Vincent Gray: VINCE@sscl.uwo.ca
FEALBRAND RAIDS AHLISSA
Great Kingdom, South Province of Ahlissa, Zelradton
Raiders under the command of one Fealbrand have raided several
border posts and attacked troop garrisons in the border regions. He
has disrupted the Duke's plans of staging a late fall attack on Idee.
NEW MERCENARY BAND FORMED
Iron League, County of Idee, Naerie
A new Mercenary Band named "The Spines" and headed by a warrior
named Adolph and consisting of several highly skilled soldiers and a
collection of other men-at-arms. They are looking for work and say
that their fees are very reasonable and that they are familiar with
the Spine Ridge between Idee and the Scarlet Brotherhood. To retain
them please leave a message with the Bartender at the Laughing
Halfling (acc_dtw@exodus.valpo.edu or acc_dtw@valpo).
BANDITS IN HOLLOW HIGHLANDS
Iron League, County of Idee, Naerie
Merchants have been reporting a large number of raids on their
caravans as they travelled between Sunndi to the East and Idee. In
fact no less than 7 caravans have gone missing on the normally quiet
and safe route. Currently the only safe route passes through the
Elvish Earldom in the Rieuwood, and the Earl charges higher tariffs
than the independent villages of the Hollow Highlands.
GNOLLS ATTACK VILLAGES
Iron League, County of Idee, Naerie
Refugees have been arriving in the outlying villages around Naerie
reporting that Gnolls have been destroying whole villages near the
Menowood. It is suspected by Count Fedorik Eddri that the Caravan
raiders and the Gnolls may be one and the same. Sources close to the
Count hint that due to the fact that the majority of the mercenaries
and troops in Naerie have been moved to the front with Ahlissa to the
north, the new mercenaries, The Spines, may be hired for the task of
killing the Gnolls and Bandits.
ACC_DTW@exodus.valpo.edu
Martin Crossman: mcc5@leicester.ac.uk
ROYAL MAGE NEEDS NEW APPRENTICE
Upon the new year a new apprentice will be chosen to study under
Mortellius. Applicants should submitt an essay to the court scribe.
The essay should include study interests, prior research, references,
and reasons why this highly honored position should be fill by the
applicant. Essays will be taken for the next six months. Upon the
new year in eights months a new apprentice will be chosen at the
winter festival.
BATTLE BETWEEN IMPERIAL LEAGUE IS OVER
Taladas, The battle between The Imperial League is over
The Imperial League lost every living being to the battle. It is rumored
that the Army of Thenol had the fabled sword Hellfire, because every
soldier of the League had burst into flame and died. The Imperial
League is offering 500,000 st for any infomation that leads to the
capturing of the sword Hellfire. The Imperial League is offering
1,000,000 st to the person/persons who brings the sword to Lord Batian
of Kristophan.
Notes on the battle.... The battle lasted for 5 days. The Army of the
Imperial League numbered at 2423 and the Army of Thenol numbered 3446.
The first day looked as if the Imperial League would slaughter the
Army of Thenol. The second and third day very little fighting occured
because both Armies pulled back to a defensive position. The fourth
day the Army of Thenol sent a assassin squad to kill the commander of
the Imperial League, but the squad failed. On the Fifth day, the
Imperial League attacked, While they were approaching a lone man stood
ahead of the Army of Thenol holding a two-handed sword. As the
Imperial League approached the man swung his sword and a fireball
erupted from the blade, a fireball as great as if a thousand mages had
cast it at once. The Imperial League died in flames. Thus the
Kingdom of Thenol claims the battle won.
From the Sage Jansus.
Kelly McCauley: MCCAUKA@WKUVX1.BITNET
Solamnia (High Clerists Tower), SOLAMNIANS SENT TO SANCTION
Two months after the defeat of Kitiara and her blue dragon armies at
Palanthas, strange rumors that Kitiara had returned to Sanction were
heard. Reports from Tanthalas Half-elven and Dalamar the Mage give all
indication that she had died in the battle. A group of adventurers
were asked by Gunthar Uth-Wistan to investigate these rumors. They
accepted and, they were sent with an escort of three Solamnics
knights. The party included:
Ferrel Ironbeard : Fighter (Mountain Dwarf)
Hauk : Ranger (Human)
Kelida : Fighter (Human)
Werdna : White Robed Mage (Elf)
Tasslehoff Burrfoot: 'Handler' (Kender)
Lavim Springtoe : 'Handler' (Kender) Tasslehoff's cousin
Sir Heros of Coastlund: Abbot of Swords (Human)
Squire Caaman : Knight of the Crown, (Human)
Lord Crownguard : High Justice, (Human)
Most suprising of the group was Lord Crownguard, a High Justice, and father of Derek Crownguard. He went for reasons of his own that he wouldn't share though dark rumor has it that the ill-fated knight Derek Crownguard had been raised as a death knight.
Jansburg (Solamnia)
The party arrived in Jansburg carried by three bronzes headed on a
scouting mission over Throytl. In Jansburg, the party made inquiries
at the local inn, The Black Feathered Harpy about Kitiara. No one had
heard anything about this, but a man dressed in furs, a Que-Shu
tracker presumably told them to meet him outside of the village after
dark. Lord Crownguard agreed, much to the chagrin of Hauk and Ferrel
whom both refused to go. Kelida, the other two knights, Werdna, and
Tasslehoff agreed to go with Crownguard. Lavim was no where to be
found.
That night while Hauk and Ferrel stayed at the inn while the rest of
the group, still without Lavim, went to the agreed meeting place.
Meanwhile, minutes after they left, Lavim arrived and told Hauk that
their companions were being led into an ambush.
Lavim, Hauk, and Ferrel took some horses that Lavim had 'found' and
rode out to the ambush fight. What they found amazed them. Baaz
draconians, at least fiveteen of them, were attacking the party.
Kelida had been knocked to the ground and was unconscious, Squire and
Tasslehoff were surrounded. The others were holding there own. Lavim
and his group charged into the battle.
The Baaz scattered before the charge and gave the heroes time to
regroup. Werdna cast lightning bolt and killed two of them. The rest
fled to the south-east.
The party dressed its wound and returned to the inn. In the morning,
it was decided that Lavim and Squire must carry the news of the
draconians back to the High Clerists Tower, while the rest would
continue on.
Raistlin Majere: lucas@scicom.alphacdc.com
SOLDIERS DEFEATS 1000 ORCS
The Republic of Darokin, Fort Nell
The soldiers of Fort Nell reported turning back an assault of
nearly a thousand orcs, all on foot. The orcs were wielding long
swords, backed up by nearly two hundred crossbows, and they exhibited
unusually good military tactics. Darokinian casualties were heavier
than normal, but still light. The commandant has requested
reinforcements.
EYE OF THE SERPENT AGENT DIES DURING INTERROGATION
Alfheim, Alfheim City
Elves report having captured a shadow elf who, under heavy magic
questioning, reported being an Eye of the Serpent. The authorities
are slightly worried, since they were able to determine that the
shadow elf was connected with many more people, but the questioning
killed the captive before names could be extracted.
SILVER FOUND AT CHATEAU DE MALINBOIS
Glantri, Viscompty de Malinbois
The Viscomptess de Malinbois today announced the discovery of a
large silver depost under her own castle, the Chateau de Malinbois.
The Fellowship of Were-Hunters, a group formed to hunt lycanthropes to
extinction, were pleased to hear this and are already working to get
silver weapons.
Glantri, Glantri City
Glantri, after minimal research into its records, asked the
Darokinian emissary to go to Crownguard, the castle of the Klantyre
family. The emissary, who was trying to find information on Conor and
Angus MacGregor, was a little disappointed, but apparently he is
following up on the lead.
VYALIA ELVES ATTAINS COUNTY OF VYALIAN
The Empire of Thyatis, Thyatis City
The Emperor announced the secession of part of the County of
Vyalian to the Vyalia Elves, who formally claimed their ancestral
lands a short time ago. The rumor mill has gone wild with speculation
on what assurances the Emperor received.
BLACK EAGLE BARONY RAIDS DURING FESTIVITIES
The Grand Duchy of Karameikos, Luln
The arrival of a nobleman, Lord Valerius Luctivitae, prompted
festivities. Unfortunately, the festivities were interrupted by a
nocturnal raid from the Black Eagle Barony. Town's mistress Sascia,
personally leading the town militia, repulsed the incursion, and Lord
Valerius praised her for actions similar to those that earned her a
barony. Baroness Sascia is now the ruler of the Barony of Luln, and
she immediately adopted Luln as her patronym.
ELVES SPOTTED IN DYMRAK FOREST
The Grand Duchy of Karameikos, Dymrak Forest
The forest has been silent of late, and the frontiersmen in the
area are concerned that there may be some problems if the goblins are
preparing for some great move. However, elves have been sighted for
the first time in decades, and they were lightly armed and armored,
but fast, silent, and apparently deadly. They warned off any humans
they encountered, telling them to get out of the "Vyalia Woods."
GENERAL AKHENTOPEN APOLOGISES TO THE CHURCH OF PFLARR
Hollow World, The Kingdom of Nithia, Tarthis
General Akhentopen was called to task for his heresy, failing to
recognize that the people he called "those vile dog-men who dare
profess worhip of Divine Pflarr" are in fact the chosen race of
Pflarr, created by that Immortal in the distant past. The General
issued a formal and very lengthy apology to the Church of Pflarr.
MILENIAN TROOPS DEFEATS NITHIAN SOLDIERS
Hollow World, The Milenian Empire, Eastern Border
Milenian troops were reported victorious in a confrontation with
Nithian soldiers. Light casualties were reported.
ACOLYTES SACRIFICES FOR HERESY
Hollow World, The Azcan Empire
A number of acolytes and a few of the mid-level priests were
sacrificed after proclaiming heresies against Atzanteotl. Apparently,
they were also secretly following the teachings of a mysterious
emperor of ages past, called Atruatzin, the Quetzalcoatl. Priests of
Atzanteotl viciously denounce these beliefs, and they are quick to
sacrifice any who profess them.
Mike Phillips: msphil@tsrv1.ts.wm.edu
CONTRACTS SIGNED WITH DWARVEN MINING COMPANY
The city fathers of Cord are pleased to announce that they have signed
a contract with a dwarven mining company from the Western Kingdoms to
construct a complete set of sewers under the city. Though the costs
will be high, the long term benifits to the city will be well worth
it.
ELVEN MINSTREL VANISHES
The newly arrived elven minstrel who was fast becoming the most
popular act in Cord has apparently vanished from the city. Several
well to do locals are still looking for the missing minstrel.
TROUBLES ON THE EASTERN ROAD OF CORD
The roads east of the city appear to have grown more dangerous as fall
approaches. Master Send, local grain merchant, reports the loss of a
grain caravan this week. City guardsmen report that the caravan was
apparently attacked by a large band of orcs, last seen headed in the
direction of the evil Lake Tanga. Captain Migan Stonefist reports
that patrols eastward will be trebled, and an attack force is being
prepared to deal with these marauding orcs.
ADVENTURERS SAVES MERCHANT'S SON
When Master Send lost his caravan, he also lost his youngest son.
Apparently the lad was on his way back from visiting relatives in
Mist. Fortunately a group of adventurous citizens managed to
negotiate his release from the foul orcs. This same group of citizens
were also responsible for returning a recently stolen tax chest from a
group of marauding bandits that performed a daring raid in the middle
of Cord itself.
FATHER TIRLY STILL ILL
On a sadder note, Father Tirly of the Temple of Alara is still
suffering from ill health. Apparently the main temple in Reap has
still not agreed upon a replacement for the elderly and popular high
priest. Let's hope the temple hierarchy makes up its mind soon, so
Father Tirly can retire in peace.
Mark A. Thomas: thomas@capitol.com
Sandra S. Stanford: stanford@lonestar.utsa.edu
Rumor within a caravan
Don't look like you're enjoying the priestess' company too much. Lord Philip
[the leader of a group of heavy cavalry helping to guard the troop] has taken
quite a shine to her. Heed my advice, my Viristi friend, or he'll put you
on double guard duty faster than you can say deus sol. Huh? What does him
being a paladin have anything to do with anything? He's still a man and he's
breathing!
Rumor in Yagwa
They say those people to the east are having trouble
with a plague. Seems that their sailors brought it back with them.
Like I always say. If God had meant for people to be traders and
money-grubbers then he wouldn't let these things happen. Probably
serves them right but we should send some people over to help them.
Rumor in Vir
Insane and wicked humans to the south are pillaging
helpless and innocent communities as they marOAch towards the city.
The millia [army] has been sent to deal with them and the humans will
most surely pay dearly for their impudence. [Actually the humans are
marching in the opposite direction, they are not complete fools.]
Legend in a Timnari Clan
Bearslayer [the long dead ancestor of one of
the PC's] took shelter in one of those ruins and found what looked
like a human skull except it was made of stone. He brought it back to
the tribe for everyone to see [and left it when they moved on]. That
next year he disappeared while on a hunt and was never heard from
again.
Rumor amongst the Orcs
Stay away from the human women. They are all able to summon up the
wrath of the gods and use it as they choose.
Common belief amongst the Orcs
Humans take great pleasure in cutting off the heads of orcish babies
to make what to them is a great delicacy. They strip the flesh from the
skull, cutting it into strips and deep frying it. The brain is liquified
and heated in the brain case. The strips of flesh are then dipped into
the brain mixture and eaten like chips.
Common belief amongst most other races concerning Orcs
Orcs are creatures of pure evil that delight in pillage, slaughter,
torture and rape. This is proven by the fact that orcs never attempt to do
anything but attack or flee [usually the latter]. One would do well
to assume that they are up to no good. A little preventative
pesticide cannot be a bad thing. After all, the paladins of Yagwa
confirm that they are evil.
Unknown: unknown.com
THE FOUR KINGDOMS,
A GUIDE FOR THE ADVENTURER
THE FOUR KINGDOMS PRIMER
As told by Ristonofer Glamdring, Seminarian of the Academy.
SHORT HISTORY of the KINGDOMS
"The lands known as the Four Kingdoms encompass a great stretch of
land slicing north and south through the center of the continent of
Therduin, far west to the great Kingdom of Lorgaard, and east to
borders of the ever-encroaching Tyresian Empire. The Four Kingdoms
stand now as tentative allies against the threat from the east, a
situation that has not always existed.
We are in the first century of what scholars have termed the Third
Age of Man. The First was the reign of the great Skuldavian Empire,
which ended in decadence and decay. The Second Age encompassed the
majority of the history of the Mannish races, spanning nearly three
millennia. It ended when the Four Kingdoms themselves united and
repelled the threat of the Tyresians for what was thought to be the
final time. We have since, to our chagrin, found the celebration to
be a bit premature. The Tyresian Empire, now not a threat not to
destroy, but to slowly conquer, looms large on the eastern horizon.
During the Second Age, the Kingdoms of Lisorian and Hubran
dominated the central part of the continent. In the second
millennium, civil war broke apart Hubran, and the Kingdom of S'ilaran
was born. River Ophis divided the lands east and west, a barrier that
has stood unto this day. Exiles from this civil war migrated to a
large island in the south, and the roots of what was to become the
Island Kingdom of Kiron were formed by the House of Garwen. By the
end of the second millennium, the Four Kingdoms were formed.
Owing to their origins, the Kingdoms were ever at war or strained
relations with one another, save Lisorian, who maintained a bit of
neutrality, though always aware of the threat from Hubran in the
west.
The Hubrian Range, however, has always provided more than a sufficient
deterrent to those wishing to invade Lisorian from the east; the wild
lands that lay between western Lisorian and Lorgaard have simply never
been quelled.
In the latter part of the Second Millennium, the Tyresian Empire,
at the time called Vomica Noire, grew in strength and began to expand
its arms both east and west. An Emperor by the name of Tyrus seized
power and began building his empire through shrewd and some say arcane
means. On his deathbed, he vowed to reappear a millennium hence and
seize power of the Known World. The empire built on that promise, and
harried S'ilaran for centuries, pushing in, then being repelled, and
so on. Finally, less than a century ago, it all came to a head.
In the year 2A2882, a man claiming to be Tyrus seized power in
Vomica Noire, renaming his land Tyresias, and claiming all lands
within his Empire. The Four Kingdoms, embroiled in their own
disputes, signed a truce to deal with the threat once and for all.
Within days, the leaders of those lands were all slain by assassins.
Young Victor of the Kironian House of Garwen, a direct descendent of
the founder of the Island Kingdom, took control and enforced the
treaty. Soon after, the Kironian Navy sailed for the east, and
turned the tide of the war. The Tyresians, who had invaded almost as
far as the River Ophis, were repelled, and within a few years, the
Tyresian Empire lay in ruins.
This is where we stood until recently. Order returned to the Four
Kingdoms, and the House of Garwen regained power in Kiron. Less than
a decade ago, however, the Tyresian Empire, thought to be far too weak
to consider imperialism, began another march into S'ilaran. Today,
the Kingdom that was S'ilaran is totally occupied by the Empire, and
the Empire now makes its effort to push into Hubran.
The brave Hubrans boast the finest warriors in the Kingdoms, but
soon, the Empire will simply be far too much. The Hubrans have
withstood two great pushes to cross the river, but their state is
weakening, and the Empire is relentless.
On our own shores, the Pretender King has been put down by the
valiant forces of the Loyalists, and the Rightful Heir has been
returned to the throne. There is celebration across the island this
day, but that celebration may be short-lived. Civil war, if it can
ever be called that, has weakened this land to the point of not being
able to defend itself should the Empire continue its conquest into
Hubran. Even internally the land may suffer now that many good, young
and strong men have died in battle, leaving many a widow and untended
field.
THE MANNISH RACES
There are three distinct races of man that populate Continent
Therduin, divided roughly along east/west lines. These include the
Lors in the west, the Therduin of the Four Kingdoms, and the Noirians
of the east.
The Lors are the descendants of barbarian raiders from the far
northwest shores of the continent in ages long past. They tend toward
fair hair, heavier structure and great height. As one migrates
further south in Lorish lands, the hair and complexion of the folk
becomes a bit darker, but rarely will one find a black-haired Lor.
The Therduin come from the original strain of Mankind as one of
the Lesser Races. These people owe their heritage to the primitives
than wandered these lands in the time of the Creator Races themselves,
and as thusly as widely diverse as the day is long. Free
interbreeding with the other Mannish races has led to broad spectrum
of body shapes and sizes, hair colors and skin tones.
The Noirians as a race as olive-skinned and dark-haired, more
hirsute than the other Mannish races, but not so much as Dwarvenkind.
They tend to be thinner as a race than the others, but this is not to
say that a Noir could never be of great stature. Little is known
about from where their ancestors come, and there are as many theories
on this as there are "experts" on the topic.
THE AMANNISH (DEMI-HUMAN) RACES
There are three major Amannish races, commonly referred to as
demi-humans. These include the enigmatic Elvesti, the pragmatic
Dwarves, and the problematic Ugoth.
The Elvesti lay claim to being the oldest of all the races. Their
progenitors, known to scholars as The Eldritch, were one of the
Creator Races. They are prolific in their environs, but have no real
desire to expand beyond those.
Elvesti appear as shorter, slighter humans, of fair complexion and
hair. Average height for an Elf is about 5'5", but rarely does one
exceed 5'10". Females are not much smaller than males, and more
similar in appearance to their males than any other of the Races.
Even Elvesti of extreme strength are not burly the way Humans would
be. It is relatively easy for an Elvesti to pass for the opposite
gender among those that know few of their kind. Their hair runs from
pale blond to bright copper, with many shades of the forest in
between. Eyes are generally blue or green, but metallic purplish and
red colors are not uncommon.
The language of the Elven-folk has been learned by many other
races, but none can speak it in the beautifully flowing tones as the
People themselves. It is said to be one of the most beautiful things
in all the world. It is also not shared very often with outsiders.
Elvesti will not carry on a secret conversation in their native tongue
in front of others simply for convenience. It must certainly be a
matter of great importance. To do otherwise is considered boorish at
best, something that only a Human would be capable of.
The natural capabilities of Elvesti are far above the other
races.
They are smarter and longer-lived. Their attention spans, however,
are short, and their perspective on matters others consider important
is radically different. When you have two thousand years with which
to play, a few weeks of poetry and song is insignificant. Other races
consider Elves frivolous. This is not necessarily true. When they
decide that a matter is worth their attention (be it a war or a flagon
of mead), they pursue it fervently.
Elvesti have a great distaste for killing, but are very interested
in swordplay and archery. They consider both great art forms, not to
be corrupted by use for excessive violence. They understand the need
for hunting, but are very protective of any forest environment and
it's denizens. They have a great appreciation for things in the wild,
but are very aware of the inherent dangers found in nature.
Dwarves are tough, resilient people given to hard work and war,
descendents from the Creator Race known as the Drangor. They live
mostly in or near underground mines and tunnels, spending much of
their time under the earth. All their arts and work are tied to earth
and rock.
Dwarves average about 4'7" in height and weigh 150 or more pounds,
but it is not uncommon for a Dwarf to reach 200 pounds. Rarely does a
Dwarf exceed 5' in height. Their skin tends to be rather pale due to
the time they spend out of the sun. They are a hirsute people, and
beards especially have great significance in Dwarven life. "Go get
shaved" is a popular Dwarven insult.
There is a common misconception that Dwarves hate Elves. While
the two races are at opposite ends of the spectrum philosophically,
there has never been a Dwarf/Elvesti war. In fact, the two Peoples
have often come together during troubled times to face a common
threat. Dwarves do have a distaste for Elven lifestyle. While Elves,
as mentioned above, think nothing of frolicking and making merriment
for days or weeks on end, Dwarves would never consider such nonsense.
Time is better served doing or making. The time an Elvesti would
spend playing, a Dwarf would happily spend digging through strata
after strata of rock in search of gems, or making a carving from a
huge piece of stone. Dwarven outlook on life is serious, and their
every activity reflects this.
Dwarvenfolk also tend to be more social than other races. They
identify greatly with family units and bloodlines. A Dwarf will take
great pride in being descended from another Dwarf of renown. Dwarves
use family names when identifying themselves with phrases such as
"Thangor, son of Groznich", or "Thangor of the Bloodrock Clan", or if
a ancestor was particularly noted, "Thangor, blood of Throin
Oakenshield". Though very familiar within their own clans, Dwarves
are extremely wary of outsiders, and will not identify their clan name
to strangers. The simple greeting "Thangor, of the Dwarves" suffices
in most situations, although the unspoken implication is "and you're
not important enough to know more."
There are rumored to be twelve great clans of Dwarves. Each clan
is separate from the others and has it's own personality. Each clan
has it's own craft in which it specializes. There are also said to be
several Lost Clans.
The bane of the Dwarven race is their reproductivity. Only four
in ten Dwarven females is fertile enough to reproduce. The only thing
that has kept the race from becoming extinct is their relatively long
(300-500 year) life-spans. There is much effort among Dwarven
communities to find a cure for this infertility, but as of yet nothing
has surfaced. The language spoken by the Dwarves is a rough, guttural
tongue, quite an opposition to the lilting, melodic tongue of the
Elvesti.
By Mannish standards, the Ugoth are the most vile of the Races.
Physically they reflect the standards of their very warlike society.
They are big and brutish, more than head and shoulders taller than the
average Man, thickly muscled, with skin that tends toward yellowish-
green. Facially they tend to be hairless, much in contrast to the
rest of their bodies; their features tend to be rather flat, gaining
them the epithet "pig-faces" amongst Men.
There are several subspecies of Ugoth throughout the Kingdoms,
some far larger than normal, and smaller ones, called Squats that have
the cunning and guile that their larger brethren lack. The different
strains of Ugoth have many different names.
Constantly at war with something, Ugoth have a tribal society,
each tribe being led by the strongest warrior, male or female (though
the latter is exceedingly rare). This position of leadership is
tenuous as best; a moment of weakness can lead to a new chief. They
are warriors without compare when guided by competent leadership, but
their own stubbornness and low intellect has kept them a minor, but
irritating, force in the overall scheme of things in the Kingdoms.
RELIGION
A great part of the conflict in the Kingdoms is still the struggle
between the "Old Gods" and the "One God". The recent war, as you
remember, was mostly divided along these lines. The Old Gods have
been worshiped by most peoples of the Kingdoms for ages; the One God
is less than a thousand years in the memories of Men.
Pantheism
The Pantheist view lends itself to the belief that all facets of
life are intertwined. The various deities have lain out guidelines
for mortals to though the motivation for those guidelines escapes Men.
Common folk routinely entreat, thank and curse the various
deities throughout the normal course of their lives. They see their
lives as controlled by the whim of these entities, and do what they
can to curry their favor. This comes in the form of both organized
and individual worship.
On the organized side, Priesthoods form hierarchal structure
through which this worship is done. Priests of a particular deity
have had training in the practices of the veneration of that deity.
They know the ritual and history of their specialty. They are
normally well-respected members of their community, and are looked to
for leadership and guidance. Regardless of the deity of the
Priesthood, Priests are afforded the respect accorded to Freemen, and
those in the upper ranks of the hierarchy are treated as lesser
nobles.
Recognized Priesthoods
Though all recognize the existence of the entire Pantheon,
Priesthoods are normally restricted to the worshipers of those deities
commonly considered "good" by Mankind. While no one questions the
influence of Eregul, god of Death and the Dead, no "good" person would
consider worshiping him. The structure of all Priesthoods vary from
sect to sect. There have been known to be cults dedicated to the gods
of evil, but these are few and far between, at least on the surface.
MONOTHEISM
The Monotheists are no more or less devout in the worship of their
god than the Pantheists, but as a community are far more fanatical.
The worship of a single, omnipotent being has existed for centuries,
but this particular faith springs from the efforts of a single Man
named Iescu.
It is said that he came from a little fishing village in the
mountains separating Lisorian and Hubran. It is said that his mother
was a maiden and his father was the One God himself. Little else is
said of his childhood.
It was his mission to bring together all men in worship of the One
God, to complete Man's understanding of his relationship with the One
God and how to properly worship Him. He is said to have performed
great miracles, such as feeding 4000 people with seven fishes and a
loaf of bread; healing the sick and infirm; even raising the dead. He
made most of his impact here on the Island Kingdom. The roots of the
faith and the Kingdom itself come from roughly the same time period,
so it is easy to understand how and why this is the primary religion
on the Island.
The Pontiff is the leader of the church as a whole. The previous
one, who was loyal to Rathsmore, died under unusual circumstances
early this year; the Council of Arch-Prelates selected another (with
some assistance from His Majesty). The Council consists of 15
members, one each Baronial Arch-Prelate, and the Arch-Prelates of
Mele'Kiron and Phila'Kiron.
SOCIETY
ROYALTY
This station is reserved for the family of the King.
Historically, the descendants of the family of Garwen have ruled the
Island Kingdom. King Drew, and his father Victor before him are from
this royal line. Should Drew sire a son, he, too will rule Kiron.
The remainder of the family is accorded the station Royalty, though
there are precious few of them left. Drew's elder sister Alicia is
married to the Crown Prince of Lorgaard, and his other sisters have
been married off to nobles in other lands.
NOBILITY
Even though there is a Royal Bloodline, appointment to many posts
are given by merit. Titles are normally maintained by birthright,
though the King has the option of appointing or removing an entire
noble's family from that status and granting it to another, should he
so choose. Drew has gone a long way to redefine the nobility of
Kiron. Many who were loyal to the Pretender King have been removed,
some by force, and new Baronial lines have been redrawn in the
Kingdom. The families of Dukes and Barons comprise this class.
LESSER NOBILITY
This class is comprised of both petty landed Lords and those that
have been appointed to Lordship by virtue of their deeds. An example
of those appointed to Lordship are the two Lord High Protectors,
Mystra the Chaotic and Kel'wyn Weavemaster, who (along with other
companions, now deceased) were instrumental in the Liberation of
Phila'Kiron in the early stages of the Civil War.
Other post-holders that fall into this class (unless they fall
into a higher class already) are the various officials that see to the
running of the Kingdom and Duchies. This includes Castellans,
Overseers, Marshals, Religious Leaders, and the Knights of the Order
of the Crown.
FREEMEN
With the rise of the great cities of Mele'Kiron and Phila'Kiron,
the middle class of Freemen is expanding at unprecedented rates.
These are primarily merchants, artists, and those that have earned
their freedom by deed.
The allegiance of a Freeman to the Crown is different from the
Commoner.
They are expected to obey the laws of the local Lord, and support him
in times of need. Unlike the serf, however, they need no permission
from the Lord to come and go; likewise, they do not enjoy many of the
same protections and services that the Commoner does.
COMMONERS
The Commoner still comprises the majority of Kironian society.
These are the peasant farmers and soldiers that serve the Lords of the
Kingdom. In turn for his allegiance to the local Lord, the Commoner
receives protection and assistance from that Lord, who in turn, owes
allegiance to the next, higher Lord. The local Lord is responsible
for the Commoner, ensuring that he is outfitted well enough to ply his
trade (usually on the Lord's land), or, in the case of the soldier,
fed and housed as well. The Commoner (sometimes called Serf) forms
the basis of the whole feudal society. Some say it is no more than a
different kind of slavery.
In the eyes of the Theotian church, lower-ranking religious
persons are considered Commoners, under the jurisdiction of their
Lord, which would be the leadership of the church. The Crown tends to
stay out of these matters, as it does with much concerning Theotianism
(at least until recently).
SOCIETY AND ATTITUDES IN OTHER LANDS
Other lands certainly have their own societies and cultures. All
being far larger than the Island Kingdom, they have their various
layers of subcultures and countercultures as well, but we will stick
to the primary cultural thread of each land. What you discover deep
within each land is up to you.
HUBRAN
Officially called the State of Hubran, this Kingdom is by far the
most rigid of all. It is structured much the same as a great army;
war and puissance at arms are of high value here. The capital,
Trevor, has very rigid laws concerning who can and cannot carry
weapons within the limits of the city. When traveling there, expect
to encounter a coldness toward all types of non-Hubrans, especially
those who follow those rather esoteric professions such as the
Priesthood. Sorcery is strictly forbidden, and any official may make
immediate capital judgement on someone accused of it. If you a Weaver
of even modest skill, be very wary in Hubran.
Currently the Hubrans are involved in defending themselves from
the Tyresian Empire; this effort is draining their resources to
critical levels.
LISORIAN
A peaceful and gentle land and people. The Lisorians have never
known invasion from outside forces, and their attitudes show it. They
have a fierce independence of spirit, but are rather warm to outsiders
when their independence is not encroached upon. I would encourage
travelers to Lisorian to visit the Free City of Gramarye, a most
splendid place, especially to those interested in collections of
culture and knowledge. It must be experienced to be understood. The
Academy, the greatest institution of higher learning ever known, is
crowning jewel of this fine city.
Lisorian has become a haven for many refugees and those that would
otherwise be political prisoners. Given that there is much
undeveloped land within the borders of the Kingdom, there is plenty of
space and suitable resources to support the plethora of folk crossing
into the Sage Kingdom daily. Some scholars believe that this is good
for the Kingdom, and the positive repercussions of new blood will be
felt for generations to come. Due to its geographical separation,
Lisorian has been least affected by the current conflicts.
S'ILARAN
Technically, S'ilaran no longer exists, having been absorbed by
the Tyresian Empire, but I will make a few notes on the people there.
Silaranites are hale and hearty folk, truly dedicated to the lands
that they farm and cultivate. There is an earnestness to these folk
that seems lost in the great cities of other lands. Many in S'ilaran
believe that the land will falter under Tyresian rule, and have
dedicated themselves to the preservation of the land itself,
regardless of who rules.
TYRESIAS
I honestly know little of Tyresian society, but I do know this:
they are marvelously efficient at all they undertake. Their war
machine has effortlessly swept across nearly a thousand miles of land
and brought it under their yoke. Their leader, the Emperor Alokkair,
I believe, is said to be a shrewd, cunning and cold man of
indeterminate age and unsurpassed intellect. It is whispered that
many Tyresians truck with Dark Forces, and it is certain that there
are Weavers among them.
LORGAARD
An ally to Kiron for many centuries, this great Kingdom runs more
than a thousand miles north and south on the western coast of
Therduin. It has stood since the early years of the Second Age, and
the people are proud of their heritage and traditions. They have the
reputation for being a bit stuffy, but are indeed people of honor and
dignity. They also produce the finest Mannish wines I have ever
tasted.
As noted, heritage and tradition play a great part in their
society. Instead of building new things, the Lors are fond of
refurbishing old things. The great keep Vatis Sacer has recently
undergone its 32nd major renovation.
The society is patriarchal to the extreme; a son proudly bears the
name of his father (ie-Pierre, son of Jean-Paul) for his entire life,
unless his father has met with some loss of honor or other deleterious
circumstance. Women are both placed on a pedestal and relegated to
second citizen status, all in the name of tradition.
TEVER SYPERE
A small, very independent land north of Lisorian, Tever Sypere has
been able to maintain its neutrality due to the fact that it is
totally surrounded by a ring of mountains, with few passable places,
normally with names like Troll Pass and Dead Man's Gorge. Very little
is known of the Syperians. The only person I know from Tever Sypere
is Lord High Protector Mystra the Chaotic, a volatile and
unpredictable Wizard (never call her a sorceress, please) that has
done many great deeds in service of the Island Kingdom, and one I
number as friend.
ORGANIZATIONS
There are several organizations or 'secret societies' at work in
the Kingdoms. These range from the benign to the malevolent, but one
thing is sure. There's got to be a reason they're secret. Here's a
thumbnail sketch:
1. The Keepers, a society dedicated to the preservation of all
knowledge arcane. They have become paranoid and dangerous. Avoid
them, especially if you are graced with the Gift.
2. The Order of Order, a renegade faction of the Theotian Church.
Unlike the Keepers, they seek to destroy all things arcane, including
sorcerers, whom they see as pawns of Dark Forces.
3. The Order of the Crown, the premier association of Knighthood
known to all the Mannish races. The Order is dedicated to goodness,
justice and chivalry, paying strict adherence to the Code of Atturh.
4. The Web. Spinning their treacheries across the Four Kingdoms and
beyond, the Web works toward unknown nefarious ends, linking together
similar organizations in all the lands. Their prime foci are feeding
the Tyresian slave market and influencing trade (to their own
advantage) across Therduin.
5. The Brotherhood of Pathfinders has dedicated itself to assisting
the traveler through the wild and wooded lands of the Kingdoms.
Little is known of their origins or long-term goals; suffice it to say
that they are a welcome site to the lost traveler.
CITIES
Owing to the feudality that still exists in much of the world,
there are but a few great cities of the land. Let me touch on the
most important.
Mele'Kiron
Said to be the apex of civilization, this, the capital city of the
Island Kingdom is a vast and sprawling metropolis that houses more
than 100,000 people. The Theotian Church holds much sway here; the
great spires of the First Church dominate the cityscape. The King's
own castle stands north of the city, less than five miles away. There
is much of this port city given over to art, theatre and high society
(such that it is). There is even an inn that boasts running water!
Phila'Kiron
Across the island from Mele'Kiron, more than 200 miles by the
King's roads, Phila'Kiron has established itself as the "second
capital" of the Island Kingdom. It is from here that good King Drew
held his power base while the Pretender sat on the throne, and it is
from here that many great works were begun, to include the Street of
the Gods, a broad avenue with temples dedicated to both Theos and the
Pantheist deities. This tremendous undertaking is still under way.
Trevor
A great city in the land of Hubran, Trevor has stood almost 2500
years. The city itself is divided into three distinct sections, the
Upper, Middle and Lower Cities, mirroring the social station of the
three. The Upper City is from where the nobles of the the Ten
Families overlook the rest of their hold; the Middle City is dominated
by the ever-growing middle class merchant and his business; the Lower
is filled with the peasantry of the city--the common laborer and his
ilk.
The city is bustling and alive with intrigue. Each of the Ten
Families attempts to exert its influence over the others and the
Overlord himself as well as corrupting trade and warfare to their own
advantage.
The officials of the city itself are rathy wary of adventurers and
mercenaries, labelling them nothing more than troublemakers. Passage
out of the Lower City into the others is next to impossible for such
folk (without judicious application of grease to palms, so to speak).
Thanator
The capital of the great Tyresian Empire, I have not personally
visited it, but I have heard reports from a reliable source. It is at
once a beautiful and fearsome place, great artistic buildings
spiralling into the sky, hiding dark places of untold evil in their
shadow. It is a place I would at least once like to visit.
Gramarye
Weather for the Scarlet Forest
Day One: Warm, Partly Cloudy, No Winds
Well, this isn't much but it is the predominant weather for the
Scarlet Forest this week. Next time I'll explain the general
parameters and perhaps my calendar system, rather than saying
"day one", etc. But in any case I'll do it in seven day blocks,
more if needed since it is pretty easy to generate, though not
very scientifically accurate since I know next to nothing about
meteorology.
The greatest city ever, simply put, this free city-state in
Lisorian has stood since the early days of the Second Age. It is here
that stands the Academy of Gramarye, the greatest institution of
higher learning in all the Kingdoms. It is indeed a place for all to
see.
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Weather Column
WEATHER COLUMN
BY: SEM
Day Two: Warm, Partly Cloudy, Light Winds (West)
Day Three: Hot, Clear, Light Winds (North) (Morning Fog)
Day Four: Hot, Clear, Light Winds (West)
Day Five: Hot, Clear, Light Winds (West) (Morning showers)
Day Six: Warm, Partly Cloudy, Light Winds (West) (Overcast towards evening with scattered showers)
Day Seven: Cool, Overcast, Rain (heavy at times)
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