D&D 3E/3.5 [Kulan] The Lands of Harqual (Updated: Feb 3/2022)

[Knightfall]

History (of Harqual)​

This timeline starts with the most current date and then goes backwards through the continent's history. I know this might seem odd, but it's the way I needed to organize it, so I didn't forget anything. (At some point I'll likely reverse it.)

Several planar events are included for completeness (i.e founding of Sigil). This timeline is by no means complete. I'll be adding to it as new ideas come to me, and I find new historic details in my notes. There will definitely be new ideas added for the dates between 752 N.C. and 757 N.C.

Current Year: 757 N.C.

753 N.C.

• In the earliest part of this year, the City-state of Flamerule officially annexes Anoria. By the end of the year, Flamerule has completely subjugated the domain's citizens. The Fallen Domain of Anoria has become an Infernal Dictatorship ruled from Flamerule, by the new Warlord of the First Tier.

752 N.C.
The Year of the Silver Fist
(The Order of the Silver Hand 3E campaign ends.)

• The Order of the Silver Hand gathers an army to retake the Dominion of Cauldron from Anoria (and the infernal agents secretly controlling its government). The war is quick and brutal. It ends with the Order and its allies destroying the First Tier of the City-state of Flamerule.

750 N.C.
The Year of the Silver Hand

• The Order of the Silver Hand is founded in the Dominion of Cauldron. The Order defeats a plot by the Cagewrights to open a portal to the prison-plane of Carceri.
• The Domain of Anoria invades and annexes the Dominion of Cauldron
• The Kingdom of Thallin falls into a state of civil war.

749 N.C.
The Year of the Return
(The “Companions” 2E campaign ends.)

• The tabaxi and their god, Tu, return to the Lands of Harqual from 1,001 years of banishment.
• A planar conjunction (later called The Transformation) causes widespread chaotic changes across the entire continent of Harqual.
• High King Travathian Dragonguard of the Kingdom of Thallin died suddenly from an unknown illness.
• The elven woods of the forest elves is warped by dark magic, destroying or transforming everything it touches. A fey'ri lord takes control of the City of Woodknot, and his new thralls, known as blood elves, begin to spread throughout the southern half of the Great Forest. (Blood elves are corrupted forest elves.)
• War erupts in many lands through the continent.

748 N.C.
The Year of the Dawn

• High Thane Ulfgar Blackforge of the Kingdom of the Greystones is killed during a skirmish with a horde of ogres. The dwarven citadel known as The Greystone Fortress is destroyed in the attack. The dwarves of the Greystones suspect the Opposition is responsible.
• The elders of the forest elves of the Knotwood issue an order of isolation to their people from the other races of the continent.
• After decades of isolation from the western lands, formal contact is reestablished between the Eastern Shores and the city-states of the Sword Gulf.
• In the City of Mor's End, assassins kill all but one member of the Kelvin ruling family, as well as the city's corrupt Castellan. Lady Adriana Kelvin becomes the new Matriarch of Mor's End. The event is later named the Night of Invisible Blades.

742 N.C.

• A Filth Fever plague sweeps through Cauldron City. Several hundred die.

740 N.C.

• A young Cauldronite guard named Triel murders several of her fellow guards -- her motive is never discovered. She eludes capture and becomes one of Cauldron's most wanted criminals.

725 N.C.
The Year of the Onans

• Than LaMarche leads his clan to a ruined city on the shore of the Sword Gulf, and orders his clan members to setup in the ruins of the city. He renames the city Onaway, and he people begin calling themselves Onans.

724 N.C.
The Year of Dragon' Death

• King Salvatore de Braose of the Kingdom of Izmer is assassinated. His teenage daughter takes the throne, and is immediately beset by a coupe attempt by an evil wizard known as Profion. During the coupe attempt, a great Dragon Conflict takes place over the Capital City of Sumdall. Many dragons die and the Balance weeps for them. (The magical rods that controlled the dragons are destroyed to prevent such a disaster from happening again.)

723 N.C.

• On the Wild Plains, a young man of only 19 becomes chief of his clan. This young man's name is Than LaMarche.

720 N.C

• Recmair Hault founds the City of Falcûne, which would become the capital city of the Barbarian Lands of the Wolf and Fire (Wolffire).

717 N.C.

• The Second Ogre War ends.
• Heavy rains destroy much of Cauldron City.

715 N.C.

• The North Goddess known as Immotion intervenes to save the rockwood gnomes of the Heverkent Forest, from a rampaging ogre horde, by magically altering them.

701 N.C.

• The Second Ogre War begins.

700 N.C.

• The church of the Interloper Goddess known as Xan Yae first appears in the Lands of Harqual.

675 N.C.

• The cultists of the demon lord known as Malotoch first appear in the Lands of Harqual.

674 N.C.

• The Kul Moren Mountain communities of Kohold and Wallslad are annexed by the Matriarch of Mor's End, at the request of the dwarves of the Town of Kul Moren. This is done to keep them from being annexed by the Lord Mayor of Cauldron City.
• The Vanishing destroys Jzadirune, below Cauldron City.

671 N.C.

• The Village of Lalaton is annexed by the Matriarch of Mor's End, officially becoming part of Anoria.

670 N.C.

• The Planar City of Union is founded by the mercane.

650 N.C.

• The churches of the Interloper Gods known as Halmyr and Valkar first appear in the Lands of Harqual. Many believe that these deities will become North Gods, eventually.
• The church of the Interloper God known as Konkresh first appears in the Lands of Harqual.

595 N.C.
The Year of Silk

• The former Castellan of Mor’s End, a man named Baruch Rochus, returns to that ruined city to drive away the orc invaders and begin the process of rebuilding Mor's End.

590 N.C.

• The City of Mor's End is sacked by the Red Skull Orc Tribe. The orc chieftain, named Zomb, kills the Patriarch of Mor's End, Ol’Vahan Kelvin.

555 N.C.

• The city-states of the Eastern Shores sign the Lake Nest Treaty -- forming the Eastern Council.

551 N.C.

• A year after its destruction, an evil group known as the Opposition claims responsibility for the sundering of the Dwarven City of Highstone.
• The First Ogre War ends.

550 N.C.

• The church of the Interloper God known as Heward first appears in the Lands of Harqual.
• The Dwarven City of Highstone is destroyed by an unknown evil.

500 N.C.
The Year of Great Dwarven Migration

• The cities, holds, and delves of the Greystone Mountains are overflowing with too many dwarves. High Thane Rurik Blackforge decrees that two-dozen clans must leave the Greystone Mountains and migrate to the other mountain ranges of the North. Most of these clans migrate north, but six clans migrate south. By the end of the year, these dwarven clans had traveled all the way to the Sunus, Thunder, and Kul Moren Mountains. One clan died trying to set up a delve under the Thunder Mountains, while a second eventually gave up trying to live so close to so many bugbears, in the Sunus Mountain, and settled in the Highlands of the Eastern Shores. The remaining clans discovered the Town of Kul Moran and were allowed to join that community.
• The followers of the deity known as The Horselord first begin to spread out from the Verdalf Forest to the surrounding lands. Many believe the deity is a new incarnation of the dead North God known as Anacoro.

450 N.C.

• Three deities of the Outer Planes formally join the Sword Gods -- Battus, Belinik and Math Mathonwy.
• The church of the Interloper God known as Olidammara first appears in the Lands of Harqual.
• The dwarven Kingdoms of the Greystone Mountains (and many other mountain ranges) end centuries of isolation from the rest of Harqual.

449 N.C.
The Year of the Scion's Curse

• The dwarves of the City of Nithardel, in the Sunus Mountains, abandoned their home to move south of the Great Expanse. These dwarves became the dwarven race known as the Torin.
• The First Ogre War begins.

448 N.C

• The Black Wars end.

435 N.C.

• The Dwarven Town of Kul Moren is annexed by the Patriarch of Mor's End, officially becoming part of Anoria.

425 N.C.
The Year of Mór

• Mór Mac Iomhair and Erich Kelvin found the City of Mor's End, which will become the capital of the Independent Domain of Anoria.

423 N.C.

• The Great Delve War between Abathnar and Dvoriathroglim ends with the destruction of both delves. Those that survive are forced to flee closer to the surface. The Dwarven Town of Kul Moren, survives the destruction of Abathnar. The duergar are forced to live alongside the mountain orcs of Fortress Mountain.

422 N.C.

• The Battle of Three Hundred Days of the Great Delve War begins.

250 N.C.

• The hunter elves first appear in the Verdalf Forest.

245 N.C.
Year of the Demodands

• The demodands of the prison plane of Carceri send a large invading force of their kind clandestinely through a one-way portal to the Lands of Harqual. Disguised as humans, they begin working towards infiltrating every aspect of human society throughout the continent. This plan includes mating with native creatures to spawn demodand-blooded ancestors.

149 N.C.

• The Villages of Kingfisher Hollow and Hollowsky are founded in the Dominion of Cauldron -- the people of these towns battle yuan-ti for territory.

99 N.C.

• Surabar Spellmason of Redgorge dies of natural causes. He is entombed in an undisclosed location.

69 N.C.

• Cauldron City, Jzadirune and the Malachite Fortress are founded in the Kul Moren Mountains.

54 N.C.

• Kozomagon Lidu, one of Surabar Spellmason's friends and competitors, arrives in the region and founds the nearby Village of Liduton.

53 N.C.

• The City of Ariag and its kingdom are renamed Stonn, in honor of Gabriel Stonn.

52 N.C.

• Gabriel Stonn dies of natural causes. He is entombed in the catacombs underneath the City of Araig.

50 N.C.

• Surabar Spellmason founds the Town of Redgorge in the Kul Moren Mountains.

0 N.C.
The Year of Stonn

• Gabriel Stonn comes to power in the City of Ariag of the Kingdom of the Jagged Peninsula. He creates the New Calendar, which would become the standard calendar of the Lands of Harqual.

-30 N.C.

• The Elven Kingdom of Amylinyon is destroyed by a warlord of Mussin and an elven necromancer known as The Foulsoul, The Betrayer, and the Enigma Sorceress. (The elven necromancer was a citizen of Amylinyon.) The remaining gray elves flee to parts unknown.

-50 N.C.

• A man named Zalmon founds the City of Ariag on the Jagged Peninsula.

-75 N.C.

• Nabthatoron destroys a magical artifact of good to aid him in the formation of the rift that would become known as The Demonskar. [Note that this rift exists on several Material Planes, connected by magical conjunctions. It exists on Kulan and on the World of Maran (i.e. Dark World). It exists on, at least, three others.]

-100 N.C.

• The demon lord known as Nabthatoron is exiled to the Material Plane after trying to overthrow Graz'zt.

-200 N.C.

• The Black Wars begin (rough estimate).

-225 N.C.

• The Mortals War ends (rough estimate). It is known that before the Black Wars began (see above), the Mortals War had ended at least 20 year before hand.

-250 N.C.
The Year of the Sword Purge

• The Great Delve War begins between the Dwarven Kingdom of Abathnar, of the Kul Moren Mountains, and the Duergar of Dvoriathroglim, of the delves beneath Fortress Mountain.
• Mussin takes over the mantle of leadership of the Sword Gods.

-251 N.C.
The Year of the Honorbound

• The power base of the Empire of Swords collapses.
• Jaeger's Star appears in the sky for the first time.

-252 NC.

• The Divinity War ends.
• The tabaxi and their god, Tu, are banished from Harqual.
• Hiisi is banished to Carceri.

-253 N.C.
The Year of Anon's Revenge

• Gaoterlog, the divine realm of Amand, the Sword God of War, is destroyed. Amand is sent to the Twilight.

-310 N.C.
The Year of Rebellions

• This year is when many lands and city-states controlled by the Empire of Swords begin to secede from the Empire.

-500 N.C.

• The Dwarven City of Highstone is founded in the Greystone Mountains, at the headwaters of the Bejeweled River.

-750 N.C.

• Beneath the Kul Moren Mountains, civil war breaks out in the Kingdom of Abathnar between the dwarven and duergar clans. The duergar, followers of the deepstone sorcerer known as Riath, are cast out of Abathnar (after his death), and forced to flee to the deep delves under Fortress Mountain, founding what is to become known as Dvoriathroglim. This is the beginning of the years of the Cold War of the Delves.
• The Dwarven City of Mt. Thunder is founded in the Greystone Mountains.

-825 N.C.

• The Dwarven Kingdom of Abathnar is founded in a delve under the Kul Moren Mountains.

-1,050 N.C.

• The Dwarven City of Milo is founded in the Greystone Mountains, at the headwaters of the Wind River.

-1,100 N.C.

• The Elven City of Woodknot is founded in the southern half of the Great Forest, just northwest of Lake Qualitian. Note that Woodknot is built in the trees like a tree town, but on a much larger scale.

-1,250 N.C.

• The Divinity War begins (rough estimate).
• The Elven City of Amylinyon is founded in the Great Forest, just east of Lake Loch.

-1,500 N.C.

• The Mortals War begins (rough estimate).

-1,710 N.C.
The Year of Swords Rising

• The Calendar of Swords is created. This is believed to be the year that the Empire of Swords was founded.

-1,750 N.C.
The Year of the Silver Leaf

• The Elven City of Silverleaf is founded in the northern half of the Great Forest, on the northwestern shore of Lake Silverleaf.

-1,950 N.C.
The Year of the Dark One

• This is the year that it is believed that Hiisi, The Lord of Darkness, first arrived on the continent of Harqual. The exact year of the formation of the Sword Gods isn't known, but many believe it happened this year, as well.

-1,950 N.C.
The Year of the Dark Pact

• This is the year that it is believed that Xuar saves Mussin and Nether from divine extinction -- forming a pact with the two dark gods.

-2,000 N.C.
The Year of Decay's Purge

• The evil god Mussin enacts the Dark Purge on the World of Trel, which destroys that world and sends Mussin, Nether, and Zae hurtling through space, until they come crashing down on the continent of Harqual.

-2,250 N.C.
The Year of the Northern Lord

• This is the year that it is believed that Cronn, Father of the North Gods, first arrived on the continent of Harqual. The exact year of the formation of the North Gods isn't known, but many believe it happened this year, as well.

-2,300 N.C.

• The Underearth War comes to an end. (This conflict was also known as the Morlock War.) Dozens of duergar clans are forced towards the surface world by the victorious morlock hordes. In many places throughout the mountain ranges of Harqual, they are shunned and forced to relocate to underground warrens beneath hills and badlands. However, in some places they are given a chance to reintegrate with their dwarven kin (i.e. the Kul Moren Mountains), or settle in caves with other evil humanoids (i.e. the mountain orcs of the Thunder Mountains).

-2,800 N.C.

• Drow elves invade from a Material Plane from a different reality. They begin to war with the native Underearth races of Kulan. However, the various Underearth races work together to destroy the invaders; but one race, the morlocks, refuses to stop fighting once the drow are purged from the Underearth. This was the beginning of the Underearth War.

-9,250 N.C.

• Sigil, The City of Doors, is created by an unknown race, force, or deity (rough estimate).

 

[Knightfall]

ARCANE LEAGUE OF THE MONARCHY, THE
Symbol: A balanced scale weighing magical effects against time.

Purpose
The Arcane League of the Monarchy is the official arcanist guild of the kingdom known as the Monarchy of Avion. It controls all arcane research and teaching within the Monarchy’s borders and protects its own from all that would destroy it. The league recruits members vigorously and those homegrown arcanists that refuse to join the league often are forced to leave the country, and they are refused even the simplest arcane knowledge.

The league does help with the protection of the Monarchy, but only under the direst of circumstances. Normally, it remains neutral to internal conflicts and uses subtle methods when dealing with overt threats to the Monarchy. This neutrality means that the league stays out of political matters, which was agreed upon by the league and the Royal Family of the Monarchy.

The league is often accused of being dispassionate about the welfare of the Monarchy and its people, but this isn't true. The arcanists of the league do care about their homeland, but they refuse to let the passions of others dictate their actions. One must think before acting, especially when the livelihood of an entire nation is at stake. People live and die, often violently, and one cannot risk the future of the whole for only a few desperate souls.

Leaders: Zhako Ashford [LN male human, Wiz15], Aregund Hammel [NG female elf, Elm7/Elemental Savant5], and Lothar Roland [NE male half-orc, Wmg9].

Notable Activities
The Arcane League prefers to work behind the scenes within the borders of the Monarchy of Avion and prefers that the rest of the world stay out of its magical concerns. They know that when those concerns extend beyond the borders of the Monarchy they risk the ire of other arcanist guilds, but they really don't care or even acknowledge these rivals. To call the arcanists of the Arcane League arrogant and self-righteous is an understatement. (It can also be said that many of them suffer from megalomania and paranoia.)

Often, the league will use its extensive resources to interfere in the lives of anyone who might have something magical that they need. Lothar Roland lead the charge, regarding this unseemly practice. Only the Royal Family of the Monarchy is considered safe from this behavior, but, in truth, the league has confiscated many magical items and arcane discoveries it deems “dangerous” from the Royals, in the past. Nobility below the Royals have very little protection from the predatory nature of the Arcane League.

Magic is power, and these arcanists tend to view magic as something to be controlled, but only by them. They will even go so far as to steal magic from other arcanist guilds, a practice that has gained them the enmity of arcanists in Anthmoor, Eversinki, Halandra, Izmer, the Old Sword Lands, and even the powerful arcanists of the City-state of Caloric, far to the East. The league has heard of the Arcane Order, but knows almost nothing about its activities, or the location of Mathghamhna.

The league is always conducting new magical research, and its successes and mistakes are the stuff of dreams and nightmares. Its members are obsessed with spelljamming and sky-ships, which is what brought it into direct conflict with the various arcanist guilds of Caloric. The City of Spires is a spelljammer captain's dream come true, and the city-state has everything to offer to arcanists that sail the skies and beyond.

It is this fact that drives the Arcane League to interfere, in every way, in the lives of the arcanists of Caloric. Privateers in the employ of the Arcane League often raid Caloric sky ships, and several pitched battles have been fought over shipping rights, cargo manifests, and taxes. It is important to note that the Royal Family of Avion and the ruling elite of the Spire Kinships of Caloric play little or part in this conflict. They are not at a state of war, and the regular citizens of both kingdom and city-state know very little about each other. This is an war between magical elitists.

The league is also known for its members that go out of their way to explore old ruins, monster-infested dungeons, and hidden, ancient tombs. The guild seeks to uncover relics of the past and powerful magical spells believed to exist from before the time of the Divinity War. The league's members believe that the world is much older than is generally believed by scholars and they go to almost any length to prove their collective theory. Aregund Hammel considers it her personal mission to prove to the world that civilization and magic existed on Harqual before the time she refers to as the Second Ice Age.

The league has a standing order to discover new, magical waypoints connected to the Way of Eilendar — a group of magical standing stones. The Way of Eilendar connects to many other notable locations throughout the Sword Gulf Region, including the Onan Territories and Crystalmist in the Cadra Forest. It has long been known that these waypoints existed during the time of the Old Sword Imperium, but the Arcane League believes that they are much older. They have lost several prominent members who became lost in the Ways.

Campaign Notes
The Arcane League is as old as the Monarchy of Avion, and its roots are tied to the Old Sword Imperium; a fact that they go to great lengths to downplay in their homeland and speak of in hushed tones while elsewhere. The exact beginnings of the league aren't know and its current members do not wish to delve to deeply into their own history. The last thing they want the High Queen to learn is that there are more skeletons in the league's collective closest than she'd be willing to ignore.

The League has many bastions of arcane power scattered throughout the Monarchy — as well as some beyond — and the league's members go to great lengths to hide these locations from the citizenry and those they consider their enemies. Some even go so far as to hide their most powerful magical sources from each other; a practice that is frowned upon by the league. However, everyone does it, even the league's highest ranking members. (Zhako Ashford, the de facto head of the guild, is infamous for this unethical behavior.)

Since the start of the Tabaxi War, the league has been forced to play a greater role in the protection of the Monarchy. This new mandate bothers the old guard, while the newer, younger members of the league wish to become more involved with the wider world. The Aerie Holds, east of Avion, has always been a close ally of the Monarchy, but the league has always separated itself from the arcanists of its capital, the City of Nasundria. Now, there is a moment within the league to extend membership to the arcanists of that city, which has led to a rift, of sorts, between the league's membership.

Relations with the arcanists of Izmer improved after the Queen of Izmer and a host of her knights (including many powerful arcanists) came to the rescue of the City of Avion, just as it was ready to crack wide open during the beginning of the war with the tabaxi. An official alliance now exists between the two kingdoms and many old grudges have been set aside due to the threat of the tabaxi — a new, common enemy that the arcanists of both lands despise more than they did each other. One can only hope that the goodwill continues to last.

 

[Knightfall]

I just posted the revised writeup for the Cagewrights (post #95), as the organization is after the Silver Hand campaign. Post #95 is where I had the first version posted, so I decided to leave it there instead of reposting here. - KF72

 

[Knightfall]

BLEAK MASTERS, THE
Symbol: A black sun rising over a colorless landscape.

Purpose
The Bleak Masters are a consortium of advocates that often come to the aid of groups or individuals accused of being violently evil. They are concerned with all things judiciary, and work towards undoing strict codes of conduct, imposed on knights and holy warriors. (Even if the 'clients' don't want their help.) They fight for the rights of individuals who have been convicted on magical evidence, alone. They also use their considerable legal skills to advocate for restrictions on arcanists, especially enchanters and illusionists. This group sees it as their duty to put magicians and religious zealots in their place.

Leaders: Aarne Stormwinden [N male half-elf, Elm8]; Ignazio Von Orsini [NE male human, Clr10 (Nether)]; Lind Morgan [LE male human, Ari6/Exp6]; Rhine [LE female human, Rog12]; Tyne Smallweed [N female halfling (hairfoot), Exp10]

Notable Activities
The Bleak Masters are concerned with gaining as much power, through legal means, as possible. They have little regard for those who do good for the sake of the world, and they always oppose chaos in all its forms. They are also complete hypocrites. They argue that 'true evil' isn't something that can be defined, and yet, they often commit clandestine acts of evil for the sake of causing suffering and pain. Many of the Bleak Masters are clerics of evil gods and many others are vile necromancers or power hungry elementalists. They oppose other arcanists because they don't like to share power, and they don't want to be exposed by those with mental powers.

The group always works towards uprooting secret societies that might be a threat to their need for power. They despise psionic characters and will bend (or break) the rules of law too expose them. They often hold clandestine inquisitions where wilders and psychic warriors are tortured and killed by evil clerics dedicated to law and tyranny. The members of this consortium will do almost anything to wipe out psionics on Harqual. They are careful to hide these behaviors from the rest of society, in order to protect their 'business' from prosecution.

This consortium also gets its hands dirty in politics, as well as advances in magical research. The Bleak Masters often interfere in the political landscape of nations and city-states, especially when dealing with a chaotic society, and they have been known to cross planar boundaries just to discover some new magical idea that hasn't been conceived of. They gain insights into law from Infernal instructors; many of the consortium's best clients are devils. These vicious barristers often trade their souls to powerful devils for the chance to be successful and wealthy.

Campaign Notes
The Bleak Masters are drawn to conflict in all its forms. Thus, they are often the first ones to enter a war-torn region and inflict their own version of pain and suffering on the populace. Currently, the consortium has been sending its members into the Kingdom of Thallin to protect the rights of the new king and his evil followers. They keep Thallin's elite from being preyed upon by laws and canons of the surrounding lands. They have managed to free Thallin military men from the prisons of the Kingdom of Stonn on technicalities, and helped the new government suppress the activities of the Honorbound.

The consortium has been supplying legal advice to cat-men captured during the endless battles of the Tabaxi War, which has been ongoing since the return of the tabaxi to Harqual. They argue that the tabaxi must be represented, if put of trial, just like anyone else. This has made them the bane of the Monarchy of Avion, and Queen Felicia Gerrard III is considering having them all rounded up and executed. This would be a disaster for her politically, as the Bleak Masters have a long-standing tradition in the Kingdom of Izmer, which is now the Monarchy's best ally.

The consortium has also gained support and considerable power in the Fallen Domain of Anoria, which is now controlled by the City-state of Flamerule. The group's best barristers protect the rights of the Infernals and their closest servants, and work towards undermining the treaties signed with the Cauldron and Kul Moren. There has always been Bleak Advocates working and living in Flamerule, and they are more than happy to expand their base of power in the Thunder Lands. New holdings have sprung up in Caloric and the Strandlands. These evil lawyers are usually killed on sight in the Dominion of Cauldron, which just increases the tensions between the mountain kingdoms and the followers of Flamerule.

Another place that the Bleak Masters have considerable power is in the lands of the Old Sword Imperium. The group can trace much of history through this region and the consortium's machinations are considered legendary in places like Ara-Ragik and Järir. They argue for the independence of the Sword Protectorate , which has remained occupied since The Transformation. They try to undermine the laws and customs of the Kingdom of Ahamudia, and argue that the Ahamudians are illegally occupying Sword Imperium soil. (Many a low-end Bleak Advocate has found himself on the run from an Ahamudian lynch mob.)

The barrister shops of the Bleak Masters can be found almost anywhere in Northern Harqual. However, they are not welcome, under any circumstance, in the forests of the silver elves or the mountains of the dwarves. They are hunted by freedom fighters, as well as knights dedicated to good, before the rule of law. They often come into conflict with arcane colleges, thieves' guilds, and clandestine psionic organizations. In the Monarchy of Avion, for example, the Bleak Masters are strongly opposed by the group known as the Hounds of Cronn. And in the Eastern Shores they are considered an 'enemy' of a group of young, wild express-riders known as the Rapid Riders.

 

[Knightfall]

OPPOSITION, THE
Symbol: A black ring surrounded by burning yellow flames on a blood red field.

Purpose
The Opposition is an evil organization of adventurers and nobles that wish to dominate all of the Lands of Harqual. The organization uses any means to achieve their goals from blackmail to murder. They often use their peers, clandestinely, without their knowledge to advance the the organization's goals. This organization thrives on fear and mystery, and protects it secrets vigorously.

Leaders: The Opposition's commander is a man simply known as The Father [LE male human, Ftr10/Mar10] and he has several overlords that control certain aspects of the group — Elyiniia the Foulsoul [CE female elf, Wiz10 (necromancer)/Sor10], Horz'bak [NE male gnoll, Rog10/Asn5], Krill the Blackened [LE male human, Pal6 (fallen)/Blk7], Retan [LE male half-fiend dwarf (hill), Ftr7/Clr7 (Nether)], and The Crane [LE male human, Mnk6/Rgr6].

Notable Activities
The Overlords of the Opposition organizes their membership similar to adventuring groups and thieves' guilds. It's most notable members are those who are part of the subgroups known as the Father's Legion and the Red Dawn. These two groups are the elite soldiers of the Opposition, but they rarely organize themselves into standing armies. They are more like strike forces of unique adventurers and mercenaries who only act against enemies of the Opposition when the overlords order them to. The Father's Legion take their orders from the half-fiend dwarf known only as Retan. The Red Dawn takes their orders from a secretive man known only as The Crane.

Two other subgroups that aren't as well known throughout the Lands of Harqual are the Black Storm and Vespin's Hand. The Black Storm are pirates and cutthroats that have been specially trained to attack and destroy ships, both naval and aerial. They work towards dominating the seas and skies for their Opposition Overlord, a cruel, fallen paladin, Krill the Blackened. Vespin's Hand is the Opposition's own unique assassin's guild; this clandestine organization is greatly feared by those that have heard of it. Vespin's Hand is controlled by the Opposition Overlord known as Horz'bak, a vicious gnoll assassin.

There are many other subgroups dedicated to the Opposition, but most of these are so secretive that nothing has ever been uncovered about them. One of the more infamous overlords is an ancient, elven necromancer known only as Elyiniia the Foulsoul. She is believed to have been born a gray elf, but now she changes bodies so often that no one that meets her can recognize the arcanist from one week to the next. It is believed that she is the Overlord of Magic for the Opposition, but this has never been verified.

Campaign Notes
The Opposition takes interest in so many activities, and its members prefer, for the most part, to remain hidden that tracking the organizations movements is a near-impossible task. One of the few things that is known about the Opposition is that they rarely employ dwarves, and the group often prey on Dwarven communities. In 550 N.C., the Opposition were responsible for the destruction of the City of Highstone, which was located in the Greystone Mountains. This event caused great hardship in the Kingdom of the Greystones for a long time, and even now, the Dwarven kingdom still suffers under the effects of displaced Dwarven clans.

In more recent years, the Opposition has attempted to undermine the civilizations of dwarves throughout the Lands of Harqual. They have tried to sough corruption into the Dwarven Hold of Kul Moren, and they have worked towards undermining the Torin communities of the Far South. When it comes to opposing the expansion of dwarves they are very overt. They aren't as brutal towards Gnomish communities but they have been known to attack gnomes and their allies on sight.

The Opposition also takes a great interest in any wars that are being waged on Harqual. They rarely take sides in such conflicts, but they will provide mercenaries to whoever will pay their price. The Overlords of the Opposition are all great lovers of war and strife. As a result, they have taken to working for various factions fighting in the Tabaxi War. The tabaxi do not trust them, so they never fight alongside the cat-men. However, members of the Father's Legion have been seen helping the more despicable louts now infesting the Ruined Lands of Valora.

It is known that the Opposition are great supporters of King Varath Dragonguard of Thallin, which isn't surprising. Many of the members of the Opposition are followers of the Sword Gods (but not all of them). The Kingdom of Thallin has become a breeding ground for evil, which is the perfect environment for the Opposition to use to expand its operations in the Eastern Shores. Here, the Opposition works towards suppressing the Honorbound and the Tiger Guild — two groups that the evil organization wishes to wipe out.

The Opposition also have strong tied to the Old Sword Imperium. However, they often come up against opposition from other evil groups in the region that don't wish to share power such as the Blades of the Emperor and the Lords of Pestilence. On the Ragik Peninsula, worshiping the Sword Gods doesn't always mean different organizations and religious cults are allies. (The pie is very large and no one likes to share.) The Opposition is known to mainly operate out of the lands of the Sword South. The City of Yulvanaa is where the Opposition has its strongest membership. However, they can also be found openly recruiting members in such places as Miekka, Toraa Bagul, and the City-state of Vesi.

In the Far South, the Opposition doesn't hold much power. The races of the southern lands rarely see eye-to-eye with the activities of this evil organization. Humans are considerably uncommon in the south, and the rank-and-file of the Opposition's membership are humans. Note that this isn't a requirement, but the group has not endeared themselves to prospective members from southern races such as lightfoot halflings the rakasta, and the t’skrang by lording over them. More often, the Opposition's membership in the Far South is made up of evil goblinoids, monstrous humanoids, and other fringe races. The Opposition use to have a great deal of influence in the Thorn Republic (on the Thenin Peninsula), but since the upheaval there, that brought the Light of Jalivier back to the region, the Opposition's influence has all but disappeared.

 

[Knightfall]

Borrowed from the Forgotten Realms

CULT OF THE DRAGON, THE
Symbol: A flame with eyes burning above a dragon's claw.

Purpose
The Cult of the Dragon believes that the world should look to dragonkind for leadership. They revere dragons in all their forms, but show the greatest reverence for undead dragons such as dracoliches (called the sacred ones). The cult tries to recruit rogue dragons to their cause, and they will even go so far as to kill a dragon and then raise it as an undead creature. This organization has no respect for those that follow the Tenets of the Balance. The cult pays special homage to Falazure, The Night Dragon.

Leaders: Wearers of the Purple. Each cell of the Cult of the Dragon is lead by one or more of these leaders who wear purple robes to signify their rank.

Infamous Members: Augustin Guischard [NE male human, Wiz18 (transmuter)]; Khallos Windenrivier [LE male half-elf, Clr12 (Falazure)]; Maddalyn Reimstein [N female human (northerner), Ftr10].

Notable Activities
The Cult of the Dragon bases its daily activities around the betterment of dragonkind and those that show them proper respect (namely themselves). This doesn't always conflict with the goals of other organizations dedicated to dragonkind, but when they start turning dragons into undead creatures they go one step too far in the mind of civilized society. The cult is always looking for rogue dragons willing to undergo the transformation into dracoliches, and they don't always take "no" for an answer.

However, turning dragons into undead creatures rarely is an effective way for the cult to fund their activities, in fact it costs the cult tons of time and gold. Each cult cell usually makes its coin by one of the following methods: banditry & pirating, blackmail & extortion, dungeoneering, kidnapping, protection rackets, smuggling, or providing vices to others. Cult cells that are forced to fund their activities by dungeoneering, or worse, by legitimate means are usually down on their luck.

The cult also works towards spreading the worship of the dragon gods. They revere Falazure before all the other dragon gods, but that doesn't stop them from being prophetical regarding Io's place in the universe. And this devotion to all the dragon gods keeps the cult from being hunted everywhere it has influence. A cell that is able to increase the standing of all the dragon gods, in a particular area, succeeds as much as a cell that only spreads the word of Falazure.

Opponents of the cult consider its members activities and goals to be contradictory; this seems insane to a group like the Knights Majestic. As a result, members of the Cult of the Dragon and the Knights Majestic never work together and will attack each other on sight.

Campaign Notes
The Cult of the Dragon tend to keep to the shadows of mainstream society, so the cells that have been uncovered have tended to be located in out-of-the-way places. They prefer to haunt old ruins and abandoned dungeons; anywhere they can provide a suitable lair for a sacred one. However, a few cells have been rooted out in major population centers.

One such cell was uncovered and destroyed in the City of Anthmoor, in late 754 N.C., and it was believed to have been in league with High Fist Warcoul [LE male human, Clr8 (Xuar)/Mnk8], the theocratic ruler of the Owelga Dominion. The High Fist has coveted the lands of the Storm Domain for over fifty years, and his knowledge of necromancer is undeniable, as is his strength of will. It is even rumored that he has a dracolich in his service. Thus, it is quite possible that he's had dealings with the cult.

The only other known cell to be uncovered in a populated region was the group of cultists known a the Purple Brotherhood. This large cell existed in the Free Lands of Arkhangel, and it was the bane of that republic, up until the end of 735 N.C. It was at this time that the cultists tried unsuccessfully to take over the City of Arkhangel. They were defeated by allies of the current Gubernator, Willem Polgár [NG male human, Ari5/War5] including a group of adventurers, from the Wind Cities, known as the Ramparts of Alavar. The Purple Brotherhood cell is believed to still exist somewhere in the Wind Plains, but nothing has been heard of them in over twenty years.

Another famous Cult of the Dragon cell is known as the Unnamed. These cultists wander the wastes of the Great Expanse, staying one step ahead of the desert elves and the Knights Majestic. They are nomadic and are said to be lead by a powerful dragontouched earth elementalist who's name isn't know, not even by his fellow cultists. They simply call him the Purple Lord of the Sands. His followers are fanatical and in the few instances when the Unnamed and the Knights Majestic have clashed they have laid down their lives to save their master.

There are many more cells spread throughout the Lands of Harqual, but discovering and cataloging them all would take a lifetime. It would also be useless as Cult of the Dragon cells come and go. The legacy they leave behind is an increase in the number of undead dragons that now haunt the continent. One of the most powerful of these is a dracolich named Hellscar [LE male red great wyrm (dracolich, rogue), Sor10]. (He had a different name once, but no one dares speak that now.) Hellscar was an ancient red dragon that once lived within the Tenets of the Balance, and who once soared over the Hills of Morhan and was a great friend to the druids of the Hallowed Lands. His fall at the hands of the Cult of the Dragon is one of the worst tragedies of dragonkind

The cult tracked the ancient red to his lair and offered him undeath and immortality. He refused, of course, but they wouldn't take "no" for an answer. Over a hundred of them died, sacrificing themselves, to bring the dragon low and then they forced the transformation into a scared one on him. The forced change drove him completely mad, and he slew every last one of the remaining cultists before going on a rampage across the North. The druids tried to save what was left of his soul, but he did not recognize them and killed dozens of them. He didn't remember his former self, and took the name Hellscar to strike fear into the hearts of mortals. That was more than 100 years ago.

The ancient, red dracolich now "lives" in the Aragar Mountains in the frozen wastes of the Northlands. He considers the entire mountain range to be his domain and kills all other dragons that infringe on his territory. It is known that Hellscar is in league with the ruler of Blighted Lands of the North, the Lord of Decay [LE male human, Ftr10/Clr10 (Mussin)]. Hellscar helps subjugate the Lord of Decay's more unruly citizens, and in return, the evil cleric of Mussin provides the dracolich with suitable sacrifices. If those sacrifices are members of the Cult of the Dragon, then so much the better.

 

[Knightfall]

I just revised the entry for the Eyes of Hande Thieves’ Guild, which can be found at post #97. Right now, I'm working on the entry for the Fallow's Cross Adventurers (finished, see below), and some of the following are likely to be next on my list to write.

• Order of the Silver Hand
• Rapid Riders (finished, see below)
• Striders of the Dawn (finished, see below)
• The Companions
• The Last Laugh Thieves' Guild (finished, see below)
• The Tiger Guild (finished, see next page)
• Yosyntya, the (The Dark Reborn) (finished, see below)

I've also updated the main list of Organizations that I'm working on for the Lands of Harqual.

3E/3.5 - Kulan: The Lands of Harqual

 

[Knightfall]

FALLOW'S CROSS ADVENTURERS
Symbol: A wooden, Celtic-style cross.

Purpose
The Fallow's Cross Adventurers (FCA) are just that, a group of adventurers who protect the small border town of Fallow's Cross near the edge of the Great Forest and the moors of Caer Amylinyon. They oppose the rule of the Mad King of Thallin and are considered freedom fighters to the citizens of the Kingdom of Thallin. They strive to reclaim their old headquarters Fallow's Cross House, as well as the estate known as Stanzfeld Mansion near the City of Fruen.

Leaders: Coromir Maralethion [CG female elf (half-blooded) *, Ftr6/Wiz6/Rog6]; Hassan [CG male human, Ftr20]; Jason of the Dark [CN male human, Wiz18]; Marie Goldmane [CG female half-elf, Rog11/Wiz9]. *Coromir is half-silver elf and half-forest elf.

Famous Members: Danal Blackeagle [CG male human, Ftr5/Sor5]; Ingrid Halloworth [NG female human, Drd16 (the Daghdha)]; Jillian Featherbrook [LG female halfling (hairfoot), Pal18 (Arvoreen)]; Leslie Whitecotton [N female human, Clr8 (the Daghdha)]; Wilfred of the Wild [NG male human (werebear), Ftr8/Clr8 (Larea)].

Notable Activities
The Fallow's Cross Adventurers have become more militant since the beginning of the civil war in the Kingdom of Thallin. They believe that King Varath Dragonguard should be removed from the throne. The group does whatever it can to disrupt the flow of wealth into the king's coffers. They oppose his elite soldiery known as the Fury of the Dragon, as well as the diabolical priests of Nether's Deathtide. These adventurers take great pride in their devotion to freeing the kingdom from the Mad One's tyrannical rule.

The FCA also work towards strengthening the enemies of Thallin such as the clannish hill-folk of the Highlands and the Thallinite Resistance in the City of Rivenwood. The adventurers are careful to not stay in one place for too long, and they have been known to disappear into the Great Forest for months at a time. It is believed that they have a base of operations somewhere near Lake Loch and have made alliances with the fey enclaves living there.

The FCA have also taken a great interest in the border skirmishes between Thallin's armies and the militias of the Wind Cities. King Varath has made it clear that he believes that the Lands of the Cities of the Wind rightfully belong to Thallin based on 100-year-old documents. These pages of parchment are said to have been found in old, abandoned ruins under the City of Raell, and they state that the land surrounding the City of Baermos, for 50 miles in all directions, belongs to the Dragonguard Royal Family. The leaders of the Fallow's Cross Adventurers believes that King Varath had these documents forged for his own evil purposes.

They work tirelessly to uncover the truth.

Campaign Notes
It has become widely known that the adventurer Danal Blackeagle, the son of an influential nobleman from the Kingdom of Stonn, is the cousin of King Varath. Many in Thallin wish for him to become country's new king should the Mad One be overthrown. His fellow adventurers only found out about his bloodline after the civil war began. They weren't sure if they could trust him (he was new to the group at that time), but he has proven himself time and again. He has become more than just a freedom fighter to the citizens of the kingdom; he has become a folk hero. This makes the young man uncomfortable, but he refuses to hide way somewhere while his cousin oppresses his friends and allies.

Marie Goldmane often helps the persecuted citizens of the City of Raell, which was where she spent a great deal of her youth. That city is a dangerous place, even before the war, and sherarely stays in Raell for more than a week at a time. (Demihumans are now banned from entering Thallin, except as slaves.) More often she travels to and from the Wind Cities from the Kingdom of the Silver Leaves. The kingdom of the silver elves has become her new home, and she uses her influence with the High One, Menkhar Silversun, to help the struggling communities of the Wind Plains.

Hassan, an exotic warrior from another time, controls the activities of the FCA in the City of Rivenwood. He works closely with the Thallinite Resistance, he has freed dozens of people just by the power of his sword arm. The bounty on his head is considerable, but the people love him. Only some of the more dangerous of the criminal element in the city would turn him in and such an act would be risky. Hassan fights diligently to wipe out the Fury of the Dragon; warriors that he considers to be dishonorable louts.

Jason of the Dark and Coromir Maralethion are the most militant members of the FCA. They go on the warpath wherever they can, and they almost never take prisoners. They push young Blackeagle to become more involved with the Thallinite Resistance, and the two of them have decided that Danal would make an excellent king. They keep tabs on him at all time, and Coromir rarely lets the young nobleman out of her sight. Danal puts up with “Corrie”, as her friends call her, because he is completely in love with her, and he greatly admires Jason who helped him unlock his potential for sorcery. (Jason also gave Danal his nickname, “The Wind Walker.”)

---

DM's Note
The "Fallow's Cross Adventurers" aren't my creation. I got the name and several of the characters from an old 2nd Edition D&D Forgotten Realms website. The website details the Fallow's Cross campaign, which was run by multiple game masters in several locales throughout England. I received permission from the owner of the site, Andrew Prentis, to borrow the FCA for the Lands of Harqual.

Coromir Maralethion, Jason of the Dark, and Marie Goldmane are all PCs from that gaming group. The site had their character stats and backgrounds, which I used for the starting point of my own version of the FCA. I have altered a great deal about the adventuring group, and now that I've advanced my timeline I need to alter the group even more.

Danal Blackeagle is a character from the DUNGEON Magazine module known as "Prism Keep", which I briefly ran through for my Companions campaign. (Bactra, Dabuk, Jeddar, etc.) The character from that module escaped Prism Keep and eventually made his way to Fallow's Cross. The other listed members of the FCA are original NPCs created by me.

Thanks again to Andrew and his fellow gamers for providing me one of the best campaign locations I've ever used. Their campaign might have ended ages ago, but the Fallow's Cross Adventurers will live on in my world for as long as I find a reason to use them. And thanks to Rich Baker for writing one of my favorite DUNGEON adventures of all time.

The Fallow's Cross Adventurers Website (2E)
Fallow's Cross Adventurers WWW Site

 

[Knightfall]

Borrowed from the Shackled City Adventure Path!

LAST LAUGH THIEVES’ GUILD, THE
Symbol: The silhouetted profile of a laughing jester.

Purpose
“The Last Laugh Thieves' Guild oversees various rackets and specializes in security, blackmail, extortion, and assassination” [in many regions throughout the Thunder Lands and beyond] (“Life's Bazaar” Web Enhancement [LBWE], pg. 1). The guild also wishes to subvert other thieves' guild, and its leaders want to rise to positions of power in legitimate society without exposing their illegal ventures.

Leaders: “The guild’s leaders, called Jesters, form an inner circle that oversees all guild activities” (LBWE, pg. 1). The guild has different Jesters in different regions, so the Jesters in the City-state of Caloric aren't the same Jesters that control the activities of the Last Laugh in the Strandlands. Very few Jesters are openly known to be guild masters of the Last Laugh.

Here is list of some of the known Jesters throughout the Thunder Lands: Jacob Taskerhill [LN male human, Ari4/Rog8/Mnk8] – Cauldron (lawful faction); Aryira Oliverio [NE female human, Ftr6/Rog10] – Anoria; Rane Kiduttaan (“Lady Death”) [CE female human, Clr15 (Vespin)] – Cauldron (chaotic faction); Wyrmarnare [N male half-elf, Rog10] – Caloric.

Infamous Members: Darel Willowtree [CN male half-elf, Rog4/Ftr4]; Fulgar Crystalmantle [N male dwarf (hill), Ari6/Ftr6]; Joaquim Iravedra [CN male human, Rog8/Clr5 (Olidammara)]; Nolan Fullecoppe [NE male halfling (hairfoot), Rog8]; Vivianne Kerrick [CN female human, Rog5/Rgr5].

Notable Activities
“The Jesters . . . rely on an intricate network of spies, agents, and informants. Their immediate subordinates are called harlequins — skilled rogues and assassins who paint their faces and handle much of the guild’s “dirty work.” The guild also uses spies — called mimes — to infiltrate rival organizations, verify rumors, and gather information on troublesome bands of adventurers” (LBWE, pg. 1).

The Last Laugh expands into new territories whenever possible. They are famous for recruiting locals into the guild by giving support to the recruits family. This support almost always comes with a price. The guild actively recruits members from rival guilds, regardless of the risk. The Last Laugh has made many enemies this way, but they come out on top more often than not. They will go so far as to wipe out rivals in brutal gang wars and coups using mimes to subvert rivals from within.

“The Last Laugh mints its own currency by melting down [the] sovereign coins [of nations] and recasting them with the guild’s jester insignia” (LBWE, pg. 1). They use these coins to undermine barristers, guilds, moneylenders, shops, and even governments. The Last Laugh also use the coins to bribe bandits and pirates to do special projects for the guild. They often leave a Jester's Coin behind when they do a special job for their guild masters.

Campaign Notes
Since the history of the Last Laugh Thieves' guild is strongly tied to the Thunder Lands, that is where they have the strongest influence. They once had great influence in the lands and communities of the Kul Moren Mountains. However, since the formation of the Order of the Silver Hand and the Disciples of the Bloodsun, the guild has fallen on hard times in Cauldron and Kul Moren. It hasn't helped that one of the Jesters of the Cauldron region formed an alliance with the Order. This man, Jacob Taskerhill, is trying to legitimize the Last Laugh in Cauldron under the watchful eye of Lord Mayor Hezekiah Grofus. Note: Taskerhill is also a magistrate in Cauldron.

This has caused a schism through the remaining members of the Last Laugh in Cauldron and Kul Moren. After Taskerhill revealed himself to be a Jester to the citizens and promised to reform the guild, many of his former allies turned on him. This included the Jester known only as “Lady Death”. This vicious woman is actually a middle-class merchant, named Rane Kiduttaan, with holdings in Anoria, Caloric, Flamerule, and Izmer, as well as in Cauldron. So, far she has managed to keep her identity a secret from Taskerhill and the leaders of the Order of the Silver Hand. She has put a considerable bounty on the head of Taskerhill and Hezekiah Grofus, but so far, she hasn't had her harlequins go after Argo Flameheart and the other leaders of the Order.

The faction in Cauldron under the leadership of Taskerhill isn't the only group of Last Laugh rogues trying to go legitimate. There is small group of rogues in the Duchy of Minar that are trying to set up a mercenary company using the insignia and name of the Last Laugh. They are led by a woman named Vivianne Kerrick, who doesn't refer to herself as a Jester. These rogues, scouts, and bards seem to have left behind the viciousness of the Last Laugh guilds of the Thunder Lands. So far, they have managed to coexist peacefully with the Eyes of Hande and Tiger Guild. (The fact that these Last Laugh rogues seem determined to operate out in the open as a mercenary company has helped.)

The worst of the Last Laugh can now be found in the Fallen Domain of Anoria. Despite the iron-fisted rule of the Infernals of the City-state of Flamerule, Anoria is still a city with its own criminal element. The Last Laugh Thieves Guild has existed in Anoria almost as long as it has existed in Cauldron. There use to be several Jesters controlling the activities of the guild in Anoria, but now there is only one. Aryira Oliverio is a mean-spirited woman with a lust for vengeance and evil. She is the sister of one of the most famous commanders of Flamerule, Tarsus Oliverio, who now oversees much of the day-to-day activities of Anoria's government. Publicly, the two are enemies, but the truth is that the two of them work together to control every aspect of Anorian society.

The Last Laugh can be found in every major city and city-state in the Thunder Lands, but each individual guild rarely works willingly with other Last Laugh guilds. The group has become so decentralized that no one person could hope to unite all the guild into one super thieves' guild. Many have tried, but they have all failed. The Last Laugh seems to be built around gaining power for oneself, first, and everyone else in the guild, second. There are exceptions, however, The Last Laugh rogues in Caloric follow the leadership of a Jester named Wyrmarnare. No one in the guild has any idea who the mysterious Jester is, but it is believed that he is nearly a hundred-years-old and cannot be killed.

If they learned the truth, that Wyrmarnare is only a name used by the Council of Jesters to control the guild, then the guild would likely fall apart. It was decided ages ago that the underworld life in Caloric is so complex and divided that no one person should hold absolute power in the guild. However, it has to appear that way to the lower-level members of the guild or the various factions within the guild would go to war on the streets and sky-ways of the city-state. The power of the name has kept the peace in the Caloric guild for almost forty years and the high-ranking members of the Last Laugh in the city-state prefer to keep it that way.

 

[Knightfall]

Borrowed (and renamed/reworked) from the Shackled City Adventure Path!

STRIDERS OF THE DAWN
Symbol: The horizon at dawn.

Purpose
The Striders of the Dawn is a loosely run organization of adventurers (and ex-adventurers) who watch the horizons for signs of great turmoil, and who strive to preserve the Tenets of the Balance throughout the Lands of Harqual.

Leaders: Alexandre Theobald [NE male human, Sco14]; Cezar Threlfall [N male human, Drd15 (the Daghdha)]; Darara Balderama [CN female human, Clr14 (Sanh)]; Meerthan Eliothlorn [NG male half-elf, Wiz16]; Shensen Tesseril [LN female half-elf, Mnk3/Brd3/Drd10 (the Daghdha)]*.
*DM's Note: Since there aren't any drow on my world, I changed Shensen's race to a standard half-elf.

Famous Members: Fario Ellegoth [NG male half-elf, Rog7/Ftr7]; Fellian Shard [NG male half-elf, Rog5/Clr9 (Brenna)]; Gavin Vasswind [LN male halfling (hairfoot), Rog2/Wiz7]; Marta Stangassinger [NG female dwarf (hill), Sen10]; Pan Mirelic [NE male half-orc, Brd4/Ftr6]; Riannon Havard [CN female human, Bbn6/Sor6]; Shadlor Zimmel [N male desert elf, Clr5/Rgr5 (Bast)].

Notable Activities
The Striders of the Dawn are always looking for that next crisis. The group seeks out troubles regardless of where it is happening. As an organization dedicated to the Tenets of the Balance, its idea of “trouble” doesn't always correlate with the goals of good organizations. Evil groups almost always work against the Striders, but there have been exceptions. The harsh neutrality of the Tenets don't always endear the Striders to governments or a government's citizens.

For example, the Striders oppose slavery as general rule, which makes the group unpopular in places like the Chara Cities. However, it also oppose the clear-cutting of forests, which makes the group unpopular in places where timber is part of a region's economy (i.e. Stonn). Usually, if something protects the sanctity of life (including non-humanoid life) then the Striders are for it. Some monsters fall into this category, but only if they have a true ecological niche. So, a dragon that lives within the Balance is to be protected, but a dragon that turns “rogue” is often considered a threat to the Tenets. Creatures like the undead and aberrations are considered to be destroyers of the natural world, so they are always destroyed by the Striders.

Note that the Striders tend towards protecting those that are good-of-heart, but the group will fight to protect fringe-races (and creatures) like lizardfolk that are part of the natural world. The group rarely fights for the lives of evil races (and creatures), but when such beings are vital to balancing out good then the group will support them. This has caused conflict between the Striders and such races as the elves and dwarves, as the organization has protected evil humanoids from being wiped out. These foes of elves and dwarves, sometimes, balance out the activities of the demihuman races.

It's rare, but it does happen.

Note that the Striders don't hate civilization. Civilization has its place in the world, just not at the cost of the natural world. For example, the Striders have never agreed with the location of the City of Cauldron. Building a city in the bowl of an dormant volcano is not a good idea, in the group's opinion. However, the group won't work to destroy the city, as the people who live there are relatively benign. Cauldronites are strong supporters of the natural world, and they work towards protecting the land around Cauldron — now, due to recent events, even more than before.

The Striders, more often, oppose the construction of cities without consideration to the people and creatures that might be living nearby. The City-state of Caloric is such as city. It was built quickly, using magic, and is considered by many to be an eyesore on the edge of the Great Expanse. It is also filled with many immoral people who have no regard for the natural world or even their own neighbors. There are good people in Caloric, but they are not the norm. Thus, the Striders would like Caloric to disappear under the sands of the desert.

The Striders can also be found anywhere that one facet of alignment (or sometimes two) has gained too much strength. If a community or kingdom has become entrenched with evil (or good) or affected by rigid laws (or uncontrolled chaos), then the group acts to return the region towards the Balance. Since many of the Striders are good-aligned they are more likely to turn a blind-eye towards governments that are extremely benign. Good is almost always better than evil, in the minds of most members of the Striders. (Views on law vs. chaos tend to divide evenly amongst them.)

Both the Kingdom of Thallin and the Kingdom of Navirosov are two good examples of this. Thallin was always known as place where new ideas were welcome, but always had a strong controlling center to it government. Now, it has fallen into chaos and decadent evil in just a few years. Meanwhile, Navirosov has been strongly lawful and good for so long that the island kingdom is at risk of become dull, stagnant and, annoyingly priggish. Change must become a vital part of Navirosov's political climate, in order to protect its amazing civilization.

The most important thing to remember about the Striders of the Dawn is that the group is as diverse as the many sides of the Balance. Any character who is partially neutral and believes in the Balance could find a place for him or herself in the organization. However, characters with one of the extreme alignments could find him or herself as a member of this group, but they would have a hard time justifying the behaviors of some of their fellows. Since the organization is made up of mainly adventurers and ex-adventurers it tends to have a lot of rollover. Striders come and Striders go, but the organization outlasts all those who have tried to change it.

Campaign Notes
The members of the Striders of the Dawn are wanders, for the most part. They come and go as they please and one could argue that the group is highly chaotic. However, there are just as many lawful Striders as there are chaotic ones. The people of the Lands of Harqual simply hear more about the wild, unruly ones than they do about the law-abiding ones. The Strider named Darara Balderama is a good example of the latter.

Born in the city-state of Halandra, Darara discovered at a young age that she was free spirit. The citizens of the city-state learned it too, as she often ran around the streets naked. When she was still a child, this was seen only as being naive and childish. However, after she blossomed into her womanhood, and continued to behave the same way, it became to much for some of the more prudish citizens to bare... I mean, bear. She soon was exiled from the city-state, which suited her just fine. She took up the faith of Sanh and let her wild spirits roar. She fell in with the Striders several years later and is considered one of the group's greatest leaders. And yes, she still prefers to roam around naked.

Another famous Strider is the half-elf wizard Meerthan Eliothlorn. He is famous for being an ally to the Order of the Silver Hand, without overshadowing them. In fact, he is in semi-retirement in Cauldron City and is beginning to wonder if it might be time to pass his place of leadership to another. This other is the half-elf woman named Shensen Tesseril. She is quickly becoming a favorite ally of Lord Mayor Hezekiah Grofus, and is beloved by the populace of Cauldron. She is already a leader in her own right, but her place amongst the upper echelon of the Striders would be assured if Meerthan endorsed her.

Every member of the Striders has a story to tell, and a goal in life. Whether it be to bring down the Mad One of Thallin or to reform the political structure of Navirosov. However, the Striders of the Dawn is at its best when the group works together and forms alliance with others. The Cagewright crisis in Cauldron was one of these events, and the Tabaxi War is becoming another. The Striders hate slavers, and the tabaxi are becoming the worst slavers on the continent. The Striders are working diligently to bring down as many of the cat-men as possible, but they'd prefer to change the tabaxi from within, if possible. Its a tough idea to put into the minds of the tabaxi, as well as those the cat-men have been enslaving.

The whole Storm Peninsula is a hotbed of turmoil to the Striders. There aren't any bans on the cutting down of the trees of the Storm Jungle, tabaxi are hunted as animals by the ignorant and ruthless, and the tabaxi don't help matters by being egotistical marauders out for blood and vengeance after being banished from the world. The Striders have learned that not all tabaxi are evil, and many of them wish to live in peace with their human and demihuman neighbors. The Striders believe that it isn't fair to judge an entire race on the anger and frustration of its oldest citizens. Yes, the strongest tabaxi deity is a vicious entity, but not all tabaxi believe in the Doctrines of Tu.

If there is one place where the Striders believe that evil must be put down, it is on the Ragik Peninsula. The Old Sword Lands have remained oppressive since the time of the Empire of Swords. In places like Transformation Kingdom of Ahamudia and the reformed Sword Protectorate there is a new hope blossoming. However, the rest of the peninsula remains a dark place full of evil men and women of every sort. Dark, twisted creatures roam the lands, and only those with power are safe (and only some of the time). Evil undead and werebeasts are commonplace throughout the region. Only the stalwart courage of the barbarians of the Northlands, dwarves of the Greystone Mountains, elves of the Great Forest, and the druid enclaves of the Hallowed Lands keeps the evil at bay.

Many a Strider, near the end of his or her life, has traveled to the Old Sword Lands to cleanse as much darkness from the region as possible before dying a bloody death.

---

Also, see this post...
3E/3.5 - Kulan: The Lands of Harqual