Creative Exercise--Aleasana

[Tonguez]

The Dragons of Aeasana form their own society seperate from other races with their own laws and customs. Little is known of their rulers except that they are called The Council of Elements. The dragons are holding themselves aloof from the current conflict, and claim to be forbidden from contracting as mercenaries although it is know they have done this in the past. Dragons are feared because the death of a dragon is often met with organized and ruthless reprisals, other times the Dragons have investigated and declared the death just. No non-dragon knows what criteria they use to judge...

The Dragon Bishnagar has recently established a trade in protection of valuable goods (including Iron and gold) with many merchants and city-states placing their valuables in his care in return for a Dragon-Marked Credit Note (discounted by 10%, the tithe claimed by the Dragon as payment)

These 'Drakemarks' have become tradable and many transactions between city-states, and other welathy organisations are facilitated through the exchange of Drakemarks rather than hard currency

 

[Rhialto]

I just want to say I think the quasi-Oriental mixed with pseudo-Celtic feel this has taken on is really, really neat.

 

[JimAde]

The Dragon Bishnagar has recently established a trade in protection of valuable goods (including Iron and gold) with many merchants and city-states placing their valuables in his care in return for a Dragon-Marked Credit Note (discounted by 10%, the tithe claimed by the Dragon as payment)

These 'Drakemarks' have become tradable and many transactions between city-states, and other welathy organisations are facilitated through the exchange of Drakemarks rather than hard currency

While this would seem to invite forgery, the problem has not yet become significant. One forgery has been found, but it was traced back to an unscrupulous merchant. As best the authorities can tell, the perpetrator was rather messily eaten several hours before their arrival.

 

[Conaill]

According to the Duergar, all iron comes from the blood of their grim, grey god Koschei the Deathless, a gift to his children as he was driven away from the land by the other gods. While this does explain while dwarves are unaffected by iron, it does nothing to explain human's resistance to the metal...

(Just thought it made more sense for the mystical race known for its metalworking to be immune to iron...)

Just a clarification... do you intend *all* dwarves to be immune to the effects of iron, or only the duergar? I would prefer regular dwarves would not be immune to iron, because it makes the king of Cassan's enslaving of dwarves to mine iron that much more heinous.

I originally also left open the option that orcs and/or half-orcs might be immune to iron as well. I'd prefer not to have too many exceptions. Let's say just humans and duergar are immune, not other dwarves, orcs, or 1/2 orcs.

 

[Lalato]

Whereas the Eastern coast of Aleasana is rocky and rather inhospitable, in the West the mountains descend down into a dense forest, which gradually turns into a marsh, and then breaks up into an infinite number of islands. This is Faegrim, the realm of the Fae. No accurate maps exist, and it is said that the geography keeps changing day by day. All manner of fey abound, and although most are not openly hostile to intruders, they do prefer to be left alone, and can have a truly vicious sense of humor. Beware of Fae hospitality, because nothing is ever given for free. You are expected to know the rules, but none will explain them (and who knows they won't have changed the next day).

At the southern edge of the Faegrim where the marsh turns to the grassland home of the Bodai live the Isslen, commonly known as lizardfolk. Their raids often strike deep into Bodai and Fae territory, but they quickly recede back to the swamps with their loot. Neither the Bodai nor the Fae have made any large scale efforts to attack the lizardfolk as it is commonly believed that they live under the protection of dragons. This is likely untrue, but the rumors persist nonetheless.

 

[Sarellion]

Just a clarification... do you intend *all* dwarves to be immune to the effects of iron, or only the duergar? I would prefer regular dwarves would not be immune to iron, because it makes the king of Cassan's enslaving of dwarves to mine iron that much more heinous.

I originally also left open the option that orcs and/or half-orcs might be immune to iron as well. I'd prefer not to have too many exceptions. Let's say just humans and duergar are immune, not other dwarves, orcs, or 1/2 orcs.

As far as I know the name duergar is the name for all the dwarves in the setting. So he probably meant all dwarves.

 

[Arkhandus]

Just a clarification... do you intend *all* dwarves to be immune to the effects of iron, or only the duergar? I would prefer regular dwarves would not be immune to iron, because it makes the king of Cassan's enslaving of dwarves to mine iron that much more heinous.

I originally also left open the option that orcs and/or half-orcs might be immune to iron as well. I'd prefer not to have too many exceptions. Let's say just humans and duergar are immune, not other dwarves, orcs, or 1/2 orcs.

Duergar is the term being used to describe all dwarves of Aleasana, just as Shay is being used to describe all elves. No distinction between subraces has been made, so best not assume that there are any such subraces. Not until it's established through some contribution as to whether or not the subraces exist. Not really important right now anyway.

BTW, the wording in that post though should be changed to say that dwarves/duergar are immune to the special effects that iron has on most other races. Certainly they shouldn't be immune to iron swords and such. :^D

 

[Arkhandus]

While this would seem to invite forgery, the problem has not yet become significant. One forgery has been found, but it was traced back to an unscrupulous merchant. As best the authorities can tell, the perpetrator was rather messily eaten several hours before their arrival.

Forging Drake-Marks proves rather difficult to perfect, since the dragon uses a special Arcane Mark on each Drake-Mark with the special condition that it glows red when exposed to moonlight. For this reason, trade of Drake-Marks is more likely to occur at night than in the day, to better avoid forgeries. However, the moonlight-induced glow was only very recently made known, as the dragon did not appreciate learning that people had tried forging copies of its goods.

 

[Andor]

The city of Gow'Klas is famed for the accent of it's inhabitants which is almost impenetrable to outsiders. While everyone agrees the accent is distinct no two people seem to agree on what it sounds like. A few have speculated that the city is under a curse, but it's inhabitants insist they are the only ones who speak common properly.

 

[Rhialto]

Umm, yes. Duergar are all dwarves. Also, as to make things clear, I was suggesting that dwarves are the immune race instead of Urukhs, not as well as them.