Creative Exercise--Aleasana
- Thread starter Rhialto
- Start date
Well... I'd prefer not to, really. I was going for a differnt feel. Barizar is a decadent place where anything can be had and decidedly Aleasanan, while Arber's a frontier of another culture that has become an armed camp and merc central. In Barizar slaves, narcotics, and other items of that nature change hands, while Arber now serves mainly as a waypoint for weaoponry and mercs, either on their way into the war, or waiting to contacted to be hired for work. Though if everyone else figures that it's too superfluos...I dunno.
Arkhandus
First Post
I'd suggest placing it northwest, where it's cold but no moreso than in the City-State of Volg. The Faegrim's islands stretch unknowably far westward, and likely would not be safely settle-able by non-Fae. Hrmm..... The Minor Creation spell IIRC can create a significant amount of wood that'll last a few hours I think, but I don't recall exactly; could be used to produce plenty of firewood to keep the government buildings warm at least.
Arkhandus
First Post
To build on an early post from the first page, and get back to the simpler roots........
Kulrick Ironclaw, leader of the Dvergar mercenary company known as the Storm Crows, is a mighty wizard as well as a skilled master of the Dvergar waraxe, who trained in one of the most prestigious Dvergar academies during his youth. He went on to serve in his city's military for over twenty years before one fateful day.
As Kulrick's elite platoon took up a new assignment guarding the Dvergar stronghold-city Öbergeitz, site of the Dvergar's treasury in the Great Vault, Kulrick was approached by a strange Dvergar wanderer. Kulrick spent much time conversing, drinking, and carousing with the visitor over the months that followed, and held council with the visitor often where his soldiers could not overhear. He grew pale and his beard graying even though he was still only a young man by Dvergar terms, Kulrick's eyes becoming a vile green hue and his voice rasping. Then he started to bring some of his men to these councils, and convinced them he and the visitor were fine...... Eventually he had his entire unit attending these semi-secret councils, and all underwent the same changes as Kulrick. When next his lord commander came to Öbergeitz for an inspection and the intention of cycling Kulrick's unit back out to the field, Kulrick refused to open the gates for the lord commander, provoking a scathing match of shouting until Kulrick disintegrated the lord commander with a spell.
Horrified and aghast, the new garrison troops that had accompanied the lord commander assaulted the stronghold-city, and within another month, Öbergeitz was in flames. Dvergar units moved into the city under the resurrected lord commander (at the behest of an ally in the Koschei church), and burrowed their way in as other units broke through the walls with long and grueling work. Dvergar warmages destroyed many of Kulrick Ironclaw's soldiers and did most of the work breaking the walls, after which soldiers charged in and forced Öbergeitz back under proper Dvergar rule.
When they sought out Kulrick Ironclaw and his lieutenants, they found half of Kulrick's unit had fled the city already and taken all they could carry from the Great Vault, Kulrick himself gone with them. What remained of his unit was slaughtered, and condemned by the church of Koschei, for citizens in the city claimed Kulrick had been visited by a stranger who taught him horrid rites, leading Kulrick and his men to blaspheme against the Dvergar patron god, Koschei. The stranger was never found, and does not appear to be in contact with Kulrick Ironclaw any longer. Kulrick gathered Dvergar misfits, rebels, orphans, psychos, and other downtrodden or mentally-unstable folk to later form his mercenary unit the Storm Crows, as he fled to travel central and western Aleasana, away from his kin.
Kulrick and his unit are not only feared and reviled by Aleasani and Shay, but also by the rest of Dvergar society. Still he gathers more Dvergar to his banners, though infrequently, sometimes striking out at Dvergar cities in central Aleasana to slay the leaders and try convincing the others to join him now that he has freed them from corrupt rule. Kulrick and his men are rowdy and fierce, boisterous and drunken often, but still quite deadly and skilled. All are inducted to Kulrick's strange rites and blasphemes, supposedly devoted to some vile, bloodthirsty, and decadent god of chaos or the like, but anyone who asks or jeers Kulrick about it soon finds themselves a head shorter. Although Kulrick and his lieutenants have not shown any divine powers from this supposed blaspheming, a few of Kulrick's other men do seem to wield such power, and serve the mercenary company as combat healers and diviners, aiding Kulrick in his strategizing.
Whereas other Dvergar are grim and dour like their deity Koschei, the Storm Crows under Kulrick Ironclaw are frighteningly mirthful and jesting, with a macabre sense of humor that makes others wonder if the Storm Crows are mocking them, threatening them, or just joking around. Storm Crows revel in death and slaughter, some laughing and others roaring as they fight, a few insane ones even cawing like crows. Whereas the cannibalism of Juni is rumored moreso than observed by others, Kulrick's Dvergar openly feast upon their fallen foes when a battle is won. Storm Crow mercenary contracts are difficult to wrangle if the employer wants them to swear not to defile the dead in this way, and it is just as difficult to make the Storm Crows consent to not robbing the dead of their possessions. Storm Crows are copious spenders in taverns, brothels, bloodsport arenas, gambling houses, and the like.
JimAde said:
Kulrick Ironclaw, leader of the Dvergar mercenary company known as the Storm Crows, is a mighty wizard as well as a skilled master of the Dvergar waraxe, who trained in one of the most prestigious Dvergar academies during his youth. He went on to serve in his city's military for over twenty years before one fateful day.
As Kulrick's elite platoon took up a new assignment guarding the Dvergar stronghold-city Öbergeitz, site of the Dvergar's treasury in the Great Vault, Kulrick was approached by a strange Dvergar wanderer. Kulrick spent much time conversing, drinking, and carousing with the visitor over the months that followed, and held council with the visitor often where his soldiers could not overhear. He grew pale and his beard graying even though he was still only a young man by Dvergar terms, Kulrick's eyes becoming a vile green hue and his voice rasping. Then he started to bring some of his men to these councils, and convinced them he and the visitor were fine...... Eventually he had his entire unit attending these semi-secret councils, and all underwent the same changes as Kulrick. When next his lord commander came to Öbergeitz for an inspection and the intention of cycling Kulrick's unit back out to the field, Kulrick refused to open the gates for the lord commander, provoking a scathing match of shouting until Kulrick disintegrated the lord commander with a spell.
Horrified and aghast, the new garrison troops that had accompanied the lord commander assaulted the stronghold-city, and within another month, Öbergeitz was in flames. Dvergar units moved into the city under the resurrected lord commander (at the behest of an ally in the Koschei church), and burrowed their way in as other units broke through the walls with long and grueling work. Dvergar warmages destroyed many of Kulrick Ironclaw's soldiers and did most of the work breaking the walls, after which soldiers charged in and forced Öbergeitz back under proper Dvergar rule.
When they sought out Kulrick Ironclaw and his lieutenants, they found half of Kulrick's unit had fled the city already and taken all they could carry from the Great Vault, Kulrick himself gone with them. What remained of his unit was slaughtered, and condemned by the church of Koschei, for citizens in the city claimed Kulrick had been visited by a stranger who taught him horrid rites, leading Kulrick and his men to blaspheme against the Dvergar patron god, Koschei. The stranger was never found, and does not appear to be in contact with Kulrick Ironclaw any longer. Kulrick gathered Dvergar misfits, rebels, orphans, psychos, and other downtrodden or mentally-unstable folk to later form his mercenary unit the Storm Crows, as he fled to travel central and western Aleasana, away from his kin.
Kulrick and his unit are not only feared and reviled by Aleasani and Shay, but also by the rest of Dvergar society. Still he gathers more Dvergar to his banners, though infrequently, sometimes striking out at Dvergar cities in central Aleasana to slay the leaders and try convincing the others to join him now that he has freed them from corrupt rule. Kulrick and his men are rowdy and fierce, boisterous and drunken often, but still quite deadly and skilled. All are inducted to Kulrick's strange rites and blasphemes, supposedly devoted to some vile, bloodthirsty, and decadent god of chaos or the like, but anyone who asks or jeers Kulrick about it soon finds themselves a head shorter. Although Kulrick and his lieutenants have not shown any divine powers from this supposed blaspheming, a few of Kulrick's other men do seem to wield such power, and serve the mercenary company as combat healers and diviners, aiding Kulrick in his strategizing.
Whereas other Dvergar are grim and dour like their deity Koschei, the Storm Crows under Kulrick Ironclaw are frighteningly mirthful and jesting, with a macabre sense of humor that makes others wonder if the Storm Crows are mocking them, threatening them, or just joking around. Storm Crows revel in death and slaughter, some laughing and others roaring as they fight, a few insane ones even cawing like crows. Whereas the cannibalism of Juni is rumored moreso than observed by others, Kulrick's Dvergar openly feast upon their fallen foes when a battle is won. Storm Crow mercenary contracts are difficult to wrangle if the employer wants them to swear not to defile the dead in this way, and it is just as difficult to make the Storm Crows consent to not robbing the dead of their possessions. Storm Crows are copious spenders in taverns, brothels, bloodsport arenas, gambling houses, and the like.
Isslen males are large and agressive, if somewhat unwieldy and clumsy. Each male is usually part of what non-Isslen refer to as a 'harem', a group of potential mates that serve a matriarch. (Isslen call it a 'Sss-sekln-henith', a word non-Isslen can, as a rule, not say.) Men outnumber women greatly among the Isslen, and each harem sees a great deal of competition among its members to serve their matriarch the best. In this way, they hope to be chosen as her clutchmate for the season, so that they may sire children on her, to continue their line. While there are a hundred small ways to get into a matriarch's good graces, tradition demands that an Isslen male prove himself by gathering the most attractive jewels he can, and then bringing them to his matriarch to line her nest with. The male whose display of precious gems is most impressive becomes the matriarch's clutchmate.
There are, of course, many ways to get jewels. One has always been to raid for the jewels. In this way, the Isslen have proved a nuisance to Aleasani, Shay, Bodai, and even each other. However, some cunning Bodai traders realized they could preserve the precious stones they got from the Juni by hiring some Isslen as mercenaries to protect their hordes. This introduced the lizardfolk to an intriguing new concept--trade. Now many young lizardmen go east to serve as soldiers, muscle, and even entertainers, in return for precious stones. A few matriarchs have even relocated their nests to the cities, to make such arrangements easier--most however stay in the Faegrim Marsh, suspicious of the scaleless ones, and clinging to at least some semblance of the old ways.
The influx of Isslen has caused many scholars to become quite familiar with them. According to Val Saldis, the great Altanian sage--"The male Isslen is, by nature, a vain, impulsive creature, incapable of detailed planning. It is to the females they look. Despite being quite larger than their women, the lizardmen are as pliable to the calm, intelligent matriachs as a child towards its mother, and are even known to credit them with supernatural powers, and as the living mouthpieces of the folk's strange gods."
Those merchants who think it easy to take advantage of the primitive Isslen by offering them shiny rocks often find themselves on the bad end of the deal instead. Although males are not too bright, the females are another story. And the Matriarch always does any negotiations for her harem. It is often said that after shaking hands with a Matriarch to seal a deal, it's best to count one's fingers.
The discovery of trade by the Isslen is largely unappreciated by the Bodai, Aleasanan, and Fae communities bordering their territory. In addition to crystals and jewels, metal weapons and armor; much superior the the wood, stone, and hide equipment they can make themselves; have been making their way into the swamps. In addition to the jewels that were usually all that were taken, some have learned to also take the useless, if pretty metals like gold and silver that mammals desire so much.
Another trade good is Isslen artwork. They craft a variey of sculptures or intricate items with available material. This craftwork, often quite beatiful, has became something of a fashion amongst Aleasanans. They also trade a variety of plants that grow in their swamps. These include herbs with medicinal or cosmetic properties, a variety of vivid dyes (Which the Isslen usually use to tatoo themselves), poisons, delicacies, and a potent narcotic known as Rainbow Moss that is rapidly increasing in popularity. They also trade some animals they capture with their tranquilyzing poisons, most notably a rather brightly colored species of bird known as Laughing Jewels with a talent for mimicry. It is also in vogue with nobility-and the criminal class. How does a bird with such visible plumage survive in the drab swamp without being eaten? By having horrifically poisonous feathers.
The discovery of trade by the Isslen is largely unappreciated by the Bodai, Aleasanan, and Fae communities bordering their territory. In addition to crystals and jewels, metal weapons and armor; much superior the the wood, stone, and hide equipment they can make themselves; have been making their way into the swamps. In addition to the jewels that were usually all that were taken, some have learned to also take the useless, if pretty metals like gold and silver that mammals desire so much.
Another trade good is Isslen artwork. They craft a variey of sculptures or intricate items with available material. This craftwork, often quite beatiful, has became something of a fashion amongst Aleasanans. They also trade a variety of plants that grow in their swamps. These include herbs with medicinal or cosmetic properties, a variety of vivid dyes (Which the Isslen usually use to tatoo themselves), poisons, delicacies, and a potent narcotic known as Rainbow Moss that is rapidly increasing in popularity. They also trade some animals they capture with their tranquilyzing poisons, most notably a rather brightly colored species of bird known as Laughing Jewels with a talent for mimicry. It is also in vogue with nobility-and the criminal class. How does a bird with such visible plumage survive in the drab swamp without being eaten? By having horrifically poisonous feathers.
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Arkhandus
First Post
A rare poison in Aleasana, favored by the Black Fist Brotherhood and the Ghost Warriors alike, is the swift and deadly Shadowheart Extract. Shadowheart Extract is derived from the sap of a rare variety of mahogany tree, which grows in certain parts of southern Aleasana and also in the northern reaches of Ur'Sai. This sap, from the dark red-brown heartwood of these rare mahoganies, is mixed with the watery oil of the uncommon Forrak herb found in mountainous heights, to produce the sticky Shadowheart Extract, involving a short and careful process of mixing the right amount of sap with a properly small (but not insignificant) bit of the oil and boiled briefly.
Shadowheart Extract is a fast-acting contact poison that turns the flesh black at the point of contact, reaching the nerves and triggering a debilitating series of surges in the nervous system. This stuns the victim first, then causes death after several moments of spasmodic convulsions, when the Shadowheart Extract destroys nerves controlling the heart and lungs, putting them to a stop. The process is excruciating but the victim cannot scream because their voicebox doesn't work properly while the poison takes effect, and the lungs cease drawing in air except in brief, rapid breaths before the lungs fail altogether and death occurs.
Shadowheart Extract is only used for especially important assassinations, for it is quite expensive and rare, and perhaps the deadliest poison known in Aleasana. It is illegal everywhere, even in the "Wicked City" of Barizar. The Ghost Warriors of the Shay acquired some of the poison long ago from an Urukh of Ur'Sai, whose family had passed the secret down for generations before his capture, torture, and execution. However, one of that Urukh's great-uncles knew the secret as well and, though he had no children to pass it on to, he entrusted the secret with a friend that he trusted. Mistakenly as it happens, for that friend was actually a Black Fist Brother, and decided to share the secret with his master, who made a record of the poison's composition and properties. The Brotherhood does not seem to find poison dishonorable, though Ur'Sai in general considers it dishonorable; the Brotherhood says that its greater understanding of the Universal Truths is why they don't believe it dishonorable to use poison.
((In game terms, Shadowheart Extract has 1 minute of stunning for primary damage, then death as the secondary damage, with a Fortitude save DC of 20; it is a contact poison and costs 6,000 gold pieces per dose, for it is even more lethal and rare than Black Lotus Extract. The tree that it is drawn from is notoriously fickle and does not survive outside of its most ideal environment, while the poison itself degrades into impotence within a month of its extraction, resisting preservation beyond that point. A single tree of the needed type can, if harvested all at once, provide half a dozen doses of the poison, but this takes all the sap and kills the tree. One dose of Shadowheart Extract is somewhat larger and thicker than more typical poisons.))
Shadowheart Extract is a fast-acting contact poison that turns the flesh black at the point of contact, reaching the nerves and triggering a debilitating series of surges in the nervous system. This stuns the victim first, then causes death after several moments of spasmodic convulsions, when the Shadowheart Extract destroys nerves controlling the heart and lungs, putting them to a stop. The process is excruciating but the victim cannot scream because their voicebox doesn't work properly while the poison takes effect, and the lungs cease drawing in air except in brief, rapid breaths before the lungs fail altogether and death occurs.
Shadowheart Extract is only used for especially important assassinations, for it is quite expensive and rare, and perhaps the deadliest poison known in Aleasana. It is illegal everywhere, even in the "Wicked City" of Barizar. The Ghost Warriors of the Shay acquired some of the poison long ago from an Urukh of Ur'Sai, whose family had passed the secret down for generations before his capture, torture, and execution. However, one of that Urukh's great-uncles knew the secret as well and, though he had no children to pass it on to, he entrusted the secret with a friend that he trusted. Mistakenly as it happens, for that friend was actually a Black Fist Brother, and decided to share the secret with his master, who made a record of the poison's composition and properties. The Brotherhood does not seem to find poison dishonorable, though Ur'Sai in general considers it dishonorable; the Brotherhood says that its greater understanding of the Universal Truths is why they don't believe it dishonorable to use poison.
((In game terms, Shadowheart Extract has 1 minute of stunning for primary damage, then death as the secondary damage, with a Fortitude save DC of 20; it is a contact poison and costs 6,000 gold pieces per dose, for it is even more lethal and rare than Black Lotus Extract. The tree that it is drawn from is notoriously fickle and does not survive outside of its most ideal environment, while the poison itself degrades into impotence within a month of its extraction, resisting preservation beyond that point. A single tree of the needed type can, if harvested all at once, provide half a dozen doses of the poison, but this takes all the sap and kills the tree. One dose of Shadowheart Extract is somewhat larger and thicker than more typical poisons.))
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