Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
- Planet Type: Fantastical (Earth Body)
- Size: Small
- Gravity: Standard
- Atmospheric Density: Dense
- Atmospheric Composition: Stale (some foul areas)
- Geology: Rugged
- Hydrosphere: Dry
- Biosphere: Scarce
- Population: Low
- Technology: Early Middle Ages
- Spelljamming Technology Knowledge: High
- Magic: Moderate
- Psionics: Low
Climate and Terrain
Halne is a world of extremes. Its landforms are varied and its weather patterns are violent. The world is covered by dozens of active volcanoes and suffers constant earthquakes. Its skies are hazy and the color of burnt sienna. Halne's mountain ranges rise to unfathomable heights and its deep valley are often filled with steaming mud pits. Water, in its liquid form, is scarce on this world. The world's poles are covered by two shallow seas that range from warm to boiling hot depending on the season. At the equator, Halne is a wasteland of blowing sand that can flail the skin off the living.
Halne's atmosphere makes long-term survival on the planet's surface difficult. Its air is considered stale as per the rules given on p. 33 of the Spelljammer mini-game Shadow of the Spider Moon. And there are many areas that are considered fouled. The air is also dense, which makes unaided survival next to impossible. The intelligent races of Halne survive the harshness of the world by building survival domes and wearing specialized airsuits.
Denizens
Halne was a world without any intelligent races, originally. Fire elementals were the closest thing to a dominant species before azers and salamanders settled the world. These two outsider races are the primary inhabitants of Halne, and they are constantly at war with each other. They use fire giants as their soldiers and fire gnomes as their assassins against each other. The giants and gnomes are ritually tattooed at birth with the symbolic markings of either the azers or the salamanders. Interactions with the enemy (including breeding) is strictly prohibited. The society of the azers is highly ordered and overly regulated. The society of the salamanders is tyrannical and less ordered.
Halne is also home to solar-based creatures [Complete Book of Denizens (p. 175)] that serve no one and live wild on Halne's surface. The skin of a solar creature glows with a soft orange radiance, and their eyes are filled with flickering flames. Most of these creatures are high order elemental beasts but it is rumored that a tribe of solar giants lives somewhere on the planet. Note: Solar creatures are native outsiders; however, the solar creatures of Halne can breathe its stale air normally. They suffer the full effects of Halne's fouled zones, however.
The race known as the khaasta live on Halne in great numbers as well. However, they are not considered a "native" race by the azers or salamanders. Khaastas work as mercenaries on Halne; they are charged with protecting the domes of the world from the conflicts of its two primary races. It was agreed that a neutral third-party was required to make sure that the wars didn't destroy Halne's livable habitats. Therefore, the khaasta are paid by both sides, but they usually do not fight for one side or the other. Instead, they remind the azers and the salamanders of the Dome Protection Agreement signed by both races and their reminders have been known to be enforced with sword-point. The strongest amongst their kind often work as elite guards for the rulers of the azer. The khaasta are a segregated people on Halne. They have their own domes but must follow the laws of the azers or the salamanders depending on where on the planet they live. They do have their own set of laws, however, which all khaasta must follow.
Other common races of Kulanspace that can be encountered on Halne include dragonborn, fire genasi, and kobolds. Races, such as hadozees, orcs, and ogres, are represented on Halne by individuals rather than by families, clans, or tribes. The mercane do have trading conclaves on Halne, but they do not settle on the planet. Eldritch giants are very rare on this inner world and the neogi are not welcome on Halne. However, there have been rumors of neogi assassins working for the salamander lords.
There are roughly one billion civilized souls on Halne although those numbers are considered inaccurate by off-worlders. It is believed that the leaders of the azer and the salamanders inflate their numbers to deceive the other side.
Resources
Halne has two major resources — Spelljamming technology and mineral deposits. The denizens of Halne have modified how Spelljamming helms work to create what they call Spelljamming kilns. These kilns use the power of elemental fire to create breathable atmospheres within the glassteel domes of the world. There are also lifestealing kilns that work based on the concept of Lifejammers but only the most depraved salamander lords use such technology.
The azers and salamanders originally came to Halne to mine its rich mineral deposits. The wars that are fought on Halne are for control of these deposits. Metals such as gold, silver, iron, copper, and tin are common. Gemstones are rarer but they are often of the finest quality available anywhere in Kulanspace. Diamonds found on Halne are intensely beautiful and just one large stone would be considered a king's ransom on Kulan. (Imagine cut stones the size of your fist and you will be able to imagine how big Halne diamonds can be.)
