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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Libertad" data-source="post: 9759023" data-attributes="member: 6750502">Chapter 3: Factions of the Apocalypse<img src="https://i.imgur.com/i9ZlknT.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 679px" />Image from Oathmark: Battles of the Lost AgeArmies of Reorx: Although they acknowledge and respect the other gods, Reorx had a special place among the dwarven peoples of Ansalon. Even after the Cataclysm they remained devout by keeping their temples standing and and forges lit, hoping that their patron deity would return. From the kingdom of Thorbardin to the scattered communities of hill dwarves, Reorx's return during the War of the Lance was met with joy, not unlike the arrival of a long-gone friend or family member. When Reorx died at Raistlin's hands, this caused an existential dread. The Magegod not only killed a beloved leader, he also forevermore killed all hope of future opportunities of the great works they could accomplish under his guidance.It would be simple to view the Armies of Reorx as being driven by revenge. And they are, but they're also driven by an artisan's mindset: it took countless eons for the gods to create the world and guide mortals to greatness. But like the Kingpriest and Dragonarmies, it is all too easy to destroy all that progress in but a metaphorical instant. The Armies say that they don't just fight to avenge their god, but to prevent Raistlin and his followers from destroying a world meticulously crafted by divine hands.The Armies of Reorx are a coalition of allied clans and kingdoms, drawing much of their structure from the dwarven armies of the Whitestone forces. Despite being heavily dwarven-influenced, the Armies of Reorx allow other races to join their number, especially gnomes, using religion as their uniting factor. Most of their members and funding come from the Kingdom of Thorbardin, but they also have support from Kayolin, with established hill dwarf communities serving as above-ground transportation and logistics. The Zhakar dwarves of Thoradin are the exception, having largely abandoned the gods during the Age of Despair and reluctant to worship them again after their return. The Armies of Reorx seek to make appeals to Thoradin in hopes of using their location for easier access through the Khalkist Mountains of central Ansalon, but the Zhakar's scattered and disorganized numbers makes it difficult to form any reliable deals with the kingdom as a whole.<img src="https://i.imgur.com/YZDWql0.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 332px" />Image of Van Hal from Warhammer FantasyChurch of Chemosh: Traditionally, Chemosh's worshipers operated in secret, largely appealing to power-hungry necromancers and anti-social misers who feared death and wanted to inflict it on others. Unlike the other Gods of Darkness, the Lord of Bones is much more deceptive about his negative qualities. Takhisis openly embraces domination of others; Sargonnas is usually turned to by people in their darkest moments in their desire for vengeance; Morgion exalts the suffering of all, including his own followers; Zeboim is appeased by non-evil sailors and those living on or near the sea, but even then it's more of a protection racket than genuine devotion. Chemosh's doctrine, by contrast, claims that he is a benevolent deity willing to share harsh truths about reality: that there is nothing beyond death, and that immortality through undeath is the only sure way to ensure one's continued existence.With Krynn's doom becoming more and more true every day, Chemosh's lies are all the more tempting. How powerful can the rest of the gods be, if a single mortal is capable of destroying them? What if Chemosh is right, and there really is nothing after death? When magestorms and shards of fallen moons are wiping out farmland, wilderness, and cities in equal measure, undeath can look like a mercy in comparison to the slow death of starvation and exposure. This is how even good-hearted and well-meaning people accept Chemosh's necromancers into their circles and communities, hoping that they can save themselves and their loved ones from the horrors to come.Although Raistlin will eventually discover Chemosh's treachery and defeat him as well, he is currently an accomplice to the Magegod's deicide. By absorbing the fallen gods' power to enrich his own portfolio. Chemosh is thus able to grant more power to his followers. Undead become more common during Ansalon's final years, brought about by residual magic and tragedy as well as deliberate necromancy, most evident in the rapid expansion of Nightland's deathly atmosphere.While one might think that the Church and the Raistlinites would be allies due to the alliance of their patrons, this isn't necessarily the case. On a practical level, both groups are made up of cult-like figures who view each other as competition for souls and resources. While the two groups might work together against a common foe, it's inevitable that they'll turn on each other, either by personality clashes or doctrinal differences.On an ideological level, Chemosh's worshipers view Ivel Batavos' claims of a chosen few being resurrected by lightstorms to be a hypothetical and risky gambit. They'd argue that undead have existed since time immemorial, and a resurrected mortal is still afflicted with the "weaknesses of the living" and will one day die of old age. The Raistlinites would counter that the Church of Chemosh is profiting off of tragedy, of ambitious necromancers seeking to turn others into their undead slaves with promises of safety and security.<img src="https://i.imgur.com/aV712Ke.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 531px" />Image taken from Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon QueenDragonarmy Remnants: A mere generation ago, the Dragon Empire seemed poised to become the pre-eminent superpower of Ansalon, its territory eclipsing even that of Istar. But it fell even faster after the death of not only its Emperor, but its patron goddess Takhisis. The Blue Lady's War saw the decimation of what remained of the Dragonarmies as a standing military, with only Barbarossa of the White Dragonarmy and Karalas of the Red Dragonarmy even bothering to keep the mantled title of Dragon Highlord.Surviving Dragonarmy soldiers who sought out new lives elsewhere, and the lucky ones whose crimes were pardoned, became soldiers reincorporated into local kingdoms and provinces. The iconography of Takhisis and color-coded metal armor can still be found among Ansalon's warriors, but they're not always worn by Dragonarmy veterans, as equipment is sold, stolen, and repurposed based on who is willing to make use of it. The death of Takhisis affected them in many ways; some moved on to worshiping other gods out of opportunism, others are still in shock and questioning their lives, some even renounce the gods entirely, and a few have joined the Raistlinites in believing that the Magegod is Ansalon's destined ruler.The Dragonarmy veterans who still cling to their old lifestyle exist as scattered groups of raiders, with the cities of Sanction and Neraka being the closest equivalents to traditional military structures. Groups who maintain their Dragonarmy titles seek to remind people of their once-feared status, such as Barbarossa and Karalas, but those who shorn their imperial ranks and titles often do so because they don't want to be connected to a dead ideology.Ex-Dragonarmy bandits are less likely to be diverse now than in the past. The Empire's collapse inflamed lingering resentment of the oft-mistreated goblinoids and draconians to strike out on their own, while ogres, dragons, and stronger monsters no longer saw the need to take orders from or look after their smaller fellow soldiers. Chromatic dragons no longer tolerate humanoid Dragon Highlords as the leaders of units, and are likely to seize leadership positions themselves. This is most evident in the city of Sanction, where the red dragon Harkiel the Bender is the uncontested leader of the soldiers there.The fallen status of the Dragonarmies should be portrayed as the last gasps of a dying breed, of the power-hungry desperately clinging to scraps. They're still grave threats to villages and towns, but never in enough numbers to shake the foundations of kingdoms and capital cities like in the old days. Their armor and weapons should be mismatched and improvised, their forces hiding out in ruins and remote outposts because they cannot rely on supply lines or reinforcements for larger campaigns. Its leaders are either aging officers unwilling to adapt to a changing world and continuing the only life they know, or freshly-promoted soldiers in over their heads due to the high turnover rate.<img src="https://i.imgur.com/OtwSzBE.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 438px" />Image taken from the Journals of Kaz the MinotaurGlory Voyagers: Minotaur society makes prominent use of duels and competitive sports for settling disputes and social advancement. Although what comes to mind the most is the Great Circus in the capital city of Lacynos, the Games can take place in spirit wherever there are two or more minotaurs that have something to prove.The Glory Voyages take this concept and apply it to the whole of Ansalon and beyond, where minotaurs embark on journeys around the world. Ranging from small bands of adventurers and explorers to sprawling fleets and caravans, the means of individual Voyagers can vary widely. But what unites them is the goal of bringing renown to the participating minotaurs and in so doing, strengthening their people.The most common kinds of Glory Voyages are those of adventurers and conquerors, using martial skill and talents to obtain power and riches. It is not uncommon for Voyagers to fight each other on opposing sides of a conflict, seeking to claim some prized patch of land or precious resource. So despite the Empire's tyrannical reputation and earlier alliance with the Dragonarmies, many Voyagers can be found working with those they fought against mere years ago.For a culture that exalts the community over the individual and has iron-clad rules for daily living, this can seem perplexing, even hypocritical, to outsiders. But it is a calculated move by the Empire. One, it helps channel the more individualistic and competitive urges of minotaurs away from entrenched power structures in Mithas and Kothas, directing them to foreign targets. Second, it helps the Empire leverage both soft and hard power: a Voyager who slays a vicious beast menacing a community is then indebted to the minotaur and their financial backers, while a fleet that establishes footing in a turbulent realm gives imperial ships a reliable port of entry and thus expands their reach. Thirdly, Voyagers are encouraged to return to the capital city and show off their wealth and deeds at the Games of the Great Circus, which ensures a steady flow of wealth back to the imperial heartland.But despite this seemingly stable plan, there is the not-so-hidden assumption that the greatest deed a Voyager can claim is to slay the Magegod Raistlin Majere. Such a victorious minotaur will surely claim the coveted position of Emperor and go down in history among names such as Bosigarni Es-Mithas and Kaziganthi de-Orilg. Chot Es-Kalin is confident in his people's ability to do the deed, not trusting a so-called Final Volume popularized by a "doom-saying Silvanesti, of all things." But he also wants to remain in power, and should a worthy contender arise among the Voyagers, he will take their place by force and bring down the cowardly mage who dared to challenge their god.<img src="https://i.imgur.com/aNkYXkx.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 569px" />Image taken from Knightly Orders of AnsalonKnights of Solamnia: Long vilified in their namesake land, the Knights of Solamnia regained much of their status during the War of the Lance. Sturm Brightblade's heroic death during the Battle of the High Clerist's Tower became a rallying point, and their victory against the Dragonarmies saw them welcomed in many lands. Furthermore, the updating of the Measure (the Knights' rules and guidelines) in 355 AC for changing times dispensed with many outdated and counterproductive rules. These changes came at just the right time, for a mere year later the Battle of Palanthas would change the world forever.The magestorm that wracked Palanthas, and subsequent magestorms sweeping across Solamnia, saw a great weakening of the Knights' strength in Ansalon. The production of Dragonlances and the aid of metallic dragons informally joining the order still make them a force to be reckoned with, but the chaotic times see a rapid turnover in membership as older veterans die and younger recruits fill the ranks. Oddly enough, morale is still high among the knighthood; their people fought and bled to be free of Takhisis' tyranny, and people got a first taste of a better tomorrow. Carrying the legacy of Sturm Brightblade and countless other fallen heroes, the Knights fight against the Raistlinites, Church of Chemosh, and other evils with a newfound valiance.The Knights of Solamnia are a hierarchical warrior society headquartered on the Isle of Sancrist, along with several major holdings in Solamnia proper. Smaller groups can be found across Ansalon, originally stationed as part of alliances with other Whitestone forces during the War of the Lance. Outside of major cities and fortresses in western Ansalon, the Knights often need to rely on their own numbers and talents without the expectation of reinforcements, and thus take pains to ingratiate themselves in local communities for mutual aid. Although human-dominated, the return of the metallic dragon clans saw more than a few wyrms becoming honorary Knights, often paired with a Dragonlance-wielding rider. While both species are still working out the kinks of mutual aerial combat and travel, the dragons proved a great asset as long-distance scouts and messengers. Many communities otherwise cut off from wider society depend on the Knights of Solamnia as a lifeline to the rest of Ansalon.<img src="https://i.imgur.com/EDsQmLg.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 351px" />Image taken from Pathfinder Lost Omens: Character GuidePreservers: The deaths of the gods Sirrion and Chislev came early in Raistlin's rise to power, dealing a deadly blow against practitioners of druidism and the creative arts. Mass destruction of civilization and wilderness alike in the days ahead saw countless species and works of art lost to the ages. The Preservers arose out of disparate druidic circles and alchemist guilds united by a common cause: to find, safeguard, and replicate the endangered and unique creations of Krynn before the Hourglass in the Sky is complete. Making use of Druidic, Thieves' Cant, and alchemical equations to serve as ciphers, they undertake dangerous missions into Ansalon's most at-risk locations. Helping academic visionaries flee war zones, recovering priceless art from the ruins of cities and noble estates, and warding wildlife preserves against marauders are but a few of their accomplishments.Preservers come from many races and walks of life, although their mysterious leadership known as the Elixirium hails from another world entirely. Long ago during the Age of Starbirth, a race of proto-fey known as huldrefolk mass-migrated to another plane of existence they refer to simply as "the Gray." Each huldrefolk has innate magical powers to exercise control over one of five domains of influence: the four elements, plus natural animals and plants. Some among their number chose to travel back to Krynn. They shared magical secrets with druids to make up for Chislev's loss, and taught others the building blocks of the four elements to achieve pseudo-magical effects by merely using what can already be found within nature. In exchange, the Preservers would bring certain creatures, objects, and even people to the mysterious standing stones that act as portals to the Gray, which they claim to be a safer place than the dying Material Plane.Not everyone is necessarily trusting of the huldrefolk, and no outsiders have managed to learn specifics about the Gray. But with the lingering threat of annihilation and the end of history, many Preservers feel that they have little choice but to risk the unknown. So far, the Elixirium has been good as their word, and in a few cases managed to replicate once-unique and nigh-extinct items and species to then be released back into Ansalon.<img src="https://i.imgur.com/jXblSMl.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 375px" /><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/145050682@N06/41127510901" target="_blank">Mage Cultist by Oscar David Soriano</a>Raistlinites: Ansalon's newest religious movement is perhaps its strangest and most dangerous. Originating in the formerly peaceful and stable land of Northern Ergoth, devotees of the Magegod provided solace to a people who were historically ill-equipped for rapid change and societal discord. This solace came from the words of Ivel Batavos, a failed Wizard of High Sorcery who died after his boat sank at sea. When his corpse washed up on shore and was later resurrected by a lightstorm, a shocked Ivel took the event to be a blessing from Raistlin. Using selective pieces of the Final Volume, he swiftly set forth founding a new religion dedicated to who he believes will be Krynn's greatest and only master.The Raistlinites are a fast-growing religious movement, divided into transient groups mainly based in western and southern Ansalon to carry Batavos' message. As an aftereffect of Raistlin's campaign of deicide, they can tap into his power through worship, gaining access to divine magic. Although Ivel Batavos uses Sending spells to relay messages and orders to trusted followers, he otherwise gives them significant autonomy in how they grow their numbers and power.Some Raistlinites use the carrot over the stick, winning over people with rhetoric, promises of safety, and justice against the gods' misdeeds both real and imagined. Other Raistlinites are little more than roving bands of killers, putting entire towns to sword and flame. This is done in the name of "saving" them in the belief that they'll be resurrected by lightstorms once the world ends. While some genuinely believe that they are doing what is necessary, many use it as a benevolent-sounding excuse to act on their vengeful and violent urges.It's inevitable that many people would be drawn to Raistlin. That some folk would seek to venerate him as a new deity is unusual, but not unexpected. But Ansalon has known many heroic figures who, despite their idolized status, aren't worshiped as living gods. What sets Raistlin apart from heroes like Huma Dragonbane is that he accomplished what no other mortal has done in history, and outright killed a god. Not just any god, but Takhisis, the most powerful deity of the Gods of Darkness. The Battle of Palanthas caused a paradigm shift in Ansalon's cultures on a theological level never before seen. To understand the rise of the Raistlinites, one must look to the past in order to understand the present.During the Age of Despair, gods, dragons, and magic that could heal all maladies were the stuff of fables in many places, with even respected scholars questioning the extent of their existence. The fall of Istar and departure of the gods morphed from an historical tragedy to legends interpreted differently across cultures. The Cataclysm became a vague explanation for all manner of current hardships. When the gods returned, the fading waves of metaphors dashed upon the rocky shoals of divine mandates. These subjective tales either became reality, or conclusive proof that the post-Cataclysm faiths that rose in their wake were nothing but lies.While Goldmoon and Elistan are credited for bringing knowledge of the Gods of Light to the people, in central and eastern Ansalon the people were already shown evidence of the true gods' existence in the form of Takhisis' Dragonarmies. To those realms unlucky enough to encounter them first, the return of the gods brought not hope for a new age, but tyranny, slavery, and genocide. And although serving the Gods of Darkness, the Dragon Empire affected the legacy of Istar: from Emperor Ariakas wearing the Kingpriest's Crown of Power to restoring the sunken temple of its capital to the city of Neraka, this further drew a connection to that which was ruined by the Cataclysm.It's easy to rationalize or make peace with the cruelties of divinity when they're fables, or viewed as so powerful that it's hopeless to defeat them like one would an enemy combatant. But when these gods become approachable, and more importantly, fallible at the hands of mortals, it becomes easier to view and judge them in mortal terms. The Cataclysm and Istar's fall isn't a fanciful tale warning of hubris and self-righteousness, but a crime without comparison that saw countless innocent deaths. The mantra of the "gods haven't left Krynn, the people left the gods" changes from a life lesson regarding mortals failing to practice what they preach, to a lie told by cosmic rulers who abandoned people in their time of greatest need.And thus, Raistlin became a rallying symbol. Centuries' worth of trauma and suffering in the Age of Despair was finally given an outlet for their rage, as well as the hope of a world where mortals hold their own destiny. That Raistlin is effectively causing a second Cataclysm by trying to become a god himself is overlooked or justified by his supporters. Some of them believe that the disasters are the gods reacting in anger like they did three and a half centuries ago; some believe that Raistlin is ultimately a benevolent figure who will set the world right again; and some merely want to watch the world burn.<img src="https://i.imgur.com/gwuGvmb.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="width: 597px" /><a href="https://www.cbr.com/dnd-5e-raistlin-majere-dragonlance-build/" target="_blank">Image Taken from Comic Book Resources article on Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen</a>Wizards of High Sorcery: Throughout much of the Age of Despair, wizards remained a rare and insular yet widely-feared group. Istar's anti-mage propaganda persisted long after their fall, leading to people using them for all manner of scapegoating in literal witch hunts. Although dabblers and hedge mages could be found in isolated circles throughout Ansalon, the only real appreciable gathering of wizards could be found at the last remaining Tower of High Sorcery in the Forest of Wayreth. For a time, Raistlin Majere was a celebrated figure among all three Orders, his role in defeating the Dragonarmies engendering much goodwill among the populace. More people sought out initiation in the arcane arts, and various nobles and rulers were more willing to fund magical research projects as well as recruiting their own court mages.Sadly, this was not to last. The publishing of the Final Volume, the slaying of the gods, and the rampant magestorms laid the blame at Raistlin, while the newfound cult bearing his name spread much death and destruction in the name of "saving" people. Unable to fight the forces of nature or the Magegod themselves, people settled into old habits and collectively blamed wizards for giving him power and prestige in the first place.The Orders of High Sorcery shrink back to their introverted nature, with most of their number choosing to hold up in the Tower of Wayreth while occasionally sending research expeditions into the rest of Ansalon and other planes of existence. Besides survival, their highest priority is finding a means to stop Raistlin Majere for good. The rise of the Raistlinites in western Ansalon, combined with many of their number being renegade mages, causes them to violently clash with the robed mages. As Kharolians are a rarity in having overall positive views of wizards, the Raistlinites go out of their way to target that realm's settlements. Those who feel obligated to save the people out of altruism or mere transactional aid must often contend with the hard decision of leaving the relative safety of the Tower and fight superior numbers of cultists. And for every day that the mages don't come to Kharolis' aid, they risk severing the Orders' most reliable allies and link to the outside world.</blockquote>

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