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

[Knightfall]

AND TWO MORE...

Ee’aar Clans
Proper Name: The Ee’aar Clans
Ruler: The High Peregrine, Aelthilon Windstorm [CG male ee’aar Rgr12]
Government: Clan Structure
Capital: NA
Major Towns: Six town-sized mountain clan encampments.
Provinces: NA
Resources: Cinnabar, malachite, textiles (wool), totems, and wood (deadfall only).
Coinage: NA
Population: 304,786 – Ee’aar 85%, Elf (forest) 5%, Halfling (hairfoot) 4%, Human 2%, Kha 2%, Other Races 2%.
Languages: Auran, Common, Denila, Elven, Sidhe.
Alignments: NG, N, CG *, CN
Patron God: Aerdrie.
Major Religions: Brenna, Casiia, Corellon, Dionysus, Draven, Fenmarel, Heward, Rillifane, Sanh, and Tarsellis.
Minor Religions: Apollo, Damh, Ehlonna, Erevan, Hendomar, Khonvum, Lokun, Mahridaar, Olidammara, and Uller.
Cults: Deltum, Dy’Madra, Euphoria, Nessus, Santè, Seraph, Sialic, Thorn, Zealot, and Zell.
Alliances: Tentative alliances with the Barony of Liran, the Free City of Yuln, and the City-state of Chaja.

_____________________________________________​

Sunus Tribes
Proper Name: The Tribes of the Sunus Mountains
Ruler: King Brulok [CE male bugbear War14]
Government: Tribal Structure
Capital: NA
Major Towns: These tribes mainly live underground in a network of interconnected caves; however, most of the hill giants live aboveground and tend to roan instead of settling in one place.
Provinces: NA
Resources: Charcoal, gems (bloodstones, mainly), mercenaries/soldiers, metals (copper and iron), and slaves.
Coinage: NA
Population: 150,250 – Bugbear 83%, Hill Giant 8%, Mountain Orc 6%, Other Races 3%.
Languages: Abyssal, Anarchic, Common, Goblin, Infernal, Orc, Undercommon.
Alignments: LE, NE, CN, CE *
Patron God: None.
Major Religions: Angrboda, Bel, Dispater, Druaga, Gruumsh, Hruggek, Karontor, Loviatar, Maglubiyet, Math Mathonwy, Mussin, Nether, Orcus, Vaprak, and Yeenoghu.
Minor Religions: Baphomet, Battus, Belinik, Demogorgon, Erythnul, Hansa, Hergund, Hiisi, Konkresh, Kurtulmak, Lokun, Malotoch, Sulerain, Uller, and Xuar.
Cults: Amand, Baalzebul, Ces, Dark God, Deltum, Emcey, Enduma, Ibrandul, Karaan, Pazuzu, Queen of Air and Darkness, Shoku, Telchur, Teve, Thera, Turaglas, Vespin, and Zealot.
Alliances: The Black Kingdom of the Thunder Orcs (strained).

 

[Knightfall]

A SELECTION OF NPCs

Ambri Guldev, Lord of the City-state of Zafira, The Somber Lord
Stats: ½m (hairfoot) / 7th level warrior, 10th level aristocrat (werebat) / neutral evil
Homeland: Unknown
Source: Original
Personality: Vengeful, deceitful, and somber.
Description: Lord Ambri Guldev has been a werebat for over 300 years and has ruled over Zafira for at least two hundred and fifty of those years.

His power in Zafira is absolute and he has learned to hide his affliction by passing down rule of the city to himself generation after generation.

He has had over 200 years to perfect this facade and the citizens of his city are unaware of his legacy – for the most part.

Lately, Lord Guldev has been considering ending his undead existence. Hundreds of years of unnatural life are starting to put him in a foul mood. His subjects have started referring to him as the Somber Lord but never to his face.

He wishes to pass down the rule of the city to someone who will keep the status quo he’s built. Someone who fits his dark mood but is mortal, so that they can better lead the people of Zafira.
Even his dark, evil nature hasn’t stopped him from admiring his subjects a little. He wants them taken care of, but taken care of his way.

 

[Knightfall]

Amia Darthington, Cleric of Ramara
Stats: hf / 5th level cleric (Ramara) / neutral good
Homeland: The Duchy of Minar
Source: Original
Personality: Quiet, reflective, and confident.
Description: Amia secretly wishes she had been born as an elf and dislikes most human cultures and concepts. Born in a small hamlet in the Duchy of Minar, her mother was the abusive sort and her father, a coward by heart. After one particularly incident she was thrown out of her home by her mother and has not looked back since.

Amia is carrying the unborn child of a forest elf named Bactra Redwind. She loves the adventurous wizard even though they only spent one night together. She wishes he was the sort to settle down but realized that he is drawn to wandering and the pursuit of magical study. She has it in her mind to become a powerful cleric and join him in his quests, as soon as her child is old enough.

That child will be born under the watchful eye of the silver elves of Great Forest. Originally, Amia had intended to have her child born in the Halfling village of Barrow's Field. But when the new King of Thallin declared Nether as the state god of the Kingdom of Thallin the entire village picked up and moved into the Great Forest.

Eventually, they made their way to Silverleaf where she has learned of Bactra's heritage and that Knotwood has fallen.


Theresa Meadowpalm, Former Sheriff of Barrow's Field, Exile in Silverleaf
Stats: ½f (hairfoot) / 9th level fighter / lawful good
Homeland: The Kingdom of Thallin
Source: Joshuan’s Almanac [Seluna the Browneyes]
Personality: Cheerful, posed, and willful.
Description: The youngest sheriff in the history of Barrow’s Field, Theresa Meadowpalm is a slim, graceful beauty admired by all her halfling kin. Theresa took the position of sheriff after her father had died of Frost Fever.

It was Theresa who made the decision to abandon Barrow’s Field after King Varath came to power in Thallin. She foresaw what would become of her people if they had stayed after hearing the news of Varath’s hatred for demihumans and arcane magic users.

Now, in exile in the Kingdom of the Silver Leaves, Theresa wonders if they should have stayed and fought for their home. She also worries about her husband, Jordy, a traveling tinker and minstrel who works up and down the Eastern Shores during the warmer months.

He left Barrow’s Field roughly three months before Varath was crowed king and hasn’t been seen since. Theresa had a friendly cleric cast a sending spell to Jordy but no reply came back. She worries that Thallin soldiers have taken him prisoner. She doesn’t know what to tell her two young children, who have begun asking where ‘Papa’ is.

 

[Knightfall]

Anders Carrin, Merchant Lord of Xcellian
Stats: dm (Torin) / 8th level fighter, 8th level trader / lawful neutral
Homeland: The City-state of Xcellian
Source: Original
Personality: Stubborn, knowledgeable, and auspicious.
Description: Anders Carrin is the fourth son of, the now deceased, Brejan Carrin of the Carrin-Austil Mercantile House of Xcellian. Cam House as it often referred to, is the largest and most powerful trading house in Xcellian and it seemed unlikely that Anders would ever have inherited the Carrin family side of the business. (The other family is called the Austils, who have a different leader. The two families are aligned by bloodline.)

However, his three older brothers were drawn into the adventuring life at a young age. His two oldest brothers never came back, while his other elder brother came back completely mad. This left only Anders to inherit the Carrin side of the business. However, he too caught the adventuring bug and sailed off to ‘find his fate’ against the wishes of Lord Brejan.

Unlike his brothers, luck seemed to follow Anders on his travels and he soon amassed a great fortune. He sailed home to fill the coffers of Cam House, turning it into the powerhouse it is today. He put his name in for civic duty and soon rose to prominence as the de facto head of the Mercantile Collegiate.

Less than four years after returning home, the dwarven man was named Merchant Lord of Xcellian by his peers and has held that title for another 10 consecutive years. Many wish to name him Merchant King for life but he balks at such a title. He hopes to pass on the rule of Cam House to his son, Finn, as soon as the boy is old enough. Then, he will go on one last great adventure with his old traveling colleagues.

 

[Knightfall]

Athrak
Stats: dm (Torin) / 5th level ranger (Ptah) / lawful good
Homeland: The Outer Forest of Heverkent
Source: Original
Personality: Single-minded and determined.
Description: Athrak was taken from his family when still only a child. The perpetrators were ogres that sold him into slavery. Eventually he was taken to Zafira where he served as a slave for most of his childhood. Only when he was left for dead during a caravan attack did he escape.

Knowing only slavery and bit and pieces from his family life, Athrak found himself unable to trust others – living as a recluse for years in the Heverkent Forest. Only when he came across an old man being tortured by ogres did he find his courage. He sent the ogres to the grave in a fit of rage and saved the old mans life.

That man's name was Terr Mulbronte, a ranger who had defended the land around the Heverkent Forest and the Savannas – by battling evil humanoids all his life. Now in his twilight years, Terr found himself unable to handle the growing problem in the region. The old ranger had only his young grand niece, Shara, to pass his skills onto and she would not be of age for several years. He saw tremendous potential in Athrak as a student and soon convinced the young dwarf to learn the ways of the ranger and help Terr defend the wilderness until Shara was old enough to take Terr's place.

Athrak was a quick study and took a shining to the old man, sort as a surrogate father. However, Athrak knew it wouldn't last forever as Terr was human and the years quickly caught up with the old ranger. As Athrak stood over his mentor’s deathbed he promised to stay and train Shara until she was ready to protect Terr's protectorate. The old man died with a smile.

Already a young, strong woman, Shara excelled under Athrak's teachings and had soon outstripped the young dwarf in ability. Athrak wasn't surprised, after all she was human. Athrak had grown restless during the years after Terr's death and had come to revere the teaching of the God of Artist and Travelers, Ptah.

So the young dwarven ranger took his leave of his tall, little sister (as he was fond of referring to her) to seek his place in the world and hopefully find his clan among the Torin of the savannas, someday.

 

[Knightfall]

Jace Brookwater, Duke of Minar, The Singing Monarch
Stats: hm / 8th level bard, 10th level lyric thaumaturge / neutral good
Homeland: The Duchy of Minar
Source: Original
Personality: Humorous, inspiring, and vigorous.
Description: Jace is a rags-to-riches story. He was born a clockmaker’s son in the City of Vapaa. He left his homeland when he was 15 traveling extensively all over Harqual.

He became fond of the Eastern Shores for its rugged lifestyle and proceeded to settle in Minar when he was 30. He was surprised to learn that citizens could win the title of Duke and rule the country in a tournament held once ever five years.

On a lark and to entertain his friends he entered the tournament. He spent most of the tournament entertaining the crowd, not even trying to win. He won anyway. The result was that he learned the duty of true responsibility and has won the tournament every five years since.

This is mainly due to the fact that his subjects adore him. Duke Brookwater takes his duties very seriously, especially with the constant danger from the Sunus Bugbear Tribe in the Sunus Mountains. He is an inspiring commander on the battlefield, as several conflicts have broken out amongst Minar and the many evil humanoids that constantly threaten the country.

His songs and good humor are a boon to his military commanders. He may not be a powerhouse one-on-one but his soldiers wouldn’t go into battle without him. He is also known to give free bardic performances to the masses at Minar City’s Amphitheater.

 

[Knightfall]

More...

Angor of the Valley, Member of the MaShir Wolves
Stats: hm / 10th level barbarian / neutral good
Homeland: The Twilight Valley
Source: Original
Personality: Superstitious, proud, and loyal.
Description: Leading member of the MaShir Wolves, Angor is often called on by Captain Hilik to lead the charge in an important battle. Angor left his valley home to help increase the range of his tribes influence. He has been a Wolf member for over ten years and his tribe is now one of the most influential tribes in the Northlands.


Calvyn of MaShir, King, Bear of the North
Stats: hm / 8th level warrior, 8th level cleric (Cronn) / neutral good
Homeland: The Kingdom of MaShir
Source: Original
Personality: Brave, pious, and serious.
Description: Calvyn of MaShir is in his 60th year as King and has decided that he will abdicate the throne to his son, Regald of Kyhl, within the next five years.

This is due in part to his health, as well as the fact that his son is tremendously popular with the bulk of the Kingdom’s people and soldiers. This is especially true of the MaShir Wolves, the Kingdom’s elite forces.

The King will probably retire to the Stone of the North, the main fortress dedicated to Cronn, located on the island of Tel'Meth.

 

[Knightfall]

More NPCs

Brekk Thunderstone, High Defender of the Stone Fists
Stats: dm (high) / 5th level fighter, 5th level cleric (Moradin), 10th level dwarven defender / lawful good
Homeland: The Kingdom of the Greystones
Source: Original
Personality: Calm, quiet, and taciturn.
Description: Brekk is the commander of all dwarven troops between the Stone Fists, the two tallest mountains in Greystone Mountains. This puts the dwarven city Milo and the dwarven fortress Highstone directly under his sole command.

His son, Dvalin, had been promised to the daughter of the last High Thane, Sannl Blackforge, who now rules the dwarven lands of the Greystone Mountains. Dvalin married another, which has left Brekk somewhat out of favor with Sannl.

 

[Knightfall]

Carrie of Samari
Stats: hf / 8th level wizard (transmuter) / lawful good
Homeland: Originally – World of Samari (Enth), Now – The Duchy of Minar
Source: Dungeon Magazine #45 (pg. 38) [Cora]
Personality: Shy, studious, and devoted.
Description: Carrie comes from an alternate Material Plane called Samari, and she speaks in a heavy, rich accent. She was completely devoted to her former mistress, Rudwilla Grumb, and was very sad after her mistress’s death at the hands of a group of gnolls.

Rudwilla saved the girl’s life after Carrie was accidentally transported to Kulan by a spell gone awry by her old master on Samari. Carrie hasn't any plans to return to her world, as her old master was a mean old brute. She finds Harqual much more to her liking, and before being transported to Kulan, had never seen snow before. She absolutely loves winter.

Carrie recently fell in love with a half-elf ranger, who is from somewhere north of Minar. He and his friends saved her from terrible creatures called adherers roughly a year ago. However, his adventuring lifestyle took him away from her before she could find out more about him, like his name.

Thus, Carrie is trying to become a powerful wizard so that when she finds him again that she will be able to stand alongside him in his struggles. The only problem is that she doesn't know where to start looking.

Carrie was able to save Rudwilla’s familiar, a fremlin named Naswig, from the gnolls. And while Naswig isn’t her familiar, the two travel together and are good friends.


Naswig, Little Rogue
Stats: fremlin (m) / 5th level rogue / chaotic neutral
Homeland: Unknown
Source: Dungeon Magazine #45 (pg. 38)
Personality: Fun loving, mischievous, and watchful.
Description: Naswig is an ex-familiar who lost his mistress but survived. He was the familiar of Rudwilla Grumb before her untimely death at the hands of several marauding gnolls. And if it hadn’t been for Rudwilla’s apprentice, Carrie, he would surely have died too.

In gratitude for saving his life, Naswig has become Carrie’s best friend and protector. No longer a familiar, Naswig has had to survive by his wits and nimble fingers. However, he tries not to steal from those that would hunt him and Carrie down.

Naswig would like to become someone’s familiar again but feels too close to Carrie to become her familiar. He wouldn’t like taking orders from her, as it would put a strain on their friendship. She feels the same way.

Therefore, he bides his time until the duo comes across a likely candidate that will befriend Carrie and take on Naswig as a familiar.

 

[Knightfall]

Derin Owon, Townmaster of Joerid, Rogue, Problem-Solver
Stats: hm / 10th level rogue / neutral good
Homeland: Originally – World of Maran (Kingdom of Javeldos); Now – The Kingdom of Ahamudia
Source: Joshuan's Almanac [Devlin Yakov]
Personality: Dedicated, honorable, and plainspoken.
Description: Many Javeldians called Owon a great ‘hero’ on his home world of Maran. He aided those in need in the past, resolving matters that the local authorities could not. And since his transference to Kulan he has been immortalized in the eyes of the people of Ahamudia. The man dedicated himself to being a scout and saboteur for the Northern Army versus the tyranny of the Empire of Swords as he did back on Maran, against the Black Emperor of Kiltann.

Derin's bravery and courage in the war has made him not only a hero but a growing legend as well. All Javeldians admire Derin, especially the children. Young Javeldian boys are often seen playing soldier with King Kelvin as the general and Derin as his loyal scout. Seeing this for the first time made Derin seriously consider his fate and duty to the people. King Kelvin paid tribute to the young man's bravery by appointing him as Townmaster of Joerid. Derin takes his new duties very seriously and is ever vigilante against anyone who would oppose Ahamudia.

He and Ishka, a former adventuring companion, are close friends. They are not only loyal to the King but to each other as well. Their friendship has grown from traveling companions, to respected peers, to loyal friends. Some of those closest to them also believe that they might be falling in love. Only time will tell.


Ishka, Baroness of Delawyr, Priestess of the Church of Ahamudia
Stats: hf / 13th level cleric (Issek) / lawful good
Homeland: Originally – World of Maran (Empire of Kiltann); Now – The Kingdom of Ahamudia
Source: Joshuan's Almanac [Misha Mananov]
Personality: Protective, serene, and tolerant.
Description: Ishka was born in the Empire of Kiltann, on Maran, and lived under the oppressive rule of the Black Emperor. She took shelter with the Church of Javeldos and later entered the order. She wandered Javeldos for a number of years, righting wrongs and helping others. Eventually, she accepted a position as priestess of Calaerik.

Ishka is one of the few Javeldians who was completely transferred to Kulan, without a simulacrum being left behind on Maran, by the Transformation. She was also one of the few people transferred who decided to stay and help protect Ahamudia. Her strength of will won her the hearts of the Javeldians during the conflict with the Sword Imperium.

Recently, she has been given the duty of ruling over the newly renamed Barony of Delawyr and is charged with protecting the western border of Ahamudia, with the region known as the Sword South.