Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
Introduction
This regions is inspired by two different D20 campaign settings. The most obvious campaign is Freeport from Green Ronin Publishing. The less obvious campaign is from a now defunct D20 publisher known as Dark Portal Games. The campaign is called Arekoz and the main book is the adventure White Robes, Black Hearts: Enigma of the Arcanexus.
I helped write the book and did some of the cartography. It's too bad the company has disappeared, as most of those who have read it, seemed to like it. I've decided that I don't feel right letting my work simply disappear into the breeze so I've created the Isles of Valossa to take advanatage of Enigma of the Arcanexus, in conjunction with the Freeport sourcebooks and my own imagination.
The Islands
The Island of Arek
Ashen
The City of Ashen is one of the few free cities on the Island of Arek. It is not as big as Gateway, but it is an important port city in the north for those that prefer not to deal with the vile citizens of Agul. Ashen can be a wild place at night, however, so it is important to tread carefully, especially near the docks.
Gateway
Gateway is the location for most of Enigma of the Arcanexus. The City of Gateway is one of the key cities on the Island of Arek and is a metropolis. Dark Portal Games posted a free PDF file detailing Gateway, which I still have. However, since my version of Gateway is very close to the equator, a lot of how the land is portrayed will be different. No knights in heavy platemail here.
Hiulre
Work in Progress
Ivory Ports
The Ivory Ports are a loose alliance of city-states on the southeast coast of Arek. These city-states are named Blackburn, Grenato, Pikebridge, Silverus, and Thalburg. The Ivory Ports are detailed in The Pirate's Guide to Freeport, a new sourcebook detailing Freeport. The Ivory Ports have been placed where I originally had Calrendia, a kingdom from Enigma of the Arcanexus adventure. Calrendria no long exists on World of Kulan. There just isn't enough information about that kingdom in Enigma of the Arcanexus.
Mhul
Another region from the Arekoz campaign setting, this one is vitally important for Enigma of the Arcanexus. Not that I mind, the Empire of Mhul, as it's called in the book, is a great land of bad guys for the heroes to face. I've even thought of a way to tie Enigma of the Arcanexus to Freeport and the idea of the lost Empire of the Serpents. As with Gateway, the land lies in a warm tropical part of the world and will have to be modifed somewhat. All the better to make Mhul more to my liking.
Saul
Work in Progress
Tarrend
Tarrend is both the name of this mountain kingdom and its capital. Tarrend is dominated by dwarves and elves but all the demihuman races are found in this land. Tarrend is often an ally of Gateway but this alliance is not formalized. In truth, Tarrend would like to annex Gateway in order to gain a measure of strength over Mhul.
Vehrmon
Vehrmon is another land from the Enigma of the Arcanexus adventure. Very little is detailed about this kingdom in that adventure; however, until I come up with something to replace it the kingdom will remain a part of the Island of Arek.
Aste, Athe, and Nuvro
I decided to name each island on the map but I'm not going to write anything into stone for these islands. It's always nice to leave gaps for new ideas. (Two fo the names came from my old hand-drawn Triadora map.)
Darkfire Island
The name for this island realm is a turn of word from the name of a mountain range from the Arekoz campaign map — Blackflame Peaks. I'm thinking Darkfire Island will be a mountainous island with warring orcs and dwarves.
Hurmfarlu Island
A group of Horn Minotaurs, that have broken away from the Empire of the Horned God, live on this island. Sardian Minotaurs here are larger and more bestial than their normal kin. Basically, they will be modified with the Gigantic Template from Book of Templates: Deluxe Edition.
Keoi Isle
Keoi Isle is the home of a kingdom of wizards, known as Abjura, with a taste for abjuration magic. On my world, this is where abjuration magic first originated. The god known as The Abjurer, or Abjios in the language of the Rachites (see below), is the island's patron god.
Merok Isles
This small group of islands, just north of Arek, is home to a culture similar to that of Mhul, a land that come from Enigma of the Arcanexus. However, while Mhul is a dark and evil land, the Lands of Agul are more so. The islands have major undead problems, including unsafe passages into the Underearth.
I'm a big fan of what Piratecat has done with the DUNGEON Adventure about the White Kingdom. (I think I have that issue.) Perhaps there will be a connection between the White Kingdom and the Lands of Agul.
The Rachis Isles
The communities of this group of islands is know for their devotion to the god known as Helios, The Sun Lord. The Rachites are a society of warriors, minstrels, sailors, and intellectuals; they call their land Rachen. The theme here is Greek but none of the more "well known" Olympian Gods are worshipped here.
The Serpent's Teeth
The Serpents Teeth — the islands known as Leeward, T'wik, Windward, and the large central island of A'Val. These are the islands of Freeport. If you don't know what Freeport is then where in the world have you been? Several of the islands that appear of the Arekoz map have been integrated into the Serpent's Teeth — Gelem and Gulmagesh. However, those islands are controlled by Mhul.
This regions is inspired by two different D20 campaign settings. The most obvious campaign is Freeport from Green Ronin Publishing. The less obvious campaign is from a now defunct D20 publisher known as Dark Portal Games. The campaign is called Arekoz and the main book is the adventure White Robes, Black Hearts: Enigma of the Arcanexus.
I helped write the book and did some of the cartography. It's too bad the company has disappeared, as most of those who have read it, seemed to like it. I've decided that I don't feel right letting my work simply disappear into the breeze so I've created the Isles of Valossa to take advanatage of Enigma of the Arcanexus, in conjunction with the Freeport sourcebooks and my own imagination.
The Islands
The Island of Arek
Ashen
The City of Ashen is one of the few free cities on the Island of Arek. It is not as big as Gateway, but it is an important port city in the north for those that prefer not to deal with the vile citizens of Agul. Ashen can be a wild place at night, however, so it is important to tread carefully, especially near the docks.
Gateway
Gateway is the location for most of Enigma of the Arcanexus. The City of Gateway is one of the key cities on the Island of Arek and is a metropolis. Dark Portal Games posted a free PDF file detailing Gateway, which I still have. However, since my version of Gateway is very close to the equator, a lot of how the land is portrayed will be different. No knights in heavy platemail here.
Hiulre
Work in Progress
Ivory Ports
The Ivory Ports are a loose alliance of city-states on the southeast coast of Arek. These city-states are named Blackburn, Grenato, Pikebridge, Silverus, and Thalburg. The Ivory Ports are detailed in The Pirate's Guide to Freeport, a new sourcebook detailing Freeport. The Ivory Ports have been placed where I originally had Calrendia, a kingdom from Enigma of the Arcanexus adventure. Calrendria no long exists on World of Kulan. There just isn't enough information about that kingdom in Enigma of the Arcanexus.
Mhul
Another region from the Arekoz campaign setting, this one is vitally important for Enigma of the Arcanexus. Not that I mind, the Empire of Mhul, as it's called in the book, is a great land of bad guys for the heroes to face. I've even thought of a way to tie Enigma of the Arcanexus to Freeport and the idea of the lost Empire of the Serpents. As with Gateway, the land lies in a warm tropical part of the world and will have to be modifed somewhat. All the better to make Mhul more to my liking.
Saul
Work in Progress
Tarrend
Tarrend is both the name of this mountain kingdom and its capital. Tarrend is dominated by dwarves and elves but all the demihuman races are found in this land. Tarrend is often an ally of Gateway but this alliance is not formalized. In truth, Tarrend would like to annex Gateway in order to gain a measure of strength over Mhul.
Vehrmon
Vehrmon is another land from the Enigma of the Arcanexus adventure. Very little is detailed about this kingdom in that adventure; however, until I come up with something to replace it the kingdom will remain a part of the Island of Arek.
Aste, Athe, and Nuvro
I decided to name each island on the map but I'm not going to write anything into stone for these islands. It's always nice to leave gaps for new ideas. (Two fo the names came from my old hand-drawn Triadora map.)
Darkfire Island
The name for this island realm is a turn of word from the name of a mountain range from the Arekoz campaign map — Blackflame Peaks. I'm thinking Darkfire Island will be a mountainous island with warring orcs and dwarves.
Hurmfarlu Island
A group of Horn Minotaurs, that have broken away from the Empire of the Horned God, live on this island. Sardian Minotaurs here are larger and more bestial than their normal kin. Basically, they will be modified with the Gigantic Template from Book of Templates: Deluxe Edition.
Keoi Isle
Keoi Isle is the home of a kingdom of wizards, known as Abjura, with a taste for abjuration magic. On my world, this is where abjuration magic first originated. The god known as The Abjurer, or Abjios in the language of the Rachites (see below), is the island's patron god.
Merok Isles
This small group of islands, just north of Arek, is home to a culture similar to that of Mhul, a land that come from Enigma of the Arcanexus. However, while Mhul is a dark and evil land, the Lands of Agul are more so. The islands have major undead problems, including unsafe passages into the Underearth.
I'm a big fan of what Piratecat has done with the DUNGEON Adventure about the White Kingdom. (I think I have that issue.) Perhaps there will be a connection between the White Kingdom and the Lands of Agul.
The Rachis Isles
The communities of this group of islands is know for their devotion to the god known as Helios, The Sun Lord. The Rachites are a society of warriors, minstrels, sailors, and intellectuals; they call their land Rachen. The theme here is Greek but none of the more "well known" Olympian Gods are worshipped here.
The Serpent's Teeth
The Serpents Teeth — the islands known as Leeward, T'wik, Windward, and the large central island of A'Val. These are the islands of Freeport. If you don't know what Freeport is then where in the world have you been? Several of the islands that appear of the Arekoz map have been integrated into the Serpent's Teeth — Gelem and Gulmagesh. However, those islands are controlled by Mhul.
