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[AU] Vale of Shadows [Full]
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<blockquote data-quote="dead_radish" data-source="post: 1122045" data-attributes="member: 5560"><p><strong>Races</strong></p><p></p><p>The lands of the Vale are dominated by human beings who live independently of both the dramojh and the giants. As the dominant intelligent social species in the area, most of the political and economic power belongs to humans. The faen (quickling, loresong, and spryte) form a significant minority population, however; though they cannot be said to rule any given political entity in the land, they possess several important enclaves and play important and accepted roles in several cities. Humans and faen live more or less harmoniously throughout the lands.</p><p></p><p>Giants, Verrik, the Dramojh and Sibeccai are foreign to the cold valleys of the Vale (players cannot, by the way, choose to play a dramojh); nonetheless, they are not particularly uncommon, especially along the routes of the caravanserai or in the cities in which commerce takes place. Most characters of these races will have journeyed from the lands ruled by their species to the human lands for purposes of trade, to protect traders, or perhaps just seeking adventure. Giants and Sibeccai are most frequently encountered on the northernmost trade route, Verrik travel the southernmost route, and the Dramojh travel all the routes. Most free humans regard these races with varying degrees of suspicion and/or dislike—in cosmopolitan areas, they are tolerated, but away from the trade routes this mistrust can ripen to open hostility. It should be remembered that in both the empires of the giants and the dramojh, human beings are enslaved, or, at the least, colonized. The fiercely independent humans of the Vale never forget.</p><p></p><p>The Litorians live in nomadic tribes that roam the frozen wastes north of the valley of Shadows. Descending from the glaciers and tundra of their homeland, their clans often pass the deep winter sheltered in the valleys on the edge of human territory. There, they trade with humans and faen during a month-long festival. It is rare, but not entirely unheard of, for a Litorian struck by wanderlust to pass further south and enter into the cities of men. His welcome is not always warm. While worshippers of the Beast Gods regard the Litorians as a chosen race, other humans regard them as savages, and can shun them, or even behave violently towards them. Rumors abound that Litorians savor human flesh as a delicacy and devour them in unspeakable ceremonies.</p><p></p><p>Small colonies of Mojh exist in the mountains bordering the valley of Shadows to the east. If anything, the mojh have become rather more prone to proselytism since their cousins and their vast empire are there to back them up. Otherwise, they are basically unchanged from the description in AU. </p><p></p><p><strong>Classes</strong></p><p></p><p>Some classes are fundamentally unaltered from their description in AU.</p><p></p><p>Akashic—Akashic play an important role in the Vale. Generally, they belong to a well-developed, unified, and typically monastic guild which sees to their interests—free-lance Akashics do exist, but the guild is easy-going and the advantages of being guilded are fairly evident. Many Guild-temples are built on ancient Verrik and Dramohj cities, long lost. Access to these sites constitutes one of the most evident advantages of being guilded.</p><p></p><p>The High Monastery of the Akashic is located in the city of Dallow. The order maintains six other missions / fortresses scattered about the vale.</p><p></p><p>Mage Blade—As they appear in the AU text. Only one formal academy of Mage Blades exist in the Vale. It is affiliated with the Academy of Evocation in Oranstein Suzerainty. Some individually trained mage blades exist as well.</p><p></p><p>Magister—As they appear in the AU text. Each of the eight schools of magic (abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation) possesses an academy. PC’s belonging to the magister class should choose which school they have attended.</p><p></p><p>Oathsworn—As they appear in the AU text.</p><p></p><p>Runethane—As they appear in the AU text.</p><p></p><p>Unfettered—As they appear in the AU text. Particularly common along the trade routes.</p><p></p><p>Warmain— As they appear in the AU text. Most Warmains will be directly affiliated with an aristocrat—many aristocrats are themselves warmains. Each ruler of the Desgrave rank maintains his own warguild as an essential support of his power. There are thus 22 separate warguilds in the Vale.</p><p></p><p>Other classes have been altered somewhat:</p><p></p><p>Champion—Champions in the Vale tend less to champion abstract causes, and more either to champion specific ruling houses, specific gods (normally not of the Beast Cult variety, though a champion / totem warrior multi-class character might be possible), or one of the avatars. </p><p></p><p>New Champions:</p><p>Champion of the Nobility (then can attune at 10th): 1st Compelling Command once per day per character level, 5th Infused with Authority +2 circumstance on Cha skills 10th +4 to all spells with mind affecting descriptor 15th and 20th same as Person if specific noble or place (tied to temple or city-state) if god or house </p><p></p><p>Greenbond—If the Beast Gods had a formal church, greenbonds would be their priests. Though there is no established rank among greenbonds, elders are much respected. Among the common people, green bonds are revered, and the traveling greenbond never need want for cheer. In return, they are expected to use their powers for the communities which they enter. Greenbonds also share brotherhood with other greenbonds and totem warriors—they will do whatever is possible to help one another. On day-to-day occasions, this brotherhood is demonstrated through the ancient practice of host / guest courtesy. Though formal gatherings are uncommon, greenbonds know that many of their brethren visit the valleys where the Litorians winter in the cold months. These camps often host many greenbonds and other Beast God worshippers.</p><p></p><p>Totem Warrior—If Greenbonds are the priests of the Beast Cult, totem warriors are their holy warriors. The totem system has been expanded to include the animals they are most likely to find holy (see notes on the Beast God cult, above). Most totem warriors will likely come from the tribes of nomadic people who make their home in the north. Players wanting to have totem warrior character should inquire with their DM regarding the class abilities of any of the previous totems that interest them.</p><p></p><p>Witch—Witches occupy a somewhat unusual niche in the social structure of the Vale. On the one hand, because they are the elite manifestations of the elemental gods worshipped by the nobility, it might be tempting to see them as the Storm Gods’ priesthood. This would not be incorrect. Yet, on the other hand, because witches worship the elemental forces themselves, they tend to have a more abstract notion of worship than that promulgated by the avatars of the storm gods. As a result, they often have unfriendly relationships with the nobility. They are respected, even admired, but a witch’s arrival at a noble’s court is often a bit like a prophet walking in the door ready to denounce the ruler. Admiration goes with strong sense of fear and even annoyance.</p><p></p><p>Peaks are held to be holy to the followers of the Storm Gods. All battlefields visited by the Swarm are also accounted rich in eldritch energy—the battle loses its magic energy when the avatar dies. There are thus nine current visitation sites.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dead_radish, post: 1122045, member: 5560"] [b]Races[/b] The lands of the Vale are dominated by human beings who live independently of both the dramojh and the giants. As the dominant intelligent social species in the area, most of the political and economic power belongs to humans. The faen (quickling, loresong, and spryte) form a significant minority population, however; though they cannot be said to rule any given political entity in the land, they possess several important enclaves and play important and accepted roles in several cities. Humans and faen live more or less harmoniously throughout the lands. Giants, Verrik, the Dramojh and Sibeccai are foreign to the cold valleys of the Vale (players cannot, by the way, choose to play a dramojh); nonetheless, they are not particularly uncommon, especially along the routes of the caravanserai or in the cities in which commerce takes place. Most characters of these races will have journeyed from the lands ruled by their species to the human lands for purposes of trade, to protect traders, or perhaps just seeking adventure. Giants and Sibeccai are most frequently encountered on the northernmost trade route, Verrik travel the southernmost route, and the Dramojh travel all the routes. Most free humans regard these races with varying degrees of suspicion and/or dislike—in cosmopolitan areas, they are tolerated, but away from the trade routes this mistrust can ripen to open hostility. It should be remembered that in both the empires of the giants and the dramojh, human beings are enslaved, or, at the least, colonized. The fiercely independent humans of the Vale never forget. The Litorians live in nomadic tribes that roam the frozen wastes north of the valley of Shadows. Descending from the glaciers and tundra of their homeland, their clans often pass the deep winter sheltered in the valleys on the edge of human territory. There, they trade with humans and faen during a month-long festival. It is rare, but not entirely unheard of, for a Litorian struck by wanderlust to pass further south and enter into the cities of men. His welcome is not always warm. While worshippers of the Beast Gods regard the Litorians as a chosen race, other humans regard them as savages, and can shun them, or even behave violently towards them. Rumors abound that Litorians savor human flesh as a delicacy and devour them in unspeakable ceremonies. Small colonies of Mojh exist in the mountains bordering the valley of Shadows to the east. If anything, the mojh have become rather more prone to proselytism since their cousins and their vast empire are there to back them up. Otherwise, they are basically unchanged from the description in AU. [b]Classes[/b] Some classes are fundamentally unaltered from their description in AU. Akashic—Akashic play an important role in the Vale. Generally, they belong to a well-developed, unified, and typically monastic guild which sees to their interests—free-lance Akashics do exist, but the guild is easy-going and the advantages of being guilded are fairly evident. Many Guild-temples are built on ancient Verrik and Dramohj cities, long lost. Access to these sites constitutes one of the most evident advantages of being guilded. The High Monastery of the Akashic is located in the city of Dallow. The order maintains six other missions / fortresses scattered about the vale. Mage Blade—As they appear in the AU text. Only one formal academy of Mage Blades exist in the Vale. It is affiliated with the Academy of Evocation in Oranstein Suzerainty. Some individually trained mage blades exist as well. Magister—As they appear in the AU text. Each of the eight schools of magic (abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation) possesses an academy. PC’s belonging to the magister class should choose which school they have attended. Oathsworn—As they appear in the AU text. Runethane—As they appear in the AU text. Unfettered—As they appear in the AU text. Particularly common along the trade routes. Warmain— As they appear in the AU text. Most Warmains will be directly affiliated with an aristocrat—many aristocrats are themselves warmains. Each ruler of the Desgrave rank maintains his own warguild as an essential support of his power. There are thus 22 separate warguilds in the Vale. Other classes have been altered somewhat: Champion—Champions in the Vale tend less to champion abstract causes, and more either to champion specific ruling houses, specific gods (normally not of the Beast Cult variety, though a champion / totem warrior multi-class character might be possible), or one of the avatars. New Champions: Champion of the Nobility (then can attune at 10th): 1st Compelling Command once per day per character level, 5th Infused with Authority +2 circumstance on Cha skills 10th +4 to all spells with mind affecting descriptor 15th and 20th same as Person if specific noble or place (tied to temple or city-state) if god or house Greenbond—If the Beast Gods had a formal church, greenbonds would be their priests. Though there is no established rank among greenbonds, elders are much respected. Among the common people, green bonds are revered, and the traveling greenbond never need want for cheer. In return, they are expected to use their powers for the communities which they enter. Greenbonds also share brotherhood with other greenbonds and totem warriors—they will do whatever is possible to help one another. On day-to-day occasions, this brotherhood is demonstrated through the ancient practice of host / guest courtesy. Though formal gatherings are uncommon, greenbonds know that many of their brethren visit the valleys where the Litorians winter in the cold months. These camps often host many greenbonds and other Beast God worshippers. Totem Warrior—If Greenbonds are the priests of the Beast Cult, totem warriors are their holy warriors. The totem system has been expanded to include the animals they are most likely to find holy (see notes on the Beast God cult, above). Most totem warriors will likely come from the tribes of nomadic people who make their home in the north. Players wanting to have totem warrior character should inquire with their DM regarding the class abilities of any of the previous totems that interest them. Witch—Witches occupy a somewhat unusual niche in the social structure of the Vale. On the one hand, because they are the elite manifestations of the elemental gods worshipped by the nobility, it might be tempting to see them as the Storm Gods’ priesthood. This would not be incorrect. Yet, on the other hand, because witches worship the elemental forces themselves, they tend to have a more abstract notion of worship than that promulgated by the avatars of the storm gods. As a result, they often have unfriendly relationships with the nobility. They are respected, even admired, but a witch’s arrival at a noble’s court is often a bit like a prophet walking in the door ready to denounce the ruler. Admiration goes with strong sense of fear and even annoyance. Peaks are held to be holy to the followers of the Storm Gods. All battlefields visited by the Swarm are also accounted rich in eldritch energy—the battle loses its magic energy when the avatar dies. There are thus nine current visitation sites. [/QUOTE]
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