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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Creamsteak" data-source="post: 3916452" data-attributes="member: 552">HISTORYIn the shadows of the great western mountains lies a tragic nation devastated by war and poisoned by the would-be nobles holding false claims on ravaged manors and overgrown fields. Eight years ago, an army of giants and savage humanoids surged from the mountain crags, conquering the land's armies and capturing its haunted capital, the star-crossed city of Istivin. Istivin: the City of Shadows, holds many secrets.Istivin lies at the political and geographical heart of this region. The nation's capital since its founding nearly 800 years ago, Istivin is the hereditary seat of the House Qualtaine, modest rulers largely content to enjoy the wealth of vast mining operations in the nearby Jotens and Vesper Mountains. Maintaining those mines often meant cutting through tribes of savage humanoids and giants, however, and these struggles brought turmoil to the region for eight centuries. With its soarign walls and sturdy keep, Istivin and its citizens weathered many brutal incursions over the years.Then, eighteen years ago, Istivin fell under attack from a wholly unanticipated opponent, the Demon Queen. An immense black hemisphere of eldritch energy appeared over Krelont Keep and much of the city's central square, completely cutting off the government and constabulary housed within. Brave citizens were able to cross through the energy barrier, but none returned from its inky depths. Worse, the hemisphere expanded slowly, every day engulfing more of the city.At the same time, organized raids by giant-led savage humanoids surged into the lowlands, hitting the nation's border forts with devastating effect. Only the timely intervention of brave and powerful heroes destroyed the giant threat. Ten years ago, mountain dwarves from the southwest sent warning to Istivin of a new giant and savage humanoid force gathering near the mountain headwaters of the Davish River. Soon thereafter, contact with the dwarfholds ceased altogether. Istivin moved against the threatening incursion but failed to anticipate the speed and ferocity with which the assault would come. The nations unprepared and undermanned border forts buckled under the fierce assault, and many of their surviving soldiers fled to the interior to defend the capital. The western baronies fell quickly as the forces of the Giant King marched for Istivin. Overmatched and unprepared, Earl Querchard ordered a complete evacuation. Less than a decade after the black hemisphere, Istivin had fallen.Humbled, Earl Querchard fled to a neighboring elven kingdom. Istivin and the surrounding countryside became a vassal-state. The ruler of the neighboring kingdom felt some responsibility for the fall of Istivin. He promoted Querchard to the title of marquis, and installed the ruler as the head of a vast army of reclamation that struck back against the giants eight years ago. When the blooded army hacked its way to Istivin, they discovered a completely abandoned capital, with no sign of the Giant King or his savage host. The city's ancient buildings remained almost wholly intact, unlike the other conquered settlements. A puzzled Querchard resumed his position of rulership in Krelont Keep and set to the task of liberating the whole of the land.Within two years, all of the nation had been reclaimed, but true peace never came. A shadow of dread and disquiet had fallen over Istivin. Tempers flared more easily, and deadly accidents occured with regularity. Foul nightmares began to haunt the populace, and more and more of Istivin's folk found themselves caged in the city's asylums. Other citizens vanished altogether, including the marquis himself, gone now for four years.DEITIESThe people of Istivin worship the following 5 deities: Allimon, The Prince of Swords, The Shield Maiden, The Stonewife, and The Great Guildmaster. These are the five most common, but certainly not exclusive.Allimon: LG god of Good, Knowledge, and Law. Few in Istivin attend regular services of Allimon, but most acknowledge the wisdom of his teachings.The Prince of Swords: N god of Travel and War. The god of the sublime way (book of nine swords. Said to espouse balance between the four dooms (good, evil, chaos, and law). It is a violation of the faith's code to use a weapon other than a sword or crossbow.The Shield Maiden: LG deity of Good, Law, Protection, and War. The valkyrie god of protection is popular among the youth. She seems to be an adaption of an elvish deity that took root in the youth of Istivin when they were displaced.The Stonewife: LG deity of Earth, Good, and Law. This deity is of dwarven origin, and has been adapted by the cultures of Istivin for many years. Dwarf refugees from the giant invasions make up the majority of her worshipers.The Great Guildmaster: LN deity of Knowledge, Law, and Trickery. The god of personal improvement through accumulation of wealth and political influence. As such, worship seems common among merchants and nobles.</blockquote>

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