Ok guys, here's the OOC thread for the game. To recap:
Our Heroes
Tailspinner - Gaoi Gustwig, male air genasi Wizard 3
Argent Silvermage - Elexia, female elf Cleric 4 of Alnaria
Graywolf-ELM - Draxiksus, male lizardfolk racial ECL 2/Ranger 2
Dark Nemesis, Brigitte Firestarre - Female Magma Genasi Fighter 3
Ferrix, Virgil Sorrengate Winsyth III - Male Human Bard 4
Ashy, Pottofer Placidpool - Male Water Genasi Cleric 3 of Eldath
Alternates
Thels
IcyCool
Inactive Players and Characters
outlands - Noddy Darkfox, male Halfling Rog3
Thels - Damien Tallstrider, male Human Clr3 of Pelor
Starman - Syrrian Starwine, male Elf Ftr1/Wiz2
Jemal - Rokelsh, male human Barbarian 1/Fighter 3
passengerpigeon - Gadjo, male human Bard 4
Rayex - Gryxas, male dwarven monk 4
Goddess FallenAngel, Shar Stormbreeze - Female Smoke Genasi rogue 4
In Character Thread
Rogue's Gallery Thread
Character creation is as follows: 3.0 rules. 32 point buy. Level 4. All races, classes, ect straight out of the PHB, with the following exceptions; genasi from the Forgotten Realms Campaign setting, Dragon #297, and the Roaming Genasi Tavern are allowed pending approval. 5,400gp to spend on any item from core books, FR books, splatbooks, and the Malhavoc Press Eldrictch and Hallowed Might books (though I reserve the right to veto). No more than half your gold on any one item. Knowledge (monsters) is a class skill for all adventuring classes.
Flavor text for the world is as follows:
The World of Low’verok
Capital – Andeluvay, in the northeast on the Tonver River.
It is governed by a single king, King Xargo, and there are 48 high noble lords (mostly humans, genasi, and half-elves, but there are two gnomes and three halflings amongst them), three dwarven noble lords (from Silver Citadel, Citadel Amber, and Firegold Citadel), two elven noble lords (from the Farlight and Black Pine forests, respectively), and the current Council Speaker from the Sea of Song that govern their various parts of the country.
Low’verok has very strong ties to the elemental, para-elemental, and quasi-elemental planes, and genasi of all types are common (though some more than others). Elemental and half-elemental creatures also are seen with relative frequency, and they are generally considered lucky.
Small gods are quite frequent, and many trees and pools of water embody the essence of the divine. Signs that indicate the presence of a god are taken very seriously (some even include favored sacrifices). Particularly for gods of ponds or springs, a small sacrifice of coin or food is required before taking water. There are even a few small gods of berry bushes or fruit or nut trees, so small prayers before taking the fruits of the land are a part of everyday life. Also, there are gods of the various animals and other creatures, so short prayers after taking the life of a creature for food or in self-protection are routine.
Because of the close ties to the land through the elemental planes and small gods and nature spirits, it is rare that settlements abuse the land. Logging, mining, hunting, trapping, etc. are usually done in a responsible manner (usually through treaties with local elven or gnome communities).
The gods of Low’verok (and their domains) are:
Alnaria – neutral good Protector of children, Goddess of Innocence, Unicorn Queen (Animal, Good, Luck, Protection)
Akadi – neutral goddess of air (Air, Illusion, Travel, Trickery)
Beshaba – chaotic evil goddess of bad luck (Chaos, Evil, Fate, Lucky, Trickery)
Boccob – neutral god of magic (Knowledge, Magic, Trickery)
Corellon Larethian – chaotic good god of music and the arts (protector of elves) (Chaos, Good, Protection, War)
Ehlonna – neutral good nature goddess (Animal, Good, Plant, Sun)
Erythnul – chaotic evil god of slaughter (Chaos Evil, Trickery, War)
Fharlanghn – true neutral god of travel (Luck, Protection, Travel)
Garl Glittergold – neutral good god of jokes and humor (protector of gnomes) (Good, Protection, Trickery)
Ghaunadaur – chaotic evil god of slimes, oozes, and aberrations (Cavern, Chaos, Evil, Hatred, Slime)
Grumbar – neutral god of earth (Cavern, Earth, Metal, Time)
Gruumsh – chaotic evil god of domination (protector of orcs) (Chaos, Evil Strength, War)
Heironeous – lawful good god of valor (Good, Law, and War)
Hextor – lawful evil god of tyranny (Destruction, Evil, Law, War)
Hoar – lawful neutral god of retribution (Fate, Law, Retribution, Travel)
Istishia – neutral god of water (Destruction, Ocean Storm, Travel, Water)
Kelemvor – lawful neutral god of death (Fate, Law, Protection, Repose, Travel)
Kord – chaotic good god of strength (Chaos, Good, Luck, Strength)
Kossuth – neutral god of fire (Destruction, Fire, Renewal, Suffering)
Lliira – chaotic good goddess of joy (Chaos, Charm, Family, Good, Travel)
Loviatar – lawful evil goddess of pain (Evil, Law, Retribution, Strength)
Moradin – lawful good god of the forge (protector of the dwarves) (Earth, Good, Law, Protection)
Nerull – neutral evil god of undead (Undeath, Death, Evil, Trickery)
Obad-Hai – neutral god of nature (Air, Animal, Earth Fire, Plant, Water)
Olidammara – chaotic neutral god of thieves and tricks (Chaos, Luck, Trickery)
Pelor – neutral good god of the sun (Good, Healing, Strength, Sun)
Siamorphe – lawful neutral goddess of nobles (Knowledge, Law, Nobility, Planning)
Sune – chaotic good goddess of beauty and love (Chaos, Charm, Good, Protection)
Talona – chaotic evil goddess of disease and poison (Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Suffering)
Talos – chaotic neutral god of storms (Chaos, Destruction, Fire, Storm)
Tymora – chaotic good goddess of good luck (Chaos, Good, Luck, Protection, Travel)
Valkur – chaotic good god of sailors (Air, Chaos, Good, Ocean, Protection)
Vecna – neutral evil god of secrets (Evil, Knowledge, Magic)
Wee Jas – lawful neutral goddess of death and magic (Death, Law, Magic)
Yondalla – lawful good goddess of the hearth and family (protector of halflings) (Good, Family, Law, Protection)
There are two important things that everyone in Low’verok knows. One is about the song pearls, and the other is about the Forbidden Lands.
Song pearls or glass pearls are worth, at the bare minimum, ten times platinum for a single one. The rare, translucent pearls have many powerful magical properties, from allowing one to understand magic, to healing, to making one stronger, or other equally wonderful things. Song pearl beds are rigorously guarded by aquatic elves and often raided by kelpies or other aquatic monsters that like shiny things. At least one open war was fought to control the song pearl trade (the Pearl War, which led to the creation of the current “free trade zone” around the Sea of Song). No noble may control the trade, and no merchant may bargain with more than two aquatic elf communities for their supply. As a matter of fact, there are no nobles controlling any community near the Sea of Song. The towns and cities in that region each send a representative to Albon (the largest city of the region), and a leader is elected to represent the interests of the Sea of Song in the noble’s council in Andeluvay. Song pearls are frequently bought by the king for use in the army, but there are also some markets for adventurers and very wealthy wizards or nobles.
The Forbidden Lands are in the far southwest of Low’verok. The coast around the peninsula is treacherous and rocky, and there is not a single good port around it, not that any sailor could be convinced to try. The land leading up to the Forbidden Lands is inhospitable desert, inhabited only by nomadic tribes. The edge of the Forbidden Lands is impossible to miss, as it is a shear cliff that drops straight down two hundred feet, as if the land had been cut by a knife. There’s a common expression that goes simply “Nothing good comes out of the Forbidden Lands.” And nothing ever has. The only things people have ever seen come out of the Forbidden Lands are strange and deadly monsters. The nomadic peoples of the Unwanted Desert (the border of the Forbidden Lands) have a strong warrior tradition and consider themselves the first line of defense against the horrors of the Forbidden Lands. So far, none who have gone into them have come back to tell tales of it. The phrase “I’ll send you to the Forbidden Lands” (or various permutations thereof) is uttered between deadly enemies or by assassins.
I'll try to give you a small mental picture of the world (as I have no digital map-making skills). Picture, if you will, a large oval country. There's a wide peninsula in the southwest. Where the peninsula meets the land, there is a 200 ft cliff. The entire peninsula is the Forbidden Lands. Bordering this is the Unwanted Desert. East of the desert is a mountain range known as the Dragonspine Mountains. The Firegold Citadel, one of the dwarfholds, is there. East of that is Skord's Swamp, a large marshy area that legend has it contains a black dragon. Much further east in the southeast portion of the country is the Black Pine forest. Running north to south in the eastern part of the country is the Tonver River, a major trade route. In the northeast, right on the Tonver, is Andeluvay, the capital.
There's a large lake to the west and slightly south called Greenfire Lake, so called because it glows with a green fire at night. No one knows why, but most sorcerers tend to come from those shores. Just south of Greenfire Lake is a large expanse of plains, in the center of which is the city of Willow Grove. The people of the plains are known for their talent for raising horses.
To the east and slightly north of Andeluvay is Ice Lake, thusly called because icebergs can be found in it all year round. South of Ice Lake is the Sea of Song. The area around the Sea is a free trade zone, so the trade capital of the country is in Albon, on the south shores of the Sea. Every single guild has their central Guild Hall here, rather than in the capital. Just west of the Sea of Song are the Firespine Mountains, home of the Silver Citadel and Citadel Amber dwarfholds. To the north is the Farlight Forest, home of the highest elven nobles. The Deepwater river runs from east to west, starting in the Firespine Mountains, running north of Skord's Swamp, and emptying into the Endless Sea just east of the Black Pine Forest. The Deepwater is swift, cold, and in a deep gorge for most of its length and is unsuitable for trade.
From the peninsula of the Forbidden Lands to the Black Pine Forest is the shore of the Endless Sea. The major ports are: Benshay, in the Unwanted Desert, specializing in goods from the desert nomads; Fort Merdin, just east of Benshay, a major naval outpost for the king; Port Jarlo, just east of Fort Merdin, specializing in exotic goods from the southern isles; Port Lyalee, between the Dragonspine Mountains and Skord's Swamp, run exclusively by halfing traders running to Albon; Gajin, just south of Skord's Swamp, this place has a high concentration of lizardfolk and water genasi and has a somewhat unsavory reputation; Port Xialar, just east of the Black Pine Forest, run by elves. One hundred miles off the coast roughly south of Gajin is the island of Scuttlecove, known by only a few, and then only for its utterly unwholesome and depraved reputation. The rest of Low'verok is surrounded by what is collectively (and rather unimaginatively) called the Unexplored Lands. There's no taboo against exploring these lands as there is the Forbidden Lands
Andeluvay: The city may not be the trade capital, but it does boast something else aside from the king's palace. There are portals in Andeluvay to every single one of the Inner Planes, and genasi that may be extremely rare elsewhere are much more common. Andeluvay does brisk business in planar travel as well as goods that help one traverse the planes. Thus the Wayfarer's Guild is the only Guild with their main Guild Hall in Andeluvay rather than Albon.
Guilds: Each Guild and several organizations have their own seal. Inns and other establishments with the guild seal on the door offer discounts or additional services to members of that guild. Here's a few descriptions of the various guild seals:
Adventurer's Guild: A crossed sword and bone, with a starburst behind.
Weaver's Guild: Six by six crosshatch.
Miner's Guild: Pickaxe.
Jeweler's Guild: Faceted gem.
Tailor's Guild: Spool and threaded needle.
Tanner's Guild: A hide.
Trader's Guild: A coin above a wagon wheel.
Diver's Guild: Open clam shell with pearl in it (see only around the Sea of Song).
Shipwright's Guild: Simple ship with billowing sail.
Locksmith's Guild: Keyhold and key.
Moneychanger's Guild: Three different sized coins.
Cooper's Guild: A barrel.
Cobbler's Guild: A boot.
Horse Trainer's Guild: Horse head.
Healer's Guild: A hand, palm forward, behind a morter and pestle.
Elemental Guild: Leaping flames, round circle (pebble), waves, and three wavy lines (wind) (for genasi that wish to learn more about how to use their unique heritage).
Gravecrawler's Guild: (morticians) Skull and a stone
Mage's Guild: Starburst.
Messenger's Guild: A winged foot.
Wayfarer's Guild: A door.
Brotherhood of Alchemy: A circle, split in two horizontally. The bottom half is dark, the top light with a morter and pestle.
Names: In Low'verok, it is reasonably common for a person to change their name if they change careers, signaling that the person wishes to be free of their past. Calling someone by a former name is considered an insult, unless the former personality of that name is sorely needed. Old adventurers have been called to arms by their old names before. Many will take great pains to conceal their past so that they cannot be called by their former names.
Laws: One of the quirks of Low'verok law is that necromancy is not illegal. Bodies of executed lawbreakers are given to necromancers so that they can be animated for public service, such as cleaning sewers.
Magic Item Names: All magic items have some kind of name. Also, if owned long enough, additional powers can be discovered about them. For example, an amulet of natural armor +1 known as Yelfark's Shield after the druid that created it, might become a +2 and grant electricity resistance 10 as its owner increases in level. Discarding it or giving it to another allows the item to revert to its base power.
About Small Gods
Small gods come in four varieties - water, plant, stone or earth, and animal. Each type of god can only affect a small area, but can be quite potent in that area.
Water - the small gods of water are primarily those of very small bodies of water, typically springs, ponds, and small streams. Rivers, seas, and oceans fall under the purview of the gods of water and oceans (Istishia and Valkur respectively).
Small gods of water, particularly those of springs, typically demand a sacrifice before their water can be taken. Natives of the area generally do not have to sacrifice every time, as they are considered under the god's protection. Natives typically sacrifice once per year, usually part of a community celebration.
However, travelers and strangers must give a sacrifice before the god will allow his water to be taken. Typical sacrifices include coins, gems, or food. Tossing the sacrifices into the body of water is usually sufficient, or setting it right next to it will do.
If the sacrifice is given, the water can be taken, and is typically cool and fresh for as long as it is carried. For natives of the region, the water may occasionally act as a healing potion, or help remove disease or poison if the god is petitioned and additional sacrifices made. The god will never bestow these additional powers on non-natives that drink the water.
If a sacrifice is not given before water is taken (usually by strangers), then several things might happen. The water may bend away from the stranger, making it impossible for the water to be taken. Or drinking the water may give the drinker a disease, or poison him, or dehydrate him to the point of near death. It is never wise to anger a water god. In addition to bad water, they can also call down bad weather, such as a rainstorm or even a thunderstorm to plague a rude or stingy traveler.
Plant: Plant gods are more rare, but there is at least one plant god for every plant species, and occasionally more than one. Plant gods are not as temperamental as water gods, and by simply asking permission to take their fruits, nuts, or leaves, one can have them with little problem. Some are even quite fine with allowing one to take their entire selves, as they are instantly reborn in a plant of the appropriate type, so the location of the plant gods changes constantly.
For natives of an area, fruit or nut plant gods may allow their fruit to have healing properties above and beyond the normal. Burning the wood of a properly propositioned plant god (typically a tree god), brings good health and prosperity to natives. Indeed, the burning of the wood of a willing tree god is a necessary part of several religious rituals (particularly to Kossuth, but also to Obad-hai). Having a house built from wood of a willing tree god is considered tremendously lucky (no pun intended).
Strangers that do not ask for permission to take fruit or nuts from plant gods usually become sick upon them. Burning the wood of an unwilling tree god will usually result in a disease known as "burning leprosy," which presents itself as rotting flesh combined with a terrible burning pain (inhaled/contact DC 30, incubation 1 day, 1d6 Con, 1d6 Cha each month until death occurs). This disease cannot be removed with any known spell until the victim has been the recipient of an atonement spell. Then it can be removed with a remove disease spell.
Earth and stone - Earth and stone gods are quite rare compared to the other gods. They are also the most disinterested in the affairs of mortals. Usually one only has to worry about them if one is a miner, which means dwarves are the most frequent natives of a stone god. Usually stone gods only want music as their sacrifice, which has led to the development of the dwarven mining songs. They are sung nigh-constantly while the work of mining is going on, so that they might appease the god while they work to gain the riches of the earth.
If the songs are not sung, cave-ins occur where none should and with no warning; deadly gas seeps into the mine; or a spring where there was none suddenly appears to flood it. Mines with particularly good singers usually yield particularly bountiful amounts of their chosen mineral.
Animal gods - For each animal, there is an animal god. The particularly fine buck with the massive rack, the unusually swift and strong mountain lion, and the oddly evasive frog are all examples of animal gods. (In game terms, animal gods are legendary animals with DR 5/-.)
Prayers are necessary before taking the life of any animal, but doubly so if you even think you have an animal god in your bowsight. An animal god taken with proper prayer can give great power to the eater. If the flesh or blood of a properly prepared (prayed to) animal god is consumed within ten minutes of their death, it acts as a cure moderate wounds potion (2d8+5 hit points restored), as well as granting a +4 Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution enhancement bonus for twenty-four hours. It also grants one ability unique to the individual god (+10 to jump checks for the frog god, +10 to base speed for the deer god, Pounce extraordinary ability for the cat god) that lasts for 24 hours as well. If the animal god was slain without prayer and their flesh and/or blood consumed within 10 minutes, it grants the opposite (it inflicts 2d8+5 points of damage, the person takes a -4 penalty to their Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution score for 24 hours, in addition to something unique to the god being done to them. -10 to base speed from the deer god, etc.).
After the ten minute "window" the power fades, and can only act as a cure moderate wounds (for a properly prepared killing) or an inflict moderate wounds (for an improperly prepared one). This applies to any dried meat as well, for as long as a year and a day.
The hide of an animal god, whether properly or improperly killed, gives the possessor DR 5/- for a year and a day, then it becomes unremarkable unless a special ritual is done. If the fresh blood of an animal god is spilled onto the old hide of the same type (deer god blood on an old deer god hide), the DR becomes active again for one full moon (thirty days).
A slain animal god is instantly reborn into another body, so the animals are never without their god. Those that do favors for animal gods may be marked with a sign, typically a small picture of the animal or the footprint thereof, and may never be molested by animals of that type (help the rat god, never have rats attack you again). Those that improperly slay an animal god may be hounded by that type of animal for years until the god extracts an appropriate revenge.
Regular vermin do not have gods, and are thus exempt from these rituals. However, monstrous vermin do have gods, and measures must be taken as normal.
If anyone really has a smashing character concept that breaks any of the above guidelines, post it here and I'll take a look at it.
Rogue's Gallery thread here.
Our Heroes
Tailspinner - Gaoi Gustwig, male air genasi Wizard 3
Argent Silvermage - Elexia, female elf Cleric 4 of Alnaria
Graywolf-ELM - Draxiksus, male lizardfolk racial ECL 2/Ranger 2
Dark Nemesis, Brigitte Firestarre - Female Magma Genasi Fighter 3
Ferrix, Virgil Sorrengate Winsyth III - Male Human Bard 4
Ashy, Pottofer Placidpool - Male Water Genasi Cleric 3 of Eldath
Alternates
Thels
IcyCool
Inactive Players and Characters
outlands - Noddy Darkfox, male Halfling Rog3
Thels - Damien Tallstrider, male Human Clr3 of Pelor
Starman - Syrrian Starwine, male Elf Ftr1/Wiz2
Jemal - Rokelsh, male human Barbarian 1/Fighter 3
passengerpigeon - Gadjo, male human Bard 4
Rayex - Gryxas, male dwarven monk 4
Goddess FallenAngel, Shar Stormbreeze - Female Smoke Genasi rogue 4
In Character Thread
Rogue's Gallery Thread
Character creation is as follows: 3.0 rules. 32 point buy. Level 4. All races, classes, ect straight out of the PHB, with the following exceptions; genasi from the Forgotten Realms Campaign setting, Dragon #297, and the Roaming Genasi Tavern are allowed pending approval. 5,400gp to spend on any item from core books, FR books, splatbooks, and the Malhavoc Press Eldrictch and Hallowed Might books (though I reserve the right to veto). No more than half your gold on any one item. Knowledge (monsters) is a class skill for all adventuring classes.
Flavor text for the world is as follows:
The World of Low’verok
Capital – Andeluvay, in the northeast on the Tonver River.
It is governed by a single king, King Xargo, and there are 48 high noble lords (mostly humans, genasi, and half-elves, but there are two gnomes and three halflings amongst them), three dwarven noble lords (from Silver Citadel, Citadel Amber, and Firegold Citadel), two elven noble lords (from the Farlight and Black Pine forests, respectively), and the current Council Speaker from the Sea of Song that govern their various parts of the country.
Low’verok has very strong ties to the elemental, para-elemental, and quasi-elemental planes, and genasi of all types are common (though some more than others). Elemental and half-elemental creatures also are seen with relative frequency, and they are generally considered lucky.
Small gods are quite frequent, and many trees and pools of water embody the essence of the divine. Signs that indicate the presence of a god are taken very seriously (some even include favored sacrifices). Particularly for gods of ponds or springs, a small sacrifice of coin or food is required before taking water. There are even a few small gods of berry bushes or fruit or nut trees, so small prayers before taking the fruits of the land are a part of everyday life. Also, there are gods of the various animals and other creatures, so short prayers after taking the life of a creature for food or in self-protection are routine.
Because of the close ties to the land through the elemental planes and small gods and nature spirits, it is rare that settlements abuse the land. Logging, mining, hunting, trapping, etc. are usually done in a responsible manner (usually through treaties with local elven or gnome communities).
The gods of Low’verok (and their domains) are:
Alnaria – neutral good Protector of children, Goddess of Innocence, Unicorn Queen (Animal, Good, Luck, Protection)
Akadi – neutral goddess of air (Air, Illusion, Travel, Trickery)
Beshaba – chaotic evil goddess of bad luck (Chaos, Evil, Fate, Lucky, Trickery)
Boccob – neutral god of magic (Knowledge, Magic, Trickery)
Corellon Larethian – chaotic good god of music and the arts (protector of elves) (Chaos, Good, Protection, War)
Ehlonna – neutral good nature goddess (Animal, Good, Plant, Sun)
Erythnul – chaotic evil god of slaughter (Chaos Evil, Trickery, War)
Fharlanghn – true neutral god of travel (Luck, Protection, Travel)
Garl Glittergold – neutral good god of jokes and humor (protector of gnomes) (Good, Protection, Trickery)
Ghaunadaur – chaotic evil god of slimes, oozes, and aberrations (Cavern, Chaos, Evil, Hatred, Slime)
Grumbar – neutral god of earth (Cavern, Earth, Metal, Time)
Gruumsh – chaotic evil god of domination (protector of orcs) (Chaos, Evil Strength, War)
Heironeous – lawful good god of valor (Good, Law, and War)
Hextor – lawful evil god of tyranny (Destruction, Evil, Law, War)
Hoar – lawful neutral god of retribution (Fate, Law, Retribution, Travel)
Istishia – neutral god of water (Destruction, Ocean Storm, Travel, Water)
Kelemvor – lawful neutral god of death (Fate, Law, Protection, Repose, Travel)
Kord – chaotic good god of strength (Chaos, Good, Luck, Strength)
Kossuth – neutral god of fire (Destruction, Fire, Renewal, Suffering)
Lliira – chaotic good goddess of joy (Chaos, Charm, Family, Good, Travel)
Loviatar – lawful evil goddess of pain (Evil, Law, Retribution, Strength)
Moradin – lawful good god of the forge (protector of the dwarves) (Earth, Good, Law, Protection)
Nerull – neutral evil god of undead (Undeath, Death, Evil, Trickery)
Obad-Hai – neutral god of nature (Air, Animal, Earth Fire, Plant, Water)
Olidammara – chaotic neutral god of thieves and tricks (Chaos, Luck, Trickery)
Pelor – neutral good god of the sun (Good, Healing, Strength, Sun)
Siamorphe – lawful neutral goddess of nobles (Knowledge, Law, Nobility, Planning)
Sune – chaotic good goddess of beauty and love (Chaos, Charm, Good, Protection)
Talona – chaotic evil goddess of disease and poison (Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Suffering)
Talos – chaotic neutral god of storms (Chaos, Destruction, Fire, Storm)
Tymora – chaotic good goddess of good luck (Chaos, Good, Luck, Protection, Travel)
Valkur – chaotic good god of sailors (Air, Chaos, Good, Ocean, Protection)
Vecna – neutral evil god of secrets (Evil, Knowledge, Magic)
Wee Jas – lawful neutral goddess of death and magic (Death, Law, Magic)
Yondalla – lawful good goddess of the hearth and family (protector of halflings) (Good, Family, Law, Protection)
There are two important things that everyone in Low’verok knows. One is about the song pearls, and the other is about the Forbidden Lands.
Song pearls or glass pearls are worth, at the bare minimum, ten times platinum for a single one. The rare, translucent pearls have many powerful magical properties, from allowing one to understand magic, to healing, to making one stronger, or other equally wonderful things. Song pearl beds are rigorously guarded by aquatic elves and often raided by kelpies or other aquatic monsters that like shiny things. At least one open war was fought to control the song pearl trade (the Pearl War, which led to the creation of the current “free trade zone” around the Sea of Song). No noble may control the trade, and no merchant may bargain with more than two aquatic elf communities for their supply. As a matter of fact, there are no nobles controlling any community near the Sea of Song. The towns and cities in that region each send a representative to Albon (the largest city of the region), and a leader is elected to represent the interests of the Sea of Song in the noble’s council in Andeluvay. Song pearls are frequently bought by the king for use in the army, but there are also some markets for adventurers and very wealthy wizards or nobles.
The Forbidden Lands are in the far southwest of Low’verok. The coast around the peninsula is treacherous and rocky, and there is not a single good port around it, not that any sailor could be convinced to try. The land leading up to the Forbidden Lands is inhospitable desert, inhabited only by nomadic tribes. The edge of the Forbidden Lands is impossible to miss, as it is a shear cliff that drops straight down two hundred feet, as if the land had been cut by a knife. There’s a common expression that goes simply “Nothing good comes out of the Forbidden Lands.” And nothing ever has. The only things people have ever seen come out of the Forbidden Lands are strange and deadly monsters. The nomadic peoples of the Unwanted Desert (the border of the Forbidden Lands) have a strong warrior tradition and consider themselves the first line of defense against the horrors of the Forbidden Lands. So far, none who have gone into them have come back to tell tales of it. The phrase “I’ll send you to the Forbidden Lands” (or various permutations thereof) is uttered between deadly enemies or by assassins.
I'll try to give you a small mental picture of the world (as I have no digital map-making skills). Picture, if you will, a large oval country. There's a wide peninsula in the southwest. Where the peninsula meets the land, there is a 200 ft cliff. The entire peninsula is the Forbidden Lands. Bordering this is the Unwanted Desert. East of the desert is a mountain range known as the Dragonspine Mountains. The Firegold Citadel, one of the dwarfholds, is there. East of that is Skord's Swamp, a large marshy area that legend has it contains a black dragon. Much further east in the southeast portion of the country is the Black Pine forest. Running north to south in the eastern part of the country is the Tonver River, a major trade route. In the northeast, right on the Tonver, is Andeluvay, the capital.
There's a large lake to the west and slightly south called Greenfire Lake, so called because it glows with a green fire at night. No one knows why, but most sorcerers tend to come from those shores. Just south of Greenfire Lake is a large expanse of plains, in the center of which is the city of Willow Grove. The people of the plains are known for their talent for raising horses.
To the east and slightly north of Andeluvay is Ice Lake, thusly called because icebergs can be found in it all year round. South of Ice Lake is the Sea of Song. The area around the Sea is a free trade zone, so the trade capital of the country is in Albon, on the south shores of the Sea. Every single guild has their central Guild Hall here, rather than in the capital. Just west of the Sea of Song are the Firespine Mountains, home of the Silver Citadel and Citadel Amber dwarfholds. To the north is the Farlight Forest, home of the highest elven nobles. The Deepwater river runs from east to west, starting in the Firespine Mountains, running north of Skord's Swamp, and emptying into the Endless Sea just east of the Black Pine Forest. The Deepwater is swift, cold, and in a deep gorge for most of its length and is unsuitable for trade.
From the peninsula of the Forbidden Lands to the Black Pine Forest is the shore of the Endless Sea. The major ports are: Benshay, in the Unwanted Desert, specializing in goods from the desert nomads; Fort Merdin, just east of Benshay, a major naval outpost for the king; Port Jarlo, just east of Fort Merdin, specializing in exotic goods from the southern isles; Port Lyalee, between the Dragonspine Mountains and Skord's Swamp, run exclusively by halfing traders running to Albon; Gajin, just south of Skord's Swamp, this place has a high concentration of lizardfolk and water genasi and has a somewhat unsavory reputation; Port Xialar, just east of the Black Pine Forest, run by elves. One hundred miles off the coast roughly south of Gajin is the island of Scuttlecove, known by only a few, and then only for its utterly unwholesome and depraved reputation. The rest of Low'verok is surrounded by what is collectively (and rather unimaginatively) called the Unexplored Lands. There's no taboo against exploring these lands as there is the Forbidden Lands
Andeluvay: The city may not be the trade capital, but it does boast something else aside from the king's palace. There are portals in Andeluvay to every single one of the Inner Planes, and genasi that may be extremely rare elsewhere are much more common. Andeluvay does brisk business in planar travel as well as goods that help one traverse the planes. Thus the Wayfarer's Guild is the only Guild with their main Guild Hall in Andeluvay rather than Albon.
Guilds: Each Guild and several organizations have their own seal. Inns and other establishments with the guild seal on the door offer discounts or additional services to members of that guild. Here's a few descriptions of the various guild seals:
Adventurer's Guild: A crossed sword and bone, with a starburst behind.
Weaver's Guild: Six by six crosshatch.
Miner's Guild: Pickaxe.
Jeweler's Guild: Faceted gem.
Tailor's Guild: Spool and threaded needle.
Tanner's Guild: A hide.
Trader's Guild: A coin above a wagon wheel.
Diver's Guild: Open clam shell with pearl in it (see only around the Sea of Song).
Shipwright's Guild: Simple ship with billowing sail.
Locksmith's Guild: Keyhold and key.
Moneychanger's Guild: Three different sized coins.
Cooper's Guild: A barrel.
Cobbler's Guild: A boot.
Horse Trainer's Guild: Horse head.
Healer's Guild: A hand, palm forward, behind a morter and pestle.
Elemental Guild: Leaping flames, round circle (pebble), waves, and three wavy lines (wind) (for genasi that wish to learn more about how to use their unique heritage).
Gravecrawler's Guild: (morticians) Skull and a stone
Mage's Guild: Starburst.
Messenger's Guild: A winged foot.
Wayfarer's Guild: A door.
Brotherhood of Alchemy: A circle, split in two horizontally. The bottom half is dark, the top light with a morter and pestle.
Names: In Low'verok, it is reasonably common for a person to change their name if they change careers, signaling that the person wishes to be free of their past. Calling someone by a former name is considered an insult, unless the former personality of that name is sorely needed. Old adventurers have been called to arms by their old names before. Many will take great pains to conceal their past so that they cannot be called by their former names.
Laws: One of the quirks of Low'verok law is that necromancy is not illegal. Bodies of executed lawbreakers are given to necromancers so that they can be animated for public service, such as cleaning sewers.
Magic Item Names: All magic items have some kind of name. Also, if owned long enough, additional powers can be discovered about them. For example, an amulet of natural armor +1 known as Yelfark's Shield after the druid that created it, might become a +2 and grant electricity resistance 10 as its owner increases in level. Discarding it or giving it to another allows the item to revert to its base power.
About Small Gods
Small gods come in four varieties - water, plant, stone or earth, and animal. Each type of god can only affect a small area, but can be quite potent in that area.
Water - the small gods of water are primarily those of very small bodies of water, typically springs, ponds, and small streams. Rivers, seas, and oceans fall under the purview of the gods of water and oceans (Istishia and Valkur respectively).
Small gods of water, particularly those of springs, typically demand a sacrifice before their water can be taken. Natives of the area generally do not have to sacrifice every time, as they are considered under the god's protection. Natives typically sacrifice once per year, usually part of a community celebration.
However, travelers and strangers must give a sacrifice before the god will allow his water to be taken. Typical sacrifices include coins, gems, or food. Tossing the sacrifices into the body of water is usually sufficient, or setting it right next to it will do.
If the sacrifice is given, the water can be taken, and is typically cool and fresh for as long as it is carried. For natives of the region, the water may occasionally act as a healing potion, or help remove disease or poison if the god is petitioned and additional sacrifices made. The god will never bestow these additional powers on non-natives that drink the water.
If a sacrifice is not given before water is taken (usually by strangers), then several things might happen. The water may bend away from the stranger, making it impossible for the water to be taken. Or drinking the water may give the drinker a disease, or poison him, or dehydrate him to the point of near death. It is never wise to anger a water god. In addition to bad water, they can also call down bad weather, such as a rainstorm or even a thunderstorm to plague a rude or stingy traveler.
Plant: Plant gods are more rare, but there is at least one plant god for every plant species, and occasionally more than one. Plant gods are not as temperamental as water gods, and by simply asking permission to take their fruits, nuts, or leaves, one can have them with little problem. Some are even quite fine with allowing one to take their entire selves, as they are instantly reborn in a plant of the appropriate type, so the location of the plant gods changes constantly.
For natives of an area, fruit or nut plant gods may allow their fruit to have healing properties above and beyond the normal. Burning the wood of a properly propositioned plant god (typically a tree god), brings good health and prosperity to natives. Indeed, the burning of the wood of a willing tree god is a necessary part of several religious rituals (particularly to Kossuth, but also to Obad-hai). Having a house built from wood of a willing tree god is considered tremendously lucky (no pun intended).
Strangers that do not ask for permission to take fruit or nuts from plant gods usually become sick upon them. Burning the wood of an unwilling tree god will usually result in a disease known as "burning leprosy," which presents itself as rotting flesh combined with a terrible burning pain (inhaled/contact DC 30, incubation 1 day, 1d6 Con, 1d6 Cha each month until death occurs). This disease cannot be removed with any known spell until the victim has been the recipient of an atonement spell. Then it can be removed with a remove disease spell.
Earth and stone - Earth and stone gods are quite rare compared to the other gods. They are also the most disinterested in the affairs of mortals. Usually one only has to worry about them if one is a miner, which means dwarves are the most frequent natives of a stone god. Usually stone gods only want music as their sacrifice, which has led to the development of the dwarven mining songs. They are sung nigh-constantly while the work of mining is going on, so that they might appease the god while they work to gain the riches of the earth.
If the songs are not sung, cave-ins occur where none should and with no warning; deadly gas seeps into the mine; or a spring where there was none suddenly appears to flood it. Mines with particularly good singers usually yield particularly bountiful amounts of their chosen mineral.
Animal gods - For each animal, there is an animal god. The particularly fine buck with the massive rack, the unusually swift and strong mountain lion, and the oddly evasive frog are all examples of animal gods. (In game terms, animal gods are legendary animals with DR 5/-.)
Prayers are necessary before taking the life of any animal, but doubly so if you even think you have an animal god in your bowsight. An animal god taken with proper prayer can give great power to the eater. If the flesh or blood of a properly prepared (prayed to) animal god is consumed within ten minutes of their death, it acts as a cure moderate wounds potion (2d8+5 hit points restored), as well as granting a +4 Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution enhancement bonus for twenty-four hours. It also grants one ability unique to the individual god (+10 to jump checks for the frog god, +10 to base speed for the deer god, Pounce extraordinary ability for the cat god) that lasts for 24 hours as well. If the animal god was slain without prayer and their flesh and/or blood consumed within 10 minutes, it grants the opposite (it inflicts 2d8+5 points of damage, the person takes a -4 penalty to their Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution score for 24 hours, in addition to something unique to the god being done to them. -10 to base speed from the deer god, etc.).
After the ten minute "window" the power fades, and can only act as a cure moderate wounds (for a properly prepared killing) or an inflict moderate wounds (for an improperly prepared one). This applies to any dried meat as well, for as long as a year and a day.
The hide of an animal god, whether properly or improperly killed, gives the possessor DR 5/- for a year and a day, then it becomes unremarkable unless a special ritual is done. If the fresh blood of an animal god is spilled onto the old hide of the same type (deer god blood on an old deer god hide), the DR becomes active again for one full moon (thirty days).
A slain animal god is instantly reborn into another body, so the animals are never without their god. Those that do favors for animal gods may be marked with a sign, typically a small picture of the animal or the footprint thereof, and may never be molested by animals of that type (help the rat god, never have rats attack you again). Those that improperly slay an animal god may be hounded by that type of animal for years until the god extracts an appropriate revenge.
Regular vermin do not have gods, and are thus exempt from these rituals. However, monstrous vermin do have gods, and measures must be taken as normal.
If anyone really has a smashing character concept that breaks any of the above guidelines, post it here and I'll take a look at it.
Rogue's Gallery thread here.
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