 
  elves hate change; indeed, they tend to 
  resist it at all costs. Because they are so 
  permanent and basically unchanging 
  themselves, Elhil value things that have the 
  same characteristics. Trees and stone 
  structures, as well as imperishable works of 
  art, are among their favorite things. The 
  elves recognize, however, that the rest of the 
  world changes at a rate with which they 
  cannot keep pace, and that they are 
  marching towards an inevitable change, as 
  predicted by the prophecy. Some have even 
  called the elves embalmers, and this view 
  has some merit. These critics contend that 
  much of the good that the Elhil have done, 
  
   
   
   
   
  152 
  such as stopping human wars and fighting 
  the Wintervale, has really been out of a 
  desire to prevent change rather than a 
  desire to do good. As to the truth of this last 
  claim, who can say? 
   
  Crafts 
  The elves are skilled craftsman rivaling 
  the dwarves in everything except stonework. 
  Unlike the Khazak, however, the Elhil do 
  not value work for its own sake. They 
  recognize that work is necessary, and the 
  farsightedness of the Elhil make them lay 
  the groundwork for their future comfort by 
  working when they must. Few Elhil are 
  passionate about work. Why, then, are the 
  Elhil such skilled craftsmen? The answer to 
  this can be found by considering what the 
  Elhil are passionate about: art and 
  aesthetics. An Elhan is unsatisfied in any 
  labor unless he has created a beautiful work. 
  An Elhan will not stop practicing or laboring 
  until he has truly created a piece of artwork. 
  Given the amount of time that Elhil have to 
  practice their chosen craft, it is not 
  surprising that even the most mundane 
  items are intricate and beautiful. Moreover, 
  the Elhil view an item's utility as part of its 
  natural beauty; therefore, a decorative but 
  poorly functional item would not be 
  aesthetically pleasing to an Elhan. The 
  object must look good and work well. While 
  Elhil are skilled at nearly all crafts, as 
  mentioned above, they are especially good 
  metal workers, clothiers, painters, poets, 
  sculptors, and builders. An artifact made by 
  Elhil craftsmen is usually recognizable 
  instantly, because it likely has a delicate and 
  unique shape, intricate detailing, and 
  superb functionality. 
   
  Interaction with Other 
  Races 
   
  Elhil have not always been as isolationist as 
  they are now; indeed, they are driven to this 
  racial policy by the realities of the Dark 
  Conquest. This outlook, however, does not 
  seem to be entirely foreign to the Elhil 
  mindset. While looking on most other races 
  benignly, there has always been an air of 
  aloofness and sometimes even superiority in 
  the elven attitude. The Elhil themselves are 
  split on this issue. While most Elhil agree 
  that the vast age, experience, and abilities of 
  Elhil necessitates that they see the world in 
  a unique fashion that often leads to a feeling 
  of aloofness, some Elhil maintain that these 
  qualities do not make the Elhil a better race 
  than men or dwarves. It only means, these 
  Elhil argue, that they are a different race, 
  and it is the duty of each race to use its gifts 
  to make the world a better place (perhaps by 
  halting changes for the worst). Other elves, 
  however, claim that the superiority of the 
  elves is apparent, and while they would 
  never seek to exploit this innate advantage, 
  it is natural to recognize it. This remains a 
  point of contention among the Altarim. 
  Relations between elves and men have been 
  somewhat rocky in the past, ever since the 
  elves of Alustel accidentally slew the king of 
  Aelfar. The kingdom attacked the elves, 
  driving them from their homeland. The 
  Elhil have done their best to forget this 
  blight on their history, but many say that 
  humans are to blame for the current state of 
  the world because they drove the Elhil to a 
  point where they could no longer keep 
  watch on the Wintervale and react in a 
  timely fashion. 
  Elves and dwarves have also experienced 
  friction in the past. Dwarves and Elhil have 
  never openly engaged in warfare against 
  each other, but the tension has run high 
  between the two races in the past. 
  Elves hate orcs and goblinoids of all sorts 
  and will kill them on site. The anger of the 
  Elhil is especially heated when it comes to 
  orcs. Some races have marveled at this, 
  noting the special measures to which the 
  elves go to slay and punish orcs. The elves 
  refuse to reveal the reason for this deep-
  seated animosity. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  153 
  For the most part, elves possess a great 
  store of wisdom and tend to get along well 
  with the races with which they choose to 
  interact, with the exceptions noted above. 
  This is not to say, however, that Elhil are 
  perfect or infinitely wise. Elhil have been 
  known to show great streaks of 
  stubbornness and pride. The legendary and 
  infamous Lord Cirock of House Aradune is 
  one clear example of this fact. Certain Elhil 
  have even been over-curious, even about 
  Dark secrets, and some few Elhil have been 
  hungry for power. But while many Elhil 
  possess some trace of these flaws in their 
  hearts, save perhaps the last two, their 
  wisdom usually constrains them to display 
  these characteristics infrequently. 
  The Ranarim are different from the Altarim, 
  which the above discussion addresses. The 
  Sundered Elves are an extremely isolationist 
  group of elves. They have dwelt in their 
  protected forest, the Luvam Wood, for 
  millennia, cutting off all contact with other 
  races, even other Elhil. In fact, their race has 
  dwindled down to a small group of stiff-
  necked Elhan, and time has left their sub-
  race behind. It seems that their race is 
  basically fading away. Recently, however, a 
  splinter-group of Ranarim have come to 
  view this isolationist policy as counter-
  productive, and this group, against the 
  orders of their leaders, have re-established 
  limited contact with the elhil of the 
  Belendale. Some of these Ranarim 
  separatists have even appeared as diplomats 
  and adventurers in the liberated kingdoms.  
   
  Religion 
  There are two prevailing religions among 
  the elves. The first, and the most common, 
  is the worship of Tal-Allustiel, the deity who 
  protects the Elhil and pronounces the doom, 
  or fate, of each individual Elhan. Elhil who 
  worship this god believe that Tal-Allustiel 
  can best be served by always upholding the 
  noble ways of the Elhil and working to 
  preserve the forests and all that which is 
  Elhil. Indeed, Tal-Allustiel demands it. This 
  religion is loosely organized, like Elhil 
  society, with the priests only gathering once 
  every five to ten years for the Meet-of-Elhil, 
  wherein beautiful silver circlets and magic 
  scrolls are sacrificed to Tal-Allustiel. When 
  there is a special event, like a threat or the 
  election of a monarch, the priests of Tal-
  Allustiel arrange a Grand Meet of Elhil, 
  where the leaders of all the Elhil houses 
  convene to deal with the issue. The worship 
  of this great god gives meaning to the lives 
  of many Elhil. 
  The second religion among the elves could 
  actually better be described as a philosophy. 
  Said to have been espoused originally by the 
  Elhil philosopher Erestor of House Norovir, 
  it is the viewpoint of a very small but 
  significant minority of Elhil. This position, 
  called Edaidus, states that there is one force 
  in the universe and it is amoral, or rather 
  the basis of the universe is a force that 
  encompasses all moralities and viewpoints, 
  a unity that these Elhil call Edai, or the 
  Great Sphere. This force has limitless facets 
  and each being, indeed each race, tends to 
  seize upon and recognize only a small 
  amount of these facets. These individuals, 
  races, and societies embody these facets as 
  gods, demons, extra-planar powers, and 
  moralities, not recognizing the essential 
  connection and unity between them. Most 
  often these facets are set up in opposition to 
  each other, wars are begun, and each race 
  creates its own particular niche for all time 
  by the gods and demons it creates. 
  The Altarim, by creating Tal-Allustiel and 
  the concept of Doom, have forever decided 
  their role in the order of things, although it 
  could have turned out differently depending 
  on which facets of Edai the elves recognized 
  in the beginning of recorded history. This is, 
  of course, a controversial and shocking 
  notion, as it claims that the gods of good 
  and evil, Tal-Allustiel and Heshtail, and 
  Vornoth, are one and the same being, and 
  all these beings are denigrated as merely a 
  facet of a larger truth. These Elhil believe 
  that if a person or a race hates another 
  person or race, they only do so because they 
  hate something within the other that is part 
  of themselves. What is not part of our self, 
  they state, we do not hate. Thus, the ages-
  
   
   
   
   
  154 
  old rivalries are accounted for, say 
  the Edaidians. Elves who hold this 
  philosophy live similarly to the more 
  traditional Elhil who worship Tal-Allustiel. 
  They do not shirk military duty and fulfill 
  their responsibilities within Elhil society. At 
  all times, though, they bear in mind the 
  essential oneness of everything, including 
  that of the Summervale and the Wintervale. 
   
  Lifestyle 
  The elven lifestyle consists of some work, 
  but more revelry. This is not to say, 
  however, that Elhil are carefree 
  merrymakers; in fact, the opposite is true. 
  When the elves are reveling, they are 
  celebrating music, song, poetry, and 
  aesthetics. Indeed, it is out of an 
  appreciation for and love of things beautiful 
  that Elhil engage in musical and artistic 
  celebration. But elves are not, as mentioned 
  above, lighthearted, frivolous celebrants, for 
  always the doom of change weighs heavily 
  upon them. The elves are passionate about  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the beautiful and celebrate it every chance 
  they get.  
  Because of this attention to aesthetics, the 
  life of the average Elhan is quite different 
  than that of the average human. Elhil take a 
  great deal of time beautifying their 
  surroundings, and as such their dwellings 
  are clean, well-designed havens. They work 
  when necessary; aided by magic, this work 
  is quickly and lastingly completed. Thus, 
  they spend much of their days studying, 
  contemplating memories or ideas, 
  physically exercising, or enjoying nature. 
  When twilight falls, the poetry, music, and 
  song, much of it tinged with sadness, 
  begins; visitors report these nightly revelries 
  as inestimably beautiful. Elhil keep a very 
  loose track of time, and time seems to fly in 
  Elhil lands, the days blending into twilight 
  and night and the nights into seasons until 
  whole years have gone by. 
   
  Magic 
  Elhil credit themselves with first bringing  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  155 
  powerful magic into the world with the 
  introduction of the sacred swan Alfain. 
  Indeed, many Elhil see the Elhil race as the 
  embodiment of magic. Elhil claim that 
  magic is simply artistry, a way to delivery 
  art more quickly, effortlessly, thoroughly, 
  and completely from its physical 
  restrictions. Perhaps this is why Elhil 
  wizards (but not sorcerers) are called 
  Spellsingers, casting their spells by singing 
  the magical words in their peerless Elhil 
  voices. With magic, Elhil can create food, 
  change whole areas of their lands, beautify 
  whole cities, hide the ways into their secret 
  homes from their enemies, and even 
  seemingly slow the flow of time in order to 
  preserve the beautiful. Elhil also use magic 
  to ease the burdens of their daily lives in 
  order to have more time to devote to art. 
  Thus, Elhil particularly excel at illusion, 
  conjuration, and alteration magics. 
  Yet magic that destroys, changes, and 
  enforces one's will on the will of others 
  exists, even among the elves. The Elhil claim 
  that such magic is necessary in defense, and 
  thus they have had to study it and learn to 
  master it in order to protect their lands from 
  change at the hands of those who would 
  speedily alter the world to suit their will. 
  Magic as power rather than art is abhorred 
  among the Elhil, at least so they claim. Yet it 
  is interesting that many scholars claim that 
  magic as power and domination is also an 
  Elhil invention, dating far back into the 
  mists of time, long before the human 
  societies ever blossomed. Of this charge the 
  Elhil refuse to speak. 
   
  Doom 
  The path of an elf’s life is usually foretold, 
  and this prediction invariably comes to pass. 
  Elhil believe as a race they are bound up 
  with the fate of the planet and magic on the 
  planet. As such, they have a role to play in 
  the fate of the world, one over which they 
  have no control. His mother upon his birth 
  often pronounces an Elhan's Doom. If she 
  does not, most Elhil villages have a 
  Doomsayer, who at some point in the 
  Elhan's life, often upon his coming of age, 
  will pronounce the Elhan's Doom. From this 
  prediction, the Elhan is given a Doom Name 
  that he keeps private. Elhil hold that the 
  later an Elhan's Doom is pronounced, the 
  more important and often the more tragic 
  his path will be. The pronouncement of a 
  Doom is usually cryptic and difficult, but 
  offers some guidance to the Elhan, who 
  generally seeks to fulfill his Doom, rather 
  than avoid it. This decision is a result of the 
  ages-old teaching of the Elhil that if one 
  flees his Doom, it will undoubtedly find him 
  all the sooner. A dog being tied to a cart can 
  either walk willingly behind it or be 
  dragged. Either way, they teach, the final 
  destination is the same. 
  The Elhil teach that Doom is counter to the 
  life of humans, which is free. While humans 
  do not embody magic and are not 
  intrinsically tied to the fate of the world, 
  they are unfettered and may choose their 
  own life and their own path; many Elhil 
  envy the "young race" because of this, 
  calling it the "free Doom." The Edaidians 
  state, however, that the Elhil have 
  constructed their Doom philosophy and 
  chose to be bound by it. If they wanted, they 
  could be as free as humans. Yet many of the 
  Edaidians also bow to their Dooms, their 
  intellectual opponents state. 
  Because an Elhan's Doom is often sad or 
  tragic, many unparalleled poems have been 
  written about it, like the one below. 
   
  The Lament of Ingwë and 
  Valanduil 
  Ingwë: Fi tralia (Here I bide).  
  The golden light calls  
  Elhil to their morning songs  
  But I do not sing.  
  Fi hosaria linen (Here I am silent). 
  Valanduil: Taria haron nenel (I seek far 
  and wide).  
  Even in morning the shadow falls.  
  The time away is too long  
  My soul feels the sting  
  A lir rastial (And my heart is rent). 
  
   
   
   
   
  156 
  Ingwë: Fi tralia (Here I bide).  
  Midday holds no joy  
  For I do not hear your voice.  
  My heart is sunk in gloom  
  A Fi hosaria linen (And here I am silent). 
  Valanduil: Taria haron nenel (I seek far 
  and wide). D 
  ay they seek to destroy.  
  Thus I have no choice,  
  For foretold was my doom.  
  A lir rastial (Yet my heart is rent). 
  Ingwë: Fi tralia (Here I bide).  
  As night falls swiftly,  
  I know I wait in vain,  
  For your task is impossible.  
  Hosariatha arned linen (Forever I will be 
  silent). 
  Valanduil: Ellen Tiria haron nenel (Still I 
  seek far and wide). 
  Darkness comes over me.  
  I travel long in pain.  
  From afar I feel your pull.  
  Lir arned rastiatha (Forever my heart will 
  be rent). 
   
  Warfare 
  Elves are feared opponents. In ages past, 
  Elhil did in fact gather in armies, where they 
  dressed in superbly crafted armor and 
  fought with long swords, bows, and great 
  swords. Mounted warriors, resplendent in 
  shining banded or plate male with winged 
  helmets rode griffins into battle, dealing 
  death from above. Always prefacing the 
  strike of the Elhil is powerful destructive 
  magic, which also judicially aids the troops 
  during battle and retreat if it is necessary. 
  Those days are long past. While some 
  believe that the Elhil are still capable of 
  fielding a large army for mass warfare, but 
  perhaps only as their swansong, the military 
  might of the Elhil lies in their skill, stealth, 
  and magic. Since they are not numerous, 
  they favor guerilla tactics. Having a rapport 
  with the animals of the woods, and some 
  even say with the trees and fields, the Elhil 
  never lack for scouts and spies. Once they 
  have determined the position of their 
  enemies, they strike with superior archery, 
  swordplay, and overwhelming magic, then 
  flee, the cloaks and boots they wear 
  somehow causing them to disappear utterly 
  into the terrain. The Elhil choose when and 
  where to come to grips with their foes and 
  when to melt back into the shadow and 
  twilight. Elhil are superb archers and 
  fearless warriors; above all, they know the 
  value of patience and will not throw away 
  their long lives. But when the time comes to 
  make a sacrifice, they do not hesitate to do 
  so. 
   
  Shadow Walkers 
  "I walk in shadow so that others may walk 
  in the light." 
   
  The order of Shadow Walkers are a group of 
  elven rangers and warriors who are pledged 
  to defend elven lands.  They serve as 
  protectors of elven border as well as spies 
  and intelligence gathers in non-elven lands.  
  Elven and half-elven PCs can play as 
  Shadow Walkers.  Rules for playing as a 
  Shadow Walker are given in the World of 
  Farland Players Guide. 
   
  Uniqueness of Farland 
  Elves 
  In the beginning of time, all of the greater 
  gods created lesser gods for themselves as 
  servants and helpmeets, but the god Tal-
  Allustiel refrained. Instead he created the 
  race of Elhil in place of a lesser god. As such, 
  they stand midway between the world of 
  mortals and immortals. They live forever 
  and may join their god while they are yet 
  alive, but they are doomed always to serve 
  his will. 
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  157 
  Gloralion, the 
  Summervale, Elven 
  Capital in the 
  Sarumvest 
   
  Key to Points of Interest 
  in Gloralion 
  1. The palace of the Elvenking Baranwë. 
  Attached is the home of the sacred swan, the 
  pool of Melim. 
  2. Gardens of Gloralion, the Hatarglor. 
  They run all the way around three sides of 
  the city, right up to the base of the rhan, the 
  cliffs. 
  3. Tower of Silver, the Celoth. Here the 
  histories of the elves are kept by the Order 
  of Historians, the Ithilmin. A revered elf 
  named Elrath of House Dinan heads the 
  order. 
  4. This is a guard post and way-station. It is 
  flanked by a carefully sculpted hedge of 
  beautiful but thorny bushes and trees. Less 
  than a quarter mile down the canyon lies the 
  first gate, the Garechant. There are three 
  total gates: the first is of thick wood, called 
  the Taurechant, and the second is of rock, 
  called the Gondechant. 
  5. School of mages, the Balwen, literally 
  translated as "Craft School." It is headed by 
  the Elvenking's close friend, Lord Singol of 
  House Birlithe. 
  6. Headquarters of the Talranuil, 
  the Shadow Walkers. This group is headed 
  by Leanorfin of House Arduval. 
  7. The Altapal, the high walkways that the 
  Elves use to gaze over the hidden vale. They 
  also access secret escape routes into the 
  Elfspires. 
  8. This is the famous Rann Herran, the 
  Street of Lords, where many of the noble Elf 
  Houses in the city have their dwellings. 
  9. Traervalann, Halls of Art and Song. 
  Many public performances and displays of 
  art and music are held here. 
  10. Alutuar, the Glade of the God. This is 
  where the famous Meet-of-Elhil is held, and 
  is the largest temple in the city (all are 
  outdoor areas). 
   
  General Information 
  About the City 
  Who Rules: Baranwe the Tall, Elvenking 
  Other Power Centers: Lord Singol, 
  leader of the Balwen, supports Baranwe in 
  almost all decisions. 
  Leanorfin, the Captain of the Shadow 
  Walkers, is a large influence in the city. He 
  too supports Baranwe. 
  The heads of each house, when gathered in 
  the Meet-of-Elhil, are powerful and indeed 
  are the only entity to (rarely) speak against 
  the decisions of Baranwe. 
  Population: About 5,100. The population 
  is 99% elven with a few half-elves. 
  Major Products: The Summervale exports 
  mostly textiles, art, and culture to the rest of 
  the Belendale, although it does produce 
  fruits and vegetables. It imports more than 
  it exports. 
  Armed Forces: The Hidden City is 
  protected by a contingent of 20 
  powerful Shadow Walkers. A force of 100 
  elven guards protects the city, and the 
  Elvenking's High Guard consists of 30 
  heavily-armed and armored elven warriors. 
  More elves can be called up in times of 
  trouble. 
  Approaching the foot of the Elfspires, there 
  is no obvious path up the mountain. Finally, 
  a careful set of eyes might alight on a dried 
  riverbed, the entrance choked with foliage 
  and old growth. After a long trek, finally 
  there is a steep rock face, blocking the path 
  entirely. 
   
  
   
   
   
   
  158 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  159 
  Suddenly a traveler will hear a firm voice in 
  Elvish, "Halthar! Stand! Do not move or 
  you will be pierced with arrows." Even eyes 
  that have grown sharp with dangers will see 
  no archers. It will take a password or special 
  permission to proceed. 
  If the traveler has the watchword, one may 
  step through the rock wall, and perhaps see 
  a tall, raven-haired elf lowering his bow. 
  "You have spoken truly and may pass 
  into Gloralion, the Valley of Summer. I am 
  Rana of House Nirovir. Follow me if you 
  will." Soon one comes to the final gate, an 
  arching structure of white marble and steel 
  known as the Garechant. The gate seems to 
  open of its own accord. Passing through, 
  one beholds the beauty that is Gloralion, the 
  Summervale. 
  The first thing that strikes a traveler is the 
  sound of the Valamarana, the many singing 
  waterfalls that plash and chime down the 
  steep sides of the sheer cliffs that enclose 
  the Summervale on all sides. If one arrives 
  at twilight, a mystical time to the Elhil 
  or Elves, one will hear the voices of the elves 
  raised in unison, their melodious song 
  mingling in harmony with the musical 
  waters. The plaintive sound of harps joins in 
  the song, echoing through the vale. The 
  valley is vast and slopes down gently from 
  the northern ram, or wall, towards the gate, 
  the waterfalls collecting in pools and 
  running as rivulets and streams until they 
  plunge into hidden caves and over a steep 
  precipice in the south face of the cliffs. Even 
  in winter when the wind this high up in the 
  peaks is cold even to an Elf, the Vale is 
  comfortable. Even snow seems to fall less in 
  the valley, and this phenomenon gave rise 
  long ago to a word in Altarian, glorawe, 
  which would be literally translated into the 
  mannish tongues as "summer-temperate," 
  but which connotes a comfortable lack of 
  change. The elves have come to refer to their 
  agelessness as glorawe, as opposed to 
  the brerive, the "soon-winter," of the other 
  races. 
  Passing through the streets paved with 
  smooth, white stone with the ultimate goal 
  of arriving at the palace and the pool 
  of Melim, one will marvel at the skill and 
  craftsmanship that created such a 
  marvelous city. Like the streets, the 
  buildings in the vale are primarily stone, yet 
  the white rock appears alive, carved in 
  graceful sweeps and arching lines, with 
  many windows. Trees line the 
  thoroughfares, lindens and beeches whose 
  leaves never seem to fall, and through their 
  boughs as night descends shine green and 
  gold and silver faerie-lights, some the 
  product of crystal lanterns and others the 
  result of elf magic. One will pass many 
  objects of beauty and art, such as fountains, 
  sculptures, and statues, as one strides 
  through the city. White arching bridges, 
  hung with crystal lamps, span the small 
  rivers, and gardens surround the dwellings 
  and fill the air with fragrance of summer 
  past. Many elves pass in the street and nod 
  or greet a traveler warmly in their native 
  High Speech. 
  "Ah, Gloralion, the only abode East of the 
  sea where dwells my heart," an elf is bound 
  to intone with a wistful look in his eyes. "I 
  am home." 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  160 
  Elven Factions 
  The Balwen: The elven school of 
  mages led by Lord Singol is based out of the 
  Summervale.  The school supports the 
  Elvenking in most decisions. 
  The Shadow Walkers: This faction 
  of mystical elven rangers patrols the borders 
  of elven lands and serves as the intelligence 
  and spying faction of the elves.  They are led 
  by Captain Leanorfin. They support the 
  Elvenking but aren’t afraid to speak against 
  the Balwen. 
  House Taltaur: This powerful elven 
  house is one of the few political rivals to the 
  Summervale and the Elvenking. This house 
  is led by the beautiful matron Ciritha. 
     
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some adventure hooks that can 
  give you ideas about quests in the 
  Summervale 
  Drow invasion: The elves have learned 
  that drow from the Dark Deeps are planning 
  an encroachment into elven lands.  The 
  invasion must be prevented.  
  Serve the Shadow Walkers: The 
  Shadow Walkers are seeking non-elven 
  allies to serve as spies in the human lands. 
  Seek the Stone of Silence: The most 
  powerful elven artifact was lost during the 
  Dark Conquest.  Rumors tell that it has 
  resurfaced in the Black Wood.  The artifact 
  must be recovered. 
  Save the sacred trees: A grove of sacred 
  trees is suffering from some sort of blight or 
  curse.  The reason must be discovered and 
  the trees must be saved. 
  Monster hunters: Creatures from the 
  West Lands have been coming over the 
  mountains and assaulting elven 
  communities.  Elven lives are precious, so 
  the elves are seeking mercenaries to destroy 
  the beasts. 
   
   
  Gnomish Society 
   
  Racial Characteristics 
  Gnomes, or Tendenarruk [ten- den- ARE- 
  uck] (the self-given name for the now nearly 
  extinct gnomish race), are curious little 
  creatures ranging from 3 to 4 feet in height 
  and anywhere from 40 to 60 pounds. 
  Gnomes display a remarkable variation, and 
  there have been many scholarly debates 
  among historians as to their classification as 
  a single race. There are three more or less 
  distinct racial types of gnomes (more 
  below.) Physical characteristics such as 
  height and weight vary considerably 
  between the types. Variation among 
  individual gnomes is common, especially 
  when comparing gnomes from different 
  racial types, but variation is also common 
  within these types. Gnomes, like Dwarves, 
  usually boast substantial facial hair, though 
  there are those gnomes who are without this 
  attribute. Ears are slightly elongated and 
  come to a bit of a point. This ear shape is 
  not as pronounced as in the halfling race 
  and some gnomes have ears that are shaped 
  much like human ears. Eye color also varies 
  but tends to be among the paler colors, light 
  blue, green, or gray. Hair color is often gray, 
  dull silver, or pale blond. Anomalies are not 
  uncommon, as it is difficult to make 
  generalizations of the race as a whole due to 
  individual variation. 
  The longest living gnomes are the ruling 
  caste, the Bal gnomes. They can live on 
  average 500 years. The shortest-lived 
  gnomes are the Sag and Pal gnomes, or sun 
  gnomes, who live only an average of 300 
  years. As with many other attributes of the 
  gnomes, age varies widely among the sub-
  races as well as among individuals. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  161 
  Gnomes as a race tend to look down upon 
  travel of any sort and they wish nothing 
  better than to stay home near the hearth 
  among friends and family. Gnomes are 
  industrious and hard-working. Gnomes are 
  also ingenious strategists but tend to be 
  better at thinking than acting. Most 
  gnomish schemes have been carefully 
  worked out until the time when such a plan 
  would have any practicality has long passed. 
  It has happened more than once that 
  gnomish emissaries have journeyed outside 
  of the safety of their kingdom to inform the 
  races of their advice on great battles or 
  missions only to find that the event has 
  already occurred. 
   
  Types of Gnomes 
  There are three types of gnomes: the slightly 
  larger and stockier nobility, called the crown 
  gnomes or Bal gnomes (as they claim to 
  have descended from the Gnome ancestor 
  Bal), the tunnel gnomes, and the sun 
  gnomes. The three types are easily 
  distinguishable by the difference in body 
  type. Though all three racial types claim a 
  common ancestor in Barlifandorf, one of the 
  gnomish gods, upon close inspection, they 
  appear quite different. 
  The ruling class of the Tendenarruk came 
  always from the physically largest type, the 
  Bal gnomes. They call themselves crown 
  gnomes to outsiders. Average height for 
  these gnomes is around four feet tall. 
  Average weight hovers around 60 pounds. 
  The Bol gnomes tend to be quite stout and 
  resemble small dwarves to the non-gnomish 
  eye. Indeed, many suggest that Dwarven 
  blood runs strong in these gnomes. Legend 
  has it that they are descendants of the great 
  Dwarven hero known to the gnomes as 
  Sigilbal. The gnomes claim that she was 
  responsible for the founding of the great 
  kingdom of Wawmar (the dwarves deny 
  this). For some unknown reason, she was 
  struck with wanderlust and traveled the 
  lands for many years, until she fell in love 
  with a stalwart young gnome. Thus, she 
  came to live with the gnomes in the very 
  beginnings of gnomish society and married 
  that gnome, who happened to be of the Bal 
  caste. The rest of the caste leaders, seeing 
  the superiority and nobility of the 
  descendants of Sigilbal, asked this caste to 
  rule the gnomes, and this caste has 
  remained the ruling caste for all of gnomish 
  history. This group cultivated diplomatic 
  and political skill and historically contained 
  almost all of the most famous and heroic 
  gnomish warriors. 
  The tunnel gnomes, as they refer to 
  themselves, are physically smaller than the 
  Bal class, but still larger than their cousins 
  the sun gnomes. They are mostly miners by 
  profession but also are well known for their 
  inventions and illusions. It is these gnomes 
  that are most common in the gnomish 
  homeland of Sheltinnobortanu. Gnomes of 
  the Dam and the Ka castes as well as the 
  merchant caste called Damsa that evolved 
  out of the Dam caste are all members of this 
  physical type. 
  The last physical type of gnome are the sun 
  gnomes. They live mostly in small 
  homesteads and enclaves outside of the 
  main mountain home of Sheltinnobortanu. 
  It is these gnomes that are most widely 
  known by outsiders, as they have the most 
  contact with non-gnomes. When gnomes 
  are associated with practical jokes and 
  pranks, it is these gnomes who are largely 
  responsible. These gnomes are most likely 
  to work for outsiders and were considered 
  prized servants for their loyalty during the 
  height of the kingdom of Aelfar. The castes  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  162 
  of Pal and Sag are members of this physical 
  type. 
   
  Sheltinnobortanu 
  Sheltinnobortanu, or Bald Mountain as non-
  gnomes call it, is the gnomish capital and 
  only gnomish community in Farland. The 
  entire small mountain is a warren of tunnels 
  and burrows. Most races would find these 
  tunnels stifling, cramped, and 
  uncomfortable, but the gnomes find them 
  supremely homely and defensible. The 
  tunnels are especially small so as to make it 
  nearly impossible for a troll to enter 
  (gnomes hate trolls). The location of the 
  mountain itself is secret, but rumor has it 
  that it is located somewhere in the Kale 
  Mountains. Bald Mountain is rich with 
  gems, which the gnomes love to mine and 
  work into artistic objects. The place is still 
  subject to troll attacks, however, as these 
  sadistic beings seem to have an unreasoning 
  hatred of the poor gnomes. While the 
  gnomes can easily outwit the feeble-minded 
  trolls, the unrelenting and vicious attacks 
  have all but whittled away the gnomish race, 
  until they are now facing extinction. There is 
  one large hall deep below the surface and it 
  is from there that the ruling council makes 
  its decisions. This hall is rather majestic, 
  especially in comparison to the rest of the 
  mountain. In this area, the caste of Bal 
  largely live. The Ka caste lives typically 
  below this great hall, or ruling hall as the 
  gnomes refer to it. They are primarily 
  involved in the mining of the gems 
  abundant in the depths. Typically, the Dam 
  caste lives nearest to the surface. It is their 
  traditional duty to serve as guardsmen for 
  the gnomish homeland. In order to fulfill 
  their guard duties to the best of their ability, 
  these resourceful gnomes have devised all 
  manner of ingenious traps and mechanisms 
  to protect the five main entrances from 
  invasion. 
  Aside from the main hall, there is very little 
  order to the layout of the mountain home of 
  the Tendenarruk. Corridors twist and turn 
  about and even double back upon 
  themselves in some places. It is also not 
  uncommon for a passage to cut through the 
  living space of a gnome family. The ruling 
  hall and the main roadway from there to the 
  mines and the main entrances are wide and 
  well-constructed. They show evidence of 
  Dwarven handiwork to the practiced eye. 
  Outside of this main thoroughfare, passages 
  and rooms are haphazardly constructed and 
  supported. At the same time, while jumbled, 
  the structures and seemingly impossible 
  passages are quite ingenious and indicate 
  amazing forethought and planning. Gnomes 
  quite obviously place great value on the 
  larger plan than on minute details. Cave-ins 
  are rare indeed, so the strange construction 
  must serve its purpose. 
   
  History 
  Age of Immortals 
  9950--Gnomes set-up trade routes with 
  both the dwarves and the elves, ending their 
  millennia-long policy of isolationism. 
  10, 123--War breaks out between the 
  Dwarves of Wawmar and the Gnomes who 
  live scattered loosely south of the Sarumvest 
  near the River Kelarant 
  10,124--The Pal and Sag castes side with the 
  Dwarves thinking the Bal caste has 
  wrongfully attacked the Dwarves. The Bal, 
  Dam, and Ka castes retreat deep west to the 
  region of the Balathil Mountains. The five 
  castes are split and the two factions have no 
  contact for more than a thousand years. The 
  war is resolved the next year. 
  11,210--The Bal, Dam, and Ka castes 
  encounter orcish raiders from the north and 
  send to the Pal and Sag castes for help. 
  Reunited, the gnomes are able to eliminate 
  the orcish threat. The Pal and Sag castes 
  agree to move west to join their brethren. 
  12, 601--Gnomes aid the elves and dwarves 
  when they invade the Drow city of 
  Morclaenthaur ("Black Lake of Bondage"), 
  led by the elf Fingalion. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  163 
  12, 602-- The elves, dwarves, and gnomes 
  barely manage to overcome the drow and 
  destroy the city of Morclaenthaur. 
  The drow priestess Melegurtha Serpentmaid 
  kills Fingalion in the final onslaught. She 
  then leads the remainder of her people deep 
  into the unexplored Dark Deeps. A regiment 
  of the Gnomish infantry of the Sag caste 
  along with their families vow to stay 
  permanently behind in the Dark Deeps, to 
  keep the surface people apprised of the 
  movements of the evil under the ground. 
  Contact is lost shortly thereafter with these 
  gnomes and they are assumed lost. They are 
  eventually forgotten. The elves suspect that 
  these gnomes may be the origin of the 
  legendary deep gnomes said to dwell far 
  before the surface. 
   
  Age of Men 
  3000--By this time, gnomes especially of 
  the Pal caste are revered and highly desired 
  by the wealthy of Aelfar as servants and 
  financial advisors. Through this work, the 
  gnomes come to see the great wealth that 
  can be made through trading with the 
  humans. They establish a trade in spices 
  from the southern continent in exchange for 
  gems from the Balathil Mountains. They are 
  able to procure great wealth during this 
  period from their trade in spices. This was 
  the heyday of gnomish society. Herein is the 
  birth of the Damsa caste. 
  4529--Publius, wielding the fabled crown of 
  Aelfar, a powerful relic, attacks the evil 
  army, which is encamped and occupying the 
  remains of Aelfar, but is driven back. For 
  the next 20 years, the War of Vengeance is 
  waged between the Evil forces of the 
  Dweller and the fledgling kingdom 
  of Farland, which is aided by the Elves, 
  Dwarves, and Gnomes. 
  c. 6675-- Trolls move into a misty valley on 
  the north side of the Kale Mts., led by the 
  troll-demon Hothmor. The gnomes, who 
  already inhabit the area, wage war on the 
  trolls. 
  6699--In a valiant battle, the gnomish hero 
  Lastorbol slays the Troll Lord Hothmor with 
  the aid of an enchanted hammer. He is 
  himself slain moments later by the Troll-
  Demon's bodyguards. The trolls redouble 
  their attacks against the gnomes. 
  6750--As the attacks become more 
  disastrous to the gnomes, almost the entire 
  Sag caste agree to venture far to the south in 
  search of a new world where gnomes can 
  live in peace far from trolls and other 
  enemies. 
  6757--A message, the last ever received, 
  comes from the gnome expedition to the 
  south telling of strange black skinned 
  barbarians, ferocious beasts, and baking 
  sands of death. 
  6801-- The gnomes are forced to flee to a 
  more secure home in the Kale Mts., ceasing 
  hostilities towards the trolls. 
  6810--The Dwarves of Wawmar send a 
  diplomatic expedition along with a 
  contingent of stonemasons to help the 
  gnomes construct their new homeland. The 
  Bal caste attempts to pay these Dwarven 
  craftsmen less than originally agreed and 
  fighting breaks out. Once again, the Pal 
  caste and the remnants of the Sag caste side 
  with the Dwarves. Much blood is shed. 
  6811--Finally diplomatic missions from 
  Wawmar are able to settle the disagreement. 
  The gnomes pay the Dwarves what was 
  agreed upon. The Pal and Sag castes are 
  banished from the new homeland. Tensions 
  flare between the castes. 
  7099-- Gnomes in Mt. Sheltinnobortanu in 
  the Kale Mts. invent the most powerful 
  gnomish artifact- the Scabbard of 
  Protection. 
  7693-- Trolls from the Valley of Mists attack 
  the gnomes, capitalizing on their continuing 
  internal tension. The gnomes are overrun 
  and suffer disastrous losses. The trolls are 
  able to steal the Scabbard of Protection. 
  7695--Civil war erupts within 
  Sheltinnobortanu as leaders of the Pal caste 
  suggest venturing south to search for the 
  Sag caste, and the Bal caste lobbies strongly 
  
   
   
   
   
  164 
  for an all-out attack on the trolls. The 
  stronger Bal side prevails and a much-
  weakened gnome army composed of every 
  old gnome, female, and child that can carry 
  a weapon sallies forth to wipe out the trolls. 
  Their numbers are too few and after several 
  days of fighting, the trolls win the battle. No 
  survivors are reported. 
  8170-- historians have had no report of 
  gnome sightings for almost 1000 years. 
  Gnomes are supposed by the Elves to no 
  longer exist. 
   
  Religion 
  Khuckduck Gemcutter, the god of gnomes is 
  really none other than Dhurli Ironbeard, 
  lesser god of Dwarves. This is known by the 
  highest clergy, but is kept secret from the 
  average member of gnomish society and 
  even low-level clergy. The church is quite 
  anxious to keep this information secret. 
  There is a general feeling that this 
  knowledge would be dangerous to gnomish 
  society. All gnomes worship Khuckduck 
  Gemcutter at least in name, but no 
  Tendenarruk ceremonies or religious 
  festivals are held in his honor. The Bal caste, 
  however, is more accepting of the god 
  Khuckduck than the other castes. For the 
  most part gnomes do him lip service but 
  remain true in their hearts to the lesser 
  deity of the Tendenarruk, Barlifandorf. 
  Tendenarruk thus almost entirely worship 
  the gnomish god Barlifandorf. One Gnomish 
  legend holds that gnomes are descendants 
  of a union between the Dwarven lesser god 
  Dhurli Ironbeard and a demon temptress. 
  The daughter of this union, the legend 
  claims, is none other than Barlifandorf, the 
  Gnomish lesser deity, although if this legend 
  is true, Barlifandorf does not possess the 
  power of a true lesser deity. The gnomes 
  would disagree. Although part demon, her 
  heart is pure, they say, and she is a goddess 
  of goodness. As the gnomes are by and large 
  a good race, this legend is at the very least 
  controversial. It has survived the ages and 
  continues to hold sway over gnomish 
  society. None but the gods know the truth of 
  the matter, but a famous religious scholar 
  and priest of the Elhil, Halfir of House 
  Arefor, left behind pertinent world histories 
  dated from the year 9780 E.R. Therein he 
  claims that after centuries of study of the 
  gnomes, a most curious race, to have 
  communed directly with his lord Tal-
  Allustiel and to have confirmed the truth of 
  this legend. 
  In the beginnings of time, the goddess 
  Barlifandorf had five daughters. They and 
  their husbands spawned the five castes of 
  the Gnomes. The five ancestors were Bal 
  and her husband Bol, Dam and her husband 
  Dom, Ka and her husband Kor, Pal and her 
  husband Pol, and Sag and her husband Sog. 
  The origin of these husbands is a product of 
  much religious and scholarly debate. Many 
  claim that Bol was Dwarven, and Pol was a 
  halfling, perhaps even Bunga Proudfoot 
  himself, although this latter is unlikely. 
  Advocates of this mixed blood theory within 
  the Gnomish race claim that others of the 
  husbands are actually the children of these 
  two first marriages. Some such 
  traditionalists claim that there are really 
  only two ancestors, Bal and Pal. Another 
  legend of gnomish creation suggests that 
  Barlifandorf's brother impregnated each of 
  the original daughters, and thus started a 
  longstanding gnomish tradition of 
  inbreeding. 
  Tendenarruk society is for the most part 
  matrilineal; it is important for many 
  religious scholars, priests, and historians to 
  know the identity of the father of the five 
  original daughters. This knowledge has been 
  lost in the mists of time, but legends 
  abound. According to most tales, 
  Barlifandorf is a single unmarried gnome 
  who is not fond of sexual relations. Indeed, 
  her priests frown upon sexual intercourse 
  and all take a vow of celibacy when joining 
  the church. It is not uncommon for gnomes 
  who are not clergy to take this vow upon 
  themselves in deference to their love for 
  their god. 
  Gnomes celebrate six major holidays 
  throughout the year. They occur the first of 
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  every other month. The first five are named 
  for the five ancestors, Bal, Dam, Ka, Pal, and 
  Sag, and the sixth is a celebration of the new 
  year. The Damsa sub-caste has also claimed 
  this last holiday as sacred to them. During 
  the first five of these holidays, sex is 
  forbidden in reverence to the holy celibacy 
  of Barlifandorf and all of her loyal followers. 
  Great feasts are held and rabbits are snared 
  by the hundreds for the feast. Caches of 
  spices are broken out for the occasion and 
  cooks both male and female compete for the 
  spiciest dish. 
   
  Caste System and 
  Political Structure 
  There are six gnomish castes. These are the 
  Bal, Dam, Ka, the merchant caste called the 
  Damsa that evolved out of the Dam caste, 
  Pal, and Sag castes. There is very little if any 
  crossbreeding between castes. It is 
  considered a great wrong to do so. This is 
  the primary reason for the huge amount of 
  variation in appearance amongst individual 
  gnomes. This policy has not been good to 
  the gnomes. After millennia of inbreeding, 
  diseases and disfigurations are quite 
  common, and gnomes are afflicted with 
  terrible life-shortening diseases from birth. 
  Mutations are also not unheard of, and one 
  might possibly see three-armed or one-
  legged gnomes about if one was ever 
  permitted to enter Sheltinnobortanu to have 
  a look around. 
  Dwarven blood is likely strongest amongst 
  the gnomes of the Bal caste. Males wear 
  long beards. They tend to be stout and quite 
  tall for gnomes. Their hair color is normally 
  some shade of brown. Their ears look quite 
  round and have little of the elongation and 
  pointiness that some of their brethren show. 
  Some of the great Tendenarruk warrior 
  heroes have been as tall as four and a half 
  feet! Almost all great gnomish heroes have 
  come from this caste. They are looked to as 
  leaders in times of war and peace, however, 
  and the rulers of the gnomes are primarily 
  from this caste. More important than the 
  selection of rulers, though is the importance 
  of the Bal opinion on matters. The position 
  of the Bal caste leaders on any important 
  matter is almost always the position of the 
  gnomes as a whole. Rarely do any gnomes 
  disagree with Bal decisions. This caste of 
  gnomes are swarthy skinned and have the 
  darkest eye colors. Although it is rare, Bal 
  gnomes sometimes even have black eyes. 
  Individuals with black eyes are considered 
  quite mysterious and powerful by the 
  gnomes. Eye color is very important to 
  gnomes. The gnomes of the Bal caste are 
  often politicians, judges, and warriors when 
  need be. When these occupations are not 
  needed, they mine like many of the gnomes. 
  The skin color of the gnomes of the Dam 
  caste is yellowish almost to the point of 
  looking sickly to non-gnomish observers. 
  Their eyes are usually a pale brown, and 
  hazel and amber are also common. Some 
  individuals of the Dam caste boast pointed 
  ears while others' ears are rounded, but all 
  Dam gnomes have elongated ears. Their 
  hair is usually a lighter shade of brown or 
  blonde. Their heights and weight are similar 
  to the Ka caste with average height about 
  three and a half feet tall, and average weight 
  running around 50 pounds. Gnomish bards 
  come solely from this caste. Other 
  professions include guards, miners, and 
  strategists. Most guards come from this 
  caste, but the Bal caste assists in this 
  position due to their legendary bravery and 
  ability in battle. Dam caste Tendenarruk are 
  also no strangers to illusion. They are said 
  to have woven intricate illusionary screens 
  to hide the entrances to Sheltinnobortanu. 
  They are also quite adept at trap-making, 
  and many ingenious traps also protect their 
  mountain home. Around the year 10,000 
  E.R. a new caste was formed from members 
  of the Dam caste. This division occurred 
  over arguments among the elders as to the 
  rightness of starting to trade with outsiders, 
  in this case the Dwarves and the Elves. 
  Unable to resolve the argument, the elders 
  split and a good number of the Dam caste 
  formed a sixth caste outlawing 
  intermarriage and became largely successful 
  merchants; this caste was called the Damsa 
  
   
   
   
   
  166 
  caste. The other gnomes saw the great 
  profits made by the new caste and allowed 
  the division to stand. Thus, a sixth caste was 
  born and flourished for as long as 
  Tendenarruk society existed. 
  The Tendenarruk of the Ka caste are very 
  pale skinned. Their eyes are often darker 
  than normal for gnomes, but not as dark as 
  those of the Bal caste. The Ka gnomes' eyes 
  are usually blue or purple and sometimes 
  pale red. Their ears are elongated but rarely 
  pointed as is common amongst some of 
  their kin. Their hair color is usually pale 
  blond or white. They are of average height 
  and weight for gnomes, usually about three 
  and a half feet tall and 50 pounds. These 
  gnomes are rarely if ever seen outside of the 
  safety of their mountain home. Most 
  gnomes of this caste are miners and usually 
  take great pride in their skill at appraisal. 
  This caste is the most magical of all the 
  gnomes. Many gnomes of the Ka caste have 
  some ability in sorcery. They use their magic 
  to assist them in their mining, but have a 
  special penchant for illusion. Within this 
  caste there is a sub-caste of sorcerers 
  specializing in illusion magic. They are a 
  very mysterious group and are known as the 
  Deep Shadows (at least this is the best 
  translation available). 
  The Pal caste consists of dark skinned 
  gnomes. Their eyes are most commonly of a 
  pale yellow color, though light brown eyes 
  are not uncommon. These gnomes stand an 
  average of three feet tall and weigh around 
  40 pounds. They and their Sag caste kin are 
  the smallest of the gnomes. Their ears are 
  elongated and are almost as pointed as that 
  of a halfling. They are slight of build. Their 
  hair is often curly and is usually brown in 
  color. These gnomes are fond of pranks and 
  practical jokes. They have often been 
  employed over the years as court jesters. 
  They have also historically been the first 
  point of contact with the race in general 
  when outsiders like the trolls venture into 
  the area of their homeland. They are quite 
  gifted farmers and are able to bring 
  impossible yields out of the rocky hills and 
  woods surrounding Sheltinnobortanu. The 
  highest yields, of course, come from the rich 
  valleys of the area, but the Sag caste has 
  traditionally farmed the valleys. 
  The Sag caste gnomes are reddish or auburn 
  in skin color. Their eyes are dull brown or 
  amber. Their hair is also wavy or curly as 
  with their cousins of the Pal caste. Their 
  hair is usually dark brown or even black in 
  some cases. Their ears are also elongated 
  and pointed, though they tend to be less 
  pointy than the Pal caste. They, like the 
  gnomes of the Pal caste, average three feet 
  in height and 40 pounds in weight. They are 
  also farmers like their cousins of the Pal 
  caste. Their diet, however, is the most varied 
  of any of the castes. This is due to the rich 
  soil of the valleys where they farm. It is said 
  that with the magical soil of the valleys near 
  Sheltinnobortanu, the Sag caste gnomes can 
  even grow gems. Likely the cause of this 
  saying is that many of the Sag caste are also 
  miners. This was not always the case. About 
  10 000 E.R., when the Dam caste was 
  dividing and the Damsa merchant caste was 
  forming, many in the Sag caste thought it 
  wouldn't be such a bad idea to go see what 
  the wide world was all about. This 
  revolutionary idea required money, so many 
  Sag caste gnomes turned to mining part 
  time to fund their trips to the outside. 
  During the years of the Aelfarian Empire, 
  the Sag caste was very influential in 
  Tendenarruk society by making good use of 
  this practice. 
  As well as having a sub-racial caste 
  designation, most gnomes also carry 
  membership in a professional caste. These 
  sub-castes are also important. Some 
  professions are confined completely within 
  a single sub-racial caste. For instance, all 
  recognized gnomish bards come from the 
  Dam caste. Other castes, like the castes of 
  cooks, cross sub-racial caste boundaries. 
  Depending on the level of secrecy the caste 
  leaders have traditionally enforced, some of 
  these sub-castes regulate inter-marriage as 
  well, further lessening the pool of applicable 
  marriage partners. Faced with a small pool 
  of available gnomes, many gladly accept 
  religious vows of celibacy as an assured 
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  passage to the glorious gem mines in the sky 
  upon their death. Most of the Tendenarruk 
  believe that celibacy is next to godliness. 
   
  Dangers 
  Most Tendenarruk view all outsiders with 
  suspicion and consider them a threat. They 
  elect to remain tucked deep in their 
  mountain home all of their lives without 
  ever venturing outside. This might be 
  possible if food could be mined like gems, 
  but the Pal and Sag castes that live outside 
  of the mountain home of the gnomes must 
  protect their crops and engage in trading 
  with outsiders in order to keep supplying 
  their brethren inside Sheltinnobortanu with 
  necessities like food. Thus, gnomes must 
  sally forth to protect their outside interests 
  and kin against the constant threat of troll 
  attacks. Trolls, called Naraz in Gnomish, 
  are the biggest threat to gnomish existence.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The gnomes' small size gives them an 
  advantage against the huge and often 
  clumsy creatures. Gnome alchemists work 
  constantly to improve their potions of oil 
  and fire that help to combat the 
  regenerative properties of trolls. The 
  gnomes are excellent strategists and are 
  constantly working to devise ambushes and 
  sneak attacks. These are largely successful, 
  and the gnomes' superior intellect serves 
  them well against their foes. But the average 
  gnome is no fighter, and when the trolls do 
  happen to catch the gnomes in open battle, 
  the loss of gnomish life is disastrous. 
  Goblins and kobolds also harry the gnomes 
  from time to time, but these adversaries are 
  less of a threat to gnomish existence, for 
  they are easily dispatched by gnome 
  ingenuity in battle. When the gnomes are 
  forced to meet goblins and kobolds in open 
  battle, the odds are much more even and 
  gnomish warriors are able to do great 
  damage to their foes. Wild monsters and 
  beasts are rare within the area, and if not for 
  the trolls, the gnome homeland of 
  Sheltinnobortanu would be a safe and 
  peaceful place. 
   
  Food 
  Tendenarruk are especially fond of 
  mushrooms and claim to have discovered 
  over 300 different types of edible fungi. 
  They are also fond of rabbit meat and 
  cultivate rabbits all around 
  Sheltinnobortanu. Rabbit meat is 
  considered a delicacy and is said to be the 
  favorite food of Barlifandorf, giving it a holy 
  designation. All festivals feature feasts 
  where rabbit meat is served in great 
  amounts. The gnomes are fond of spices to a 
  fault, and other races trying gnomish 
  cooking usually find it unpalatable and even 
  (in the case of spicy foods) painful. 
  Everyday fare is usually a soup or stew 
  consisting largely of potatoes and other 
  tubers grown in the valleys surrounding Mt. 
  Sheltinnobortanu. Gnomes also bake a type 
  of coarse unleavened bread made from a 
  
   
   
   
   
  168 
  strain of winter wheat specially adapted to 
  the mountainous region where they live. 
  Other vegetables are also prized when 
  available. These crops are traded for with 
  the peoples of Kale. The castes of Pal and 
  Sag are also quiet handy farmers and do a 
  thriving business raising potatoes and 
  winter wheat. The gnomish diet is for the 
  most part quite bland and alternative foods 
  are very rare. When spices are available, 
  however, gnome cooks are second to none in 
  creating a work of art for the taste buds, 
  though they often go overboard, according 
  to non-gnomish tastes. The farmers of the 
  castes of Pal and Sag have a diet that is a 
  little more exciting, as they are able to grow 
  other types of vegetables in their gardens. 
  For the most part, though, they stick to 
  potatoes and winter wheat, as they claim 
  these foods are the necessary staples of 
  Gnomish life and favorites of Barlifandorf 
  herself. 
  During festival feasts, Gnomes use their 
  racial ability to lure rabbits from their 
  warrens and capture them by the hundreds. 
  Some gnomes who are not as comfortable 
  with this method of procuring meat raise 
  domesticated rabbits in makeshift cages 
  within their own tunnel homes. A special 
  stew of rabbit meat and many types of 
  mushrooms, potatoes, and spices is 
  prepared, along with platters of plain rabbit 
  meat and Gnomish bread. A strong wheat 
  beer is brewed and consumed freely for 
  these festivals as well. Gnomes in general 
  frown upon drinking beer at other times 
  than festival. As in any society, however, 
  there are those who cannot wait and who do 
  a clandestine business in beer making and 
  selling. 
   
  Laws 
  Tendenarruk society is a lawful and good 
  society for the most part. Most gnome 
  individuals follow this pattern. They are 
  aligned strongly with the forces of law and 
  goodness in the universe. However, unlike 
  many that follow such forces, there are few 
  if any written codified laws that govern 
  gnome society. Instead, tradition is 
  extremely important to gnomes, and it is 
  tradition that governs their society. Gnomes 
  have a very clear sense of right and wrong 
  and will always strive to do right. Those who 
  do not follow what is right in the eyes of the 
  gnomes are banished to live outsider the 
  confines of the kingdom of the gnomes. This 
  punishment is disastrous to a gnome. 
  Gnomes live communally and usually are 
  taught a specific craft, task, or profession 
  that is her or his special duty to perform in 
  life for the greater good of the gnomes. For 
  instance, few gnomes actually know how to 
  cook and have ever even thought about how 
  one might go about it. There are those who 
  take care of that aspect of life and none of 
  the others needs to ever worry about how 
  this task is carried out. Gnomish society is 
  very strict, and no individual gnome would 
  lightly cross the teachings of tradition. The 
  ethics of the caste system are also deeply 
  imbedded in the gnomes' psyche. It is 
  unethical to marry or otherwise associate in 
  inappropriate ways outside of one's caste. 
  This has been the way of things since the 
  beginnings of gnomish existence and it has 
  worked so well that gnomes are convinced 
  that this way must be continued on into 
  perpetuity. 
  If an individual is accused of wrongdoing, 
  the offender is usually dealt with by the 
  elder(s) of her or his family. If that 
  gnome(s) is unable to solve the problem, the 
  elders of the caste are consulted. If that still 
  fails to adequately address the problem, the 
  ruling council of elders selected from all of 
  the castes may agree to hear the case. Public 
  shaming is widely used and is highly 
  effective as a form of discipline at all these 
  levels. Suspension from work is another 
  typical punishment. Gnomes think very 
  highly of their work and when separated 
  from it, they can become quite distraught. 
  Sloth is very uncommon among gnomes. A 
  similar but much worse punishment is that 
  of solitary confinement or even in rare cases 
  imprisonment. As mentioned above the 
  worst imaginable punishment for a gnome 
  is banishment. This fate has come to few 
  gnomes in the history of the race and never 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  169 
  has there been a case where this fate has 
  been less than permanent. Most such 
  criminals are never heard from again, and 
  most assume that they simply die of shame 
  up in the mountains. 
  **From The Other Little Folk written by Laurre 
  of House Arefor, a scribe and scholar of the Elhil 
  and largely adapted from Gnomes written by 
  Halfir of House Arefor in the year 9780 E.R. 
   
   
  Halfling Society 
   
  Characteristics 
  Halflings, or hositan in their own speech, 
  are a dying race, rendered almost extinct 
  when the Lords of Sin conquered their 
  shires and hames, expunging centuries of 
  culture and tradition in days. The survivors 
  are a greatly diminished people, their 
  natural inclinations driving them towards 
  reticence and passivity that grows more 
  exaggerated with each passing year. 
  Humans and dwarves are prone to saying 
  that all hositan look the same, which can 
  almost be considered true of the elder 
  population -- swaddled in shapeless and 
  drab clothing, worry tinging each syllable, 
  unadorned by necklace or ring or smile -- 
  desperate habits instilled in them from birth 
  by parents haunted by memories of the 
  occupation. In the liberated kingdoms, 
  hositan are beginning to reclaim their 
  ancestral virtues, albeit slowly and 
  falteringly, for few still live that have any 
  personal experience of those bygone 
  traditions. 
  A halfling typically has the warm skin tone 
  of the southern Orlanders, or the deeper 
  flush of their northern cousins. Most in the 
  liberated kingdoms will never cut their hair, 
  binding the curls into a dastar or dulband-
  cloth, but only those who live in perpetual 
  hiding from the dark folk in the occupied 
  realms do not shun this custom, since it 
  immediately identifies them as hositan and 
  not a human child. Indeed, shaving the head 
  is commonplace in those occupied lands, 
  among men and women both, as it also 
  serves to protect against lice and other such 
  vermin. 
  Halflings are perhaps as close to a pacifist 
  people as can exist, doing their utmost to 
  avoid armed conflict and even settling the 
  fiercest of disputes with words and 
  sanctions. Even hositan find their courts to 
  be nightmarish, their procedures of such 
  convolution and intricacy that coming to an 
  agreement outside of them is a priority 
  regardless of personal hostility. As such, the 
  offices of sheriff and marshal in halfling 
  communities are very nearly honorary, 
  often stereotyped as the go-to profession for 
  the lazy or indolent hositan. 
   
  Halflings on average are about 3 ½ to 4 feet 
  tall and weigh around 60 to 70 pounds. 
  Females are slightly smaller and lighter than 
  males. Three varieties or sub-races exist: 
  proudfellows, stalwarts, and hairfoots.  
   
  Varieties 
   
  Proudfellow 
  Life is truly very simple. Look over there, 
  the ground by that tree. That, my friend, is 
  spoor. It reeks, stains and it is out in the 
  open. Now, this about my waist is called a 
  sporran. It is scented, clean and keeps 
  things hidden. As long as you can tell the 
  difference between spoor and sporran, you 
  will do just fine in life.  
  -- Hositan "advice" often given to youngsters. 
   
  The rarest of the hositan, Proudfellows are 
  widely thought to be descended from 
  ancient fey or elves, their pale skin and fair 
  hair setting them apart from the rest of their 
  kind, who tend towards darker features. 
  Proudfellows are extremely conservative at 
  
   
   
   
   
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  heart and resistant to change, which has led 
  to their suffering the greatest losses of all 
  halflings. They reacted with courageous 
  valor when the armies of the dark folk 
  poured into their lands, taking up arms and 
  refusing to surrender or flee like the 
  majority of their people. For all their skill in 
  the hunt, the sad truth remains that no 
  hositan was meant to see a battlefield, and 
  the Proudfellows were nearly wiped out in 
  the first few engagements. 
  A nomadic folk, Proudfellows began long 
  ago to train the emishika, better known as 
  Kebito's Elk, using the immense creatures 
  first in place of oxen. Eventually the folk 
  used them in place of horses, riding two 
  abreast and four deep when they hunted 
  through the forests. Regaining mastery of 
  emishika, a talent lost during the dark days 
  after the war with the Lords of Sin, is a 
  secret hope of many a Proudfellow. 
   
  Stalwart 
  A mermaid I did see one day, a-swimming 
  in the stream. When down upon the bank 
  she lay, my eyes-oh they did gleam. Her 
  pearls she shone in noontime sun, I gripped 
  my oaken rod. So near I crept then cast my 
  line, as though it were a wish. Her 
  treasures hauled up from the brine, I had 
  my fill of fish.  
  -- First verse of the traditional folksong "Truth be 
  told" 
   
  Stalwarts are builders, innovators, and 
  gnome-friends, and are viewed by other 
  halflings as quite bizarre for precisely those 
  reasons. Much like the gnomes with whom 
  they've associated for centuries, the 
  Stalwarts tend to cultivate patterned 
  whiskers and hairstyles, experiment freely 
  with accessories and dyes, and even wear 
  actual shoes! Swift to adapt to other 
  cultures, these halflings frequently work 
  tirelessly to integrate into and modify 
  whatever community they inhabit. They are 
  often dismissed as busybodies and dreamers 
  by the other races of the community. 
  Given that most halflings never learn how to 
  swim, the Stalwarts separate themselves still 
  further by actually enjoying the activity and 
  seeking out coastal areas or those with ready 
  access to waterways for exploring. The 
  "village" of Merrowsfloe is famous 
  (infamous among hositan) for consisting 
  entirely of boats and rafts that drift the 
  Lonely Sea, coming to shore only when 
  major repairs are needed. An increasing 
  number of these vessels are being fashioned 
  from corals, whale bones, and similar 
  materials, further reducing the frequency of 
  visits to shore. 
   
  Hairfoot 
  No rational hositan would be caught dead 
  in something quite so ridiculous. Even an 
  elf would hesitate to invite mockery by 
  wearing that travesty. I cannot begin to 
  understand the lunacy involved in, firstly 
  making such a monstrosity, and then 
  actually putting it on display in a window.  
  -- Hositan criticism of a traditional harvest festival 
  gown design salvaged from Rowanspeak Hillock 
   
  Ask someone to describe a halfling and they 
  will invariably speak of the Hairfoots (or is 
  it Hairfeet?), for they are by far the most 
  common and widespread of hositan. 
  Though they are naturally inclined to 
  cheerfulness and camaraderie, in the dark 
  times they are more often sad, for a Hairfoot 
  is constantly reminded of how much their 
  people has lost, for even in their own 
  villages there is little that is truly hositan 
  and not merely adopted or adapted from 
  another race. As they are not fond of 
  anything remotely resembling an adventure, 
  they often hire people to explore the ruined 
  shires of their ancestors in search of relics 
  from their past. Hairfoot elders are most 
  keen to unearth their past, many hoping 
  that doing so will help to avert further 
  disaster. 
  In the old, better times, a Hairfoot was 
  brought up to be polite, respectful and hard-
  working, honest to a fault, generous to the 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  171 
  less fortunate, and stern with the unjust. 
  Parents in the dark times still try to teach 
  these traits to their children, but the 
  necessities of life often causes Hairfoots to 
  have to betray their principles, though they 
  do so reluctantly. In general, a halfling is a 
  fine fellow all round and welcome in any 
  community, albeit with a few sniggers and 
  condescending comments from the existing 
  inhabitants, who seem to find them 
  inexplicably amusing, because of their size 
  and "odd customs." 
   
  Cultural Quirks 
  Hositan are highly conservative, rural folk 
  with a dislike for the hectic and rowdy 
  bustling of urban environments -- which in 
  no way prevents them from being equally 
  hectic, rowdy, and busy amongst 
  themselves. A hositan always wants to be 
  doing something that can be shown off to 
  their peers, provided said activity is in no 
  way strenuous or dangerous. Growing 
  oversized vegetables, hononbon pruning, 
  riddling, and whittling are especially 
  popular hobbies, with long and convoluted 
  histories of excellence and rivalry that the 
  Stalwarts and Hairfoots delight in 
  rehashing. 
  Proudfellows are extremely conservative, 
  both religiously and socially, at heart and 
  resistant to change, which has led to their 
  suffering the greatest losses of all halflings. 
  They reacted with courageous valor when 
  the armies of the dark folk poured into their 
  lands, taking up arms and refusing to 
  surrender or flee like the majority of their 
  people. For all their skill in the hunt, the sad 
  truth remains that no hositan was meant to 
  see a battlefield, and the Proudfellows were 
  nearly wiped out in the first few 
  engagements. What few Proudfellows 
  remain have forgotten the meaning behind 
  their rituals and are abandoning more of 
  them with each new generation. 
  Proudfellows, lacking much in the way of 
  agricultural disposition, instead chose to 
  become masters of animal husbandry. Long 
  ago the Proudfellows began to train 
  the emishika, better known as Kebito's Elk, 
  using the immense creatures first in place of 
  oxen. Their nomadism and semi-
  domestication of the emishika gave them 
  unparalleled mobility right up until the 
  coming of the Seven, spreading their 
  numbers further and into more hostile 
  environments than their less venturesome 
  kin. Regaining mastery of emishika, a talent 
  lost during the dark days after the war with 
  the Lords of Sin, is a secret hope of many a 
  Proudfellow. 
  Today, of course, there is significantly less 
  variety among the halflings. What few 
  Proudfellows remain have forgotten the 
  meaning behind their rituals and are 
  abandoning more of them with each new 
  generation. The Stalwarts dress in drab and 
  shapeless cloths that are a far cry from the 
  elaborately dyed brilliances of their past, as 
  well as often shaving their heads - once one 
  of the greatest taboos of their people - or no 
  longer wearing the dastar to keep their hair 
  in place. The unfortunate Hairfoots, whilst 
  still the most populous of hositan, are 
  effectively no more than reflections of 
  whatever racial settlement they inhabit, 
  even the simplest parts of their former 
  culture withering rapidly. 
  Outside of Westdelving, that last bastion of 
  the ancient halflings, only the art of riddling 
  remains alive. It has been noted by scholars 
  of other races that the halflings seem to 
  have replaced wars of weapons with wars of 
  words. Champions of wit clash over a 
  tabletop, duels between entire families 
  resolved by the keenness of intellect and not 
  blade. Disgraceful conduct in a challenge of 
  riddles has been compared to cowardice on 
  the battlefield, with the dishonorable cur 
  publicly shunned and condemned. 
  To those who remember the old ways, there 
  is often a chilling sight in the innocent 
  games and rhymes of children. What to a 
  child is nothing more than a quick game of 
  hollyhockers is the memory of a wizened 
  haruspex hunched over entrails and casting 
  the bone rods. What to a child is nothing 
  more than a fun singsong is the memory 
  
   
   
   
   
  172 
  of maneivocans and vespernuntis keeping 
  the flow of time unhindered. 
   
  Religion 
  And thus were the first Rites of Endsweek 
  enacted, and Bunga did smile upon his 
  faithful children. And these most blessed of 
  the hositan did feast, upon the lambs, and 
  the calves, and the fatted swine, and the 
  carp, and the salmon, and the fruits of the 
  gardens of the king, and the marrows that 
  grew also therein, and the eggs of lark, and 
  of hen, and of duck, and of goose // So 
  thence did Bunga, most merciful, grant 
  relief from indigestion to the faithful.  
  -- Hymns to Bunga, 2:15-18 / 3:28 (intervening verses 
  redacted) 
   
  Halflings revere the deity Bunga Proudfoot, 
  one of the most active of the greater gods 
  despite being no less bound than his fellows 
  by the Pact Primordial, limiting his direct 
  involvement on the Material Plane. Instead 
  of entering the world fully, Bunga chooses to 
  send only the least reflection of his whole 
  being -- not even so much as an aspect, 
  much less an avatar of himself -- that 
  attaches to a hositan soul and provides 
  inspiration. This spiritual reflection is 
  sometimes esoterically referred to 
  as preranya. It is widely believed that Carl 
  Paladin Merribuck, one of the most famous 
  of Halfling heroes, was one such recipient, 
  either directly or through the advice and 
  support of his beloved. 
  Halflings venerate Bunga Proudfoot mainly 
  through personal prayers, church services 
  twice a week, and lavish pastoral festivals 
  that could probably feed most of Eruna. 
  Their priests are highly respected for their 
  wisdom and compassion, both key features 
  that are required to advance through the 
  diocesan hierarchy. In the absence of 
  secular sheriffs, it is a priest of Bunga who is 
  charged with confronting a lawbreaker, to 
  remind them what they stand to lose if they 
  continue down that path, and to offer 
  redemption. 
  Bunga Proudfoot teaches that humility for 
  its own sake is as dishonest as unwarranted 
  pride, advising that a true hositan should 
  acknowledge their actions for what they are 
  and not dismiss the praise of others - or, as 
  being mortal is to be prone to error, to take 
  both responsibility for their mistakes and 
  the criticism of those who censure them. 
  Above all, hositan should aim to make life 
  pleasant for themselves and for others, to 
  find that which is most enjoyable to them 
  and learn to excel at it. 
  For all these apparent idyllic qualities, 
  hositan religion hides a disturbingly dark 
  heart. For many centuries, the Hairfoots 
  ostracized their cousins as heretics and 
  blasphemers, condemning the Stalwarts for 
  their long association with gnomes and the 
  Proudfellows as animalistic brutes no better 
  than the dark folk. For their part, the 
  Stalwarts began to see their kin, especially 
  the ultra-conservative Proudfellows, as too 
  narrow-minded to advance with the rest of 
  the world. It is thought that the gradual 
  abandoning of the land by the Merrowsfloe 
  Stalwarts began at this time. 
  The schisms led first to excommunications, 
  then mass banishments as each halfling 
  settlement strove to drive out those who 
  disagreed with the majority interpretation 
  of the faith. The full shameful extent of the 
  atrocities they visited upon themselves are a 
  secret closely guarded by the priesthood, 
  who only reveal the truth to the most 
  promising acolytes and then only when they 
  are about to take the most sacred of oaths, 
  swearing to give up their lives if need be to 
  safeguard the peace and well-being of all 
  halflings. 
   
   
  Architecture 
  Shires 
  A shire is constructed mostly underground 
  with individual homes burrowed into the 
  sides of tors and hillocks. To the casual 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  173 
  passerby all that will be visible is a well-
  tended flower garden and letterbox. The 
  overall motif is circular or oval chambers 
  and doors, providing considerable 
  buttressing against the weight of the soil 
  above, with anywhere between seven and 
  fifteen rooms each on up to four levels. This 
  is a cultural holdover from the Five Clans 
  Period, deemed useful enough to retain even 
  when the halflings no longer needed to 
  house their entire extended family in a 
  single home. 
  A complex system of flues maintains fresh 
  air and variable temperatures throughout, 
  such that one could pass from a warm 
  hallway into a chill pantry with but a single 
  step. For any of the bedrooms to lack a 
  fireplace, or for a kitchen to lack at least two 
  ovens, was considered a sign of poverty or 
  negligence for many years. The plumbing 
  was of similar brilliance, allowing the luxury 
  of warmed water on command, even if a 
  blizzard was raging outside. 
  It is worth noting that not even the most 
  conservative of Stalwarts or Hairfoots would 
  actually call their settlement a shire in these 
  times, for that is a title now reserved solely 
  for Westdelving. The design of a true shire 
  remains common knowledge even among 
  the new generations, but so much of it has 
  been modified or outright replaced by the 
  styles and techniques of other races, 
  particularly the dwarves, that only a 
  semblance of the original remains. 
  One of the few shire structures invariably 
  located on the surface is the Marshalskeep, 
  serving as both the local court of law and the 
  offices of the sheriffs. The sheriffs report to 
  the marshal, who is responsible for keeping 
  in contact with other shires and with any 
  nearby settlements of other races. In part 
  due to the potential for having to entertain 
  important guests of larger size than the 
  average halfling, the Marshalskeep is 
  traditionally built to human or elven 
  proportions, which also ostensibly serves to 
  remind its occupants that they are but a 
  small part of a much greater world. 
   
  Hames 
  Hames were almost entirely above ground 
  and could only barely be described as actual 
  settlements, being fashioned from the ivies 
  and roots of great trees using the fey art 
  of rizaphxan. Each hame was shared 
  between several Proudfellow tribes, though 
  only rarely at the same time, with one group 
  arriving scarcely a day after the previous 
  had departed. Despite the relative lack of 
  contact between tribes, word spread quickly 
  if a hame was ill-treated or neglected by its 
  occupants. As the punishment was being 
  barred from any hame for a period of time, 
  this was an incredibly rare problem. 
  As the years passed and the plants that 
  formed the original aspects of a hame aged, 
  replacements were cultivated with exquisite 
  care by successive generations of halfling 
  adepts. Unlike the relatively static shires, 
  hames would flow with the passage of time, 
  forever changing as one tree fell that 
  another might sprout instead. The 
  Proudfellows wove tapestries of the living 
  canopy, tacitly acknowledging that their 
  very impermanence made the hame all the 
  more beautiful. 
  It was impossible to stumble across a hame 
  by accident, for each was surrounded by 
  great totems adorned with emishika antlers 
  and engraved with warnings both ancient 
  and new against trespass. In the absence of 
  more usual facilities, it became common to 
  add levels or trophies to these totems as a 
  means of marking some great success, or 
  even just as a tithe of sorts to Bunga, despite 
  the best efforts of the priesthood to halt this 
  troubling unorthodoxy and reclaim the 
  focus of worship from the inanimate 
  structures. 
  One of the most peculiar traditions that 
  arose out of the erection of totems was the 
  increasing veneration shown to them, 
  especially before significant events such as 
  marriage or birth, praying for the guidance 
  of the ancestors who also lived and died in 
  their shadow. It is whispered that the oldest 
  of these yet stand, defying the raging of the 
  dark folk, beacons from which spectral 
  
   
   
   
   
  174 
  sentinels still watch over the lands and the 
  wrathful baying of vengeful ghosts can be 
  heard. 
   
  Gender Politics 
  Halflings have long been disapproving of 
  the relative parity between sexes shown by 
  many of the other races, holding to the 
  argument that whilst there may be no legal 
  difference, there are enough physical and 
  mental ones to justify the continued 
  separation of functions within a community. 
  Even among the Stalwarts, who are by far 
  the most innovative of halflings, there has 
  been little effort to change this oldest aspect 
  of their societies. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it 
  is in the occupied lands where this disparity 
  is dying out most rapidly. 
  Men are expected to work in the fields or 
  woods, learn a craft, or otherwise develop a 
  useful skill for the community. It is they 
  who are held responsible for maintaining 
  the flow of foodstuffs, building materials, 
  and trading items. Before the conquest of 
  their shires, hositan men could make their 
  own way in life, but these days there is 
  enormous pressure for them to learn from 
  their fathers and maintain a family 
  business. Halfling men who do not work 
  with their hands are typically traders or 
  clergy, with indolence a luxury permitted 
  only to the aged. 
  Women are expected to maintain the family 
  home and provide appropriate education to 
  the children. When it becomes necessary to 
  do so, it is they who dig out new chambers, 
  repair the plumbing or ventilation, and 
  direct the menfolk to produce the 
  furnishings. They have an iron grip on 
  medicine, maintaining a complicated 
  internal hierarchy separate to that of the 
  wider community, with specialist surgeons 
  and midwives believed to rank most highly. 
  It is also women who regulate marriage, 
  although only the Proudfellows have 
  forgone the system of arrangements and 
  dowries that still plagues their cousins. 
  It has long been noted that whilst hositan 
  men derive great amusement from seeing 
  the women of other races try to perform 
  what are traditionally male activities, the 
  opposite is true for hositan women, who 
  take umbrage at the mere notion. Indeed, 
  they have been known to become outright 
  savage when a man of any race tries to help 
  them with a task. Many an unfortunate 
  human or elven guest has been beaten about 
  the knees for daring to try washing a plate 
  or offering cooking advice. 
  Whether male or female, hositan who have 
  left their homes to become adventurers or 
  wanderers are rarely treated as fellow 
  halflings upon their return. Instead, they are 
  viewed as something akin to employable 
  lunatics and given a huge amount of leeway 
  in what they are permitted, since they are 
  evidently too broken to be taught how to be 
  a proper hositan, but must still be granted 
  by the community the benefits of being a 
  member. 
  The only hositan establishments which 
  allow equal access to men and women are 
  the priesthood of Bunga and the offices of 
  the Marshalskeep, although the latter does 
  bear something of a stigma as an escape 
  clause for lazy halflings averse to learning 
  even the most basic of occupations. There 
  does remain some numerical bias of course, 
  with men historically comprising the 
  majority of marshals and sheriffs, possibly 
  because women bear responsibility for 
  many of the things halflings enjoy the most 
  and therefore are intrinsically inclined 
  towards working for them. 
  Beyond these strictures, however, there is 
  little in the way of discrimination when it 
  comes to who can do what. Men and women 
  both are permitted and encouraged to take 
  up art or riddling or any number of 
  recreational activities that can bring the 
  community together-- ideally over several 
  massive tables groaning under the weight of 
  a light meal. 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  175 
  Racial Relations 
  Ashara (Dark Folk): When you see one, 
  be swift and be silent. When one sees you, 
  be swifter and be loud. Remember the 
  ancient cry and sing it out often. If you 
  should be felled, do not let your kin be 
  caught unawares. 
  Although nobody has ever been particularly 
  fond of the Dark Folk, hositan experiences 
  with them have been even less positive. 
  Troll games of Kick the Halfling, Punch the 
  Halfling and Throw the Halfling are often 
  cited as one reason, along with the orcish 
  habit of using them as slaves when goblins 
  are at a premium. Their lack of appreciation 
  for fine cuisine or anything approaching 
  manners, good or bad, are further points 
  against them. 
  Dalsni (Humans): Most are clumsy and 
  ignorant buffoons as apt to go to church as 
  they are to go to war. Only the farmers 
  have anything approaching wisdom, 
  honestly, but only if they listen to our 
  advice. 
  Humans are a strange lot as far as the 
  hositan are concerned, so much more varied 
  and confusing than the hositan themselves. 
  Conventional wisdom says that so long as 
  they are not aggravated, they are relatively 
  harmless, which just leaves the question of 
  what exactly will aggravate any given 
  human. Halflings remain divided as to how 
  much they should avoid contact with 
  humans even or especially when living 
  alongside them. 
  Garzimal (Elves): A worthwhile bunch, if 
  you can get past their condescension. 
  Lovely artwork, lovely music, lovely food. 
  Do not ask for advice though, as they will 
  answer both yes and no. A bit frustrating, 
  honestly. 
  If the supposed origins of the Proudfellows 
  are not mere myth, then the elves and 
  halflings have had a long history of 
  considerable friendliness. That said, it is a 
  rare elf these days who does not look upon 
  the hositan as either childish or uneducated, 
  or both, making modern relations a bit more 
  strained than they may have been 
  historically. However, the two races still get 
  along far better with each other than they do 
  with almost any others. 
  Hynaph (Centaurs): Pray to Bunga you 
  encounter one of the pleasant kinds, the 
  grazers, because the others will think 
  nothing of having you as a snack. There is 
  no finer worker though-- tireless, loyal and 
  remarkably cheap. 
  Hairfoot and Stalwart farms make 
  considerable use of centaurs, for the mighty 
  creatures can work for longer and in harsher 
  conditions than hositan ponies, albeit for a 
  price. There have been an increasing 
  number of incidents in the last few decades 
  of centaurs claiming the relationship is akin 
  to master and slave, but there has been no 
  violence as yet and the halflings are making 
  sure that it stays that way, no matter how 
  much the centaurs grumble. 
  Shahum (Gnomes): Disturbing 
  creatures. You could overlook the clothing, 
  Bunga knows fashion is strange, but not 
  the whiskers. Some of them could almost be 
  attractive if they would only lose those 
  ridiculous whiskers. 
  The Stalwarts have long associated with and 
  even adopted the customs of gnomes, being 
  the only halflings to do so and thus earning 
  the distrust and ire of their cousins. There is 
  simply too much that is bizarre and 
  different about this race so otherwise 
  similar to their own that makes most 
  hositan quite uncomfortable around them. 
  In the old days, any given region was apt to 
  have a population of either hositan or 
  gnomes, but almost never both at the same 
  time. Now the rarity of gnomes means most 
  halflings have never met them at all. 
  Tsakeer (Aarakocra): If you can 
  persuade them to stop shedding feathers in 
  high summer, then by all means, invite 
  them to the festival. Otherwise they can just 
  keep on enjoying themselves at the 
  Marshalskeep. 
  Halflings may lack the interest in flight that 
  elves and humans have, but they do 
  
   
   
   
   
  176 
  acknowledge that it is a valuable tool to be 
  wielded by the wise. Diplomatic overtures in 
  ages past to the winged beings of the Great 
  Peaks resulted in a strange alliance between 
  the races, such that aarakocra and hositan 
  emissaries regularly visit each other to stay 
  informed on current events and warn of the 
  movements of the dark folk. The 
  Proudfellows maintain a similarly cordial 
  relationship with local raptoran tribes. 
  Vallin (Dwarves): A fine people indeed, if 
  a little too fond of drink and violence. True, 
  they could stand to learn a thing or two 
  from us about how to live underground, but 
  they never seemed to be interested in 
  efficiency. 
  Widely considered to be extravagant, 
  ostentatious, wasteful, and a wide variety of 
  other descriptions, the dwarves are 
  nevertheless fondly thought of by the 
  halflings, who appreciate the skill behind 
  dwarven engineering, if not so much the 
  execution. This is mainly because the 
  hositan believe they have improved upon 
  the techniques originally taught to them by 
  the dwarves, hence the similarity in many 
  architectural designs between the two races. 
   
  Warfare 
  En ashemmeth laluri, en shemmeth laruri, 
  en ushemmeth laruri. (All that we forever 
  were, all that we forever are, all that we 
  forever shall be.) 
  --Dying words of Shoshona, last chieftain of the 
  Kabani tribe 
   
  Halflings were never a war-capable people, 
  revolted by the spectacle during their time 
  with the dwarves and shying away from 
  quarrelsome humans and vengeful elves as 
  they made their own way through the world. 
  Petty individuals might sometimes take up 
  club or axe against an enemy, join the local 
  bandit camp, or go completely insane and 
  become an adventurer, but hositan shires 
  never had so much as an informal militia. 
  The consequence was a terrible defeat when 
  the Lords of Sin turned their gaze upon 
  them. Shire after shire fell with little 
  resistance, the inhabitants enslaved and 
  what little wealth they had plundered. The 
  Hairfoots capitulated almost at once, 
  knowing that it was futile to fight and not 
  wishing to throw their lives away. That, if no 
  other reason, explains why they remain the 
  most common of the hositan today, as well 
  as those with the least left of their own 
  culture, having effectively exchanged it for 
  survival. 
  The Stalwarts were taken just as much by 
  surprise as their cousins, but were able to 
  hold out for a short while longer, having 
  adopted enough gnomish trickery and 
  dwarven resilience to wage an effective 
  guerrilla war from within their occupied 
  territories. In response, the dark folk forged 
  an alliance of convenience with the kobolds 
  and troglodytes, calling them up from the 
  Dark Deeps to hunt down the hositan 
  rebels. Faced with enemies who knew how 
  to move and fight in the same conditions, 
  the Stalwart halflings were quickly brought 
  to heel and submitted. 
  By contrast, the Proudfellows had been 
  hunters and nomads for too long to accept 
  surrender. The tribes gathered swiftly, 
  mustering enough numbers to match those 
  of the dark folk arrayed against them. 
  Naturally, lacking in any true combat 
  experience or strategic understanding, their 
  efforts resulted in a slaughter. Attempting to 
  treat the armies of the dark folk as little 
  more than especially dangerous animals to 
  be hunted meant the Proudfellows 
  blundered into every trap, every decoy, 
  every feint. Only those who managed to flee 
  or those that had not fought due to age or 
  infirmity survived the invasion. 
  The grim necessities of the Dark Conquest 
  have forced the halflings to reconsider their 
  old position. In what was desperately 
  encouraged to be seen as something to 
  celebrate, Westdelving officially greeted the 
  first true hositan army, a pitiable triad of 
  pikers and archers. Mustering all the 
  optimism they have left, the halflings try to 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  177 
  point out that this is but the beginning of a 
  new age for them, whilst ignoring the 
  further loss of innocence and peace such a 
  change brings to their people. 
   
  Shining fields of bright new green, down 
  below the sunlit scene 
  Cold ending, birds nesting, white on white 
  flowering 
  We see ponies on the roads again, hear the 
  children laugh at play 
  And as the dusk falls, the herald calls, and 
  the stars do spin anew 
  Watching over us all. 
  Dappled fields of brown and green, 
  shadows dance across the scene 
  Wolves baying, crows circling, silver grey 
  mustering 
  We see oxen strain under the lash, hear the 
  children cry at play 
  And as the dawn breaks, the watcher aches, 
  and the sun does rise anew 
  Watching over us all. 
  Rain the scene, no fields of green 
  Flames burning, meats searing 
  Smoke blocks sight, no children play 
  Dawn and dusk are all the same 
  None here to be seen. 
  Winter is early this year. 
  --"Spring Petals Fall", by an unknown survivor of the 
  Siege of Rowanspeak Hillock 
   
  History 
  I humbly beseech your most enlightened 
  grace for pardon; however, facts force me 
  to conclude that these are not gnomes.  
  -- Earliest confirmed correction by Arch Truthsayer 
  Salkyani, from barely a decade into her service as a 
  lowly scribe 
   
  There is little recollection of the earliest 
  days of the halflings. It is known that they 
  existed by the time of The Battle of the 
  Sarum, yet whether they had been placed 
  into the world before Barlifandorf produced 
  the gnomes, or before humans emerged 
  from beasts, or perhaps even earlier still, is 
  a matter of academic debate. Numerous 
  theologians point out that it would be 
  entirely in keeping with Bunga Proudfoot to 
  secret his creations right under the noses of 
  the high races and then giggle at nobody 
  noticing them for several thousand years. 
  An equal number have complained this 
  interpretation portrays Bunga as a juvenile 
  prankster, studiously ignoring that he is, in 
  fact, just that. 
  c. 5000 ER -- Bunga creates the halflings. 
  He unhelpfully refuses to say exactly when. 
  6456 ER - - The dwarves of Liferock cleanse 
  their territory of a goblin infestation. They 
  take in a large number of hositan held 
  captive, intending only to heal them up and 
  send them on their way, but grow too 
  attached to the cheerful little creatures to 
  release them back into the wild. The hositan 
  are kept as something akin to pets, albeit 
  remarkably intelligent ones. 
  6550-7210 ER -- Halfling numbers increase 
  exponentially to match their popularity in 
  the dwarfholds. They are discovered to be 
  capable of simple tasks and often put to 
  work as a type of household servant. 
  Unsubstantiated gossip of hositan able to 
  read, write or even speak language begins to 
  spread. 
  7346 ER -- An elven dignitary visiting 
  Liferock is as shocked as the hosts to hear a 
  detailed and polite explanation of why 
  nectar from the silver mossflower is 
  superior to that harvested from the golden 
  mossflower, provided it has been cultivated 
  on a clay-rich soil, hence the unusually rich 
  taste to that particular vintage. Aldo the 
  Quick, the hositan server responsible for 
  this speech, is immediately subjected to 
  intense questioning, upon which it is 
  discovered that the halflings have been 
  developing their own sub-culture within 
  that of the dwarves for centuries. 
  7796 ER -- Liferock watches with pride as 
  its hositan formally establish the Western 
  Delvings as an independent nation. Many of 
  the older inhabitants gleefully complain that 
  this was not how things were done in their 
  day, especially not the disgraceful excuse for 
  
   
   
   
   
  178 
  architecture employed by their former 
  vassals. 
  8430 ER -- Ballin the Stalwart leaves his 
  shire to learn the grand secrets of high 
  alchemy from the gnomes. He returns with 
  a recipe for mead that is grudgingly 
  acknowledged as superior to that of the 
  dwarves, but the resultant scandal causes 
  the first true rifts in hositan society. This is 
  also notable as one of the earliest confirmed 
  breaches in gnomish isolationism. 
  9266 ER -- Stories of wild hositan and 
  degenerate shires in the surrounding 
  regions become common enough to elicit an 
  investigation by the scholars of Wawmar. 
  They confirm the reports and provide the 
  first documentation of a hame. Whether or 
  not these early Proudfellow halflings had 
  mastered the emishika yet is unknown. 
  9341 ER -- The Stalwarts are acknowledged 
  as an emergent culture, establishing new 
  shires closer to gnome lands and the 
  coastlines. They do not have much luck in 
  persuading the gnomes to treat with more 
  than a few individuals each generation. 
  9776 ER -- Horrified by the recent battles 
  between Stor-gris and the elves and 
  dwarves, the last halflings abandon their 
  ancient homes among the dwarfholds, 
  unable to bear witness to more slaughter 
  and hatred. The surrounding shires 
  continue to send aid supplies to Wawmar 
  for many years out of respect for the shared 
  history of their peoples. 
  c. 9950 ER -- The gnomes end their 
  isolation and the hositan begin theirs, 
  hiding away from both the larger and the 
  dark folk in equal measure. Powerful spells 
  of concealing and deception begin to 
  swaddle the hames, with only a few ancient 
  elves remembering how to counter the fey 
  sorceries. The Stalwarts are the only 
  halflings seen with any regularity for many 
  centuries, but are increasingly mistaken for 
  a slightly-more-unusual group of gnomes. 
  243 FR -- The first of many accords is struck 
  between hositan and aarakockra. There is 
  little in the way of trade, but plenty of 
  communication between the races. 
  1552 FR -- Forewarned by their avian allies, 
  the hositan of the Westdelving hide from an 
  approaching horde of trolls and ogres. Their 
  preparations are dismissed by the dwarves 
  of Mithhaud, who suffer a crushing defeat. 
  In an uncharacteristically aggressive move, 
  the hositan send diseased meat among the 
  dark army, causing an outbreak of plague 
  that causes the withdrawal of the force and 
  saving what is left of the dwarfhold. 
  2285 FR -- Beginning of the Five Clans 
  Period. The Ballussia, Fansima, Mariun, 
  Timoran and Veshir families extend their 
  influence across all hositan society, with 
  lesser families forced to affiliate primarily 
  with one of these five. 
  2294 FR -- The Timorans, of the Stalwart 
  hositan, are judged guilty of arch heresy and 
  blaspheming against Bunga Proudfoot by 
  the Hairfoot Ballussia and Veshir families. 
  Wisely, the heads of the family disappear 
  into hiding and avoid the trials that follow. 
  2295 FR -- Aeslin Mariun, the Iron Lady, 
  mysteriously commits suicide with an 
  emishika antler. The Proudfellow Fansima 
  are incensed by the use of an antler in such 
  a fashion and claim conspiracy. 
  2297 FR -- The alliance between the 
  Ballussia and Veshir ends when the 
  Fansima unearth proof that Salmund Veshir 
  murdered Aeslin Mariun, with an emishika 
  antler gifted to the Ballussia some years 
  earlier. Salmund attempts to go into hiding 
  but is caught and executed without trial. 
  2298 FR -- The Fansima are discovered to 
  have falsified the evidence against Salmund 
  Veshir and are themselves declared heretics 
  by the Ballussia family. In response, the 
  Fansima reveal that the Mariuns were 
  targeted because they were helping the 
  fugitive Timorans as fellow Stalwarts. 
  2300 FR -- Brutal purges follow as the 
  hositan rise up in righteous fury against the 
  enemies of their faith. Every shire and hame 
  becomes infected with paranoia and fear. 
  The priesthood of Bunga lead the way in 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  179 
  seeking out heresy and punishing the 
  transgressors. 
  2301 FR -- Internal dissent within the 
  Proudfellows causes support for the 
  Fansima to wither and die, forcing them to 
  abandon their hopes of dominating their 
  cousins. The Timorans manage to return to 
  prominence as the power struggle 
  continues. 
  2312 FR -- Exhaustion and despair halt the 
  madness for a time. The Ballussia family 
  struggles on alone under the guidance of 
  Konrad Ballussia, before a united effort by 
  the Mariuns and Veshirs finally brings an 
  end to their ambition. 
  2319 FR -- The political deadlock between 
  the remaining families ends when the 
  Fansima discover an imprisoned verdant 
  prince of the fey, Lord Halion Sarshayin, 
  and bind him to their service, swiftly 
  returning to and then exceeding their old 
  glory. 
  2320 FR -- With the Fansima threat 
  growing, the Ballussias are able to claw back 
  a small modicum of power and assemble a 
  resistance in the eastern shires. Most of the 
  Proudfellow hames in these lands are 
  degraded and abandoned under the 
  pressure of the emergent family. 
  2331 FR -- Aeren Kabani, trusted councilor 
  to the heads of the Fansima family, murders 
  them and takes over in a bloody coup, 
  absorbing the tribe into his own. He 
  immediately frees Lord Sarshayin, declares 
  religious amnesty and makes overtures of 
  peace to the other families. The verdant 
  prince, driven close to madness by his twin 
  periods of imprisonment and slavery, 
  pledges his life to the Kabani and teaches 
  them how to truly master the art 
  of rizaphxan. 
  2333 FR -- Having been unable to prove 
  further deceit on behalf of the Kabani, the 
  Mariuns and Timorans merge to face the 
  Ballussias and Veshir, but find this was 
  foreseen by Konrad Ballussia and their 
  efforts swiftly relegated to futile acts of 
  defiance. 
  2338 FR -- A decade of machinations by 
  Konrad Ballussia finally pays off as the 
  Veshir family secedes from the political 
  battlefield, leaving him master of the most 
  influential Hairfoot family and dominant 
  over the Stalwarts and Proudfellows both, 
  since the Kabani offered him no resistance. 
  2342 FR -- Konrad Ballussia is found dead, 
  forming the main body of a makeshift 
  Proudfellow totem, with the remains of his 
  aides and councilors decorating it further. 
  Aeren Kabani sends messengers to each 
  shire, informing them that he was tired of 
  clearing up the mess of his forerunners and 
  any further attempt to prolong the atrocities 
  of the Five Families would be punished. He 
  is declared a heretic and traitor 
  immediately. 
  2343 FR -- Disguised as Aeren Kabani, Lord 
  Sarshayin is apprehended by the priesthood 
  of Bunga, brought to trial and summarily 
  executed at Westdelving. At the moment of 
  his death, the real Aeren Kabani revealed 
  the deception and declared that retribution 
  was now due to all hositan for what had 
  been allowed to happen. A plague fell upon 
  the crops and herds of the hositan at once, 
  such that the most terrible of all 
  punishments was inflicted upon these folk. 
  2345 FR -- The end of the Five Clans Period. 
  With all of the original great families 
  reduced to cautionary tales of hubris and 
  Aeren Kabani relinquishing all the power of 
  his tribe, the dying curse of Lord Sarshayin 
  was lifted and the hositan were able to eat 
  more than once a day again. Aeren Kabani 
  has since been considered inspired by 
  Bunga, albeit a dread and wrathful 
  inspiration from a god offended by the evils 
  committed in his name. 
  3784 FR -- Centaurs become the most 
  prized servitor on Hairfoot farms, not least 
  because a herd of sufficient size acts as an 
  excellent deterrent against the dark folk. A 
  distressingly large number of shires are 
  further disguised by this highly visible 
  presence, somehow convincing many who 
  stumble across them that the farmland 
  
   
   
   
   
  180 
  belongs to the traditionally nomadic 
  centaurs. 
  7231 FR -- An adventurous halfling calling 
  himself the Valiant Paladin leaves his shire 
  of Blornswood against all common sense 
  and good advice. Although his first journey 
  is a brief one, it reveals again the existence 
  of the hositan to the wider world. 
  7238 FR -- The Valiant Paladin, more 
  commonly known as Carl Merribuck, settles 
  in Westdelving to pursue the more 
  appropriate vocation of pumpkin-growing. 
  7239 FR -- Unable to grow pumpkins or any 
  other vegetable, Carl Merribuck becomes a 
  sheriff of Westdelving and volunteers for 
  every traveling job required by the 
  Marshalskeep. 
  7249 FR -- In an understated act of 
  acknowledgement for his deeds, 
  Westdelving commissions the creation of 
  the dirk Stealthheart, gifting the 
  magnificent blade to Carl Merribuck on the 
  tenth anniversary of his appointment as 
  sheriff. 
  7310 FR -- Facing pressure from the north, 
  coupled with poor fishing conditions, a 
  small Stalwart port on the Lonely Sea begins 
  its slow change from insignificant coastal 
  village to the famed Merrowsfloe. 
  7324 FR -- The Kabani tribe venture into 
  Eruna for the first time in recorded history. 
  They are immediately driven back by the 
  indigenous populations, but several smaller 
  Proudfellow tribes make quieter migrations 
  to the continent thereafter, hoping to avoid 
  notice. They disappear without a trace, 
  which arguably suggests they were 
  successful. 
  c. 7790 FR -- Increasing numbers of dark 
  folk are spotted throughout the Wintervale 
  and its adjoining lands, causing increasing 
  worry among the eastern shires. Local 
  Proudfellow tribes agree to keep a close eye 
  on the developments, but nothing is heard 
  from them, as they were the first to be 
  destroyed by the invasion. 
  7792 FR -- Merrowsfloe sets sail for the 
  open ocean and is not seen again in the 
  Lonely Sea for another forty years. 
  7797 FR -- The Siege of Rowanspeak Hillock 
  and the attempted theft of Stealthheart by a 
  changeling in the service to the Dweller in 
  the Vale. Shoshona Kabani leads the last of 
  the Proudfellows still able to fight in a vain 
  charge against the entrenched dark folk, 
  with the loss of all lives. 
  c. 7800 FR -- Only a few shires and hames 
  remain populated by free halflings. The 
  Hairfoots retain a small measure of security 
  by accepting slavery, whilst the Stalwarts 
  face threats from below as kobolds and 
  troglodytes are called up to crush their 
  rebellions. The Proudfellows are believed 
  virtually extinct. 
  8153 FR -- Crude ships are seen crossing the 
  Gulf of Gor into Farland, crewed by 
  halflings of a most peculiar aspect and 
  accent, reminiscent of the Proudfellows of 
  old. 
   
  Known Shires and 
  Hames 
  Ballundell (destroyed): Hidden in the 
  valleys south of Selble and Fort Sont, on the 
  border of Kale proper and Belendale from 
  which it took its name, this shire only fell 
  when the Dweller called upon the foul 
  beasts that lurk beneath the earth to seek 
  them out. Unhindered by the surface world, 
  kobolds and troglodytes and worse hunted 
  hositan in all directions, even into Eruna 
  and the Wild Lands. 
  Elksmoot: Encompassing the Elk Forest 
  and stretching up to the source of the 
  Elksroar, this hame of Kelerak is by far the 
  largest and most important to the 
  Proudfellows. Legend says that it was here 
  their people were born and that the last of 
  them will fall in service to Bunga at the end 
  of all things. It was held so sacred that it was 
  believed genuine trespass would receive 
  immediate divine punishment, so its border 
  totems bore unique messages of welcome 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  181 
  instead of warning. Technically the 
  Elksmoot still exists and is merely 
  unoccupied, but few Proudfellows today 
  believe reclaiming it is possible. 
  Flowers-of-Bone (destroyed): A hame 
  shared principally by the Zelmyra, Arzrun, 
  and Jarmayet tribes, grown on the shores of 
  Zeland's Ghost Lake. Popular target for 
  aspiring necromancers with little 
  imagination or understanding of their craft, 
  most of whom ended up incorporated into 
  the warning totems, ironically drawing yet 
  more of their ilk. Betula of the Asphodels, a 
  corrupted treant with toxic sap and poison 
  blooms, makes her home within, tending to 
  dread fields of pain and sorrow. 
  Merrowsfloe: Neither shire nor hame, the 
  floating village of the Stalwarts drifts the 
  Lonely Sea according to no law or reason. 
  Its inhabitants have their own language, a 
  curious blending of hositan and aquan 
  dialects, though they do still recall the 
  speech of the land. Unsubstantiated rumors 
  of free trade with sahuagin, merrows, 
  ixitxachitl, and other such unpleasant 
  creatures have long been propagated, but 
  these seafarers seem not to care about the 
  implicit insult. 
  Murhaigen's Peace 
  (destroyed): Whoever Murhaigen was, he 
  or she left a lasting impression as a brute of 
  unceasing violence and savagery. Their 
  supposed resting place was marked by a 
  temple of Bunga ostensibly dedicated to 
  keeping them dead, around which a small 
  but active shire grew in later years. It was 
  located a few miles north of Lanburg in 
  Daven, atop the Maerrajin Plateau. 
  Archaeolinguists point to the names of both 
  shire and plateau being derivations of an 
  earlier one. 
  Rowanspeak Hillock 
  (destroyed): Located south of Kel Forest, 
  near Ekruup in Zeland. Besieged by the 
  Lord of Sloth in the autumn of 7797, it held 
  out long enough to see the rest of Zeland fall 
  before being overrun seven months later. 
  Once the largest and most prosperous shire 
  of the region, word of its destruction 
  crippled morale, such that even the 
  Stalwarts did not mount a resistance. The 
  copse of rowans that gave the shire its name 
  was occupied by a cabal of dryads and 
  nymphs in days long gone, but unnumbered 
  years of fey sorcery have left a potent tool 
  there for those who dare evoke it. 
  Thunderhead Glen (destroyed): A 
  hame grown within Farland's Old Wood, so 
  named for the monstrous bulette that once 
  terrorized the region. It was principally 
  occupied by the Fansima, Elniben, and 
  Kabani tribes prior to the Five Clans Period, 
  after which the Kabani absorbed the lesser 
  Proudfellows. Even today, the city of 
  Ladona remembers the Passing of the Rafts, 
  when the Kabani sailed down the Old Wash 
  and straight through the city on their way to 
  Eruna. 
  Westdelving: Oft called the Trueshire, last 
  of the unblemished shires and indeed the 
  oldest of them all, hidden in the Forest of 
  Blorn northeast of Or City. It is the home 
  and resting place of Carl "Paladin" 
  Merribuck, sheriff and hero, wielder of 
  Stealthheart. The ruin of the dwarfhold of 
  Mithhaud lies beneath the mountains to the 
  east, silent grave to fallen dwarfs. How 
  exactly Westdelving survived the attentions 
  of the Dweller, when shires farther west and 
  more heavily defended fell, is unknown. 
  Yrjune (destroyed): Located in the 
  Vanian Hills of southeastern Kale. A 
  Stalwart shire self-quarantined to treat the 
  gnome refugees suffering from the 
  Whitespot. Cultural intermingling between 
  the races led to its becoming a hositan 
  byword for decadence and depravity, a 
  direct consequence, so the priests warned, 
  of the evils of miscegenation. Brutal deeds 
  were enacted against it for centuries, such 
  that the Dweller's armies may well have 
  done them a mercy at their end. 
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  182 
  Glossary 
  Dastar: Hairfoots and Stalwarts 
  traditionally never cut their hair, making its 
  combing and washing a familial or even 
  communal affair, then binding the great 
  locks into tight bands of cloth. The dastar is 
  usually formed of two pieces, one at least 
  seven feet in length and the other upwards 
  of twenty, wrapped around the head several 
  times, but there are plenty of variations 
  across shires. A dastar is usually shades of 
  yellow for young boys, or green for young 
  girls, which then is replaced by white and 
  blue cloth during adulthood for men and 
  women. 
  Dulband-cloth: A regional variation of 
  the dastar that originated in Kale. A true 
  dulband-cloth should be black, plain, and 
  skintight, such that no hair can be seen. 
  After the Comte du Nyon wore one to a state 
  function, in a gesture of self-deprecation (he 
  had gone bald as a child), its popularity 
  exploded among the Kalish nobility. Today, 
  the Kalish dull-band is named ironically, 
  since they tend to be brightly dyed, 
  decorated with beads or jewels, with intent 
  to expose the well-coiffured forelocks of the 
  wearer. 
  Emishika: Generally referred to as a dire 
  elk, the emishika today are practically a 
  separate species, having been domesticated 
  and bred by the Proudfellows for enough 
  generations for significant changes to take 
  place. Relative to true dire elks, emishika 
  are broader of shoulder and far less 
  aggressive, identifiable to the 
  knowledgeable by their more palmate antler 
  structure and curious branched tines, 
  particularly the trey and often even the 
  brow. They grow upwards of seven feet at 
  the shoulder with an antler-span that often 
  approaches twelve feet. 
  Hononbon: A curious art form that is one of 
  the few things hositan are willing to 
  overlook was copied from gnomes, requiring 
  as it does an exacting understanding of 
  pruning techniques that will not kill the 
  subject. Sometimes known as tree potting, it 
  is the careful trimming and pruning of 
  sapling trees such that their growth is 
  stunted, ideally to such an extreme that they 
  can be kept in a household pot on a 
  windowsill. Especially visually attractive 
  specimens of hononbon are often entered 
  into competitions, encouraging youngsters 
  to take up the art themselves, usually with 
  the implicit statement that it will impress 
  someone they are interested in. 
  Kebito's Elk: See Emishika. Kebito was a 
  mytho-historic huntress supposedly 
  accompanied by the ghost of her first kill, a 
  primordial stag-god she named Durath. 
  Variations of this myth appear even among 
  the elves, who usually dismiss it as a 
  delusion of memory of the time before 
  speech, but even today, when a hunter is 
  killed, it is said their prey was filled by the 
  Might of Durath. 
  Maneivocan: A religious position in hositan 
  society, roughly meaning "Caller of the 
  Dawn." It is the function of the maneivocan 
  to perform the rituals and prayers to Bunga 
  to keep away ill fortune and evil spirits 
  during the hours of greatest vulnerability, 
  when all others are asleep. Once all is done 
  and the shire has been safeguarded, they 
  must awaken their fellows and call the 
  faithful to prayer, traditionally from the 
  rooftop of Bunga's temple. For this reason, 
  most maneivocans are male, as their deeper 
  voices carry further than those of women. It 
  is regarded as an especially good omen if the 
  rituals are completed exactly as the sun 
  rises, regardless of the season. 
  Prerany: Inspiration from a divine source, if 
  not specifically Bunga Proudfoot himself. 
  Notable recipients of preranya include Carl 
  Merribuck and Aeren Kabani, both of whom 
  led the hositan into a new age of peace and 
  prosperity. The word was once used in 
  negative and oblique forms, indicating 
  corruption from dark powers, or worse still, 
  willing subjugation to their influence, but as 
  superstition grew and the hositan feared 
  naming such events would cause them, the 
  words disappeared from the language and 
  were replaced by euphemism and metaphor. 
  Some elements in the priesthood actively 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  183 
  seek out instances of the word in literature 
  in order to expunge it. 
  Rizaphxan: A fey art that blends 
  horticulture with sorcery, likely learned 
  from the elves and crudely practiced by the 
  Proudfellows until they were taught the 
  mysteries by Lord Sarshayin, a verdant 
  prince. Whilst a master of the art can exert 
  their will and transform plant life about 
  them, molding it into new shapes and 
  forcing unnatural changes, this is widely 
  considered a perversion to be stamped out. 
  The true use of rizaphxan is to create beauty 
  over years, decades or longer, using what 
  practitioners call "persuasion" and not in 
  any euphemistic sense. Singing and 
  conversing to the plants encourages them to 
  grow in ways that are beneficial to the 
  practitioner without harming the plant, 
  resulting in living and ever-changing 
  villages of tree and bush. 
  Vespernunti: The analogue of the 
  maneivocans, meaning "Herald of the 
  Dusk". A vespernunti's duty is to fortify the 
  wards of faith about a shire whilst the power 
  of life and light is at its strongest, 
  traditionally using a libation made by the 
  most senior midwife. Indeed, the vast 
  majority of vespernuntis have been 
  midwives themselves, taught how to brew 
  this secret potion in order to reduce the 
  number of weak points in the rituals that 
  could be exploited by dark forces. It is their 
  duty to ensure the shire is adequately 
  protected by the time the sun sets and to 
  complete a full patrol of it during the course 
  of their day in order to be certain that it is 
  shielded on all sides.
  
  Chapter Seven: Non-humans of 
  the Shadow 
   
   
  184 
   
   
  Evil Non-
  human 
  Societies 
  any non-humans have served the Cold 
  East and done the bidding of the 
  Dweller in the Wintervale, or have otherwise 
  fought for evil ends. The dark folk—orcs, 
  hobgoblins, goblins, and kobolds—have long 
  been her foot soldiers.  Drow elves have not 
  usually served the Wintervale directly, but 
  they fight for foul causes, and their hearts 
  are as black as the perpetual gloom that 
  cloaks the Dark Deeps in which they dwell. 
  The societies of these evil non-humans are 
  detailed below. 
   
  Dark Folk Society 
   
  Characteristics 
  Although Farland is rife with creatures and 
  beasts of all sorts, dark folk are the most 
  prominent evil creatures that plague the 
  continent. Also called goblinoids, dark folk 
  are the most human-like of all the evil races, 
  and although they come in all shapes 
  and sizes, they tend to share some basic 
  characteristics: they dislike sunlight 
  (although not all dark folk are actively 
  bothered by it), they are unpleasant to 
  behold, and they are almost always 
  thoroughly evil. There is some confusion 
  about which creatures exactly qualify as 
  "dark folk"; the average peasant might  
   
   
   
  consider a gnoll or bugbear to be dark folk, 
  but this is not the case. Farlandish scholars 
  have essentially agreed that goblins, 
  kobolds, hobgoblins, orcs, and oluks are the 
  only true dark folk races. The reason for this 
  classification is strictly one of origins: all 
  dark folk stemmed from the genetically 
  diverse orcish race. 
   
  Origin of the Dark 
  Races 
  They were created for a specific purpose, 
  which they longed for: to kill elves and bring 
  all glory and honor to Vornoth, the Dark 
  Walker. Thus was the situation in the year 
  3289 E.R., less than a century after the 
  Walker bid the orcs to begin their attacks on 
  the elves. Their primitive weapons easily 
  penetrated the weak elven defenses, 
  destroying the thin-skinned creatures with 
  ease. The strength of the orcs exceeded that 
  of the elves. The orcs were winning; the 
  triumph of Vornoth was close at hand. 
  But this was before Tal-Allustiel saw the 
  plights of his children, his chosen, and 
  intervened. The Elflord sent them aid in the 
  form of the Swan Alfain. The Swan brought 
  to the elves mighty magics with which they 
  were able to repel the orcs, magic which 
  gave them power beyond the unthinking, 
  brute strength of the dark folk. 
  The orcish horde continued to throw 
  themselves at the elves in great number, but 
  where orcish strength was once supreme, 
  elvish magic now prevailed. The orcs began 
  losing, their numbers dwindling rapidly 
  against the mighty enchantments now 
  wielded by the chosen of Tal-Allustiel. 
  M 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  185 
  Vornoth knew he must act and act quickly. 
  His generals reported that for each elf that 
  fell in the orcish raids, twenty orcs paid the 
  ultimate price. Twenty orcs for each elf. It 
  was there Vornoth found his answer. 
  More orcs. 
  Taking small groups of his finest warriors 
  and stoutest females, Vornoth labored. This 
  sampling of his best orcs would be the 
  parents of a great race. They were to 
  produce an orcish horde large enough to 
  crush the elves with sheer numbers. These 
  creatures quickly conceived and before long 
  gave birth. 
   
  However, Vornoth miscalculated when he 
  channeled power into the selected orcs. For 
  one of the basic laws of the multiverse is 
  that power is finite; to add something, 
  something must be taken away. Therefore, 
  by adding to the power of the orcs by 
  increasing their birthrate, he inadvertently 
  stunted and twisted them. 
  The creatures that were borne were not orcs 
  at all, but stunted and misshapen creatures. 
  Small of frame and weak of body, these 
  creatures were not what the Walker had 
  expected, and they would not serve as front 
  line warriors. They were pitiful creatures, 
  useful only as slaves and fodder. And thus 
  they were named the Gohb-lûnds ("stunted-
  thralls"), or goblins, in ancient Dark Speech. 
  And yet the Walker was not deterred, for he 
  was still determined to create a master race, 
  creatures of strong arms and disciplined 
  minds. Taking a select few of the deformed 
  goblins, he once again used his skill and 
  might. His magic poured into the wombs of 
  the goblins, separating and amplifying the 
  best traits of these creatures while removing 
  the less desirable aspects. He instilled into 
  these beings great strength, discipline and 
  grasp of combat tactics. He pushed aside the 
  lesser attributes of these creatures, 
  removing from them undesirable qualities 
  such as fear and weakness. 
  It was in 3312 E. R. that the first of these 
  altered goblins conceived. The child born of 
  these creatures was all that the dark lord 
  had hoped for -- healthy, strong and willful, 
  destined to be a general of his armies. He 
  rejoiced and named it Habû, meaning 
  "leader" in ancient Dark Speech. And yet, 
  birthed at this time was more than the Habû 
  Gohb-lûnd, or Hobgoblins, for the mother 
  of the race had conceived twins. 
  Where the Habû Goblin was healthy, strong 
  and willful, its brother was sickly, small and 
  weak. Where the Habû Goblin received all of 
  the best of the goblinoid traits, this pitiful 
  creature received only the worst. Vornoth 
  named this creature Kûl-bolk, or "Low One" 
  in the dark tongue, and he cast it aside, 
  expecting it to die. And yet there was 
  something to this sickly creature, a 
  resilience of sorts. Where it was weak of arm 
  and short on intelligence, it relied on 
  cunning and a desire to survive. And thus 
  the dark folk were born and became a blight 
  to the world. 
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  186 
  Origin of the Oluk Orcs 
  In the aftermath of the fall of the mighty 
  orc-nation Rothnog, a new rage and hate for 
  the good-natured races of Núrion took hold 
  of the Dark Folk society. As Karoxfang fled 
  to the south, he had already formulated his 
  plans for a new, powerful weapon for the 
  Dweller's armies. In 9340 E.R., Karoxfang 
  founded the mighty fortress of Stor-gris and 
  immediately set his plans into motion. 
  With the vision of a new, powerful race loyal 
  to the Dweller, Karoxfang the Vile started to 
  gather powerful ogres and the most vicious 
  orcs that could be found. In his dark pits, 
  the half-fiend Karoxfang began his practice 
  in genetics, under the guidance and tutelage 
  of his master, the Dweller in the Vale. The 
  work had an urgent quality, as the Dweller 
  saw the future of Vornoth's fragmented 
  followers threatened by the races of good. 
  Without proper control, Karoxfang's initial 
  experiments went awry. The breeding of 
  ogres and orcs created powerful creatures 
  indeed, but alas, they were mindless brutes, 
  even more simple than the trolls that 
  frenzied in battle in the name of the 
  Dweller. With a fearful hope, Karoxfang 
  introduced various other species into the 
  breeding pool, over generations of 
  experiments. In such early attempts, defects 
  were created. Some were brainless thugs, 
  while others were misshapen, distended, or 
  had various peculiar mutations. These 
  misfits stalked the dark halls of Stor-gris, 
  lumbering about in their eternal search for 
  purpose. 
  Not long after Karoxfang's introduction of 
  other species, the Vile one found his answer: 
  the human. After the breeding of a human 
  with an ogre-orc cross breed, a child of 
  unearthly power and cunning was born. 
  Immediately after witnessing such power, 
  Karoxfang ordered an entire pool of such 
  creatures to be bred. Thus, in roughly 9750 
  E.R., the first Oluks were born. 
  Soon, a contingent of young Oluks stood 
  ready to do the bidding of Vornoth, the 
  Dweller, and Karoxfang the Vile. Alas, 
  Karoxfang was killed in battle in 9770 E.R., 
  leaving the powerful Oluk race susceptible 
  to influence. Such influence came in the 
  form of Bardanax the Voracious. The black 
  dragon Bardanax came to power 
  immediately after the fall of great Karoxfang 
  and found his base of power to be the Oluks, 
  who hungered for an earthly tie to their 
  convictions. The new ruler of Stor-Gris 
  wasted no time in showing the power of his 
  new force, and he sent the Oluks, with orcs 
  backing them, to the Elven ship-haven of 
  Lannael. The dark folk turned Lannael into 
  a sea of ash, and a legend was born. The 
  Oluks rose to power. 
  From this time on, Oluks had been purely 
  bred and mated to create the perfect dark 
  race, loyal to the Dweller and Vornoth 
  beyond. During the Age of Men, the humans 
  endeavored to extinguish the race of Oluks, 
  but they were never successful, and in 
  present times, Oluks have come into their 
  own in the world of Farland. 
   
  Varieties: Goblins 
  Goblins left to their own devices lead an 
  uncivilized existence but are far from 
  helpless, nor are they completely bestial. 
  They are known to be very cunning but have 
  a foul disposition. They have learned to take 
  advantage of their natural sneakiness, 
  ingenuity, and large numbers. Natural 
  cowards, goblins' best battle tactics are 
  hiding and running in the face of superior 
  foes. Fear of their masters' whips is often 
  able to overcome these natural tendencies, 
  but without direction and discipline, goblins 
  are cowardly indeed. They persecute and 
  enslave their kobold cousins and any other 
  less powerful races they encounter 
  whenever possible. Otherwise, theirs is a life 
  of persecution and slavery by the superior 
  dark races. 
  Goblins are famous throughout the dark 
  lands for their great numbers. They crowd 
  the poorer districts of all large cities and are 
  commonly found in warren type lairs in the 
  hills surrounding any civilized town. They 
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  are happy to benefit from the jobs and other 
  luxuries that civilization brings, though they 
  have little taste for it themselves. One of the 
  most important reasons why there are so 
  many goblins is that female goblins give 
  birth to as many as eight offspring at a time. 
  Moreover, the gestation period for goblin 
  pregnancies is a mere six months. Goblin 
  mothers are protective of their litters and 
  stay close for up to two years if they do not 
  give birth again. In the case that they do 
  become pregnant again, they will often 
  desert their young upon nearing their 
  birthing time for the new litter. Goblin 
  babies begin eating solid food within a few 
  months of their birth and are usually 
  completely self-sufficient by the age of five 
  at the latest. Litters that lose their mother's 
  attention before this age often die. 
  Sometimes other goblins will care for them, 
  but this is the exception, not the rule. If 
  goblins are slaves of members of the 
  superior races, they are usually encouraged 
  to take good care of their young. The young 
  goblins grow up to be slaves of their parents' 
  owner. Goblins are mature by the age of ten, 
  if not earlier. It is not uncommon to see 
  goblin youths of seven or eight fighting in 
  the wars of the dark folk. Goblin mortality 
  rate is the highest of almost any race and 
  less than 50 percent of goblins die of old 
  age. Males do not pay attention to the 
  young. They work or fight for a living. 
  Monogamy is rare amongst goblins, and 
  goblin males typically mate with whatever 
  female will have them. They are also not 
  above rape. 
  Goblins are adept at almost nothing. Failure 
  is very familiar to a goblin. They are rarely 
  successful in their endeavors. Yet even in 
  the face of constant failure and 
  disappointment, goblins are known for their 
  dogged persistence, which is their most 
  valuable trait. Because of this, they are often 
  employed by thieves' guilds and similar 
  organizations. They are given tasks and are 
  promised rewards but are given no 
  information about their employer. In this 
  way they offer employers little risk. Usually 
  they die in their attempts. Orcs joke that the 
  numbers of goblins are kept low by their 
  thieving. The orcs claim that if a goblin 
  successfully robs a merchant or a house, he 
  will return to this same merchant or house 
  until he is caught and killed. There is 
  probably much truth to the orcs' story. 
  Goblin thieves are persistent as are all 
  goblins and they will return if they suspect 
  there is more loot to be had. Occasionally 
  they are successful, and goblins have been 
  known to make names for themselves as 
  thieves in the larger cities. There is also a 
  secret sect of goblin monks that enjoys 
  immense power in the east. 
  Goblins are also used as background healers 
  for smaller fighting groups and adventurers. 
  Given their fierce racial persistence, they are 
  often quite devout and if a goblin is 
  fortunate to be born with particular wisdom, 
  churches covet them for their dogged 
  persistence in studying the ways of their 
  lord. It is extremely rare however, for 
  goblins to reach high ranking positions in 
  the church. As in battle, they are usually  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  188 
  relegated to the lowliest positions in the 
  church. As a rule, goblins are faithful 
  followers of Vornoth. They host elaborate 
  rituals to the Dark Walker which includes 
  sacrificing maidens. These are usually 
  kobold maidens, but if one of these is not 
  available, they will use a goblin maiden. 
  Many goblins further believe that drinking 
  humanoid blood during a full moon will 
  empower them with dark powers channeled 
  by Vornoth through the moonlight. 
  Strangely enough, goblins do not practice 
  this custom outside under the light of the 
  moon, but as deep within the earth as they 
  can manage. This bizarre practice has been 
  a goblin custom for millennia. Not all 
  goblins are known to follow this custom, 
  though. It is highly discouraged and 
  considered uncivilized in larger towns and 
  cities. Dancing is also important for goblin 
  religious celebrations. During times of 
  celebration, goblin females weave reeds and 
  grasses to make simple dance masks. These 
  masks represent the gods, their masters, or 
  other powerful figures in the goblins' lives. 
  They dance to incur favor. 
  Slavery is the plight of a very large 
  percentage of goblins in Farland. The 
  superior races consider this a practical 
  necessity in order to keep the goblins from 
  their primitive ways. Most goblins are born 
  into slavery and their owners are usually 
  orcs, hobgoblins, or Oluk orcs. In rare cases, 
  free goblins live in cities or towns due to 
  exceptional service to their lord or master or 
  perhaps for becoming a specialized and 
  powerful soldier. The most common 
  possibilities for the latter are to become a 
  successful Warg Rider or priest of Vornoth. 
  Thieves' guilds often purchase promising 
  young goblins for their organizations, but 
  they are also little better than slaves. In the 
  wild, goblins fear contact with other 
  humanoid races for the most part and only 
  approach other intelligent races in very 
  large parties. 
   
   
  Kobolds 
  One of the greatest gifts of the kobold race is 
  its ability to procreate. Kobold females 
  reach maturity at four years of age and 
  remain fertile for the rest of their lives. The 
  gestation period for a kobold is five months, 
  with anywhere from six to nine children 
  being born. Infant mortality is high, and 
  50% of kobold children do not survive 
  beyond their first year. The life span of a 
  kobold is approximately 35 years, although 
  they typically meet their end much earlier at 
  the hands of their brutal dark cousins. 
  The kobold race has survived-prospered  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  189 
  really-in situations others would find 
  completely unbearable. These creatures live 
  at the bottom of the dark folk society; they 
  are often forced and bullied into slavery, 
  doing jobs that others consider beneath 
  them. Digging latrines, hauling trash, and 
  burning bodies are all the province of the 
  kobold in the dark societies. Small groups of 
  kobolds have also broken away from other 
  dark folk, leaving the oppressive rule of 
  their larger kin. These small groups form 
  primitive tribes, eking out an existence away 
  from civilization. 
  Kobolds are nameless in their early 
  childhood but name themselves as they 
  learn rudimentary speech. These names are 
  almost always one word only, as most 
  kobolds have not the cranial capacity to 
  memorize two word names. These names 
  always have two or fewer syllables and are 
  often associated with the kobold's main 
  occupations. 
  Kobolds are true omnivores and are often 
  forced to subsist on meager rations of food 
  other races would consider inedible. 
  However, when given the choice, kobolds 
  always prefer to eat meat over all other 
  sources of food. Kobolds eat very little, their 
  natural tendency for untidiness resulting in 
  their often wasting more food than they 
  actually eat. 
  There is a myth that kobolds are descended 
  from dragons and often possess rare 
  sorcerous powers. This myth was originated 
  by a kobold sorcerer named Garbad, during 
  the reign of Karoxfang of Stor-Gris. Garbad 
  felt that if others believed he was a 
  descendant of a dragon-in this case, 
  Bardanax the Black-he would garner respect 
  from the bullying orcs and hobgoblins who 
  gathered during the Siege of Stor-Gris. 
  Unfortunately for Garbad, the myth did 
  little to intimidate the larger dark folk, and 
  he was killed during the siege by an irritated 
  Oluk. Obviously, this myth has no basis in 
  reality or truth. The true reason behind 
  kobolds' apparent penchant for sorcery 
  actually derives from their huge numbers, 
  coupled with the lack of ability to move into 
  other occupations. In truth, only 1 in 2000 
  kobolds has the innate talents needed to 
  follow the sorcerous path. 
  Kobolds typically play only a small role in 
  the armies of the dark folk, although strong 
  leaders recognize their value. They are 
  considered easily replaceable troops and are 
  often used as diversions, or even sent on 
  suicide missions, to slow opponents' troop 
  movements. They are typically armed with 
  spears and slings, items which are easily 
  replaceable and of little or no cost. 
   
  Hobgoblins 
  While hobgoblins can craft passable 
  weapons, armor, and other necessities, they 
  rarely do so, since their time is spent drilling 
  for war and fighting. They receive most of 
  their implements through military supply 
  channels, either from the factories of the 
  warlord they serve or from spoils seized 
  from conquered communities. Female 
  hobgoblins prepare the food for their men, 
  although they do not grow it. While 
  certainly not adverse to keeping slaves, 
  hobgoblins rarely do so on an individual 
  basis, since watching over a slave consumes 
  valuable time that could be spent in a 
  military capacity. Only masterless 
  hobgoblins, those rare few who have  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  190 
  become unattached from their armies either 
  through exile or because of a desire to 
  amass glory, have the time to keep 
  individual slaves. Hobgoblin regiments and 
  armies do keep "community slaves," 
  however. These creatures are the property 
  of every hobgoblin and generally aid the 
  females in their upkeep of the armies. 
  Although they tolerate other dark folk, 
  hobgoblins see other races as beings to be 
  subjugated or if necessary eliminated. They 
  willingly engage in genocide if they are so 
  commanded. Hobgoblins believe that 
  weakness and disorder are vile, and they 
  lack pity or mercy in general. This 
  philosophy is reflected in their treatment of 
  all living things. The communities of 
  hobgoblins never contain animals besides 
  livestock. Pets are unknown in their society, 
  as hobgoblins believe that anything that 
  must be taken care of in its adult life doesn't 
  deserve to live. Hobgoblins serve in the 
  same dark armies as orcs and lesser 
  goblinoids, but to preserve the advantage 
  provided by their superior discipline and 
  tactics, hobgoblin units are often 
  homogenous. Also because of these 
  advantages, hobgoblins usually occupy 
  positions of high military rank, second only 
  to the deadly oluks. Many hobgoblins have 
  risen to the rank of Hoth, or general, in the 
  dark armies. 
  A generally superstitious lot, hobgoblins 
  worship the Dark Walker, although they 
  tend to do so more with promises and 
  invocations than actual attendance of 
  worship services. The race does not produce 
  many clerics or mages, although some few 
  hobgoblins do enter these professions. Most 
  hobgoblins, however, see soldiery as the 
  only valid path in life, and, while glad for 
  the support that mages and clerics provide 
  their armies, they rarely choose these 
  occupations. 
  Hobgoblins are as susceptible to commands 
  from the Dark Will as any dark folk, but, like 
  Oluks, their breeding rate is not increased 
  by it. 
  At heart, hobgoblins are thoroughly evil. 
  And although they take no pleasure in the 
  random acts of graffiti and destruction that 
  so thrill orcs, they also do not flinch at the 
  sight of such acts. As far as hobgoblins are 
  concerned, the world would lose nothing if 
  all art and song were eliminated from it. 
  They simply feel that they have more 
  important things to do--like conquering and 
  killing. 
   
  Oluk Orcs 
  The Lords of Sin and their viceroys usually 
  surround themselves with oluks; being 
  natural leaders themselves, oluks have no 
  trouble recognizing and giving their 
  allegiance to a being who is more powerful. 
  Moreover, the not-inferior mental abilities 
  of oluks allow them to be mages and spell 
  casters, and their natural work ethic 
  provides for them the devotion necessary to 
  be competent clerics. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  191 
  Oluk lifestyle, while reflecting their position 
  in society, is still one of toil. Oluks spend 
  their time tending to the various duties 
  invariably heaped upon them. They have 
  nothing of the lesser orc's desire to avoid 
  labor, and thus they are always found either 
  disciplining inferiors, fulfilling the requests 
  of their superiors, concocting battle plans, 
  tending to their equipment, or slaying their 
  enemies. Being at the top of a hierarchical, 
  slave-keeping society, they spend no time on 
  mundane tasks. Lesser orcs or other dark 
  races perform these duties for them. It is not 
  uncommon for an oluk to simply walk out 
  into the street and commandeer the first 
  passing creature into some hours or days of 
  service. The oluk pays for such service by 
  allowing the creature to keep its life. This 
  practice, however, often still ends up 
  causing the deaths of lesser dark folk 
  soldiers, because they then have to explain 
  to their own oluk commander why they have 
  not been at their post for several days. 
  Although they do not have the sheer, 
  sometimes suicidal doggedness of goblins, 
  Oluks are famous for their work ethic. They 
  will grimly grind away at a task until the 
  project is completed or until it becomes 
  apparent that they will never succeed (this 
  last almost never becomes apparent to the 
  average goblin). Thus, unlike lesser orcs, 
  oluks can be skilled craftsmen if they set 
  their minds to it. The only things that oluks 
  see fit to create, however, are arms, armor, 
  and siege engines. The crafts produced by 
  an oluk are never adorned, but they are 
  eminently sturdy and practical. Moreover, 
  oluks do not have the typical orcish 
  penchant for garish color. They prefer 
  blacks and grays, and their crafts are thus 
  considered very drab by other races. Still, no 
  member of a dark race would turn up its 
  snout at an oluk-crafted weapon. When an 
  oluk crafts his own weapons and armor, he 
  will never let another creature, not even his 
  own slaves, handle them. Instead, he will 
  see personally to their care and 
  maintenance. Oluks do not consider the 
  care of their equipment to be a mundane 
  task. 
  During what little leisure time they have, 
  oluks prove that they are still orcs first and 
  foremost. Like lesser orcs, oluks enjoy 
  inflicting meaningless pain on those weaker 
  than themselves, and they spend much of 
  their free time seeking brawls or attending 
  torture shows. While they also hate things 
  that other races consider beautiful, they 
  consider it beneath them to engage in acts of 
  graffiti, although, unlike hobgoblins, they 
  will often actively direct their slaves to do 
  so. Oluks also have the typical orcish taste 
  for blood grog, and they have a reputation 
  as hard drinkers. 
   
  Warg Riders 
  One of the very few things that goblins are 
  naturally good at is riding a warg. A Warg 
  Rider, a goblin specially trained and 
  mounted on a warg wolf, is one of the most 
  feared and dangerous soldiers in the armies 
  of darkness. The pair, rider and warg, are 
  masters of battle tactics. 
  Any of the dark folk who are sufficiently 
  small and light can become Warg Riders, 
  but for social reasons almost all Warg 
  Riders are goblins. A goblin Warg Rider 
  gains the respect of his goblin community 
  and also the superior races. Becoming a 
  Warg Rider is a dangerous proposition, 
  though. Wargs are known to test their 
  prospective riders by attacking them. It 
  takes a courageous and battle-hardened 
  goblin to withstand such an attack. The only 
  proven method for becoming a successful 
  Warg Rider is by besting a warg in combat. 
  Thereafter the warg will respect and obey 
  the rider. Otherwise wargs have been known 
  to turn on their riders at inopportune times 
  such as in the middle of a battle. Even 
  though becoming a Warg Rider is extremely 
  dangerous, many goblins aspire to become 
  one of these elite soldiers. Their dogged 
  persistence and small size often help them 
  to achieve this goal. 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  192 
  Drugs 
  Dark Folk are renowned for their use 
  of substances that either enhance their 
  natural abilities or simply provide a 
  pleasurable sensation. Some of these 
  substances are liquors, and orcs and oluks 
  are known for their use and abuse of Blood 
  Grog, a strong spirit fermented from the 
  blood of sentient creatures. Other 
  substances created by dark folk are much 
  more noxious. Calbran's Fist is a rare but 
  potent drug that enhances its user's 
  strength. Corpse Leaf is a drug made from a 
  plant that grows on graves. It decreases 
  fatigue in the user. Battle Grog, a derivative 
  of Blood Grog, inhibits the user's fear; 
  and Humblewort is a hallucinogen that dark 
  folk enjoy. The Lords of Sin know the 
  weakness that many dark folk have for 
  drugs, and they sometimes employ these 
  substances to cement their control over 
  unruly goblinoids, when they do not use the 
  dark will. See The World of Farland Players 
  Guide for herbs and a herbalism system. 
   
  The Dark Will 
  Dark Folk in Farland are unique because 
  they apparently have a built-in capacity to 
  be directed or controlled from a distance. 
  Each Lord of Sin has been instilled by 
  the Book of Seven with a power that has 
  come to be known as the Dark Will, the 
  ability to send general orders to all evil 
  creatures in his respective domain. The Will 
  cannot give specific orders, such as to 
  recover a certain item, but it can direct 
  groups of dark folk to head in a certain 
  direction or gather in a certain spot, to go to 
  war, to harry travelers, or to loot and burn. 
  When dark folk (except Oluks and 
  Hobgoblins) under the dark will are directed 
  to go to war, they begin to breed at an 
  increased rate, producing massive amounts 
  of soldiers for the evil armies; their 
  gestation period is reduced by one to three 
  months depending on the race. 
   
  Drow Society 
   
  Characteristics 
  Like elves of the 
  light, dulim (singular dulam) are immortal, 
  ceasing to age upon reaching maturity at 
  about the age of 25. The route to Faerie is 
  closed to them, however, and if a dark elf is 
  not killed, his fierce, fiery spirit eventually 
  uses up his body. An aging drow simply 
  fades away, until all that is left is a Dulim 
  Shade, a creature neither dead nor undead 
  (drow began growing slightly translucent in 
  their sixth or seventh century, although this 
  has no mechanical game effects. By the 
  middle of their eighth century, their body 
  fades away completely and they become 
  Dulim Shades. Dulim Shades are 
  incorporeal creatures without undead traits 
  and which cannot be turned or controlled as 
  undead). Generally, these shades have no 
  power to affect the world around them, 
  although some have been known to 
  somehow do so. Often these shades, barely 
  visible, inhabit tunnels and passages near 
  drow communities which are set aside for 
  their use. Eventually they leave even these, 
  however, and where these cursed remnants 
  go, no one knows. 
  The dark elf language, called Mordularian 
  ("Nighted Speech") is a twisted but 
  morbidly beautiful tongue. It uses basically 
  the same structure and phonemes 
  as Altarian, although the language has 
  mutated over the millennia. Still surface 
  elves and their dark cousins have been 
  equally surprised upon meeting to find that 
  they can comprehend the other's tongue. 
  This surprise quickly fades to bitter rancor, 
  however, as the drow invariably attack the 
  elves of the light. (Speakers of Mordularian 
  or Altarian can understand the other tongue 
  with an INT check DC 10. They must make 
  this check once per encounter.) Drow names 
  are also strangely attractive, yet alien. Drow 
  tend to form their names by combining a 
  Ward Name, a name given in the drow 
  nurseries, with an adult name, a name given 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  193 
  upon entering drow society. They spell these 
  names with an apostrophe. For example, a 
  male might be named Gar'zax. These adult 
  names are perhaps remnants of surface 
  elf doom-names, although drow, having 
  severed their ties with Tal-Allustiel, follow 
  no doom. 
   
  History 
  The history of the dulim includes few years 
  of peace. They have been forced to live in a 
  constant state of warfare with other races 
  and even themselves. While they rarely fight 
  in open battle, preferring to use slaves for 
  warfare (see the section on dulim warfare), 
  they are extremely concerned with power. 
  War is a constant threat and for many dulim 
  is even a hope. Dulim strive to prove their 
  personal power at all costs. To do this they 
  may even attempt to prove themselves in 
  battle. To distinguish oneself in battle is 
  extremely risky and few are willing to take 
  such risks, but it is also one of the fastest 
  and easiest ways to become a respected and 
  distinguished member of dulim society. 
  From their earliest origins as a race, the 
  dulim have been involved in wartime 
  intrigue, and to this day blackmail, trickery, 
  and double-crossing are some of the most 
  prized dulim strategies. Although originally 
  members of the elven race, they have 
  significantly changed since their original 
  descent into the depths of Núrion. While far 
  underground in the Dark Deeps, the Serpent 
  of Twilight, an agent of the Demon goddess 
  Salystra, led them to a place of great power 
  where they were able to develop abilities far 
  beyond those of their surface cousins. It 
  would be considered a great insult to 
  suggest to a present day dulam that he or 
  she is part of the Elven race. 
  The dulim descended from the once great 
  Elhil house Al-Dustriel. Long ago around 
  the year 5556 E.R., during the Battle of the 
  Sarum, a faction of elves from Al-Dustriel 
  sowed the seed of their eventual 
  transformation as they turned on their 
  brethren. They joined the evil forces. The 
  ensuing war between Al-Dustriel and their 
  kin was waged for centuries thereafter. Al-
  Dustriel lost more ground with each passing 
  year and their defeat seemed inevitable. In 
  the late years of the 63rd century E.R., an 
  old mage of surpassing power came to Al-
  Dustriel and promised them victory. He 
  created a huge monolith in the middle of 
  their city and instructed their leaders in the 
  use of this great obelisk of power. Using this 
  newfound might, in 6301 they defeated the 
  other Elhil at the Battle of the Dark Pass. It 
  was not long, however, until the rest of the 
  Elhil retaliated, attacking once more. The 
  elves of Al-Dustriel tried again to draw upon 
  the power of the monolith, but to no avail, 
  and Al-Dustriel was all but destroyed in the 
  second Battle of the Dark Pass. Soon after, 
  the final blow was dealt, and those who 
  would become the dulim fled down into the 
  bowels of Núrion, into the Dark Deeps. The 
  changes to the Al-Dustriel elves began when 
  they channeled the power of the monolith. 
  Their skin was blackened and many of their 
  physical traits were twisted. The elderly 
  mage who had brought them the monolith 
  revealed himself again in the Dark Deeps, 
  but this time in his true form, as the Serpent 
  of Twilight, agent of Salystra. He promised 
  them great power and led them to the site 
  where the elves of Al-Dustriel would 
  undergo further transformations, becoming 
  once and for all the dulim. 
  There have been four great dulim cities 
  throughout history. Two remain large and 
  prosperous. One was destroyed by the 
  surface dwellers. Another remains a sacred 
  and historical site for the dulim, but few 
  remain to reside in this remote location. The 
  event that would lead to the foundation of 
  the first dulim city occurred in the early 
  days when the Serpent of Twilight led the 
  great dulam captain Tralos to a powerful, 
  long lost artifact. The history of the artifact 
  was known to few even then, but its lore is 
  rich indeed. Long ago in the time of 
  the Gods Wars, the now deceased god 
  Soggoth placed a portion of his life essence 
  in a ruby skull and hid it deep beneath the 
  surface. Thousands of years later, some 
  dwarves stumbled upon this artifact and 
  
   
   
   
   
  194 
  were twisted and changed by the power of 
  the skull into the duergar. They settled in 
  the area, and for several thousand years, 
  they ruled from a great city of silver 
  (rumored to be largely made of mithril.) 
  Using the powers of the ruby skull, they 
  imbued their city with great and terrible 
  powers. Though they lived in this city for 
  thousands of years, they were unable to 
  finish the project, for they labored 
  painstakingly to create a thing of perfection 
  and thus did not rush in the least. Long 
  before they were able to complete their city, 
  the aboleth that lived in the underground 
  lakes nearby began a war to rid their realm 
  of the duergar. They were largely successful, 
  and the duergar fled. The aboleth returned 
  to the depths and the city lay dormant for 
  centuries. Then the Serpent of Twilight, 
  having learned from Salystra herself of the 
  dormant powers built into the city, saw an 
  opportunity to make the dulim powerful, 
  and he led their leader Tralos 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  there. It was here that the race of dulim 
  acquired their magical abilities, gaining 
  them from the artifact city itself. Tralos 
  immediately noted the worth of this city, but 
  he also noted that it was too sacred to 
  actually dwell within, so in 6376 E.R. he 
  founded nearby the city of Celustel ("Silver 
  Star"), naming this city in the language of 
  the surface elves, for the dulim still 
  spoke Altarian. Celustel still guards the 
  approach to the Silver City. The only ones 
  who dwell within the artifact city are a small 
  sect of drow priestesses called the Keepers, 
  who guard the Silver City carefully. Few 
  dulim ever venture to this unholy site. An 
  ancient prophesy holds that when the city is 
  destroyed, the dulim race shall fail. 
  The second great city of the dulim was 
  named Morclaenthaur ("Black Lake of 
  Bondage"). It was located somewhere under 
  present day Zeland. The city was founded by 
  the dulam Sorcerer Nartiluk in 10,524 E.R. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  195 
  in an effort to expand the area of dulim 
  territory. At the time, the dulim envisioned 
  a great underground empire with Celustel 
  and Morclaenthaur as the northern and 
  southern tips. As the empire grew in power, 
  the dulim grew arrogant and decided to 
  extend their territory above the surface. The 
  surface dwellers responded with war and 
  after the elven hero Fingalion returned from 
  over the sea to help the forces of the surface, 
  the dulim were defeated and Morclaenthaur 
  was destroyed. This blow to the drow utterly 
  destroyed their attempts at empire. For 
  many centuries, contact between Celustel 
  and the survivors was lost. 
  Darkonglaxsti ("Dark Rule of the Serpent 
  Queen') was founded by Melegurtha 
  Serpentmaid, she who killed Fingalion and 
  led her people in retreat from the 
  destruction of Morclaenthaur. 
  Darkonglaxsti is located under the 
  Stonewall Mountains. It is the largest of all 
  the dulim cities past and present. Most of 
  the city is located in a vast underground 
  cavern which is full of stalactites. The dulim 
  of Darkonglaxsti used this natural 
  phenomenon to build a highly defensible 
  city. All houses and other structures are 
  located in the great stalactites hanging from 
  the roof of the cavern. Many of the most 
  important structures are therefore quite 
  high above the floor of the cavern and are 
  very difficult to access and thus highly 
  defensible. Roadways and paths exist on the 
  cavern floor, and some are even carved into 
  the roof. Others are made of hanging rope 
  walkways. This city is a great splendor of 
  the Dark Deeps, truly one of the most 
  magnificent sights. The dulim of 
  Darkonglaxsti and the duergar in this area 
  enjoy relatively good relations. The duergar 
  were very helpful in the construction of the 
  city and were important allies during the 
  early years when the fleeing dulim were in 
  need of assistance. Trade flourishes between 
  the two races in this area. 
  The last of the great cities of the dulim is 
  Z'delik, located southwest of the Belendale. 
  It was founded in 3247 F.R. by the politician 
  G'farunk. He was a very powerful member 
  of the Darkonglaxsti elite who had been 
  advocating for centuries for an invasion of 
  the surface elves. When he finally gave up 
  and left Darkonglaxsti, he led a huge 
  following of dulim and slaves to the current 
  site of Z'delik. The city was founded as a 
  stepping off point for a great invasion of the 
  elves of the light. The population grew 
  quickly, as the idea of the invasion was quite 
  popular among the dulim in general. 
  Political intrigue and internal strife have 
  kept this a dream so far, but the theocrat 
  leaders of the city have not forgotten why 
  their city exists. They never stop scheming 
  and plotting for the day when they will get 
  their revenge on their surface cousins. 
   
  Drow Timeline 
   
  Age of Immortals 
  c. 5556--The First Great War, The Battle of 
  The Sarum, is fought between elves and the 
  hordes of orcs and monsters. The dwarves 
  of Liferock aid the elves. The fight would 
  have been easily won, except a large faction 
  of elves from Al-Dustriel inexplicably joins 
  the evil forces. 
  c. 5605--The elven King Fingalion of the 
  house of Mithaleil destroys a huge host of 
  hobgoblins and trolls who attempt to invade 
  the Sarumvest. 
  c. 5908--Fingalion speaks the Great 
  Prophesy, intoning, "Great is the might of 
  the Elves; they are Lords over all. Yet their 
  might is tied to the Line of the Swan, the 
  star of Núrion. Should the line fail, the elves 
  shall face the end of their time in the 
  Hinterlands.' 
  c. 6028--Fingalion departs for the Havens. 
  The elven Queen Celewen, who continues 
  the ongoing fight against Al-Dustriel and 
  her allies, succeeds him. 
  c. 6301--The elves of Al-Dustriel and their 
  orc allies defeat the army of Celewen at the 
  Battle of the Dark Pass. 
  
   
   
   
   
  196 
  c. 6313--The elves, mustering their forces, 
  defeat the army of Al-Dustriel at the Second 
  Battle of the Dark Pass. The Power of Al-
  Dustriel is all but smashed, although they 
  will manage to hold out for another century. 
  c. 6316--The forces of Queen Celewen 
  invade Al-Dustriel's temporary capital city 
  of Talas, and Al-Dustriel falls. Celewen 
  orders the execution of any member of the 
  house of Al-Dustriel who can be found. The 
  evil elves are forced to find sanctuary deep 
  underground. They are to become the dulim 
  or drow. 
  c. 6376--After decades of wandering, the 
  great dulam captain Tralos discovers the 
  Silver City and founds the first great dulim 
  city Celustel ("Silver City') (located under 
  the Hills of Horror). The dulim are further 
  twisted and empowered during their time 
  here. 
  c. 10, 524--The dulam Sorcerer Nartiluk 
  founds the second great dulim city 
  Morclaenthaur ("Black Lake of Bondage') 
  far to the west and brings a great force of 
  dulim there by promising to use the city as a 
  stepping off point for the invasion of the 
  surface elves. 
  c. 12, 167--The first true dulim (drow) are 
  sighted. The Elves send an emissary to 
  parlay with these strange "new" elves. The 
  emissary never returns. 
  c. 12, 512--The dulim attack the elves in the 
  Sarumvest from a hidden underground 
  tunnel. The attack is repulsed with difficulty 
  and only after the elves receive aid from the 
  reluctant dwarves of Wawmar and a small 
  contingent of gnomish infantry. 
  c. 12, 575--The past elven King and hero 
  Fingalion returns from the Havens to aid 
  the elves in their battle against the newly 
  discovered dulim. 
  c. 12, 601--The elves, dwarves, and gnomes 
  invade the dulim city of Morclaenthaur 
  ("Black Lake of Bondage'), led by Fingalion. 
  c. 12, 602--The elves, dwarves, and gnomes 
  barely manage to overcome the dulim and 
  destroy the city of Morclaenthaur. The 
  dulam priestess Melegurtha Serpentmaid 
  kills Fingalion in the final onslaught. She 
  then leads the remainder of her people deep 
  into the unexplored Dark Deeps. Some of 
  the gnomish infantry of the Sag caste, as 
  well as their wives, vow to stay behind in the 
  Dark Deeps, to keep the surface people 
  apprised of the movements of the evil under 
  the ground. 
  c. 12, 800--The dark elves, led by 
  Melegurtha Serpentmaid, settle the secret 
  dulim city of Darkonglaxsti ("Dark Rule of 
  the Serpent Queen') deep beneath the 
  Stonewall Mountains. Melegurtha is their 
  new queen. During her reign, she harries 
  the male dulim and makes them her slaves. 
  Due to her influence, dulim society becomes 
  largely matriarchal during this time. It has 
  long since been a theocracy. 
  13,000--The dulim create their powerful 
  artifact, the Amulet of Evernight, planning 
  to use it to attack the Elves. 
  c. 13, 015--The Amulet is lost, ostensibly 
  stolen by a fell race of the deeps with heads 
  like small octopi. This fell race and the 
  dulim began a five-century long war. The 
  dark dwarves enter the war at various points 
  and on both sides alternately. 
   
  Age of Men 
  c. 3247--The fourth of the great drow cities 
  Z'delik is founded by the drow politician 
  G'farunk. The population swells rapidly. 
  7623--The elven Shadow Walkers, led by 
  Aminas, slay a huge party of drow in the 
  Stone Wall Mts. 
  7796--A force of drow and slaves attack the 
  capital of Orland from an underground 
  passage undercover of great magic. They 
  sack Jorland's Run and move on to take 
  Orland. Ogres from the Salt Cliffs reinforce 
  them. 
   
  Societal Structure 
  Dulim society is brutal and dangerous. The 
  threat does not come so much from the 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  197 
  environment of the Dark Deeps, though it is 
  harsh, nor from the attacks of other evil 
  races, though they do wage war against the 
  dulim; rather, the largest threat to any drow 
  comes from other drow. Dark Elf society is a 
  hotbed of political machination, 
  backstabbing, and assassination. A drow, 
  male or female, who makes it to the age of 
  fading is a rare drow indeed. 
  Drow Society pays very little attention to 
  gender as a rule. As with any humanoid 
  race, males and females come together to 
  procreate, but that is where traditional male 
  and female designations end. The dulim pay 
  close attention to their youngsters and 
  spend much time searching for their calling. 
  Indeed, an individual's calling is very 
  important to the dulim. They believe that 
  their patron goddess Salystra has a plan for 
  each and every one of them. Each individual 
  strives to maximize power throughout life. 
  No roles are proscribed to females or males. 
  It is only power that matters. When two or 
  more people need to eat, the least powerful 
  cooks. When undesirable tasks arise, it is 
  the least powerful dulam that performs 
  those tasks. Households and the larger 
  political and genetic house groupings are 
  often led by a female dulam. In other houses 
  or organizations, a male may rule. 
  Dulim culture is very sexual, and few sexual 
  acts are considered taboo. Monogamy is 
  almost impossible to find amongst the 
  dulim. Public acts of sexuality take place on 
  a daily basis. The link between sex and 
  procreation is barely acknowledged by the 
  dulim. Pregnancy is often a by-product of 
  sexual relations, but sex is sought for the 
  sake of demonstrating power, asserting 
  dominance, and seeking pleasure. When 
  dulim females do become pregnant, they 
  often end the pregnancy early. Offspring are 
  considered a distraction from the pursuit of 
  power. This serves to keep the dulim race 
  small in numbers as compared to other 
  races, even surface elves. However, the 
  dulim are a very powerful race as a whole. 
  There is a class of female dulim, almost a 
  cult really, that draw their power in society 
  from their ability to breed. Fertility is often 
  thought of as a drawback by many female 
  dulim, but not amongst these special 
  females. These females have a particular 
  religious designation and are considered 
  sacred, although they have a small following 
  and wield little real power. It is with them 
  that the future of the race largely lies, and 
  even more important to most dulim 
  scholars, it is these breeders that help 
  increase the power of the patron Goddess of 
  the dulim, Salystra. These females are 
  promiscuous like all drow, but they derive 
  huge amounts of pleasure from the act of 
  childbirth itself. Dulim sexual acts are often 
  sado-masochistic, and the combined pain 
  and pleasure that childbirth brings to these 
  female dulim keeps them ever seeking 
  pregnancy. Potions, magic, and other means 
  are used to keep their fertility levels high, 
  and they jealously guard a secret magic that 
  shortens their gestation time from the 
  normal 12 months for their race to 11 
  months. Childbirth among the females of 
  this cult is a time of religious celebration 
  and intense rituals. Salystra's magic is used 
  wantonly at this time to heighten all types of 
  pleasurable activities culminating in the 
  birth of the child. This group of exceedingly 
  devout female dulim cares little for the 
  children they produce and immediately give 
  them up for adoption. These offspring are 
  prized by other drow, though, for they are 
  considered a gift from Salystra herself. This 
  cultish group remains small, for the 
  members are extreme pleasure seekers, and 
  it is power that runs dulim society. Thus, the 
  female breeders never achieve high levels of 
  personal power. They are, however, revered 
  and respected by society in general for the 
  necessary role that they perform. Most 
  dulim value their children as the future of 
  their race. This is important not only for the 
  glory of their race but also to increase the 
  number of worshippers of their patron 
  goddess. 
  Once born, the dulim consider it very 
  important that their young be thoroughly 
  educated. The early years of a dulam are 
  very rigidly controlled. Almost all offspring 
  are placed at birth in a ward that 
  simultaneously serves as a nursery and a 
  
   
   
   
   
  198 
  school. Their education is strictly organized 
  around religious teachings, and therefore 
  most dulim are extremely religious upon 
  achieving adulthood. During school years, 
  young dulim are given a ward name, which 
  is usually short, such as "Gar' or "Mele'. 
  Upon graduation from their ward, dulim are 
  awarded their second name. Thus, an adult 
  may be named "Gar'zax' or "Mele'gurtha.' 
  The headmaster of the school is always a 
  high-ranking member of the clergy. Secular 
  and practical education is also taught in 
  school, but mostly as they pertain to the 
  greater goal of worshipping Salystra. Most 
  practical education occurs during 
  adulthood, though all dulim leave their 
  ward with a chosen profession and some 
  skill in this area. Classmates often become 
  close friends and can even enter into a kin 
  relationship. Equally common, however, is 
  for ward mates to become lifelong enemies. 
  It is not uncommon for recent graduates to 
  kill one another once they are free of the 
  ward's strict rules. 
  Once in adult society, a dulam often but not 
  always takes a life partner or two, and in 
  rare cases several partners. These couples, 
  triads, or groups establish a household and 
  share their resources to enhance their 
  collective power in the society. They 
  sometimes decide to raise young dulim who 
  are either biologically related or adopted. 
  Biological relatives are unimportant to the 
  dulim. It is the adults and siblings that an 
  individual grows up with that are 
  considered an individual's family. Couples 
  and triads that establish households may be 
  same-sex or of mixed gender. In fact, gender 
  matters little in the making of the match. It 
  is usually sexual, but is also determined by 
  strong friendship. 
  These bonds take place within larger 
  extended families, called Houses. Every 
  drow owes allegiance to one of these 
  Houses. Dulim Houses are constantly vying 
  for prestige, trying to curry favor in the eyes 
  of the rulers of each city. The current level of 
  favor that the rulers--usually the theocrats-- 
  convey on each House provides a rough 
  societal hierarchy. This hierarchy changes 
  with time, however, as some Houses rise in 
  esteem and others fall. 
   
  Lifestyle 
  Dulim society is focused on power, and the 
  best way to gain personal power is either to 
  take it or to be granted it by the Serpent 
  Goddess. Therefore, the average drow 
  spends her day scheming or worshipping. 
  She dreams up plots by which she can try to 
  rise within the ranks of her House, either by 
  assassinating rivals or by currying favor 
  with the current head of the House. 
  Similarly, she machinates to improve the 
  rank of her House in the community 
  hierarchy, perhaps by framing another 
  House or causing a project that another 
  house is currently undertaking to fail. 
  Occasionally, such scheming causes open 
  warfare to break out between Houses, 
  although the community rulers usually put a 
  stop to such open hostilities (drow prefer 
  their violence to be silent and sneaky). 
  When she is not plotting, she spends a great 
  deal of time worshipping Salystra. The 
  importance of worshipping the Goddess is 
  instilled in each drow during their rearing, 
  and they take it very seriously. There is a 
  practical reason for such worship, however: 
  every drow hopes that if her prayers to 
  Salystra are fervent enough, the goddess will 
  grant her special favor and power in society 
  and allow her to achieve the things that her 
  scheming alone has failed to provide. 
  When not praying or machinating, a drow 
  either takes care of the mundane workings 
  of her daily life (like overseeing her slaves 
  and keeping them in line, or taking care of 
  her finances) or, more likely, she engages in 
  one of many perverted leisure time 
  activities. She may partake in sexual 
  activities with her slaves or with other drow 
  of her station (but never with drow beneath 
  her station), she may partake of various 
  drugs or hallucinatory substances, or she 
  may host a torture show for her peers (all of 
  whom are scheming to supplant her). In this 
  popular drow pastime, a slave or criminal is 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  199 
  tormented in artful, creative ways; the 
  object is to produce a "scream symphony." 
  Whatever her daily activities, a drow's life is 
  never dull. 
   
  Crafts 
  While dulim are heavily involved in the 
  planning of almost all projects concerning 
  their communities, the dark elves leave 
  almost every "practical craft," like the 
  construction of furniture, textiles, food 
  preparation, tools and implements, to their 
  slave races. Since the dulim stemmed 
  originally from the elves of Al-Dustriel, 
  however, they still prize artistic objects and 
  artistry. Certain dulim Houses, like House 
  Ark'vax, are known for producing talented 
  artists, and the influence of such houses 
  increases because of this. Dark elves sculpt, 
  paint, and craft jewelry, except their art is 
  often described by surface races as 
  "twisted," meaning that it has the typical 
  slim, graceful, ornate appearance of the 
  crafts produced by surface elves, but it 
  appears somehow alien. It tends to have 
  strange lines, and blade-like protuberances 
  reminiscent of fangs often jut from the 
  crafted object in places where such 
  protuberances would have no function. 
  Serpents, skulls, images of sexual 
  perversions, and other dark themes serve as 
  ornamentation on crafted items and as 
  subjects of paintings. 
  Dulim also craft implements and tools of 
  torture, especially sexual torture. They see 
  these tools as objects of art the same as any 
  sculpture or painting, and drow take as 
  much care in creating and ornamenting 
  these devices as they do with their more 
  traditional artistic creations. 
  The only other things dulim make with their 
  hands are weapons. They often forge their 
  own longswords, daggers, and crossbows. 
  Their favorite implement to construct, 
  however, is the Dulim War Gauntlet. This is 
  a metal and leather glove that is covered 
  with all manner of strange protuberances 
  and plates. With the press of a hidden 
  button, the thin blades, hooks, and 
  corkscrews spring forth. Dulim do not use 
  these gauntlets to punch, as the races of the 
  surface often use their own war gauntlets. 
  Rather, the dark elves employ these 
  weapons in a graceful and dexterous combat 
  style that looks like a dance, wherein any 
  slight touch with the gauntlet will produce 
  wicked, torturous lacerations on exposed 
  flesh. 
   
  Interaction with Other 
  Races 
  The dulim without exception consider 
  themselves a superior race. A powerful drow 
  subculture considers medusas and nagas 
  quite mighty as well, but instances of any 
  other race achieving any real power is 
  almost unheard of in dulim society. For the 
  most part, the dulim interact with other 
  races in violent ways. They often make 
  concerted efforts to wipe out entire colonies 
  of rival races that they encounter. Their 
  usually-superior tactics in warfare 
  commonly enable them to do so quite easily. 
  They do, however, realize the great benefit 
  to their society of taking other races as 
  slaves. In fact, dulim society is entirely 
  dependent on slavery. Only in matters of 
  religion are slaves usually completely 
  absent, but even that realm occasionally 
  sees a member of another race performing 
  at a high-level capacity. In some cases, child 
  rearing is even left to the slaves, though 
  most dulim see this as quite dangerous to 
  the future of their race. 
  The dulim as a rule are haughty, 
  domineering, and power hungry. Dulim 
  culture is mainly based upon personal 
  power, so dulim to an extent strive to keep 
  the numbers of their race limited. The fewer 
  dulim there are the less competition exists, 
  these dulim believe. Instances of infanticide 
  and the murder of young children are not 
  uncommon. Although most dulim are 
  intelligent enough to respect the emergence 
  of powerful and talented individuals, it is 
  not uncommon for adults to dispose of a 
  
   
   
   
   
  200 
  young dulam who is showing too much 
  promise and is likely to surpass his or her 
  teacher. Many dulim suffer from a deep 
  passionate self-hatred of their own race. 
  These dulim mostly belong to a subculture 
  that often look to naga or medusa as more 
  advanced creatures. 
  One of the most interesting races that the 
  dulim interact with is the yuan-ti. These half 
  snake half humanoids were created by the 
  dulim themselves through genetic 
  engineering. Ever fascinated by serpents, 
  the symbol of their goddess Salystra, dulim 
  wizards attempted to create a master race 
  by crossing serpents and humanoids. The 
  experiments went well for many centuries, 
  but the dulim failed to account for the racial 
  empathy the yuan-ti felt for each other. 
  Eventually the new race was able to break 
  free from the yoke of their creators and 
  successfully start their own society. To this 
  day they are a difficult foe for the Dulim. 
  Many yuan-ti are still present in dulim 
  cities, but great care is kept to ensure they 
  have no contact with one another. They are 
  usually kept in positions of great solitude. 
  The dulim race considers genocide a 
  glorious and unholy undertaking. They 
  claim that the gods didn't plan for there to 
  be a multitude of races on and within 
  Núrion and that the drow are involved in a 
  cleansing war to finish the sloppy job the 
  gods started when they created intelligent 
  life on Núrion. Each god has his or her 
  chosen race, and the world should be 
  reduced to at least these few. Though a few 
  other races worship Salystra, the dulim and 
  their slaves are her main worshippers. The 
  dulim point to this fact as evidence of her 
  superiority over the original gods. She is an 
  evolved deity just as they have evolved from 
  their surface beginnings. An even loftier 
  goal would be for the drow to someday rid 
  the world of all other races save Salystra's 
  chosen race. The dulim often point to their 
  claim to have completely exterminated the 
  race commonly known as the deep gnomes 
  or svirfneblin as a demonstration of their 
  ability to cleanse the world of inferior races. 
  These claims have not been substantiated, 
  but sightings of gnomes in the Dark Deeps 
  are rare. 
  Medusas and naga are sometimes able to 
  hold high-level positions in drow society. 
  Some even consider them sacred. Medusas 
  are often prized by sculptors for their ability 
  to petrify their prey. Dulim sculptors have 
  been known to use these ready-made 
  statues as their starting point for great 
  works of art. Nagas are prized for their 
  ability to read thoughts, and many 
  successful politicians will buy a naga slave 
  early in their political career. These human-
  headed serpents are also prized as guards 
  for their abilities, and wealthy dulim often 
  use naga as watch-creatures. 
  The aboleth and the strange, alien squid-
  headed race are two of the most 
  troublesome races for the dulim. The power 
  and cunning of these races make the 
  practice of keeping members of their races 
  as slaves extremely rare but not unheard of. 
  The alien Squid-headed monstrosities that 
  rule their own cities through mental 
  domination are rare in dulim cities, 
  although they can sometimes be seen 
  trading and doing business with the dulim. 
  The drow are loath to attack them as they 
  usually would another race, for historic 
  attempts have been mostly disastrous. 
  These creatures in turn seem to be content 
  for now to trade with the dulim, although 
  disappearances of drow expeditions through 
  the territory of these creatures suggest that 
  the Squid-headed monstrosities may be 
  biding their time. The aboleth are never 
  seen in dulim society due to their aquatic 
  environment. The aboleth and the dulim 
  have for the most part enjoyed an uneasy 
  truce due to the great power of both races 
  and the difficulty of waging war in their very 
  different environments. The proximity of 
  the aboleth to Xath'dustel (located under 
  the Hills of Horror), the site of the original 
  dulim city, encourages continued 
  interaction. Many scholars believe, however, 
  that both of these races would happily 
  destroy the other if they had the 
  opportunity. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  201 
  The duergar are another powerful race in 
  the Dark Deeps. They are valuable trading 
  partners of the dulim, as they excel in 
  craftsmanship like their surface cousins. 
  Dulim cities of any size are often located 
  near duergar settlements, and they reap 
  mutual benefit. This arrangement does not 
  stop the dulim from keeping duergar slaves, 
  however, though such slaves are more rare 
  than many of the other races. Some of the 
  more common slave races found in dulim 
  cities are derro, humans, kobolds, lizard-
  men, grimlocks, orcs, goblins, and 
  hobgoblins. Whatever the race, the dulim 
  attempt to assert their dominance early and 
  often and foster a master-slave relationship 
  whenever possible. 
   
  Half-Drow (Dultan) 
  Drow elves are not above mating with slaves 
  of other races for their own sexual pleasure. 
  Female drow would never carry the 
  offspring of such a union to term, but male 
  drow may for their own amusement 
  impregnate female slaves of other races. The 
  result is a half-drow. Half drow truly have 
  the worst of both worlds-- they are looked 
  upon by other races as drow and by the 
  drow race as slaves. Still, they have their 
  own unique gifts that might allow them to 
  make something of their low social position. 
   
  Religion 
  Religion, or more specifically, worship 
  of Salystra the Serpent Queen, encompasses 
  much of the daily life of the dulim. In truth, 
  had it not been for Salystra, the race of 
  dulim would not even have existed. 
  Dulim society is a strict theocracy, with the 
  most powerful cleric of Salystra as leader. 
  All aspects of the society are controlled by 
  the clergy, including schools, nurseries and 
  the military. 
  Four times each day-typically during 
  mealtimes and right before nightly 
  meditations-all servants of Salystra are 
  required to devote ten minutes in prayer to 
  the dark lady. Slaves and servants of the 
  dulim are also required to lift up Salystra's 
  name in prayer as well during these same 
  periods, although they are never allowed to 
  become clerics. Worship of other deities is 
  absolutely prohibited in dulim society, with 
  offenders quickly put to death at the 
  sacrificial altar of the Serpent Queen. 
  There are two main high holy days in the 
  worship of Salystra, known as Apartiax and 
  Nepartiax. Apartiax occurs during mid-
  summer as known on the surface. It is at 
  this time that the constellation of the Swan 
  of Tal-Allustiel is closest to Núrion. This is a 
  time of celebration and feasting among the 
  dulim, where they give thanks to Salystra for 
  their bounty. Nepartiax occurs during mid-
  winter and is the time at which the 
  constellation is furthest from Núrion. 
  During this time, the dulim sacrifice slaves 
  and plead for Salystra to once again shine 
  her favor on them. 
  Clerics of Salystra may choose from 
  the Malice, Magic and Trickery domains. All 
  clerics of Salystra are proficient with whips. 
  When certain drow of above-average ability 
  reach sixth level, their goddess Salystra tests 
  them. Although these tests vary, they are 
  uniformly nasty. Those drow who fail are 
  transformed into hideous half-snake half-
  elves called Drasps, and they become 
  outcasts from dulim society. 
   
  Magic 
  As elves, dulim benefit from those magical 
  abilities, like immunity to ghoul touch, lack 
  of a need to sleep, resistance to charm, and 
  resistance to cold and disease, that the swan 
  of Tal-Allustiel grants the entire race. As 
  possessors of the Silver City, however, the 
  dark elves are further steeped in magic. This 
  city, itself a magical artifact, grants all drow 
  further powers, such as darkness, dancing 
  lights, faerie fire, and resistance to magic, 
  especially compulsion magics. 
  
   
   
   
   
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  Being imbued with this power, an 
  exceptionally high portion of dulim choose 
  the mystical arts, as the large numbers of 
  slaves leave much free time for such 
  learning. Magic is taught to dulim early in 
  their lives by the church-run schools, where 
  all dulim children learn to master their 
  inherent abilities. 
  While arcane magic is not uncommon in 
  their society, most consider it inferior to 
  clerical magic. Despite this conception, 
  many dulim societies host large cadres of 
  arcane magic wielders, who often gather 
  together to share spells and magical items 
  for mutual gain. 
  Dulim spell casters, both divine and arcane, 
  tend to specialize in mind-influencing and 
  compulsions spells. They also show 
  particular aptitude in the creation and use 
  of magical items that relate to serpents. 
  Many magic items currently in existence 
  were created by dulim, including the 
  Thrall's Collar, Eyes of Charming, and Rods 
  of the Python and Viper. 
  Dulim spell casters have also mastered the 
  art of creating intelligent weapons by 
  binding the soul of a creature inside of a 
  magical item. This process is quite rare, 
  however, for it not only requires a subject to 
  transfer into the item but also absorbs much 
  of the life force of the caster. Despite these 
  drawbacks, several items, many of which 
  have artifact-level power, have been 
  enchanted in this way. 
   
  Warfare 
  The dulim, although they are generally cruel 
  and murderous by their very nature and will 
  go out of their way to be so, rarely risk their 
  own lives on the field of battle. In every walk 
  of dulim life, slavery is commonplace and 
  the dulim battlefield is no exception. A 
  dulim army, if one can call it such, consists 
  of relatively few dulim. Poorly equipped 
  slave races make up the bulk of such a force, 
  be they kobolds, orcs, goblinoids, derro, 
  humans, or other sub-human races. 
  In battle, the slaves are ruled with an iron 
  fist and many are usually culled for 
  cowardice before a battle even starts. If the 
  dulim ever bring themselves to fight in the 
  front lines or are forced to do so, those 
  without the luxury of advanced magical 
  training pride themselves on being 
  equipped with the finest armors, weapons 
  and poisons. Such dulim usually fight in a 
  loose skirmish formation and use their 
  magical darkness ability to throw the enemy 
  into disarray. Or, if fighting in darkness, 
  they will use their minor illusion spells in an 
  attempt to confuse the enemy before 
  striking in a swift and deadly fashion, often 
  with their famous Dulim War Gauntlets. If 
  darkness did not cloak their movements, 
  drow skirmishing hand-to-hand with these 
  weapons would appear to be engaging in a 
  vicious, bloody dance. 
  Those that do possess powerful magical and 
  clerical abilities tend to be captains or 
  commanders of such a force, and will, in 
  general, use such spells and abilities 
  primarily to protect themselves and to 
  harm, trick or control their enemies. 
  Thoughts of protecting allies very rarely 
  cross a dulim's self-centered mind, though 
  they have been known to do so if it is in 
  their best interest, a fact that many of the 
  dulims' more intelligent adversaries have 
  taken advantage of in the past. 
  A dulim values his virtual immortality 
  greatly, and will do his best to preserve his 
  own life, in heartless and often selfish ways. 
  Be it through vastly superior strength of 
  arms, underhand uses of poisons and magic, 
  a wall of a thousand expendable slaves, or 
  even flight, a dulim will never fight fairly if 
  he or she can help it, and least of all will a 
  dulim willingly give up its own life, no 
  matter what the cause. 
   
  Uniqueness of Farland 
  Drow 
  Besides their cultural differences, dulim in 
  Farland differ from drow in other worlds in 
  two major ways: their fading and the source 
  
   
   
   
   
   
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  of their innate magical abilities. First, the 
  fact that the route to Faerie has been cut off 
  and has thus doomed them to a living death 
  unknown among surface elves fills drow 
  with a unique bitterness and anger stronger 
  than that of drow on other worlds. The 
  dulim hate life and surface elves with a 
  burning enmity to match the fire in their 
  souls that eventually burns away their 
  bodies and causes their fading. Second, 
  drow get their drow magic and their 
  common magical abilities from their 
  possession of their Silver Artifact City. This 
  makes the individual dulim more dangerous 
  and powerful than the average surface elf, 
  but the fact that the city could one day fall 
  into enemy hands means that their racial 
  powers could potentially be removed. The 
  drow know this and thus keep the city's 
  existence a closely guarded secret. They fear 
  the day that their sacred site might slip from 
  their grasp. 
   
   
  Orcish Society 
  Characteristics 
  Orcs are notoriously ugly, vicious, and cruel. 
  Because of their penchant to crossbreed 
  with other races and to live in isolated 
  tribes, orcs vary widely in appearance. They 
  are rarely shorter than 4'5" or taller than 6', 
  but they range everywhere in between and 
  the shape of their bodies varies widely. 
  Their skin ranges from green, to brown, to 
  gray and shades in between. Most orcs do 
  have fangs or tusks of some sort, lupine 
  ears, red eyes, claw hands, and an 
  aggressive temperament. They are generally 
  very disorganized and destructive, reveling 
  in cruelty and suffering. Orcs hate bright 
  light and the sun (though they are not 
  harmed by it) but can see quite well in 
  darkness (60' darkvision). Their forms are 
  twisted and humans tend to find them 
  among the most unlovely of the dark races. 
  They are, however, naturally quite strong, 
  with this trait seemingly being passed down 
  from the orcish parent even in crossbreeds, 
  but their weak will and hideous appearance 
  hampers them in any endeavor that is not 
  related to fighting. Orcs generally have a 
  fairly short life span (40 to 50 years if 
  allowed to die of natural causes, which is 
  rare) but breed quickly when directed to do 
  so by the dark forces. Their gestation period 
  ranges from 9 months to 6.5 months when 
  the dark will is active. 
   
  Varieties 
  There are many varieties of orcs, because of 
  interbreeding and tribal isolation. Most of 
  these differences are simply cosmetic; for 
  example, sloped foreheads, long arms, and 
  gray skin might characterize one tribe, while 
  warts, green skin, and tusks might 
  characterize another tribe. There are, 
  though, several substantially different sub-
  races of orcs, most of which have been bred 
  by some dark lord in the depths of time. One 
  major sub-race often seen in the 
  Hinterlands of Farland is the Great Orcs, 
  called by themselves Oluks. These giant orcs 
  are smarter and stronger than their lesser 
  brethren, serving as captains in orcish 
  armies and leaders in orcish societies. These 
  great orcs are much more homogenous in 
  appearance: they usually have black or gray 
  skin, small fangs, and an upright 
  appearance. They are fierce fighters and 
  sometimes even become clerics and spell 
  casters. They are unaffected by the sun. 
  Besides oluks, three other breeds of orcs are 
  common the snogs, skaruk, and irzuk. 
  These are detailed below. 
   
  Snog 
  Named from the Dark Speech word for 
  "slave," snogs are the common orcs bred in 
  the pits of a Hoth or Lord of Sin. They are 
  ugly and destructive, and they revel in 
  viciousness and cruelty. 
   
  
   
   
   
   
  204 
  Skaruk 
  Skaruk means "wild ones." These Wild Orcs 
  are orcs that are born in the wilderness 
  rather than in a breeding pit. They don't 
  serve a Hoth, dark lord, or Lord of Sin, 
  though they often serve an orcish tribal 
  warlord. They are known for their fierce 
  tempers and survival skills. 
   
  Irzuk 
  Irzuk orcs are the red-skinned Orcs of the 
  Vale, who are known for their sense of 
  smell. These strange orcs have a natural 
  hearty resistance to cold and most of them 
  can be found in the Nameless City, though 
  they were originally bred in the spawning 
  pits of Gorug. 
   
  History 
  Orcs have little in the way of written history, 
  being a generally illiterate culture. Most of 
  orcish history consists of endless wars, 
  sparked by fights for land or resources, but 
  generally simply motivated by desire for 
  conquest and destruction. Because of the 
  darkness that clouds their past, scholars do 
  not even know where the orcish race comes 
  from, although tomes in the ancient 
  libraries of the Far City state that orcs were 
  once another race, which fell through 
  internal flaws into corruption of spirit and 
  body. Exactly what race or races they sprang 
  from is not known, but the obstinate refusal 
  of Elven scholars to address this issue might 
  provide some clue. Orcish legends tell of a 
  once great orc-nation called Rothnog, 
  located near present day Kelerak. Orcs claim 
  that this state was the most powerful 
  country ever to exist; they brag that it is 
  responsible for the destruction of the first 
  Dwarfhold of Liferock, and they claim that it 
  would still rule the land if it had not fallen 
  as a result of internal strife. 
  Besides the ancient Kingdoms 
  of Rothnog and Stor-gris, the only cities that 
  orcs could historically call their own 
  were Gorug and Haigrog (Orc-haven), the 
  two ancestral holdings of the orc race. For 
  many thousands of years these cities have 
  existed, mostly as crude settlements, and 
  they have been sacked and burned 
  numerous times, and as many times by orcs 
  as by other races. Until the victory of the 
  Wintervale approximately 350 years ago, 
  the Dweller periodically used nearly every 
  resident of these cities in the perpetual 
  Western Wars, which the orcs called the 
  Wars of Orc-Pain, and as such the 
  communities remained crude and barbaric. 
  After the Dark Conquest, the denizens of 
  these two cities were left in relative peace, 
  which they promptly used to wage war on 
  each other. Neither city was interested in 
  decimating its population in reckless 
  onslaughts, however, and as such they 
  turned to solutions that were subtler, at 
  least for orcs. The oluk leaders of Gorug 
  developed a secret breeding plan, to create 
  specialized orcs and dark folk to completely 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  205 
   destroy the enemy city. The Denizens of 
  Orc-haven, on the other hand, cultivated the 
  ability to create machines and engines of 
  war. They created devices to hurl fire and 
  rock long distances, devices to use against 
  infantry, and gigantic self-propelled towers 
  to scale walls. In the process of this strange 
  arms race, these two cities developed 
  something of a culture rare among orcs, 
  even in the conquered and more civilized 
  lands. They each developed ruling classes 
  and even written histories and plans. The 
  ruling caste of Gorug is the Leg-Breakers 
  and the ruling tribe of Orc-haven is the Red 
  Fangs, and both of these clans are 
  responsible for the written records of their 
  city. Luckily for the rest of Farland, and 
  perhaps even for the Wintervale, the 
  perpetual strife between these two cities 
  retards their cultural and military progress, 
  and both cities are still under the sway of 
  the Nameless City and still provide troops if 
  they are called upon to do so. 
  Besides their origin, the histories of their 
  ancestral cities, and the never ending 
  Western wars, the only other point of note 
  in orcish history is the point of their 
  ultimate victory: the Dark Conquest. 
  Centuries ago the cunning of the Dweller in 
  the Vale managed finally to enable the 
  defeat of the good kingdoms, and orcs took 
  up residence in the homes of their enemies. 
  They promptly begin lording it over the 
  vanquished humans, enslaving them, 
  confiscating their property, and generally 
  running amok. Only the small wisdom of 
  their masters has stopped them from 
  squandering all of the resources of the 
  defeated lands, which would have resulted 
  in the starvation of both their own race as 
  well as the newly-enslaved human and 
  demi-human races. 
   
  Society 
  Orcish society is patriarchal, and might 
  makes right on an individual scale and a 
  social one. The only laws that are enforced 
  are done so through direct displays of power 
  and fear. Orcs tend to be very disorganized, 
  and they live by a credo of avoiding pain 
  while causing it in others at any 
  opportunity. They are invariably avaricious, 
  covetous, cruel, and even cannibalistic. Orcs 
  in the wild are quite barbaric, living tribally 
  and engaging in ceaseless warfare with all 
  nearby creatures, even other tribes. They 
  give their tribes violent names such as the 
  Blood-Drinkers and the Bone Crushers. 
  These tribes tend to distinguish themselves 
  by a unique tendency to do something 
  unpleasant. For example, one tribe might 
  collect grisly trophies, while another tribe 
  might carve their mark or symbol into the 
  flesh of their enemies, living or dead. These 
  tribes have no formal hierarchy and are 
  simply ruled by Chieftains or Bosses. 
  Orcs have also been living in the conquered 
  civilized cities, the foremost of which is the 
  Far City or Gurz-Goi in orcish. Orcs have 
  been forced by their leaders in these cities to 
  adopt a more civilized lifestyle; they must 
  serve regularly as guards, and some have 
  even taken up human trades such as trading 
  or blacksmithing. The ruler of any orc city is 
  known as a Hoth, second only to one of the 
  Lords of Sin, called the Big Bosses by the 
  orcs. These city orcs have come to be called 
  Civilized Orcs, and they have grown to hate 
  the orcs of the wilderness, whom they call 
  Wild Orcs (the favored class of a civilized 
  orc is fighter). Orcs from the conquered 
  cities often undertake extermination attacks 
  against the disorganized orcs of the wild. 
  Because both groups of orcs practice 
  slavery, the Civilized Orcs often capture 
  Wild Orcs and keep them as slaves. This 
  practice of the city orcs has created in the 
  occupied kingdoms dangerous clans of 
  wandering bandit-orcs, made up of refugees 
  from the wild tribes as well as escaped 
  slaves. These bands are enemies of both 
  humans and orcs, and will fight wildly to 
  avoid capture or death. 
   
  Culture 
  Orcs do have rituals and customs among 
  their race, all of which involve violence or 
  bloodshed in some sense. For example, any 
  
   
   
   
   
  206 
  command by one orc to another must 
  swiftly be followed by a cuff or a blow, or the 
  lower orc is bound to disobey, taking the 
  order as a joke. Only pain will drive the 
  point home to the subservient orc that the 
  order is a serious matter. One of the main 
  rituals among the orcs is a coming of age 
  ritual; a young orc warrior must defeat and 
  often slay an older warrior in order to take 
  his place in the tribe. For this reason, male 
  orcs will often slay their own male offspring 
  unless prevented by their leaders. Slaying 
  offspring is illegal among orcs for obvious 
  reasons, but it is nonetheless difficult to 
  prevent. Luckily for the race, male orcs are 
  born at a rate of two to one, or the species 
  might die out. Orcs can also move up in the 
  ranks by fighting the orc who currently 
  occupies the desired position. 
  Besides these battle rituals, the orcs have 
  few other customs. They do not marry, and 
  indeed generally keep their females locked 
  in a spawning pit, to which the strongest 
  orcs jealously guard access. They reward 
  loyalty or fierceness in combat with a visit to 
  these pits. They do not enjoy music and the 
  only instruments they play are drums and 
  horns, but they employ them only in a 
  military capacity. They have little by way of 
  art and generally do not appreciate beautiful 
  things at all, although they do take pleasure 
  in defacing buildings, objects, and statues 
  with graffiti. In a sense, they even do the 
  same to their own bodies, as many tribes 
  purposefully scar themselves; the medicine 
  they employ is known to result in horrid 
  scars to any wound to which it is applied, 
  although it does tend to speed the healing 
  process. Other races do tattoo themselves, 
  although their work is purposefully 
  unattractive and ugly. They do chant, 
  although they do not sing, but the chants 
  they employ always relate to war and 
  generally are used to keep cadence for 
  marching troops. The following is an 
  example of a typical orc-chant. 
   
   
  Onward, dogs, to strife, to war  
  Whips at back drive feet that's sore  
  With gnash of tusk and fire that's red  
  No resting now unless you're dead. 
  Gralar! Gralay! With blood and clash of 
  steel!  
  Yahoy! Yahay! We fight for our next meal!  
  No pause, no cease, no give or retreat  
  Fight on in cold or wretched heat! 
  They tell us fight for Hoth and Hai  
  I say be damned until you die  
  No light no water for another day  
  Who needs that claptrap anyway? 
  Broken tusk and aching back  
  We battle now, cities to sack  
  And Then we crawl back to the pit  
  Your death and doom in blood is writ! 
  Onward, dogs, to strife, to war  
  Whips at back drive feet that's sore  
  With gnash of fang and fire that's red  
  Life is pain and then you're dead! 
  Gralay! Gralar! Yahay! Yahar! 
   
  Orcs drink a disgusting concoction called 
  Orc Blood Grog, made from spiced and 
  fermented blood; horse blood is preferred, 
  but human blood will do fine. Orcs in 
  general speak a debased language made 
  from a core language originally taught to 
  them by the Dweller, and mixed in over the 
  years with words borrowed liberally from 
  other languages. This language, called the 
  Dark Speech, is heavy with words for pain, 
  violence, and torture, and almost bereft of 
  words pertaining to light, beauty, and art. 
   
  Religion 
  Orcs in general are not religious; being that 
  their life is a so grim, they generally feel that 
  they have little to be thankful for. Their oluk 
  masters, however, force them to attend 
  worship on a regular basis, that the power of 
  the dark god Vornoth might not wane. An 
  orcish worship service consists of sacrifice 
  of some animal or sentient creature, after 
  which the orcs eat the still wriggling 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  207 
  creature raw, liberally splashing themselves 
  with blood. The orcs are driven through the 
  steps of the service with whips and shouts, 
  though, so they find little pleasure even in 
  this orgy of violence. After the service, the 
  orcish clerics lead the orcs in a prayer 
  to Vornoth-Walker-in-Darkness, a prayer 
  that the orcish troops never remember from 
  one service to the next. Part of this is to be 
  blamed on their poor memories and low 
  intelligence, but some of it is truly due to the 
  fact that the clerics themselves often change 
  the prayer because they too forget part of it. 
  A typical orcish prayer might resemble this: 
   
  Oh, Dark One  
  Oh, Bat Lord  
  Oh, Pain-bringer  
  Grant us food  
  Grant us air  
  Grant us victory  
  Slay our enemies  
  Tear their flesh  
  Gouge their eyes  
  Smash their bones  
  Save their blood  
  For us to drink.  
  In slaying our enemies  
  Do not slay us  
  That we might fall 
  Under sword and blade  
  In your service. 
   
  Warfare 
  Orcs themselves are quite undisciplined and 
  generally, after a quick arrow volley, charge 
  in a disorganized mob towards the enemy, 
  blowing horns and shouting wildly. An 
  organized army can generally repulse them 
  with only small effort. Much more 
  dangerous are orcish armies directed by 
  Oluk orcs. In these armies, the smaller orcs, 
  called snogs or "slaves" by the oluks, are 
  welded into organized battalions that attack 
  with at least a semblance of order. Even 
  still, orcs rely on their numbers and their 
  wild assaults to win the day. Although orcs 
  do forge poor equipment, they prefer to loot 
  their arms from fallen foes and will fight 
  with whatever armor and weapons they can 
  scavenge. If given the choice, they tend to 
  favor serrated black scimitars and short 
  bows or javelins, but spears and axes are a 
  second choice. Oluk orcs fight with 
  greatswords and favor short and longbows 
  as well as crossbows. Oluks often tire of 
  wasting their time sending snogs to do their 
  dirty work, and they thus gather in small 
  war bands to tackle tougher foes. These 
  bands, which attack using well- executed 
  tactics, are downright fearsome. It is certain 
  that a war boss employs a bodyguard of 
  oluks. The over-generals of orcish armies 
  are called Hoths; the under-generals are 
  called Hais; the Captains are 
  called Higdums, and the foot soldiers are 
  called snogs. Orcs never ride horses and 
  thus orcish armies rarely employ cavalry; 
  their only mounted troops generally consist 
  of goblins mounted on Wargs. Orcish 
  armies also rarely employ archers, pike 
  men, or otherwise specialized units. Each 
  infantryman carries a bow and fulfills the  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  208 
  role of an archer as the occasion demands. 
   
  Uniqueness of Farland 
  Orcs 
  Orcs in Farland are unique because they 
  apparently have a built-in capacity to be 
  directed or controlled from a distance. Each 
  Lord of Sin has apparently been instilled 
  with a power that has come to be known as 
  the Dark Will, the ability to send general 
  orders to all evil creatures in his domain. 
  Orcs are particularly susceptible to this 
  compelling force. The Will cannot give 
  specific orders, such as to recover a certain 
  item, but it can direct groups of orcs to head 
  in a certain direction, to go to war, to harry 
  travelers, or to loot and burn. When Orcs 
  under the dark will are directed to go to war, 
  they begin to breed at a prodigious rate, 
  producing massive amounts of soldiers for 
  the evil armies; their gestation period, 
  normally a full 9 months, drops to a mere 
  6.5 months. When not directed to breed by 
  the Dark Will, orcs breed only about as fast 
  as humans. Orc and other dark folk PCs can 
  sense when the Dark Will is active, but they 
  cannot tell specifically what its commands 
  are. Neither are they compelled by it.
  
  Chapter Eight: Gods of Farland 
   
   
  209 
   
   
   
  Religions 
  he gods of the World of Farland started the endless wars that have marred the land, and 
  their desire to gain power through the Worship Mechanism so that they can win the 
  Ontological War continues to drive the ceaseless wheel of strife.  These gods are detailed below. 
  The planes on which they dwell are detailed in The World of Farland Game Master’s Handbook. 
   
   
  Greater Deities 
  Alignment 
  Domain 
  Heshtail the Merciful 
  LG 
  Life, Light 
  Bestra, Lady of Goodness 
  NG 
  Life, Light, Nature 
  Kantor the Crusader 
  CG 
  Light, Tempest, War 
  Neltak, Lord of Law 
  LN 
  Knowledge, Light, War 
  Dekk, Lord of Balance 
  N 
  Knowledge, Life, Nature 
  Bel, Lord Thief 
  CN 
  Tempest, Trickery 
  Vornoth, the Dark Walker 
  E 
  Death, Knowledge, War 
  Tal-Allustiel, Elflord 
  NG 
  Knowledge, Light, Nature 
  Khuldul Rockcarver 
  LG 
  Life, War 
  Khuckduck Gemcutter 
  LG 
  Life, Trickery 
  Bunga Proudfoot, Halfling Lord 
  NG 
  Life, Light, Trickery 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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  210 
  Lesser Deities 
  Alignment 
  Domains 
  Reeanan the Bright 
  LG 
  Light, Knowledge 
  Calbran, Lord of Luck 
  NG 
  Life, Trickery 
  Thranton, Lord of Lightning 
  CG 
  Tempest, War 
  Aknor the True 
  LN 
  Knowledge, Life 
  Janora, Goddess of Fate 
  N 
  Knowledge, Light 
  Flamgart, Fire God 
  CN 
  Tempest, War 
  Grlarshh, Death God 
  NE 
  Death, Malice, Trickery 
  Dhurli Ironbeard 
  LG 
  Knowledge, Light, Life 
  Barlifandorf 
  NG 
  Knowledge, Life 
  Bucca Tunnelly 
  CG 
  Life, Tempest, Trickery 
  Salystra, Queen of the Drow 
  CE 
  Malice, Trickery, War 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  211 
  Greater Deities 
  Human Gods 
   
  Heshtail (The Merciful 
  One) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Caelestin, Lawful Good 
  Heshtail is pictured as a wise old man who 
  carries a staff and a sword. He is also 
  pictured as a venerable healer, carrying 
  bandages and food to the sick. On top of 
  other worship, his followers revere him by 
  holding a midnight vigil once a month 
  where candles are burned on a special star-
  shaped pallet, which is held by the high 
  priest. No priest of Heshtail will refuse to 
  grant aid to the wounded, nor will they 
  hesitate to slay the fatally ill out of mercy. 
  The worship of Heshtail was very popular 
  before the Dark Times, but now it is 
  expressly forbidden in occupied lands. 
  Heshtail commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Aid the sick. 
  • 
  Succor the wounded. 
  • 
  Work to promote justice. 
  • 
  Fight against evil for goodness and 
  light. 
  Holy days: New Moon, New Year, Yule (25 
  of Belos), 15th of Reaanos, Radae worship 
  (7th day of the week) 
  Holy Month: Heshtalos (5th month) 
  Ceremonies: Candles are burned on a 
  special star-shaped pallet at midnight on the 
  new moon, Radae worship (7th day), Sun 
  Ceremony at noon on 15th of Reaanos, 
  Ceremony of the wounded during Yule time, 
  Ceremony of Laws (12th of Bestalos), others 
  Church structure: The temple is arranged 
  according to a very structured hierarchical 
  order. There are two main branches of the 
  temple; they represent the staff and the 
  sword of Heshtail. The first branch is the 
  order of the Faithful, representing those 
  concerned with the day to day operations of 
  the temples themselves. They are ranked 
  from: Low Friar, Friar, Prior, Abbot, Cleric, 
  High Cleric, Bishop, to Potentate. The other 
  branch is the order of the Militant, 
  representing the armed forces of the church. 
  They are ranked: from Attendant, 
  Hospitaler, Templer, Sergeant Faithful, 
  Drapier, Marshal, Seneschal, to Master 
  General. Individual temples are ranked 
  according to Districts, with each district 
  having a Potentate. In unoccupied lands, all 
  the districts are ruled over by the High 
  Potentate. The other minor branch of the 
  church of Heshtail is actually the temple of 
  Reeanan. This temple is technically a part of 
  Heshtail's church, but it has its own 
  structure and is semi-independent.  
  Tithe and donations: 5% to the sick or poor, 
  5 % to the temple. Players are encouraged to 
  add suitable ceremonies and other details of 
  their own. 
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  212 
  Bestra (Lady of 
  Goodness) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Efferenus, Neutral Good 
  Bestra is pictured as a beautiful woman 
  armed with a shield and a harp. She is kind 
  and nurturing, prayed to by mothers 
  everywhere. Her worshipers hold a yearly 
  feast with the crops that Bestra the Good 
  has allowed to grow. Her clerics tend to 
  wear a cloth of red satin somewhere on their 
  body, to symbolize the love of Bestra. She is 
  also the patron of poets, minstrels and bards 
  everywhere. Her clerics will never fail to do 
  their best to protect a good creature. 
  Bestra commands her followers thus: 
  • 
  Revere nature, for it is beloved of 
  Bestra. 
  • 
  Nothing is greater than love. 
  • 
  Protect life even if it means giving 
  your own. 
  Holy days: Wedae worship (1st day), 
  Harvest, Planting, Midsummer, Yule, 1st of 
  Calbros 
  Holy Month: Bestalos (4th month). 
  Ceremonies: Yearly feast of Bestra on 
  Harvest day, Dance of Midsummer 20th of 
  Reeanos, Ceremony of the mothers on Yule, 
  Harp ceremony (24th of Heshtalos), 
  Protection service (24th of Calbros), others. 
  Church structure: The church is structured 
  in a dual way. There is the Order of the 
  Temple, which tends to its daily 
  maintenance. It is ranked: from Holy 
  servant, Healer, Father or Mother, Deacon, 
  to Counselor. The other branch is the Order 
  of Service, which consists of traveling clerics 
  or monks. It is ranked: from Novice, 
  Cellarer, Planter, Healer, Cantor, to 
  Sancristan. The Church of Bestra values 
  pragmatic service more than rank. The 
  church has no over-all leader, but has a 
  High Counsel, made up of each temple's 
  Counselor from the geographical area, 
  which rules it.  
  Tithe and donations: 8% to temple. Players 
  are encouraged to add suitable ceremonies 
  and other details of their own. 
   
  Kantor (The Crusader) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Aeron, Chaotic Good 
  Kantor is pictured as a bearded old man in 
  chainmail, wielding a battle axe. A hawk 
  named Deepsea perches on his shoulder. He 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  213 
  wears a great, battered old helm and smells 
  slightly of the sea. His clerics are the most 
  violent of the good clerics, but only in the 
  defense of good, never in aggression. His 
  worshippers do not care for laws, but 
  believe in helping their neighbors. Once a 
  year they make a pilgrimage to the nearest 
  large body of water and burn a piece of ash 
  at its shore. The clerics of Kantor are among 
  those who despise the rule of evil the most. 
  Kantor commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Do whatever you can to forward the 
  cause of goodness, even if you must 
  work outside the law. 
  • 
  Live life to its fullest. 
  • 
  Never pass up the opportunity to 
  fight evil. 
  • 
  Kantor smiles on the brave. 
  Holy days: Suildae worship (5th day), 30th 
  of Thrantos, Yule, Midsummer, 1st of 
  Janoros 
  Holy Month: Kantalos (1st month) 
  Ceremonies: Ash Pilgrimage during 
  Kantalos, Ceremony of Storms during 30th 
  of Thrantos (3rd Month), Feast of Fallen 
  Heroes during 1st of Janoros (read a 
  Funeral Prayer of Kantor from this 
  ceremony here), Ceremony of Navigation 
  (first Suildae in Flamgos), others. 
  Church structure: The Church of Kantor has 
  little over-all organization. Each temple is 
  mainly left to its own devices, handling its 
  own administration and daily business. 
  Only in times of war do the temples of 
  Kantor band together into a Holy 
  Protectorate, electing a High Priest-Marshal 
  to oversee all of the temples in the 
  geographical area. When the crisis has 
  passed, the Protectorate dissolves, leaving 
  the temples to go about doing the good 
  business of Kantor unfettered. The internal 
  hierarchy of each temple differs, although it 
  is generally loose nit. A common 
  arrangement might be: from Servant-
  brother, Priest, Cardinal Priest, to High 
  Priest.  
  Tithe and donations: 10% to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
  Neltak (Lord of Law) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Cogiton, Lawful Neutral 
  Neltak is generally regarded as a large 
  muscular man, bare-chested from the waist 
  up. He carries a large headsman's axe, 
  which he maintains all laws with. His clerics 
  revere Neltak above all others, and as such, 
  are sticklers for the laws of their society. 
  They generally are a benefit to their society 
  because they uphold its laws so well. The 
  religion of Neltak was the state religion of 
  Farland the Great before its occupation. The 
  priests worship Neltak by gathering in a 
  ceremonial "Court of Neltak" once a month, 
  wherein the laws of the sect and of the 
  society are discussed. The head Priest of 
  Neltak in an area always carries a great, 
  ceremonial axe. His worshippers hate 
  thieves, usually. Specialty priests of Neltak 
  are called Guardians. 
  Neltak commands his followers thus: 
  
   
   
   
   
  214 
  • 
  Defend the law, for it is your only 
  bulwark against chaos. 
  • 
  Property and ownership are blessed. 
  • 
  Do not lie, and punish those who do. 
  • 
  Seek justice. 
  Holy days: Hoarmdae (3rd day), 7th of 
  Neltalos, New Years, Summer Solstice, 
  Vernal Equinox 
  Holy Month: Neltalos (2nd month) 
  Ceremonies: Court of Neltak, held on the 
  7th of every month except Vornos, ritual of 
  Augury on the 14th of Neltalos, Ritual of 
  order on the 21st of every third month, 
  ritual of law on the 7th of every 7th month, 
  Ritual of Justice (3rd of every 3rd month), 
  Ritual of Protection (14th of Calbros) 
  Church structure: This extremely organized 
  church is divided into four parts. These are, 
  in decreasing order or authority, the 
  Pontifices (the advisors of the Church), the 
  Sacris Facundis (in charge of rituals), the 
  Bellonium (the division of the Church in 
  charge of war), and the Augurs (these are 
  the clerics and Priests). Each individual in 
  each branch is ranked from: Dialis, Unos, 
  Flamen, Divanarum, Ritualost, Pietos, to 
  Maximus. Thus one could be a Dialis 
  Pontifice, a Flamen Augur, a Unos Sacris 
  Facundis, or a Maximus Bellonius. Each 
  rank also has a high and a low level. Thus, 
  one could be a High Maximus Pontifice. 
  There is only one High Maximus Pontifice, 
  who resides in the Far City and who 
  presides over the entire church of Neltak. 
  Tithe and donations: 10% to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
  Dekk (Lord of Balance) 
   
  Power of Concordia, Neutral 
  Dekk is pictured as a wizened old sage or 
  wizard, dressed in robes and a cloak. He has 
  a long white beard and is bald. He is often 
  the God of sages and wizards, as well as his  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  personal priests, who are often very much 
  like wizards themselves. Some are often 
  mage/priests. The worshippers of Dekk try 
  to be as neutral in all matters as possible, 
  because they believe that only in such a state 
  can they accurately garner and record 
  knowledge. Their ire is usually aroused only 
  when someone insults their God, who they 
  revere greatly, or when someone needlessly 
  destroys some source of knowledge. Dekk's 
  priests gather to worship Dekk by 
  venerating his great golden scale (one in 
  each major temple) once a month. The 
  priests of Dekk usually value knowledge 
  greatly. 
  Dekk commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Seek knowledge. 
  • 
  Maintain balance in everything. 
  • 
  Revere your homeland and nature. 
  • 
  Magic is the blessing of Dekk. 
  Holy days: Dwardae (6th day), 1st day of 
  Janoros (6th month), Winter Solstice, Yule, 
  solar and lunar eclipses (both full and 
  partial) 
  Holy Month: Dekkos (10th month) 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  215 
  Ceremonies: Ceremony of the Golden Scale 
  on the 6th day of the last week of every 
  month, Ceremony of Twilight on the 30th of 
  Janoros, Ceremony of Dawn (1st of 
  Flamgos), Day of Holy Knowing (1st of 
  Janoros), Day of Holy Secrets (30th of 
  Belos) 
  Church structure: The Church of Dekk is 
  entirely monastic. This monasticism is 
  arranged in a dual structure. It is divided 
  into Holy Transcribers, responsible for 
  ceremonies, rituals, and histories, and Holy 
  Brethren, responsible for everyday 
  operations of the church. The Holy 
  Transcribers are arranged from: Novice, 
  Scribe, Teacher, Refectorian, Librarian, to 
  Sacristan. The Holy Brethren are arranged 
  from: Infirmarian, Cellarer, Kitchener, 
  Almoner, Canter, to Abbot. All of the Holy 
  Monks of Dekk work together in a perfect 
  unison and harmony, and none are above 
  getting their hands dirty in some hard work, 
  as they believe that hard work leads to a 
  clear mind and inner neutral harmony. The 
  church has access to more goods than one 
  would think, due to their monastic lifestyle. 
  This is due to the sub-church of Dekk, the 
  Official church of Janora. 
  Tithe and donations: 12 % to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
  Bel (Lord Rogue) 
   
  Power of Nemux, Chaotic Neutral 
  Bel is pictured as a man-like being. His 
  features are indeterminate, as he is wrapped 
  in a large black or brown cloak. He wields a 
  dagger. His worshippers are very thief-like, 
  and Bel's temples are often havens for 
  thieves. The temples themselves are often 
  built in a purposely chaotic pattern. The 
  clerics of Bel always wear a brown or black 
  cloak, to symbolize the cloak of their God. 
  This is the only religion that is allowed in 
  the dark times. In fact, it is often 
  encouraged. However, priests of Bel tend to 
  secretly resent their masters, as they try to  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  take over their religion too much. These 
  priests are not evil, after all, only very 
  whimsical. 
  Bel commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Get what you deserve. 
  • 
  Whimsy is the spice of life. 
  • 
  Never come in the front door when 
  you can sneak in the back. 
  • 
  Storms are holy. 
  Holy days: Every 11th day, 11th of Flamgos, 
  Hallowed Eve (12th of Vornos) 
  Holy Month: Belos (11th month) 
  Ceremonies: Varies by temple. 
  Church structure: The Church of Bel has 
  little structure. Each individual temple is 
  left to govern itself. The church individual 
  temples have never been known to band 
  together, although the members of each 
  temple respect priests from other temples. 
  Internally, each temple is loosely arranged 
  according to the power of the priests, from: 
  Friar Servant, Friar, Cleric, Holy Cleric, to 
  High Cleric.  
  Tithe and donations: 8 % to Church. Players 
  
   
   
   
   
  216 
  are encouraged to add suitable ceremonies 
  and other details of their own. 
   
  Vornoth (Vornok, 
  Vornosh, He-who-walks-
  in-Darkness, The Walker, 
  The Dark Walker, The 
  Night Walker) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Barathus, Carcus, and Malor; 
  Evil 
  The Walker is a mysterious god worshipped 
  in different forms by many of the evil races. 
  His form is represented as different by every 
  race, but it is always horrible. This worship 
  was expressly forbidden before the Dark 
  Times, although it was practiced in secret. 
  Now it is the Occupied Kingdoms' legal 
  human religion, and the only one that is not 
  hunted out (with the sometimes exception 
  of Bel). Clerics of The Walker often practice 
  blood sacrifices of all races. It is said that 
  The Walker exacts some price from all of his 
  clerics, but this is not proven. Nonetheless, 
  the percentage of deformed clerics of The 
  Walker is unusually high. 
  Vornoth commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Every creature should worship the 
  Dark One, and it is your duty to 
  make that happen. 
  • 
  The world belongs to the Walker-in-
  Darkness, and you may share in his 
  glory if you promote his cause. 
  • 
  Weakness deserves death. 
  • 
  Take what is yours. If others cannot 
  keep it, it was never theirs. 
  Holy days: Khamdae worship (2nd day), 
  Feast of the Fallen, Dark Day, Hallowed Eve 
  (12th day of Vornos), Ceremony of Absolute 
  Majesty 
  Holy Month: Vornos (12th month). 
  Ceremonies: Blood sacrifice of a sentient 
  being during the ceremony of Dark Day (1st 
  of Vornos), Releasing of a great swarm of 
  bats amidst holy chants as part of the 
  Ceremony of Absolute Majesty (1st of 
  Heshtalos), Ceremony of the Entombing (1st 
  of Janoros), others 
  Church structure: Secret (also it varies). At 
  least one constant is that priests who 
  worship Vornoth and not one of his 
  incarnations hold the Dweller in the Vale to 
  be the head of their Church.  
  Tithe and donations: 10% to temple. 
   
   
  Non-human gods 
   
  Tal-Allustiel (Elven 
  Power) 
   
  Power of Efferenus (Faerie), Neutral Good 
  Tal-Allustiel is revered by almost all of the 
  Elhil. He is pictured as a tall elf whose 
  beauty and majesty are awe-inspiring. Elves 
  worship Tal-Allustiel by always upholding  
  
   
   
   
   
   
  217 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  the noble ways of the Elhil and working to 
  preserve the forests and all that which is 
  elven. Tal-Allustiel has no temple; his 
  priests worship him in the most beautiful 
  glades they can find on bright sunny days. 
  His priests only gather once every 5 to 10 
  years for the Meet-of-Elhil, wherein 
  beautiful silver circlets and magic scrolls are 
  sacrificed to Tal-Allustiel. 
  Tal-Allustiel commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  As you are one with the planet, 
  maintain it. 
  • 
  The only thing that is immutable is 
  art and beauty. 
  • 
  Magic is art; art is magic. 
  • 
  Evil means the destruction of that 
  which is beautiful; fight it. 
  Holy days: Glorfinaer (5th day), 1st of 
  Artanal, 1st of Yavekal (10th month), 15th of 
  Silial (9th Month), others 
  Holy Month: Sulimal (4th month), and 
  Artanal (5th month) 
  Ceremonies: Thranalhil (Meet-of-Elhil), 
  Ranarmane (Ceremony of the Sundering, 
  17th of Valsal), Vanarimane (Ritual of 
  Naming) , Balemane (Ceremony of Magic), 
  Ithilimane (Ritual of Memory), others 
  Church structure: The Church of Tal-
  Allustiel is extremely loosely organized. 
  Each Elven village has a temple 
  organization, but the Priests simply meet in 
  glades, meadows or clearings. Many Elven 
  Houses have their own resident Priest. 
  There is an unofficial "High Priest" in each 
  village or settlement. This Priest has 
  unofficial command over the other priests of 
  Tal-Allustiel in the village. There is one 
  High Priest of Tal-Allustiel in the 
  Summervale who is the unofficial head of 
  the Church. The elves feel that an official 
  church or church hierarchy is unnecessary, 
  as each Priest will gladly and willingly serve 
  his superiors, his community or his people 
  to forward the ways of the elves and of Tal-
  Allustiel.  
  Tithe and donations: 8 % to Community, 
  Superiors, or House. Players are encouraged 
  to add suitable ceremonies and other details 
  of their own. 
   
  Khuldul Rockcarver 
  (Lord of Dwarves) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  218 
  Power of Caelestin, Lawful Good 
  Khuldul Rockcarver is called God-Under-
  The-Mountain. He is said to have created 
  dwarves from the Lifestone found at the 
  heart of the legendary Mt. Creation, long 
  since lost. Dwarves worship him by praying 
  before a battle or other strenuous endeavor. 
  Worshippers often dedicate any goblinoids 
  they have killed to Khuldul, as he (and all 
  dwarves) hates them. Rockcarver used to be 
  worshipped by sacrificing excess gold to him 
  when dwarves had their homes, but now he 
  is exalted in the heart of battle. Priests of 
  Khuldul often try to instill spirit and order 
  to the fighting dwarves. 
  Khuldul commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Hearth and home are best in life. 
  Make them strong and defend them. 
  • 
  Work is enjoyment. 
  • 
  Skill in craft or endeavor is the 
  utmost goal. 
  • 
  Deal justice. 
  • 
  Fight against those that would 
  unjustly take what is yours. 
  Holy days: Every fourth day, Full moons 
  (All Forges Eve), Soulforge Gathering (every 
  four years), Eclipses, New year 
  Holy Month: Khuldin (3rd Month) 
  Ceremonies: Un Kyldin (All Forges Eve), Os 
  Oodin (Soulforge Gathering), Dy Oindin 
  (Consecration of Hearths), Os Tholus (New 
  year Gathering), others 
  Church structure: The church of Khuldul 
  used to be, in the time before the Lords of 
  Sin, the center of Dwarven life. Before an 
  artist's works were begun, one would give 
  offerings in hope of completing a beautiful 
  work at the end of the endeavor. Likewise, 
  artists would go to the church again and 
  give thanks for the success or ask for 
  guidance in the case of failure. Warriors, 
  mothers, farmers, royalty one and all gave 
  to the temple financially, worshipped at the 
  temple, and gathered for community 
  dialogue there. Now with the loss of 
  traditional homelands for the dwarves, the 
  temple has become less of a focus in life. 
  Khuldul is still worshipped heavily and the 
  priests still hold gatherings regularly, but 
  more energy now must be devoted to the 
  survival of the race and less on ceremony. 
  The church, extremely ordered in past days, 
  has managed to retain much of its structure. 
  The order of the overall church, called Odin 
  Khuldl Os Uri, is arranged in a three-part 
  structure. The parts, called "Khuldul's 
  Flame," "Khuldul's Stone," "Khuldul's 
  Blood," respectively represent the bellicose, 
  fiscal and legal, and ceremonial divisions of 
  the church. A fourth part of the church, 
  called "Khuldul's Brother," while officially 
  an arm of the church itself, really represents 
  the church of Dhurli Ironbeard. The priests 
  of each of these divisions are in turn given a 
  title according to rank. These are from: 
  Khuldul's Children, Hands of Khuldul, 
  Strength of Khuldul, Courage of Khuldul, to 
  Khuldul's Wisdom.  
  Tithe and donations: 10% to church. Players 
  are encouraged to add suitable ceremonies 
  and other details of their own. 
   
  Khuckduck Gemcutter 
  (Gnomish Lord) 
   
  Power of Caelestin, Lawful good 
  Khuckduck is pictured as a giant gnome, 
  and called King Underhill. For some reason, 
  gnomes are highly secretive about him. 
  Many scholars also claim that Khuckduck is 
  in fact Khuldul Rockcarver, but the truth of 
  this has not been confirmed. 
  Khuckduck commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Protect the Gnomish homeland. 
  • 
  Learn as much as you can. 
  • 
  Sometimes hiding is better than 
  fighting. 
  • 
  Be brave even against those larger 
  and stronger, especially trolls. 
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  219 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Holy days: In Dwarven: Thorwan (6th day), 
  Eclipses of the Moon, Summer Solstice, 
  others 
  Holy Month: In Dwarven: Dundin (6th 
  month) 
  Ceremonies: Ceremony of the Gems, 
  Ceremony of Knowledge, Discretion Service, 
  others 
  Church structure: The church of Khuckduck 
  is hierarchical. It only has one branch, 
  called the Purveyors of Knowledge. Within 
  this branch, clerics go by titles, from lowest 
  to highest, "Acolyte, Learner, Expert, High 
  Expert, Master, Holy High Master." The 
  Church of Barlifandorf is considered a sub-
  branch of the Church of Khuckduck, 
  although sometimes there is political in-
  fighting among the two churches.  
  Tithe and donations: 10 % to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
  Bunga Proudfoot 
  (Halfling God) 
  Power of Efferenus, Neutral Good 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Bunga is the gracious lord of halflings. They 
  pray to him to protect them from the 
  ravages of the clumsy large folk, and to keep 
  them out of adventures. Halflings worship 
  Bunga by saying a short prayer before every 
  meal (hopefully six times a day). Priests of 
  Bunga are notable peacekeepers and 
  diplomats. They often serve as go-betweens 
  with the outside world. Priests of Bunga are 
  often Sheriffs of their respective shires. 
  Bunga commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Leave danger to the bigger races. 
  • 
  Food and home are life's greatest 
  enjoyments. 
  • 
  A small stature hides a stout heart. 
  Be brave and Bunga will bless you. 
  Holy days: Khamdae (2nd day of week), 
  New Year, Mid-year's Day, Harvest, and 
  Yule (25th of Belos) 
  Holy Month: Belos (11th month) 
  Ceremonies: New Year, Mid-Year, and Yule 
  feasts, Harvest festival, Khamdae poetry 
  reverence 
  Church structure: Hositan religion is 
  extremely folksy and mundane. Unlike 
  humans, halflings have never felt out of 
  touch with nature or the world, and their 
  
   
   
   
   
  220 
  religion shows it. The church structure is 
  surprisingly lax for a lawful good society, 
  with many feasts and outdoor services. 
  There is a hierarchy of the church, from 
  Brother, Monk Brother, Deaconer, Monk 
  Deaconer, Almist, Monk Almist, to Father 
  (or Mother). Priests in the Church of Bunga 
  are always well-respected in halfling society, 
  and are community leaders. 
  Tithe and donations: 10% to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
   
  Lesser Deities 
   
  Human Gods 
  Reeanan (The Bright, 
  Wise Lady) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Caelestin, Lawful Good 
  Reeanan is pictured as a radiant maiden 
  clad in a robe as bright as the sun. She is the 
  hand-maiden of Heshtail, and he is said to 
  trust her and put great responsibility on her. 
  The Wise Lady is especially popular among 
  Paladins, who revere her wisdom and 
  strength of word. Her clerics worship her by 
  burning a specially prepared bonfire and 
  casting incense into it once a month. Priests 
  of Reeanan hate liars and people who do not 
  keep their word. They are known for their 
  strength of will and their resistance to 
  temptation. They are usually kind people, 
  but hard. 
  Reeanan commands her followers thus: 
  • 
  Revere the daytime, for it is holy. 
  • 
  Keep your word. 
  • 
  Trust in your own wisdom. 
  Holy days: Radae (7th day of week), New 
  Year, Yule (25th of Belos), 1st of Kantalos 
  Holy Month: Reeanos (7th month) 
  Ceremonies: Ceremony of Oaths, Solar 
  Ceremony once a month, Paladin 
  Honorarium, Fortitude Reverence, others 
  Church structure: The Church of Reeanan is 
  a substructure of the Church of Heshtail, 
  although it is semi-independent. Members 
  of the church of Reeanan will obey members 
  of the church of Heshtail who are higher in 
  rank, and vice versa. They will also go to 
  many of the other church's ceremonies as 
  well. The two Churches can also draw upon 
  each other's resources, although the Church 
  of Heshtail is ultimately dominant. Ranks 
  within the Church, distinguished by 
  differing armbands, are from: Attendant, 
  Oath Protector, Celestial Attendant, 
  Marshal, Celestial Oath Protector, Deacon, 
  to Celestial High Priest. There are many 
  Paladins throughout these ranks.  
  Tithe and donations: 10% to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  221 
  Calbran (Lord of Luck) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Efferenus, Neutral Good 
  Calbran is pictured as a hugely muscular 
  man with a crown on his head. Although he 
  is a supreme fighter, he is very peaceful and 
  only fights to defend himself or his queen 
  Bestra. His worshippers are encouraged to 
  be peaceful and strong of will. His clerics 
  worship him by preaching the value of peace 
  to whomever they can. They also hold a 
  ceremony where the symbolic hammer of 
  Calbran is venerated once a week. Priests of 
  The Lord of Luck tend to be slow to anger 
  and often only fight when they are attacked. 
  When they do fight, however, it is with great 
  strength and ferocity, as they trust to luck 
  granted by their god to bring them through 
  the combat and help them triumph in the 
  ways of pure good. 
  Calbran commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Never fight except to defend yourself 
  or others. Aggression is blasphemy. 
  • 
  Tend to your strength of body, mind, 
  and heart. 
  • 
  Peace is the utmost goal. Peace is 
  holy. 
  Holy days: Wedae (First day), solstice and 
  equinox, New Year, Cycle of the 
  constellation "Calbran's Hammer," others 
  Holy Month: Calbros (9th Month) 
  Ceremonies: Calbran's Holy Hammer (every 
  four years the stars of the constellation 
  Calbran's Hammer glow faintly), Ceremony 
  of Peace (immediately after war), Ritual of 
  Luck (before an undertaking), Veneration of 
  Strength, others 
  Church structure: Like the church of Bestra, 
  the church of Calbran is structured in a dual 
  way. There is the Order of the Luck, which 
  tends to its daily maintenance. It is ranked: 
  from Holy Neophyte, Brother or Sister of 
  Luck, Father or Mother of Luck, Deacon, to 
  Bishop. The other branch is the Order of 
  Peace, which consists of traveling clerics or 
  monks. It is ranked: from Novice, Errant, 
  Peacekeeper, Healer, Almoner, to Abbott. 
  The Church of Calbran values pragmatic 
  service more than rank. The church has two 
  co-leaders, the High Bishop and the High 
  Abbott of the geographical area.  
  Tithe and donations: 8 % to Church. Players 
  are encouraged to add suitable ceremonies 
  and other details of their own. 
   
  Thranton (Lord of 
  Lightning) 
   
  Power of Aeron, Chaotic Good 
  Thranton the Lightning Lord is the servant 
  of Kantor the crusader. He is seen as having 
  long hair and a long beard, both wildly 
  jutting out in all directions. He wears 
  chainmail and carries a bow, which does not 
  shoot arrows but lightning bolts. Once a 
  month a great archery contest is held to 
  honor Thranton. He is also worshipped 
  during thunder storms by his loyal clerics. 
  His priests wear deep grey cloaks to 
  symbolize the thunder of Thranton. They 
  tend to favor bows. Thranton is a 
  temperamental lord, quick to anger at the 
  forces of evil and quick to defend good. This  
  
   
   
   
   
  222 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  is true of his priests as well. The priests of 
  The Lord of Lightning often work in close 
  contact with priests of Kantor. 
  Thranton commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Storms are the blessings of 
  Thranton. 
  • 
  If you aim to accomplish something, 
  do not stop until you do. 
  • 
  Never let dust collect on your boots. 
  Holy days: Hoarmdae (3rd day), Thunder 
  Storms, 29th of each month (Archery 
  Contest), New Years, 3rd of Kantalos others 
  Holy Month: Thrantos (3rd Month) 
  Ceremonies: Archery Contest, Ceremony of 
  Thunder, Lightning Veneration, Holy 
  Hawk's Celebration, others 
  Church structure: The Church of Thranton, 
  like that of Kantor, has little over-all 
  organization. In some areas, the church 
  actually shares a temple structure with that 
  of Kantor, in other areas (unoccupied by evil 
  of course), priests of Thranton have their 
  own temples. A temple of Thranton is 
  always marked by a jagged silver streak 
  across the front portico. Each temple, 
  whether within its own structure or sharing 
  a building, is independent of other temples 
  of both Kantor and Thranton, although they 
  will act as allies. In times of war the temples 
  of Thranton will ally themselves with other 
  temples and with the church of Kantor. 
  They will submit themselves to the 
  leadership of Kantor's High Priest-Marshal 
  who oversees all of the temples in the 
  geographical area. When the crisis has 
  passed, the Protectorate dissolves, leaving 
  the temples to go about doing the good 
  business of Thranton unhampered. The 
  internal hierarchy of each temple differs, 
  although it is generally loose nit. A common 
  arrangement might be: from Cloud-brother, 
  Priest, Thunder Priest, to High Thunder 
  Priest.  
  Tithe and donations: 10 % to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
  Aknor (The True, Lord 
  of Skill) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Cogiton, Lawful Neutral 
  Aknor the True is the god of skill. He serves 
  as Neltak's right hand. Aknor is an 
  ultimately skilled blacksmith who can forge 
  any item. He is said to have made Neltak's 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  223 
  axe. Aknor likes everything in its place. 
  Priests of Aknor gather around his anvil-
  shaped altar once a week to worship him. 
  He also has two main holy days a year. 
  Priests of Aknor try to be as skillful and as 
  orderly as they can in everything they do. 
  Many devote themselves to mastering a 
  skill. The worshippers of Aknor hate it when 
  someone tries to hide their ethical bent. 
  They tend to like it when people are 
  straightforward in their dealings with them. 
  Aknor commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  A place for everything, and 
  everything in its place. 
  • 
  There is no endeavor more holy than 
  working with your hands. 
  • 
  A job perfected is a job blessed by 
  Aknor. 
  Holy days: Radae (7th day), 14th of 
  Neltalos, Yule, Summer Solstice, Vernal 
  Equinox 
  Holy Month: Neltalos (2nd month) 
  Ceremonies: Holy Craftsmen festival (1st 
  week of Neltalos), Ceremony of Truth (17th 
  of Bestalos), Feast of Skill (14th of Neltalos), 
  Yule ceremony, others 
  Church structure: The Church of Aknor is a 
  church of craftsmen. It is quite organized, 
  with two branches, the Makers, and the 
  Venerators. The Makers spend almost all 
  their time making crafts to give glory to 
  their Blacksmith god. They are ordered from 
  Holy Apprentice, Holy Maker, Holy Cleric 
  Maker, Holy Master, to Holy Cleric Master. 
  There are two ranks within each rank, 
  however. These are Primus and Secondus. 
  Thus, one enters the church a Holy 
  Apprentice Secondus. The other branch of 
  the church, the Venerators, are more clerical 
  in their duties. They are responsible for 
  enforcing the laws of the church within the 
  church itself, as well as proselytizing and 
  holding rituals. These are arranged from: 
  Neophyte, Initiate, Cleric, Priest, 
  Acumenist, to Holy Priest of Skill. This 
  branch is also arranged according to Primus 
  and Secondus ranks. The Potentate of the 
  Church of Neltak is also the head of the 
  Church of Aknor.  
  Tithe and donations: 10% plus portion of 
  crafts made to Church. Players are 
  encouraged to add suitable ceremonies and 
  other details of their own. 
   
  Janora (Lady of Fate) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Concordia, Neutral  
  Janora is called the Lady of Fate. She is said 
  to be the daughter of Dekk, and is described 
  as a beautiful woman clothed in robes that 
  are like the living night sky. She is said to be 
  blind, but this does not hinder her. Her 
  priests worship her twice a week, as well as 
  gathering once a year to try to predict 
  through the use of astrology what will 
  happen in the coming year. Like priests of 
  Dekk, Janora's specialty priests try to 
  remain as neutral in all things as possible, 
  but they will work to correct the balance. 
  Many priests actually have a relatively active 
  interaction with society, as detailed below. 
  Clerics of the Lady of Fate always keep a 
  dark cloth on them that is adorned with 
  bright points or spots, to represent the star-
  
   
   
   
   
  224 
  robe of Janora. Some priests of Janora are 
  called Fatemasters. 
  Janora advices her followers thus: 
  • 
  All happens as it is meant to. 
  • 
  Be bold, for your fate is not in your 
  hands anyway. 
  • 
  The stars will predict your fate. 
  Holy days: Hoarmdae (3rd day) and 
  Dwardae (6th day), 1st day of Dekkos (10th 
  month), Lunar and Solar Eclipses, Yule, 
  others 
  Holy Month: Janoros (6th month) 
  Ceremonies: Annual Astral Prediction on 
  28th of Heshtalos, Ceremony of the Roll of 
  the Heavenly Dice, Fate Day (13th of 
  Vornos), Star Ceremony, others 
  Church structure: The Church of Janora is 
  divided into two factions that disagree about 
  the important issue of the role of the church. 
  The first faction is the official church of 
  Janora. This church is closely connected to 
  the monastery-church of Dekk. This church 
  is indeed the appendage of the church of 
  Dekk that handles dealings with the outside 
  world. This faction sees neutrality as the 
  balancing of probabilities. In other words, 
  sometimes evil may benefit, sometimes 
  good will win, but things balance out into an 
  over-all neutrality once the positives have 
  been subtracted from the negatives. This 
  philosophy translates to an active 
  interaction with many elements of society. 
  The proceeds from these interactions go 
  largely towards benefiting the church of 
  Dekk foremost, with the remainder going 
  back into the church of Janora. This church 
  is structured from: Brother or Sister, Cleric, 
  Star Cleric, High Cleric, Priest, Star Priest, 
  to High Priest. The other faction of the 
  church of Janora is the Fatemasters. This 
  faction believes that the church of Janora 
  should be entirely independent. They try to 
  downplay their connection with Dekk, even 
  going so far as to deny that Janora is a god. 
  Strangely, their philosophy is more one of 
  pure neutrality, which is more compatible 
  with the church of Dekk than is the 
  philosophy of the official church of Janora. 
  The Fatemasters tend to be more 
  withdrawn, spending their time with 
  astrology and attempts to tell the future. 
  Their church is arranged from: Neophyte, 
  Astralist, High Astralist, Stellarist, High 
  Stellarist, to High Fatemaster.  
  Tithe and donations: 12 % to Church 
   
  Flamgart (Lord of 
  Fire) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Nemux, Chaotic Neutral 
  Flamgart is the servant of Bel the Lord 
  Thief. "He" is pictured as a slender being of 
  indeterminate sex, whose face is wreathed 
  in flames. Flamgart always has a bottle in 
  one hand and a black-jack, flail, or war 
  hammer in the other. "He" is very whimsical 
  and unpredictable. "He" is often thought of 
  as insane. "His" priests worship him by 
  holding the Flamgannal, a celebration 
  where all those present are expected to get 
  drunk and act completely insane. His priests 
  often act this way themselves, with or 
  without the aid of alcohol. They view Holy 
  Ecstasy as a way of communing with their 
  god. Priests of Flamgart tend to wear at  
  
   
   
   
   
   
  225 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  226 
  least one item of bright red, to symbolize the 
  fire of their God. 
   Flamgart commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  You can never step in the same river 
  twice. 
  • 
  The essence of life is change. 
  • 
  Do as thou wilt... so long as you do 
  not grow stagnant by doing the same 
  thing for too long. 
  Holy days: Hoarmdae (3rd day), 1st week of 
  Flamgos, 8th of Belos, Hallow's Eve 
  Holy Month: Flamgos (8th month) 
  Ceremonies: Flamgannal during the first 
  week of Flamgos, Ceremony of Pilfering 
  during 8th of Belos, Ceremony of Fear 
  during Hallow's Eve, Greening Ceremony, 
  others 
  Church structure: The Church of Flamgart 
  is entirely the most disorganized religion on 
  Farland. The Priests of Flamgart have no 
  official hierarchy. The pecking order is 
  simply from the least powerful to the most 
  powerful Cleric (no titles involved), with the 
  everyday worshipper doing the menial labor 
  when they are willing. Moreover, the 
  Priesthood spends much of its time in Holy 
  Ecstasy (i.e. drunk). This is not to suggest 
  that Priests of Flamgart are not serious 
  about their God or their religion; they are, 
  and they believe deeply in the wisdom 
  gained through Holy Ecstasy. They just 
  represent the pinnacle of chaos. In times of 
  need, however, any priest of Flamgart will 
  aid any temple of Flamgart.  
  Tithe and donations: at will. Players are 
  encouraged to add suitable ceremonies and 
  other details of their own. 
   
  Grlarshh (Lord of 
  Death) 
   
  Power of Carcus, Neutral Evil 
   
   
  R 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Grlarshh is pictured as a rotting, skull-faced 
  man wielding a scourge. He is the only god 
  who does not serve the greater deity of his 
  alignment. Indeed, Grlarshh and He-who 
  walks-in-Darkness are enemies and are 
  feuding. The Walker is winning, and as such 
  Grlarshh is slowly withdrawing from 
  Farland; hence his lesser deity status. His 
  worshippers are increasingly rare. Indeed, 
  they may be the clerics that are in the most 
  danger, as they must contend with the 
  servants of The Walker, as well as the 
  servants of good. What few clerics of The 
  Diseased One remain keep a low profile. 
  These clerics worship Grlarshh by 
  sacrificing someone once a month and 
  dedicating the death to their Lord of Death. 
  Where possible, clerics of Grlarshh used to 
  paint their faces like skulls before the 
  ascendancy of The Walker, but now they 
  just keep a small skull-shaped icon on their 
  person. 
  Grlarshh commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Honor the God of Death and he will 
  keep you safe; Do not and your life is 
  forfeit. 
  • 
  Disease and pestilence is the way of 
  life. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  227 
  • 
  Death is holy. 
  Holy days: Khamdae (2nd day of week), 
  29th of Vornos (Ceremony of Death), 15th of 
  Dekkos (Dance of Disease), 15th of Kantalos 
  (Ash Remembrance), Hallow's Eve, others. 
  Holy Month: Belos (11th month) 
  Ceremonies: Ritual Sacrifice once a month, 
  Ceremony of Death, Dance of Disease, Ash 
  Remembrance, others 
  Church structure: The Church of Grlarshh 
  is under a lot of strain. They are constantly 
  hounded and hunted. As such, almost all 
  temples are secret, and are located 
  underground or in some other hidden place. 
  The colored robes of the Priests identify the 
  ranks of the church. The robe colors are 
  from: Crimson, Black, Grey and Black, 
  Maroon and Black, to Purple and Black. The 
  titles corresponding to these colors are: 
  Novice, Priest, Priest of Disease, Priest of 
  Death, and High Priest of Death. Members 
  of the Church are generally brought into the 
  fold of their own accord and because of 
  some tribulation in their lives from which 
  they see Grlarshh as having granted them 
  respite. Thus, they are extraordinarily loyal 
  to the church and will usually not hesitate 
  even to give their lives for the cause, as they 
  see death as a blessing from their God.  
  Tithe and donations: 12 % to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
   
  Non-human 
  Lesser Gods 
  Elves 
  Elves do not have a lesser deity. They 
  worship only Tal-Allustiel or the unity they 
  call Edai. 
  Dwarves 
  Dhurli Ironbeard 
  (Lord Miner) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Caelestin, Lawful Good  
  Dhurli Ironbeard is the Chamberlain in 
  Khuldul Rockcarver's great mountain 
  kingdom. He serves Khuldul faithfully and 
  truly. He is worshipped by his faithful 
  clerics once a month when they venerate a 
  recreation of Dhurli's sacred pick-axe. 
  Priests of Dhurli are always loyal to their 
  friends and to the Dwarven race. They keep 
  the best care of their beards out of any 
  dwarves, usually, and take great offense 
  when anyone insults this beard. They tend 
  to put chains of gold, as well as small gems 
  in their beards whenever they can. Scholars 
  also claim that Dhurli Ironbeard has some 
  connection to Khuckduck Gemcutter, but 
  what that connection is they usually do not 
  say. 
  Dhurli commands his followers thus: 
  • 
  Precious metals are holy. 
  
   
   
   
   
  228 
  • 
  Faithfully serve those who have 
  lawful authority over you. 
  • 
  Loyalty is the highest virtue. 
  Holy days: Every fifth day, Half Moons (All 
  Gems' Glow), Soulforge Gathering (every 
  four years), Eclipses, New Year 
  Holy Month: Dhurlin (9th Month) 
  Ceremonies: Un Auldin (All Gem's Glow), 
  Os Oodin, Os Tholus (Day of Seeking), 
  Ceremony of Axes, Beard Decorating Ritual, 
  others 
  Church structure: The Church of Dhurli, 
  while officially a branch ("Khuldul's 
  Brother") of the larger church of Khuldul, 
  has its own internal structure. The church is 
  arranged into two divisions, with titles 
  which, in Dwarven, mean Holy Pick and 
  Holy Axe. The first branch is responsible for 
  the fiscal operations of the church, while the 
  second is responsible for the Bellicose 
  operations. Each of these divisions is ruled 
  over by four High Priests, with ceremonial 
  titles meaning "Steel," "Diamond," 
  "Marble," and "Granite." These eight High 
  Priests of the Church (called the Holy 
  Conclave) are responsible for appointing the 
  99 Ceremonial Judges of Khazadim. These 
  99 Judges are a fixture of every dwarfhold, 
  handling religious disputes and court cases 
  concerned with everyday customs of living. 
  Of Course, the Judges answer ultimately to 
  the King. Finally, there is one more group 
  that attaches itself to the church of Dhurli. 
  These are the "Dealers of Justice," fanatical 
  berserkers and warrior outcasts loyal to the 
  laws of Dwarven society They seek a life of 
  war in the name of Dhurli. 
  Tithe and donations: 10 % to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
   
   
   
  Gnomes 
  Barlifandorf (Gnome 
  Lord) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Efferenus, Neutral Good  
  This gnomish god is pictured as a bald, ugly 
  large-nosed female gnome clad in 
  illusionist's robes. Strangely, she has small 
  horns. She is a master illusionist, and serves 
  as court magician to many of the gods. Her 
  worshippers venerate her by worshipping 
  once a year in complete solitude, and fasting 
  for two days. To enter the church a vow of 
  celibacy is required. They also think that 
  riddles are sacred to their God, and as such, 
  they try to solve and collect as many riddles 
  as possible. The Goddess of Illusion is also 
  the patron of gnomish invention, and any 
  inventing tinker gnome venerates her. Most 
  gnome illusionists also worship her, 
  needless to say. 
  Barlifandorf advises her followers thus: 
  • 
  Curiosity is the spice of life. 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  229 
  • 
  Seek knowledge to make up for what 
  you lack in brute force. 
  • 
  Brain beats brawn. 
  • 
  Things are rarely as they seem; Use 
  this knowledge to your benefit. 
  Holy days: In Dwarven: Angwan (1st day), 
  Yule, Eclipses of the Sun, Winter Solstice, 
  others 
  Holy Month: In Dwarven: Marin (1st 
  month) 
  Ceremonies: Ceremony of Illusions, 
  Ceremony of Solitude, Invention Service, 
  others 
  Church structure: The church of 
  Barlifandorf is strictly hierarchical. It is 
  divided up into three sections, with one 
  section handling the rituals concerning 
  curiosity, one with those of invention, and 
  one with those of intellect. The sections 
  called by Gnomish names meaning 
  "Ministry of Holy Curiosity, Ministry of 
  Holy Inventiveness, and Ministry of Sacred 
  Intellectuality." Each Priest within the 
  separate ministries are given Gnomish titles 
  corresponding roughly with: Warrener, 
  Illusiary, Burrower, Minister, Magiciary, to 
  Holy High Illusiary Burrowing Minister. So, 
  the head Priest of the Ministry of Holy 
  Curiosity would be titled "Holy High 
  Illusiary Burrowing Minister of Holy 
  Curiosity." Priests of Barlifandorf often use 
  all applicable titles. Only female gnomes are 
  admitted to the Ministry of Sacred 
  Intellectuality.  
  Tithe and donations: 10 % to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Halflings 
  Bucca Tunnelly 
  (Halfling Lord) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of Efferenus, Chaotic Good  
  If Bunga Proudfoot is the Sheriff of his 
  heavenly shire, then Bucca is the good-
  natured thief. He only borrows things, 
  however, and no one ever misses them. He 
  serves Bunga willingly whenever he is in 
  need of his skills. Bucca's clerics are rather 
  thief-like and flippant, but they can be 
  serious when the need arises. They venerate 
  Bucca by worshipping once a week at the 
  meeting to worship Bunga. Whenever a 
  priest of Bunga mentions their God's name, 
  one of Bucca's priests will scream out "And 
  Bucca too!", to the good-natured 
  consternation of the worshippers of Bunga. 
  Halfling thieves everywhere generally 
  venerate Bucca. 
  Bucca advises his followers thus: 
  • 
  Use humor to deflect blame. 
  • 
  Stealing is a practical joke. 
  
   
   
   
   
  230 
  • 
  Do no real harm. 
  Holy days: Khamdae (2nd day of week), 
  New Year, Mid-year's Day, Harvest, and 
  Yule (25th of Belos) 
  Holy Month: Belos (11th month) 
  Ceremonies: New Year, Mid-Year, and Yule 
  feasts, Harvest festival, Burglary Reverence 
  Church structure: The Church of Bucca is 
  truly and intrinsically bound up with the 
  Church of Bunga. The two churches share a 
  building, which is officially the temple of 
  Bunga. While this causes friction on rare 
  occasions, it is generally not a problem. The 
  church structure is even more lax than that 
  of Bunga's. The church of Bucca is just as 
  enthusiastic about feasts and outdoor 
  services as the church of Bunga. There is a 
  hierarchy of the church, from Handler, Holy 
  Handler, Gov'ner, Holy Gov'ner, to Holy 
  Burgher. Priests in the Church of Bucca are 
  happily tolerated and even looked to in 
  times of need. 
  Tithe and donations: 10% to Church. 
  Players are encouraged to add suitable 
  ceremonies and other details of their own. 
   
   
  Other Deities 
  Tanarus and Sulis 
  (Double manifestation 
  of Primordial Power) 
  This is the worship of a dual god, 
  representative of the sun and the moon, and 
  the whole primordial force of nature and of 
  Núrion, which is mighty indeed. Natural 
  things are considered holy to druids, 
  specifically mistletoe. Tanarus is the male 
  manifestation, whose symbol is the oak. 
  Sulis is the female manifestation, whose 
  symbol is water. Some theologians say that 
  these two names do not represent specific 
  beings, like Heshtail or Vornoth, but rather 
  the processes of nature, something like the 
  Tao. Others, however, say that Tanarus is 
  the sun and Sulis the moon. 
   
  Salystra the Queen of 
  Serpents (Demon-
  goddess of Dark Elves) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Power of the Maelstrom, Chaotic Evil 
  This hideous demon is represented as either 
  a giant, bloated black asp or a 
  beautiful drow female. Few besides the dark 
  elves worship her. When priests of Salystra 
  get to a certain level, she tests them. Those 
  who fail become hideous abominations; 
  those who pass are allowed to progress in 
  power. 
  Salystra commands her followers thus: 
  • 
  Power is the utmost goal. 
  • 
  Conquer the world for Salystra. 
  • 
  Those who are weaker than you are 
  yours to do with as you will. 
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  231 
  Cults 
  Many cults abound, although none grant 
  powers except possibly some cults of a very 
  powerful demon or devil. The details 
  involved in cult worship vary. Most cults 
  exist in primitive societies, but not all. Some 
  examples include, but are not limited to: 
  "Tyrannosaurus" cults, "beast" cults, 
  "basilisk" cults, "sphinx" cults, "slug" cults, 
  "demon or devil" cults such as the cult of 
  Orcus, and "dragon" cults. 
  These are the only true Gods worshipped on 
  the world of Núrion. All the Gods have been 
  detailed, but the way they are individually 
  worshipped has only been touched upon. 
  Every temple's worshipping style is slightly 
  different. Obviously, a Priest of a certain 
  God is constrained to worshipping primarily 
  that God, but the average citizen tends to 
  pay reverence to whatever God fits the 
  current situation in which he finds himself. 
  Thus, a peasant might pray to Bestra for a 
  good harvest, to Janora when gambling, and 
  to Kantor when fighting. He might even 
  whisper a prayer to Grlarshh when sick in 
  an attempt to placate this evil God so that he 
  will withdraw the illness. Of course, most of 
  the Gods are worshipped in secret in 
  occupied lands. In some cases, barbaric 
  humans have clerics that have real power. 
  This is because they worship one of the true 
  gods, whom they venerate under a different 
  name and aspect. This is apparently not 
  displeasing to the Gods.
  
  Chapter Nine: Places Beyond 
  Farland 
   
   
  232 
   
   
  The Wider 
  World of 
  Núrion 
  he continent of Farland is the main 
  continent on the planet of Núrion, but 
  is certainly not the only one.  Other 
  continents exist in the world, and some of 
  those continents are populated.  They are 
  detailed in this short chapter. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The Other 
  Continents 
  Using magical means, ancient Elven 
  scholars observed from afar and named the 
  other continents of Núrion, the world upon 
  which the famous and war-torn continent of 
  Farland is located. Not being a race given to 
  colonization, however, and wishing to keep 
  the battles on Farland localized, they 
  generally kept knowledge about the rest of 
  the world secret. Some say they even spread 
  the rumor that Farland, Eruna, and the 
  Wild Lands are the only continents on 
  Núrion. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  T 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  233 
  Antarod 
  Antarod is an extremely large continent of 
  varying climates. It has tropical forests in 
  the northeast and a desert in the north. 
  Generally, though, it is very habitable, for 
  the rest of the continent consists mostly of 
  temperate forests and savanna. A medium-
  sized mountain range dominates the center 
  of the southern part of the continent, 
  although no mountains in the range tower 
  as high as Garakesh Peak on Forntol. The 
  continent is populated almost entirely by 
  animals and wild beasts. A small tribe of 
  humans, the remnants of the crew of a 
  wrecked passenger ship that sailed from 
  Farland many centuries ago, lives on the 
  east coast of the continent. These humans 
  have over the centuries lost almost all of 
  their civilization and language and are now 
  naked savages taking their living from the 
  plentiful forests and seas of Antarod. The 
  coasts of Antarod are surrounded by 
  particularly treacherous reefs; it was one of 
  these reefs that wrecked the Farlandish 
  ship. 
   
  Cirlon 
  Cirlon is a large semi-tropical and tropical 
  island. It is inhabited by animals, especially 
  beautiful-plumed birds of all colors. A tribe 
  of Kassa'melkuul from Forntol also 
  somehow migrated to Cirlon, whereupon 
  they promptly lost any semblance of 
  civilization they had on the continent of 
  their origin and sank into a beast-like state. 
  Cirlon also tends to be the location of the 
  temporary bases of pirates from Forntol. 
   
  Eruna 
  Eruna is a largely unexplored and wild 
  continent. Although the Dweller in the Vale 
  has never controlled it, her hand is felt even 
  here. Eruna is a huge continent with many 
  different climates, although most of the 
  continent is very hot, owing to its latitude. 
  The massive Kuluba Mountains which 
  dominate western Eruna block rain clouds 
  that roll in off the Arned Sea, trapping them 
  and causing them to dump their moisture in 
  the land of Jila, which is therefore very 
  fertile. The lands to the east of the 
  mountains are effectively screened from 
  rain, however, and a large part of the 
  continent is harsh desert. 
  Most of the races found on Farland are also 
  found on Eruna, although because of the 
  generally harsh environment, none of these 
  races have very advanced civilizations, with 
  the exception of the Ishians in the far north. 
  The capital of the ancient Ishian civilization 
  is Budum-ishi, a city where the dead are 
  honored, and where they still walk the 
  streets as servants of the living. Most of the 
  native humans of Eruna are very dark 
  skinned because of the baking sun. The 
  human kingdom of Aelfar in Farland also 
  attempted thousands of years ago to 
  colonize the continent, and more recently 
  gnomes from Farland tried to settle here. 
  Remnants of both groups still dwell in 
  southern Eruna, although their existence is 
  a difficult one. 
   
  Forntol 
  The continent of Forntol is one continent on 
  the planet Núrion. It is one of the few 
  continents on the planet 
  (besides Farland and Eruna) that has a 
  civilization, although its civilization is not as 
  advanced nor as ancient as that of Farland. 
  Forntol is an isle of refugees. The land was 
  largely founded by humans, gnomes, 
  dwarves, and others that fled from their 
  native lands on the continent of Farland. All 
  of them fled as a result of the endless and 
  myriad assaults from the great evil one, the 
  Dweller in the Vale. For the humans, the 
  goal was refuge from the Dweller's plague 
  and war. For the dwarves, it was the 
  destruction of their great stronghold. And 
  for the gnomes, their most hated enemy 
  drove them to the new continent's shores. 
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  236 
  Because one underlying reason brought all 
  these peoples to Forntol, they found a 
  common bond in their previous hardships. 
  Hardy and accustomed to adversity, the new 
  inhabitants of Forntol established their very 
  own society. For all, it was a fresh start. The 
  land of Forntol was isolated by the 
  exceptionally stormy and dangerous seas 
  that surrounded it, and many of the 
  refugees had died in the attempt to reach it; 
  it was therefore impossible to go back. Soon, 
  Farland was forgotten, except for a cloud of 
  evil that seemed to cover their minds 
  whenever they looked to the west. 
  Remembrance of this evil has led the sea-
  faring races of Forntol almost exclusively to 
  adopt a policy of seclusion-- they do not 
  leave Forntol and have little desire to do so, 
  except to venture a few miles out to sea. 
  The huge land of Forntol is made up of 
  wide, coastal areas, rolling hills, and an 
  expansive mountain range near its center. 
  The lowlands are mostly inhabited by 
  humans, gnomes, dwarves, dark folk, and 
  others. Large, human cities dot the coasts of 
  the north, south, and west, while the dark 
  folk hold the east, an area of much concern 
  for the good races of the continent. Dwarves 
  and gnomes share the hills with roaming 
  beasts like powerful cold-climate apes and 
  frost giants. 
  New and unique races have grown upon 
  Forntol, either by the will of their gods or 
  through more natural means. The 
  Teregnaven, intelligent descendants of 
  trolls, advise the good people of Forntol 
  from their tall spire on the western coast. 
  Meanwhile, small, feral folk called the 
  Halkassa'ruukil live in the hills, attempting 
  to maintain their balance between natural 
  savagery and their desire to assimilate into 
  civilized society. And in the dark, tall 
  forests, fierce humanoids called the 
  Kassa'melkuul live in huts and homes under 
  their wide, leafy canopies. 
  Above this all, the great central peaks of 
  Forntol loom, with tall Garakesh peak rising 
  above them all. The mysteries of the 
  mountains, feared nearly above all things, 
  have only been sought out by the most 
  stalwart or foolhardy of adventures. None of 
  those who dared the great mountains have 
  ever returned. 
   
  Ostban 
  The southern continent of Ostban is nearly 
  all tundra. Its very northern coast is 
  decorated with a thin strip of boreal 
  forestation, but the forest stretches only a 
  few dozen miles to the south before the 
  ground becomes too frozen for vegetation. 
  Although it has no civilizations, the 
  continent is home to many forms of 
  animals, especially polar bears and 
  walruses. During the winter months, the 
  peninsulas that make up Ostban's eastern 
  side are connected by thick sheets of ice, 
  making it possible, if one had sled dogs, 
  sufficient supplies, and the hardiness of a 
  frost giant, to travel across the southern part 
  of the world all the way to Ostduven. 
   
  Ostol 
  Ostol in the north is really not a continent in 
  itself. Instead it is connected by a thin 
  peninsula to the large continent of Tarod. 
  Ostol is very mountainous, except for its 
  coasts, and owing to its elevation and 
  latitude, it is very cold. The only inhabitants 
  of Ostol are hearty creatures, mostly 
  animals. The sea currents around Ostol are 
  particularly treacherous and would tend to 
  wreck any ship approaching its rocky cliffs. 
   
  Ostduven 
  Ostduven, the sister continent of Ostban, is 
  connected to Ostban, and the two could in 
  fact be considered one continent. As such, it 
  shares many of the same characteristics as 
  Ostban in its southern section. Unlike 
  Ostban, however, it contains a large 
  mountain range. Moreover, it stretches for 
  many miles north-south, and therefore it 
  also contains a wide range of climate types, 
  including boreal forests, temperate forests, 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  237 
  grasslands, and even tropical rain forests on 
  its northern coast. This means that the 
  continent has a large population of wild life 
  of all sorts. It does not contain any 
  civilizations, though. 
   
  Tarod 
  Although Tarod has a harsh desert in its 
  south west, its low mountains and 
  temperate climate make it a very hospitable 
  continent. Still, there are no civilizations on 
  Tarod. Instead, it is populated with 
  creatures and animals of all sorts, including 
  giant species of animals not seen anywhere 
  else on Núrion. If a human were to see 
  Tarod, he would call it a hunter's paradise, 
  although some of the beasts native to Tarod 
  would be likely to quickly turn the tables 
  and hunt any human-sized hunter. Indeed, 
  some wild dragons call Tarod their home. 
  The coast of Tarod is encircled by 
  treacherous reefs that tend to sink any ship 
  that approaches. East of Tarod there are 
  many island chains formed by volcanic 
  activity.
  
  Chapter Ten: Personages of 
  Farland 
   
   
  238 
   
   
  Important 
  Individuals  
  any individuals of various races 
  have left their mark on the history 
  of Farland and continue to affect 
  the course of events even unto the present 
  day.  A few of these personages are detailed 
  below. 
   
  Afej the Black 
  Jaef of Kale became a Lich in the year 7460 
  F.R. after being the court wizard and the 
  power behind the throne of Kale for 21 years 
  (The king at the time was young Felmat, 
  who was putty in the aging wizard's, and 
  then the lich's hands.) After becoming a 
  Lich, Jaef remained the power behind the 
  throne until the year 7487 F.R., when a 
  group of adventurers called the Band of Five 
  discovered that he was responsible for the 
  evil and aggressive policies that had been 
  instituted in the kingdom. They attacked 
  him and slew him, although three of their 
  number fell. Two were forced to flee with 
  the treasure and spell books of Jaef, 
  pursued doggedly by the lich's undead 
  minions. The remaining heroes turned to 
  face their undead pursuers in the town of 
  Wotun in Kelerak, where they slew them but 
  then died of their wounds and were buried 
  with the lich's items. Meanwhile, Jaef's 
  sentience had escaped into his phylactery (a 
  pre-prepared golden enruned amulet). The  
   
   
   
   
  amulet was well-hidden in a secret room 
  beneath the palace in Kale City, and since 
  the lich's undead minions had all been 
  destroyed, there was no one to bring a 
  corpse to the secret room and thus the lich 
  could not escape his phylactery and again 
  take physical form. Thus, he spent centuries 
  locked inside the amulet. 
  Finally, the amulet was found in 8160 F.R.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  M 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  239 
  by Valanduil the elf, who did not realize the 
  item's true nature. When the elhan brought 
  the amulet into the proximity of a freshly 
  slain corpse, Jaef was released from it, and 
  he assumed a new body and a new name—
  Afej the Black. He immediately established 
  himself in the ruined castle of Carn Marrot 
  in Dessingrove, and, through his 
  underling Widfaral, gained control of the 
  town . He was able to establish a rapport 
  with the dragon Skywing, who had gained a 
  new paranoia about his treasure. Afej began 
  supplying guards for when the Dragon was 
  out hunting, and in return the dragon paid 
  him handsomely out of his vast treasure. 
  The lich used this new wealth to rebuild the 
  castle, and thereupon, he began a two- 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  pronged plan. He allied himself with the cult 
  of Grlarshh, pretending to be an avatar of 
  Grlarshh, in order to use the cult's 
  assistance to recover his lost items, 
  including most of his spell books, that were 
  buried in the cemetery in Wotun. He also 
  began an assault on Western Kelerak, and 
  quickly established himself as baron of all 
  lands in Kelerak west of Lake of the Sky. His 
  first plan was stalled by the actions of the 
  Lords of the West, but with the assault of 
  the Lords of Greed and Envy, Afej was able 
  to recover all of his items in the war-
  wrought confusion. Thereupon, he launched 
  his assault in full, making a bid to capture 
  the ravished Dragonspur after it had been 
  weakened because of its recent battles.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  Because the Lords of the West recovered 
  the Stone of Silence and even managed to 
  slay his most valued servant Widfaral, 
  however, the army of Afej was defeated and 
  he was forced to recall the remnants of his 
  troops to Dessingrove to plot his next strike. 
  While machinating his next move, Afej also 
  continued his experiments in the 
  necromantic arts, researching a way to open 
  a portal to the Penumbra in order to create 
  an army of invincible undead warriors. 
  As an individual, Afej is vastly intelligent. 
  This intelligence sometimes leads to 
  overconfidence, but Afej himself is aware of 
  this and often takes measure to counteract 
  it; he is not always successful. He tends to 
  be closed, guarded, and secretive, revealing 
  his plans not even to his most valued 
  underlings. He is also vastly ambitious and 
  values power for its own sake. He does not 
  wish to ally himself with anyone, though, 
  especially the Dweller in the Wintervale 
  (Afej knows that the Dweller has no allies, 
  only slaves). Therefore, he ultimately aims 
  to establish a kingdom in the West that 
  rivals the might of the Lords of Sins, and he 
  hopes eventually to subsume their lands-- 
  then will come the final battle between 
  the Dweller and Afej, and he knows he must 
  be carefully and completely prepared. 
   
  Lair Actions 
   
   
  Afej the lich is almost always found in his 
  citadel Carn Marrot in Dessingrove. His 
  castle is filled with terrible guardians and 
  deadly traps. If he is in his lair, Afej has a 
  challenge rating of 22 (41,000 xps); for 
  details of the castle, see the World of 
  Farland adventure Hold of the Lich Lord. 
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), 
  Afej can take a lair action to cause one of the 
  following effects. Afej can't use the same 
  effect two rounds in a row. 
  • 
  Afej rolls a d8 and regains a spell 
  slot of that level or lower. If he has 
  no spent spell slots of that level or 
  lower, nothing happens. 
  • 
  Afej targets one creature he can see 
  within 30 feet of him. A crackling 
  cord of negative energy tethers Afej 
  the lich to the target. Whenever Afej 
  takes damage, the target must make 
  a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. 
  On a failed save, Afej takes half the 
  damage (rounded down), and the 
  target takes the remaining damage. 
  This tether lasts until initiative count 
  20 on the next round or until Afej or 
  the target is no longer in Afej's lair. 
  • 
  Afej activates one of his magical 
  traps, which affects one target within 
  60 feet that Afej can see. The target 
  must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity 
  saving throw, taking 52 (15d6) force 
  damage on a failed save, or half as 
  much damage on a success. The trap 
  then disappears. 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  241 
  Dessingrove, a Town in 
  Kelerak ruled by Afej 
   
  Facts about Dessingrove 
  Dessingrove is a human town in the 
  Western part of Kelerak, somewhat near the 
  border of the Kingdom of Kale. Named after 
  the ancient oak grove in the center of the 
  community, the town is dominated by the 
  imposing fortress of Carn Marrot, the castle 
  of a powerful baron that had lain in ruin 
  since the Dark Conquest. Nearly a decade 
  ago, however, a mysterious force-- an evil 
  lich-- occupied the castle. Seizing on the 
  chaos caused by the liberation of Kelerak 
  and the subsequent wars that resulted, the 
  lich rebuilt and refortified the castle. From 
  there, the creature raised an army of orcs 
  and mercenary humans and took possession 
  of the town. The downtrodden citizens of 
  Dessingrove have traded the terrible yoke of 
  the Lord of Lust's rule for the even more 
  terrible yoke of the Lich's tyranny. Life in 
  Dessingrove is miserable. 
  Who Rules: The lich Afej the Dark. The 
  Mayor of the town is a vampire warrior 
  named Gorm, who was once an orc. He has 
  great autonomy in managing the affairs of 
  the town, but he ultimately answers to the 
  lich. 
  Items available: Normal items costing 
  100 silver pieces or less may be purchased 
  in the town, but since the town is occupied 
  by the lich, no items may be purchased 
  without the prerequisite papers authorizing 
  it. 
  Population: 998 (Two-thirds human, with 
  half-orcs and orcs making up the 
  remainder). 
  Major Products: Oats, wheat, livestock, 
  leather, and timber. 
  Armed Forces: 100 orcs, 10 oluks, and an 
  oluk war chief patrol the town. The 
  Undercarn, tunnels below the castle, house 
  around 1000 orcs and other dark folk, the 
  army of the lich. 
  The town of Hestor is located in the 
  highlands of Zeland. It sits in a small valley 
  in front of one steep hill. The front of the 
  hill, pierced with an old iron mine, has been 
  enclosed by a ten-foot stone wall. Two dark 
  watch towers overlook the wall and town. 
   
  Places of Interest in 
  Dessingrove 
  1 Guarded Gates 
  These massive stone and iron edifices 
  control entrance and egress to important 
  places such as the town or the approach to 
  Carn Marrot. Each gate is guarded by 4 
  oluks and an orc war chief. All of the gate 
  guardians are equipped with loud horns to 
  sound a general alarm if needed. To pass 
  through the guarded gates, entrance papers 
  stamped with the seal of the Lich or one of 
  his generals is necessary. 
  2 Carn Marrot 
  This is the dread fortress of Carn Marrot, 
  the hold of the lich lord Afej. 
  3 Entrance to the Undercarn 
  Sturdy iron gates lead into the Undercarn. 
  Each gate is guarded by a battalion of oluk 
  orcs. All of the gate guardians are equipped 
  with loud horns to sound an alarm if 
  necessary. To pass through the gates, 
  entrance papers stamped with the seal of 
  the Lich or one of his generals is necessary. 
  4 Temple of Vornoth 
  This formerly glorious temple is now 
  rundown. Afej has not supported the 
  worship of Vornoth, although he has not 
  outlawed it. Instead, the Lich favors his own 
  patron, the god Grlarshh. The priest of the 
  temple is an older human with long white 
  hair and a crazed look in his eye. His name 
  is Herbet Ack-Toran. 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
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  243 
  5 Darkfall Inn 
  This inn, marked by a fading sign depicting 
  a black leaf, struggles to stay in business. 
  That's because the mayor of the town, the 
  vampire Gorm, has taken to frequenting the 
  place. He always brings with him an 
  entourage of orcs and half-orcs vampire 
  spawn. The population of the town has 
  recently realized that those who visit the inn 
  tend to disappear, so business at the inn has 
  slowed to a trickle. The vampires like the 
  ambience, however, so they still visit the 
  place often. The inn keeper is a depressed 
  man named Henry Ack-Wallan. 
  6 Eastwell Farm 
  A large farm, including manor house, barns, 
  stables, and outbuildings, lies on the eastern 
  side of Dessingrove. Owned by the canny 
  and tough Eastwells, this homestead has 
  weathered both the Dark Occupation and 
  the rule of the lich. The matriarch of the 
  Eastwells is Jocasa, a particularly intelligent 
  and resourceful old woman. She has 
  outlived four husbands and caused the 
  disappearance of many orcs who came to 
  harass the Eastwell lands. She commands a 
  large band of sons and grandsons, who do 
  her bidding without question. Jocasa is wise 
  enough to know when to fight the dark 
  rulers and when to bargain with them. Her 
  first and only loyalty is to her family. 
  7 Town Slaughterhouse 
  This foul-smelling building is where the 
  local cattle are slaughtered. The dark troops 
  and their rulers sometimes use it to dispose 
  of bodies of victims when they don't want 
  the local populace to discover a corpse. The 
  building is open during daylight hours and 
  locked at night. 
  8 Brothel 
  The Dessingrove brothel is a well-
  maintained building run by Dolores 
  Daggerhand, a strikingly beautiful older 
  woman. She is excellent at sizing up visitors 
  to the brothel and providing them with 
  delights to entice their senses. Despite her 
  name, she is not violent and never fights. 
  She keeps two orc bouncers on premises 
  who are entirely loyal to her and no one 
  else. Dolores ensures that no violence is ever 
  committed against the seven women and 
  two men who work in her brothel. Deep 
  down, she hates her job, hates the lich, and 
  longs to be free of Dessingrove, but she feels 
  responsible for those in her care. 
  9 House of Treachery 
  This colorfully painted house is the dwelling 
  of Matteus Ack-Gyles, a local guildmember 
  and spy for General Gorm. He frequents all 
  the inns of the town, as well as the local 
  market, and reports everything he finds out 
  to the agents of the vampire mayor. 
  Matteus' wife Elsa has been missing for over 
  a year; the Lich has promised that he will 
  find and restore Matteus' wife to him if he 
  serves him faithfully; little does Matteus 
  know, the lich allowed his vampires to slay 
  Matteus' wife. 
  10 Orc Garrison 
  This walled compound houses the orcs and 
  oluks who patrol and manage the citizens of 
  Dessingrove. 
  11 Town Market 
  This large open square comprises the 
  Dessingrove town market. The market 
  square is lined with wooden stalls where 
  merchants hawk their wares. Any mundane 
  item of 100 SPs or less can be purchased 
  here during daylight hours; no purchase of 
  more than 10 SPs can be made without 
  authorization papers. These papers are the 
  same papers that allow passage through the 
  guarded gates. Also, purchases of 25 SPs or 
  more are likely to attract the orc guard that 
  patrol the market. Matteus the Spy often 
  lurks here. 
  12 Hold of the Vampire Mayor 
  This large, ramshackle edifice is the 
  dwelling of Gorm, the vampire mayor. The 
  place is ill-kept and essentially looks like a 
  traditional haunted house. The orcs who 
  bear messages to and from General Gorm 
  shudder as they enter the place. 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  244 
  13 House of the Mage 
  A well-maintained but otherwise non-
  descript dwelling in the center of town is the 
  home of Cedrus Ack-Bernerd, a self-taught 
  wizard. Cedrus is a broad, strong man with 
  steel gray hair and the look of a laborer. 
  Having inherited several spell books from 
  his grandfather, he practices magic in 
  secret. He has no love for the evil rulers but 
  also has no desire to come to their attention. 
  He can be convinced to sell or trade spells if 
  it doesn't endanger him personally. 
  14 Temple of Grlarshh 
  This prosperous building, formerly a church 
  to Heshtail, is now used by the death cult of 
  the god Grlarshh. The high priestess of the 
  cult is a woman named Betha, who took 
  over from the former high priest Widfaral. 
  Betha is gaunt and has a face like a skull. 
  15 Home of the Cleric 
  A secret cleric of Bestra, Ethelred Ack-
  Phillip, lives in this nondescript house near 
  the center of town. Ethelred is a balding 
  half-orc. If he is convinced that the that 
  people are good and desire to destroy the 
  lich, he will sell them healing at half price or 
  provide spiritual succor. 
   
   
   
  Carya the 
  Unassailable 
   
  Perhaps the largest and most terrible of the 
  plaguesap treants is Carya the Unassailable, 
  a malevolent colossus apparently 
  impervious to injury. When released into 
  the surface world, Carya chose to travel 
  north-east into Cadocia, heading for the 
  mountains that overlook the Hupik Forest. 
  Choosing the loneliest, most desolate peak 
  she could find, she planted herself there and 
  waited for the inevitable challengers. 
   
  Rangers and warriors of Cadocia came first, 
  but their arrows and blades stuck 
  harmlessly in her bark. Nahajri, most 
  celebrated sorcerer of the land, bound a lord 
  of the efreeti to his will, but met his end in 
  fire when she rained boulders on him and 
  broke his concentration. Finally, the treants 
  of Hupik assembled and marched on her. 
  For ten days, Carya weathered them, taking 
  their strength into herself as each broke 
  against her. 
   
  Since then, for nearly three centuries, Carya 
  has remained rooted and unchallenged atop 
  her mountain. From time to time, the winds 
  carry her spores down to the forest, 
  corrupting it. The plaguesap treants that 
  sprout are swiftly put down, but though the 
  cause is known, none dare to make the 
  climb up to where Carya awaits. Indeed, it is 
  widely believed that she is sleeping deeply 
  and that is why she does not descend to 
  make things worse. 
   
  This self-serving argument is false. Carya is 
  awake and aware, but merely uninterested 
  in the affairs of the lesser creatures. They 
  proved themselves to be no match for her 
  and, with plenty of sunlight and rain to 
  nourish her, Carya has decided there is no 
  need to be concerned with what happens 
  elsewhere. That said, she has many 
  hundreds of years left in which to change 
  her mind and the constant purging of her 
  saplings is slowly beginning to irritate her. 
  To make matters worse, the Dweller in the 
  Wintervale has recently become aware of 
  Carya and is beginning to ponder how to put 
  her to use…. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  245 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  246 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Lalsthor 
  Longcloak 
  Lalsthor, called Longcloak, is the leader of 
  the very powerful thieves' guild 
  in Dragonspur City. Originally from Kale, he 
  is actually a powerful wraith, but very few 
  people know this fact, because he wears a 
  long black cloak that disguises his rotten 
  and semi-transparent visage. Lalsthor came 
  into power after he found his way into the 
  thieves' guild headquarters from the sewers 
  and insidiously slew the then-leader, 
  William the Sly. Since then, Lalsthor has 
  slowly consolidated his power. Lalsthor was 
  a very powerful thief in life, second to 
  William. He became too power hungry, 
  however, and William lured him into a 
  death trap in the sewers. This did not keep 
  him down, however. Longcloak is a very 
  scheming and insidious being, who will do 
  all he can to hide his true nature, because 
  his men would desert him if they knew.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  247 
  Widfaral, High 
  Priest of Death 
   
   
  Widfaral, the son of a rich merchant named 
  Jovich, was born in the year 8115 F.R. and 
  grew up in a luxurious mansion 
  in Dessingrove. At the age of 21, the young 
  man seemed to have it all: he was set to 
  inherit his father's house and business, and 
  everyone agreed that he was one of the most 
  charming, handsome, and intelligent men in 
  all of the town. Yet Widfaral was idealistic 
  and uninterested in what he called the 
  "money-grubbing machinations" that 
  constituted his father's day-to-day business 
  under the evil regime. Instead, and at great 
  risk to himself, Widfaral sought out the 
  underground church of Heshtail and 
  pledged himself as a novice cleric. For the 
  next year, he prayed devoutly and did the 
  business of the church, which met in the 
  High Priest's house. There he learned much 
  about his newly chosen religion and about 
  the other religions that used to thrive before 
  the time of the Dark Conquest. Then the 
  Red Pox struck the town. Because of the 
  squalid conditions in which the Orcish Hoth 
  kept most of the inhabitants, it spread like 
  fire until it reached even the rich section of 
  town in which Widfaral dwelled. 
  Widfaral was stricken with the disease, and 
  inflamed boils broke out all over his body. 
  Near death, Widfaral kept an unceasing 
  prayer vigil in the room, entreating Heshtail 
  to spare his life. Yet he felt his strength 
  failing and death approaching. In great pain 
  and fear, he forsook the religion of the god 
  he felt had deserted him and prepared to die 
  in silence. But lapsing into a fevered sleep, 
  he had a vision of a dark-robed, skull-faced 
  figure. The figure said, "Come unto me, and 
  I shall relieve your pain." Waking, Widfaral 
  recognized from his religious lessons in the 
  church of Heshtail that the cloaked figure 
  was Grlarshh, an ancient god of disease and 
  death. Hoping to end his unbearable pain, 
  he prayed fervently to the evil deity. Within 
  two days his fever had broken and he was 
  well on his way to recovery. His face, 
  however, forever bore the marks of the Red 
  Pox, like a sign of the choice he had made. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  248 
  Widfaral, in solitude and secrecy, began 
  devoting his life to Grlarshh. Soon he grew 
  in might: it seemed that the god really did 
  work through Widfaral, for he began to 
  wield powers far beyond the ken of the local 
  priests of Vornoth. Then word arrived in 
  Dessingrove of the liberation of Dragonspur 
  City and, the rumor went, all of Kelerak. 
  Seizing the moment, Widfaral organized a 
  rebellion against the Hoth and the other 
  Orcish bosses, and he proved to be a 
  natural-born leader. Men rallied to his cause 
  and drove the creatures into the wilderness. 
  Because of his power and charisma, men 
  followed his orders, but because of his face, 
  no one became his friend. Widfaral turned 
  once more privately to his religion as a 
  solace and comfort, and began organizing 
  the newly freed town. 
  Then came the turning point in his life. A 
  mysterious spirit had reoccupied Carn 
  Marrot, the ruins of the ancient castle that 
  overlooked the town. Thinking that some 
  agents of the Lord of Lust had returned, 
  Widfaral summoned the modest number of 
  militiamen that now obeyed his command 
  and went to investigate. There he found a 
  skull-faced figure in dark robes. Surely this 
  was his god! Shocked, he blurted out, "L... 
  Lord Grlarshh?" Pausing and seeming to 
  think for a moment, the dark figure drew 
  himself up to his full height and imperiously 
  intoned, "I can see that Grlarshh means a 
  great deal to you. You are faithful. Of course 
  I am Grlarshh. Will you serve me?" The 
  disfigured man replied, "I will forever be 
  your faithful servant." Widfaral immediately 
  asked what the will of his Lord was, and the 
  figure replied that he desired to bring all of 
  Kelerak into the fold of the worship of 
  Grlarshh. Yet this would have to be done by 
  main military strength, for the Kelerites had 
  always, wrongly, hated the religion, except 
  for the occasional prayer meant to keep 
  away disease. To this end, Widfaral actively 
  recruited an army, even accepting into his 
  force the dispossessed orcs from the 
  wilderness, and openly declared his religion 
  to the shocked town. He founded a church 
  to Grlarshh, declaring himself High Priest of 
  Death, and initiated others to its mysteries. 
  Widfaral's army conquered the neighboring 
  towns, who put up little resistance, and his 
  church spread its influence; temples were 
  founded in the towns as well. Widfaral also 
  secretly sent out his best priests, the most 
  important of which was a promising young 
  man named Urdar, to found secret temples 
  in towns that had not yet fallen to his 
  military might. Widfaral discovered that he 
  thrilled in his new power. And always the 
  skeletal figure, who wished to be known as 
  Afej the Black in order to keep their 
  intentions secret, spurred on the priest. 
  Under the direction of Afej and the 
  impressive personage and power of 
  Widfaral, the military success of 
  Dessingrove knew no bounds. Plus, Afej 
  seemed to miraculously produce large sums 
  of gold. It took only a handful of years for 
  the baronies and towns west of the Lake of 
  the Sky to fall, and Widfaral began planning 
  to attack Eastern Kelerak. Held up by a 
  stormy season on the great lake, the 
  powerful priest nonetheless managed the 
  daunting task of moving his 12,000-creature 
  army across the lake, and he successfully 
  conquered the entirety of Eastern Kelerak 
  up to the mighty Spur itself. This city would 
  be the final linchpin in the conquest of the 
  once-kingdom, but it also represented the 
  greatest threat to his army. Once again, 
  however, it seemed that Grlarshh was 
  providing, for the city had its hands full 
  fighting off an invasion by the Lord of Sloth. 
  In a sound strategic decision, Widfaral 
  waited for the outcome of the battles, 
  preferring to save his own strength and 
  finish off the weakened victor of the fray. 
  But not all went as planned! Dragonspur 
  City acquired some sort of powerful magic 
  that allowed it handily to defeat the army of 
  the Lord of Sloth with little loss. Widfaral, 
  after sending word to his Lord, was forced 
  to attack, but the item—-he now suspected 
  on information provided by Afej that the 
  Spurites possessed the fabled Stone of 
  Silence—-was stronger than he anticipated, 
  and for the first time Widfaral was in real 
  danger….  
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  249 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  
   
   
   
   
  250 
  The Winged One 
   
  Barghevor the Cambion was one (of the 
  possibly several surviving) children of 
  Brathelathor, Lord of Lust. A product of 
  rape (as almost all of the Lord of Lust's 
  offspring), he nevertheless idolized his 
  father. When he got old enough, he served 
  Brathelathor as a general of the Lord's 
  army. He was out with a legion of orcs when 
  the city fell and his father was slain. The 
  uprising of the citizens of Kelerak forced 
  him to hole up in Lust Fort in the Hilly 
  Crags, one of the places painstakingly 
  prepared by the Lord of Lust himself for just 
  such an eventuality. He then devoted his 
  time to searching for and acquiring some 
  sort of magical artifact that could aid him in 
  his goal of returning Kelerak to his father's 
  control. Finally, he was successful, and as of 
  8168 F.R., he attempted to use a gem 
  created by his father to open a portal to 
  Malor to bring the Lord of Lust back to 
  Kelerak. Seven years ago, he also attempted 
  to invade Dragonspur City with the aid of 
  his second in command, Shagrat 
  Blacktongue. He was defeated by the 
  combined might of the forces of Kelerak and 
  the Cavebear Northmen. 
  Barghevor is 6'2" tall, with thin blond hair, 
  slightly scaly skin, horn buds, and leathery 
  wings. He tries to be arrogant and 
  condescending but ultimately come off as 
  insecure. Nevertheless, he has a curious 
  charisma when dealing with evil creatures (a 
  product of his demonic heritage). Orcs and 
  other dark folk fear and revere him. He 
  wants nothing more than to allow his father 
  access to this world and then to serve him as 
  his second-in-command.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
   
  251 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  252 
  Yedus Anglarond, 
  Court High Mage 
  of Dragonspur City 
   
  The story of Yedus Anglarond is an inspiring 
  one. He was born in the year 8112 F.R. to 
  Lord Corneus and Lady Amada Anglarond. 
  The Anglarond family had been stripped of 
  most of its lands hundreds of years ago, 
  shortly after the Dark Conquest, and they 
  managed to retain only one outlying manor 
  house. Heavily taxed, the family was kept 
  poor for centuries. When Yedus was born, 
  the family was destitute, but the Anglaronds 
  had retained their pride, and each patriarch 
  had taught his offspring of his heritage and 
  lineage. Thus, Lord Corneus instilled in the 
  young Lordling Yedus pride in nobility and 
  family. Poor because of the policies of the 
  Lords of Sin, the family had also long ago 
  sworn a secret vow of eternal hatred against 
  the Dark Forces. Thus, Yedus grew up 
  despising the Lord of Lust, and as soon as 
  he was old enough, he began to take part in 
  the revolutionary activities masterminded 
  by the cunning and good Elmor Ack-
  Thenton, a rich local farmer and merchant. 
  Although Yedus could hold his own with a 
  weapon, Elmor recognized in Yedus a 
  faculty that was far more useful and rare 
  than the ability to wield a weapon: he 
  sensed a mind that was supple and strong, a 
  mind with an innate understanding of the 
  workings of magic. Elmor was in a unique 
  position to recognize such a gift, for even 
  though he himself was no mage, his wife 
  Liliane had long studied the arcane arts, 
  using them to aid the resistance, and thus 
  he was able to see this ability in others. He 
  turned Yedus over to Liliane, who trained 
  him in the ways of magic, as well as 
  encouraging him to gain knowledge of all 
  kinds. Soon the wise woman found that 
  Yedus' abilities far surpassed her own. 
  Yedus used his new skill in spells to aid the 
  resistance more than he ever had in the 
  past. He found that with his skill in magic,  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  besides power, came knowledge and 
  foresight. He was able to advise and 
  recommend things that helped the rebellion 
  grow strong, and he was proud of this. Soon 
  the leaders of the rebellion, Alan Hightower, 
  Elmor, and Alberic came to rely on the 
  young Yedus. When Yedus was introduced 
  
   
   
   
   
   
  253 
  to the promising and charismatic 
  young Naglor Osbern, ten years his junior, 
  the two quickly became fast friends. Yedus 
  lost his mentors during the botched rebel 
  assault on the Spur Fortress in 8157, but 
  this merely steeled his and Naglor's resolve 
  to fight on. 
  When Valanduil and Bartarius joined the 
  resistance in 8160, Yedus' hopes were finally 
  realized and the kingdom was freed. When 
  Naglor was appointed Lord High Mayor, 
  Yedus became High Mage. Later, when 
  Naglor became king, Yedus became Court 
  High Mage. In this position, Yedus founded 
  the Battle Mage's College to train wizards to 
  support the armies of the Spur. 
   
   
  Conclusion: 
  Adventure Awaits 
  The details provided in this book will allow 
  you to set a campaign in the World of 
  Farland that will make your players feel like 
  they are adventuring through a real world 
  with real history.  Every piece of 
  information they uncover will lead to 
  further information and histories, providing 
  a backdrop that will breathe life into your 
  game. 
  Don’t forget to pick up the World of 
  Farland Players Guide and the World of 
  Farland Game Master’s Handbook; 
  furthermore, check www.farlandworld.com 
  for additional content to help you as you run 
  your campaign. Additional cities, locations, 
  NPCs, and much, much more about the 
  world can be found there. The website also 
  offers a series of free adventures that can 
  take your players from level 1 through level 
  20. And the website is updated every month 
  on the 15th.  Happy gaming, and thanks for 
  choosing the World of Farland! 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  254 
  Open Gaming 
  License 
  Version 1.0a  
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the 
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  Art 
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  commons zero license from maxpixel.com. 
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  Used under the Creative Commons Attribution 
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  • Wawmar by Eric Williamson.  Produced for the 
  World of Farland.  All rights reserved. 
  • Wintervale and Enemy Lands map by S. Baker.  
  All rights reserved. 
  • Corpse Grinder by Tim Vargason.  Produced for 
  the World of Farland.  All rights reserved. 
  • Frostspire by Tim Vargason.  Produced for the 
  World of Farland.  All rights reserved. 
  • Map of the Nameless City by S. Baker.  All rights 
  reserved. 
  • Final Fight by Tim Vargason.  Produced for the 
  World of Farland.  All rights reserved. 
  • Treasure.  Used under the CCO Creative 
  Commons License. 
  • Languages of Farland by S. Baker.  All rights 
  reserved. 
  • A Dwarf by Brokenmachine86. Used under the 
  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 
  International license. 
  • Dwarf by LadyofHats.  Used under the Creative 
  Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain 
  Dedication. 
  • Fantasy Elf. Used under the Creative Commons 
  License 1.0. 
  • Elves Leaving Middle Earth by Araniart. Licensed 
  for reuse. 
  • Summervale Map by S. Baker.  All rights 
  reserved. 
  • Standard of the Summervale by Tim Vargason.  
  Produced for the World of Farland.  All rights 
  reserved. 
  • Thang Thang by yZitaN. Used under the Creative 
  Commons Attribution 3.0 License. 
  • Creature.  Used under the CCO Creative 
  Commons License. 
  • Lost Orc by JPlatt17. Image was cropped. Used 
  under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 
  License. 
  • Goblin art by Armandeo64. Used under the 
  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 
  International license. 
  • Kobold by S. Baker.  All rights reserved. 
  • A warrior orc, character of the game Battle for 
  Wesnoth by Wesnoth community artists of all 
  Wesnoth Portraits. Used under the Creative 
  Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. 
  • LOTR Orc Sketch by R1Spartan. Licensed for 
  reuse. 
  • Female avatar from Second Life by Charisma 
  Jonesford. Used under the Creative Commons 
  Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. 
  • Irzuk Orc by Tim Vargason.  Produced for the 
  World of Farland.  All rights reserved. 
  • Orc by Tim Vargason and Derek Wilson.  
  Produced for the World of Farland. All rights 
  reserved. 
  • Bestra by Jennifer B. Produced for the World of 
  Farland.  All rights reserved. 
  • Holy symbols of the gods of Farland by Tim 
  Vargason.  Produced for the World of Farland.  
  All rights reserved. 
  • Flamgart by Tim Vargason.  Produced by the 
  World of Farland.  All rights reserved. 
  • Map of Núrion by S. Baker. All rights reserved. 
  • Map of Eruna by S. Baker. All rights reserved. 
  • Map of Forntol by S. Baker. All rights reserved. 
  • Afej the Black by Tim Vargason. Produced for the 
  World of Farland. All rights reserved. 
  • Map of Dessingrove by S. Baker.  All rights 
  reserved. 
  • Widfaral by Tim Vargason. Produced for the 
  World of Farland. All rights reserved. 
  • The Winged One by Tim Vargason. Produced for 
  the World of Farland. All rights reserved. 
   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/World of Farland/Farland - Campaign Setting v1.pdf