Creative Exercise--Aleasana

[Tonguez]

The Isslen perform the raids to hide that they are also searching for a rare crystal that can be found in and around Aleasana. These crystals hold religious significance in the Isslen's matriarchal society.

--sam

The Isslen Matriarch constructs her nest from the Crystals which she then warms by her own body. The energy from the crytals suffuses the eggs giving strength and ability to the young (or so the Isslen beleive).
Indeed the Matriarchs have been looking for the True Crystal that will allow her hatchlings to transform into a new breed of Dragons, so far none have succeeded.

 

[Arkhandus]

The Isslen Matriarch constructs her nest from the Crystals which she then warms by her own body. The energy from the crytals suffuses the eggs giving strength and ability to the young (or so the Isslen beleive).
Indeed the Matriarchs have been looking for the True Crystal that will allow her hatchlings to transform into a new breed of Dragons, so far none have succeeded.

The rogue Odraani Imperium is a small nation along the mid-western edges of Aleasana, bordering the Faegrim, constantly under threat of attack by Fey and Aleasani. Odraani was founded long ago by Aleasani expatriates who had been ostracized because of their practicing necromancy, and shortly after the founding its ruler, the Imperator Kimaj Ni'Taal, attained lichdom. Kimaj has long since built up his small nation into a formidible military power, albeit much weaker than the combined forces of the Aleasani. The Odraani military is comprised primarily of undead, but they also have a small population of Shay who have been perverted to the Odraani ways and serve as assassins or spies.

 

[Conaill]

The rogue Odraani Imperium is a small nation along the mid-western edges of Aleasana, bordering the Faegrim, constantly under threat of attack by Fey and Aleasani. Odraani was founded long ago by Aleasani expatriates who had been ostracized because of their practicing necromancy, and shortly after the founding its ruler, the Imperator Kimaj Ni'Taal, attained lichdom. Kimaj has long since built up his small nation into a formidible military power, albeit much weaker than the combined forces of the Aleasani. The Odraani military is comprised primarily of undead, but they also have a small population of Shay who have been perverted to the Odraani ways and serve as assassins or spies.

[Editted to remove some less palatable elements - also check out the rules thread for a slight alteration to aligment rules for undead in Aleasana!]

Despite it's reputation, the Odraani Imperium contains a surprising number of Neutral and even Good-aligned undead, and overall could perhaps best be described as Lawful Neutral. Undead are granted the same rights as the living, and wander the streets with impunity.

Although the Fey typically stay out of mortal affairs in Aleasana, they consider undead an abomination, and there have been frequent but unorganized conflicts along the Odraani border.

 

[Sarellion]

@Conaill
Why should the Imperium be forced to expand? Their undead need no food or many other resources. If space is an issue, they could build upwards and create the first skyline of Aleasana.

 

[Conaill]

@Conaill
Why should the Imperium be forced to expand? Their undead need no food or many other resources. If space is an issue, they could build upwards and create the first skyline of Aleasana.

Yeah, I can just imagine the barrcaks for the undead army: rows upon rows of undead, stacked up like cordwood!

However, the intelligent undead are unlikely to settle for such an arrangement, and may demand more "living" space. Plus there's the fact that some of the undead feed on the living...

(Edit: changed the original post to "many Aleasani fear the steady growth of its undead population may force it to expand its territory".)

 

[Sarellion]

Raise up another city

The city of Cassant:

The city of Cassant has a proud history as the kings of Cassant made their home here, especially during the cold winter months when the castle of King´s Spire (the name of the castle where the throne is located) was a hell of a place to live in.

After the disappearance of the royal family and the whole population of Black Spire in the Night of Woe 400 years ago, the duke of Cassant became the Lord Steward of Aleasana until the War of Deadly Voices broke out. Cassant was sacked during this time and lost its prime positon as the kingdom broke apart.

Cassant was a former Dvergar city and the influence of the cunning stonemasons can be seen till today. The city is wedged between two mountain flanks on a plateau that descends in a gentle slope down the valley. With two of three sides well protected, a thick wall of stone protects the third side, overlooking the fields and pastures of Cassant. A wide trench is situated befor the wall. Two gates open into the city from the wall, three other gates open into the city from three mountain roads meeting here. The eastern one of them is King´s Gate, guarding the King´s Street leading into the city. The King´s Way outside of the gate leads to King´s Spire Castle.
The other two gates are the High Gate and the Steel Gate. The High Gate is situated between the mountain flanks and guards the northern way. In front of the outside of the northern gate is a large chasm the dvergar bridged over with a sturdy stone bridge. The bridge can be destroyed via a mechanism in the gate house but the Cassanti would do this only as a last defense mechanism, as they can´t rebuild such a fine bridge.

The Steel Gate guards the western way which is actually a long tunnel. The tunnel widens into a large hall before the gate and the dvergar dug a large trnech there in front of the gate. The tunnel had a dvergar bridge, too, but this one and the gatehouse were destroyed in the War of Deadly Voices. A drawbridge now spans the trench.

The city itself looks quite grim. Buildings are built using the dark stone of the surrounding countryside, Cassanti prefer dark and grey colors and the humour of the inhabitants is rather dry. People say that the city was once much more beautiful with gardens and parks, painted houses and fine statues of the kings displayed in the city, but this days are long past.

The palace of the king stands near the wall of the western mountain. Built using marble, red and beige stone, the palace looks much more friendly than the rest of the city.
Behind the palace is the High Citadel, a huge fortress hewn from the stone of the mountain itself, with large caverns built by the former owners. Long battlements line the clifflike mountainside, where the royal guard looks out for trouble coming from the south and mighty enchanted catapults are stationed to crush the enemy. The citadel was never taken by an enemy during the reign of man and gave sanctuary to the population as the city was destroyed in the last war.

The eastern mountain a steep slope upwards but is not a cliff like his twin on the other side. On the slope of the mountain stands the Royal Academy of Wizardry, the last one remaining in the realm from the time of kings. The academy also uses caverns in the mountain side to house their laboratories. As these caverns are very sturdy, no amount of explosions have ever done anything more than shaking the walls and dusting the inhabitants.
The academy is built on terraces and has many towers, buildings, courtyards and small gardens on the terraces. Like the High Citadel the academy never fell to outside forces, due to the ancient wards placed on the institution.

 

[Arkhandus]

Just to point out, liches are evil and a "rogue empire" could hardly be considered a peaceful power. Most undead (at least most intelligent ones) are by default evil, anyway.... And it's highly doubtful they would have been forced out of Aleasana's prime nation for practicing necromancy if it were just a peaceful thing (after all, there's no reason to animate the dead, as opposed to Raising them (which is no more difficult for priests at least), except to use them as minions). It's very unlikely that Odraani has no animosity or plans of expansion into Aleasana, and it's very likely that they get their undead forces by animating corpses from Aleasani graveyards and such.

 

[Conaill]

Just to point out, liches are evil and a "rogue empire" could hardly be considered a peaceful power. Most undead (at least most intelligent ones) are by default evil, anyway...

Yes, I know all of that. Just thought Aleasana would be a more interesting place if we go against the cliches a bit.

Guess I could just have said "intelligent undead do not need to be evil in Aleasani"... would you be happier with that?

 

[Lalato]

Just to point out, liches are evil and a "rogue empire" could hardly be considered a peaceful power. Most undead (at least most intelligent ones) are by default evil, anyway.... And it's highly doubtful they would have been forced out of Aleasana's prime nation for practicing necromancy if it were just a peaceful thing (after all, there's no reason to animate the dead, as opposed to Raising them (which is no more difficult for priests at least), except to use them as minions). It's very unlikely that Odraani has no animosity or plans of expansion into Aleasana, and it's very likely that they get their undead forces by animating corpses from Aleasani graveyards and such.

I read it more like that's what the Shay Odraani ambassador says when he travels to other Aleasani city-states. It's just lip service while his cohorts scour the graveyards to raise undead and smuggle them back to the Imperium...

That said... in the Eberron campaign setting there are good aligned undead. They are called "Deathless". They are powered by positive energy instead of negative. So it would be possible to have an internal struggle in the Odraani Imperium between the negative energy factions and the positive energy factions.

--sam

 

[Rhialto]

The city of Bandesh-Thar lies to the south of Cassant, on the Eastern half of Aleasana. Like Cassant it is a former Dvergar city, though its construction favors sloping walls and rounded edges, a rather unique property in dwarven construction. The buildings of Bandesh-Thar are breathtaking in their loveliness, with the most lovely being the glittering Ruby Palace.

For centuries, Bandesh-Thar served as the holy city of the Church of Dar, the ancient faith of the Asani people. Its lord was the Dominus, High Priest of the Church, and Protector of the Faith. But as the Aleasani lived among the Shay, the Dvergar, and other influences, the power of the Church waned, as Aleasani began to worship other forces. The attitude of the priests became increasingly militant, inflexible, and xenophobic. It was this that would create the tragedy of the War of Deadly Voices.

At the time of the Night of Woe, the Dominus of Bandesh-Thar was Gojerus Alsea, brother to the King. Gojerus was an embittered, tempermental man, who had joined the Church both out of piety, and because of his hatred and resentment for his brother. Gojerus had proven a brilliant theologian and excellent politician, and had easily risen to the top of the Church. However, his radical stances had soon made him a persona non grata at his brother's court--indeed, by the time of the Night of Woe, he was under a year-long ban, and could not attend court, or speak on it--a situation which had increased conflict between Church and State. When Gojerus heard of his brother's death, he immediately called up his holy guard, and marched on Cassant, expecting to be made king. However, once there, he found the city Gates shut on him. When he demanded the city be opened for him, the Lord Steward Rythin Valeris refused, stating that no man could be both King and Dominus--and that a murderer could not be either. (Rythin was referring to a rumor, perhaps true, that the Night of Woe had been engineered by Gojerus.) Angered by this percieved insolence, Gojerus had his troops attack the city, and in a pointed effort to purge the city of Elvish influences, had Cassant's gardens, statues, and decorations destroyed. The razing went on for twenty-five days, while Valeris's men held the castle, at which point allies arrived from Annit and Altania, and fought the Dominus's forces off, thus beginning the War of Deadly Voices.